15
CYRUS DIDN’T REMEMBER MUCH AFTER he’d read the note. Not anything detailed at least. There were some deserts, they saw more of Aeolia and Captain Ori told some stories but one thing kept repeating in Cyrus’ head.
Midnight. Be ready.
Everything else faded into the background. By the time they reached the Atrium again, Auli’i and Kimo knew something was up.
“Hey … What’s on your mind? You’ve been here in body only since we left the Weatherford’s,” said Auli’i.
Cyrus peeked over his shoulder to see how far Lady Marianne was behind them. Ori was going on about how they caught the rain water and the intricacies of the aqueducts.
“Martian is coming to get me at midnight. I’m pretty sure I’m going to meet my mom,” whispered Cyrus.
Kimo tripped over his feet and fell to the ground. Ori stopped his story and Lady Marianne was right next to them in an instant.
Kimo got up clumsily.
“Not too late to swap Virtus Latores,” said Lady Marianne.
Cyrus chuckled.
So she’s not made of stone.
“Sorry! Sorry … I got distracted looking at … um … that … ” he said, pointing at the Atrium.
Skepticism was plastered across Lady Marianne’s face.
“Let’s hurry and get you guys back to the manor. The sun is going down,” she said.
“On an ending note, allow me to tell you about how the city is organized,” Ori began. “There are five precincts on Aeolia. The 1st precinct is where the dukes, the Lumen Caligo and important guests reside. The 2nd precinct is occupied by those whose profession has the most value … military commanders, blacksmiths, and healers. The 3rd and 4th precincts tend to have Lumens who deal with day to day items. Farmers, ranchers, wood workers, and seamstresses to name a few. The 5th district is where all of the servants reside.”
Cyrus furrowed his brow.
Servants … Is that their way of saying slaves?
He would ask Martin later.
Cyrus and the twins walked by the Atrium and looked up at the towering pillar leading up to the lighthouse. A Lumen had just lit the fire and shadows began to dance up and down the Atrium.
“Can we see the sunset?” asked Cyrus.
Captain Ori looked directly at Lady Marianne. Cyrus, Kimo and Auli’i followed suit.
“Sure … to the bird cage.”
Lumens were closing down their little shops around the Atrium and flying off.
Wonder where they nest for the night?
Cyrus chuckled as he thought of a Lumen nesting like a hen instead of lying down and sleeping. There were a lot of Lumens in the air. Many of them flew together, carrying heavier items. The circular space in front of the Atrium was almost empty.
It was Kimo’s turn to support Cyrus while he walked so the moment they saw the opening overlooking the ocean, Auli’i ran ahead.
“Hey! Wait up!” said Kimo apprehensively.
Cyrus supported himself more and leaned less on Kimo. He wouldn’t put it past Kimo to drop him and chase after his sister. Kimo stayed steady though. Auli’i laughed as she caught up to Lady Marianne who was opening the cage.
Auli’i looked out at the horizon and then turned back towards the boys and beckoned for them to come quicker. Kimo picked up the pace by essentially carrying Cyrus. Only Cyrus’ tippy toes touched the floor.
“Two minutes, then we head to the LC manor,” said Lady Marianne, keeping her eyes on the street behind them.
The sun was going down and the water glimmered and danced faster because of the whirling vortex underneath them. Comfort and familiarity filled Cyrus from head to toe. With all this new information, new location and new reality he was living, it was nice to see something he was familiar with … sunsets on the ocean. He didn’t have to think. He allowed himself to feel.
Lumens dotted the sky as they went every which direction to the various islands.
“How many islands surround Aeolia, Ori?” asked Auli’i.
“One hundred thirty-seven. Five are atolls, though. There used to be more but the eye’s current is ravenous. It has eroded about 20 islands over the years despite our efforts to prevent it. Do you see those boulders surrounding the south side of that island?” he said pointing.
Sure enough … there were large boulders sticking out of the water directing the current around the island.
