The Knights of The Sun and Moon
Four: Cursed Lands
Solara awakens to violent shakes and the occasional “Hello! Wake up! Hello?!” She presses her fingers against a gash on her temple, bleeding but slow enough to clot quickly.
“W-Where am I?” She asks, blinking her eyes clear.
“The refuge outside Coastal Kott City. You shot out from a tornado!” The small child helps a wobbly Solara to her feet.
“And…my friends?” She leans into the child but he isn’t tall enough to support her weight. She stumbles and catches herself quickly.
“It’s just you.” He says with a grunt. “We should get you out of this field and somewhere more comfortable.”
“No-I…” She winces, the wound on her head throbbing. “I’ll be fine.” Solara takes a deep breath then tumbles to the ground, passing out in the tall grass.
Solara takes in a deep breath, shooting upward in what seems to be a small cot inside a large tent. A medical tent perhaps? She taps the wound on her head, it’s now scabbed over and doesn’t hurt as much as it did when she landed in the mysterious new place.
“You’re awake.” A man says, rolling over to her in his chair. He looks to be about her age, goggles pushed back into his thick black hair. “How are you feeling?”
“Where am I?”
“Tent city is what we call it. We’re refugees from Coastal Kott. You were pretty banged up when we found you. I’m Lucas by the way.”
“Eco-Taj was attacked by a…tornado made from tethered. It took the whole city, even my friends.”
“I wonder why you ended up here. We’re on the other side of the continent.” He wonders but doesn’t get anywhere with it. “Our wonderful clothier Marrisa found new clothing for you. Your dress was badly damaged.”
Solara looks down at her outfit, not thinking twice about what she’s wearing. A white button down shirt with a deep red vest over it, brown pants, with black boots beside the bed, and her hair beautifully pulled back into a braid with a bright pink ribbon intertwined within the knotts. “Let her know I said thanks.” She gives him a smile.
He nods. “I’ve worked with your Astoris. Looks like there wasn’t a wayfinder on it.” He hands the device to her.
She takes it, looking at him shocked as she clips it above her ear. “I had no idea that was possible. Can it show other devices?”
“Sure, it could ping others. Any in particular?”
“I’m looking for my friends. They were with me in the attack.”
The Astoris activates with a hum, the signature robotic voice lets her know it’s connected. She slides her finger across it and the globular hologram pops up around her. A message pops up, “Wayfinder connected.” Solara presses the button in midair and more screens pop up, letting her narrow down the search. She presses, presses again, then presses once more. Then a map of the Plansong continent pops up. Three little dots are spread out all in different areas. Hers beats with a rhythmic pulse while the others are slower.
“The tornado shot us out all over Planson, maybe to separate us? Together we’re powerful but cut off from each other, we’re…”
“Still powerful.” The man says in a calming voice. He looks at her, his eyes filled with hope. “You’re still just as strong.”
“None of us have been properly trained yet. I don’t know what I’m to do now.” She takes her head into her hands and lets out a small whimper.
“You heal the lands. You’re a protector aren’t you?” He gives her a pat on the shoulder.
She laughs a bit, “Even people I’ve never met know of me. They probably know me more than I know myself.” She stands, no longer wobbly. “Could I see the camp?”
He nods with a smile. “Of course.”
In the distance, not far from the refuge, is Costal Kott City. A city once glimmering with tall golden towers now looks like it was the site of a bombing. Its buildings broken and decrepit, the walls surrounding the city blasted through like they were nothing.
The camp, sitting in the middle of a grassy field, is now home to hundreds of displaced families. Each face Solara walks by, filled with sorrow. They cling to the tiniest sliver of hope that everything will end and go back to how it used to be before the lasting darkness came.
The two reach the edge of the camp. She looks to the city then back at the longing faces in the gentle wind.
“It’s barbaric.” She says to him. “I can’t believe this is our world, it’s all I’ve ever known.”
“I have faith in you, we all do.”
“I need to find my friends, Lucas.”
“You’ll have to cross through tethered territory, there’s no way around it. It’s thick with tar, towns completely gone.”
She sighs. “I can do it.”
“I’ve outfitted your Astoris with a tethered sensing device. Normally you can’t see them but for a few seconds. With this, it will emit a pulse when you’re near tethered and you’ll be able to at least see their outline.”
“You’ve got quite the knack for technology.” She says with a smile.
“That’s not all…” He smirks.
He takes Solara to the back of the camp. Under a large burlap cloth is a vehicle, one she hasn’t seen since she was little. But this one is different, it looks more advanced. It has two handlebars, a seat, a small place for storage and two wheels. Surprisingly to her, it stands up on its own.
“A speeder.” She says in awe.
“Yes, but even better. This runs on an Oilometer.” He turns on the engine and the two wheels split into four with a blue hue projecting underneath. The oilometer, a circular device with small golden rings around it, is fixed in the front, in a see-through compartment. It spins with a faint glow. “Unlimited power. And it can sync with the wayfinder I installed, so it can drive for you or if you’re feeling bored, you can drive it yourself.
