“Johan is… is alive?”
Aryu looked at him, gauging his seriousness. Reading plenty, he answered. “Of course. We went into it together; we were supposed to come home together. He likely doesn’t have a clue what's been going on. I'm sure he knows about Tan Torna Qu-ay by now, but not that I'm alive, or you.”
Esgona looked honestly shocked and confused. “They said he was dead.”
“Who did? Who's dead?” Aryu felt like he was talking to Nixon all over again, only hearing disjointed thoughts that offered him nothing.
“Johan. They said he had died, that you killed him.”
Aryu couldn't believe what he was hearing. “I killed him? Ridiculous! I've saved his life a dozen times by now, and he mine. Why would I kill the man I call my brother?”
“That's what they said. Right after they arrived, the Herald and its companions. They said you killed him then returned to the south before disappearing into the north once more. It was why they came to us looking for you.”
“Return to the south? Esgona, I've never been south in my life! We went north, the Great Range and beyond. Why would I go to them at all?”
“Because one like you leads them, Aryu. Someone with wings, and they said you worked with them.”
The Shi Kaze dropped from his hand effortlessly. All the power it possessed couldn't keep it from being released in the wake of such an emotional onslaught.
“Esgona, they just destroyed my home, killed my family, were ready to take me away, knocking me out cold in the process, and you think I work with them?”
“That's what they said.” Esgona looked lost, a common state for this trio.
The one most accustomed to this feeling interjected at last as the two young ones pondered what they've been told. “Are either of ya really surprised tha’ they would use trickery and deception t’ meet their ends? They lied to the villagers t’ more easily obtain their goal; they lied to ya both about tha destruction of yer town. 'Ow much easier was it t' agree to 'and over Aryu upon 'is return if ya were to believe tha' he was the one who 'ad killed his friend and joined 'em?”
“It wasn't so simple, Nixon. They had proof. Moving images of him that appeared to show him holding that sword barking orders to masses of machines. It was unmistakably him.”
Nixon thought about that, realizing the man had never seen a video recording in his life. He'd likely never even heard of one. This culture’s avoidance of technology was apparent from the moment he arrived in this land. He described to them both how ancient races had the abilities to not only record and document images, both static and moving, but to also change and manipulate these images to show anything they wanted. The process of creating one that showed what Esgona was referring to would be relatively simple for an army with such advanced technology.
Esgona remained unwavering. “Alright then, Nixon. That's all well and good, but please explain why I saw one like him there, in the south, with my own eyes?”
Nixon and Aryu looked at him unbelievingly. He said it not with arrogance, but with something closer to embarrassment, possibly shame.
A twinge of realization hit Aryu. “Esgona, why were you in the south?” No answer. Aryu pressed on. “Esgona, we have a hard time believing you unless we have a damn good reason to.”
“I was there,” he said quietly. “I was there when the ships appeared on the horizon. I was there when the attacks started and the Army of the Old made landfall. I watched them march through the towns and villages, killing and burning indiscriminately. Some they captured and asked questions. If they said something they took interest in, they took them away. The others they killed.”
“'Ow do ya know this?” Nixon asked, interested in the story, but aware that time was quickly wasting.
“Because I said something they were interested in. I had been away from Tan Torna Qu-ay for some time, but when the machines attacked, they collected a random selection of people and began asking them the same three questions: ‘Where are you from? Do you know anyone with a mutation, and if so, what is it? Have you seen anyone with Embracer weapons?’ I learned later they were looking for something like that sword. Hogope didn’t answer fast enough. He was killed before he finished pissing himself in fear. Fortunately, once I was asked the first two questions while imprisoned, they were satisfied enough with my answers. They released me, giving me over to the Herald and his small entourage. That was when I saw the one like you, telling the armies where to go and what to do from a platform high above, wings and all. I promise you, I'll never forget that."
He paused, hesitant to tell the next part of his tale. Nixon coughed, urging him on. Esgona continued, pain on his face. “They took me away and then brought me back home, following my directions along the way. After we landed for a short rest I told them I needed to get my bearings. I attempted to escape, only to be shot in the leg and tortured for my insubordination as they called it. Although they healed my wounds with amazing efficiency, they were certain to maintain the scars and limp it left me with. I didn't try to escape again.”
He told them of his subsequent return home and the meetings with his mother, who refused to give Aryu up. “Even after the evidence and my word of mouth about your true nature.” Aryu held his tongue. Esgona was just getting fired up again. Better to just let him. “My mother was a fool. It got her killed.”
“I know tha’ once they 'ad Aryu they would 'ave
