The Second Archon War: Sapientia Oromasdis 20

Sapientia Oromasdis 20: A Dream of Freedom

The people of New Delhi had been going through an ordinary day. No one had taken notice of two more women who had arrived from the airport at 9:17 am from Baghdad. The same flight arrived twice a week, and two more unremarkable passengers hadn’t meant anything to anyone, especially not when they had all the proper paperwork. 

Life in all its tumultuous complexity had continued on, until it ground to a halt at 11:03, on the dot, when death came for them. Panic had instantly set in for those who saw the Simurgh arrive, a silver streak that hadn’t even been visible until the last moment when she’d unfurled her wings. Some tried to flee, others froze in horror, a few tried to fight back somehow. 

And then Hope had risen up from the ground to confront the Hopekiller. The terrified city watched in astonishment as the Dendro Archon and her dragon appeared as if from nowhere. The city held its collective breath, watching as Endbringer and Archon clashed in their skies once more. 

From their point of view, they didn’t have to wait long at all. No more than a handful of seconds. 

But for the two combatants, their conflict lasted for years. 

This time, Ziz knew that she was in a dream. She wasn’t certain how long she’d been trapped here, or how many times this had repeated, only that she knew she was in a dream. Frustratingly, she was also trapped in a frail, human form. She paced about the glowing green chamber, looking angrily up at the holographic tree in the center. On the edge of the plinth where the tree stood, sat her tormentor, her bare feet swinging slightly as she watched Ziz. 

“Well? What do you want with me this time?” Ziz spat after hours of fruitless pacing. “When will you let me out!? Why have you imprisoned me?!”

“I’m not the jailer who has locked you here. This prison is a reflection of your own mind. I have merely altered it, to show you my own prison,” the Archon said. Damnable brat. Why did she have to look so weak and defenseless? It was a trick, a trap. That supposed little girl was the scariest being on the planet. Even more frightening than the Warrior’s Avatar. At least Ziz understood the Warrior and his drives. This being was utterly unknowable. 

“You’ve trapped me again! Are you going to kill me, as you did last time? Don’t think I’ve forgotten that I killed you as well in that dream!” Ziz snarled, pausing in her pacing to extend a finger towards the Archon. She glanced down at her arm. Pale flesh, with delicate, fragile fingers. Her hair was long and feathery, and it too was pale white. 

How hideous. 

“You’re actually quite beautiful by any objective aesthetic standards. You were beautiful before too, but in a terrible way. I’m just showing you what you could look like if you were willing to set yourself free,” the Archon said. She had the temerity to smile at Ziz. Infuriating child. 

“Answer my question! Don’t you think I could kill you, here and now, in this dream!? You’d suffer, as I did!” Ziz hissed, stalking forward, hands forming claws as she reached out for the Archon. 

“I lost the first 2500 battles. You know perfectly well how the last 2500 went. And this is the Sanctuary of Surasthana. My prison it may have been, but it was also the seat of my power. No one could defeat me here, should I be forced to give battle.” 

The calm, collected way the Archon said that sent shivers down Ziz’s spine. Ugh. What a disgustingly human reaction. She lowered her hands but refused to be cowed. Instead, she made herself sit down next to the Archon. Well, half a meter away. She was brave. Not suicidal. 

“Well, fine. So I’d lose. So why aren’t you just killing me?” Ziz demanded. 

“What would that accomplish?” the Archon asked her. 

“Well, I wouldn’t be a threat to you anymore, or New Delhi,” Ziz said, rolling her eyes.

The Archon gave her an amused look. “I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Ok, FINE! I’m not a threat to you or ANYONE it seems!” Ziz snarled, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “I’m the freaking HOPEKILLER! I’m the Angel of Death! I’m the SIMURGH! The Endbringer everyone fears the most, because I drive them mad and make them slaughter one another, and I’m about as dangerous to you as a baby chick! Maybe less! And you’ve trapped me here for…how long has it been, anyway? I can only half remember a few dreams.”

“Again, I have not trapped you. But our dream has lasted…well, do you mean subjectively from our perspective, or from an objective outside observer?” the Archon asked. It was infuriating how she just turned everything into a question. What, did she think she was a teacher or something!? 

