Chapter 26 In the Light of Lilac-Purple Moon

Now, granted the circumstances, you need to stay where you were lost, so your party can come get you when they get a chance. But that does not apply to Domiarn Gidealis, flustered by a shadow, claiming to know the future fate of his dear friend!

So I follow that shadow into the hole. Does it look like I’m delirious after inhaling too much hydrogen? Or is it a cunning trap? What am I thinking? Am I thinking?

The shapeless shadow leads me ever lower into an intricate maze of tunnels. The darkness seems to be all-absorbing. It gets colder, and the air is more crisp. I wonder how much lower we’re going? Immaul, I need you so much right now…

When it’s the darkest, and your hopes are at their weakest, it must get better soon. Or at least it should change. Up ahead there is literally light at the end of the tunnel. And I can’t complain that its purple. I walk out to that light, and almost fall into a precipice. The tunnel abruptly leads into nothingness.

Shocked, I look down and wish I had Kallitris’ magnificent wings. The thought of him feels so sweet now that I’m completely alone.

The view is spectacular, maybe because it got dark. How did it get “dark” on the “light” side? The bottom of the precipice can’t be seen – it’s too misty, but above it all, right over the horizon there is a huge moon of lilac purple color. It is so close, I think I can see its rugged surface. Fantastic!

I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. The next moment a flying machine approaches me slowly and soundlessly. It has a big main part and two smaller ones on each side. The two smaller ones are humming very quietly.

“Would you like to come with me?” I hear a hushed, somewhat raspy voice.

The machine moves closer to where I stand and I notice that it is piloted by a kriber, but larger than the ones I met before with a multi-colored crest on his head. His eyes are also more expressive. Well, eyes, or whatever these two pools of darkness are called. His wings are neatly folded behind him and from here they look like some bunched up fabric.

“Do I have a choice?” I smile and make one big breathtaking jump. I hold to the open side of the machine, and sit down by the pilot. The seat is way too narrow for me, but I don’t mind.

As we float away I glance at the opening of the tunnel, and the shadow is nowhere to be found.

“It was a hologram. I turned it off as you came out. My name is Asmadis, and I’m the leader of Blisperada.”

All kribers look weird to me, but this Asmadis looks even more grotesque in the light of the lilac-purple moon.

We fly over the misty precipice, higher and higher, until the field full of flower-looking anti-missile devices is far behind.

Asmadis is silent. I feel like clearing the situation.

“I don’t know why you’re so angry with the sheirer, but I’m only in for a ride with him, and I need the cure for my friend. Do you have it?”

“He should’ve done more for us, that’s why. And no, I don’t have the cure. But I know where it might be.” The kriber makes a graceful right turn, so now we’re flying towards the purple moon, and we’re both lit up fully. Asmadis’ face resembles Kallitris’s way more than any kriber in Komkaran. In the ghostly light of the moon I can discern the intricate pattern that covers his skin, just like my friend’s.

It all clicks together now. Kallitris is from Blisperada. That’s why Blisps hate him more than Koms. You always have more complicated relationship with the one closest to you.

The machine we’re in is small, and beautifully unique. It is talking to me, too. Just like Ari’s spaceship. It tells me that it runs off of the hydrogen in the atmosphere by processing it in the two engines. It also tells me my chemical compound and advises of acid rains on this planet, incompatible with any carbon-based life form. All right, all of this is useful.

It is also telling me that Asmadis is grieving over the loss. The loss of what or who?

We begin to descend, and I’m amazed to see that we’re coming to a city of hills. Some are huge and tower in the distance and some are smaller.

Asmadis lands the machine on a platform on the side of one of the hills, and we get out. I have a sinister premonition, but do not know if I should tell him. These hills are not safe. This particular hill is very, very unsafe. It smells like death.

We walk into a tunnel, open to one side, and into a big room full of about fifty more kribers. They erupt in loud screaming, and start flapping their wings at the sight of us walking in. I don’t know if they are happy or upset at seeing me. Or maybe they’re just greeting their leader.

There is a big screen to the left of us. Kallitris can be seen on it.

“Here. I brought Tensartis. It was easy.” Asmadis pushes me in the middle of the room.

Kallitris’s eyes get wide with anger.

“You actually did kidnap my boy!!! Do you know what I’m going to do to you when I get there?!” he yells.

His irate voice gets high-pitched. I’ve never seen him so mad, and I never heard him yell like that.

“Yes, but meanwhile you don’t know where exactly he is, so you’ll have to order Koms to stop the bombing for now!”

“Guys, this smells really bad. We are in danger,” I say quietly, unsure if I can interrupt their quarrel.

I feel for both sides. I don’t know as to why they are at war, but it seems like neither side is worse than the other. I even like Blisps better somehow. The atmosphere in this room is amicable despite of everything. I do not feel “kidnapped.” I feel invited. I’m beginning to figure it out!

This guy Asmadis actually cared enough to obtain intelligence from the base ship about Relemill’s condition. It looks like he is using this information as a way to blackmail me, but he actually knows what friendship is.

He wants to help me cure my friend, but only if I help him stop the bloodshed of his people. He just survived a terrible loss of his partner, and his heart is in anguish, but it’s not calling for revenge. It is calling for ceasefire. Amazing. I need to tell Kallitris. No. There is no time.

“Demi, Salix just transmitted the message that they can’t figure out what’s wrong with Relemill. He is on life support, but his brain is giving out!” The sheirer’s face gets concerned, as he studies my face.

“I know. You have a rogue pilot. Order Pieris to ground all the planes. NOW!”

Kallitris opens his mouth in disbelief, and then turns away from the screen momentarily, possibly to tell Pieris what he just heard from me.

I can’t stand here and talk to him anymore. The intense feeling of imminent danger pulsates within me stronger and stronger.

“Everybody run!!!” I scream finally, grab Asmadis, and drag him outside.

Apparently I grab him by his wing. It is thin, and feels silky soft, even velvety. He breaks free and turns to me, wondering if I’m all right upstairs. No, I’m not, but that’s inconsequential at this time. This is when the first fire ball hits the side of our hill.

The dark pools of his eyes are suddenly full of realization, and pain, but not anger. The screen goes black. Kribers around us run and jump out of the openings on the side of the tunnel, spreading their wings much like Kallitris would.

The flaming wave from the fire ball hits many of them in the air, their velvety wings catch fire, and they fall to their deaths in the eerie light of the lilac-purple moon.

Asmadis grabs me and jumps, too. But he is much too small for this trick. Although he gathers all the strength he’s got, and manages to glide far enough from the burning hill. I watch as many more kribers fly out, some still catching fire, but most of them landing safely.

Another fire ball hits the hill, and it begins to collapse. I look up and see a plane in the sky. The lilac light is reflected off its polished sides. He will be intercepted. Probably shot down, as he will not come back willingly. This kriber’s heart was full of resentment, that’s why he flew out to bomb without an order. He believed that the Blisps had started the war. He desired revenge here and now. How do we get this way?