The Cycles of Revelation Series
Artifact of the Dawn: Abduction (A Queer Sci-Fi Adventure)
Episode 49: Ardyn and his people find themselves magically transported and locked away in a strange room.
Within the blink of an eye, Ardyn went from standing outside, about to introduce his daughter Myria to Jevan, to standing inside a large, enclosed space filled with only the people from his settlement. He pulled Myria close when she shrieked in shock and began to cry. “Hush, little one,” he said as he smoothed some of her dark purple hair from her face. “It will be alright, I promise. Be brave for me, okay?”
Looking at him with wide, frightened eyes, she nodded through hiccupping sobs. “Okay, I’ll try, Papa Ardyn.”
Giving her a quick hug, Ardyn set the girl down when he saw her mother appear through the crowd. Myria turned and ran to her. “Mama!”
Picking up her daughter, Cylaen glared at him. “What’s going on, Ardyn? What’s happened?”
Throwing his hands up, he shook his head and gave her a shrug. “I don’t know. You know as much as I do at this point.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said. “You have been away for months, living with those… what did the elders call them? Baaru’dak? Now look where that’s gotten you! Where that’s gotten all of us?!”
Ardyn’s ears dropped at being unfairly admonished. “You can’t blame this on me,” Ardyn replied with a huff of frustration. “I have absolutely no idea how we ended up inside this… whatever this is.”
“Ardyn!” a familiar voice rang out from across the large space they found themselves in.
“Mother?” Recognizing her voice before he saw her, dragging his father along behind her. His ears shot up in surprise when he saw he wore the robes of a member of the Triumvirate and carried the staff that Druyndar once held. “What are you doing here?”
“We only arrived this morning,” Saelyn replied. “I was worried about you and finally convinced your father to join the others who were venturing into the Aria’una.”
“Well, look at where we are now,” Taesys said. “You should have listened to me! You’d think now that I bear the title of Elder — ”
“Where are we, Ardyn? Do you know what’s going on?” his mother asked, ignoring Taesys’ ramblings.
What is going on? Ardyn also wondered as he began pacing nervously in front of them. Were they under attack as Aerys had feared? Were his modifications to the shields he’d made holding? Why were only the Athla’naa from the settlements here, and none from the Rahn’naa? I hope Jevan is safe.
“I’m honestly not sure,” Ardyn replied before looking down at the bracelet on his wrist. He tore it off and threw it to the ground, smashing it under the heel of his boot with a cry of frustration. “Ior’kah!” I knew we shouldn’t have complied with Denyra.
Before his parents or Cylaen could question him, a disembodied voice boomed through the large space. “All descendants of the Aria’asharra are hereby sentenced to be executed for the war crimes committed by your ancestors. Make peace with each other during your last hours. As a mercy, we will give you one last day to spend with each other. Executions will commence tomorrow.”
Everyone in the crowded room took a collective intake of breath, followed by angry objections. “You have no right to do this!” Ardyn cried out, hoping they were listening, but the speakers remained silent. Pacing furiously, Ardyn screamed in frustration, causing those around him to shrink away.
Ardyn made his way through the crowd, with his parents, Cylaen, and Myria following close behind. He looked to see if he could spot any other familiar faces when he saw Taeglyn and Aelrynd huddled together in a corner, conversing until Aelrynd looked up and recognized him. “Ardyn! We had hoped you had remained with the others on the Rahn’naa. What is going on? How did we get here?”
Shaking his head, Ardyn shrugged his shoulders. “I am not sure, but I think it’s because of those damnable bracelets. I destroyed mine, although it’s probably too late to prevent whatever Denyra has planned for us.”
Looking at their wrists, the two elders immediately removed them and smashed the bracelets with the staves they still carried. “I am shocked that our kinsmen would harbor so much hate against our people after all these centuries,” Aelrynd said before glowering at Taeglyn. “Why did you insist we wear these things?”
Dipping his ears in apology, Taeglyn slumped against the wall. “I am sorry. I felt if we welcomed those from the home world with open arms and complied with their request, that it would allow us some leverage to negotiate terms amenable to our people.”
“What were you hoping to negotiate?” Taesys stepped forward to ask.
“Many of our people are not ready to embrace all this advanced technology,” Taeglyn admitted. “They certainly don’t wish to reintegrate into modern Athla’naa society on Aria’naa. If Denyra had insisted we leave this world, I had hoped to convince her to allow us to go to the world the Rahn’naa was meant to colonize.”
“I knew there was another reason you were being so agreeable about wearing those damnable bracelets,” Taesys growled in frustration. “Ardyn, I thought you would have had better sense.”
“Aerys and I tried to talk Takyra out of it, but she felt it was safer to comply as a sign of trust. Takyra had hoped to find out what Denyra was planning before anything like this happened.”
“I am sorry. This was not how I pictured any of this,” Taeglyn admitted. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Neither do I. How can they justify executing their own people? Why should it matter who our ancestors were? Because we have repressed our technology for all these centuries, we’re not even a threat to anyone on Aria’naa,” Ardyn said as he began pacing again. “They could have just taken those from the Rahn’naa and left us here. This isn’t right!”
“No, it’s not right, but I don’t see how we’re going to get out of this situation,” Aelrynd said, sitting down against the wall. “We’re no match against all their technology.”
“I can only hope that Takyra can do something,” Ardyn said.
Feeling restless, Ardyn kept pacing for a long while. He wasn’t used to being confined around this many people in the same place. Within the Rahn’naa, he’d only spent time around larger groups when they dined together or when he and Jevan had been helping to settle in the revived Athla’naa. Even then, that was by choice.
Thinking of Jevan, Ardyn knew the Medellan must be beside himself with worry. He only hoped that his friend wouldn’t try a rescue attempt that could get him killed. Ardyn missed the tall man’s calming presence. If he’d been there, they would likely sit in a corner while Jevan played with Ardyn’s hair. Reaching up to toy with the end of his braid, the memory of all those quiet moments with Jevan caused a pang in Ardyn’s chest. I hope I am reunited with you, my friend.
That’s when a familiar voice boomed through the room. “Ardyn? Hey, Ardyn! Are you there? It’s me, Jevan. They’re letting me talk to you. How are you? What’s going on up there?”
Up? Ardyn asked himself as he pushed through the crowd to get closer to where the voice was emanating from.
“Jevan?!” Ardyn shouted. “Jevan, is that you? We’re confined in a large room. Many of those from my settlement are here, including Taeglyn and Aelrynd.”
“Good, I’m glad to know you’re okay. Hang in there, alright?” Jevan sounded relieved. “We’re trying to talk them into letting you all go.”
Relief flooded through Ardyn, and he heard a collective sigh from those around him.
Another voice came through the comm system. “Please clear the middle of the room immediately.”
They all looked around at each other in confusion, but quickly complied. Now what?
