Reboot

Yesh tells the Watchers about some major changes he has in mind for Synomenia and Flux.

20.

Reboot

 

Sophia was extremely nervous as she sat at one end of the large conference table.    On each side of the table sat all of Yesh’s Watchers, which was the first time all of them had been gathered together in many years.  

At the other end sat Yesh the Merciful, the Lord God of the entire world.    For many hours He had listened to the reports of all of the Watchers, but Sophia knew that He had not called this meeting just for an update of all that they had done.  He knew all that they did anyway.  

She fidgeted in her chair, really desperate for a Dart’loxinchu break, and Eioldth - who was sitting next to her on the right- glanced over  and smiled sympathetically.    The former Queen pushed the thermos cup filled with tea made from Faesidhe tree leaves toward her .    Sophia knew the reason she offered her the drink.   The tea neutralized the effects of Dart’loxinchu.   Her mother, Zeatt, had ended her addiction to the drug by drinking the stuff.

 

But Sophia had always refused.    Smoking the cigarettes made from the bark of the Faesidhe Tree had become so ingrained in her life that she actually feared what she would do without them.     Certainly she was heavily addicted to them - probably more so than any of the Drow (and handful of other races of women) that smoked the drug. 

She loved the process of smoking, the feel of the smoke in her lungs, the coffee-like taste of it and the mind-clearing effects of it.   How many years had she defended against those that saw it as just another inhalant?    But it wasn’t tobacco, and it was not simply a mundane drug.   Certainly the affects of using it were serious: an intense addiction to it, an increase in fertility, but at the cost of bearing any male children, for the drug seemed to prevent the conception of any baby boys.   

Then there was the effect it had on males.    In open, well-ventilated places, a bit of the smoke tended to arouse men to the woman smoking the Dart’loxinchu.   But in more closed quarters, it sickened males and was a mild poison to them.

Sophia glanced to her left, where her husband Khord sat.    He had endured suffering for years out of his love for her, until Yesh had bestowed upon him immunity from the effects of the smoke.

That had certainly made things much better for her as well.    A sharp kick into her bladder seemed to be a reminder of the twin lives that grew in her womb.    She was pregnant with very healthy twin girls, in spite of her heavy Dart’loxinchu addiction, but that was one of the crazy things about the drug:   it did not hamper pregnancy, nor eat the lungs as tobacco did, for the Faesidhe Tree that the drug came from was not a species, but an individual, magical tree, created by Yesh.

Her babies would be born large and healthy, but any she would bear would be girls, and - while she smoked the drug- they would grow up strongly predisposed to addiction to it.   This greatly bothered Khord, who did not want his daughters to be slaves to the drug like their mother.

With a deep sigh, Sophia surprised Eioldth by taking the thermos and pouring out a small sip of the tea into one of the small plastic cups that had been set at the table.   She didn’t look at the Elven lady but just quickly drank the small bit of tea that she’d poured into the cup.    It was quite pleasant to taste and amazingly, her cravings for a Dart’loxinchu cigarette dwindled down to a level that she could bear.    

“Thanks.”   She whispered at Eioldth, who nodded as she took the thermos back.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I will now share with you the reason I called this meeting.”   Yesh said at the other end of the table, as the last Watcher gave his report.    Yesh stood up and spoke.

“I have decided that some major changes are needed in Synomenia.    The situation in the Underdark and in Northmarch has shown to me that things cannot continue in this world as they are.”  

“The conflict stems from the presence of the demon Mazzikim’ruhin’s desire to destroy or control all life in Synomenia.   But the people of the Southern Empire and those in Northmarch that have joined the cult of the Nunmontuites should have been easily able to resist the whispers of this false religion.”

“Yet they didn’t and now this whole movement threatens half of the world.   On the other side of the globe, there are two empires that are battling for dominance and both of them are hostile to my missionaries that are trying to bring knowledge of my truth to them. This grieves me greatly.    I have always maintained free-will for all intelligent beings, and have often limited the intervention of some of you into the lives of the people of Synomenia.”

