"Paradox (story 2): The Backward Journey (Chapter 5)" by Steven P. Love

Chapter 5

         As the late day Sun neared the horizon its brilliant red rays gleamed off of the glass spires and lustrous adamantine steel of the surrounding structures. From his perspective on the Royal Guest Suite’s balcony Jahnus could not help but marvel at the scope of the Vekolth city. Only the massive metallic wall at the city’s edge reminded him that there was savagery just beyond this oasis of civilization.

         “Enjoying the view,” Obsidyanna asked cordially as she came up behind Jahnus carrying a silver platter.

         Jahnus glanced back at her with an acknowledging smile.

         “Our interview with the Journalists took a lot longer than I thought so I made some Plovera Egg sandwiches for you,” Obsidyanna said as she humbly presented the food to him.

         “No thank you,” Jahnus replied apologetically. “I’m not hungry.”

         “You haven’t eaten since we found you,” Obsidyanna stated in a surprised voice. “How can you not be hungry?”

         “I don’t know,” Jahnus admitted with a perplexed expression. “I was tired for a while but I’m all right now.”

         Obsidyanna appeared puzzled and a little disappointed. “I’m sure the Doctor would love to find out why you don’t need food to live, but could you at least taste one of my sandwiches? It would make me feel better if you did.”

         “All right,” Jahnus chuckled as he relented and took one of the little triangle shaped sandwich portions.

         Obsidyanna watched with anticipation as Jahnus began to consume the sandwich.

         “I must admit that this is pretty good,” he confessed with a smile.

         “I’m happy that you like it,” Obsidyanna stated with relief as she set the platter on a nearby table. “Father used to tease me about my food preparation skills, or rather lack there of.”

         Jahnus grinned humorously.

         “What do you call this place,” Jahnus asked while resuming his gaze at the city skyline.

         “Our city…? We call it Vanadis,” Obsidyanna replied as she stood beside Jahnus gazing outward with him.

         “It looks like a fascinating place,” Jahnus said. “Do you think I could take a walk around town?”

         “Perhaps tomorrow,” Obsidyanna suggested in a playful voice. “I don’t think Father would be too happy if you were found wandering through the city this late in the day without an escort.”

         “Even if you were with me,” Jahnus asked suggestively.

         Obsidyanna let out a short giggle while shaking her head. “I’m afraid that I don’t count. I may be the Princess but my authority is limited. Besides, if we were seen alone together on the streets it might be misconstrued as inappropriate consorting with an outsider.”

         “I understand,” Jahnus conceded with a smile. “You have your reputation to protect.”

         Obsidyanna then leaned sideways against the balcony railing and faced Jahnus with a curious expression.

         “You still haven’t remembered anything about yourself, your true name, what your species is called,” Obsidyanna asked.

         Jahnus sighed. “Not anything specific I’m afraid.”

         “I don’t understand,” Obsidyanna said sounding confused. “When you rescued me and then healed Minister Vodan’s daughter you seemed to know exactly what you were doing. How could you have knowledge of your powers yet not know who and what you are?”

         “It’s hard to put into words. I just know that when I saw you falling I became angry that your father could not help you. During that instant I had a vision,” Jahnus explained. “I guess you could call it a memory flash of some kind. It was at that moment that I knew exactly what I had to do and how to do it. So I acted.”

         “And the little girl,” Obsidyanna asked.

         “The same thing,” Jahnus replied. “It was like…instinct.”

         “What about this memory flash you had,” Obsidyanna wondered. “Do you remember anything about the vision that could shed some light on your origin?”

         Jahnus shook his head negatively. “I suppose that you could say it was like….waking up from a dream. I knew what I needed to do but I’ve forgotten where the knowledge came from.”

         “I’m sorry,” Obsidyanna apologized with a sad expression. “It must have been very frustrating to have come so close to remembering who and what you are just to have it slip away like that. You must feel very lonely.”

         Obsidyanna then affectionately placed her hand on top of his. At first Jahnus just attributed her behavior to a form of sympathetic hero worship, but then he felt her tail sinuously winding its way up his back. The fleshy arrow shaped end pressed against his left shoulder almost like a third hand. Obsidyanna was eyeing him amorously.

         Jahnus glanced over at her tail on his shoulder and then cleared his throat. “Is this appropriate behavior for a Princess?”

         Obsidyanna cracked a sultry grin in response. “You have much to learn about Vekolth females, Jahnus. I could teach you. It’ll be fun.”

         “But…I’m not a Vekolth,” Jahnus reminded her.

         “Obviously,” Obsidyanna laughed.

         “Look…I’m very flattered by your…attention, but surely as a Princess you must have a suitor who is more worthy of your affections than me,” Jahnus contended. “Isn’t there a Prince in your life?”