“The boulders take the brunt of the current instead of the island itself. The island still gets washed away from the eye’s current but at a much slower pace because of our efforts. One of the islands has servants directly responsible for the sculpting of such boulders. Another island is responsible for transporting and placing them.”
“I bet that’s difficult,” said Kimo, shaking his head.
“Extremely … We lose vessels and servants almost every time,” he said with a tint of sadness.
“What’s worse? That or working on the spire?” asked Auli’i.
“Depends on the man. For me, it’s a tie. I wouldn’t want either of them.”
“I wonder what Aeolia looks like from one of those islands. I thought Aeolia was just an island with a huge mountain when we got here last night,” said Cyrus.
“It is a sight to behold. Living here, I am used to it. But to any outsider who sees it for the first time … It is a wonder. One of our past Lumen Latores was named Hippotes. He brought with him a young storyteller by the name of H—”
“Time’s up. Let’s go you three,” said Lady Marianne behind them.
They took one last look out at the horizon, soaking up every bit of it. The west was sunny and optimistic. They began walking back towards the Atrium and what a change. Mist and darkness began to roll in from the east. The circle was almost empty except for a few straggling Lumens and the guards that stood at the three entrances to the Atrium.
They made it back to the manor with the last sliver of light at their backs. The night had come.
The doors were opened for them by the two Lumens standing guard. They bowed and made the Omniscius Salutatio as Cyrus entered the Lumen Caligo manor.
Herald. Herald was his name!
“Thank you Johnathon. Thank you Herald,” said Cyrus.
They both nodded and smiled. Especially Herald.
“If you are still hungry, let me know now and I will have a couple servants bring a couple trays. Cheese?” said Lady Marianne, pointing at Kimo.
Kimo nodded emphatically. Auli’i rolled her eyes.
“I’m glad you have your own room,” said Auli’i. “I can only imagine what that’s doing to your stomach.”
Lady Marianne nodded, whirled around and began giving orders to Captain Ori who nodded at every pause. Once she finished, Lady Marianne went through the front door and promptly flew away.
“How does she command someone like you, Captain Ori? What makes her so special?” asked Kimo curiously.
“Her abilities … She is one of six people alive to have completed the Iris Ascension. Not only that, she did it when she was fourteen. She would have tried it sooner to beat Sir Martin’s record. Unfortunately, she injured herself while training with the Jocovics just a couple days before, which forced her to wait an extra three months before she tried again.”
“What is the Iris Ascension?” asked Auli’i.
“In the center of the great whirlpool below us, there is the structure I pointed out to you, the Mentibus Oculis, to refresh your memory. The structure has an arch that is no bigger than both of my arms held out wide. The Iris Ascension is where you begin at the top of the Atrium, the highest point in Aeolia, do a nose dive until you reach Mentibus Oculis, maneuver through the arch and then fly back up to where you began.”
Captain Ori gave a shiver.
“And that’s … hard?” asked Cyrus.
“Hard? You have to be slightly crazy to even think about attempting it. To actually do it, you’re either mental or have no fear. If you avoid going into the swirling current of the eye you have to turn up at the perfect time, otherwise, you will splat all over the entrance of the Mentibus Oculis. If you happen to pull up at the right time and line yourself up to go through the arch, you have to have enough speed AND fold your wings perfectly in order to make it through a hole this big,” said Ori gesturing.
“If you make it through the arch without getting stuck or scraping yourself up, you then have to unfold your wings perfectly and turn up without running into the swirling current of Wadjet. A current that, may I remind you, pushes anyone and anything to a watery grave. If you can do that … you then have to battle the unpredictable air currents inside Wadjet, gravity AND the weight of the water sticking to your wings until you reach the top of Aeolia where you jumped off!”
Cyrus and the twins looked at each other with raised eyebrows and mouths slightly open.
“Flying straight up is like me telling a Terram they have to swim 200 yards … underwater … against the current … as fast as you can.”
