The Awakened Modern

By Ed Greenwood

Get Ready To Be Awakened…

The sudden appearance of a second moon in Earth's sky awakens latent abilities in humanity...a link to a familiar, control of the elements, and so much more become possible as the second moon takes effect. What impact will this sudden change have on society? Only time will tell.

With stories

• Language: English
• Publisher: eSpec Books
• Release date: Jun 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781942990758

Ed Greenwood

Ed Greenwood is known for his role in creating the Forgotten Realms setting, part of the world-famous Dungeons and Dragons® franchise. His writings have sold millions of copies worldwide, in more than a dozen languages. Greenwood resides in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Book preview

Prologue

As far as anyone on the planet Grimaton could remember, there had always been two moons in the sky. Pirouetting through the heavens, the two moons chased each other across the sky, finally consummating their dance once a month in an eclipse. Generation after generation this was taken for granted. After all, even the most beautiful event can become common place. That is until it no longer happens.

There came a day when the smaller moon, Delphus, disappeared from the sky. Once the initial shock went away, the speculation began.

Was it stolen by an angry god? Was it hiding behind the other moon? The rumors flew fast and furious, but in the end, there were no answers to be had. At least, not from listening to the gossip.

There were a few on Grimaton who knew exactly what happened to the errant moon. Bound to silence by a death pact, they never spoke of it again.

Delphus was gone and Grimaton began to mourn its lost moon.

~*~

If any living being had been on the surface of the moon the inhabitants of Grimaton called Delphus, they might have sensed the veils between the worlds thinning. Influenced by strong magics from the planet below, the bonds that held the moon in orbit wavered and broke, sending it hurling through space in search of a new home.

~*~

During the summer of 2013, scientists were baffled by a small planetoid moving through the orbit of Pluto. This newly discovered body, half the size of Earth’s moon—labeled 24123B by astronomers—appeared to be on a trajectory to pass inside the LaGrange points. An uncomfortably close pass, in astronomical terms.

Newspapers and television reported on this, but most people tended to discount these reports because in scientists’ minds, close is millions and millions of miles. But for planetoid 24123B, this was not the case; it seemed to be deliberately flying to them, not near them.

A deep space probe, originally sent out to study a comet on a similar course, was rerouted to intercept 24123B. Once in orbit around it, a sensor package was launched toward the surface to take samples. That was the first sign that something was unusual.

Nothing in the telemetry was what the scientists expected. From the odd electromagnetic field it generated to the gravity being less than their calculations said it should be. Then there were the unidentifiable substances found in the samples taken by the rover. Finally, a few hours after landing on the planetoid, all contact with the probe was lost.

24123B’s speed began to slow just after it passed the orbit of Mars. Soon after that, it changed course subtly to pass the Earth just above the solar plane, outside the orbit of the moon. Then it seemed to do the most unbelievable thing; it stopped above the magnetic north pole and hung there as if contemplating this new found world.

Just as suddenly as it stopped, the too quickly named Omega, began to move again at an acute angle to the path it took to reach its new home. This now put it in an orbit perpendicular to the original moon, which NASA now dubbed Alpha.

Initially, meteorologists predicted that Omega could cause major earthquakes and the new tides would drown continents. In the end, seismic activity appeared to remain unchanged and the tides were only marginally more extreme.

Scientists were also confounded by how Omega’s orbit fell into the same 28-day cycle as Alpha’s. The result of this synchronization was the eclipse that occurred every time Alpha was full.

For most, life returned to normal. Once people adjusted to seeing a second moon in the sky, the normal, day-to-day chaos of the world quickly pushed any further thought of the new moon out of people’s minds.

Normal that is, until the night of the first eclipse.

That was the night strange new powers began to appear around the world.

That was the night the world was introduced to the Awakened.

Tyrta

The Song of Tyrta

Drew Bittner

Overbrook, Louisiana

While I fly, I sing.

There is much to sing about. The sun above, the prey below, the wind across one’s feathers.

It is a glorious thing.

My human partner, Shay, calls me Tyrta. Others, my kind, she calls Eagles. That is not my name; if you tried to pronounce my real name, you’d hurt your throat and embarrass yourself. But please, don’t let that stop you. She calls me Tyrta for reasons of her own, and no matter how deeply we mindspeak to each other, I don’t know why she chose that name.

I turn a lazy wheel above a copse of trees while I think about how Shay and I met.

It was not long ago that words did not exist for me. Eagles do not think in words. We go on instinct. I still do, sometimes, but now—thanks to Shay—I also have words in my head. She says all I have in there are feathers. Among humans, this is called a joke.

When the second moon rose in the sky, not very long ago, I heard the sound of human voices buzzing in my head. It was disturbing and made it difficult for me to do the simple things: flying, hunting for rabbits and squirrels, avoiding humans. Eagles’ lives are made of simple things. But hearing those voices made my world… complicated. And then I heard her for the first time. It was a simple thought.

*Come.*

I don’t think she meant to summon me. Still, it happened. I flew to her and perched nearby. She screamed and things got more complicated. She thought a huge black bird had plunged out of the sky at her. (I always did like to make an entrance.) Shay got over her fear quickly. That was a good thing because I was frightened too. Do not tell anyone this.

