The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into A Creation's Dream

 The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into A Creation's Dream

     Iriisii looks over to the Great Sage, "are you ready?"

     "You mean I am going with you?"

     "I promised King Kuranes, I would protect you as one of my own. I can do that better if you are with me. Also, I have no idea what I will face over there, you are more knowledgeable of the possibilities than I am right now. And whoever we meet may trust you more than me, at least until we have the lay of the land, and they have time to know me."

     "All right, what do you want me to do?"

     "Let me morph into 'dragon' then climb up on my back, behind my head, then hold on to the spikes. I intend to fly around the area first to see what I can then decide where to land. I have no idea if they have ever seen a dragon before, so I have no idea what to expect in a 'welcoming party'."

     Iriisii steps away from him, and morphs into her dragon form, surprising to both she is now so large that she had to extend a foreleg to provide a ramp for the Great Sage to climb up onto a place on her back where he could grab onto a couple of spikes to secure himself.

     "Sorry about that, it seems that as I have grown in power, my size has also grown."

     "No problem, my Lady. Sometimes we do not always notice some details such as that."

     "Thank you, Great Sage, for being kind and understanding. Now hold tight and we will be off. I was once told that seeing the world from the skies as a dragon sees it, would make me forever envious of them."

     "Did it?"

     "I will ask your opinion when we land on the other side."

     Iriisii leaps up into the air, her wings catching the air and driving her into an updraft riding coming up the side of the plateau. She climbs until they have a clear view of everything below them, then begins gliding gently toward the other side.

     "I will glide as far as I can before trying to climb again, maybe I can catch another updraft. That way your trip will be as smooth as I can make it."

     "I now understand why you were told about being envious. There are no words to describe this experience."

     "Indeed, I found it so myself that first time. Truth be told, my feelings about it have not changed a bit since then."

     The gulf is so far across that it is not a short flight to the other side. She is able to see down into the gulf itself, and with her dragon sight, sees a form that she believes to be the Guardian. If what she can see is any indication, there is nothing in any legend she knows of to describe what it is. As they approach the far side the clouds begin to roll back, allowing them to see just how thick they are. And so they must fly still farther to reach the edge. She climbs higher to get a better view.

     Her sight shows her many things, some strange, others familiar. Then she sees a city farther inland, a city of lights, gossamer bridges spanning around towers so tall there are clouds around the tops. Her curiosity grows as to what race built this because she cannot see any being she can recognize. She glides down and around until she sees a large open gate, the land around flat and green with grass. She comes in, using her wings to break her flight and drop down on the ground. Extending a foreleg, the Great Sage climbs down to it and then scrambles to the ground.

    "I must thank you, my Lady, that was beyond anything I have yet experienced."

    She morphs back to human and replies, "I am so glad you enjoyed it. Now let us see who lives here, and how they built this remarkable city."

    They walk together through the gate, pointing out everything that catches their eye, just as a tourist would when visiting a strange place for the first time. But as they keep going further toward the center, the silence is deafening in its presence. There is no sign of anyone of any race that she knows of. There are signs that someone has been there, marks resembling footsteps in the dust, but again nothing she is familiar with. 

    As they enter a huge open area within the center, she sees a fountain there with crystal clear water spraying up from the center before falling back down into a large pool. The sunlight hits the spray and breaks apart into a rainbow. As she looks around she sees what looks like seating of some kind circling the fountain and rising back upward the farther back they go. Suddenly she staggers with a feeling she has never felt before, and then it is gone.

    "What happened, did you trip?"

    "No, I had a feeling about this place, or one very much like it. It was very strong and very strange."

    "What was strange about it?"

    "It was almost like I remembered it, but I know I have never been here before or even seen anything like it before. But somehow the memory acts more like a premonition of the future like I will visit here again or someplace similar. I cannot be more certain, time seems to act differently around the memory, that is why it is so strange."

    "Well if it has anything to do with time, you are a better judge than I am. But there is still a lot more here to see."

    "Wait, let me extend my senses and see if I can locate where anyone might be."

    She then extends her senses outward, upward, downward. Finding nothing, nothing living anyway, but there is something under this fountain plaza, where did that word come from.

    "There seems to be something underground here, but I am not sure how to access it."

    Then a faint scratching is heard or is it a tapping, soft padding as the quiet footsteps of a cat. She sees a movement among the seating, low to the floor. She draws the Grand Sage's attention to it, as they wait and watch to see it again. Then from ahead in her sight, she sees a sleek, orange and black, striped form saunter out into the open. As it approaches, she squats down and holds out a hand for the feline to sniff. It seems to like her scent, as it licks her fingers and rubs its head under them. She rubs its head with her fingertips, then gently uses her nails to slide them down its back from neck to rump. The feline arches its back and she can hear the rattling of its bones like a purring.

