Babel and the Fireflies

The sun was at the center of the sky. Certain clouds passed by. In the distance certain migratory birds can be seen flying away. All of this were partially visible only through the opening above. Dense leaves and thick wood branches encircled the view of the sky. There were irregularities at the inner circle. But just as the wind swayed them, the leaves would fall back to their perfect place. The trees were further at the side. The barks of the trees appeared freshly untouched. At the shaded base of the trees, glowed specks of light, mana, the very essence of magic. The grass rustled to life as the wind pondered on the green and made a splash of calm gentle waves on the little pool beside. The bank beneath the trees were shaded and thought transpaent appeared blueish in hue.

The flowing light, that shone above the pool magnified, formed crystal sparkles.  They were arranged i  an intricate circular pattern. The crystal lights pulsated strongly like bubbles, and instead of bursting, a threadlike line of light linked towards the crystals at the side of the island pedestal in the middle of the pool. The crystal lights turned to mana and were assimilated by the crystals. The cycle repeated after a while. The pedestal island in the middle were adorned in crystals from its base. A singular prominent crystal touched the pool of clear water.

The railing appeared metallic in color but were actually magically woven branches that surrounded the island in the middle of the pool. Ancient symbols can be seen on the railings as well as certain tiles on the floor.

There was an inner sanctum hidden behind walls in pedestal island. Ancient symbols can be seen within but unlike the ones outside they glowed. The inside inner sanctum was larger compared to the size of the island itself.

Leon Skybriar was the captain of a renowned band of adventurers, the Scholars of the Firefly. They were a group of adventurers tasked with investigating and unearthing the truth and history of the world. The Scholars of the Firefly was a tight band composed of seven knight and scholars along with their six assistants. Most of the kingdom recognized and supported the group. The support given them could come in form of food supply, lodging, strongholds or keeps and from time to time, knights in training and adventurers looking for work. Andrew Skybriar, the younger brother of Leon, unofficially named them Knights of the Firefly.

Leon walked out of the inner sanctum and stopped just before the bridge connecting the pedestal island and the surrounding forest. Andrew followed him behind. At the other side of the bridge were the adventurers variedly waiting. Most were at ease and enjoying their free time. Some of them were resting. There were some that enjoyed a fruitful debate. The mercenaries hired at the last minute, were engaged in a heated argument.

When the commanding officer noticed Leon’s arrival, he blew his trumpet signaling everyone to stand and line in formation. The group of roughly fifty people unsystematically rushed taking their stance and hardly going to formation. Andrew hardly covered his laughter. Leon glanced at his brother. He will reprimand him later for his misconduct as high official. Though untrained he did not want anyone to laugh at other's mistake, no matter how trivial it is.

Leon’s gaze went back to the group and crossed the bridge.

“Fireflies!” Leon shouted. Andrew casted a spell that linked his brother’s thoughts to the group. “We will be using the Babel Gateway to teleport us to Jerusalem. Though it took time to set the portal up. Rest assured that everything will somehow run smoothly. Much like how our ancestors used this gateway and how the angel’s protected them, it is going to be safe. Yes. It will most likely going to be safe”

The Babel Gateway was designed by the ancient angel race. Long ago, the creatures of the land were in discord. There stood no leader amongst the races and other races deemed the other inferior. There were wars among the races and there were wars too even among themselves. But the angels did not want that and so they gave all the races the gift of the common tongue. It was language that made it possible for each of the races of their own to understand each other. It was language, too, that made it possible for each race to choose a leader for themselves.

Even still, the many races did not want themselves equal or inferior to others. Wars against others still happened. The angels wanted peace and order to prevail. 

They gained a few supporters amongst the creatures but there were those who didn't. The angels were plotting to conquer them, said those who opposed the plan for peace. The angels kept to their neutrality. They sought out the leaders of the races to discuss peace but it proved useless. They could not settle peace by convening it with only one race at a time.

The angels wanted to gather them in one place for a moot to happen but finding a place on the land was futile. Their mistrust does not allow entry to other territory without any bloodshed. The angels as a last resort made a place in their own world for the representatives to meet.

Travel between worlds was hazardous to the creatures of the land. The angels expended much magic energy to keep the representatives safe.

During the return of the representatives an angel died due to overexhaustion. The promised peace took a while to happen but it happened nonetheless. Disputes between races still occured and so the different races joined in hand in helping build the Babel. A gateway arch to commemorate the first angel who died for peace and a passageway to travel between the land and the world of angels. The moot happens only once in a decade. In order to keep the Babel's significance in its time unusued the angels proposed it be used as a means of travel in the land.

After the speech of Leon, Luca called Isaac to the inner sanctum of the pedestal island.

“I know Leon’s speech was not too reassuring but I wanted to see your face before we use the portal. Aren’t you scared, Isaac?” Luca asked. “This won’t be the first time Babel was used to teleport to long distances. Just last week Vi along with the assistants used it.They're already in Jerusalem waiting for us.”

“I’m not scared,” Isaac answered.

The space inside the inner sanctum was large enough to let in about a hundred humans at a time. It was incomparably spacious than the outer sanctum that it would only hold as much as ten humans.