The first days were frustrating. I am not good at frustrating. Shay did not know how to feed me or care for me and the bonds of my summoning kept me from simply flying off. Before long, though, she realized that I was hungry, so she hunted down a rabbit for me and killed it and gave it to me. Eh, food is food and she was learning. I thanked her and ate well.

*Silly bird, what are you doing up there?*

I could feel a tingling in my eyes, Shay was sharing my sight. This was hard at first, disorienting, but we had gotten better with practice and could share our senses from quite a long way now.

*I am flying. If you had wings, you could join me.*

*If I had wings, why would I need an eagle companion?*

*Because we are wondrous,* I tell her. *You do not deserve me.*

She laughs. *Come back down. It’s almost time to go home.*

*After I find a mouse. They are getting too bold along the river.*

The river here is a broad, meandering stripe that cuts through forests, often turning the land swampy. Shay says that her people call it the Mississippi, another name that makes no sense to me, and that they live in a place called Overbrook, which is in a bigger place called Louisiana.

Eagles do not bother with naming places. A tree is either good for nesting or it isn’t—you don’t call it Good Tree With an Excellent View of the Mouse Fields. Humans are silly creatures.

I see a likely target, a tiny jot of motion in the field below, and instinct takes over. I swoop from the sky as fast as a bolt of lightning (an expression I learned from Shay when she first watched me hunt) and snatch up a mouse. It makes for a good snack and I head back to Shay. I can always find her. She is in a field overlooking the river, her ungainly, two-wheeled contraption (a bicycle) lying on the ground beside her.

For all the words I now have, I do not know how to describe Shay. She appears to me more slender than most humans. As tall as some, but not taller than most. Her hair is light—she calls it blonde—and she says that her eyes are brown. She is not sure if she is good looking or not; her opinion changes so fast, it is impossible for me to keep track. I am sure she would be a splendid eagle, but do not tell her that.

*I’m back,* I let her know.

She gets off the ground, pulls her contraption up onto its wheels, and climbs on. *Want to ride?* she asks. I give it a moment, so that I don’t seem too eager, then perch on what she calls handlebars. We are soon flying the way young humans do, with Shay’s feet pushing on flat pads (pedals?) to make her contraption work. It is actually rather pleasant and I unfold my wings, which makes her laugh again.

I can feel Shay become upset when we arrive at our nest. There is what she calls a car in front of it, one with lights on top. I know this thing. It brings Tom to her doorstep.

Shay likes Tom. She approves of him, but they have not mated. How silly. Eagles are much more sensible about this kind of thing. If Shay would make a good eagle, Tom would make a pretty fair one too. Tom is something Shay calls a cop. His job is protecting humans from other humans who do… well, I don’t pretend to understand it. They have things called crimes. If you know what that means, you understand more than I do.

Shay was not expecting to see Tom today and the flashing lights on top of his car make her upset. I don’t know why. She rides the bicycle up to him.

Tom, what’s going on?

Shay… Emmalyn and Rowley are missing.

Wh-what?

Emmalyn and Rowley are Shay’s nest-mates, younger fledglings. She is fiercely devoted to them.

Have you seen them? Do you know where they are? Maybe with your…? And he did some funny thing with his hands, wiggling his fingers. Shay has never done that in her life.

My what, magic? Not… not really, no. They aren’t due back from community college. You sure they’re missing?

Tom sighed. Maybe he was hoping she could help find them? Or maybe not.

That makes three gone missing, he said.

Who else?

There’s… a girl from over Westfork way, he said. Can’t give out no names, ’cause her family don’t know yet.

Emmalyn and Rowley—why would anyone want to grab…? Oh damn. Tom, is that other missing girl special like us too?

Uh… I guess she might be, he said.

Bouncing up and down in back of a something-like-a-car. Two men sitting close. One has a gun. Looking over, Rowley is so scared…

Emmalyn!

Tom jerks upright. What?

Emmalyn. She… she just… I saw something through her eyes. She glanced at me. I’d never tried that with another person before.

*You never succeeded at it. There’s a difference,* I remind her. She had tried plenty of times after our bond had been created. Shay thought it would be handy to have a private way of talking, because sometimes their sire and dam didn’t understand. Neither of them had magic.

And neither of them were home. Shay’s father worked far out in the Big Water, on something she called an oil rig. I had never flown out so far but the seabirds did—and said they smelled awful. Her mother worked later in the day and into the night at a place where humans got food; Shay said she was something called a waitress. She works for a fellow named Tad—big guy, strong, sometimes sends home a scrap or two of hamburger for me.

Tom must not have sent for her. Maybe he wanted Shay to help him first.

Do you know where they are now?

Shay concentrated. I did my best to help, picturing Emmalyn and Rowley as best I could. And… there was something there.

Passing a sign on the road that said RT 4N and SHIPLEY 3 MI. They were inside something Shay called a van. Two men, like before, and a driver up front.

They’re on the road to Shipley. Almost there. C’mon, we have to go. She ran to Tom’s police car and opened the door to get in the front seat.

