Introduction to Flux

Watcher Deborah Ferebee lectures about Flux

14.

Introduction to Flux

 

 

“One of the first questions that new arrivals usually ask when they arrive in Flux is where is Flux located and why hadn’t they heard of it before.”   Deborah paused for a moment to glance at the three ladies, “In your cases, you had some familiarity with it, but still you may wonder where it is located in respect to Synomenia.   The truth is, there is no possible way that anyone in Synomenia could reach Flux by their own effort.   This separation was put into effect by Yesh before the Great Gathering.”

 

Eioldth raised her hand, “Deborah, if that is the case, then how does Sophia and the other Watchers come and go to Synomenia?”

“They do that by receiving the spell coordinates for Flux from Yesh or one of his designated representatives.   These spell coordinates are only useable by one spell caster.   If, for example, Sophia was to tell you, Eioldth, her coordinates, you would not be able to teleport into Flux.   Only if you were with her, when she cast the spell, could you arrive here.”

“Has anyone from Synomenia tried to find the way here?”   Sirya asked.

“Many have tried, but none have made it here.   This exclusiveness is necessary for several reasons.   First, Flux is sort of a half-way point between Heaven and Synomenia.   As you know by now, it is a rather odd mixture of both, but it is not a world actually, but more of a large city-state in a historical sense.”

“But wasn’t it created just for the Watchers and their servants?”   Aranthi wondered.

“Well, Flux existed elsewhere before the Great Gathering, so it wasn’t actually ‘created’ for the Watchers, but in its current format, it is indeed just for them and their servants. “

“Well, why not just let the Watchers come and go from Yesh’s Heaven instead?”   Sirya questioned.

“That is a good question.   You see, Heaven is purely spiritual in existence, and the Watchers that Yesh selected - like yours truly- are flesh and blood.   Yesh wanted beings from the various universes that the Sidhe created, to serve as Watchers, as they would be much more sympathetic to the plight of those put here.”

“Remember that the Sidhe originally were angels themselves, and their arrogance led to all sorts of problems.   So Yesh selected mortals.   Well, that isn’t exactly right - we are all alive, but here we do not age, so in that sense we are immortal, though we certainly can die.”

“Like Lady Kinzer and Archmage Drake.”  Eioldth added, recalling their deaths.

Deborah nodded, “Yes, indeed!   Their deaths absolutely stunned Flux to its core.”

“Did you know them well, ma’am?”   Sirya asked.

Deborah blinked back a tear, “Yes, all the Watchers know each other well.   I had known Lady Kinzer and Archmage Drake for thousands of years.   I considered both of them my close friends.   It was a terrible loss, and even now, decades later it saddens me.   So you see, ladies, there is some degree of mortality here.   It isn’t Heaven.”

“So how large is Flux?”   Aranthi wondered.

“It has changed in size, as Yesh allows some expansion so that the population here won’t feel so cramped up.   Right now it is about 75 miles in diameter.   If you fly, walk or drive to the end of Flux and cross the border, you will appear instantly on the complete opposite side.”

“Really?”   Aranthi grinned.

“Yes, so you see, you are never more than about 30 miles away from the city at any direction.   The land around Flux is parkland with rocky hills, small forests, lakes, rivers and grasslands - depending on the direction you go.  The citizens often go out to relax and enjoy days off of work.”

“What about the climate here?”   Eioldth asked.

“Originally, there was really no climate; it was perpetually a mild late spring day.   But everyone wanted seasons as a real world, so Yesh set it up.   We have warm summers, cool rainy autumns, moderately cold winters with a pleasant amount of snow, and warm, rainy springs.   There are thunderstorms, but no lightning strikes or damaging winds.   It is mainly just for the ambience.”

“Are there many types of animals here?”   Sirya, who loved most types of creatures, asked hopefully.

“Some; in the city we have pets and horses, there are birds and the usual city animals.   In the parklands there are a few more - rabbits, deer and of course cattle and livestock.   There are no extremely dangerous creatures though.”

“Deborah, how does the city function?”   Aranthi asked, “What I mean is; how do they get all their supplies, such as food or merchandise and clothing, or building supplies?   It wouldn’t seem to me that the size of Flux would allow for all of that.”

“You’re quite right, Aranthi - Flux is indeed too small to produce all the raw materials to fill everything.   That is why one of the most important businesses here are what we call ‘Producers’.   What these businesses do is magically produce various things that are needed here.   This was set up by Drake before Flux was brought into the service of Yesh, but The Lord expanded it so that we can produce either raw materials that others in Flux craft into products, or magically create finished materials and goods.”

“So they can make anything?”

“Oh no, not anything.   Actually, Aranthi, they are closely regulated by inspectors working for the Watchers so that they only create specific things.   For example - vehicles.   Flux does not have the raw materials or the ability to manufacture everything from raw materials, to make powered vehicles like automobiles or aircraft.   So a specific Producer is allowed to magically create complete vehicles of a very limited number and type, to fulfill the needs here.”

“Wow, that must be handy!”   Sirya commented.

