Ember of a New World (39 page)

"I-am sorry," she said
,
and placed some dried meat, a few of her sharpened sticks, and some dry brush by the man. If he wanted he could try and make a fire to close the wound in the foot when, if, he removed the spike. He would likely die alone in the wilds with a ruined foot, but that wasn't Ember's problem. He chose his path, quite literally, with a dagger in his hand ready to kill a wounded woman. Perhaps he might come to some resolution with the Gods. Ember and Brig'dha walked away from the man and slowly boarded their boat.

The morality of taking a life to save a life has been debated for as long as people have lived. When is one action truly more right than another? Ember took a stand against impossible odds to carve out her own version of what was right from wrong. Doing so saved the lives or at least restored the previous lives of three women, but it also cost the lives of four men. This is a question and a balance Ember will be forced to live with.

What is moral at present and what was or will become moral is open to debate. Each culture envisions its own moral system as being the correct way of approaching life and other systems of morality as being less than perfect, to wholly immoral. Regardless of the details, the core tenants of human morality appear to be uniform and are likely the result of a long lineage of evolutionary winners who held these secular morals. Those who did not value life or preferred anarchistic values simply had a lower chance of passing on their genes. Ember may simply have reacted as her ancient ancestors would have.

In the end, morality is likely informed by the choices which are most likely to further the species and individuals and not by some metalogical higher authority. Each human alive is the direct descendant of a long line of survivors who valued themselves and their immediate fellows.

Ember and Brig'dha were silent as they rode through the wide expanse of the quickly ending river. During the fourth day past the attack, they came upon wetlands, areas where the water expanded beyond the river in the grassy fields of water, mud, reeds, and innumerable animals. By the end of the day, they had come to a large open area of connecting waterways. Off the side of the boat were small inlets with reeds along their banks. Large trees dipped low by their own weight, their branches entering the water in many places. Going ashore here would be much more difficult than the much narrower and faster parts of the
Great River Ember was used to.
As the next eight days passed, the women passed the time with idle chatter as they sped down the river towards an unknown future.

During the eighth day since the attack
,
the women came upon the
widest
part of the river Ember had ever seen.
More impressive than the shallow waterways and wetlands was the open expanse of water before them. In fact, the waterway opened in each direction, alluding to an endless expanse of water beyond sight. Before t
hem lay the end of the world!

Ember stared at the expanse unable to fully take it in. To her left, she noted that the land continued for quite some distance, perhaps a full
day’s
walk. To the right, the land simply ended in no more than a short walking distance. Ember nearly fell out of the boat while trying to stand, causing Brig'dha to burst into laughter. The water from the Greatest River stretched as far as the eye could see! This made the Great River seem but a mere stream by comparison. As the water expanded, the wetlands faded, and small beaches could be seen. The women quickly maneuvered the boat to the left hand shore, to
wards the beach.

Ember removed her boots and made ready to jump into the water as the boat approach the land. The water was very cold when Ember jumped out of the boat to help pull it ashore, causing her to gasp. The under current was nearly as unexpected as the temperature
.
T
he water
was also
nearly too deep to walk in. Ember was actually fearful as she felt the water tugging at her legs, trying to pull her away. Brig'dha dug her oar into the ground and pushed against it forcing the boat forward. Together, the women pulled the boat onto the pebbles tha
t formed the start of a beach.

After securing the boat, Ember simply stood and took in the view of the Greatest River. Before her was an eternity of water. The water stretched the width of the world and traveled to the horizon. The sun was low on the horizon, making the scene even more beautiful. Ember simply stood and watched the gray-blue water with whitecaps forming and waves crashing. She did not even realize that she was shivering from the cold water on her legs and a light breeze. Slowly, Ember walked out onto the sandy beach and towards the water. A tear rolled down her eye as she took in the enormity of the world. She had done it... she had journeyed to the end of the world. Even if she died right now, she had still completed her quest. Or had she? Suddenly, Ember's mind and victory were both at odds. She quickly rolled the facts around in her mind:

Nothing is beyond the End of the World.

Brig'dha's island is beyond where I am.

Therefor
e, I am not at the end of
the
world.

No!

Ember slowly sank to her knees. She realized that she had a little father to travel. Unfortunately, her final trip was totally alien to her. The Greatest River, later named the North Sea, was vast and unforgiving. Brig'dha's people sailed this waterway and her stories of vast storms and epic waves
suddenly sounded
truer
than
when she had heard them, days before. Ember took a deep breath,
held it, and then blew it out.

Just a little more work to do...

Needing to get their minds off of the coming trip, Ember and Brig'dha spent part of the evening exploring the beach. The pebbles were of all shapes and sizes and were washed smooth by the never ending splashes from the Greatest River's waves rolling ashore. With the night rolling in, the women created a small camp with a raging fire to await the morning. Driftwood could be found scattered along the beach in plent
iful quantity. The early thawing season
sun and a not-so-wet wet season had dried much of it, creating a significant fuel supply. As they sat by the fire eating deer meat from sticks, the conversation shifted from the mundane discussion of food to the final trip to Inn'bry'th and the dangers of crossing such a massive river. Ember sat in suspense as Brig'd
ha spoke more of her homeland.

“You-see 'Bigworld' from Inn'bry'th, some times. Travel Greatest River is-danger. Water comes, water goes. We-must flee-from sun, eat, and follow-sun. Will-take many day.” As Ember listened
,
she realized that Brig'dha was speaking of a trip to the west. In the morning, they would have the sun at their backs. After eating a
mid-day
meal, they would follow the sun. Ember wondered what would happen if they failed to reach Inn'bry'th by night. The other main problem, as Ember saw it, was the boat. The boat rode too low with too many supplies. They would need to dump the food and water and bring as little as possible; not a good choice before a trip into the unknown. Additionally, they would need to use the small pots, provided to remove water as it filled the boat, while trying to battle the powerful waves Ember could plainly see in the Great
e
st
River. This was going to require lots of work and hard rowing too! The oars Sv'en had made were much wider at the ends than her original boat oar had been and would allow the women to move as they wished, unless some unknown current carried them away into eternity. These were all grave problems to be overcome, and Ember was not sure if she was up to the challenge. As if seeing the contemplations on Ember's face, Brig'dha continued, slowly and usi
ng her hands to aid the words.

