Story: Wordspace, XIV

(Part I , XIII , XV)

The Zone of Accumulated Meaningless Jargon had been there since time immemorial. No-one knew its origins and no-one could guess at its ultimate end. It simply was. Along with the Isle of Truth and Lies, and the Frontier it represented the mysterious prehistory of the Wordspace.

The Zone had strange properties all its own. The Jargon that formed its structure was unbreakable but transparent if viewed at the correct angle, which meant that the accumulated layers glittered as you approached it. Light entered the interior of the Zone by reflecting in through all the gaps between the entrapping syllables of the Jargon, and the Destructives trapped inside were doubtlessly dazzled through the hours that Light chose to shine upon the Wordspace, and doubly cocooned in gloom when Dark chose to skulk across the world. Light and Dark were so abstract that no-one had even seen them in person for centuries. Mystery wondered if they even still existed.

Within the Zone lay all the Words whose natures were so unbendingly defined by chaos and negativity that they were called the Destructives. Long, long ago a grand alliance of all the other Words - an unprecedented alliance in a period when the population hadn't been so used to peaceful existence - had forced them one by one into the Zone, beginning with the great War itself. It was inconceivable that that could ever happen again, inconceivable that it could ever have happened. Conflict was a thing of the past, a thing visited upon them now from outside their whole plane of existence.

The natural system of the Wordspace would have created successors to War and Conflict, Strife and Horror, Evil and Malice, or any of the Words imprisoned inside if they had died in their exile. Since it had not, everyone assumed that they remained in there. Over time, the population had excised far more marginal cases such as Mystery's old mentor Lies and the unfortunate martyr Misfortune, so that the Zone itself was a receptacle for more guilt now that it ever had been before.

Earth stopped at the perimeter of the Zone, which loomed above them in a vast irregular dome. Somewhere behind them was the aggressor, hopefully lost for the moment, but quite possibly pursuing at full speed. They were waiting for Zephyr to return from a subtle reconnaissance and for Decision to report on his meeting with the Zone's chief custodian Constancy. Decision returned first. "The Zone is intact, according to Constancy, and the portal has seen no activity in many weeks. In fact, the general atmosphere has been so quiet that he has begun to worry that something may have occurred in there."

"Were there any signs of the the other refugee groups?" Enquired Mystery, who was currently being treated as the provisional leader of the group, being mutable and therefore adaptable to many situations.

"He reported that they had seen Ocean passing on the horizon some days ago, leading the invader away from the Zone as best they could. Something we have emphatically not done." Decision addressed Mystery resolutely and determinedly. "What are your intentions? We must know in order to discuss at Council."

"My intention is to enter the Zone, contact the Destructives and make them our allies if they can be trusted. My intention is that we save our world before it is destroyed completely. While I am gone, you may deliberate as much as you wish, but once I return there will be no more time." Mystery spoke with equal resolution but quietly. "Do you understand?"

Decision sighed. "I had hoped you might have had a different idea." It clasped Mystery at the shoulder syllable and then straightened. "We will return at daily intervals, and devise alternative as best we can. Surely with the combined powers of Earth and Ocean and some of the other Elementals there is hope outside that offered by our warlike past."

"We can only hope." Mystery bade him farewell, and headed for the Portal and Constancy. Club followed, despite all his commands, being the stalwart companion to his core. At the portal, Constancy stood ready to activate the one-way mechanism.

"The exit mechanism has not been activated in living memory. You should think about this carefully, Mystery." Constancy was sincere in his concern.

"The exit portal remains where it was?"

"Yes. I shall be there at the appointed times, or my apprentice."

Mystery nodded. "A codephrase would be in order. 'Redundant miscellany'?"

Constancy assented and then the moment was there. He activated the mechanism and the two emissaries stepped into the now opened portal. Then the mechanism pushed them into the Zone, and into a magnificent garden.

Mystery and Club stood dumbfounded.

To be continued...