Auli’i and Kimo exhaled loudly. Kimo did a smile that portrayed a mixture of yikes and admiration.
“That sounds tiring,” said Cyrus.
“It is ABSOLUTELY exhausting. Now, if you can make it to the top of the Atrium, you must land on your feet and stand without any support for one minute. Otherwise, you fail. Doesn’t matter if you did everything perfectly until that moment. You don’t stand on your own for one minute? You fail.”
“Do a lot of people fail at that part?” asked Auli’i.
“Almost all do. That specific part of the trial is the most difficult mentally. You put your body through the most excruciating test and then after all that, all you have to do is stand? It messes with people’s heads.”
“How many people try to do it every year?” asked Cyrus.
“Every year we have anywhere from three to 10 Lumens attempt the feat. Lady Marianne was the first to pass in seven years. That makes her the sixth person alive to complete it. Most who attempt the Iris Ascension live, despite failing. We have our strongest fliers at the entrance of Mentibus Oculis and their family members on the spire. It isn’t uncommon for the men and women to faint from exhaustion mid-flight.”
“That’s scary … ” said Auli’i, grabbing Cyrus’ arm.
“It’s terrifying. Most people don’t attempt more than once. If they fail the first time, that’s it. Most of the Lumen men attempting the feat go limp from exhaustion. When that happens, the other Lumens fly into action, attempting to snatch them out of the air before they fall to their deaths. A couple years ago, a couple drowned together because when the man fainted halfway up, the wife caught him too close to Wadjet’s spiraling walls. Sadly, Wadjet pushed them to the bottom of the ocean.”
“Who was it?” asked Cyrus.
“It was actually Karlovic’s older brother and a blacksmith’s daughter. Aeolia mourned that day …”
“Are boy Lumens stronger than girl Lumens?” asked Kimo.
Auli’i furrowed her brow. Cyrus looked down. Captain Ori chuckled.
“Yes, male Lumens are physically stronger than their female counter parts. Similar to the Terrams, I’m sure. You must remember, Sir Kimo, the test is not a test of strength alone. It is a test of endurance, precision and force of will. I guess you could say how someone uses their strength determines how successful they are. More men have passed the Iris Ascension than woman by a large margin. However, men have failed the task by an equally large margin.”
“Why do it?” asked Auli’i, softening her expression.
“Prestige. If you complete the Iris Ascension, you have done the toughest feat in flight and demonstrated mastery over all its concepts. Exceptional flying abilities are important to Lumens. Nose diving, wing tucking, directional manipulation and maneuverability. Not only do you earn the respect of every single Lumen, the highest positions, outside of duke, are opened up to you. Security detail, ranking officer, anything really. Aeolia opens her arms fully and abundantly, if you succeed. That is incentive enough to keep us Lumens trying.”
“Who are the six?” asked Kimo.
“Lady Marianne Evynwood. Karlovic Jocovic. Sir Martin Weatherford. Lady Marcella Bradford. High Duke Gabriel Bradford and Arch Duke Winston Weatherford.”
Cyrus bulged his eyes.
Did he just say …
There was a sudden flap of wings. Three Lumens trailed Lady Marianne carrying trays—one covered in nothing but cheese. Kimo licked his lips in anticipation.
“My room, one hour,” Cyrus whispered to the twins.
They nodded.
“I will have one piece of cheese and then have a bath,” said Cyrus, grabbing a piece from the tray. “Thank you.” Lady Marianne bowed slightly and made the Omniscius Salutatio.
“Sleep well, Lumen Caligo,” she said with the same flat expression. Her voice sounded warmer, though.
Cyrus gestured the Omniscius Salutatio and then climbed the stairs slowly with Auli’i. Kimo had his hands full with the cheese.
The servants had lit the torches again leading to his room. The flickering light reminded Cyrus of the time Martin took him camping when he was nine.
