"A Walk in the Clouds"
Invader, Part 5
By Mike Christopher
Read Part 4 "Monster"


Zeel awoke. His first thought upon waking was to lie very still, not wishing to alert anyone to his awakening. He remembered all too well how he had been set upon by the monstrous Eliwan, seizing him and then casting some sort of spell over him. Now, he was sure they were watching him. He listened carefully. There was a strange sound, almost like some kind of music, coming from somewhere very nearby. The music stopped for a moment, and heard the inhalation of a breath. Someone was there! One of the monsters!
He still and silent, trying to determine how many of his captors were nearby, but he could only hear the funny music which had now resumed. Slowly, he began to become more aware of his body. His aches and pains had vanished, although he assumed they would return all too willingly the moment he tried to move. There was a strange sensation in his tentacles, a slight…itching…but also a refreshing sense of coolness.
Finally, he could stand it no more. He cracked open his great ocular just the tiniest bit and peered out. Again, he was lying eye up on some soft surface. The ceiling above him resembled the one he remembered awakening to before, embedded with glowing specks of light that danced and whirled in slow patterns. Although he loathed to admit it, he did find the display rather appealing. Sort of…soothing.
The odd music was sounding from somewhere just above his tentacles. He could sense movement there, although nothing was touching him directly. Suddenly, a pale face was staring at him. The music ended suddenly. "Ah! You’re awake!" came the words from the monster’s obscenely fleshy lips. Zeel snapped his eyelid shut, knowing it was too late and feeling foolish, but unable to stop the instinctive response.
There was a tapping on his eyelid. It’s touching me! Zeel panicked. What do I do? He squeezed his eyelid tighter, flinching away from the touch. There was a soft liquid sound that didn’t seem like speech. Then the voice moved away and began to make the music again. The cool feeling washed over his tentacles once more. What’s going on? Is it…could it be?/i>healing me? The thought was strange to Zeel, yet he couldn’t deny that he no longer felt any of the terrible pain he remembered from his previous awakening.
Suddenly, another thought slipped into his mind. Maybe they’re healing me up so they can start torturing me all over again! Now his mind reeled in fear. He remembered once seeing a GOH commander bring a broken AGA to the presence of a KEW mage. The AGA had been punished almost to the point of annihilation. The GOH had forced his troops to watch as the KEW healed the AGA’s wounds, only for the GOH commander to begin "punishing" the unfortunate AGA all over again! No! I have to get free while I am still whole and sane!
Zeel’s great ocular popped wide open and he emitted his best ear-piercing screech. He charged his tentacles and hovered quickly up into the air, brushing the ceiling. Looking down, he saw the Eliwan monster holding its flabby fleshy ears in response to his high-pitched wail. The supersonic war screeches of the AGA soldiers were well known for setting an enemy off guard and creating chaos and confusion within enemy ranks. He soon ran out of air and had to take a breath. In that moment, he turned and zipped toward the still open window of his cell.
Just before he dove through, a large Eliwan bearing massive feathered wings was there, blocking his path. He screeched again, putting all his might into the sound. This time, however, the results were different. The monster looked distressed, but it was apparently not disturbed enough to flee from the sound. It began shaking its head and shouting something to him. He could hear its words as his air ran out again.
It was saying, "No! No! Not this way! You could be hurt!"
Those were unexpected words from a monster. What did it care if he was hurt? Ah, he thought, they do not wish for me to hurt myself! They want to save that pleasure for themselves!
But now the monster was saying something else, "Please! If you wish to go outside, use the door in your room!"
Eh? What Eliwan treachery is this? Surely this monster cannot mean that I am free to leave whenever I wish? Confused, he pivoted to look back to the Eliwan who had been healing his wounds. Its hands were held out toward him, but not in a menacing pose. It was speaking softly, "There, there. Don’t be afraid. We will not harm you."
Sensing a trap, he thought, More Eliwan lies! They underestimate my intelligence! Very well, then, I’ll play their game for now. Zeel fervently hoped that if could just get outside, he could find a way to escape. Perhaps he might even find a way to contact his people, to let them know what had happened to him. That thought made him pause. And just what would I tell them? he wondered. And who would I tell that would even care about one mere AGA? Suddenly feeling very depressed and very alone, he let himself drift closer to the floor.
