Trial of Isolation part 4

In this final installment, can Lady Vey bring peace to the war front?

Days passed.

The negotiations lasted from sunrise to sunset each day. By the end of the moon cycle, Vey’s tired weary eyes gleamed with pride. Sandsum was defeated, and Caminala had begun saying yes to anything put in front of her - which Lady Vey took as a sign of victory on her part. Dantly had continued sending his regular nightly updates to the council, who began to express great interest in their progress. Things had been going as close to perfect as the three could’ve possibly expected. On the final day, Vey arose with excitement,

“My technician has written up the finalized treaty. Feel free to read it, but the ultimate decision is this: The Bownsend and the Shill will merge societies. This will entail shared funds, shared land, and a ceasefire. The governments will rule as one and this will include the two of you working together to rebuild your society. One year from now you will both step down, and work to instate a new governor that is democratically elected.” Dantly pulled rolled up parchment from his tunic and placed it out on the table. He put his hand over the document and printed the contract out onto the parchment using the slit. 

“We only need your signatures, governors.” Dantly set a writing utensil down next to the parchment, and stepped away. Governor Sandsun approached the treaty and began to sign, but Caminala didn’t move. Lady Vey looked at her,

“Is everything okay, governor?”

“Oh, yes. Everything’s fine.” Caminala replied, a look of indifference on her face.

“Well, this is a joyous occasion. Please, take part!” Veyeni said with an encouraging smile. Caminala nodded,

“Oh, of course it is… of course. But…” Her skin flickered to a dark grape-purple, betraying her mood before she even spoke. Her tone took on contempt, “I just - Well, I’d like to alter the deal.” Vey raised an eyebrow,

“How’s that?”

“Well, I think that I would like something extra for my signing of the contract.” 

“Out with it, governor.” Veyeni demanded, crossing her arms and leaning back against her chair. Cherize’s vambrace let off a faint vibration that caught her eye. She glanced down and a radar began blinking rapidly with blips dotting around the perimeter. She glanced over at Dantly,

“Slit-jockey…” She whispered under her breath, “Problem?” Dantly’s projection expanded out in front of him. He let out a grumble,

“Weird…” as they exchanged confused glances between each other and the data, Caminala spoke up,

“Lady Veyeni, as part of the peace deal, the Shill people would like the Tome of Oran-Koh.” Veyeni laughed, chuckled, sighed, then went light-headed.

“The what?” Governor Sandsun said. 

“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.” Vey feigned. Dantly and Cherize’s looks became more frantic. Time seemed to stop and they both began to panic,

“Cherize, we may have a problem-” He was cut short by an explosion that shook the stadium,

“What was that?” Sandsun whimpered. Caminala leaned back in her seat, a pleased smile on her face. Vey glanced over to Dantly,

“What’s going on?”

“Missile impact. Signatures match Shill artillery rounds.”

“We’re surrounded on all sides - Shill militia moved in under our noses.” Cherize added. She saw them begin slinking in through the holes in the walls of the stadium.

“What!” Vey screamed over the impact of another missile. She turned to Caminala, “What are you doing?” The stadium shook and chunks of the ceiling fell down around them. Caminala put a comm to her mouth and spoke,

“Ceasefire. We made our point.” She looked at Veyeni, “Lady Veyeni, I will sign your treaty if you give me the Tome of my lord, Oran-Koh. The tome of the realms? I’ll have it now.”

“I - I- I-”

“Don’t play the fool with me, Lady.” Caminala glared, “I know who you are. Advanced tech, fake corporation - yes, it wasn’t that hard to find the evidence that it was a fake - I know who you are. Give. Me. The. Tome.” Cherize made the first move, reaching for her swords, but before she could act, she felt the cold of a rifle’s muzzle against the back of her head.

“Hostile secured.” A soldier said from behind her. How did they get inside so quickly? Cherize froze in place.

“Dantly…” Veyeni said as she heard a soldier shuffle into place behind her too. “Dantly, I think we -”

“I know.” He replied. Dantly swiped across the hologram. A small microphone appeared on the screen, he blinked his eyes and a voice came through his ear,

“Report.” A councilor replied on the other end. In a single, clear and concise voice, Dantly replied,

“Code Blue.” Caminala glared,

“What’s that?” No one answered her. The voice responded to the code,

“Asset denial at all costs, do you understand? If the ship is compromised initiate -”

“Understood.”