I would kill for some s’mores right now.
Cyrus drew himself a bath and thought about the day. His mind anticipated meeting his mother for the first time.
What will she be like? Will I look like her? Will she want me? Why did she abandon me?
Cyrus floated underneath the water on that last thought. His heart hurt. Maybe he didn’t want to meet her … oh, but of course he did. He always wanted to have a mother. Ms. P was the closest thing to a mother he had growing up … and she was crazy.
Cyrus dried off and changed into a white shirt and some black pants that were left on the bed for him. The clothes were soft and smelled like citrus. Cyrus got his phone out and turned it back on. Still no signal. Not that he expected there to be. Cyrus began taking photos of the paintings by the lit torch. He had missed some earlier. He made a mental note that he would take pictures of Aeolia when there was daylight. A knock at the door interrupted Cyrus’ thoughts.
“Come in.”
Auli’i and Kimo tip toed into Cyrus’ room.
“Wow … Your bed is nicer than mine,” said Auli’i. “And you have your own bathroom?! Someone is the favorite.”
“Get used to it.”
“Never.”
Cyrus smiled. All three sat on his bed.
“OK, enough flirting you two. Cyrus, what don’t we know?” asked Kimo.
Cyrus pulled out the note and showed it to the twins.
“So … nothing new.”
“That’s all I got.”
“Can we stay with you until he gets here?” asked Auli’i.
“Sure … I don’t mind …”
“If that’s the case …” Kimo got up, ran out of the room and quickly returned with the platter of cheeses.
“Do you ever stop eating?” asked Auli’i in disbelief.
“It’s so I stay stronger than girls.”
Auli’i punched him in the arm.
“See? Maybe you should eat more cheese.”
Auli’i swiped a handful of cheese and stuffed them into her mouth with a frown. Cyrus suppressed his laughter. Soon, all three of them were laughing as they munched on some Lumen cheese.
“Lumen Caligo,” said a voice with a knock at the door.
All three stopped laughing and looked behind them. Kimo got up and opened the door. Lady Marianne stood at the entrance with the same unimpressed expression.
“A letter from Arch Duke Winston just arrived. There is a falcon perched just down the hall whenever you are ready to respond,” she said, walking past Kimo and handing the letter to Cyrus.
“Thank you, Lady Marianne.”
Lady Marianne bowed and then promptly left. Kimo shut the door slowly behind her.
“You’re welcome,” he said sarcastically after her.
Cyrus ripped the letter open and began reading aloud.
Cyrus smiled at the Arch Duke’s letter.
A game of chess tomorrow sounds nice.
Cyrus turned the page and read the nullification of the Isolation Order. It had was written much neater.
By decree of The Lumen Caligo, all stipulations outlined in the Isolation Order of 1690 A.D. are now declared null and void. The Lumen Nation will now be permitted full access to the world and her technologies under the guidance of its appointed Dukes. May the Lumen Nation be a beacon to the world as in times of old.
Approved by
Arch Duke Winston Weatherford
High Duke Gabriel Bradford
Duke Fredrick Evynwood
and sealed by The Lumen Caligo, Cyrus Ganymede
There was space below the document for the letter to be signed. The presentation of the letter was impressive.
Cyrus re-read the letter to himself and then looked at the twins.
“Sooo … Should I sign it?”
Kimo looked at Auli’i. Auli’i raised her eyebrows and pouted her lips.
“Honestly … I think you should wait for Martian,” she said.
“You’re probably right.”
“Probably?! I am right, young master Cyrus,” said Auli’i with a grin.
“The progress of an entire nation hinging on the signature of an 11 year old … ” said Cyrus trailing off.
“Don’t forget the feather,” said Kimo with a yawn.
“That too …”
“Want me to pluck it now,” asked Auli’i with a grin.
“Ut tuh duh duh,” said Cyrus, putting his finger up. “You said to wait for Martian.”
