The Merchant and the Menace (13 page)

“Nothing. Darkness. An abyss. Disorder. It was and
had been. Eternal. Limitless. This is how I can best describe it. Then,
something stirred in this blackness. Something separated itself from the chaos
and formed a pattern. Something that had been and will be. Something that was
both part of the void, but distinct from it.

“From disorder came order. The something took shape
and forced its will on its surroundings. Avra, my Lord and Father let himself
become. Like a whirlpool in a raging river, he was a constant. As the rapids of
Chaos rushed by in random surges, He spun and held his place.

“There is a duality in all things. Just as there is
an up, there is a down. Hot and cold. Light and dark. Duality is the nature of
the world. You have two eyes, two arms and two legs. Why not seven, four and
three? The root of all the universe is two. Just as Avra was born from Chaos,
so was Chaos born from Avra. When our Creator separated himself from Chaos, he
not only gave himself an identity, He gave an identity to all that He left
behind. That identity was Chaos. Have you ever paddled a boat through the
water, Kael?”

“Yes,” answered the boy furrowing his brow.

“Then you must notice the wake you create behind
you. A uniform replica of the prow of your boat, etched in the water by your
passage. Before the vessel arrives, the water slides about haphazardly.
However, once the boat passes, the water in its wake is given shape, an
identity all its own. When Avra allowed himself to form, the duality of all
things created his opposite, Chaos. There are two forces at work on all things
in this universe, the order of Avra and the disorder of Chaos.”

“If Chaos is an equal force taking shape in the
universe, why do people worship Avra? Why not worship Chaos as well?” asked
Kael.

“The simple fact that you exist answers that
question,” answered Ader. “Chaos by its nature does not create. Chaos strives
to break down order, to tear apart anything cohesive. Chaos corrupts and
defiles. We show our gratitude and obedience to Avra simply because we wouldn’t
exist without him.

“Once Avra separated himself from Chaos he desired
to commune with beings like himself. He wished to share the bounty of his
power. Thus he set forth and created the universe and all the worlds contained
within it. Every rock, tree and speck of sand is the product of Avra’s love and
imagination. He poured forth his blessings and created a realm of fantastic
magnitude. Each of us is a small part of Avra’s limitless force. You are part
of Avra and He is part of you.”

Kael paused and tried to reconcile such a weighty
concept.

“It’s a bit much when you first discover it,”
smiled Ader, “but as the idea lingers, it settles a man’s soul. To know that
you’re part of the all powerful Creator and he is a part of you, fills you with
an unparalleled confidence.”

“But Avra doesn’t decide to create people,” said
Kael. “People do. A man and a woman.”

“True,” replied Ader, “but remember, all men and
women are products of those before them. Ultimately, all people are the
products of the first humans put on this world. So they are all creations of
Avra’s first creations. Since all people are part of Avra, whatever they create
from themselves is part of Avra.”

Kael blinked hard.

“Avra set us on this world to emulate him, to
create order from disorder, to grow, learn and produce,” continued Ader. “Avra
wanted man to rejoice in his world, to live every day striving to create and
bring beauty into the world. Creating and nurturing life is part of that plan.”

“Then why would someone ever choose to follow
Chaos?” asked the boy.

“The answer to ‘why’ can only be found in the heart
of each and every man,” returned Ader, “but the answer to ‘how’ is quite
simple. Free will.”

Again the boy stared at the old trader with a
puzzled expression.

“Avra’s desires for us are just that,
his
desires. What of our own? When a man chooses to cheat his neighbor, he fulfills
a desire all his own. Avra might easily create a race of men subject to his
wishes. They would follow each and every command of their master, but that was
not what our Creator wanted. He wished to share his existence with beings made
in his own image, beings capable of making choices and striving toward
unlimited potential. Creations enslaved to the will of another possess no such
abilities. Their potential is constrained by the boundaries set by their
master.”

“So Avra placed men and Elves upon this world and set
them free to do as they wish?” asked Kael.

Ader frowned.

“Yes and no.”

“That’s not an answer.” scowled Kael.

“It’s a difficult question, my boy,” said Ader.
“The Elves upon this world are a somewhat ... unique situation.”

Ader hoped that would suffice but Kael stared at
the old trader.

“The Elves are a creation for a different place and
a different time,” resumed Ader. “As I said, Avra created many worlds, or more
precisely planes, upon which he created many beings. The Elves are not
originally from this world. They are from a higher plane.”

“Then how did the Elves get from this .... higher
plane to our world?” asked Kael.

“That is a lesson for another time.” said the old
man, “We must make speed and return to Luxlor.”

Ader’s refusal to answer bothered Kael. He wanted
those answers. His brother was dead and Kael barely escaped death at the hands
of a hideous creature bent on his destruction. He needed to know more to help
him explain the madness of this day.

“Well, at least tell me what part you play. Why should
I trust you or do any of the things you tell me?” stated Kael angrily.

The old man frowned and searched the boy’s eyes.

“Oh, we both know how ridiculous that question is
don’t we? You already guessed correctly who I am,” said Ader. “However, you’re going
through a trying time, so I’ll humor you. I am Ader, third Seraph of our Lord
Avra the Creator of this existence. You talk of myths and rumors, religions and
stories. I
am
those myths and rumors. I’ve been on this world for what
seems an eternity. I’m a guide, a helper and a confidante. I’m here to help man
when he seems at his most helpless. It’s my job to nudge, nay even to push them
in the right direction. Does that tell you enough?”

