Utopia Falling, page 38
Reyne asked, “How can you know these things? And even if you do, so what? How does it affect me?”
Mera said, “I know these things because I’ve been around a long time and so much more through my understanding of the laws of physics. I can do the things I showed you, like talking to fire, calling up the past. You saw the red-haired girl because I understand physics. Magic is just another way to say, ‘I don’t understand’ for all those who can’t.”
“I don’t care what you call it. Just teach me how to do it.”
“It would take more than a lifetime for you to learn what I know, to do what I do.”
“You did it. If it takes more than a lifetime, how d’you do it?”
“It took me more than one lifetime,” Mera said. “But that’s for another time.”
“How am I supposed to believe any of this gibberish?”
“I’m not your mentor, and I’m not your teacher. I’ve tried to be your protector.”
“You’ve done a shit job at that.”
“Have I? You’re the only Tweener still alive, and Mithany alive as well.”
“But Daedyn’s not. Is he?”
Mera knew better than to respond to Reyne’s challenge.
Mera saw it on Reyne’s face; a crushing weight landed on Reyne with the memory of Daedyn. He delivered the blow to himself. He labored to push through the pain. “Tell me somethin’ of this physics of yours that I can trust in and accept. Make me get it, and I’ll consider doin’ what you ask.”
Mera sat contemplative and unmoving for a minute, searching for just the right words.
“The things I’ve shown you are a part of reality we normally don’t see or access. I’ve opened the way to it through that part of you, the Eye of Heaven, your Third Eye. That part of the brain people never consciously access. Thoughts are the tip of the arrow that points the way to reality. Thoughts connect the soul to the physical world. The soul is nothing more than the awareness of quantum energy clusters, never dying. And consider this, quantum particles reside in everything because they make up everything; therefore, life is in everything.”
“Not that crap about the eyeballs of heaven again.”
Mera ignored the slight and continued, “We created reality in our minds, our consciousness. Souls want to experience what can’t be experienced as a single string of quantum energy. Souls need our physical bodies, our thoughts to experience love, hate, pain, feelings that can’t be accessed otherwise. Quantum energy doesn’t seek to change our world but strives only to experience it.”
“Ah, yes. There you go with the quantum whatacles again,” Reyne snickered.
“That’s how I showed you the red-eyed woman. I simply asked all the quantum energy clusters I could reach out to in the trees, the grasses, the ground, and everything around that clearing to show me, to show us, what they’ve sensed, what information they’d amassed over time. In the entire universe, information can never be destroyed. It’s stored in those tiny quantum particles. With my ability to communicate with my own soul, to ask it to reach out to the other quantum energies clustered in the living things all around us, to show us that single awful event.”
“So now you talk to trees?”
“My mind put together the fragments they showed us. Individually, quantum strings can’t organize all the sensory input they collect. Our brains can, though. They collect snippets of input and organize them. There’re energy waves, pieces of information, of untold, almost infinite quantities passing by us every second. Our bodies have a few input collectors, like eyes and ears, and we have a brain to interpret all of it, to piece it all together, to make sense of it. The brain is a beautiful device that can process and organize quantum information. It’s one reason souls love the human experience. But there is so much more because we don’t have all the sensory inputs to all the information that’s created and floating about out there. There’s so much more, but that’s the root of it. Reyne—”
“That’s not possible. Trees don’t see, and rocks don’t talk. It can’t be all put together in our minds.”
“It sorta is. It’s like a house. There’s the framework. Like your treestone home. That part you can’t change with just your thought. What goes on inside, well, that’s up to the people in it. We have an idea, the window opens. Reality is like that. We have the planet we live on. We have the sun, air, water. That’s the house. But what goes on inside is civilization. That’s on us. It is the reality humanity has created out of our thoughts, both in the moment and over thousands of years.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“Not at all. Smart men, very smart women in the Second Age learned through a Double Slit Experiment that the act of observing influenced the outcome. In the experiment, they proved thoughts affect reality. I digress, not important for now.”
“Then why don’t things change? Why don’t we get different results when people like me see things differently?”
“One person’s consciousness doesn’t change the collective reality of the world. Not enough energy from one person’s perception to affect the entire mass. Shared reality governs with a collective amount of energy. It takes a great measure of some force, a critical mass, to impact that level of change. It’s what the Temple does, what governments do, what merchandizing is all about. Those are simply efforts to control what everyone is supposed to think, laying the foundation of a shared reality of a concept on small and large scales. That’s our world, piece by piece. We don’t all share one hundred percent the same ideas, yet there is enough overlap across the spectrum of beliefs to coalesce into a communal, cohesive reality.”
“So, this idea about collective reality isn’t just your idea?” Reyne asked.
“In limited application. But in a much larger sense, it’s what’s at stake between us and the world of Evidar. It’s what Evidar is. Someone, something, has created an alternate reality, an alternate outcome from some point in Earth’s history; it split off from ours. It exists on another plane. It could be the tiniest of a fraction of an inch away from us right here and right now in another dimension, or it could be billions of billions of miles away. I don’t know. But I do know it’s real in every way. And whoever—he, she, it, God, gods—created this alternate reality, called Evidar, means to overtake ours. To apply forces to our reality to change it. Change it into what, I can’t say, but I suspect Evidar means to impose its paradigm on us. I don’t know if it’s evil or just wants something we have that it doesn’t. To merge their Probability Wave, their timeline, into ours. But I do know that time after time, Evidar’s efforts to change our world have been thwarted before.”