“What did you just say?” Caminala yelled. “Start talking before someone shoots you, you hear me?” 

“Lady?” Dantly said, looking Veyeni in the eyes. She nodded. Without looking away from her friend, she gave a calm decree,

“Clan Tien, code blue has been enacted. Initiate asset denial.” Cherize grunted. The hand she had resting on her thigh tightened around the quarter cylinder she had brought all those days ago. It detached from the armor with a weight-y thunk.

“Hey, don’t move!” The soldier with the gun to her head shouted. Cherize threw her arm back faster than he could react, and knocked the muzzle away with the metal piece. Bullets fired off into the floor.

Everything fell apart.

The soldier recovered quickly and aimed at Cherize again, but the bullets hit the quarter cylinder and all energy seemed to dissipate, leaving the crumpled bullets on the floor. With a heavy fist, Cherize threw a single punch into his throat, and the man fell back onto the ground. She immediately stepped forward, pulling the sword from her hip and cutting down the soldier who stood behind Vey. She then brought the half cylinder to her mouth. She gave it a firm squeeze and it expanded, covering her entire head in a protective layer of metal with tinted eye slots. Caminala glared at Cherize,

“Everyone move in. Kill any Bownsend militia that get in the way. We only need one member of the elusive valley alive.”

“Dantly. Now.” Vey commanded. Dantly nodded, running out of the stadium at a dead sprint. Cherize heard his voice in the speaker of her helmet, 

“Have her ready for evac. Assuming the ship isn’t compromised, I’ll be bringing it around to the -'' Another missile hit, colliding with the dome. What was left of the stadium dome caved in. Cherize darted forward, tackled Vey to the ground and wrapped around her.

“I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” She whispered. Veyeni was shaken and terrified. Her body had gone limp. 

“Cherize? Cherize, are you there?” Dantly’s voice crackled in her ear. Debris landed on her body, but her armor absorbed the shock. She wasn’t sure how long they sat under the debris, but it must’ve been longer than she thought if Dantly was this frantic to get ahold of her.

“We’re here. I can’t see what happened, but I think the dome collapsed.”

“It did. I’m dropping into the stadium, as soon as I can. The ship is okay, no damage or corruption.”

“Hurry up. You okay, V?” Veyeni whimpered an answer of confirmation under Cherize. “It’s okay. Everything’s okay.” Her armored fingers ran through Veyeni’s hair, “We’re gonna get out of here. Dantvara’s coming with the ship. He’ll be here soon. I’ve got you.”

“I know you do.” Veyeni’s replied. Cherize looked up. The air was hazy, and she didn’t realize her ears were ringing from the sound of the missile dropping and the destruction of the dome. The bomb must’ve been weaker, like they were trying to just bust the building open without hurting anyone just yet. Soldiers from both sides of the war ran in, firing at each other and screaming over the noise of the chaos. Cherize looked up. There were soldiers rappelling down the sides of the broken dome.

The echoing of guns firing inside the acoustic chamber of the building rung out all around them,

“Cheri, you need to get Sandsun out of here… if we can save one life today -”

“No. This is a code blue, V. We follow protocol to the end, got it?”

“That’s not how we make a better world.” Vey replied. Her voice quivered and shook as she spoke, but she sounded so sure. Cherize sighed,

“Promise me you won’t move a muscle.” Vey put her hand on the cheek of Cherize’s helmet,

“Sure.” Cherize immediately raised herself up out of the debris, throwing aside the structure of the stadium that weighed down on her.

Cherize ran to Sandsun - who up until then was hiding in terror and confusion under the table. Blood was seeping from just below his bicep, but the diagnostic scans of her armor implied it wasn’t a life threatening injury - though his fingers might not work the same way again. Cherize grabbed him by the arm, “You’re coming with me.” Sandsun looked relieved and went limp as Cherize threw him over her shoulder and ran through the stadium. Bullets bounced off her armor, and the shining metal became scalded with dark spots. When they reached the exit, Sandsun had a bullet through his leg, and another through his shoulder. Cherize checked him over quickly, “You’re fine.” She threw him out of the door and he rolled into the dirt outside. One of the Bownsend soldiers ran for him and grabbed him, dragging the governor further away from the battle. Cherize whipped around and ran back inside, she had to get back to Vey.