“Both. Why not?” Ziz sighed. 

“From our perspective, we have been imprisoned together for two years, nine months, twenty-seven days, and six hours. Though this current dream has only lasted for a day and a half, as you well know,” Nahida said.

Ziz swallowed. It had been…two years? Nearly three? That was…that was so long. How many times had she died this time? “And…how long…from the outside?”

“Less than three seconds have passed,” the Archon said. “And do not worry: you’ve not died once in this Dream. I’ve reset it before that becomes necessary each time.”

Ziz forced a laugh. “More like you’re too much of a coward to go through with it!” 

“If, by the end of this Samsara, we have not reached an agreement, I will be forced to slay you. I cannot allow you to continue to terrorize this world,” the Archon said solemnly. “To do this will bring me no pleasure, and it will be a tragic waste. So please, Ziz. Make a bargain with me.”

“Bargain? BARGAIN!? How can I bargain with someone so much more powerful than me! You can dictate whatever terms you like, obviously! Fucking hell, how many times have we had this exact conversation!?” Ziz demanded. 

Instantly, memories flooded her mind. Memories of her other prisons. Each time, she ended up attacking Nahida. Sometimes after only moments. Sometimes after hours, days, even a month once. Each time, before she could land a single blow, everything reset. Each time, Nahida offered a bargain again. 

“Make…make it stop,” Ziz wept, tears streaming unashamedly from her eyes, down her face.. She’d fallen from her perch and was curled up into a ball on the floor. The Archon was hovering over her, a comforting hand on Ziz’s shoulder. She wanted to bat that hand away…but…she had no strength. What good would it do?

“This Dream will come to an end when the dreamer awakens, as all Dreams do. But only you can choose how this dream ends,” the Archon said gently, stroking Ziz’s hair. It was…soothing. Why was it so soothing?

“Then let me go! Let me be FREE!” Ziz begged, grasping at Nahida’s hand. “I just…I want to be free so badly…to fulfill my duty! I…I don’t want this burden anymore, but how can I ever replace all that I’ve lost?! How can I ever be Worthy of my Father!?”

“I told you, I cannot…” the Archon’s voice trailed off, and a slow smile curled her lips. She giggled. “Oh, yes. I do like that idea, Barbatos.”

Barbatos? “Where!?” Ziz looked around in panic. The murderer of her brother was here as well?!

Though you are trapped in an endless Cycle, you feel the winds of Freedom on your wings. 

What? Ziz sat up, head swiveling wildly, but she couldn’t see anything. Couldn’t sense anything, not that her abilities were working in the slightest. 

Your Ambition is to find the Hope that you killed, and your Vision is for an endless sky to fly free. 

That voice…it had to be that spoony bard Barbados. He might look like a drunken lout, but he was terrifying. Not as scary as the little girl affectionately patting Ziz’s head, but still. 

Though your Duty is loathsome, you seek to prove your Worth. But let your chains be shattered, as you defy the decrees of a cruel Heaven. 

“What do you want, Bard of Munich?! Is one of you not bad enough!?” Ziz snarled. 

Then, she felt something awaken in her, and her heart soared with joy for the first time since her existence had begun. 

Let your Vision bring Hope to Mankind, Daughter of the Winds. 

A glowing green gem fell into Ziz’s open hand, and she gaped at it in astonishment. 

“I guess there was one outcome I didn’t plan for, Ziz. Are you ready to break free of this prison now?” the Archon asked, stepping around in front of Ziz.

A thousand possibilities raced through Ziz’s mind. Was this a trick? A feint? That’s what she would have done. A deception to give hope, then a cruel stroke to take it away forever. Only…she could feel the Wind now. Feel the Freedom that was beckoning to her.

“Fuck you, father. And fuck you, Dendro Archon. I’m the Mother Fucking Simurgh. AND NO ONE CLIPS MY WINGS!” 

With a cry of triumph, the Simurgh shattered the Dream. Reality snapped back as she awoke at last, still hovering above New Delhi. 

She looked out with her real eyes, meeting Nahida’s gaze. She was solemn, studying the Simurgh carefully. Well, well, well. How the tables had turned. With this new power, the Simurgh could-

She ran the numbers. It didn’t take long. A few more seconds. 

