The Three and the Dualities
Part Two
If you haven’t read the first part, I’d recommend checking out that here before you read this one. Enjoy!
Image credit to Robby-Robert
The story goes that long ago before most of the universe’s peoples had crawled from their respective mud holes, there was power in the world. Not power crafted from electricity or fission or the harnessing and exploitation of nature herself, but raw, untapped power. The few ancient people that had a present enough consciousness worshipped these powers as the Dualities.
Light and Dark. Order and Chaos. Life and Death.
Twin forces that couldn’t exist without each other, tied in a millennium’s long dance. As long as they were kept in balance and given the proper respect, the ancients believed that the Dualities would take care of them and bring them prosperity. And for a time, that seemed to be the case.
There were groups of people that found the cores of the Dualities and attempted to take them in to become stronger, wiser, and more powerful.
On occasion, when a group found the cores and took them into themselves, they usually discovered themselves unable to master either the balance of the forces or the imbalance within themselves. They would oftentimes be utterly destroyed or corrupted, rather than enhanced by the forces as they thought. Those that couldn’t manage it became powerful beyond all imagination
Eventually, the elders of some of the ancient races joined together to seal the Dualities’ cores away from the prying eyes of the universe.
They created a cave deep in the mountains of a forgotten planet, sealed it, placed guardians made out of what was then called magic, and then they left the cave to be buried in time. While the elders did pass along the story, they refused to pass on the location for two reasons. First, they believed that no one should know the location, lest they be tempted to take the power for themselves. Second, they believed that their wards and “magic” would hold the Dualities in place far longer than mortal memory could hold them up as truth rather than fiction.
The Dualities might be lost in time, but they are surely out there, waiting for the proper vessels.
“That was a beautiful story, Nadia,” Delphine said as soon as Nadia was finished. “Short and sweet and full of interesting tidbits. Is that another one from your mom? Bedtime story?”
Matthias pursed his lips slightly, “Hang on just a moment, Delphine before you start-”
“It might be a bedtime story,” Nadia cut him off. “But it’s also ancient folklore, tied into the mythologies and oral traditions of countless planets both in the Central Ring and the Outskirts.”
Delphine leaned back and took a deep breath. She looked out at the bar, once again appraising the happy people that surrounded them. Did they have any idea what was happening here, at this moment, just a few seats away from them? She thought.
“You said you had evidence,” she finally said.
Out of her pocket, Nadia drew a small stack of folded papers. Using her sleeve and some napkins supplied by Matthais, she cleared off a section of the table. She quickly unfolded the pages and pressed them flat.
Glancing down, Delphine saw a galaxy map on the first page, “What exactly am I looking at here?”
“Some of my people I keep on a lookout for any strange readings, stuff that might turn some heads,” Nadia began. “Spikes in energy, odd movements, people with unusual abilities. Usually, we can specifically link the spikes in energy to Isolationist activities.”
“But I’m assuming not this one?” Delphine leaned forward to look at the map a bit closer. There was a small section that was highlighted with a number that likely referred to a closer map on another page in the report.
“It doesn’t match any previously detected energy signatures. It’s just outside the Central Ring, in an asteroid belt that hasn’t been explored. Not to mention, this reading is from three days ago, well after-”
“Well after any Isolationists would be active,” Delphine finished.
“Exactly,” Matthias nodded. “Even if it doesn’t turn out to be some eldritch force of nature, it’s something worth looking into. Look at the readings on the next page.”
She flipped the page with the map over to reveal the energy readings on the next page. It showed an initial blip, and then a steady growth until finally capping out an absurd number and remaining steady.
“This outmatches even the output of the lightspeed LARK System or even the warp-holes,” Delphine looked up, shocked at first Nadia, then Matthais.
“A lot of the oral traditions say that the planet that housed the Dualities was destroyed. They say that pieces of it are floating around in space somewhere.” Nadia smiled wryly, “I wouldn’t have come to you with a bedtime story if I didn’t think there was at least some merit to it. You should know that by this point, Delphine.”
“How long will it take to get a ship out there?”
Matthias answered, “The location on the map is right on the outer edge of the Central Ring. We can get closer through a warp-hole and within then a couple of hours we can get there no problem. Probably 24 hours there and back.”
For the first time since Elisio had announced his self-destructive vote, Delphine felt a hint of hope resurrect. They had a chance here. And Matthias was right, even if it wasn’t the Dualities, something with that kind of power could be harnessed and used for the good of the Alliance. At the very least, an energy source or defensive measure against those who wished to harm them.
“Next question,” Delphine said. “How long will it take to get a ship ready to go?”
Nadia paused for a moment, considering, before finally picking up her glass. “As soon as we finish this round. Why do you think it took me so long to get here? And brought Matthias? I made sure we wouldn’t be followed.”
The three of them toasted to their plan, and the newly-born Alliance.
Delphine was convinced that the spacecraft that Nadia provided was not rated for the kind of maneuvers they had to pull to get through the asteroid belt to the source of the energy. It rattled and shook as Matthias and Nadia guided it.
“I trust that you two are good pilots,” Delphine finally managed to say after she got her nausea under control. “But I don’t trust that this ship is going to hold together.”
Neither of them responded to her, but they continued to talk to each other, working as a unit to fly the ship. Half of what they said was incomprehensible due to the sound echoing inside the metal husk, and half of the words that she did hear only would make sense to spacecraft pilots.
She glanced down at the glowing screen in front of her that displayed their destination, the energy signature that might indicate the presence of the Dualities.
What, by the Expansion, was I thinking? Delphine asked herself. How did I get here?
They were desperate, that was for sure, but were they this desperate? Had it reached the point where they needed to hurtle across civilized space to chase after a legend? It was, however, a little late to turn back. So much had changed.