“Lucas, you’re great. I wish I could take you with me. These people are lucky to have a person like you.”
“Thank you.” He takes a deep breath “There are many things to do. Keep in touch with me. I’m trying to figure out the strange tethered weather. I’ve already loaded some supplies for you.”
“Thank you. You’ve been too kind.”
“Oh, before you go…one last thing.” He hands her a pair of riding goggles. “Weather resistant.”
Solara smirks. “I’ll use them wisely.”
☾
“The Protrudes lay waste to the land.” Erikk says, kicking the sides of his horse with a “Yah!”
“How are we to fix it?” The man in his small group of people ask as they gallop through a wooded area brimming with black tar ridden spikes shoved through the Earth, turning the grass around them into mere puddles of goo.
“I’m not sure there’s a temporary fix.” Erikk looks to the man and his face turns from hopeful to sorrow.
“That’s unfortunate to hear, Erikk.”
“I’m sorry, Cartae. I know. The only way to stop all this is to kill the Extinction Being…and without my friends with me, I’m not sure I could stop him…even if I knew where he was.”
“Let’s return to the village and continue the pursuit for your team.” The man gives Erikk a faint smile and they ride off out of the Protrudes, quickly leaving the cursed area behind.
The village is a sprawling town nestled in tall redwood trees, connected by thick wooden planks. An elevator at the bottom of the base tree, where the community center resides, is the main way of getting into the village. Below the village are the farmlands, carefully placed in areas where the sun hits them just right. Erikk never seen such beauty before, well, if we’re talking about a person he has…in the form of Dru.
“Do you know the history of the Knights?” Cartae asks as they ascend in the elevator.
Erikk turns to him with confusion over the randomness of his question. “Uh, not really.”
“Follow me.” He says with a smile as they reach the top, the elevator coming to a squeaking halt. Cartae leads Erikk into the center of one of the towering trees. A long table with a holographic image of the planet and its continents sits hovering in a slow spin over the middle, and books line one side of the wall. They’re old, riddled with dust. “The Order of The Knights have been around for centuries, protecting our world.”
“I know at least that much,” Erikk says, a small laugh escaping between his teeth.
“The Knights have seen many things, fought countless wars, but nothing like this before.”
“What I don’t understand is how the Knights are chosen, why us? What makes us so special?” Erikk paces the room, looking at the books, running his finger along the spines.
“Carefully.” Cartae says with a faint whisper then turns to Erikk, “They watch, they weigh the pros and cons, then present the Hydrocon.”
“The…what?”
“W-Where am I?” She asks, blinking her eyes clear.
“The refuge outside Coastal Kott City. You shot out from a tornado!” The small child helps a wobbly Solara to her feet.
“And…my friends?” She leans into the child but he isn’t tall enough to support her weight. She stumbles and catches herself quickly.
“It’s just you.” He says with a grunt. “We should get you out of this field and somewhere more comfortable.”
“No-I…” She winces, the wound on her head throbbing. “I’ll be fine.” Solara takes a deep breath then tumbles to the ground, passing out in the tall grass.
Solara takes in a deep breath, shooting upward in what seems to be a small cot inside a large tent. A medical tent perhaps? She taps the wound on her head, it’s now scabbed over and doesn’t hurt as much as it did when she landed in the mysterious new place.
“You’re awake.” A man says, rolling over to her in his chair. He looks to be about her age, goggles pushed back into his thick black hair. “How are you feeling?”
“Where am I?”
“Tent city is what we call it. We’re refugees from Coastal Kott. You were pretty banged up when we found you. I’m Lucas by the way.”
“Eco-Taj was attacked by a…tornado made from tethered. It took the whole city, even my friends.”
“I wonder why you ended up here. We’re on the other side of the continent.” He wonders but doesn’t get anywhere with it. “Our wonderful clothier Marrisa found new clothing for you. Your dress was badly damaged.”
Solara looks down at her outfit, not thinking twice about what she’s wearing. A white button down shirt with a deep red vest over it, brown pants, with black boots beside the bed, and her hair beautifully pulled back into a braid with a bright pink ribbon intertwined within the knotts. “Let her know I said thanks.” She gives him a smile.
He nods. “I’ve worked with your Astoris. Looks like there wasn’t a wayfinder on it.” He hands the device to her.
She takes it, looking at him shocked as she clips it above her ear. “I had no idea that was possible. Can it show other devices?”
“Sure, it could ping others. Any in particular?”
“I’m looking for my friends. They were with me in the attack.”
The Astoris activates with a hum, the signature robotic voice lets her know it’s connected. She slides her finger across it and the globular hologram pops up around her. A message pops up, “Wayfinder connected.” Solara presses the button in midair and more screens pop up, letting her narrow down the search. She presses, presses again, then presses once more. Then a map of the Plansong continent pops up. Three little dots are spread out all in different areas. Hers beats with a rhythmic pulse while the others are slower.