“How can I swallow any of this?”
“In the Temple Archives, there is a book. It’s called the Bible. It tells us The First Age ended with a great flood that wiped out all of humankind except a few moral, decent people. Stock to rebuild. And rebuild they did into the Second Age. The Second Age was a wondrous time but with many problems, culminating in the fiery near-destruction of our entire planet. Again, except for the few Teth gathered up and brought here, breeding stock to rebuild humanity anew, once more, under different, moral conditions. Could be the guiding hand of a superior being, like God looking out for humanity, saving a few to rebuild both times.”
“That’s quite a story. I’ve never heard of this Bible. Again, more facts only you have knowledge of?”
“The Temple lords have kept a lot from humanity to keep the masses on a path most desired by the Temple’s leaders. Like I said, they’ve kept the marble rolling along the path they’ve chosen,” Mera explained.
He went on, “Teth laid the foundation of the reality we know in the Third Age. What the Book of Teth doesn’t tell you is the story about the epochs long battle for souls. The battle for souls here on Earth. Evidar is close to getting the change they want, and whoever is Evidar’s creators or creator wants to wipe Tartica’s slate clean and start over. But in the past when evil looked like they might win, our side blew it all up so the bad people couldn’t have it. Like the universe saying ‘fuck you.’ So, whether it’s God, Mother Earth, or whatever entity you conceive of, it will not grant us many more chances to get it right. At some point, we’re going to be a write-off. Evidar is a monumental risk to everything. Does that explain things clearly to you? If we don’t stop them, everything here is going to be forever fucked.”
Reyne remained silent for a few moments. “Let’s say I accept your talk about reality and whatever. You want to send me off to kill people? People I don’t know. Just because you say so?”
“As I said, you’re to be a disruptor. If I’m right, and I almost always am, things over here are about to be thrown into chaos. Anarchy is a feeding ground for change. Evidar, in effect, is applying some force against our rolling marble of reality. Pandemonium is about to be unleashed on Tartica with enough force to impact civilization and change everything.”
“Huh?”
“Chaos is like a capacitor. It stores up energy. Pressure on society will build and build and then explode across Tartica with some unknowable outcome being the result. Think of the marble. A lot of energy is about to be unleashed against our way of life. How far off the path our marble will roll, impossible to predict. Is Evidar just laying down a foundation for change to build upon, or is this the big one?”
“And you think little ole me can stick my finger in the bad guy’s eye?”
“Those little quantum particles make up everything in the universe. They’re like fairy dust. They can be anything you can conceive of. You just have to know the right physics to make it happen. To point them in the direction you want them to go. One probable outcome amongst trillions of all possible outcomes. There are a million, billion, trillion possibilities from one moment to the next. Momentum keeps the universe, and all its interconnected parts, moving forward in the direction it’s currently pointed, so a new path out of the trillions of possible alternative paths doesn’t have to be decided upon from one moment to the next. Our reality exists as one outcome amongst an infinite number of alternatives. If something applies enough force, enough energy at the right spot, momentum changes and reality shifts. Something or someone, let’s call it a god, conceived of and set in motion the universe we know today. I doubt there is enough energy out there to alter the total momentum of the entire universe. But I can conceive of enough force applied to this place, right here and right now, to change the small part of reality we call Tartica.”
Reyne looked at him like a lost puppy.
Mera followed with an answer he didn’t want to hear. “You, my friend, are the only Tweener I know of that this world has left, and you’re the only one who can transfigure into Evidar. This world needs you to get to Evidar, where it is my hope that you can fuck things up from that side of the equation.”
“Just me. All alone. The heck with that. I’d be toast.”
“You want to save Mithany? Have the life you want with her? Not if Evidar has its way. You might just be the only way to save Mithany’s future. Chaos is coming to Tartica. No one can change that. Discord on Tartica will build up like a pressure cooker ready to explode. When it does, a new reality will emerge. I can’t say if anyone, including Mithany, will be spared. Your presence in Evidar might just be the energy we need to apply to their marble to take their eye away from us and focus it on themselves. That’s what Edruk did. Your father. He mustered enough disruption in Evidar to keep them focused inward, and that’s what you can do.”
“Sound like you’re lookin’ for a hero. I’m not remotely prepared and got no clue how to do this Tweener stuff. Sounds pretty dangerous. Was Edruk your hero? Your champion? What did that get him? Killed. I’m guessin’ that could happen to me too,” Reyne said in a calm voice.