Nadia interrupted Delphine’s thoughts, “We’re about 10 klicks out, get ready.”
Delphine nodded, even though Nadia’s attention was focused on the route ahead of them. She reached back and pulled the blonde hair she got from her father into a braid.
“What should we be expecting here?” She asked.
“Any number of things,” Matthias answered. “We shouldn’t be irradiated, though, there isn’t any evidence of that in the scans or from the stories. But on the other hand, we should expect any one thing to happen. Time could slow down or speed up for all we know.”
“Comforting, Matthias. Tell me again why I thought this was a good idea?”
Nadia laughed at that before focusing again on the path in front of them. “Dead ahead. Matthias, do you see a landing point?”
“I spotted one, charting a course. Half a klick and closing.”
“Begin slow down and landing procedures.”
Delphine saw the asteroid that might house the Dualities. It looked almost exactly like the other ones that surrounded it, but she could see a rocky ledge and a doorway carved into the side, even from this distance. It only grew larger as they came in for the landing. Nadia and Matthais communicated various phrases and numbers that landed them right in front of the opening.
With the rattling and flight noises finally silenced in the landing, the craft became eerily silent. All three merely stared at the dark entrance that dwarfed them. It was a squared opening hewn into the rock of the asteroid. On either side of the doorway, stood massive pillars carved into the side, which supported a cracked lintel. Huge symbols and characters were etched into the pillars and the surrounding wall.
“I guess we found the right place,” Nadia finally broke the silence.
Delphine raised an eyebrow, “You can say that. There might be some truth…” She let her words trail off.
She could feel something she couldn’t quite describe. Each breath of the stale air inside the craft she took in brought a fresh invigoration and vitality. Something was flowing into her. And when she released the breath in an exhale, it felt like there was a substance left inside.
“Okay,” Delphine said, too quietly. She tried again, stronger, “Okay, everyone suit up and let’s go look at what’s inside. Make sure to bring plenty of O2”
The other two obliged and it wasn’t long until they stood in front of the gateway. They had brought flashlights, strong ones, but the beams barely penetrated the darkness a few feet in front of them.
It was Nadia’s turn to waver, “Are we sure this is a good idea?” She looked down at the energy rater in her gloved hand, and Delphine could hear it crackling over their comms. “We still don’t know what this type of energy could do to-”
“We’re here now,” Delphine cut her off. “The time to turn back was about twelve hours ago.”
“I want to see what’s in there,” Matthias added.
Nadia’s hair flashed orange once, a sign of apprehension before she agreed. “Okay, fine.”
And in they went.
As they walked, Delphine noticed how quickly the tunnel began to angle downwards. It likely went deep into the asteroid. It narrowed considerably the longer they followed the downward spiral. The walls were carved with more of those unfamiliar symbols and pictures of animals and what probably passed for people. Maybe those were the wards and spells Nadia was saying the Ancients used to guard the Dualities. She thought. She tried to ignore the fact that some of the eyes on the carved faces followed her. Eventually, Delphine couldn’t bring herself to look at the symbols at all.
“The gravity is increasing,” Delphine finally said, when the silent walk became unbearable. “How is the gravity increasing, this doesn’t have a large enough mass?”
Nadia spoke up after several moments, “I have a theory about that. Someone check the O2 levels.”
Both Matthias and Delphine looked down at the monitors on their wrists. “This doesn’t make any sense, Nadia,” Matthias said.
Delphine watched the monitor for a few moments as they moved deeper and deeper before saying, “The further down we get, the higher the concentration of oxygen there is.”
“The Dualities are supposed to create a way to sustain life,” Nadia explained shakily. “Most life in the universe needs oxygen and gravity to survive, so it makes sense that the closer we got to them, the easier it would be to survive.”
“For all we know the energy is messing with our monitors,” Matthias said. “I’m keeping my helmet on for now.”
The three continued to walk in silence. The tunnel continued to narrow until they had to squeeze through in single file with Delphine leading the way. She did her best to face forward and ignore the carvings and the uneasy sensation that was growing in her stomach.
She was the first to see the soft yellow light that emanated from an opening just a little further down. “I think...I think we might have found...something.” She desperately didn’t want to say that they had found the Dualities. Granted, it felt more and more likely as each step moved them closer, but she still had doubts.
With one final push, they found themselves in a large room. The walls were made of the same hewn stone as the outside, and more symbols were carved into them. In front of them stood three circular daises painted with faded, swirling designs. On top of each of the daises stood simple, rounded brown jars with woven seals covering the tops. They weren’t incredibly tall, but they carried an austerity.
“Is this it?” Matthias asked. “It seems so…”
“I don’t think we would’ve gotten this far 100 years ago,” Nadia said. “Those symbols and pictures we passed, they might’ve been the frameworks for protection the Ancients left behind.”
“This is absolutely insane,” Delphine shook her head. Her hands were shaking, but it seemed like the others, in their reverie, didn’t notice.
Her eyes locked onto the one in the center. Delphine tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat as she took one shaky step forward. Was the ground beneath her shaking and swaying, or...No, it was solid, she was the one that shook.
The central jar, the Vessel, seemed to call to her. She didn’t know which Duality lay within, but she knew it was hers.
“How do we...know that the Dualities are...in there?” Matthias asked. The shake in his voice mirrored Delphine’s heartbeat. She couldn’t bring herself to look back at him.
Before she was even aware, she had taken her helmet and gloves off. She now stood directly in front of the central Vessel, lightly touching the woven seal. The shape of the fibers felt rough under her fingers as she traced her hands around the edge. It was going to be a simple task to open it.
Delphine rested a hand on either side of the seal. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”
She quickly and smoothly broke open the Vessel to welcome whichever Duality lived inside to become part of her.