Veyeni watched from beneath the rubble as Cherize saved Sandsun. She turned her attention to Caminala, and watched the woman fight off the Bownsend soldiers. Soon enough, she had managed to murder three soldiers by herself with a pistol before she turned and saw Veyeni hiding under the rubble. A wicked smile crossed her mouth.

“All of this progress. Lost.” She whispered to herself. Her heart ached. She had to do something.

“Lady Veyeni,” Caminala shouted, her skin shimmering in ecstasy, “You have something I want. Give me the tome, and this will all stop.”

“I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into.” Veyeni replied, shouting over the gunfire. “My guard is worth your entire army. That tome isn’t yours to keep.”

“So, it’s true?” Caminala’s voice vibrated with excitement, “The mythical Valley of Reclamation has the ancient tome of the Koh people. Make things right, give it to me.”

“Governor, I… I can’t do that.” Veyeni sighed, “It is not as the five dictates.”

“It is as Oran-Koh dictates.” It wasn’t time for a debate on religious views.

“Cheri…” Veyeni whispered to herself. From across the stadium, Veyeni and Cherize met each other’s gaze, and Cherize broke into a dead sprint for her.

Cherize turned and unsheathed the blade at her waist as she cut a soldier clean in half. She could feel the air grow cold behind her as another soldier approached her. She reached her left hand up and gripped the sword on her back. She unsheathed it and it caught the blade of another enemy. Cherize threw her body back, and her shoulder drilled into the man. She rolled over him and as she recovered, brought her swords forward in an X, beheading him where he lay. She barged her way through a crowd, trying to get closer to the Shill governess and Veyeni. 

“ETA of 30 seconds, hold on just a little longer.” Dantly announced in her ear.

“The faster the better.” She responded. Cherize blocked a bullet with her sword, and then turned taking a woman’s legs out from under her. She sliced with both her swords cutting through an approaching opponent. Cherize saw Veyeni. She had dropped down on her knees as Caminala held her at gunpoint. Cherize saw that more were coming down through the ceiling. She felt a sword break off her vambrace, and she headbutted the culprit, shattering the riot helmet that covered their face. She sheathed the blade on her back, and swiftly punched their face before bringing her other sword forward and jamming it through their stomach, pushing them into another soldier nearby, skewering them together. She took her foot and pushed them off her sword before continuing her dash. 

She saw her goal within reach, and she dove forward, tearing through a body to get to them. She rolled across the ground, taking out Caminala’s legs, sending her pistol falling into the debris. She got back on her feet and reached a hand out to Vey, and she reciprocated. They squeezed each other briefly. Cherize looked at Caminala, 

“Governor, don’t make me -” Another bullet bounced off the warrior’s helmet. Caminala winced,

“On with it then.” Cherize lifted a sword to her throat. More bullets came, pelting her scorched armor. She grimaced, then brought the sword up and across the governor’s body in a single forceful swoop. Caminala collapsed into the rubble.

“I’m overhead, dropping in in five. Commencing EMP drop.” Dantly announced.

“Heard. Ladyship is in the center, on my position.”

“I’ll get her.” Dantly said in a shaken voice. Inside he was falling apart, but he continued to do his job: Save the Ladyship of the Valley. 

Veyeni leaned against a collapsed beam of the stadium, unable to control her own shaking. A voice of a Bownsend man called out, “We’re being overrun! We need to pull back!” 

“Veyeni!” Dantly’s voice called in her ear, “I’m coming down now, you need to be ready!” She shuddered,

“I’m - I am ready!” There was a strange smell in the air, as Veyeni’s hair turned up on edge, and she began to feel her body quiver with energy. The gunfire stopped. Confusion ensued around the battlefield.

“EMP launched. Evac commencing.” Dantly announced over a loudspeaker protruding from the ship. Their comm devices and tech were no longer functional. The ship began to lower into the stadium. Veyeni stood up, walking closer to the ship, but stopped short,

“Dantly, the landing zone - it’s - there’s too much…”

“Cherize, I need you to clear the LZ!” Dantly yelled over the loudspeaker.

