Melody of the Builders 5

“The inanity of it all. Here I am on my way to learn more than any other Rattama Song Smith about the Empire of Automina and the Builders yet I find myself being led by one who is too ignorant to realize the enormity of the ruins we currently occupy.”

Wherks was not one to hold back and did not as he found himself with his tiny size having to match pace with the long legged Melody. It was obviously an easier task for Elliot and Mail who were both better able to being human, but the Rattama did make things harder on himself as he tried to also study the glowing paint of the ruins. Melody was not pushing for such a pace out of her desire to beat Chain, but from a more urgent sense as she explained with that urgency seeping into her melodic speech.

“I do get that something weird is going on~♪ I can hear the singing of the Builders getting quieter as the paint starts glowing brighter too ~♪”

“Yet you do not allow me to study to my heart’s desire.”

“You can study when we stop for the night~♪ Right now we need to keep going because it is weird~♪ This never happened when I was training here and I’m I sure Link would agree.”

“At the least Melody I agree.”

Elliot spoke up as his normally gentle eyes had taken on a serious edge. Eying the glowing paint the Hero was obviously ill at ease but as he continued he revealed it was not the nature of the paint that bothered him.

“We’ve no time for idling if this event is truly so unprecedented. Even now we head for a town contested by Highroot and Bright Rift and it is unlikely if either kingdom is unaware of the Builders having broke into song.”

“You’re expecting a fight to break out aren’t you Sir Silverlance?”

“Of course he is Lady Mail. We’ve already suspected that the two Kingdoms separated by the Stormroots are on the verge of war and the nature of these ruins could very well be the tipping point. The inanity of fighting over something that should be studied is nigh beyond my comprehension.”

“Yet it is what we humans are prone to do Master Wherks. Even in Lumirest there are those who would rather us campaign against Raptoria and take the Tear of Automina in their possession as our own so that we might use its might against the Elkhaust Empire.”

“Such would be utter foolishness. Has the tragedy of the Western Kingdoms and the folly of the Junk Birds and Lewis Sycamore already been forgotten?”

“It is why we deign to get the greatest of Rattama Song Smiths into the employ of Raptoria; so that human hands need not repeat that tragedy.”

“Sycamore…”

Melody mumbled the name that came up in the discussion and drew the attention of the whole group. It was Elliot who was quickest to question the harpy however as he did not expect to hear that name spoken with recognition by the maid.

“You are familiar with him Melody?”

“Ah!”

Melody nearly squeaked as she realized she was heard and her expression betrayed her desire not to talk about it. Wherks was not one to let the harpy have her way however.

“Come now harpy, what good would it do you not to speak of your familiarity with the madman who dropped a Tear of Automina upon the Western Kingdoms?”

“It would keep Link from getting mad at me~♪”

“Chain? What concern does she have for whether or not you speak of Lewis Sycamore?”

“I’m sorry Elliot but I really shouldn’t say any more~♪ Link really will get mad me if she finds out.”

“Then we just make sure that the Chainmaid does not find out.”

Melody gave a worried look at Wherks as she continued to lead them through the tunnel system beneath the Stormroot Mountains. The Rattama in turn leveled the harpy with a demanding glare and Melody turned away to look ahead.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we talk about the ruins right now instead?~ ♪ I mean as far as ruins from the Age of Ashes go it’s pretty strange as there are no signs of people having lived here even though everyone says that the ruins probably spread out under the entirety of the Stormroots.”

“You’re attempts to change the subject are infuriating harpy, yet I find the topic intriguing. In fact, it could explain why Highroot seems so technologically inferior to other nations despite having a Tear of Automina in the heart of their capital and a strong Rattam presence besides.”

“Really?~ ♪”

“Of course. If I might hypothesize a moment, it seems to me that these ruins were made as a weapon against those who would use the powers of the Builders as their own. I would even go so far as to say that any actual cities connected to these ruins are perhaps deeper underground.”

“Huh? That doesn’t make sense.”

Melody’s confusion wiped the song from her voice and she tilted her head and came to a stop to study Wherks.

“The Ash comes from deeper underground, doesn’t it? At least that’s what everyone has always told me?”

“No Melody, you should be correct. It’s why mining is considered more dangerous than scrapping remnants of Automina for resources.”

“An utter waste in my opinion Lady Mail. But that could perhaps be the point to these tunnels. We’ve observed a flow of fresh air and light both filling these tunnels and making them bearable for our passage. If one were to put weight in legends then the Ash is the corrupted flesh of the world when perceived as the god Yg’las who imprisoned the Star God Nightyr. That very ‘flesh’ being corrupted by the star the foolish god imprisoned as it burns him away to free itself.”

“Lord Nightyr…”

Elliot spoke the name of one of the three gods who made up the so called Trinity of Stars and the primary beings worshiped by the Kingdoms of Light. Wherks did not consider Elliot’s statement an interruption and continued his explanation.

“That being the case then if legends of the dragons at the birth of the world are also true then the flow of air and light would direct the Ash to stay in the earth so as to kill the god Yg’las and free Nightyr from his prison. Or to look at it practically, the tunnels serve the purpose of guiding or dictating the flow of the Ash.”

“Then why haven’t we seen any Ash at night? We’ve already been in these tunnels a twin-day Master Rattama.”

“Because the Ashe was banished when Automina fell back to earth. The collapse of the empire was not just a matter of a civilization collapsing but there very celestial cities falling and bringing devastation to the world on a whole. If anything we should be glad that these tunnels are free of Ash otherwise I doubt even our harpy guide would be able to see us safely through to Misthead.”

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha~♪”

“Did I say something to amuse you harpy?”

Wherks frowned heavily at Melody who had suddenly burst into laughter in response to what he had said. Calming herself down Melody explained herself.

“It’s just that you thought I wouldn’t be able to keep us safe~♪ I was trained here at the start of my time as an adventurer and learning all of the glyphs and their meanings was part of that training~♪ But now I understand it a little better thanks to you~♪ There are glyphs everywhere that warn of passages that should possess Ash and I’ve been purposely having us avoid them even though there shouldn’t be any Ash in them any more~♪”

“I must say I am impressed harpy.”

“So am I Melody. Even more so since you answered my question about us not encountering any better than the Master Rattama.”

“Well I never Lady Mail.”

“It is unexpected to hear you take a jab at anyone Mail.”

“Well I- I’m sorry Master Rattama.”

Though Elliot had offered Mail a smile as he caught her slighting Wherks subtly she quickly apologized and bowed fiercely in half at the waist. Elliot smiled at the scene glad to see Mail opening up more as the group traveled in the company of the harpy. Though it could not be doubted that Elliot wished that Mail had done so before they had met Melody and the troops under his command were killed in Highroot, he was glad that no further pain was inflicted upon the maid who would have her freedom stolen of her at the end of their journey. Turning his attention onto the one currently tasked with getting them to that seemingly distant destination Elliot offered his own praise to Melody.

“Though Mail is right Melody, you’re knowledge of these tunnels is deserving of praise. If anything for remembering the details of a place you were not likely to visit again.”

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha~♪ It isn’t really that hard when you have as few friends as I do~♪”

“Friends?”

“That’s right~♪ When I was in Misthead last I made a friend who wanted to follow the Ash warnings all the way to the Ash itself~♪ I thought they were crazy but since they said that Bright Rift’s technology uses the Ash if they could just find it a kingdom who wasn’t afraid of the bandits that plagued them would take over to get it and free them of the dragon god’s influence~♪”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater