The Crystal Warriors (15 page)

"Progress reports from Landra showed the uniqueness of the way the Essence was growing in you. Now, you might doubt that, since your skills in combat were far below some of your other comrades. But combat is only one way to use the Essence. Pina said that you were the most intellectual and inquisitive of the lot, and he was correct. In you I can see the mind of a scholar, forever searching, looking around corners, wondering. I like that. So I chose you to teach me."

"Teach you?" Kochanski was incredulous. "But you're a god!"

Jartan's booming laugh echoed through the chamber. "Maybe our definitions aren't the same. Tell me what you think a god is."

"Why, I guess most of us back home believe that God, and I mean the one god, is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-seeing. That from Him all has come and will go. He is the beginning and without end, forever eternal, the Maker of all."

He rattled off the lines as if reciting it from his old catechism for the approval of Sister Lawrence, back at St. Hedwig's Elementary.

"Interesting. Where did you learn that?"

"The priests and nuns of my god taught me."

"I see. Well, I guess we have a little problem here."

"I had a feeling there'd be a problem. You see, sire, from my viewpoint you don't quite fit into what I've been taught is the nature of the universe."

Jartan rumbled with laughter. He enjoyed this man. Almost all humans he ever came into contact with simply groveled at the sight of him, or worse yet, became whining sycophants.

"I need to learn some things from you," Jartan said bluntly. "I could probe your thoughts, but that can result in something being missed. It's best if I ask and you answer."

"Right... There is one major problem for me," Kochanski replied. "You see, I believe that a god, or gods, however you want it, are all-powerful and so already know the answers."

"Think about that," Jartan replied softly. "If I truly could know all, see all, across all eternity―consider what that would mean."

"I've wondered about that long before I came here," Kochanski replied. "I think, for myself, it would drive me mad."

Jartan paused. "For some of us, it nearly has."

"Do you mind if I ask some questions first?" Kochanski said, his curiosity overcoming him.

"Ask."

"First of all, I was taught by the priests that there was only one god, and the rest were false."

"That's pretty narrow of him, if I do say so."

"Then how many are there?"

"I don't know."

Kochanski stood and started pacing. Even as a child he had wrestled with the paradox of praying to god for one thing, while in his heart of hearts he desired something else. Though his cautious side warned him to be diplomatic, he figured he might as well get it out in the open.

"You know, ever since I've come to Haven, wherever it is, I've been hearing about gods and demigods. But I don't believe you guys fit the definition. A god should be all-powerful, and you just admitted that you aren't. How can this be?"

"Ah, so you think a god is all-powerful. That is your paradox. You think there is one thing that controls all, and you call that god."

"In a way that is true. Each of us has a part to play in what could be called a dream. But that dream is not conscious or separate from the whole. It is simply that which we are all part of. Each of us is an indestructible part of the whole, but the whole is not separate or self-creating―and certainly does not control everything."

"Then what is a god?"

"Now we're getting down to the particulars. You see, there are an infinite number of realities, or places of existence. Your world is one; through a gateway you crossed into Haven and its cosmos. At that moment you passed into another reality."

"This is my domain as a god; along with my remaining siblings, I control this realm. But it is merely control of the physical, and while occupying this place, those beings of life that should decide to pass through here."

"I can change the force of life, I can terminate its existence in this particular plane, but I do not have the power to create life from nothing or to send it into final oblivion."

"Then you are not all-powerful?" Kochanski asked softly.

"Who is?" Jartan replied.

Kochanski was stunned. Intellectually he pondered the sometimes illogical nature of his own religion. But with one comment Jartan had pulled out all the props, the mooring points which had been common to almost every belief he had ever encountered. No one was all-powerful; they were all in this game together, but no one was running it.

"You seem a little shaken." Jartan reached out and touched Kochanski on the arm.

"It's just... well, it's just that you've told me there is no father, no guide, no supreme arbitrator or judge."

"Your god claims that distinction?"