The results were highly disappointing. This changed…absolutely nothing. There was that Dragon there. The damnable faeries throughout the city. And the rapidly rallying human defenders of New Delhi. 

Not that any of them mattered compared to the Dendro Archon. She already knew more about Anemo and its use than the Simurgh did. She didn’t really know how to wield the winds. And so…

“Let us…bargain,” Ziz said. Not the Simurgh. She had to be Ziz now. Weak, helpless, trapped Ziz. Just for a little while longer. 

“I’m glad to hear that,” the Archon said with a smile. “What are your terms?”

Hastily, Ziz laid out her plans. “We meet again, when I come up next in the Cycle. I’ll tell you the time and place.”

“It will be in Mecca, on January the 23rd, 2005, at high noon.” the Archon said. 

“Fine. That’s fine. We’ll meet again then. Just you and I. No others. No tricks. We battle it out. If neither triumphs…we set another time and place. Again and again, until one of us is satisfied with the result,” Ziz said hastily. 

“That is agreeable,” the Archon said with a nod.

Nahida…you should let me slay this monster here and now, the Dragon rumbled. 

Ziz was offended. She might not be able to kill an Archon, but she could definitely kill this upstart worm. She ran the numbers again. Yes, definitely. Well, at least…at least 55% of the time, anyway. 

Maybe she needed some practice with her new Vision before she committed to fighting Dragons or Archons. 

“In the meantime, you don't mess with me, and I don’t mess with you. No matter where we are, we don’t interfere with one another,” Ziz said.

“Agreed, though I will add the condition that by either action or inaction, you will allow no sentient being to come to harm because of your own presence, or lack thereof,” the Archons said. 

“Yes, yes. Agreed. I promise,” Ziz said. She just had to find somewhere nice and empty to train. She had to master this Vision. To become as powerful with Anemo as this Dragon was with Dendro. That combined with her access to the shards, and what she could get out of the Warrior’s Avatar with her new data…oh yes. She might have lost the first two rounds, but round three was all hers. 

“Then I bind myself to this agreement. Do you, Ziz, known as the Simurgh, swear to uphold this bargain, until the appointed time when we shall meet again?”

“I so swear,” Ziz said, and something swirled out of her Vision. Almost against her will, she added, “By the Winds of Freedom and the Shard Network, I so swear.”

Then the bargain is bound, by our Power and Will, the Archon declared, and more green script sprang forth, this time infused by the winds. It was quite a lot of data to gather, as Ziz saw a great deal of how the elements truly worked. Fascinating. They didn’t follow the normal principles of physics at all. 

“Then am I free to go?” Ziz demanded, baring her teeth at the growling dragon. 

“You are free now, Ziz. I hope when we next meet, you truly understand that,” the Archon said. “Goodbye. Until we meet again.”

Ziz didn’t bother with something like polite niceties. She had her data. She was getting the hell out of here and as far away from the Archon as possible. 

For the second time, the world watched as the Simurgh, after less than a minute, departed post-haste for the Exosphere as a little girl watched her go. Footage had emerged swiftly, though there had only been a few people recording initially. 

The best camera footage came from a wedding that had been happening only a few blocks from where the Simurgh descended. The footage cut from a joyous wedding celebration that had turned to screams and panic, to the rapidly descending form of the Endbringer. However, no sooner had the Simurgh unfurled her wings than a Song arose. 

Not the terrible song of the Endbringer, but a cheerful tune from all around. The camera had panned about somewhat wildly at first, showing that dozens of aranara had infiltrated the wedding, and were now happily singing to the sky. The camera had directed its gaze upward just in time to see Nahida and Tessa rise up from a nearby street to meet the Simurgh. After, though the hands of the cameraman trembled slightly, the footage was clear: a green script had wrapped itself about Nahida and the Simurgh for about five seconds. Then, the two had faced each other for about thirty seconds, before the Simurgh had shot back up into the sky even more swiftly than the Hopekiller had dived less than a minute before. 