“Evidar ain’t no place for no hero. You asked me if you can trust anything I tell you. Here is something I hope helps you with that. I’m going to tell you the naked truth. You might die in the effort. I’ve sent others over since your father died. I haven’t been silent these past twenty years. He came and went between Evidar and Earth frequently until the day he died. Even if you go, you’re right. It’s risky. Others have failed in his place, and you might too. You may not come through this. Death is possible. I’ll arrange for you to be well prepared, but there aren’t any guarantees. Now here’s the harsh truth: if you fail and die, hunters will stop looking for you. They’ll have no reason to leverage Mithany as bait to find you, and as such, you’ll buy Mithany’s safety with your death. I don’t want you to fail. To die. But you help Mithany either way. That’s me being honest with you.”
Reyne didn’t speak for several minutes. He reconsidered his position, just not in the way Mera was pushing for. Reyne formed a new plan. It didn’t involve Mera, but he would need Mera’s help to achieve it. Mera made a mistake reminding Reyne of his father, Edruk. A realization hit Reyne hard. Something he hadn’t considered. Hidden in Mera’s message was a way out for Reyne.
Reyne said, “Fuck me. I’m not sure about any of this.”
By not saying “no,” Reyne gave Mera hope.
A plan began to form. If I can somehow get to Evidar, I can get back too. If Edruk went to that place and got back and I’m his offspring, I should be able to come and go as well. If Mera can’t get to Evidar, he can’t see me leave from Evidar. I might be able to get back here whenever I want and get back to Mithany.
Mera took the opening. “You’re not ready for any of this. It takes a lot of effort to transfigure to a different reality. We’ll get you there once you’re prepared.”
“So, what you’re sayin’ is that Mithany is fucked if I don’t go, and if I do, even if I get killed, she’ll be safe?”
“Essentially, that’s the long and short of it.”
“I go; she lives.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t really have any choice then.”
“No. You don’t. If you want to protect her.”
“Why didn’t you just cut to the chase? All the rest of your bullshit doesn’t matter. Only Mithany does.”
“It does matter. You said you needed to hear it, to understand why you have to do what I’m asking of you in Evidar.”
“No, I don’t need to know, but I’ll agree to do this only for her. Not you.”
Reyne agreed to put himself in Evidar, but unknown to Mera, not as his agent of change. He’d go to Evidar, but he would turn around and come right back to protect Mithany himself.
Reyne imagined his statement committing himself to Evidar comforted Mera.
Mera said, “I’ll have to prep you for what you’re going to face in that dark world. There is someone who will train you. Her name is Gina. You’ll meet her once we get to Teth. Your training will begin there, and in Teth, I hope to find out how hunters discovered you exist.”
Mera looked pleased with himself. He put both hands behind his head and leaned back. He told Reyne, “Change is imminent. I don’t know how, but something big is going to happen soon. The presence of those red eyes tells me they couldn’t wait. Needed you out of the way immediately. But, now with you, we can sow a little turmoil in Evidar. We just might stand a chance.”
Reyne replied, “For Mithany, I guess I’m going to Evidar.”
Mera said, “What’s important is that we have to get you ready as quickly as possible. Chaos is coming.”
It's on You
Owls Neck: 29th day of the Salmon Moon
Quith
Soon after leaving Mithany and Arek at the place Reyne was supposed to have been buried, Neladith reported Arek’s slipup to her leader, Selundra Quith.
Neladith’s news set off a chain of events. If what she reported to Quith was true, there was a chance Reyne was still alive, and his wasn’t the body interred at the family plot.
Quith had to bring this to Dylla’s attention. He feared her reaction, and he had a good reason. Dylla Wisner didn’t treat those who failed her with compassion or understanding.
Only hours after Neladith conveyed her intel to Quith, he’d arrived back in Owls Neck where Dylla Weisner awaited his status report. He pushed down his fears and walked up the steps of the outdoor café.
Meeting once again at the inn nestled in the tiny village of Owls Neck, Quith passed on breakfast. He didn’t have the stomach for it.
Quith told Dylla, “She just caught an off-hand comment from the guy. The one she’s been using as her beard.”
Dylla tilted her head back, closed her eyes, took in the morning air permeating their surroundings. Its sweetness offended her and soured her even more. Dylla had grown familiar with the way things were in this world. Morning. Sunlight. Birds. She hated them all. It made the news from Quith cut deeper into her darkening mood.
“That would be a major problem. And with the brother in seclusion, those two morsels of information considered together point at a potential problem. I don’t like the odds.”
“It’s probably nothing. But I wanted to fill you in and to let you know I’ve given Neladith a new objective. Find out. She has one day, two tops, to either prove a confirmation of delivery or to determine where the package’s been shipped.”
Sweat rolled down the side of Quith’s face, and his foot tapped wildly under the table. He slid his hand over his knee, clenched his thigh, digging deep into the muscle, hoping to interrupt his out-of-control foot.
His statement hung there for a moment while she sipped her coffee. Her pause, the silence, her scowl, it rattled him. A crow cawed, cutting through the silence between them, setting off a series of replies. She let the birds finish their aviary conversation. Quith squirmed through the emptiness engulfing them.
“Tell me again what Neladith reported. Her exact words.”
“Again, let me say, it’s what she thought she heard. Nothing certain. Just being cautious here. Like I reported before, we had Tylus confirm the deed was done. Admittedly, with Meratoruc nearby, he couldn’t get in there for an up-close, but everything else matched the package.”