“The tornado shot us out all over Planson, maybe to separate us? Together we’re powerful but cut off from each other, we’re…”
“Still powerful.” The man says in a calming voice. He looks at her, his eyes filled with hope. “You’re still just as strong.”
“None of us have been properly trained yet. I don’t know what I’m to do now.” She takes her head into her hands and lets out a small whimper.
“You heal the lands. You’re a protector aren’t you?” He gives her a pat on the shoulder.
She laughs a bit, “Even people I’ve never met know of me. They probably know me more than I know myself.” She stands, no longer wobbly. “Could I see the camp?”
He nods with a smile. “Of course.”
In the distance, not far from the refuge, is Costal Kott City. A city once glimmering with tall golden towers now looks like it was the site of a bombing. Its buildings broken and decrepit, the walls surrounding the city blasted through like they were nothing.
The camp, sitting in the middle of a grassy field, is now home to hundreds of displaced families. Each face Solara walks by, filled with sorrow. They cling to the tiniest sliver of hope that everything will end and go back to how it used to be before the lasting darkness came.
The two reach the edge of the camp. She looks to the city then back at the longing faces in the gentle wind.
“It’s barbaric.” She says to him. “I can’t believe this is our world, it’s all I’ve ever known.”
“I have faith in you, we all do.”
“I need to find my friends, Lucas.”
“You’ll have to cross through tethered territory, there’s no way around it. It’s thick with tar, towns completely gone.”
She sighs. “I can do it.”
“I’ve outfitted your Astoris with a tethered sensing device. Normally you can’t see them but for a few seconds. With this, it will emit a pulse when you’re near tethered and you’ll be able to at least see their outline.”
“You’ve got quite the knack for technology.” She says with a smile.
“That’s not all…” He smirks.
He takes Solara to the back of the camp. Under a large burlap cloth is a vehicle, one she hasn’t seen since she was little. But this one is different, it looks more advanced. It has two handlebars, a seat, a small place for storage and two wheels. Surprisingly to her, it stands up on its own.
“A speeder.” She says in awe.
“Yes, but even better. This runs on an Oilometer.” He turns on the engine and the two wheels split into four with a blue hue projecting underneath. The oilometer, a circular device with small golden rings around it, is fixed in the front, in a see-through compartment. It spins with a faint glow. “Unlimited power. And it can sync with the wayfinder I installed, so it can drive for you or if you’re feeling bored, you can drive it yourself.
“Lucas, you’re great. I wish I could take you with me. These people are lucky to have a person like you.”
“Thank you.” He takes a deep breath “There are many things to do. Keep in touch with me. I’m trying to figure out the strange tethered weather. I’ve already loaded some supplies for you.”
“Thank you. You’ve been too kind.”
“Oh, before you go…one last thing.” He hands her a pair of riding goggles. “Weather resistant.”
Solara smirks. “I’ll use them wisely.”
☾
“The Protrudes lay waste to the land.” Erikk says, kicking the sides of his horse with a “Yah!”
“How are we to fix it?” The man in his small group of people ask as they gallop through a wooded area brimming with black tar ridden spikes shoved through the Earth, turning the grass around them into mere puddles of goo.
“I’m not sure there’s a temporary fix.” Erikk looks to the man and his face turns from hopeful to sorrow.
“That’s unfortunate to hear, Erikk.”
“I’m sorry, Cartae. I know. The only way to stop all this is to kill the Extinction Being…and without my friends with me, I’m not sure I could stop him…even if I knew where he was.”
“Let’s return to the village and continue the pursuit for your team.” The man gives Erikk a faint smile and they ride off out of the Protrudes, quickly leaving the cursed area behind.
The village is a sprawling town nestled in tall redwood trees, connected by thick wooden planks. An elevator at the bottom of the base tree, where the community center resides, is the main way of getting into the village. Below the village are the farmlands, carefully placed in areas where the sun hits them just right. Erikk never seen such beauty before, well, if we’re talking about a person he has…in the form of Dru.
“Do you know the history of the Knights?” Cartae asks as they ascend in the elevator.
Erikk turns to him with confusion over the randomness of his question. “Uh, not really.”
“Follow me.” He says with a smile as they reach the top, the elevator coming to a squeaking halt. Cartae leads Erikk into the center of one of the towering trees. A long table with a holographic image of the planet and its continents sits hovering in a slow spin over the middle, and books line one side of the wall. They’re old, riddled with dust. “The Order of The Knights have been around for centuries, protecting our world.”
“I know at least that much,” Erikk says, a small laugh escaping between his teeth.
“The Knights have seen many things, fought countless wars, but nothing like this before.”
“What I don’t understand is how the Knights are chosen, why us? What makes us so special?” Erikk paces the room, looking at the books, running his finger along the spines.
“Carefully.” Cartae says with a faint whisper then turns to Erikk, “They watch, they weigh the pros and cons, then present the Hydrocon.”
“The…what?”