Auli’i smiled and then made herself comfortable on Cyrus’ bed.
“I was only trying to help,” she said, closing her eyes.
“No she wasn’t,” said Kimo also making himself comfortable.
Auli’i gave him a half-hearted punch. Kimo smacked her back in similar fashion.
The night deepened and so did the sleep in the twin’s eyes. Not Cyrus though. He was attentive and awake. Every second that clicked by seemed an eternity. Eventually, the twins fell asleep on Cyrus’ bed.
Martian, where are you?
Cyrus was so desperate to know the exact time he kept his phone on.
After what felt like an eternity, midnight ticked into existence. Cyrus felt his heart accelerate. Cyrus looked at the front door and saw two eyes floating in the shadows. Cyrus jumped from fright. It was Martin. He motioned to his lips in a shush and then motioned towards him.
He slowly got up and made his way to Martin with the papers in his hands. Cyrus turned the flashlight of his phone on and handed Martin the letter he had received from his father. Martin quickly read them and then whispered to Cyrus.
“Do NOT sign these. We can go over them tomorrow. Are you ready to go?”
Cyrus nodded with a look of surprise. Martin walked past him and placed the letter on Cyrus’ bedside table.
Kimo snored loudly. Cyrus went to Auli’i who had wrapped herself into a little ball on his bed. He shook her gently awake.
“I’ll be back. I’ll tell you all about it in the morning,” he whispered.
Auli’i snapped up and looked right at Martin. She then rushed over and gave him a hug.
“Take care of him, Martian,” she whispered tiredly.
Martin smiled and nodded. He then gestured to Cyrus.
“We have to go now. Night guard is making his rounds,” whispered Martin.
Cyrus grabbed his black cloak and followed Martin.
Martin closed the door behind them silently and moved like a cat to the window sill. Martin unfurled his wings, and to Cyrus’ great surprise, they were covered in a black material just like his outfit. It was almost like a bed sheet, it was so thin. Martin looked left and then right. He grabbed Cyrus and then opened his wings and whooshed into the night sky.
Martin flew low and jumped from building to building, keeping his head on a swivel. Cyrus could see the lighthouse burning brightly. Everything was quiet except for the sound of Wadjet below them. Cyrus shivered. The whirlpool spooked him even more during the nighttime.
Martin landed on a roof and then jumped to an alleyway to the side of the house. He put Cyrus down and then peered around the corner. Satisfied with what he saw, he beckoned Cyrus to follow him. Silently, they made their way through a garden as lavish as Arch Duke Winston’s and up to the front entrance of a manor.
“Where are we?”
Martin put his finger to his lips. He then grabbed Cyrus again, this time putting him on his back and lept into the air toward the overhanging ceiling above them. Martin grabbed the top and placed his feet against the building. There was a large stained glass window in front of them. In the center was a giant lotus that formed a perfect circle as big as Cyrus. Martin put his hands up against the lotus and pushed.
Creak …
Martin pushed again.
Creeeeak …
Martin inhaled and pushed forward one more time.
Creeeeeak … Click.
The stained glass window must have been held together by a metal lever. The stained glass folded outwards in either direction, giving them access to the inside of the house.
“Crawl under the lotus. I’ll go through the top half,” he whispered.
Cyrus gulped but did as Martin asked. Martin placed him right at the entrance and Cyrus slowly clawed his way through. There was a whoosh above him and he found Martin suspended in the air with his arms outstretched, waiting for him. Cyrus reached out. He felt himself lose his balance on the thin metal outlining and began to plummet. Right before he could gain momentum, Martin’s strong hands plucked him out of the air. Cyrus breathed heavily, terrified.
“Will you look at that … ” chuckled Martin softly.
Cyrus, confused, saw Martin looking behind him. Cyrus looked and saw his wings were outstretched behind him.
Did I do that? I must have.
There was no way they were open when he was crawling underneath the stained glass lotus.