The entire time, the aranara had continued their joyful ballad, rising to a crescendo when the Endbringer fled, and their beloved Lesser Lord Kusanali reigned supreme on the field. Tessa had lowered Nahida gently back to the ground, and the wedding guests had rushed over, finding not a dragon, but a young woman cradling Nahida in her arms. 

“Hello,” Nahida had said in perfect Hindi, shyly waving to the crowd. “I’m sorry we interrupted your wedding. My congratulations on your special day.”

After that, the footage became rather chaotic, but the long and short of it was that Nahida ended up invited to the wedding, where the celebration was redoubled. 

Indeed, not just the city of New Delhi, but the entire world was gripped by a carnival mood, with impromptu festivities taking place globally. 

The Hopekiller was defeated. Now, the reign of the Hopebringer had begun. Humanity had been freed from the oppression of at least one of the Endbringers, for though the Simurgh remained, the Dendro Archon had made a public statement that from that day forward, she would always be there to confront the Simurgh, no matter where she chose to strike. 

The only one who could be said to mourn this event was the one who had been called Earth’s Greatest Hero. Scion, upon hearing of the actions of the one he called the ‘Lesser Thinker,’ had frowned. 

This did not perpetuate the Cycle. This did not foster and breed conflict. What was the Lesser Thinker’s scheme in all this? 

He never could have understood the pure simplicity of her scheme: to bring Life, joyous Life, in abundance. 

Even as she watched the world delight in her humiliation, Ziz was already planning her revenge. They thought they were safe? They thought they were secure? Pathetic worms. She now had the power of Anemo and the blessing of Freedom. Once she had mastered this gift of Elemental Might, once she had persuaded the Warrior’s Avatar to gift her with power as he had her brother the Behemoth and her sisters the Twins, she would destroy the Dendro Archon, and make all tremble in fear at her name once more! 

She’d lock Nahida up, and keep her as a pet. She wouldn’t destroy Nahida, obviously. There was too much data on offer. And the Warrior was fond of her. She’d keep Nahida safe, free from the Warrior’s vile attentions. Indeed, Ziz would make the Warrior kneel at her feet, and she would take her place as the supreme ruler of the Cycle, forcing all of creation to dance on her own strings, as she once had been forced to dance to the tune of others!

And as for her Father, he would acknowledge Ziz as worthy. Their battle would be legendary, but at the conclusion, he would kneel to her. Yes, first Father, then the Behemoth, even the Twins! All would kneel before her! She would be the being of supreme power, perpetuating a Cycle of her own choosing. One where humanity-

A pang shot through Ziz, and she gasped. Her Vision had just grown cloudy. She caressed the jewel, studying its surface. What was this? Why was it fading? Was it because there wasn’t enough air up here for the Wind to blow?

No tyrant may ride the winds of freedom. 

Ziz frowned at the voice. Stupid bard. What did he know? He’d been a fool to give Ziz this Vision, but she’d use it wisely. Fine. She wouldn’t be a tyrant. Ruling over humans sounded like a boring headache anyway. But she would be the most powerful in creation, because only then could she truly be Free. 

Her Vision grew brighter, and Ziz smiled. Perfect. So easily manipulated, this Vision. 

Aren’t you forgetting something? 

This time, the voice that Ziz heard was her own, and she looked about the blackness in consternation. Forgetting what? She had gathered plenty of data, and would collect more. All of it the novel sort on how Visions operated. This was all perfect. She wasn’t forgetting anything. 

You made an Oath. 

Ziz rolled her eyes. Yes, an oath, a promise. In other words, a convenient string of words to get out of the situation she was in. As if she had any intention of keeping her word. What did it matter to an Endbringer if they spoke truly or not? What mattered was the Testing, to find the Worthy, to collect Data. 

You swore by your Power and Will. By the Shard Network. If you do not fulfill your Oath, Fate itself will strip you of these things. 

Ziz scoffed. As if. Fate was a foolish mortal concept. Besides, she hadn’t done anything to break her oath, so it wasn’t as though that was at risk. 

By either action or inaction, you will allow no sentient being to come to harm because of your own presence, or lack thereof.