         “There is,” Obsidyanna admitted grudgingly. “Prince Kupa of the kingdom of Xian has been after me for quite a while. But I don’t want him.”

         “What’s wrong with him,” Jahnus asked with a chuckle.

         “Besides being an obnoxious idiot he’s totally subservient to his mother, Queen Tarnara,” Obsidyanna said sarcastically. “I was betrothed to him as part of the treaty between our kingdoms.”

         “That sounds like a rather archaic way to get married,” Jahnus stated in a surprised tone.

         “It is,” Obsidyanna concurred. “Fortunately, Father worded the betrothal part of the treaty so that when I came of age I did have the option to refuse marriage to Prince Kupa if I chose another more worthy suitor.” Obsidyanna then smiled at Jahnus suggestively.

         Even without his memory Jahnus knew instinctively what Obsidyanna intended for him.

         “Why did you name me ‘Jahnus’?”

         Obsidyanna grinned at Jahnus’s question.

         “In our mythology it is said that in the beginning the Great Maker created our world of Gaia, but Gaia was empty and the Maker was lonely. To take away that loneliness the Maker created an Avatar; a living being that became a vessel for the very essence of the Universe. In essence the Great Maker created a mate to share the world of Gaia with. But the Avatar could not love the Maker in that way because he perceived her as his mother, not his mate. The Maker now realized that she made a mistake. Her new creation would also be lonely. The Maker did not wish to see her Son live alone, so she created a mate for him, a female named Obsidyanna,” Obsidyanna explained with sultry smile. Jahnus’s eyebrows rose at the sound of the name. “When the Maker presented Obsidyanna to the Avatar the first question that Obsidyanna asked was ‘who are you’. The Avatar could not answer. The Maker had neglected to give him a name. Realizing that she had made another mistake the Maker asked the Avatar what he would like to be called. The Avatar turned to Obsidyanna and asked what name she would have given him if she had a choice. Obsidyanna thought long and hard. After much reflection she named her Avatar mate ‘Jahnus’. In the ancient Vekolth language the name ‘Jahnus’ means ‘the First One’.”

         Jahnus chuckled. “That’s….a very fascinating story, but it doesn’t answer my question; why did you name me Jahnus?”

         Obsidyanna sighed. “I have prayed for a long time for a way out of that insane betrothal. Then, as if in an answer to my prayers you fell into my life. You’ve healed me, saved me from certain death, and even brought a little girl back to life. Who’s to say that you might not be the real Jahnus? But even if you’re not you’ve given my people, and me, something to believe in after decades of slow dissolution. If you agree to marry me your life here could be very….pleasant.”

         “Perhaps,” Jahnus agreed as he affectionately took Obsidyanna’s hands. “I must admit that I do find you…attractive.”

         Obsidyanna’s facial scales blushed in response to Jahnus’s admission.

         “And maybe you’re right,” Jahnus added. “Maybe this is part of my destiny. I just wish that I could remember that’s all.”

         “Whatever your destiny is, I will be honored if you allowed me to be a part of it.”

         Their eyes met romantically.

         As they began to lean closer to each other their mutual romantic gazes were interrupted but the sound of Obsidyanna’s winged pet lizard landing on the balcony railing right beside them.

         “Friend of yours,” Jahnus asked with an amused expression.

         “Booboh, where have you been,” Obsidyanna asked playfully as the little creature jumped onto her shoulder and looked at Jahnus curiously. It made a whiny sound which Obsidyanna recognized. “He’s curious about you.”

         “Does he bite,” Jahnus asked with a cautious expression.

         “He hasn’t yet,” Obsidyanna replied in a casual voice.

         Jahnus let go of Obsidyanna’s hands and extended one hand to the creature. It responded by jumping onto his arm. Jahnus flinched as the lizard climbed toward his shoulder. Upon reaching his shoulder the little feathered reptile sniffed his right ear. It then licked his right cheek and promptly took off.

         “Does that mean he likes me,” Jahnus asked with a chuckle.

         “Apparently,” Obsidyanna answered with a curious expression as she watched her pet disappear into the dark. “He’s usually not so friendly with strangers. Maybe he senses the same thing about you that I do.”

         Jahnus then took Obsidyanna’s hands again and looked romantically into her eyes.

         “Would you like to take a ride with me, Princess,” Jahnus asked cordially. “You could show me some of your city from the air.”

         Obsidyanna laughed. “I don’t think so. Besides, my Flyer was destroyed and I don’t think Father would allow me to pilot the Royal Hovercraft by myself.”

         “We don’t need your hovercraft.”

         “What you mean,” she asked with a nervous giggle.

         “Look down,” Jahnus told her.

         Obsidyanna looked down and gasped at the sight of the balcony slowly dropping away from her feet. She panicked and immediately wrapped her arms and legs around Jahnus, who seemed amused by her behavior.

