(August '16) Prompt #1- "Dreamfall"

[Kris]

August's 1st prompt is "Dreamfall"



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[m139]

Dreamfall

Who can say exactly when are dream began to fail? When we were forced to see all the holes in this utopia we tried to create? Who can say exactly when the shine of the alabaster walls, once so bright and beautiful in the morning sun, began to burn as evening approached. And even then, that was not enough, for soon they crumbled, and we were left with only the dust of broken dreams.

We tried- and perhaps that was our error there- we tried to reform all of society. True, others had tried this before, but they did not have what we had. Only we had true reason! Only we could do for society what everyone else had failed at! A bright, new, shining start for all humanity! We would wipe out what little remained of disease, we would wipe out what was left of poverty, we would wipe out any bit of inequality we could find! Finally, the world would be just.

And so, we started wiping out that disease, that poverty, that inequality. Perhaps our methods were a bit harsh, but they were necessary. It was all for the common good. And the common people, as a singular group, is much more important than the old term of individual. And so, we did what we had to- everyone received vaccinations, everyone received treatment. And it went alright for a while, at least when the program was introduced. True, there was a little violence from people who did not want to be treated and parents who had been educated in the old way. Still, we accomplished what was necessary without too many casualties. But then, even with the budget, the costs were getting too high. Yet, we had to complete our goal. It was important for humanity as a whole. So we methodically started to release those from our society who had become impractical to care for. This we did, of course, ethically and humanely.

Yet still, people protested. Some claimed that doing this was against "natural law" and others said that it was just wrong. Worse, still, they were teaching their children to repeat these very outdated ideas. And there was very little we could do about it initially- you see, these children were not in the public school systems. No, the children in the public school systems came out perfectly, as we had planned it. It was easy to form those children, as we had them pretty much every day from their third birthday except for about four weeks spread throughout the year. And even then, the children did not have to go home. It was their choice, after all. And there were many who chose never to leave these public boarding schools until they graduated. But it was these other children- somehow, we had to get them out of their parents hands. We had tried making public schooling mandatory, but the politics just had not slid through yet...

So we got around it by changing the test that students were required to take each year. No, we did not touch the standard reading, writing, and arithmetic stuff- it was just fine if the student pasted that. But we added on another section, one that tested ideology. And one that, if they followed their parents outdated views, they would fail. And then, they would need to retake the year in the public school system.

Now, there was a little complaining that this was against "freedom of speech" or something. But our response to this was brilliant. We were not limiting freedom of speech, we were simply making sure that children were able to know the truth from fiction and myth. After all, truth, and the quest for truth, is very important. And we, yes, we alone, had thought we had found it.

In the same way we wiped out poverty. We redistributed wealth. We redistributed land. Time showed that private property cannot be completely abolished, so we made sure everyone owned their little plot, and just placed limits on how much people could get to own, and how much people were allowed to sell. Of course, people protested again. And then there were those who thought this process was unfair. But in the end, those arguments were silenced, by methods of persuasion or force, if necessary. Jobs were handed out to those who had none, and businesses were told to pay them at least out mandated salary. Some businesses refused, some people refused to work. But these problems too, had to be resolved no matter the means. Our perfect society could not fail because of a few, so these issues were also dealt with.

And then, there was the issue of inequality, the one which, no matter how hard we struggled, we could not completely get to go away. You see, there was one slight problem. People, when you see them, are not the same. Anyone can see that one is smarter, one is faster, one is stronger than the other. And then, one is taller, one is male, one is better looking than the other. By themselves, these differences would not matter much. But the problem was, these differences made one get a better job, that another was not able to. Or one was looked upon better than another.

And so we tried, in as many ways as we could, to make everyone equal. Sometimes we would glorify the virtues of the lesser liked, or we would give incentives to help the others along. Or we would try, in other ways to get rid of the extremes. But nothing worked completely, and, though we did not realize it then, we were only making things worse and worse.

And then, one day, we realized it. All our work, everything- it was all a waste. Society was not any better than before. In fact, those children we educated- they seemed to believe in what we had taught them only because there was nothing else to believe. To believe anything else would have revealed the true truth. This utopia was a failure, and we within were failures, far from anything that we could hold on to.

And so, we did the only thing we could do- we held on to the lies, to our defective vision, and we continued plowing backward. We closed our eyes, looking only at the dream we wanted, instead of this fallen world we were truly in.