The Eliwan healer lowered its hands. Moving slowly, it sat down on the floating bit of cloud that had served as Zeel’s resting place. It pulled its lips back, showing gleaming white teeth that were uselessly blunt. Zeel wondered what this new display was all about. Those teeth were certainly not frightening. Surely the monster couldn’t be trying to intimidate him with those!
The Eliwan who had blocked his path through the window had now entered the room. It stood with its huge wings folded neatly back, their feathery tips just touching the floor. It looked at him and then pulled its lips back too. Yuck, he thought. Those teeth are really gross! Then the monster spoke once more, holding a hand out before it and gesturing to the far wall. "Would you like to go outside? Maybe a little fresh air and sunshine will do you some good."
There it was again, the monster’s offer to enter the trap! Zeel looked about the far wall, but saw no exit. Slowly, the monster moved past him, nodding to the one sitting on the resting surface as it passed. It neared the far wall and touched the fluffy white surface with its horrible bone-filled fingers. The wall briefly flashed a soft golden hue and then melted away to reveal a long white hallway, curving away out of sight. Zeel eyed the monsters suspiciously, and then moved carefully toward the door. He was determined to walk through their trap with a wide-open eye—keeping a close watch for escape opportunities.
The monsters made no move to follow as he slid out into the hall. One wall was open to the air, divided by graceful pillars that seemed to be made of slowly spiraling water vapor. Beyond, he could see across a broad plaza, broken up by large and elegant containers brimming with delicate plants and flowers. The plaza ended in a stately park of low-growing trees, whose softly glowing fruits sent down gentle showers of pink sparks to accumulate in glittering mounds upon the fluffy white ground. In the distance, graceful white towers, minarets, arches and bridges filled the near horizon just above the treetops.
Scattered throughout the plaza and walking the paths of the park were many more of the Eliwan. Some of the monsters bore great wings, which seemed to come in all manner of shapes, colors and sizes, while others had none at all. As he slowly floated from his room, he saw many of the monsters gasp in surprise, pointing his way and murmuring quietly to one another. As if they didn’t know I was coming out! They really must think me very simple!
Now the two monsters that had been in his room emerged into the hallway behind him cutting off his retreat. He took a deep breath, readying himself to make a wild flight for freedom as soon as an opportunity arose. Cautiously, he flew out through the pillars, entering the plaza beyond. The gathering crowd of Eliwan drew back at his approach, and he enjoyed buzzing toward them and watching them retreat quickly, murmuring in astonishment at his approach. I’ll bet you never thought to see the likes of me! He chuckled to himself, picturing the gathered throng of Invaders waiting down on El to swarm in and destroy each and every one of these horrid beasts once and for all!
Now, he picked up a little speed, and buzzed through the throng to enter the trees. With a quick glance back, he noted that his two guardians had apparently blended into the crowd for he saw no sign of them. He turned his attention back to the path before him. The drifts of glittering pink sparks lifted and swirled with his passing. There was a soft tinkling sound, as of crystal chimes, that seemed to emanate from the trees around him. A slight perfume tickled the olfactory wrinkles beneath the crooks of his paddled arms as he slid silently through the delicate forest.
He was gliding through a quiet glade, filled with a shimmering crystalline pool, when suddenly, a monster stepped into his path from between the trees. It held up one arm to halt his forward progress.
"I greet you, friend. Welcome to the Sky Ring city of Arderial." The monster was of the wingless variety. It wore flowing robes of a filmy pink material, complimenting the delicate hues of the forest. About its ridiculously tiny head there floated a circle of tiny stars. Perhaps this is a leader! Zeel thought with dread. I’ve waited too late, now there will be no escape!
The monster spoke again, "I am Jaela, the Regis of this city. Do you have a name?" It folded its hands and waited patiently for him to answer.
A lifetime of training to react immediately to his superiors swiftly kicked in and he replied in his buzzing voice, "ZeelorAGAthim, Scout class, third rank AGA force four-eight-seven."
The monster pulled its lips back to reveal its teeth in the strange gesture that Zeel was now becoming accustomed to. "I see. A most impressive name, my friend. Does it have a meaning?"