“Heard.” Cherize looked away from the body of the governess and ran past Veyeni into the crowd of soldiers fighting. They used their guns like cudgels and thrust swords with reckless abandon. 

Veyeni looked on at the horrors of war, her head spinning, mind faltering. Veyeni stumbled down onto her knees, her legs out of her control entirely. Behind her, through the screams and gore, she heard a bloody guttural cough. She looked over her shoulder with a startle.

“Lady…” The labored breathing of governor Caminala groaned out as she dragged her battered form closer to Veyeni, “You won’t get rid of me so easily.”

“I - I don’t have anything to offer you.” was all Veyeni could get out of her mouth.

“But you do. Tell me, where is the Valley? Where is your home? I’ll get that damned book myself.” Veyeni was shocked at the words,

“I would never - never tell you that. For your own safety as much as the world’s. You don’t understand, do you? You don’t know what that book can do. You don’t understand how much destruction - worse than anything we could even imagine.”

“Maybe.” Caminala wheezed out. “But the legends say it reunites the children of Oran-Koh with him in the realm of the ancients.”

“At the cost of all the realms…”

“But in salvation for us - my people.” Caminala stepped closer. She reached behind herself and pulled out a stiletto with an opal stone in the hilt. “You wouldn’t understand that. Your people - they’re already safe. Now, give me what I want and I won’t….” She trailed off, brandishing the stiletto with a look on her face that made her look drunk on blood loss. Veyeni stared, her mouth agape, unable to speak.

In the center of the battlefield, time froze for Cherize. She realized that nothing moved around her and there was complete silence. She stood straight up and looked around in confusion. In the distance, she saw two cat-like eyes staring at her. They had an orange-red glow to them that protruded from the shadows in the corner of her eyes,

“Child of the Tien bloodline.” The voice penetrated her mind, leaving her disoriented, but she regained her composure. She knew what this was. She had grown up hearing the stories. In times of strife, the five would select someone to restore balance. To save the day. It was her turn, and it was the one of fire who reached out to her.

“If you don’t interfere, the realms will be thrown into disarray. You have been chosen. Light the fire in your heart, defend your partner, defend your people. The Tome of the Sunweaver must stay hidden. The Valley must stay hidden.” The voice gave Cherize chills, her entire body became warm and she could see her armor begin to glow with the power of the balanced being. She took a deep breath in, then another out. Time began to return to normal. She blinked and the eyes disappeared from her periphery. 

Cherize turned and began barreling through soldiers. When she saw Veyeni cowering again in front of the Governor, she felt the heat inside of her begin to well up. Her swords seared the inside of their sheaths, and her eyes glowed orange through her mask. People who she pushed through were left with burns and bruises, their clothes seared and their body’s left scarred. 

She jumped several feet forward, and as she landed, she pulled both her swords out. She dove forward and her blades caught fire around her.

She landed facing Veyeni and the governor who grabbed hold of Vey as a hostage against Cherize’s onslaught. Her eyes were filled with fear, “What in the fiend’s curse are you?” She asked, her eyes full of bewilderment.

“Let the Lady go.” Cherize demanded. Her armor was glowing, the surface looked to be moving like a loose liquid. 

“And what do I have if I let her go?”

“Your life.”

“I’m not so sure. Give me the tome and I’ll let her go. Save her for the tome.” She stumbled over her words, trying to reason. Cherize took a step forward,

“No. Let her go, or I’ll gut you and make sure you stay dead this time.” Caminala hesitated,

“No matter what I do, I’ll die.”

“If you believe that, then do the right thing before you die.” Veyeni squirmed, thinking to herself what a terrible negotiator Cherize was.

“I don’t think what I believe is right, and what you believe is right are the same thing.” Cherize took another step forward,

“They should be.”

