The Pillar of Enera

[Book II Chapter 107] SILVER: The Quiet Lands

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Raising a white crystallized object, Silver extended his senses to follow the trail it emanated through the Ether. He could make out his destination, but it was too far so he chose somewhere closer. Once he formed the passageway, a glacial breeze assaulted them.

“What’s this frigid place?” Kate asked as they exited to a wind-swept frozen wasteland.

“It’s a fragment of elemental realm of ice which broke off.” Silver answered. “We’re almost there.”

Once again, he constructed a passageway. When it connected, the howling gales went still. The very air had been subdued by the uncompromising tranquility washing their way.

“We’ve arrived.” He declared happily, hiding his relief. The Ether had a vastness compared to Flux Planescapes which was intimidating. It didn’t help that they’d traveled to its deepest reaches.

On the other side was a meadow filled with endless rows of rose-tinted crystal monoliths. Above was the typically bright haze. Silver noticed something protruding from the grass, but, before he could investigate, Kate whispered, “So these are the Quiet Lands…”

“Dwaine called it Pharos.” He replied. “Most realms are a reflections of mankind’s experience, constructed from our concepts of the physical world, but not this place. It’s been floating here, desolate and unchanging, since the dawn of history.”

Kate looked around in awe. “Arther described it to me when I was little, but I never though I’d visit.” She pointed to the monoliths. “Those are truly special, aren’t they?”

“Yes.” Silver agreed. “They’re divine sorcery.” If high sorcery was beyond human understanding, divine sorcery was another tier above, able to override sublime vagaries and illusory graces. It was the domain of the HEAVENLY DAO. Apart from the divine seeds uncovered in the depths of immortal-level dungeons, the magic was essentially unwieldable. “The power within a single one of those could power all of Enera for a century.”

“And summoners regularly use this place when etherwalking?” Kate asked.

Silver nodded. “There are three ways to exit the Ether. Find a tethered realm. Rely a beacon to guide you somewhere you can break through. Finally, have a summoner on Enera open a passageway straight to you. Unfortunately, finding a single soul within the Ether’s vastness is basically impossible. That’s where Pharos comes in. Come have a look.”

He walked over to several skeletons buried in the grass. The ligaments holding them together had long since erode, but their general shape was unmistakable. “There are thousands of such remains scatter around us. Maybe tens of thousands. They’ve basked in the monolith aura so long their enchantments have crystallized into them.” He held up a small sparkling white object. “Even a bone is removed, its magic still connects back to Pharos. That’s how Debra Sunders will find us and open a passageway.”

“I see…” Kate knelt down, parting the grass. “This one… had wings.” She said slowly.

“Many have extraneous features and vary widely in size. Overall they’re roughly humanoid.” Silver said. “They’re believed to be those who creating the monoliths, but no one is certain who they were or what happened to them. They’re commonly referred to as precursors.”

“Sounds like you’re reciting fragments of a textbook.” Kate teased.

“It was one of Dwaine’s more engaging lessons.” Silver laughed.

“I’m impressed how much he was able to teach you.“ Kate said pensively. “You wouldn’t think someone from the Flux Planescapes would be that familiar with the outside world.”

“He was originally from Enera.” Silver revealed. “One saint among the many who answered their pleads for summoners. Unlike others, he fell in love, and, since neither his wife nor his children could leave, he stayed. That was fifteen thousand years ago. Today he has descendants spread across countless world and has become a pillar supporting the Empire of Man.”

“Do you miss him?” Kate asked.

The question caught him by surprise. He’d been so glad to leave and see her again that he’d never considered it. “I suppose I do.” He answered. “After Dark Age ends, maybe we can go back, and I’ll introduce you.” With the way time passes there, he might’ve fallen in battle by then.

Shrugging off the pang of sadness, he threw back a question of this own. “What about you? Do you miss Arther Bard?” Seeing Kate’s expression fall, he immediately regretted his words.

“I try not to think about him.” Kate sighed. “It was easy when I was training with Kara, but now… Please don’t ever grow a beard.”

Right… He was a father figure to her… Silver imagined himself dating a woman who resembled like Astra and shuttered. “I’ll shave everyday.” He promised.

“Good to hear.” Kate turned and took a few steps. “So why isn’t there any wildlife here? The environment is pleasant enough.”

“The monoliths reject beings with unformed souls.” He explained. “I can’t summon anything here.”

“Oh really?” Kate smiled. “Then maybe I could take you in fight.”

“Careful!” He interjected quickly. “All forms of violence are forbidden. Even considering causing harm could see you ejected into chaotic space.”

Kate cringed. “Because of the monolith?”

“Their enchantments are absolute.” He replied. “Most magics are also suppressed. Pharos is rarely frequented due to the restrictions.”

The air next to them distorted into a shimmering whirlpool. Eyes lighting in understanding, Silver extended his senses. On the other side of the disturbance, the narrowest of passageway extended towards them. He gripped the end and formed an entrance. He then worked to the expand and stabilize the interior. He felt a distant force helping him. Soon, the foggy corridor was complete.

“Time to travel to Kalonia and greet Debra Sunder.” Kate observed. They stepped inside.