Kochanski nodded.

"Such things are what a child needs, Kochanski. A child needs to know that someone decides what's right or wrong, and will punish or reward. But when you become an adult your parents should no longer do that for you. If a parent does attempt to think for his child, then he is stealing life itself from him. Finally, a parent should be an advisor, not a judge, and so too with a god. I'm merely saying to you that in the realm of the universe, Kochanski, you are an adult."

Kochanski smiled weakly. It would take some getting used to.

"Then, what can a god do?" he asked.

"For one thing, I can not create or unmake you. You are as eternal as I, in your own way. You've heard my son speak of the Essence?"

Kochanski nodded.

"It's a crude word to describe what words cannot describe, but it is good enough. The Essence, or what some might call energy, is the fabric that holds everything together. It is the very fabric of time, forever coiling in upon itself, forever renewing."

"Our textbooks say that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but used again and again in some form or another."

"Exactly."

Kochanski settled back in his seat. He looked at his empty glass of Schaefer and gestured to Jartan. The god laughed, snapped his fingers, and as if pouring from an invisible pitcher of beer refilled the glass.

"If only the guys back at the club in Trenton could see that," Kochanski said, raising his glass again in a salute.

"There are questions that I wish to ask, as well," Jartan said, "so let us finish this. As I was saying, the Essence is the power. Quite simply, a god is someone who can control it completely. Thus it was that ages ago, I, along with those who became my brothers and sisters, eight of us in all, combined our Essence and broke through the barrier out of the Great Void and into this universe. When we mastered our powers, we chose this world and shaped it, made it into the Haven you see now. In the shaping of it, our own Essence became part of the very fabric of the world."

"In time, we brought others like you here, to play out the dramas of their existence. We as gods can thus interact with them. At times we have walked among them, played in their lives, fought their wars, loved, lived, hated, and even died."

"Died?"

"Yes, even a god may die. Oh, he is not destroyed, but his spirit goes back into the Sea of Chaos, the Great Void, to wander through the emptiness and begin again. Such partings are bitter," Jartan said sadly, "for loved ones are lost forever in this life, though if one tries they can be reunited in another reality, vaguely knowing that they have loved each other before." Jartan seemed lost in a melancholy darkness. At last he roused himself, looked down at his companion, and smiled.

"Even a god can know sadness and remorse."

"I've heard the War of the Gods mentioned several times," Kochanski asked quietly. "Am I allowed to ask about that?"

Jartan hesitated. "It's still painful, but yes, it is something you should know, since the repercussions are still being felt today. The god Horat was always the most driven of the Creators, and as eons went by, he became obsessed with ruling not just his region, but all of Haven."

"Finally, he met with our brother Bore over some border dispute. Bore was tricked and betrayed into lowering his defense." Jartan paused. "Horat then murdered and devoured our brother."

"Devoured?" gasped Kochanski.

"Not the flesh, but the Essence. He sent Bore back to the Great Void an empty husk."

"Of course all of the Creators knew instantly, for we felt Bore's agony."

Jartan was silent for a few moments.

"The rest of us banded together and made war on our insane brother. The conflict took years, killed untold millions, and sent most of his region back into the sea. The final confrontation cost my brother Danar his life as he saved mine. We finally were able to drain away Horat's Essence and send him back to Chaos."

"That was three thousand years ago, but the pain is still fresh, the hatreds are still just below the surface. Sarnak the Accursed fought in that war and was instrumental in Bore's betrayal. But in the settlement treaty Sarnak's life was spared in exchange for prisoners. Sarnak is a grandson of Horat, while Tor is the last surviving son. Those two have not forgotten, nor have I nor my kin."

Kochanski felt it best to leave that topic untouched for now. "Pina told us that you've placed a genetic block in humans against using the Essence. Why?"