[Kris]

Aerosia- on the way to Burg

"So, you have a name ma'am, or should I call you Red?"

"Shani", said the woman slowly and after a long pause in which the man failed to respond she added, "Ironically".

Again the main was puzzled, "considering it means 'Crimson' in the old tongue, I can easily say you were not far from truth", she chuckled, "So yes, you can call me 'red', but I would prefer if you would address me as Shani. You are not from around here, are you?"

That was a rhetorical questions, because she figured it was the case from the way he dressed and how lost he appear in her eyes, but what made her be sure of it was the fact he had no knowledge of the "mothers", the sisters dressed in red.

She would have liked to enlighten him but decided it would make her rhetorical in his eyes, a thing she have liked to avoid, because being modest was a principle for the "mothers".

"Where are you from?", she added as the two of them marched onward, "Are you searching for someone?"

***

Norgard

Note: this event takes place before the meeting of Jaylyn and Talia, as to explain how this is coming together.

The banquet held for the siblings of the coming of age of Princess Phaedra Al’Andunn was marvelous.

With the royal familys separated in horizontal table of their own, yes facing the many other tables in the great hall, the party was crowded, and there was hardly any spot of people to walk between.

To keep the guests entertained however, the nobles made sure to keep a spot in the middle, where men dressed as clowns were joggling swords and torches set on fire and beautiful women were dancing in exotic dresses.

Wine spilled, literally, all over, and handsome feast of food and meat was constantly being served.

The princess was beautiful as her mother, even some dared to whisper that the lass will surpass her later in years, as she inherited a lot of beauty traits from both her folks.

There was a little tension with the Nordling knights brought about with queen Glissher, but the druids soon remembered themselves and the peace treaty and were about to welcome everyone as brothers in arms.

The wine as well did help on that of course.

During all these event it was hard not to notice two things. That the princess smile was less frequent than usual, and there were hard storms outside, much unlike the season...

***

On the way to Chanclera- or so it seems...

"This be a bad weather....", said one man as he was busy packing up the lodges for ship that was to carry the two siblings to Chanclera, as to marry off the princess with one of the princes druids there.

They had spent great time of dawn loading and making sure the boat was ready to set sail, and even packed three more ships with warriors for extra escort, but it was really difficult not to notice the hints of storms in the sky, at the further distance.

"It be an omen!", said one of the druids.

"Stop it yer ol' sea dog", called another.

"The marks are visible, I'd say, but it will take 3 moons to reach here, enough time to be on the way", said the third.

"Be a bad omen, me think!", said the first.

"Just stuff your whistle ol' man", said the second as he was carrying an extremely large package on his arms, "The Dream will prevail".

The Dream was a magnificent battle ship, extremely large, made of dark handsome wood. Despite the symbolic nature of the ship, no one thought twice about having the two royal children embark on it, for it was the mostly beautiful looking ship, a worthy way to give away a bride, much more of it was a royal wedding to be held.

***

Thunders kept roaring at the distance, and the storms will not ease. It was a tough journey and the waves increased in a steady pace. It was really hard to navigate in this weather, and the stars were often blocked by heavy clouds.

The druids had to come down with magic to help them to keep trace of their journey so far, following the direction that was given to them by magical enchantment of gems.

But the storms only increased by the day.

***

one ship was lost.

It was not the first time that Many warriors were lost to the sea, but it was even more saddening for this was not time of war, and no battle at sea took place. A pointless death was always something that one had trouble to get over it.

The druids sailors were brave enough as to not shade tears over their fallen friends, as to not make the royal siblings feel responsible, as it was not their fault, but it was hard to keep the moral high.

***

"Fasten the sails!", cried one sailor, "Quick, try to keep steady on the wheel!"

Today was the hardest storm of them all, everyone pulled in the effort to make sure the ship was going to make it. Some were carrying buckets and pushed out waters, some helped to tie the mast, or make sure to throw things that were of no use.

The thunder roars and the rain was horrible. Another ship was lost, and the princes saw the man trying to hold to ship wracks or swim.

Many faces were lost between the horrible waves and mist.

People screamed but their cries were lost among the roars of the wind.

Another horrible wave.

And the Dream... fall...


***

Somewhere in Aerosia

What started as a wedding celebration, soon ended in few bodies washed to shore, while the other lost to the sea.

Maybe some of them survived. Maybe they were heading to Chanclera still...

Whatever the answer, The two princes were now in Aerosia, exhausted and wounded, two children, alone in unknown land.