Caminala shook her head, “They aren’t. May Oran-Koh bless me…” Cherize watched as she twisted the blade into Veyeni’s back. She watched Veyeni’s eyes flash with pain and her mouth drop open. She watched her go limp. Watched her collapse to the stadium floor. Before Caminala could make another move, Cherize was next to her, and her head was separated from her body. Her body crumbled into ash and collapsed onto the floor of the stadium. She grabbed Veyeni and pulled her away from the dead governor’s remains, laying her out on the table. She pulled away her mask and threw it down. Her entire face was a distorted hot fire, her eyes glowing brighter than the rest,

“V.” She whispered. Her hands ran cool, but her body was still producing too much heat for her to touch Veyeni with anything but her hands. Veyeni’s eyes stared into Cherize’s,

“We did it… not how I wanted to but… maybe there will be peace.” She said with a tired smile. She reached her hand to touch Cherize. Veyeni’s body went limp and she whispered, “We brought peace… and honor… and goodwill.” Her purple eyes faded to black, and her lifeforce disappeared into the dark. Cherize felt nothing for a moment. Dantly was yelling something into the air, but she couldn’t hear it. 

“Pull up.” She replied in a tone that Dantly shouldn’t have been able to hear. Dantly’s talking stopped immediately and the ship pulled up. Cherize crossed her legs and sat next to Veyeni’s body. She took her mask from the table and put it back on her thigh where it fit itself to the angle of her leg as it compressed back into the quarter cylinder shape. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. More soldiers had appeared from somewhere, though she didn’t know or care where. They held their swords up and one of them called for her to surrender. She opened her eyes and they were filled with an energetic orange glow. Her face became a flare of fire, and she breathed out completely. As the final ounce of air left her body, the fuse came to an end.

The stadium exploded. Dantly watched with tears streaming down his face overhead. He couldn’t find the words to say - to call Cherize back from the moment she snapped. He knew it wouldn’t be the same. It couldn’t be the same… Lady Veyeni was gone. And so was everyone within a mile radius of the stadium.

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Veyeni opened her eyes upon a dark endless void. In the distance, she saw trees with large luscious leaves that had a glow like the sunrise. She walked through space, her body like gas roiling through the realm. She wasn’t on Astra anymore… this place was new - magical. Could it be the void? The realm of balance. She traveled - a purple element of the land. In front of her - piercing through the darkness - she saw 5 pairs of vertically slit eyes of varying elemental colors staring down at her from the dark endless sky.

“Child of the mortal realm - she who pledged her life to balance - you have honored your family, your people, and the tenets we uphold as those who keep the universe as one.” Another voice added in,

“Your journey isn’t over. Though your body has fallen, you have shown us the tenets of a champion without embodying the power of one. We honor you now, as a guide and spirit of the clan Lao. When the balance of the world is at stake, you shall awaken in the mortal realm, in the relic of house Lao.”

Veyeni was overwhelmed. She had no voice in this world, but she was overwhelmed with so many feelings: Pride, sorrow, guilt, honor, love. There was too much to feel without a body to house it all. The eyes blinked, dilated, and dissipated into the cosmic skies. And she was there… eternally in the paradise of her ancestors. Until Astra needed her.

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“The events you’ve recounted here today are… harrowing… troublesome… and a tragedy to the Valley.” The elder mother said with a sad nod. “The young Lady’s passing was not by fault of your own, protector. Nor yours, Dantvara.” Dantly and Cherize were both standing uncomfortably in the center of the chamber. They stood with enough space between them for Vey. Cherize kept staring at where she would’ve stood. She was wearing her white ceremonial tunic. It was too tight around her shoulders and too long for her legs. Dantly was still wearing his technician's tunic. Another elder spoke up,

“Your reports during the event, along with the reports you gave after, with the cameras we had access to on your armor, slit, and ship… and the medical report on the state of the bod… it all lines up. We believe that you two did the best you possibly could. Both as protector and technician. You did your jobs, you followed orders, and you did your best for the fallen Lady.”

“I think I speak for all of us when I say that the arrival of a child of Koh recognizing you as members of our people and knowing the legend of the tome was… unexpected.” The speaker from house Tien said. “Even more strange was the unforeseen endowment of the protector being granted champion status by the five during the battle. The five has honored you, Cherize. House Tien is honored by you.” Taj let out a heavy breath. Everyone ignored it. Cherize and Dantly could see the tears in his eyes. They could see he hadn’t slept in days, just as they hadn’t. Cherize lowered her head, avoiding eye contact with him. She couldn't help but think he must’ve hated her. He knew she failed, regardless of what the rest of the council said. 

