Aynsefian

The discovery that Salvation’s Creek is constructed changes everything. Now we are no longer alone. There might actually be someone here who can offer us food and a way out of this place. I feel real hope for the first time since being here. If we explore farther into the cave, we might meet the people who built it. I already believe that they will be sympathetic to us.

I’m too exhausted to go and explore further just now, though.

In any case, the more we venture into the cave, the more expansive it gets. The width and height of it continues to gradually increase. Even if we were fully fit and healthy, it would take many days to fully explore it. Maybe even that is a gross underestimation of its size. Judging by the faint glow within it, supplemented by Salvation’s relatively bright light, it seems to go on forever.

The apparent limitlessness means that it could be kilometres and kilometres before we find anyone who can help us, if there’s even anyone here at all. It really is a whole new world down here. If someone lives here, they could be anywhere. Regardless, exploring will have to wait for now as we tend to more immediate needs.

My thoughts turn to the moss and its potentiality as food. Hunger has been almost overwhelming for some time and is now my chief concern. I need to ask the Purlinians what they think about the possibility of actually consuming more of what’s underneath our feet. It feels wrong somehow, to eat moss, but if it is any sort of sustenance, I don’t care. I must put something, anything, in my stomach. It’s been too long. Almost a week.

I turn to Arlyss and Cindlyss, eager to ask them about the moss. They’re peering closely at the channel where the water is emanating from the cave wall. They have wonder in their expressions. I shove my hunger thoughts aside for a moment. Only for a moment. I want to know what they’re so intrigued by.

“Excuse me, but what are you looking at?” I ask.

Arlyss turns toward me and points at some detail in the channel. I go up for a closer look. It seems to be some sort of strange inscription or pattern that is unrecognisable to me. As I look at it, I hear Cindlyss speak a strange word.

“Aynsefian,” they say. The wonder in their voice gives the word a special quality. I know it’s important to them in some way. I’m trying to understand what they mean, though. Verbal communication is limited between us.

“The carvings in the rock? They mean something, and they’re called Aynsefian, to you?” I ask. I’m so glad now that we can talk again, without interference from the wind or the suit masks.

Arlyss shakes their head. They make an expansive circular wave with their hands.

“This cave is called Aynsefian?”

They shake their head again and wave in an even wider circle.

“The planet is called Aynsefian?”

Excited nods from both of them.

“What does that mean?” I ask, not knowing how they’re going to explain it to me, given that their command of my language is only minimal. They’ve always been able to understand me, but speaking my language is difficult for them.

They both look directly at me, staring deeply into my eyes. It’s a bit unnerving at first, but then I get a feeling that I should let go of my thoughts. I’ve never had this before with them. Then again, these are exceptional circumstances.

I do so. I even close my eyes. After a few moments of nothing the most amazing scene hits my consciousness. I know it’s coming from them. They are doing it. How, I have no idea. It almost literally floors me. I feel myself taking a staggering couple of steps backwards in shock at what I’m seeing.

They are projecting what they know about “Aynsefian” into my mind.

The vision starts from the symbols in the channel of the entry of Salvation’s Creek and expands to show the rest of the cave. Not in its entirety, as if I were walking it or flying it in Nikse or something, but in fragments of visions. The visions gradually coalesce and become clearer and more continuous. It’s astonishing to me that this is possible.

Aynsefian… ah, I get it now. Aynsefian is both the planet and the society that is… okay, was, in this cave. This cave that spans the entire planet. Okay, not quite. The cave is part of a complex that spans the planet, with subtle connections here and there. The complex contains, or used to contain, a large number of underground cities in caves like this one. Together the network of cities forms a cohesive civilisation that covers the entire planet. I get the sense, as I’m watching the scenes in my mind, that this is why they teamed up with me. They knew we would find it, somehow.