“But there are several reoccurring reasons for these problems.   Some of these are common problems wherever free-will is given,    but these are to be expected.   What concerns me are two things.”

“First, is the reaction of the people of Synomenia to magic.   Most see arcane crafts as useful to life or to use to defend or protect people.   But others continue to crave more and more magic power, and this is not just those greedy for self-gain.    I have seen many good mages slowly turn to darkness as they hungered for greater and more powerful spells and knowledge.”

“This has led to schools of magic where students pursue arcane power for no other reason than status.    In spite of changes I have implemented in the casting of spells, there is still a great desire for power.”

“Yet others see magic as terrible and evil and seek to destroy it and any benefit it gives those in Synomenia.   This mentality has been fueled by the cult of Torrin.”

“For now, I shall not cause magic to dwindle in power or how it is cast, for those battling Torrin’s cult certainly need it.   But the people of Synomenia’s outlook on magic will be closely monitored for a time, and if greed and hunger for arcane power continues, then I will cause magic to fade from this world.   For now, all spells will again be allowed to be cast, but offensive spells that harm or kill their opponent will take longer to cast, unless they come from a magic device.   I despise Fireballs and Lightning bolts.”

“Most troubling to me right now is how something I created originally to be of benefit and healing to every person of Synomenia has been turned into a cult object of worship.    I am referring to the Great Tree in the Faesidhe forest.”

 

Sophia looked up in surprise, now very eager to hear what these problems were that caused Yesh such concern.

 

“The Great Tree was originally created to be a tree of healing for all the good people of the world.    I had hoped that around this tree would be a temple to God, where I would be sought and worshipped.   The white fruit of immortality was to be given to specific worthy individuals on rare occasions.   Yet Mórálach, as a last act of rebellion against my will, created the Inion Sidhe.    He knew these beautiful, immortal maidens would indirectly cause the Elven races to lust for the tree and to long for its fruit.”

“Now there have been wars, suppression of races, greed, murder and discord from the desire to control the tree or partake of its fruit.   Amazingly, it is the long lived Elven races which seem to hunger for immortality the strongest.”

“This has caused me great grief.    Therefore events are now about to transpire which will change this, but before I speak of them, I will tell you of one major change I am implementing to hopefully curb this obsession of the Elven races.”

“Effective this morning, I am changing the aging process of all races of Elves.    They will be as a handful of Elven races in some of the prior worlds, before the Great Gathering:   Immortal.    They will cease to age upon reaching adulthood.    Thus shall their hunger for immortality be quenched and they will see it is not as wonderful when it is grasped.”

“Those adult Elves alive now will cease aging.    Many diseases and sicknesses will no longer affect them, but they will be susceptible to violent death.    When they have lived longer than they care to live, they will be allowed to give up their soul and fade into my Heaven - or Hell if they are evil.”

 

Eioldth raised her hand.

“You wonder about Half-Elves.”   Yesh responded, knowing her question, “They shall have the option to age as a human or as an Elf, and this decision can only be made once.”

“Since Elves will stay young forever, I do not wish them to over-populate the world.   Therefore their reproductive cycles will change.    An Elven woman will only be able to conceive once every two years.   Her pregnancy will be lengthened from two years to five years in duration.”

“Five years?!”  Sophia exclaimed in surprise, “What about those who are currently pregnant?”

“It will affect them the same.   I am sorry, Sophia.”

 

The Drow woman groaned, rubbing her huge belly, “Almost three more years!    Surely those in Flux could be granted an exception, Lord!”

Yesh shook his head, “I’m afraid not, Sophia.    Do not fear, you seem to enjoy pregnancy, though you hide behind an air of exasperation.”

“I don’t know if I enjoy it enough to go three more years!”

“You will be fine.   Now, there is another thing I must tell all of you.    As Elves will now be immortal, I am going to allow the Great Faesidhe Tree to be destroyed very soon.”

 

A round of surprised exclamations filled the conference room.

