After my adventure stopping a cyborg invasion, I rested at home with the crystal objects a golem had given me. At least I think he is a golem. His response was "Sure, let's go with that," when I asked him. He gave me a crystal disc with a hole in the center after I had shown I collected some strange doorknob shaped crystals throughout the areas I explored. I figured he must have placed those where I found them, considering he only gave me the disc when I had shown him I had collected colored stones. I guess I could call them message stones, as when I placed them in the disc I would hear a message in his gravely voice.
That was how I knew it was from him, the messages were clearly in his voice. There was a pattern to the recordings. Each message began with a word in a different language. All of them were a word meaning "bat," or a specific kind of bat. That was this rocky fellow's way of addressing me in these messages.
The fifth of such messages began with a word in my grandfather's native tongue. A literal translation of the word contained the name of a river, flying, and dog. At least that is what we were called when we were respected in that country. I knew from what gramps Spruce told me he left that place behind when he was just a pup around my age. And I learned just how dire it was near the end of my adventure.
The pieces fell together in my head when I was on the invading airship. In a room lined with gold I found an oddly friendly mole. She said she wasn't always under the control of the cyborg king, but was locked in that room when even he needed to rest his brain. She told me of a time there was a ruler worse than Mecha. A ruler who "would not have allowed your people to live." What kind of cruel leader would not have allowed my people to live?
I put two and two together when I remembered Spruce crying after I asked him what happened to those who were left behind. My heart sank at the realization. "Was this the ruler my grandpa told me about?" I asked her.
"Unfortunately, yes. That was the leader your grandfather told you about," she replied. Both of us were crying by this point.
"Wait, how did you know that?" I asked.
"Your mother and I talked about this. Listen, what I am about to tell you is important," she responded firmly.
"I knew she was around here somewhere," I interrupted. "And I will make it up to dad to set them free."
"You have a wonderful family, but I need to tell you something your grandpa didn't." she urged.
"In the place your grandfather left behind, horrible things happened. Against your people,
many people,
no, what happened there were crimes against ALL people."
"So that means..." I whimpered.
"You wouldn't be here today had he not left that country behind," she stated.
"Why are you telling me this now?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes.
"You would have to learn the truth eventually," she cried out in response.
"And who was this evil one?" I asked
"Well, to refer to him by his species would be a bloodstain upon them. And I know your people would be uncomfortable should I utter his name. His ideas of some people being worthless by what species they are poisoned the world."
"Wasn't I about to confront Mecha soon?" I asked. "I am not sure how this gets me ready for that fight."
"Even Mecha would fight with you against one so cruel as to declare your life worthless. Mecha is not so far gone as for there to be no hope for him."
"Are you sure that's not the mind control talking?" I asked. "The way I see it, Mecha's plan is to enslave the world with cyborg brain things."
"But even he is not so hopeless as to condemn your people to certain death. He has that much good in his heart."
"That's not saying much," I replied. "And why would you help me anyway? I bet Mecha is recording all this, and won't like the fact you have been helping me stop his plans."
She clutched her head and complained of a headache. Could the cyborg parts controlling her have turned back on at that moment? I flew back up in a vent and went back to searching for keys. Now that I look back, I realize I had most of the Jade Leaves at that time, and that was what Mecha was really after. Was letting me free my family as a tradeoff to lure me into confronting him so he could claim the relics for himself? After all, he had one of them and I had six. Although, I guess that didn't really matter considering the miracle that happened after we fought.
Anyway, the rest of the message on that doorknob shaped stone talked about the ancient texts of my people, and a call to bring freedom. I suppose this is something he could say openly, as he lives in a cave and seems like he can't be hurt by whatever the cyborgs can throw at him. He's not the one who is enslaved by a machine attached to his skull.
I think a lot about that mole lady's views on the world. I imagine what she is saying about him is not what she really thinks, but to what amount I am not sure. From here on this island a good deal South of the Ganges, I wonder if she really hates her boss but is just in denial. As opposed to my ancestors, who were around the Nile.