They landed on the floor of a sprawling dining hall. The room connected to the main entrance which had a flickering torch … that was moving.
Martin grabbed Cyrus and threw him under the large table that was in the center of the room. Together they hid as a Lumen guard walked into the room. Cyrus trembled and felt his heart beat faster. The guard walked nonchalantly around the table, humming some flimsy tune. He did a circle around the table and then left.
Martin quickly got up and peered into the entrance hall.
“Let’s go,” he whispered.
They quickly made their way to a staircase, to which Martin grabbed Cyrus and with one giant flap of his wings, made it all the way to the top. A fountain with a winged woman holding a pot pouring water greeted them at the top. She was decorated in gold leafing. Cyrus’ stomach was churning from all this up and down. He shouldn’t have eaten that cheese Kimo had given him.
“Your mother is down that corridor, the last door on the right. Knock three times and she’ll think you’re the house butler. We are in the Bradford manor. I don’t know much about your mother aside from what the guards told me. All they said is that she has been in mourning ever since she came back. She sleeps during the day and stays up all night. The Marcella I knew will rejoice when she learns you are here. I can only imagine how much she must miss you and has dreamt of having you back in her arms. Now go … I’ll knock one time to let you know it’s me,” said Martin, pointing Cyrus down the hall.
Cyrus turned around and started walking. He turned back one last time and met Martin’s eyes. He smiled and gave the thumbs up. Martin then jumped towards the ceiling and disappeared.
Cyrus was a bit nervous. He had a mother … an actual mother who was living, breathing and, from what Martin had told him, missed him more than anything in the world.
“Dreamt of having you back in her arms.”
He walked through the long corridor decorated with gold leafing as he approached a large red door. Reaching the door, he took a deep breath and knocked three times.
“I do not wish to eat, Constance, as I told you earlier. Please give the food I would have been given to those in the 5th precinct. They would be most grateful to receive it in a time like this,” said the voice.
Normally Cyrus would have been entertained by the assumption he was someone else … but not today.
“It’s not Constance … It’s … er … um … It’s Cyrus …”
Silence.
Then a rustling and rushing with hurried steps and clanking of locks. The door opened and light flooded into the corridor where Cyrus stood. An involuntary gasp escaped Cyrus’ lips as he beheld his beautiful mother.
The color red for the door now made more sense to Cyrus. Long, flowing red hair sprouted from his mother’s head, curls tugging up and down her fiery strands. It was thick, like his. Or better yet, his hair was thick like hers. A soft white dress draped over her sun kissed body and freckles adorned her arms. Behind her, wings matching the exact tone of her dress majestically sprawled out into an embracing shape.
A soft white glow seemed to be pulsating with emotion that warmed Cyrus from head to toe. Vibrant blue eyes brimmed with tears and an expression of sheer joy spread across her face. Her shade of blue was only slightly darker than his left eye but the eye shape and the eyebrows matched his perfectly. Her expression was now mixed with utter disbelief. Up and down she inspected Cyrus. She then rubbed her eyes a couple of times and turned away. She composed herself and then slowly turned back around, staring Cyrus directly in the eyes.
The two maintained their timeless stare. Cyrus let a smile tug at his lips. Tears began to stream down his mother’s face as she looked at him like no other person had looked at him before. A look of love so deep … so pure … it had to be maternal. This look of unfathomable love unlocked a dormant feeling inside of Cyrus. Something he had been without for so long but something, he now realized, he did not want to live without. Satisfied it was actually him, Marcella smiled the most heartwarming smile and then opened her arms.
“It can’t be … Cyrus … Is it really you?”
Cyrus, gently but hastily embraced his mother. She wrapped her arms around him first and then her soft arid wings. Cyrus had never felt so safe. Warmth spread across his chest like a warm drink on a cold day. Tears flowed freely between the two without shame. Cyrus had felt like an outsider his whole life. Embracing his mother, he felt accepted. He had a mother … She was his home.