“Lord, are you certain this needs to be done?”   Eioldth asked, wondering what event would bring this about.

“It does indeed, Eioldth.    The Faesidhe almost worship the tree, and the Drow covet it for Dart’loxinchu.”

 

Sophia gasped, her hands going to her mouth, “Oh no!   That would mean-“

“Yes, dear girl, it would mean an end to Dart’loxinchu.”

 

Sophia stood up in terror, wide-eyed and desperate, “Lord, please, I-I need-“

Yesh smiled kindly, gesturing for her to be seated, “Do not fear, Sophia.   The vast majority of the drug comes from bark made in duplicating cabinets in the Underdark, or in personal duplicating boxes like your own.    These I will allow to produce the bark for those who are addicted.    Yet I will not allow duplicated bark to be placed into a new duplicating box.    The supply of Dart’loxinchu will stay the same as it is right now.   If a magic duplicating box, used for making the bark is destroyed, then it shall not be replaced.    So be careful with the ones you have, Sophia.”

“But Lord, what about those who are addicted and do not have duplicating boxes, or access to a supply from a merchant who has one?”

“These are very few in number and in these cases I will cause their addiction to diminish immediately.    I am not fond of the drug, Sophia.   I also will change it so that a child born to an addicted mother will not inherit her addiction.    In fact, Dart’loxinchu will no longer affect anyone - male or female- other than those already addicted.   To everyone else it will be just a pleasant smelling smoke.”

“Wonderful!” Khord said, to Sophia’s side, thinking of their daughters.

“Yes, Khord, and I will also grant any of those addicted to the drug a far easier time overcoming their addiction.    But once they have quit the Dart’loxinchu for a day, if they then decide to go back to it again, it will be as inert for them as it is for anyone else.   I am only allowing the effects of the drug for the women already addicted to it that desire the effects.”

“Lord, if a woman who is highly addicted to it quits, will she be able to eventually bear a male child?”   Khord asked Yesh.

“Yes, as soon as her addiction is gone, she will be able to conceive a male child.”   Yesh glanced over at Sophia, who had reseated herself and was staring blankly ahead, with an unsure look on her face, “Sophia, you are tormented over what to do.   Yet I know that your addiction is something that you think you need.    So for now do not think I am compelling you to quit.   In fact, you are one of the primary reasons that I am allowing addicted women to still be affected by the drug.”

“I am?   Why?”

“Because in your case and many others, if the craving for Dart’loxinchu was taken away, your nervous and addictive nature would likely turn to other drugs or to tobacco.   I do not intend to prevent people from making bad choices, so rather than tempt you and the other women; I am allowing all of you to continue using this drug, as it will not harm you like the others will.    But once you decide to stop, there will be no turning back to it.”

Sophia nodded, taking in all the changes.

 

Yesh walked over to a screen to the side of the table, “One last change, and this is a major change that will affect all of you.    Flux has long had a privileged status --- not part of Synomenia, or part of Heaven or Hell.    This was allowed by me at the request of Archmage Drake, and originally this place was simply a base of operations for the Watchers.”

“Yet now it is filled with living people, having children and the population is growing larger each day.    The technology of Flux is far superior to what is found in Synomenia.    But I am going to make a drastic change.”    He pointed a remote at the screen next to him and an image of the whole world appeared.

“This is Synomenia.    You see that to the far west is many, many miles of ocean.    I have decided to move Flux into Synomenia, to a large island in the middle of the western ocean.   It will be thousands of miles west of the nearest land, and completely ringing it will be three miles of jagged rock that will jut from the ocean 100 feet into the air, to prevent any bold mariner from accessing it.    There will also be a ring of anti-magic above the rocks surrounding it that will prevent airships from flying over as well.”

The Watchers all began mumbling and whispering among themselves and Yesh allowed this for a minute before continuing.

“You have many questions.    Here is what you need to know.   The island will be four hundred miles across and roughly circular in shape.    It will possess a climate of four seasons with the southern coast warm year round and the northern parts, which will be much higher in elevation, cooler.”