“My-people use-big-boat. Three more-big than
Ember boat,”
she said indicating that her people used a boat at least three times the s
ize of their small dugout boat.

“Boat is more-deep. Much-danger. Some die if come-storm.” Ember
didn’t like
what she was hearing, but if this was the fate of the Gods, perhaps she could pray for a good crossing. The Gods had been a mixture of helpful and not, so far. If this was their will, a moment given to them might make a difference. Ember winked at Brig'dha, then stood suddenly and walked towards the sandy shore by the water. Brig'dha merely watched her walk away with a confused look on her face. Above Ember, the halfway full moon looked down upon her. After walking perhaps ten lengths of a man from the fire, Ember was nearly at the water. The pebbly sand at her feet was damp and an occasional wave came as far as touching her bare feet. Ember stood for a while, breathed in the salty air, and
stretched her tired muscles.

The air was cold and standing so far from the fire was uncomfortable, but the waves and the never ending breeze put her in the mood for what she was to do. Ember looked up at the moon with her arms held wide and began to sing a ritual song of good luck as she slowly swayed back and forth. These songs and dances were the way of her people, and she had to hope her Gods would hear her. As she swayed, Ember su
ng each word in a soft melody.

“God of the lands, Goddess of the moon and skies, God of the Sun, Goddess of rivers, hear my words...” A moment later, Ember heard a second voice behind her, but in a different language. As she turned, Ember found Brig'dha singing and trying to dance as Ember danced. Brig'dha
’
s movements we
re rigi
d and not elegant in the flowing way the people of Ember's tribe danced. Ember concluded that Brig'dha's people were not dancers. Where Brig'dha lacked in dancing, she made up in song, for she sang the most powerful and beautiful song Ember had ever heard. Her words were full of spirit and her rhythm was very slow, filling Ember with
a sense of bravery and emotion.

Brig'dha sang with a powerful voice, often switching her voice pattern in a complex fashion. Her tone oddly tended to stay the same for a short period, suddenly switching higher or lower. Ember sang in quicker and more dynamic manner, the way of her people. Ember smiled, welcoming the help of Brig'dha and her local Gods. Matching their songs as well as they could, the women danced in the cold starry night and let their songs blend into a long prayer for a safe journey. The two young women danced
and sang long into the night.

The next morning, Ember awoke to the rising sun and the call of returning birds. The thawing season was in full swing, and within perhaps nine ten-days the warm season would return. Ember had no idea if she would live through the journey, but she knew that she had to do this. Brig'dha awoke a moment later with a yawn and required immediate stretching. Ember got up and walked over to the Greatest River's mighty shore to wash. Brig'dha watched her go and started rebuilding a fire.

Does that girl think she's a fish
? That water will be very cold!
Brig'dha thought. Brig'dha's own people would walk to the water with large pots and capture water to take back to a fire. Water warmed by a fire was the only way to bathe, as far as Brig'dha was concerned. As she fumbled with the fire bow, Brig'dha watched Ember wobbling around in the
cold water. She shook her head.

What makes her do the strange thing
s
she does? Surely the Gods possess her
, Brig'dha thought t
o herself with a little mirth.

The waves were something Ember didn't normally deal with. The water was cold, and so was the breeze. For this reason and for the sake of modesty, Ember tried to wash herself in her skirt, but finally gave up as yet another wave slapped in
to
her, and stripped. Once stripped, Ember sprinted towards the ice cold water and dove in! The water was not much colder than the snow melted water in the Great River. Regardless, it was still incredibly cold and a shock to anyone unused to it. Ember's people tended to swim more than many of the other tribes she knew of, and her people were all quite used to cold water. Little pricks of pain covered her body as she quickly rubbed herself down. The cold was so intense that it took Ember's breath away and made her squeal. As she finished and stood, Ember let loose
a
loud cry expressing just how cold the water was. Brig'dha sim
ply stared with her mouth open.

She is totally crazy
, Brig'dha thought.

By the time Ember had returned to the camp, Brig'dha had stirred up a new fire, having watched her water-loving friend perform this crazed ritual each morning so far. Ember huddled by the fire wrapped in a skin for a short while until she was fully dried. Ember normally did not clean her hair each day due to the cold, but today she had fully dove into the water. Ember slung her hair over her shoulder and let the fire dry it quickly. Wet hair
was a good way to become ill.

By midday, Ember and Brig'dha had decided to wait a few more days until they had fully rested. A few days resting by a fire never hurt anyone, Ember had reasoned, and the moon would be full when they left. If the trip took longer than a day, the moon would be a life-or-death tool. The big problem with the moon was determining when the moon would be full. The elders of Ember's tribe could tell exactly when the moon would be full using a stone with gro
o
ves cut into it. Ember was hardly an elder, but she figured she would know the night before, at least.

The second important task was to eat. The faster and harder they rowed, the quicker the trip would be finished. They would have little space for extra food, needing most of their space for water. Both women ate heavily over the next few days for they would need the strength for rowing. Ember took eating very seriously, stuffing her face with as much of the dried provisions as possible. One warmer day, Ember even braved the shallow inlets where the Great River emptied into the Greatest River, spearing several large fish. After several days, Brig'dha took Ember side to ask her a question
which had been bothering her.