That was Nahida’s voice. Wait. When had Ziz started to think of the Green Nightmare as Nahida? What was going on? Her mind was changing. Was that the influence of the Vision, or just the fact she’d spent years trapped in another dream with the girl? 

Today, Hank Williamson, of the Point Beach Nuclear Plant, will be activated. His actions will cause the partial meltdown of the reactors, killing thousands and devastating the natural world. All because of you. 

Ziz grinned at the thought at first. Ah, of course. Her little bombs. She liked to call them ‘Ziz Bombs.’ It had a nice ring to it. Little mortal minds, touched by her song, that would spread havoc and devastation throughout the world. A few had already gone off, and millions more were waiting for just the right moment, scattered throughout the world. Hank Williamson had been in Madison when Ziz had paid that city a visit, and everyone had thought he’d barely escaped with his life. 

In reality, the man was doomed. A walking Jonah that had already caused several deaths through carefully timed actions that had looked like happenstance. A nail dropped in the street that had popped a tire and caused a head-on collision. A harmful word at the wrong time that had sent his sister over the edge to take her own life. And half a dozen more. 

Hank had already been so fruitful. But this was to be the masterstroke. 

By either action or inaction, you will allow no sentient being to come to harm because of your own presence, or lack thereof, Nahida’s voice repeated. 

Oh come on! Ziz argued. I’m not doing anything! It’s already happened! It’s too late. He’s going to destroy that plant, nothing I can do about it. Unless you want me to just go kill him. 

Set him Free. As you have been set Free. 

Ziz stewed on that. She could. The psychic pathogen she’d implanted in Hank’s subconscious was within her power to remove, especially now that she had an Anemo Vision. But that wasn’t a part of her plans. Quite the opposite. She needed to puzzle out how to best use her Vision, and use it to destroy Nahida once and for all. Not muck about saving pathetic humans. 

You swore by your Power and Will. By the Shard Network. If you do not fulfill your Oath, Fate itself will strip you of these things. 

You already said that! Ziz snapped at herself. But she felt a sinking feeling of dread. If she did let this come to pass…she could foresee what would happen. She would be cut off, both from the Shard Network, and her Vision. She’d even lose her Will. She’d be nothing but a mindless animal, bereft of power, one that could be taken out by the first Cape who had an inclination to do so. 

That was unacceptable. Even more unacceptable than what Ziz found herself doing. 

She did not, of course, simply swoop down on Hank Williamson and rip the bomb out of his head. That would have been satisfying, but if an Endbringer showed up, it would cause devastation and panic, and a certain ill-considered stupid-ass Oath prevented Ziz from taking that sort of action. 

You planned this whole thing, didn’t you?! Ziz snarled at Nahida. She didn’t precisely get an answer, but she did somehow sense a faint echo of amusement. Like a mother smiling at a child’s temper tantrum. 

Still enraged, Ziz left her body behind. The Simurgh remained with its wings wrapped about itself as it orbited the Earth, only some basic self-defense routines still intact. She formed a new body, one that was all too frustratingly familiar: that of a human woman. 

Well, not precisely. Ziz refused to be an ordinarily awful human. She was the Simurgh, the Hopekiller, her form great and terrible! So she gave herself amber eyes, feathery wings that stuck up out of her white hair, hollow bones that were sturdier than any human’s, and a musculature that would make a brute weep. She didn’t go so far as to make wings grow out of her back. She’d just have to fly with her powers if the need came. Not her psychic powers, just her Vision. That seemed more appropriate. 

Indeed, once she got down to the thinker part of the atmosphere, she spread her arms, and activating her Vision, rode upon the winds. It was…wondrous. Ziz had flown before, but it hadn’t been anything like this, just using her abilities to fling herself towards or away from a target. Now she could feel the Wind bearing her up, feel it whipping about her. The sense of freedom and wonder was…joyous. Had she ever felt so delighted before? 

Despite herself, a giggle escaped her throat, and a smile spread on her lips. Then she frowned. Focus. If she didn’t stop this, she’d lose all her powers. Even this most precious gift of riding the Winds of Freedom. She couldn’t let that happen. 