“All that is in Flux now will be transported there.   In fact, I just did this - all has now been moved.    Everything will operate the same, except for a few notable changes.    First, no one living in any other part of Synomenia will be allowed to set foot on the island.   If they somehow succeed in coming here, they will immediately die and will go to Heaven or Hell.”

“Those living in Flux now who have never lived any place else, will live out the lifespan common to their race.    Elves living here will be immortal as they are now throughout the rest of Synomenia.   But all other races will age and die, and when they die they will go to Heaven.”

“Those who are family members of Watchers, who were brought here following death, will live as if they were Elves - immortal as they were before this change; however they will be susceptible to violent or accidental death, as will be all of you, now.”

“What happens to us if we do accidentally die?”  Deborah asked from her seat next to Eioldth.

“A Watcher that dies will join me in Heaven.”

“Then who will take that Watcher’s place?”   Deborah wondered.

“I will determine that when it occurs.   I would advise all of you Watchers to prepare magic items to prevent death to you and your family members who are here with you.”

“So those who are not our family members, or who are not Watchers, but who are alive here in Flux, will age just as if they are living in the rest of Synomenia?”    Deborah clarified.

“Correct.”

“Family Members of Watchers, and Watchers themselves, will live on as before, but can die?”

“Yes.    Also, I am going to allow any faithful Elf who has grown weary of living in the rest of Synomenia, the option of coming to Flux to work there, or going on into Heaven.    This should make up for those who die.”

“Will children still be allowed to be born here?   I mean, will the non-family members of Watchers be allowed to bear children?   And if so, what if one of these children, when they grow up, desires to go into the rest of Synomenia?”   Deborah continued to question.

“Children will be born here, Deborah.    Watchers, their family members, and the others who live here will have children as normal.    If someone born here desires to leave Flux, they will be allowed, but with the understanding that they will not be allowed to come back.”

 

Sophia raised her hand and Yesh nodded to her.

“Lord, will how we react with those in the rest of Synomenia change, now that we will be actually living in the world with them?”

“That is a good question, Sophia.    I am going to allow the Watchers to once again appear to anyone in the rest of Synomenia.   But no-one will be allowed to leave the island of Flux unless I send them on a specific mission.    Once you are sent there, though, everyone will be able to see you and interact with you.”

 

“What happens if Northmarch -and the world- is taken over by the cult of Torrin?”   Eioldth asked, thinking of her former people, “Can we not help them more, now that Flux is part of Synomenia?”

Yesh shook his head, “Eioldth, there is to be very strict obedience about intervention.    I know your heart is with the people there and with your friends, but though Flux is now joined with this world, the rules I have set up for the Watchers have not changed.”

“Well, will we be sent to them to tell them about all of these important changes you have implemented?”

“No, those who are Elven will be given dreams to tell them of the changes in their biology.    No-one needs to know where Flux is, and the destruction of the Faesidhe Tree will begin very soon.”

“How sad.”   Eioldth commented, remembering the huge magical tree.

“How will it be destroyed?”    Khord asked, though he already thought he knew the answer.

“Dragon’s fire.”   Yesh answered, confirming what he suspected.  

Reviews

[Elina]

"Sophia was very, very nervous..." You may want to get rid of the second "very" and, if you're wanting emphasize how nervous she is, use a different word to emphasize.
"...glanced over at her and smiled sympathetically." You can probably take out the "at her," so there aren't so many hers in the sentence.
"...pushed toward her the thermos cup filled with tea made from Faesidhe tree leaves." Perhaps, instead, "...pushed the thermos cup filled with tea made from Faesidhe tree leaves toward her."
"Sophia knew the reason she offered her drink." I'm not sure if this was intended, but there's no "the" before "drink." ?
"...Faesidhe Tree had become so engrained in her life that..." This ought to be "ingrained."
"...four hundred miles across and roughly circular in size." Did you meant "shape" instead of "size?"
"If they somehow succeed to come here..." Perhaps "...succeed in coming here..."