    The Great Sage looks at the cat and speaks, "we greet thee, a friend of Ulthar. Has your hunting been good?"

    The cat looks up at the Great Sage and returns with a 'mewwroow'.

    "I take that to mean it has been satisfactory" while continuing to scratch its back.

    The cat then looks up to her and slides the sides of its face along her fingers.

    "He likes you and has decided to adopt you as his. That is what he is doing rubbing his face against you like that, marking you with his scent to warn off others."

    "Well then, I thank you, kind sir, for thinking so highly of me. I will endeavor to be worthy of your attention."

    The 'purring' grows louder as he walks a little bit away and morphs into a larger much more dangerous version of what he was. Iriisii does not move away, just remains where she was, unafraid, admiring his new form.

    "A most handsome and dangerous feline indeed. All of the females in heat must clamor for your attention."

    Then she feels a mental pressure, like a gentle knocking. She opens a door in her mind for her new friend to speak with her.

     "And what of your attention my dear, have you ever known the embrace of one of my kind before."

     "I can definitely say that I have not. But if I did, I do not know how my other mates would feel about that."

     "You have other mates?"

     "Yes, four others the last time I counted, that could possibly go to five, depending on what happens with her."

     "So you claim both male and female among your mates?"

     "Yes I do, both male and female, both 'light' and 'dark'."

     "Ah, a most enlightened one to be sure. but I am certain you are most curious about where the inhabitants have gone to since they are nowhere to be seen."

     "Yes, that is very strange to be honest. Do you by chance know anything about what happened?"

     "Sorrowfully no, I awakened just a little bit ago from a nap in the warm sun, to hear your voices and decided to see who had come to call. And I am just as curious as you, concerned as well."

     "You have friends that are missing as well?"

     "Observant, yes, I do. Could I prevail upon you to assist in trying to find out where they are or at least where they went?"

     "I would be honored to assist. My senses tell me, we are alone here. But there may still be clues, I do feel something down under this place."

     "I was afraid of that. I had felt that something had awakened down there. I had asked my friends to stay back but the inhabitants here can be too curious for their own good."

     "I understand completely, existence is wide and vast, with many, many, different kinds of beings, not all of them benevolent."

     "Experienced too, I am going to enjoy my time with you."

     "You are originally from Ulthar?"

     "Yes indeed. Do you know anyone from there?"

     "No, the only city I have been to is Illek Vad. Although King Kuranes said I should visit Ulthar when I had time."

     "You know the King?"

     "Yes, I do, he and I are good friends."

     "Interesting, you are not like most who come and visit the Dreamlands. You know just how to scratch to bring the most pleasant shivers to start my bones 'purring'. And you show respect even to a simple feline."

     "Do you know what is down below?"

     "Yes."

     "May I ask how you know this?"

     "I am old, very very old. I was here when it fell from a hole in the sky and the ground opened up and swallowed it."

     "Was the city here then?"

     "No, it was built much later."

     "But there was another city built over it was there not, under this one?"

     "How do you know this?"

     "You just told me."

     "Fool that I am, your fingers loosened my tongue. Bad luck for all of us."

     "It is not knowledge that is bad luck but what you do with it. Listen to the Gods, hear what they have for you to hear, speak what they would have you speak, your luck will change."

     "The Gods that were here, have not spoken in a very long time."

     "That will change."

     "You know this how? They died and were interred in the place where 'Dead Gods Lie Dreaming'."

     "I gave 'Rebirth' to this Creation in the Waking World. Then moved it into another dimension that no one know, it was not destroyed. The old Gods were restored as well, and there is a new Guardian to watch over it until the old Gods are ready to take up their duties once more."

     "Who are you, that you can give Rebirth to an entire Creation?"

     "They call me, Dovahne Hahnu."

     "There is much more to you than this one first thought. The one down below is one of a failed pairing. A pairing of Aasimar and Vyrkolos."

     "The Vyrkolos?"

     "No, the Aasimar."

     Iriisii turns her head with a scowl on her lips, "shit!"

     "You know Aasimar?"

     "I am Aasimar."

     "Bad luck to face that one, not 'fallen', something else."

     "So you know what happened? Did Vyrkolos die? Turn?"

     "Something happen to Aasimar, Vyrkolos chased, tried to kill. Aasimar escaped, Dream gates not allow Vyrkolos to follow Aasimar here."

     Iriisii looks at the tiger feline, eye to eye, "Wamphyrie?"

     "You know them?"

     "Yes. Payback is a steel bitch!"

     "This one understands, will help if you allow."

     "Wamphyrie strong, is this one a 'mother'?"

     "Mother?"

     "Egg layer."

     "Unknown, more dangerous?"

     "Thousands of eggs, each infect and make a Wamphyrie."

     "Will send call for aid, help come from all Dreamlands!"

     "No, too dangerous. Will not risk others."