Zeel pondered the question, wondering what sort of trickery the Eliwan was up to. "It means that I am an AGA of the family or-thim, called Zeel."
"Ah," the monster called Jaela said. "Zeel. May I call you Zeel?"
He buzzed a short affirmative which the monster apparently understood, for it continued, "Zeel, will you accompany me for a short way?" It held out its hand and motioned toward the path. Stranger and stranger, he thought. I fear I may not understand the nature of this trap in time to avoid it!
"I am pleased to see that your recovery has been swift. Do you feel well?" The monster walked along slowly beside him as he hovered along the tree-lined pathways.
"I? Zeel hesitated, unsure he wished for this monster to know his state of health. "I am…unsure." Inwardly, he flinched. Surely this monster would see through his hesitation and punish him swiftly. Among the AGA, anything other than immediate compliance to a request for information was met with punishment. He felt himself beginning to blush blue, as his inner guilt assailed him.
Oddly, the monster pretended not to notice his obvious attempt to evade her question. "Well, friend Zeel, you may stay here as long as you wish. We will help you in your recovery in any way that we can."
Zeel didn’t know how to respond. He remained silent, although his thoughts were spinning. What is this game they play? Why does this monster seem to take such a personal interest in a mere AGA? In his experience, personal interest in an AGA meant only one thing—punishment.
Suddenly, he was overcome with a sensation of heaviness. Ah! Here it comes, he thought. They spring their trap! But the monster merely watched him as he gasped in sudden exhaustion. Soon, he realized that he was merely tired, perhaps not so recovered as he had initially thought.
Jaela spoke, "You still need rest. Also, we should see that you have food and drink." The monster seemed to hesitate. "Do you…can you eat the food we have here?" It gestured to the glowing fruits upon the trees.
Zeel realized that he was very hungry indeed. The fruit looked delicious. He slid over and up to a heavily laden branch, lifting one of his paddle arms to sniff the dangling fruit. It certainly smelled edible! Still, he hesitated. What if their intention was to poison him, to watch him die in slow agony as their poisoned fruit destroyed him bit by bit?
The monster was looking at him intently with those dreadful beady eyes. Then, it reached up and plucked a fruit from the branch and bit into it. He watched as it chewed and swallowed, and then pulled its lips back to reveal its teeth again. It held the fruit out to him. Suddenly unable to resist, he snatched the fruit from the monster’s hand and stuffed it into his mouth whole. His mouth exploded with a taste as exquisite as it was exotic. Greedily, he snatched another from the tree, and then another. Soon, he was full and his weariness returned in full force. He felt as if he could drift off to sleep where he hovered!
The monster spoke softly to him, "Perhaps we should let you rest now. Would you like to return to your chambers?"
Zeel buzzed sleepily, his eyelid beginning to droop. "Sleep," was all he said. Suddenly, the two monsters from his cell were there, baring their teeth and holding out their hands to him. One of them raised its arms and made some strange motions in the air. Casting a spell, Zeel thought wearily, too sleepy now to resist. It’s too late. They have me now. And then he was fast asleep. He never noticed the gentle arms of magical wind that cradled him and guided him quietly back to his chambers, settling him once more upon the resting platform.


v


"Are you quite sure about this Regent?" Delia’s tone was concerned. Jaela nodded, her expression grim as she looked upon the small group that had gathered about her the moment the Invader had been whisked back to its chamber. Each had received the healer’s signal that creature was conscious and seeking to go outside just in time to hurry toward the gardens. Delia, along with Nimbulo and Shimmer, had been waiting just within the trees for the Regent’s staged meeting with the Invader to come to an end.
Jaela had made every effort to appear as calm and friendly as possible toward their "guest", although she had found herself repulsed by its appearance and the terrible grating buzz of its voice. "I truly believe this to be our best course of action," Jaela informed the scholars and the adept. "It has every reason to fear and distrust us…and it may well have ulterior motives of a sinister nature. But, as evidenced by its terrible injuries, it would seem that it is the victim of some mishap. This places us in an opportune position to be its benefactors, in the hope of gaining its trust." Jaela paused, looking at the ground, absently sliding one slippered foot through a drift of delicately glowing starberry pollen. "I believe that it will soon attempt to escape," she said, looking up.
