A Machine Called Earth

The night was well in swing, and a calming coolness blew through the field which they tread. Hector travelled with his head tilted upward for most of the night.

“The constellations create such a marvelous display.” Hector said.

“Yes, that is why they are called the heavens, such a beautiful display, with glory that is rarely seen. The stars, they do not produce such a light as our sun, but their splendor is incomparable.” Norrth said. “A rivaling beauty I have not seen. Though some do say, that the stars are but a glimpse of a greater glory that has not been seen.”

“I didn’t think you were one for rumors, Norrth.” Hope said.

“What makes you think I speak of rumors? I do not associate with drunkards or fools that know not of things beyond their arms reach. I myself know of such truths that would be dismissed as rumor. Even by you.”

The harshness of Norrth’s words were unexpected, though they did not cut. Hector and Hope had both come to realize that Norrth had a wisdom that was unmatched by any in the realms of Tammerville or Maple-Stone.

After many hours through the silent night, as the radiance of the sun began to peer beyond the edge of the world, and colour began to fill the earth, Hector realized something. “Were are we going?” He asked. “I had not realized it until now, but we are not heading in the direction of Violet Town. We’ve been heading further west then we should.”

At this the company stopped. Norrth was heading the others, while Hope and the children were trailing further behind Hector. When they all came together, Norrth lifted his mask.

“Have you forgotten? We are on the other side of the Crystal River, and it is quite wide at this point, as it spills out into the Opal Bay of Violet Town, then into the ocean.”

“Are we to find a bridge of some-sort to cross?” Hector asked. “If we are to travel too far north in search of a way across, then I’d rather just swim to the other side.”

“I would not risk entering the water. Even if time were against us. Ichabod’s tainted hand has already taken the deep. There may be more than vicious manta rays in the water.”

“Then what be your plan?”

“We are to go under.” Norrth said with a smile.

It was plain to see that Norrth delighted in giving subtle revelations, revealing parts of his plan in small portions. Even if the plan were not his own.

“Go under the river?” Exclaimed Hector. “How are we to manage that?” The very thought had dumfounded Hector to say the least. Never had Hector heard such an idea suggested as strange as this. But this was Norrth after all. No man in all the earth was wrapped in such mystery as Norrth. There were far more mysterious beings such as Ichabod and The Keeper which Hector had met. But Ichabod was but a bodiless parasite, while calling The Keeper ‘a man’ didn’t seem quite right.

“Very well. Lead the way.” Hector said as he submitted to Norrth’s furtive plan. It wasn’t long until the mostly level terrain turned towards an incline. There was a mountain which had to be climbed before reaching the destination that Norrth had in mind. Though the slope was so minuscule that they had not realized they were indeed climbing. Not until they finally stopped to rest.

When they set their bags down and at last took a look around, they saw the wide valley to their south. The valley was clothed in tall grass, golden and swaying in the wind that channeled through the hollow. The golden light of the morning sun seemed to reflect off the grass in a splendorous display.

Pulling up his mask again, Norrth spoke to Hector. “You may have doubts about your task, or fears about your destination, but let this scene be a reminder that there is still good in this world. There is still a good world to be salvaged from the grip of the evil one.”

Norrth was right. Hector was afraid to meet Ichabod again. He was afraid to see the frail, lifeless eyes of Malachi from behind that impassive gas mask, as well as face Moab again. This and the doubts that Ichabod had laid in Hector’s mind, made Hector hesitant to span the gap between him and the control room. Yet there was still a desire, a drive that urged him. There was an amazement, a wonder, that caused Hector to want to witness the control room again. This was the same desire that made him hastily enter the room the first time. He then clutched

Jane’s hand as she caught up, holding it tightly.

Hector was lost in thought, and paid no attention to the terrain that they had passed. They travelled for about two hours and the path grew increasingly steep. (After rising and falling three times already.) Amongst the scene of peace and serenity, as clusters of tiny birds burst from small bushes as they passed. Each well dressed with fine feathered coats with blue and red trim. Gatherings of tiny moths dancing in the golden rays of the sun. The gentle breeze swaying the tall grass to and fro. Amongst this scene, there was a scene much more sinister, waiting just over the hill, by the cleft of the road.

At first, it looked just like any other mound. Though as they came closer, they realized that the ground surrounding the mound was saturated with a crimson stain. This was a pile of the dead. At realizing this, Hope retreated to where the mound was out of sight and the stench blowing away, taking Jessy and Jane with her. But Hector and Norrth drew closer and inspected the mound.

Hector had expected to see that the pile of corpses were that of humans, hunted by the murderous beasts for no more than some kind of sick enjoyment. But he was shocked when he witnessed that the pile were that of beastly men themselves.

“Who would have done this?” Asked Hector. “I mean, this is good, is it not?”

“Is it good? These are but men who have lost perspective, they have been fooled with false words, and tainted by the curse. I do not think it good at all, that someone has slaughtered them. But I fear that whoever has done this, may be still close by.”

Hector observed the pile of corpses. The surrounding soil was still damp with their blood. The pile was leaning against a cliff that went upward about twenty feet above them. A voice then came from above.