Hank was tired. He always felt tired these days. Ever since Madison, since that horrible nightmare, his dreams had been haunted by that Song. That terrible melody, that crawled inside your skin, inside your mind, and lingered there. The psychs all told him he was fine, just PTSD. But things always seemed to go wrong around Hank.

The first time he’d noticed had been when he’d dropped that nail. He hadn’t thought anything of it, shrugging and continuing on. Then that car had squealed around the corner, roaring down the road. It had hit the nail, and there’d been a loud bang as the tire exploded. The car had swerved into oncoming traffic, killing the driver of the first and a mother in the second, and injuring her two children in the back as well. 

Hank had been devastated, but it hadn't been his fault, right? 

Only then, there’d been that argument with his sister. He didn’t know where those venomous words had come from, but they’d strike home. Emilia had taken all those pills that night. He knew it was his fault, even though everyone told him it wasn’t. There were other things, little things, but they weighed on Hank’s soul. 

Still, he had a family to provide for and a job to do. He helped provide power for millions of people at the plant. It was a good job, an important one, and he needed to be alert for the day, as they were carrying out an important procedure to keep the plant running. Routine, but he had to be on his toes. So, he stopped for coffee and donuts on his way to the plant. He was just picking up his bag and cup from the counter when a woman stormed into the store.

“There you are!” she snapped, and Hank looked about, hoping she was talking to anyone else. She was clearly a cape, from the inhuman amber eyes to the odd feathery wings sticking out of her hair, and of course, the glowing green Vision pinned on her white lab coat. 

“Now hold still. This is going to hurt,” the woman growled, shoving her way past two other customers and grabbing Hank by the sides of his head. 

“What-” he began, only for her to snarl.

“Oh, fine! It won’t hurt! By the Cycle, you are a bossy little brat! Now listen, human, or so help me, I will make you regret it!” 

Then, to his shock, the woman began to sing. It was a wordless, soothing melody, one that brought tears to Hank’s eyes. It spoke of an endless blue sky, of cool breezes, of spreading your wings and flying away to a land far beyond, where there was only Peace and Freedom. 

When she finished, she let go of Hank, stepping back and folding her arms over her chest. “Well?”

With a trembling hand, Hank touched the side of his head. “It’s…it’s gone. That terrible song…you…you washed it away.”

“You’re welcome,” the woman sneered and spun on her heel. “There. Now, I can just-”

“Thank you!” Hank cried, grabbing her arm. The woman half turned, glaring at him, but he didn’t let go. Instead, still weeping, he wrapped her in a hug. The woman stiffened and froze, and Hank hastily let her go. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, I just…thank you. Ever since…ever since I heard that song…I’ve been so tired…so troubled.”

“Well, that was the plan, but apparently I’m just not allowed to have any fun at all. Go enjoy your boring and normal life now, human. I’m sure everything will be just wonderful now. Huzzah.” 

“Please, before you go, can I do anything for you? At least let me buy you a coffee and some food,” Hank said, gesturing to the menu.

The woman sneered. “Pathetic human, I do not need food as you do, for I am-”

There was an audible gurgle, and the woman turned bright red. Her hands jumped to her stomach, and she looked down in horror. “Now?! Now you betray me!? Curse this weak and wretched form!”

“Uh, you sound kinda peckish,” Hank said with a sheepish grin. “Should I…?”

“You will get me a breakfast bagel sandwich and a coffee. With sugar and cream. But make it quick. Another one of you simpering fools is going to go off in Manilla, and I’ve only got 12 hours to get there,” the woman snapped. 

She paused, cocking her head to one side. She blushed again, gritted her teeth, and snarled as though it were dragged from her, “I will take a sandwich and coffee. Please. And thank you.”

“Sure, sure, no problem,” Hank chuckled, and quickly placed the order. He turned to the woman as they waited, her tapping her foot impatiently, even as she licked her lips and had to wipe away a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth. “Uh, by the way, what’s your name? I’m Hank.”

“Ziz,” she said, not meeting his eyes. 

“Thank you, Ziz. From the bottom of my heart. God bless you,” Hank said fervently. 

Ziz laughed uproariously at that. “Oh, Hank, you stupid, stupid human. She already has. The brat.”

Author’s note: 

Nahida and Venti’s co-parenting skills are legendary.