A Shattered World - Part 1 of 3

“When names lose their meaning, we cannot tell right from wrong. When right and wrong are mixed, truth is absent. When truth is absent, proper deeds fail. Without proper deeds, kingdoms fall and the world shatters.” 

Yunari proverb

“Something’s come over him.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“He won’t name.”

“He won’t name?!” 

“Yes, he won’t name. What’s going to happen if we don’t have the names for things? Is this how it all ends? Is it time for the world to fall apart?” 

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Sylara* headed for the library with agitated steps. She knew that’s where she would find him. What was he thinking? Won’t name… How could he even consider that was an option? 

She made her way through the platinum halls of the celestial palace. The view from the wide windows on either side of the hall would be enough to make any mortal man lose his air. It was a panoply of cloudy mountain peaks, majestic forests, and serene lakes - the best landscapes of Vastina. Gods or not, they still enjoyed the simple beauty of the mortal world. 

Sylara had always looked forward to her carefree walks along these halls. She usually took her time - marvelling at what was out there. Deep green forests peppered with vivid wildflowers. Tall mountain peaks, frosted with the white of ever-present snows. Sometimes, she would even sit on one of the many terraces and paint what she saw. But today was different. She had to speak to him. His obtuseness could not be left unchecked for too long. 

She nearly charged into the heavy golden doors of her husband’s library. The room was as she had always remembered it - countless aisles of books and scrolls as far as her eyes could see. Every piece of knowledge ever collected, in every language imaginable, had its place within these walls. She glanced to the side where Lexion’s** heavy marble desk sat. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen the ornate carvings on its surface. Usually, it was covered in all sorts of papers and scrolls. Lexion had always been busy with his work. This wasn’t a good sign. She looked behind the workstation and saw the terrace door aghast. Lexion was outside. Harp in hand, he sat observing the steady rhythms of advancing white clouds, occasionally plucking a sting with lazy fingers. 

“What’s this I hear? You won’t name anymore?” 

“Yes, that’s right. I’m done with names,” he said matter-of-factly. 

“You’re done with names? You are the lord of names. That’s your only responsibility. You can’t just stop naming. The world doesn’t stop just because you’re done.”

“I’m tired, Sylara. I have no inspiration left.” 

“Inspiration has got nothing to do with it. It is your duty.” 

“Duty?” he scoffed. “Who do I owe this duty to? Those ungrateful mortals down there? Those who seek to undermine me with all their science and magic? With their universities and academies? With their holy scriptures? It seems like they’re doing just fine without me. Why should I slave over them if they don’t even remember my name anymore? If they’re so clever, they can figure it out without me.” 

“And what if they can’t.” 

“If they can’t, that’s their problem. The universe will go on. Nature will go on. It seems like nature could use a break from people anyway.” 

“You can’t be serious. You can’t be so naive…” 

“Why am I the naive one when they thought they could replace me in the first place? Let them try. I’m tired anyway. I can’t keep coming up with names for every little thing they make.” 

“But you can’t just stop.” 

“And why not?” 

“It is not the way of things.” 

“The way of things is ultimately unknowable, my dear Sylara. I have no power or understanding of the ‘way of things’. And neither do you. You can’t define it, you can’t name it. It’s only people and their civilization that ever needed me. And it seems they’ve outgrown me.” 

“They’ve outgrown their place in the world and that’s exactly the problem, Lexion. Can’t you see where your inaction leads? This will affect everything.” 

“Bah, you’ve lost your head, woman. The universe did just fine before they came along. The stars never needed naming, did they? The trees still rustled under gusts of wind. Water still rumbled in the riverbeds. The birds still sang their song, didn’t they? They’ll continue to do just that without my help. I don’t care much for the babble of words anymore.” 

“It’s already beginning, Lexion. If my words don’t convince you, maybe my visions will,” Sylara waved her hand towards the clouds near their balcony. They parted to reveal a picture from the mortal world.