     "Wise, sad but wise."

     "Have weapons that can deal with Wamphyrie, even 'mother full of eggs."

     "What can fight Wamphyrie mother?"

     "Dragon."

     "You?"

     "Me."

     "Second form, like me?"

     "Yes."

     "Good, sister!"

     "We will be Tosh Raka, Tiger Dragon!"

     Iriisii sees the Tiger feline's eyes light up with an inner glow.

     "Yes, like that. Tosh Raka, brother-sister, Tiger Dragon."

     Iriisii feels a strong sense of fate, destiny, kismet, and takes a dagger from her back sheath, makes a slice across her hand, holding it out to the tiger. The tiger holds out his paw as she makes a slice across. She then takes his bleeding paw in her bleeding hand, "SOS WAH SOS, ZEYMAH WAH BRIINAH, GROHIIK MU NU!" A deep violet glow forms from within Iriisii flows down to her bloody hand, crosses over to the tiger, and settles inside him. "We are Brother-Sister of Blood Binding, we are Blood Tiger Dragon."

     She stands still holding his paw in her hand, "We are now, SOS TIGER DOVAH! Let the enemies of Dream fear our coming, with claw and shout we fight!" A light shines down from the young risen moon surrounding the two of them. Two winged figures fly down from it and land before them. The tiger bristles, but Iriisii places a hand to restrain him.

     "They are soul hounds of the 'Mother of the Cosmos', my 'Mother'."

     "The 'Mother' is exceedingly pleased with her 'Daughter' this night. By the Ritual of Blood Binding, you are now her brother and will share in her path. Thus the 'Mother' declares you her first 'son'. She gives you the name of 'Norokdovahdilos', may this name strike fear in the hearts of those who stand against you."

     The soul hound turns to Iriisii, "he will become a God as you have risen, the first God of the Dreamlands to arise and ascend. When the time comes, anoint him with the Catalyst, and he will be gifted with a third form, that of a human warrior.

     The Aasimar sister trapped down below must remain so for now. You will meet face to face soon, then you will be tasked with freeing her from the living hell she has endured. You cannot purge the parasite within her, she has been with it for too long a time to recover who she once was. Now the Great Beyond is her only hope for freedom, you will experience a cryptic dream this night. Soon it will make sense to you, you will understand its meaning, and you will find still more allies of even greater power and renown to bring to your cause.

     The Draconic Divines have chosen to make themselves known to you, trust them, as they were, are, and forever will be the 'First Gods'. They wish to honor you and bring you to be with them, as one of them. Whether you keep the 'Mantle' or pass it on, will be your decision. There is no reason why you cannot keep it until you decide otherwise. May you bring peace to all of existence, Mother of Dragons."

     "I am now your brother?"

     "Yes, you are, brother. And you will be as I am, a God of Eld, of the Lineage of Kthanid."

     "I have heard of him called Kthanid. He is a friend of Illek Vad and of Ulthar."

     "Do you know where we can rest until morning, the Spirit of the Dreamlands has a dream for me?"

     "Come, I will take you where you may dream in peace."

     Iriisii and the Great Sage follow Norok to a house within a flowering courtyard, quiet, and peaceful. "This is where I woke from to find all had gone. It has been a peaceful place for me to rest."

     They settle down to rest and sleep, before trying to determine what they need to do in the morning. As Iriisii sleeps, her dreams turn dark, not the dark of dark actions, thoughts, desires, but a still, warming, darkness of a dim fading light. Darkness that invites her to open herself and share her thoughts, her dreams of the future, her needs and wants. As she opens her mind, the darkness roams freely throughout, looking, seeing, but not trying to change anything, just looking to see who she is, who she wants to be deep inside. 

          It wants to share a vision with her, but it cannot directly interact with her. And so it leaves its vision within seeds that it leaves behind for her to find and open. Even as it leaves a trail for her to follow and find these seeds, open them, see their vision, on a trail marked by the sound of silence in her mind. She walks within troubled dreams, restless, alone, and finds the trail left behind like a narrow street of cobblestone for her to follow.

          The trail leads her along until she comes to a candle within a lamp, mounted, swaying from a pole in a cold, wet, yet gentle breeze. She reaches up to raise the collar of the shirt she is wearing to turn the cold from her neck. Suddenly there is a flash of bright light, that stabs her eyes, acclimated to the darkness. It is as if the light is a sword that splits apart the night, touching the sound of silence that surrounds her. In this still bright light, she sees people everywhere she looks, she tries to number them, but instead guesses at their number at ten thousand, maybe more.

          She looks at them, trying to see what they are doing, she sees lips moving, but no voices can she hear. Some of them appear to be trying to listen, but they too cannot hear any voices. There are still others writing something on paper. Curious she walks over to see what they are writing, and recognizes music, from her time with the Bard's College. She wonders if these songs will ever be shared if no one can voice them. or hear them sung. Then it strikes her, they can, they just do not dare to disturb the sound of silence that drapes itself over all that is here.