“It is, but it is all set up very structured, so no-one can just get greedy and start making as many as they wanted of something.   Only the licensed wizards working for licensed Producers are given the power to cast these spells.   By doing this, the illusion is created that goods and materials come into Flux from other places, as it would if Flux were part of a ‘real’ world.”

“Well, what about garbage and waste?”   Eioldth asked, having not noticed any trash or rubbish around the town.

“Trash is collected and there are several wizards who work for waste management companies that simply annihilate waste.   This way, the newly created stuff brought here by Producers is balanced by the older, thrown away stuff, vanishing.   So the city is very clean, and most all of the power for mechanical devices here come from arcane sources that mimic batteries and fuels, though since it is magic, it does not produce any pollution. “

“It really sounds like a perfect place.”  Aranthi commented.

“It has some drawbacks, I’m afraid.   Sometimes it seems too perfect, and even with the parklands, people sometimes begin to feel a bit cramped up here.   Sometimes a citizen will forget their agreement with Yesh and will began doing something illegal or immoral and they will be arrested and brought before the council of judges to either be punished or - in serious cases- cast out of Flux.”

“Sophia mentioned that to me.”  Eioldth responded, “She said it doesn’t happen too often.”

“That’s true.   Usually the infractions are minor in nature.   Arguments, misunderstandings and the occasional fight.   Once in a while someone will steal something, get drunk or commit adultery.   Anything more serious than this very rarely occurs.”

“So what about drinking and drugs here?”  Eioldth asked, thinking of Sophia’s Dart’loxinchu addiction.

 

Deborah’s face soured, showing an obvious dislike of both, “Thankfully, any mind-altering drugs are strictly banned by Yesh, though alcohol is permitted.   There are occasional drunken brawls, but they are dealt with fairly and quickly by the police.   With all the wizards here, of course there is that noxious tobacco of all types, and even many of the ladies partake as well.   Of course, Sophia has changed a lot of that by championing Dart’loxinchu, though personally I find it equally as disgusting.”

 

Eioldth smiled, glad that she had a fellow Elven ally against the drug, “Deborah, how did she manage to introduce it here with Yesh’s approval?  It is primarily a Drow drug in Synomenia, but Sophia wasn’t raised in the Underdark.”

 

Deborah sat back in her chair, her mood now seemingly somewhat irritated, though by her expression, Eioldth could sense it wasn’t really just the Dart’loxinchu, but seemed to be more aimed at Sophia, though she was trying desperately to be very cautious and diplomatic.

“Sophia is… very intelligent and used to getting her way.   Due to her… persuasiveness… she quickly rose in prominence here.   She made a particularly strong impression on Archmage Drake.”

From the bitterness in her words, the three ladies knew there were strong feelings still simmering near boil.   Eioldth and Aurei’s daughters just looked at each other, not sure what to say or do right then.

 

Deborah stared straight ahead for a moment, as if reliving something in her mind, and then took a deep breath and smiled rather sadly, “I must apologize, ladies.   Sirya, Aranthi; I owe you an apology in particular.   You are related to Sophia, aren’t you?”

“She’s our mother’s first cousin, twice, as Sophia’s father was also a brother to our mother’s father.”   Sirya replied, shooting a quick glance to her sister for support.

 

The Elven lady nodded and closed her eyes for an instant; it almost was as if she was silently saying a quick prayer.   Then her deep blue eyes opened and she cleared her throat, “Let me explain my reaction.   You see, Archmage Drake was a very charming man and I’m afraid that after several thousand years working with him, I developed an interest in him.   He was always very fascinated with technology and so he was very fond of me.”

 

She looked down at her hands, which were nervously wringing themselves, “Actually, he never led me on or made any inappropriate move toward me.   You see, he was always very fond of ladies, though he would never get intimate with them.   I know it sounds odd, but that was just his personality.   So I was… well, swept off my feet by his charm and good looks.   For a long time we spent a lot of time together and I guess… I fell in love with him.”

 

“During that period of time, he was very interested in machinery and especially mechanical aircraft and as I knew how to fly most of the aircraft that he had accumulated in his years of travelling to the various worlds of the Sidhe - he gave me a lot of attention.    It sounds so stupid now… like a silly little girl’s childish crush!”

 

Sirya leaned across the table and gently took the lady’s hand, “Ma’am, there is nothing silly about that!   I never knew Archmage Drake, but we had heard that he was a very charismatic man.”

 

Deborah smiled, blinking back a few tears, “He was indeed, Sirya.   Women often were drawn to him.”

“So Sophia met him and that changed things?”   Sirya guessed, always having a knack for reading between the lines.

“Well, he actually saw her during a trip to the Academy of Magic in Aeropolis where she was a student.   All I knew is that when he came back, he was very… enthralled… with her.   He talked about her to me all the time.”

“He talked to YOU about her?”  Aranthi clarified.

“Yes… I guess he didn’t know I had a crush on him and considered me a close friend.   He was attracted to her, but it was more than that; he saw potential in her as well, and wanted to recruit her to work for him in Flux.   So he asked me what I thought of it and believe it or not, I gave him a fair and impartial opinion.”

