Among the Blessed

Skiridi was formed when the winged gods went to war against each other. As they fought, drops of blood fell from the battle to the earth below and when each hit the ocean below it cooled and became land, and thus the world was created. The islands that the skiridians made their homeland was where the greatest hero among the gods was slain and his blood flowed out in such quantity that it fell in streams that formed the twisting spires and mountains of their islands. Sometimes, the earth remembered where it was born, and would cry out in remembrance of their god’s death, tearing the ground asunder and throwing red-hot debris like blood into the air.

Then a couple Academy students researching volcanoes for their senior project ruined all that.

That exchange pretty much characterized all Alannis-Skiridi relations since the two nations first met. Alannis had long ago given up its mythical roots in favor of science. The old stories and lore remained as nothing more than just that – stories to be collected and told but never believed.

Skiridi was fighting hard to retain its culture. The nation as a whole remained at least ten years behind their neighbors in technical progress and religious sects devoted to their ancient gods flourished across the islands. The influence of the old legends was everywhere – from the architecture to dress and speech. It was a nation very aware of its background, its roots, and deeply committed to preserving the old ways.

That meant that Ajiin would be accompanying the twins when they went ashore to ensure that the two didn’t do anything to offend the locals like last time. The Academy and Skiridi had a unique relationship, one that was usually associated with witch-burnings.

The trio met in Ajiin’s cabin as their usual meeting place was out of commission. Due to a spectacular feat involving gravimancy and a whole lot of nails every scrap of furniture in Langley’s room had been attached to the ceiling.

“So. I wrote down the ground rules,” Langley said, unfolding a piece of parchment, “They’re mostly copied out of the Academy handbook for sensitivity to foreign cultures.”

“The Academy has a policy on that?” Sabreur sounded surprised.

“It’s in the history section of the library. Apparently it was set down directly after the volcano research incident and then forgot about after the Cadre went in there and introduced the skiridians to the concept of ‘retaliatory violence.’”

Sabreur was quiet for a moment.

“I’m not sure what frightens me more,” he said, “the Academy actually having that sort of policy or Langley being in the history section of the library.”

Ajiin chuckled. Langley frowned and cleared her throat to read off the rules.

“Avoid using ‘mancy in public. Skiridians believe that ‘mancy is a divine force and the sight of anyone outside the priesthood using it can be interpreted by some as blasphemy.

Do not, by speech or dress, indicate yourself as being an Academy student.

Do not call the local customs quaint, old-fashioned, or any other form of the word wrong and backwards.

Do not attempt to explain science to the locals.

Do not insult the priesthood. Do not indicate that you are a ‘mancer to them. Do not call the priests ‘mancers.

In fact, just stay away from the priesthood at all times.

Sabreur is not to use firebombs, voidbombs, or anything else he has invented that goes ‘boom.’”

“That was in the handbook?” Ajiin asked.

“No, but it should be.”

She folded the paper back up.

“We reach port in five hours. I’m giving about two thirds the crew shore leave, including Sparrow. I’ve assigned a crewmember to watch him to ensure that he doesn’t wander off and forget what time he’s to be back on the ship.”

“Does he have family in the area?” Ajiin asked.

Langley hesitated. “I really have no idea,” she finally said, “You know how he is. He expressed a desire to go into the city but that was it. I think he just wants to be among his own kind for a little bit.”

“Huh.”

“Crystal is also going to land but she won’t have an escort. She, ah, well…” Langley trailed off so her brother continued.

“When we went to check on her she’d drawn up a summoning circle and was talking to Mihos, who was present in physical form on the Ark. He’s going to keep an eye on her while in Skiridi.”

“Yeah.” Langley sounded a bit miserable at the idea of having an avatar of the underworld appear without her knowledge onboard her ship.

“And I’ll be coming with you two,” Ajiin said, “If I elbow either of you you’re to stop talking or doing whatever it is that’s going to get us in trouble immediately.”

The twins nodded. There was silence between the three for a minute which signaled that no one else had anything to add. So Langley stood and pushed her chair in.

“Now that that’s all done with, I’ll be in my room. Prying my furniture off the ceiling. Clever, Sabreur, very clever.”

There were few decent ports in the Skiridi islands. The volatile nature of their construction and tendency for earthquakes had left sheer cliffs and rocky coast sides. The best harbor was at the capital city of the skiridians, where the head of the church resided in a grand cathedral in the middle of the city. The royalty of Skiridi lived further inland among the mountain crags in a castle-city. This arrangement was yet another clue as to how the power of Skiridi was divided. While the monarchs of Skiridi held all power in theory, they too were subject to the power of the priesthood. After all, the church controlled all the ‘mancers.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective), due to the Academy’s influence, this was changing. More and more skiridian ‘mancers were going to the Academy to receive training instead of the temples. There they were educated (or indoctrinated, as the priesthood called it) in the ways of science and how to apply logical principles to the powers they manifested. A good number remained in Alannis to avoid the priesthood after graduation. The skiridians that retained their religious convictions through schooling usually returned to the island and participated in the church – as proponents for reform. Generally, this upset the skiridian priests in power. Violence was starting to become more frequent.

The twins knew all this. Like most Stormriders, they just chose to ignore sensibility. When the Ark came into port it was Ajiin who spoke with the dock master while Langley ensured that everything was locked down and all the nails she’d pulled out of the ceiling of her room were collected and deposited in Sabreur’s bed, under the mattress cover where he wouldn’t see them until it was too late.

Crystal was seen leaving the ship before anyone else. Sabreur paled a bit at the sight of the blue-haired girl skipping off down the dock towards the city. The brightly plumed bird sitting on her shoulder did nothing to reassure him either. Then, paperwork finished, the crew started to trickle off in ones and twos and threes toward the city. Finally, his sister arrived, dusting off her hands.

“My room is restored,” she said cheerfully, “Now let’s go! Chicken and curry!”

“We need to see our agent to get the cargo unloaded,” Ajiin reminded her.

“Fine. But then chicken and curry!”

She pointed dramatically to the city; spun, lost her hat in the process, and after a brief yet exciting chase after it the three entered the city of Skiridi.

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