* * *

It was a beautiful summer day in Harveston. Or was it spring? No matter, Jon though. He was delighted whatever the season was. Today was the day he would finally become a landowner. He had been a farmhand as long as he could remember. All these years he had worked tirelessly, saving money, looking forward to this very day. 

He came up to the crossroads, where they were supposed to meet. Allie was already waiting for him there, together with another man. The stranger wore a funny purple hat - a symbol of his authority, some would say. Jon just thought it was a funny hat. What was he again? Jon couldn’t remember the word for it… The man with all the papers sounded like enough of a definition for him.  

“Good day, Jon,” Allie offered his hand. 

“Mornin’, Allie! How’s the missus?” 

“Glad to see me out of the house for one,” Allie chuckled.

“Mhm, I can understand that,” Jon laughed tapping Allie on the shoulder. 

“Shall we, gentlemen,” the man with the funny hat interrupted the niceties. “I have another appointment to get to before noon.” 

“Yes, fine by me,” Allie said. 

“Go on then,” Jon nodded toward the funny hat. 

“I have prepared all the documentation for today right here,” the man unfurled a scroll about as long as Jon’s arm. Jon never understood the point of all the paper. The way he saw it, Allie and he could shake hands and be on their way. But Allie had insisted they do this proper. 

“I won’t read all of this, of course. You can do that on your own time–” the man paused, suggesting a hint of doubt in their ability to read. He quickly continued in his monotonous voice: 

“The crux of it is that you, Jon of Harveston, have agreed to buy this plot of land behind us – from that hedgerow over there to that line of birch trees over there, for the sum of 68 gold pieces. You, Allie of Harveston, agree to the sale of the abovementioned plot of land for the abovementioned sum. Is this correct, gentlemen?” 

“That’s right,” Jon said, tapping the coin pouch on his belt. 

The man with the funny hat turned to Allie, seeking his confirmation. 

“Yup, that’s correct. Jon here is a good man, so I gave him a good price on the land.” 

“In that case, Jon of Harveston, please pass the gold pieces to Allie of Harveston before me as a witness.” 

Jon passed the coin pouch to Allie with a wide grin on his face. Allie took a minute or two to count, confirming all 68 coins were there. 

“Gentlemen, to seal the sale, I need you to shake hands and state for the record that you are both satisfied.” 

Both men did as the funny hat asked. And that was that. He left them the papers, got on his carriage and took off to his other appointment. 

“Well, what are you going to do with all that money?” Allie asked. 

“What do you mean?” 

“The money from the sale?” 

“What sale, Allie? I bought the land off you, it’s mine.” 

“No, it isn’t, I bought the land with my hard-earned coin. Now don’t you lie to me, Jon! You’re not that kind of man.” 

“I’m not lying. It’s like the man with the papers said, this here is my land now. You can’t take what is mine!” 

“I’m not taking what is yours. I bought it. See now what this here contract says.” 

(…)

* * *

Sylara and Lexion watched as both men argued about their property. Eventually, it came to exchanging fists and curses. A decade-old friendship was ruined just like that. 

“Why are you showing me this, Sylara? Since when do we care about the petty squabbles of small men?”

“This is just the beginning, Lexion. Your foolishness will lead to more of this and worse.” 

“If men can’t get their act together, maybe they do deserve everything that comes to them.” 

“If you go down this path, Lexion, the world will break eventually.” 

“Bah! You think too much of this.” 

“Do you want to see what happens next?” 

Sylara took Lexion’s hand before he could respond. She jolted him out of his seat and closed her eyes, evoking a vision of the inevitable future her husband could not see. Then, much like she had done years ago when they were young lovers, she pulled them both into that scene. But what she showed him this time were not the dreams of young Sylara in love. Her visions now were nothing short of hopeless devastation. 

End of Part I

***

Footnotes:

• Sylara - lady of fortune and seeing.

• Lexion - lord of names and definitions.