Shay, it don’t work like that! I can’t go bustin’ into some place in Shipley ’cause a girl has magic visions. You know Sherriff Ed would laugh me outta the station house.

Tom, if you don’t drive me, I’ll just find another way to get there.

He shook his head. Sorry, Shay, but it’s my job if I take you anywhere.

I could feel the desperation coming off Shay in waves. She looked all around, seeking any source of help…

…and she saw Ben. He lives next door to Shay and I think he has for most of his life. Shay barely notices him. He is plain. I don’t think he would make a good eagle. Maybe a catbird. Mm. I will have to think about this.

Ben, I need your help. My mom has the car and I can’t waste time getting it from her. Can you take your family car right now?

Uh… Shay, this is a bad idea…

Ben! Just… do me a favor, okay? It’s only Shipley, not the far side of the moon.

He gives her a long and unhappy look, then finally nods.

I’ll take you to Shipley, Shay. I can borrow the car.

Shay may have to revise her opinion of Ben.

"That’s a real bad idea, you two, Tom says. I mean it. You ain’t kids. Mess with a police investigation and you could be in big trouble, even if you are my girlfriend."

Tom, if you ever want to kiss me again in your life, you either drive me there or you shut it, Shay warns him.

Tom does not look happy. He looks mad.

Shay, you think running off to Shipley ’cause you had some sort of flash is smart? You let me handle this.

From the emotions I feel boiling off Shay, that was about the worst thing he might have said.

Let’s go, Ben.

Shay!

I stare at Tom, who notices me staring. He swings his little stick at me. Scram, ya damn bird, he growls. I barely even step back, but then fly after Shay.

~*~

Ben drives an old car that smells bad and barely has room for the three of us. We lurch out of Overbrook and head toward what Shay calls Route 4 and I call a half-decent stretch for hunting, not to mention feasting on roadkill. Armadillo is never out of season, and possum? Yes, please!

What… what did you see? Ben finally asks, and Shay tells him. Huh. That’s not a lot. If we went to the cops in Woodbury—you know, a real police station—maybe they have an artist who could draw the guys Emmalyn saw.

Tom’s doing his best, Shay says, though I know she isn’t sure about that. He’s gotta follow the rules. But I’m not gonna let my brother and sister’s kidnappers get away. They might be grown, but… I’m still their big sister. She closed her eyes to find Emmalyn again.

One of the men is on a… a cellphone. Talking. He looks at Emmalyn and gets mad, then he swings his fist at her and…

Shay cries out when the connection breaks. He… he hit her. Knocked her out cold. What kind of man would do that? she asks.

Ben just looks unhappy. He pushes… eyeglasses, they’re called eyeglasses, up his nose and just drives faster.

Ben… thanks. I don’t know what came over Tom, she says.

Oh. Uh, it’s okay. You’re welcome, he says. I… thought you needed help.

Memories tumble through Shay’s mind. I peek at the images and spot Ben in the background of several. When Shay broke her arm, Ben was nearby, looking upset. When she won Miss Overbrook, he was clapping his hands. When some kids were planning to throw mud at her on her way home from school, Ben yelled to ruin their surprise… so they threw mud at him instead.

Shay looked over at Ben, who did his best not to look back at her.

Really, thanks.

Ben glances her way and smiles. Let’s find them, fast. Though I don’t know what we’re gonna do when we catch up to them.

Shay tries again to reach Emmalyn, but the nest-mate must have been not-awake.

I’m scared for them, she says quietly.

It’ll be okay.

She thinks about putting her hand on his, but doesn’t.

Pretty soon we pass the signs that Emmalyn saw.

Shipley is a bigger town than Overbrook. It’s busier. Shay knows it is just off a major highway, so that many cars and trucks come and go from here. If Emmalyn cannot be touched by Shay’s magic…

*Shay, can you reach Rowley?* I ask.

*I… I hadn’t even tried. Thanks, Tyrta,* she answers, and promptly tries to concentrate. She can’t see anything—maybe they put something over his eyes?—but she can hear some things quite well.

First, there are trucks. I know what those are, having flown over many.

Second, there’s something familiar, a distorted voice on…

*I know where they are!* I tell her.

*Where?!*

*A place where trucks gather, just off the big road. It’s… I don’t know what you call it…*

*Truck stop?*

If I could shrug, I would. *There are trucks and it is near the big road.*

Ben, take us over to I-16, the truck stop. Tyrta thinks they stopped there.

I ask her to roll down the window. Maybe I can fly ahead. She does and I’m out of the car with barely a snap of my wings. The… truck stop is not far away for me, but it will take Shay and Ben a bit longer to get there. I’m there quite soon and looking… looking…

*That might be it,* I tell her.

There’s a van down there, pulling out of the truck stop.

*You’d better hurry. I’ll fly down to see if I can see your nest-mates.* I swoop down, skimming close to the glass for the best look, and yes, both of the fledglings are inside. The driver nearly goes off the road. I don’t think Emmalyn or Rowley saw me.

*Be more careful, Tyrta,* Shay warns