Shimmer nodded. "And you want me to place the Farsight Gem on Yeepo and send her to keep an eye on it when it leaves?" Her tone indicated her doubts about the wisdom of this plan. Jaela nodded.
Nimbulo sighed, "But what if you are wrong, Regent? What if it doesn’t return of its own free will?" His voice sounded sad and even a bit hurt. "Just think of all the important information we could learn from this beast! It could all be lost if we let it go wandering off on its own!"
Jaela looked Nimbulo squarely in the eyes and shook her head. "As it now stands, we cannot trust anything it tells us. We must see where it heads when it makes a run for it. It may be that there are others of its kind not far away! And if it truly is alone here, if its coming here was some kind of mishap or accident, then we need for it to decide, all on its own, that it needs us! Even then, we can never be sure it will be honest with us."
Nimbulo shook his head, but did not argue further. The Regent was well known for the strangeness of her ways, but she did have a tendency for being right most of the time. Delia elbowed him in the ribs, "Let’s go old man, we’ve got plenty to keep us busy getting the Farsight Gem charged up and attuned to the Mirror. It’s been a while since anyone used it." She turned and headed up the path, not waiting to see if Nimbulo was following. Nimbulo nodded respectfully to the Regent, and afforded Shimmer a slight smile before following his peer to the Hall of Scholars.
When he had shuffled out of sight, Shimmer turned to Jaela, her face full of concern. "There are lots of dangers beyond the Sky Ring. The Invader may not be familiar with our world. It could be seriously hurt."
"I will be sure that a competent Guard will never be far away from our little ‘friend?. Jaela looked tired as she began to slowly walk down the path at Shimmer’s side. "We’ll be sure it doesn’t know it’s being followed. As for Yeepo, are you sure your vellup is up to the role of spy?"
Shimmer smiled, "Are you kidding? She’s going to love it!"
Jaela smiled wearily, "And you, young adept? How do you feel about all of this?"
Shimmer considered her feelings carefully before replying, "You know, Jaela, this may sound sort of strange…but, even though everyone seems afraid or confused or…greedy for knowledge…I can’t help but think that no one is thinking about how the Invader is feeling." Jaela’s brow furrowed, as if she didn’t understand the adept’s words. Shimmer continued, obviously struggling with her own emotions, "I mean, it’s been hurt badly…and is surrounded by people who must surely be as strange and frightening to it as it is to us. I wonder? she hesitated. "I wonder if it’s scared and lonely. Maybe all it really wants is to be left alone. To get back home, or whatever."
Shimmer stopped and turned to the Regent, taking her arm. "Jaela, what if it isn’t really some monster from our past? What if…deep down inside…it’s just the same as the rest of us? Wants the same basic things? Has the same basic hopes and dreams and aspirations?"
Jaela nodded, finally understanding Shimmer’s point. She patted the adept’s hand and replied in an earnest tone, "If such can be proven, my friend, then we—the people of Arderial—will do right by this creature. I promise you that. But? Jaela looked Shimmer directly in the eyes, her voice assuming the weight of the Regency, "we have a duty to discover the truth, or as much of it as we can. We cannot afford to be blinded by compassion.
"The Moonlands are in a state of great turmoil these days. There are dark times below, as you well know. The Dark Twins have stolen the Great Library of Naroom, Cald has recently attacked both the Weave and Orothe, and the Bograthians have just been routed from the jungles of Paradwyn. So far as we know, the remaining Shadow magi are still on the loose. It seems that we have been lucky so far in staying removed from the turmoil. Then this…archaic anomaly appears in our midst, and a few nights later we all suffer that terrible plague of nightmares that still has the scholars puzzling, and…and? Jaela seemed truly frustrated, searching for her words. "Now—I can’t help but wonder if our turn has come at last. Perhaps Arderial’s own dark times lie just ahead."
The Regent’s words were carried away by a sudden gust that bore a chill promise of the cool night to come. Shimmer remained silent, lost in her own thoughts, as she and Jaela meandered out of the forest.

What happens next? Read Part 6 "Freedom"


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