"We brought humans into this reality eons ago for companionship and as subjects," Jartan said, his features relaxing with the change of topic. "At that time we thought it was heresy for mortals to dare to use our Essence, so we changed them. But over the years our children, and then their children, spread and interbred, and we decided to ignore it. My last census showed almost one in every milion will be a sorcerer, and that's up from just a thousand years ago."

Jartan could see Kochanski running figures through his mind, and continued, "From what I can gather it seems your god has left your reality and took most, if not all, of his Essence with him. Do you have sorcerers at all on your world?"

Kochanski reflected for a moment. "We have legends from our ancient times, and occasional unexplained phenomena, but no sorcerers."

"Precisely. Your god obviously took it with him when he left, or held all the Essence to himself in jealousy, and had no reason to change your ancestors."

"And when we came here we could naturally use the Essence," Kochanski finished, his aura glowing brightly. He was happy here, with powers that he could only have dreamed about before.

A moment later his aura dimmed to nothing. It had occurred to him that if they ever did find their way back to Earth, they would automatically lose their powers.

Jartan nodded. "The bitter with the sweet," he said softly, as be watched Kochanski staring gloomily at the floor and muttering to himself. Some
of Kochanski's cursing is truly imaginative,
he thought.

"You are depressing yourself over something that may never happen, Kochanski. Haven't you been listening? You have all eternity and life after life to live and enjoy."

"So in a way the Japanese are right after all."

"I don't know about that," Jartan said, "but if you've been taught that you only have one go around, then you have been misled."

Kochanski found himself laughing. The full implications of all that he had just heard were beyond comprehension.

Draining off his beer, Kochanski held up his glass for another, which was instantly produced. Why, this was even better than his kid brother fetching beers for him back home. Taking a sip, he settled back in his chair, looked up at Jartan, and smiled.

"Now it's my turn," Jartan said, smiling back. "Tell me about your god and his realm."

"Have I got a story for you," Kochanski said, trying to keep a straight face while debating whether he should provide the Catholic, Fundamentalist, or Jehovah's Witness version of reality.

* * * *

Mark felt like he had been on a roller coaster for hours. Storm was the most beautiful female he had ever seen, much less picked up! Only who had picked up whom? Back where he came from it was the guys who were supposed to be doing that. This independence of women was confusing him.

He felt a nudge at his elbow and turned to see Ikawa's admiring grin. "Brought you another drink, Mark. Although I never saw a man who needed one less. You look like a kid getting set to unwrap a present. I must say your behavior is almost adolescent."

Mark glanced at Storm again. "She is stunning, isn't she?"

Storm turned from Allic to stare directly into Mark's eyes and smile.

Again Mark felt a current running through his body, like an electric shock.
If I don't get laid tonight,
he thought wickedly, sensing that she might be tapping into his thoughts,
I'm going to need a wheelbarrow to haul it around with tomorrow.

His musings were interrupted by Ikawa's chuckle, as he looked over towards Kochanski, who was coming up to join them.

"You Americans and your courtship rituals," Ikawa said.

"For the last couple of hours your captain and that young lady over there have been doing nothing but staring at each other, and thinking heaven knows what. I remember attending dances in your country where whole roomfuls of people would be engaged thus." And all three smiled, Mark a tad ruefully.

"Weren't you supposed to have a private meeting with Jartan?" Mark asked Kochanski.

"Yup. Just got back. You wouldn't believe me if I told you, so I'll just say it was incredible."

"Did you keep your mouth shut?"

"Hardly, Captain. I started the conversation off by telling him I couldn't believe he was a god."

"You're kidding me?" Mark groaned.

"Nope."

Mark and Ikawa darted glances at one another, not sure if they would kill him now or later.

"Not believing around here is very dangerous, Sergeant," Ikawa said, not wanting to cross too far into disciplining one of Mark's people. "Please refrain from such idiocy in my presence, as I will be sorry to see you go. But I would be even more upset if I was blasted because I was merely standing near you."

Kochanski smiled at him as if he was part of some wonderful private joke.