“In favor or against?”  Sirya asked.

“In favor!   How is that for crazy?!”  She laughed, “A week later he brought her to Flux, along with Khord, who she introduced to both of us as her brother.”

“So she perhaps manipulated him?”  Eioldth asked.

“Oh most definitely!   I mean no offense to your mother’s cousin, girls, and Sophia is now my boss, but she had Drake around her little finger!   I’m told it is a trait that most Drow women possess.”

“Most of us do, yes, that is true.”   Aranthi replied with pride, ignoring her sister’s glaring eyes.

“Well, Sophia is probably one of the finest, because she quickly got her and Khord positions that none from Synomenia had ever been allowed to hold.”

“Ma’am, I am so sorry!” Sirya apologized, “That must have been horrible to go through.”

“Yes, it was tough.   You must understand, I am no docile wallflower either.   I was a colonel in my military unit and commanded 5,000 pilots and crew people.   I was known for being level-headed and wise.   But I wasn’t thinking straight during that period of time.   I absolutely HATED Sophia.   I had some of my assistants spy on her to try to find anything that I could use against her with Drake.”

“Did they live here all the time?”   Eioldth wondered.

“No, no; they were collectors of artifacts and so they’d be here for a week or so, then they’d be sent back to Synomenia to acquire more for Drake’s museum.   He personally trained them, but he didn’t go with them on their missions as Lady Kinzer would not allow him to go.”

“Really?”   Aranthi’s eyebrows arched, “Did you go to Lady Kinzer about him?”

“I wanted to, but I didn’t want to embarrass him or cause him to hate me.   He was a wizard, you know, and would have easily found out who had spoken to his grandmother if he wanted to find out.   No, it was actually some of the other Watchers that complained and she lowered the boot on his time with her. “

“Did they get into a fight?”   Aranthi’s eyes sparkled at the thought.

“No, no.   Drake was extremely close to Kinzer.   She was his great grandmother, you know, and they both were fascinated with other worlds and technology.   He respected her more than anyone and so she could always get him to cooperate.   She also was very crafty; instead of just telling him that she wanted him to stop spending so much time with his pretty Drow girl assistant, she asked for his aid in her observation of your mother.”

“Our mom?”  Sirya clarified.

“Yes, Kinzer knew that the Necromancer’s Guild was preparing to expand their area of influence into the northlands, and that she would play an important role in stopping them, so she asked Drake to help her.   When he saw your mother - who, he told me, looks very much like Sophia- he happily agreed, though he always had plenty of time for Sophia when she and Khord returned from a trip.”

 

“So were you jealous of our mom as well?”  Aranthi asked bluntly.

 

Deborah laughed at her straight-forwardness, “Goodness no, I used my own scrying device to check her out and personality-wise, she was vastly different than Sophia.   When your father came to Westmark, it became clear to everyone - even Drake- that Aurei was in love with him.   Drake lost interest in her and was turning back to Sophia when ‘someone’ left a saved copy of a spy camera video of Sophia and Khord in a somewhat intimate embrace, on his computer.”

“Deborah, you didn’t!”  Aranthi exclaimed with a giggle.

“No, it wasn’t me, but one of my spies.  In all fairness to Drake, he wasn’t as upset as I thought he would be.   In fact, he showed me the video of the two of them kissing and told me that he’d found out that Khord was actually only her adopted brother.   He said, ‘They are a handsome couple.’ “  

“I was amazed at how stoically he took it.   I was elated, as the next day he sent me an e-mail that stated that he wanted to talk about displaying some of his jets in the museum and wanted me to help him.   But later that same day, he and Lady Kinzer were killed as they came to assist Sophia and Khord as they were coming to Northmarch’s assistance.”

 

Eioldth nodded somberly, “Yes, that is true.   Their arrival turned the tide.   I was there when that horrid reaper killed Drake and pulled Lady Kinzer into the portal.”

Sirya squeezed Deborah’s hand as she again fought tears, “Ma’am, I wonder if you blame Sophia… or my parents…. for his death?”

 

Deborah looked up, her eyes wide in alarm, “Oh heavens, no!   Honestly!   I know they weren’t to blame.   Sophia wasn’t to blame either.”

“Yet the man you loved died thanks to something Sophia was involved in, and then Yesh gives her the position that Lady Kinzer held.   That surely added to your pain.”  Eioldth commented.

 

Deborah didn’t deny it, “I guess it did.   I’ve never spoken to anyone about it… until today.   And you are Sophia’s family and friend!   Oh my!”

“Ma’am, don’t worry; I know I can speak for my sister and Queen... er… Eioldth, that we won’t betray your confidence.   But I wonder if perhaps you should speak to Sophia and then maybe you could heal.”

“Sirya, I’m sure you are right, but I certainly don’t want my infatuation with Archmage Drake to cause trouble with Sophia.   She has always been very kind to me and a perfect lady in all her dealings with me.   I imagine it would surprise her that I felt this way.”

“Not necessarily.”  A voice came from the doorway and they all turned to find the pregnant Drow leaning against the door subconsciously rubbing her belly, “I think we all need to have a little talk.”