         “You weren’t this scared when I was carrying you above the city earlier today,” Jahnus reminded Obsidyanna wittily.

         “I’m just not used to floating in the air without something beneath my feet,” Obsidyanna confessed nervously.

         Jahnus laughed. “Perhaps you’d like to ride on my back.”

         Obsidyanna playfully slapped Jahnus on his chest to express her annoyance at his humor.

         “Shall we take that tour,” Jahnus asked smugly as he carried a wide eyed Obsidyanna skyward.

         While gliding in an outward spiral away from the Palace bright sun-like lamps suddenly flashed on illuminating the city streets below. When they passed near the Central Aviation Tower Obsidyanna giggled at the sight of several Operators staring out the windows with mouths gaping at them.

         As they continued flying further away they did not see Trekell standing on his own balcony watching them. He had been watching them intently since the moment he was informed that Obsidyanna had gone to Jahnus’s suite, but he was not angry. His expression seemed more like that of confirmation, as though this event was predestined. Trekell simply smiled as he watched Jahnus and Obsidyanna fly beyond the glow of the city lights and disappear into the night sky.

         “I thought you wanted to have a look at the city,” Obsidyanna asked nervously as they continued to fly higher into the atmosphere.

         “You were right,” Jahnus told her. “We can take a tour of the city tomorrow.”

         As they continued to gain altitude Jahnus could feel Obsidyanna’s fear building. He looked into her eyes and said with a reassuring voice, “Don’t be afraid, I will not let anything happen to you, my Princess.”

         Obsidyanna then felt a sense of absolute confidence in Jahnus. His promise gave her a faith that she had never felt before in anyone.

         As they continued to soar skyward their velocity became so high that Obsidyanna could see the Primary Moon moving rapidly across the night sky. She looked back to see that Vanadis was now just a tiny speck of light in the distance. When she looked forward Obsidyanna realized that somehow Jahnus was generating a protective field that shielded her from the blistering winds of their hypersonic velocity.

         When dawn broke over the eastern horizon Obsidyanna gaped in awe as she realized that within the span of only a few minutes they had already traveled halfway around the world. As the morning sun rose she could now perceive the immensity of their velocity as forests, rivers and lakes below shot past them in a matter of seconds. As they approached what appeared to be a snow covered mountain range Jahnus slowed their velocity and descended slightly.

         “The Carpathus Mountains,” Obsidyanna gasped. “I’ve read about them but few Vekolth have ever visited them because of the harsh cold.”

         “Would you like to see them up close,” Jahnus asked with an encouraging smile.

         Obsidyanna nodded eagerly.

         Jahnus stretched out the arm Obsidyanna was holding on to and gestured for her to take his hand at the end. She was nervous but decided to give it a try, having faith that Jahnus would catch her if she fell.

         When she clasped her hands onto his extended hand Jahnus then motioned for her to outstretch her own arms as if imitating a winged creature. At first she was afraid but after further encouragement from Jahnus she managed to work up the courage to outstretch her own arms. She felt giddy with the sensation of weightlessness beneath her body.

         Now that Obsidyanna seemed more confident in herself Jahnus descended toward the glacial canyons. Obsidyanna gasped with amazement and awe as they flew over the frozen landscape. The snow and ice glittered from the light of the overhead sun. When they cleared the mountain range they saw that a deep blue ocean was ahead of them. Jahnus descended toward it. They flew low and slow enough so that Obsidyanna could reach out with her free hand and touch the salty water. She grinned with excitement at the sensation of the water flowing between her fingers while both she and Jahnus virtually hovered above the rippling sea.

         Suddenly, a dark shape began to rise from the depths of the ocean. Obsidyanna screamed in terror as the head of a giant sea serpent shot up from beneath them. Jahnus held Obsidyanna tight as they suddenly vanished within a shimmer at the same moment the reptile snapped its jaws at empty air. When they re-appeared they found themselves at the edge of the blackness of Space.

         Obsidyanna gaped at the sight.

         “How am I still alive,” she asked with stunned wide eyes.

         “I told you; I would not let anything happen to you,” Jahnus reminded her while gently brushing one of her blue head feathers away from her face.

         “I’ve never seen Gaia from this….perspective,” Obsidyanna said as she stared at her world below. “Again you’ve given me a great gift. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

         “Just be my friend,” Jahnus told her. “Help me understand your people. Perhaps by understanding you and this world I might eventually regain my own identity and know what my true purpose here is.”

         Obsidyanna embraced Jahnus tightly. Then just as their lips were about to touch Jahnus said, “We should get back. Your father is probably worried about you.”

         Obsidyanna sighed.

         “Just don’t go back too fast,” she requested with a grin. “I want to savor the view.”