“Dantvara, you will return to technical work in the strategy department in dealing with external relations. We will need your experience in the coming months. Cherize… we believe it is in your best interest to take six months away to recover both physically and mentally. When you’re ready, you will become the lead protector of the Valley - tasked with protection of the Tome of Oran-Koh and training new protectors. You will instruct fellow warriors on the outside world - in your experience with their technology - and on how to be a protector. Veyeni’s father swallowed a sob. The rest of the council all looked at him.

“I’d like to make a motion to excuse myself from the remainder of this hearing.” He spoke, barely above a whisper. Cherize’s eyes dropped lower.

“It’s okay Taj. Do what you need to.” The elder of the Bonap clan said with a reassuring smile. His blood shot eyes darted to meet theirs. No words were exchanged, he got up and stalked towards the chamber exit.

“Taj…” the elder mother called after him. He turned to her, “This woman… This warrior did everything she could for your daughter. She followed orders, she took care of her, and she did her job. She did more for your daughter than anyone else. When she burned down that dome, your daughter’s body was spared. Why do you think that is? Please, acknowledge her.” Taj looked at Cherize’s back as he left the chamber, 

“You will receive my written resignation shortly, but I will not return to this chamber again.” Without another word he walked out of the chamber. The entire council shifted uncomfortably.

“This was not unexpected. The Ladyship, Seija, will be here to take his place, as I’m sure she saw this coming. I heard word of her tears, but I heard greater word of her pride. Intel tells of peace between the Bownsend and Shill - and the treaty - the treaty is why. Her words were the foundation for this new peace. Without the governess’ interference…” The great mother sighed, “The late Lady - she did well. She did better than anyone else could have.”

“Yes, elder mother. She did her best, and that exceeded any and all expectations.” Dantly said. The council nodded in agreement. 

“You are dismissed.” The elder mother nodded to the two. Dantly turned and walked slowly. He went to speak to Cherize, but she burst through the doors. She stopped when she came face to face with Taj, his face covered in tears that stained his deep brown skin. He put both hands on her shoulders and stared her down. Cherize felt the heat that now came with panic and aggression forming in her chest. Then he wrapped around her, squeezing her with the strength of an old warrior,

“I know.” He squeezed her even tighter. “I know.” Cherize began to bawl into his chest and hugged him back, the pain of loss collapsing onto them both.

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In the evening following the hearing of the two returning heroes, the council held a secretive closed door meeting. Lady Seija entered the dimly lit chamber. Grief was still fresh upon her face.

“Ah, Lady Seija, we’re glad you could arrive on such short notice given the circumstances.” The member of house Tien said to her. Lay Seija smiled and nodded,

“What is it we’re discussing tonight?” She took her husband’s place at the table and breathed out slowly. The table raised to its formal place and the great mother began,

“I have received a holy message from the five. They fear the sacred artifact may fall into the hands of a mortal. This recent development has shaken their faith in us… in balance maintained by mortals. They have asked us to do something… something I’m not sure we can do.” The member of clan Manu spoke up first,

“We cannot say no to gods, great mother.”

“Yes yes I agree but… this seems impossible.”

“Well, what could it be?” Seija asked.

“They want us to… regress. Cease to exist. Reduce ourselves to a more simple state. Disarm, disappear, decompose into one with the forest. Let their divine power shield this valley from the outsiders and make our soul role that of simple forest dwelling protectors.” There was a long pause before the member from clan Tien spoke up again,

“Well, shall we vote or debate?”

“No, you misunderstand. There is no debate. We haven’t been given a choice.” Seija’s breath was caught in her throat,

“May the five guide us…”

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Hey friends, thanks for reading this far! This was an interesting go of things for me. It was an exercise in trying to update an old story into a more modern style. It was difficult, and at times I worried it wasn’t even worth it, but I’d say regardless of the difficulty I’m glad I did it!

In a lot of ways, this story sets up a lot of the things that happens that I wrote about beyond this, so now that I’ve set the grounds for bigger things, I’m hoping to start delving into some more stories.

Thank you to all the new people who have subscribed, and thank you to everyone who has given this weird little substack a chance.

Stay tuned for more!