They are overjoyed to have discovered it. It’s a civilisation that their species has great reverence for. That we have collectively found it, even via the most harrowingly difficult and unexpected means, is a joyful and exhilarating discovery. I can feel it along with the visuals I’m seeing in my mind. As they continue to roll, I’m getting a clearer picture of what this civilisation was like. It was formerly an advanced society that was perhaps one of the greatest ever in this universe. No-one knows what happened to it, including them.

Perhaps we’ll find out now that we’re here?

As the visions in my mind sweep across one of Aynsefian’s underground cities, I can see beautiful gardens with greenery and colourful flowers. I see pristine watercourses weaving through the gardens. I see humans looking a lot like people from my home planet, along with numerous other races, including Purlinians. They are all using communing together and living peaceful lifestyles. They in harmony, and practice togetherness and unity of purpose. The members of this society meet regularly in groups to pursue spiritual and life goals. There is a disciplined, ordered approach to their lives, but the society is peaceful and calm. The citizens commune regularly in specific locations inside this particular city. I don’t know if this city is farther down in the very cave we’re now in, or if it’s just a random city somewhere else on the planet. There is also a strange source of light and heat that comes from the very interior of the cave that permeates these visions.

It appears to be some sort of miniature sun that is resident inside of it.

If I thought of this logically it would seem incredible and maybe impossible, yet this is what I’m seeing. It possibly explains the backlighting I have already noticed, even from here, near the entrance.

I’m now seeing more scenes of this society. There are flying vehicles much like my ships at home, but different, and the residents are wearing strange white clothing with sashes of multiple colours. Once again I'm aware of the variety of races here. It’s totally harmonious and it appears to be quite beautiful, from the perspective in which I'm viewing it. I can feel emotion welling up in me as I perceive this within the visions.

The residents of Aynsefian live in cabins built into the high stone walls within the cave interior, stretching up until they are out of sight. The residents leave their cabins to go and perform specific functions within the community, and then return. No-one appears stressed or overworked. Traffic is non-existent, in the sense that there is no crowding or overpopulated transit lanes. Vehicles fly up and into parking bays, over and over, without risking collision.

Now I’m seeing inside one of the cabins. It is compact but functional, as well as being beautifully lit with the most peaceful coloured crystal lights imaginable. The internal atmosphere of the cabin is warming and calming. Life is idyllic inside this cabin and out in the community. There is a societal hierarchy that functions to serve the greater good of all.

But there is a problem with this vision.

This is a society that was, not a society that is. Something happened to it in the distant past, and all that is left behind is its legend. No-one in the present day Purlinian race even knew where it was.

Until now.

The visions and mental impressions end. I open my eyes. I stare at Arlyss and Cindlyss with much reverence and newfound understanding of what they are capable of. A brief notion crosses my mind after the visions end: this was meant to be. Those strange expressions on their faces when we were captured and in the hours and days afterwards now make sense. They knew their destiny was about to unfold. They knew this would happen, somehow.

“So…’ I stammer. “What do…” I can’t form any sentences. I’m too overawed. I wonder if I can close my eyes and talk to them in my mind. I don’t believe in myself enough to try. I’m silent for a moment, gathering myself. They are watching me patiently. They could wait forever, it seems.

A backdrop to all of this is our collective near-death experience in crossing the surface of this… of Aynsefian… and getting inside here to this cave. The extraordinarily difficult ordeal we have just been through in the past few days comes rushing back to me. It seems in equal parts as bad as Aynsefian is good. It counterbalances.

Now I want to know what we should do about this knowledge. This legendary society we have found: what are we supposed to do? We have no means of leaving and telling anyone about it. Our survival remains far from certain, too. I’m still silent for another moment or two while I ponder this.

“What do we do next?” I get the words out, finally.

They nod towards the moss-covered creek bed. No more mystical images transferred into my mind. They are back to their normal mode of communicating with me, via gestures and body language. They are suggesting we sleep for now. I could not agree more.

Except for one thing. I’m still desperately hungry.