         As the sun neared the horizon the sands of the Western Desert sparkled with a red glitter like crystallized blood. It was a vast region well beyond Trekell’s domain. In the center of this wasteland was only one oasis; the small, but militarily powerful realm of Queen Tarnara called Xian. Unlike Trekell’s advanced and comfortable city of Vanadis, Tarnara’s realm only had one large aging castle surrounded by forest and farmland. Her people toiled their days away in the farm fields to support their existence. Since Xian did not have the shield technology of Vanadis they depended upon the vast desert for protection from the larger predators. Very few creatures can cross the blood red desert without water or technological aid of some kind.

         With the sun now setting the peasants began to end their daily labor and head for their modest octagonal shaped wooden homes that lay between the castle and the farmlands.

         One lone farmer, however, was still in his field; trying to pull out his only engine driven plow that had broken down. He had to trot out one of his three Tricerons to pull it from the mud. As the domesticated tri-horned beast hauled the mechanical plow out of the field the farmer was startled by lightning-like flashes in the darkening sky.

         “There’s not supposed to be any rain tonight,” he said to himself as he looked skyward to see where the light was coming from. He gasped when he saw a spiral vortex of mist-like light swirling above his farm field.

         Suddenly, a meteor-like object shot out of the vortex. The farmer cried out in terror and dived to the ground as the mysterious object flew so close that he briefly felt the heat from its fiery tail of white hot plasma. He looked up just in time to see a fireball explode upward as it crashed into the ground near the edge of the farm field.

         Intensely curious, the lone farmer grabbed a lantern and cautiously approached the impact crater. He stumbled as his feet sank into the wet mud of the sloping crater edge. Fog-like mist filled the air as moisture in the freshly tilled ground had vaporized from the heat of the initial impact.

         He raised the Lantern in an effort to see the bottom of the crater, but the fog obscured the light from the tiny radiant crystal within the antique device. Feeling compelled to see what was at the bottom of the crater the Farmer preceded down its slippery slope. If it was a meteor it might be composed of precious metal that he could trade to the Vanadians for more advanced farming equipment.

         Unlike the people of the utopian Vanadis, the people of Xian were desperately impoverished. But in accordance with the Treaty between the kingdoms merchants and farmers from Xian were allowed to trade and conduct business transactions with the people of Vanadis to better their lives. The only restrictions were weapons and any equipment that could be used for military purposes. That was one of the little stipulations required by Queen Tarnara before she signed the Treaty almost 20 years ago. She was an old ruthless Monarch and quite paranoid. She definitely did not want anything sold to the peasants that could be used against her.

         When the farmer reached the bottom of the crater he did not find a meteor made of precious metal. What he did find was beyond his hopes and dreams; a beautiful naked Vekolth female.

         “Thank the Maker,” he rejoiced as he raised his hands in praise. “I have prayed for a wife and now one falls to me from the Heavens!”

         As he slowly approached the Vekolth woman he looked down upon her perfect unblemished body with great anticipation. Her coppery red head feathers sparkled like the sands of the desert in the light of the lantern.

         “You are so beautiful,” the lonely farmer whispered as he reached down and caressed her right cheek.

         Suddenly, the Vekolth woman’s eyes opened revealing fiery red irises that were filled with glowing anger. She seized the farmer by his throat and held him fast as she got to her feet.

         “You’re a Vekolth,” she gasped with an expression of disbelief. “Where am I?”

         “You’re ….in ….Xian,” the farmer wheezed with terror in his wide eyes.

         “What’s the date,” the woman demanded while shaking the farmer angrily.

         “It’s …the seventeenth,” the farmer coughed.

         “Seventeenth of WHAT,” the woman screamed in his face. The farmer wheezed again and appeared to be on the verge of losing consciousness. The woman loosened her grip slightly allowing him to breathe a little more. “What is the exact DATE!?”

         “It’s the 17^th day of the 3^rd month of the year 7557,” the farmer stated between coughs.

         The woman gasped with immense satisfaction and shoved the farmer aside. She then began walking in a slow circle gazing at the surrounding land illuminated by the bright Moonlight. “Then that means I’ve returned three days before the destruction. This is exactly what I’ve always wanted; to prevent the extinction of my people. I have yet another chance.”

         “Who are you,” the farmer asked while rubbing his bruised throat.

         With the rising Moon illuminating the woman’s silhouette she turned to him and grinned. “Your salvation,” she replied as the fog swirled around her body and began to glow.

         The terrified farmer was aghast as the glowing mist seemed to coalesce into a dark glittering silk-like dress on the woman’s body. She then laughed maniacally as orange flames leaped up from the ground obscuring her form. Then suddenly, the woman vanished leaving behind only a smoky afterimage that quickly faded.

         The farmer cried with shock and horror at what he had just witnessed. “By the Maker, what have I unleashed upon our world?”