The wooden floor appeared tarnished, signs it was trodden frequently in a short span of time. The small fracture on the floor was visibly glowing, it was magically mending itself. The floor surrounding the engraved symbols appeared dull compared to the symbol themselves. Though easily disregarded, the symbols looked polished and emanating mana. The wooden walls were adorned by adjacent gemstones. In the middle were candles that glowed magic flames. The color of the flame corresponded with the color of the stained glasses near the top. Etched on the glasses were different races and beneath glasses were words exclusively readable to the race. The words only readable to human beings was “Free Will.” The rest were completely incomprehensible to the unlearned. The ceiling was hollowed out. Outside, the leaves and branches can be seen, the sun was way past the center and the night sky had taken color.

“Do you know what those words mean?” Luca asked and pointed towards the stained glasses.

“Free Will,” Isaac answered.

“What about that one?” Luca asked pridefully. She thought of Isaac wasn’t educated as she was.

“Da...dra..drowned” Isaac answered ineptly. “Sea.. seek.. Seeker.. Of.. truth?” Luca appeared surprised. She didn’t know Isaac could read them. This infuriated her. She ranted against Isaac.

She him that he cheated and that he already asked the other scholars what the symbols on the stained glasses meant. Isaac smiled and lie. He admitted he did.

“I knew it!” Luca said. “Between the two of us, I’m more knowledgeable.” Isaac nodded in agreement.

Upon noticing Isaac was with Luca, Leon and Mary joined them.

“You're as childish as ever, Luca,” Mary said as she gave her a sharp disapproving look.

“I can’t teach someone who already knew the answer,” Luca said. “I wish some of us would just learn to keep quiet.” Luca looked around sharply.

“I’m glad you joined us once more, Isaac,” Leon said as he tapped his hands on Isaac’s shoulder. “I hope it won’t be like last-” Luca’s bright eyes appeared dimmed. Leon noticed it and stopped what he was about to say. “Mary, isn’t it about time Rhea finalizes the set up?”

“We’re only waiting for your words, captain,” Mary answered. She appeared noticeably ignoring Isaac all the while they were together. “Shall we go tell Rhea to start?” Leon reluctantly agreed. Streak of cold sweat slid down his head. His hands were slightly trembling. Mary noticed it. “Captain, if you’re not too sure about this, you shouldn’t have told everyone outside of your VERY reassuring speech.”

Leon wanted to argue but he knew there was nothing Mary wouldn’t notice. He took a deep breath and mustered his courage.

 

“Let’s do this.” Leon courageously and reluctantly said. He then told Isaac to stay in the inner sanctum to see what will happen next. Aside from Andrew, he was fond of Isaac and treated him much like a real brother. Andrew always reluctantly smile when the topic was asked of him.

The two wooden pillars in the middle of the inner sanctum stood parallel to each other. It looked archaic yet new. At the top were two branches arching inward. In the middle of these two branches was a gemstone suspended in the air and slowly rotating. A faint light can be seen stretching from the sky through the gem and toward the wooden floor. Besides the pillars were a foreign looking stone tablet left by the ancient angels race.

Rhea was standing in front of the stone tablet. She appeared to be praying. Her hands were clasped together all the while shaking. Leon, along with Mary, approached her. She was too occupied in her thoughts that she didn’t hear who was calling out to her. Leon suddenly went close to her and tapped her shoulder. Rhea was startled and suddenly slapped Leon on the face.

“Captain?” Rhea came back to her senses when she saw Leon’s cheek was red. She immediately apologized over and over again. Leon immediately forgave her and laughed. He admitted it was his fault for surprising her.

“Captain!” Mary quickly retorted. “You are our captain, right? How can you be respected if you let things like this fly off easily? And you Rhea!” Rhea once again apologized repeatedly. “Refrain from physically harassing your superior. You are the smartest one among us. Have confidence in what you do. The captain wouldn't have ordered you to do this if he knew you couldn’t do it.” Mary glanced back at Leon. “If there were any other knight around here I would have resorted to using a memory alteration spell.”

“No need for do that,” Leon said. Mary remembered Isaac was there. “Mary, it’s alright.” Leon stopped her. He looked at Isaac and he looked back at her. They understood each other.

“I don’t know why you even became the captain of the firefly,” Mary said in a disappointed voice.

Leon smiled and proudly said:  “Everyone loves me.” Mary smiled and tightly held Leon’s shoulder armor. The metallic armor slightly bent inward. Leon’s eyes widened and apologized to Mary.

After sorting out what happened. Leon ordered the rest of the fireflies to enter the inner sanctum. Once everyone was there, Leon took a battle stance. He appeared to be collecting mana from the very land and he suddenly shouted.

“Babel open!”

Luca’s eyes widened. The other knights and scholars were amazed as well. Mary would have been amazed if she had not seen Rhea’s surprised expression. Their captain's action served no purpose. Rhea placed her palm on the stone tablet to start the gateway.

Dense magic emanating from the two pillars thickened as light flickered from the base to the top. Symbols appeared randomly around the pillars. Circling beams of light pulsated around the pillar moving from bottom to top speeding up in time. The ancient symbols on the floor in the inner sanctum lit up. The floating gemstone in the middle of the branches rotated faster. Different colored light from the gems on walls streaked past the room and focused on the floating gemstone in the middle.

The gemstone grew brighter and brighter. Soon enough the whole room was engulfed in a blinding light. The portal opened. And the fireflies were teleported away.