“You do not think it good at all, that I killed these beasts?” It said malevolently. Hector and Norrth looked upward. The others were behind Hector, some distance away, still in view, but out of ear’s reach of this stranger’s soft voice. But peering from the edge of the cliff was a man. He had long, dark hair and an outfit similar to Norrth’s. He even wore a mask that was identical to Norrth’s, except for the fact it was snapped in half, covering only one eye, and half his face, though it still covered his whole mouth.

“Norrth! Who is this?” Hector asked after seeing the resemblance between him and Norrth.

“This is Meridian. He is one like me, though I thought he was dead. There were once many of us, but he, like many of the others left their duties and denied the authority of The Keeper. I and only a few others still follow the will of The Keeper. Meridian is a betrayer.”

“Norrth! Do not talk about me as though I am not here. I am no betrayer. I take no sides in this war. I have mearly attained knowledge that you do not possess, something that I can see that you have still not experienced. How can you continue to take the lives of those you are commanded to, without any knowledge or comprehension of pain. I have been on the other side of a gun, and a blade, and what you do, I cannot continue to do.”

“But what of these beastly men you have slaughtered? Do you not consider their death to be of any loss?”

“Do not lecture me Norrth. You have just as much blood on your hands as I.”

“Meridian! We made an oath. A covenant between us and The Keeper: We are to follow the commands of The Keeper, to be his hands, acting in this world, and in return, we will not experience pain or death. So any pain you have experienced, is your own doing. For you have failed to hold up your side of the oath.”

“Perhaps. But you should be thanking me. This here was a kill squad.” Meridian said, motioning downward to the pile of corpses. “These beasts were on their way to kill you. In particular, you.” Meridian said, pointing toward Hector. “Hector I believe it is. Isn’t it? Or so my sources say.” Hector was confused, and fearful of this stranger. “And you aim to kill me yourself? Is that why you are here?”

“Not at all. I merely do as I please. I am a spectator here.” Meridian then crouched over the edge of the cliff a little further, eyeing Hector intently. “You will soon perish. You will become no different than these abominations.”

“No! I will never become like them. I will never give into the curse and let it take me.” Hector shouted.

“You say that as if you have a say in the matter. Do you think that these people have given in to the curse, and let it take them, control them? No they were all taken. They were all the same as you Hector. The curse had taken many of these men, the same way it had taken you. It began with an evil eye. I know what you did Hector, on that boat. You are left with no mark of the curse now, but, despite your best efforts, you are becoming just like them.”

“No! You lie! I am not like them. I will not be taken!” Hector began to feel a surging anger within him. This anger was fueled by the humiliation and shame of his actions on that boat. Though it was something small in the grand scheme of things, it weighed heavily on Hector, especially since he was reunited with Hope.

At this commotion, Hope and Jane began to come closer to where Hector and Norrth were. Hope saw Meridian and was confused as to who this man was. Meridian then made eye contact with Hope. Then he said to Hector, “The curse will take you. And when it does, you will do as these men had done.” Meridian paused for a moment.

“What? what did they do?” Hector asked.

Meridian spoke, still eyeing Hope and Jane. “Kill the ones they love.”

Hector turned to where Meridian was looking, and seeing Hope and Jane standing there, he turned back to Meridian, saying, “Never! You know nothing!”

At this, Hector became consumed with uncontrollable wrath. He drew his pistol, aimed it squarely at Meridian, and fired.

If Hector had fired at any other human, they would be dead. But Meridian, much like Norrth, was gifted with many inhuman abilities. Meridian had inhuman speed and agility, and using this, he drew his sword from his back, and deflected the bullet. And this bullet, it did not fly off to an unknown place. No, it found its place of rest in one of those standing there. In one of Hector’s companions. The bullet found its place to rest, in Jane.

With a scream from Hope, Jane dropped to the dusty ground limply. Hector turned and when he saw what he had done, he went pale, and felt his heart miss three whole beats.

Without any thought, nor a single word. Hector grabbed from Norrth’s waist, his arrow gun. He aimed it at Meridian and fired. The velocity of the arrow, was far greater then Hector’s pistol, far too great for Meridian to deflect.

The arrow went into Meridian’s chest half its length, and Meridian fell off the cliff, and plummeted into the pile of beastly corpses that he had killed.

“What have you done?!” Cried Norrth. But Hector had no ear to hear him. He was fixed on seeing to Jane. He ran to her side and crabbed her, but there was nothing he could do. She was dead.

“Norrth! Is there anything you can do?” Hector said, panicking. At this point, Hector’s hands were trembling greatly, and he began to dry-heave. He would have thrown-up if he had any food in his stomach. He began to tear up as he repeated, “Norrth, please! Can you help her?”

Norrth looked more distressed then Hector had witnessed previously. Up until this point, Norrth had remained quite calm and unruffled, nothing seemed to faze him. But this, this was different. Seeing Norrth distressed like this, made matters worse, it was as though this was an unforeseen event that he had not accounted for.

Once again Hector repeated, though he felt his pleads were going unheard. “Norrth. Please.” Hector said in a low cry as he clutched the girl even tighter, his hands both drenched with the girl’s blood.

“I cannot.” Norrth answered. He then turned and walked away from the bloody scene. It was unknown as to whether Norrth could not help her, or would not help her.