“Umm, well, maybe,” returned Kael.

The boy was embarrassed by his own uncertainty. His
mind searched for questions. A moment ago he possessed so many, but now he felt
even more confused. He desperately wanted to keep the conversation alive and
think of anything other than Aemmon.

“Well, how old are you?” asked Kael, grimacing at
what he deemed a ridiculous question.

“Age is irrelevant. I’ve been around quite a long
time by your standards. Even by my own. However, Avra is ageless. To him I’m
merely a baby.”

Undaunted, Kael asked. “Well, how about in a time
frame I understand?”

“Oh, several thousand years, at least. I lost count
centuries ago. Years are meaningless to me. Events are what matter. How will
they unfold and affect this world? Some of those events are centuries in the
making, others just a few short years. However, both tend to affect this world
with the same significance,” said Ader.

“Do you....
talk
to Avra. I mean, is He
real?” asked Kael.

“Of course He’s real,” scoffed Ader. “Look around
you. How do you think all of this was created?”

 Kael paused then clenched his teeth.

“Why does He allow ...”, Kael choked on the
remainder of his question.

Ader paused once more to allow the boy to rein in
his emotions.

“Kael, we all die,” said Ader softly. “Every one of
us is born with a certain amount of life force. Eventually, our life force runs
out. Those are the people who die of old age. Other times, our life force is snatched
from us. Disease, famine and war are some of the reasons. Why? Chaos strives
eternally to break down this beautiful world and turn it back into the seething
abyss that it once was. Like the waves of the sea breaking on the shoreline, so
is Chaos. Wave after punishing wave eventually breaks the rock down. Chaos
attacks the heart of man. Chaos rules the weak of spirit and tempts him to turn
on his brother. Without order, the world is an ugly place indeed.”

 “Then Chaos is what killed my mother?” asked Kael.

 “No, your Mother died of disease,” answered Ader,
“This world is not a paradise Kael, nor was it meant to be. Avra created a
place for man to rejoice in his successes and a place to learn and strive to
overcome his failures. Man struggles to survive everyday. Food, water and air
are just the basics for survival. If man needed nothing and he was able summon
all he wanted, he would be a god himself. One day someone will cure the disease
your sweet mother died from, and mankind will move forward.”

“Why hasn’t it been cured already? Why her?”

“To Avra, a millennia is a heart beat. Time has no
meaning. Do not misunderstand me. Every man woman or child is infinitely
important to him. I do not diminish the life of your mother. However, she was
born with a certain amount of life force, and the disease, another creation of
Avra, overcame that life force. Her spirit is an altogether different matter,”
stated Ader.

“What do you mean?”

“When we are born, Avra’s hand passes through the
water of life and creates our swirl in it. In some cases, his hand thrusts the
water aside and a powerful wave is born. I am thousands of years old. Avra’s
hand moved powerfully indeed. In other cases, his hand barely stirs the water.
These people are short lived.

However, in both cases, the individual is free to
build or spoil their spiritual force. Do you rejoice in the world, entering
everyday with a feeling of thanks? Do you treat others as if they are the most
important thing in the world? Do you show grace to those who wrong you? Pity to
those who suffer? These are the qualities that enhance the spiritual force of
an individual. Your mother’s spiritual force was never taken from her. Her life
force merely drained away. She continues to thrive in the presence of Avra.”

The trader paused and Kael’s face wrinkled in
concentration. Ader told him things his mother and father taught him his whole
life. Things he heard, but never really listened to or understood.

“What about that ... that thing that killed Aemmon?
If Avra gave life to that, why would I want to believe in or follow him?”
demanded Kael.

“That is an altogether different subject, and I
must admit, one I’m not ready to discuss with you. Besides, you are so taken in
by our conversation that you lose track of our surroundings. Diom must be
pleased that you were unable to detect him this time.”

Kael looked up from the path to see the Efer bridge
standing in front of him. He searched the woods around the bridge and again
picked out the faces of Grey Elves among the shrubs and trees. Diom was not
among them.

“Diom was about a league back in the North Nagur.
Apparently, King Leinor and General Chani expanded their perimeter of defense.”

The pair rode on in silence past the small cottages
on the outskirts of the Elven kingdom and toward the white wall. They passed
few Elves at first, but as they journeyed deeper into the Elven kingdom, the
streets crowded. Many of the Elves greeted Ader with the traditional opened
palms then placed them across their hearts. Some showed this sign of respect
then quickly turned to others and whispered. Kael knew the ways of an isolated
village. Rumors of their hasty return would spread quickly.

Kael noticed a boy keeping pace with the riders as
they made their way past shops and street fairs. The boy stole glances at the
pair as he dodged fruit stands and meat carts. As Kael turned to Ader to point
out the boy, he noticed the old trader looking in the same direction. When Kael
swung back, the boy was gone.

The journey proceeded rapidly and Ader led them to
the stables of the palace. Runners were sent ahead to announce their return and
Teeg awaited them in the stable yard.

“Greetings Lord Ader and Kael Brelgson, I didn’t
anticipated such an early return to the palace,” announced Teeg somberly, “and
you’re without Manfir. I fear grave tidings come with you.”