          She gathers her strength to try and bring change to this place, she shouts, "YOU ARE          FOOLS. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THIS SILENCE, LIKE A CANCER, GROWS? PLEASE, HEAR MY WORDS, I WANT TO TEACH YOU SO MUCH. HERE, TAKE MY ARMS THAT I MAY REACH OUT AND SAVE YOU FROM THIS SILENCE." But the words she shouts to the people, fall like silent tears, echoing in the wells the silence flowed from. Instead of listening to her, the people bowed and prayed to the bright light shining above them, to the God of Light they made.

          The God of Light flashed a warning to all the people, it wrote in letters of light against the darkness that said, 'the words of the prophets are written on the cavern walls, in tenement halls, and whispered within the sound of silence. And the people melted away into the darkness in search of the places the prophets had written their words. And were lost within the darkness, never more to see the true light, because they followed the light they themselves had made.

          Crying tears of sadness over the souls of those lost to the darkness, to the silence, a whisper comes to her. "Weep not for those lost souls, for they deluded themselves. Failed themselves when they turned away from the Gods, and from you, who tried to help them see the truth. But there are still ones you can save, ones who will listen to your words, even as the sound of silence is all that they can speak. Long ago, longer than any who remember them still live in dreams, a company of Knights existed. 

         They fought many battles against powerful foes, vanquishing them one by one. Ever stronger did they grow with each victory, until their very voices became weapons. And they knew something had to be done to safeguard the people against a stray word becoming the weapon that kills many. They used their mind's voices to call upon the Gods, but the Gods were silent. They searched far and wide, high and deep, for an answer, but never once did they find.

         Until one day, a bright light appeared over them, writing letters of light, it bade them to follow, and in desperation, they did so. The Light took them to a cavern, deep within they found words carved into the walls. The Light told them to read the words and the danger of their voices would cease to be. They did as the voice suggested and indeed the danger did cease to be. The Light did not lie, for the words took their voices from them, leaving them only to be able to utter one sound. The sound of silence.

         Find the cave, find the Knights of Silence, save them from their unending torment. Let them become yours, to serve your cause, live or die in your service, let them find redemption in you.

   

     Iriisii wakes to the light of the dream sun shining across her face. She is alone, so she rises and steps out into the sun, seeing her new brother and the Great Sage sitting around soaking up the sun.

     "A fine day to explore do you not think?"

     "Where are we going?"

     "Norok, do you know of any caves or large caverns anywhere near?"

     "Dangerous places, dangerous animals, and sometimes worse lurks within. What do you seek, my sister?"

     Iriisii sits and recounts her dream from last night.

     "You are sure it was the 'Knights of Silence' that was mentioned?"

     "Yes, also the general theme of the dream indicated something happened to a large group of people. People who are now forever lost, but the Knights could be redeemed."

     "I seem to recall something from a book, long ago, that I had sneaked into the restricted archives of the temple where I studied. It mentioned a large company of Knights that disappeared all at once, never to be seen or heard of again. Much was speculated about either where they went or were taken. Most of the places I have since then heard or read of and honestly have no desire to ever go near, but a few are here in the Dreamlands, but in extremely remote areas. You know of Leng and Inquanok, but it is far to the north of those places."

     "If you think that may be where they can be found, then please tell me."

     "Kadath."

     "NO, GO NOWHERE NEAR KADATH! Cold, cold, Kadath in the Cold Waste! Hagarg Ryonis lives there. No, go nowhere near that haunted place."

     "Norok, if the Knights are there and I can save them, bring redemption to them, I must. It is one of my Great Callings, things I am called to do as a price for the power I wield. You will one day understand, my brother when it comes your time to become one of the Risen, First Risen of the Dreamlands."

     "First? of the Dreamlands? Norok?"

     "Yes, Norok, First Risen God of the Dreamlands."

     "Then if you are 'called' to go, Norok will show you the way. Dangerous, very dangerous, more dangerous than Leng, more dangerous than Inquanok, more dangerous than dead Sarnath."

     "More dangerous than Pnoth?"

     "Even Pnoth, yes. Things in Kadath should be dead, but not. Not know why do not want to know why? Road dangerous, pass by Palace of Eidolon Lathi in her city of Thalarion, pass by Xura, will not go by Zar, too dangerous to go near Zar."

     "I understand, these places are dedicated to the dreams of those called the Great Old Ones. We will be careful to not go near to any of these places, and be very careful when coming close to Kadath. I have armor and weapons that will help to shield us from whatever we find on the way. Let us rest in the warmth of the sun, and gather out strength before we go."

     "Good idea, Norok like basking in sun. Maybe sister take nap, later, use Noroak as pillow."

     "Maybe I will at that."