Between Darkness and Light Trilogy (17 page)

But… have I stolen the power from the stone
circle? I walk out to it and open my mind to its existence. Is it
depleted? It still
sounds
the same, except for one very
quiet
song
, a melody that leads back to my ring. So that's
it, it creates links to power sources!

I wonder, do I need to direct it? Can it
seek on its own? Returning to my comfy chair, I summon forth
another tendril, thinking only ‘seek’. It rises up, moves through
the kitchen and attaches to Mathair’s food preserver. I suppose I
deserved that… I concentrate on the silly link and think, ‘let go.’
It dissipates into nothingness. Perhaps a combination of direction
and seeking? That works well, and doubles as a good investigative
method. I attach to a few of the more powerful magic sources of
Shiral, then realize it’s gone dark outside! I’m hungry… I’ve
missed lunch and dinner. How could I have let that happen? I raid
the kitchen and stifle some giggles as I peruse the contents of the
erstwhile sought-out preserver. I can’t help my laughter, it grows
like ripples in water… I force it down by thinking of the wondrous
nature of the device. Instead of requiring preservation spells to
be cast on the contents periodically, Mathair’s creation preserves
the exact condition and temperature of everything put inside it
once the door is shut. Mathair had many magical items that were
well beyond what anyone else on Shiral could create; I’ve often
wondered where she learned such advanced skills. One of her
favorites was the cleaner. Place items inside, close the door,
listen to a moment of pretty harmonies, and then when all falls
silent, remove perfectly clean items. Dishes, clothes, shoes…
anything. She used it a lot. I like delving into memories of
Mathair, even the not so pleasant ones. As I lie down to sleep I
allow one of the not so wonderful memories to fill my mind –
Mathair’s disapproval of my standing in front of her food
preserver, door wide open as I tried to decide what looked tasty
for my snack. The problem with a food preserver is that if the
pudding goes runny because the door is left open too long, it stays
that way, and the soup stays too cool. She wouldn’t let me eat
anything else until the cool soup and runny pudding were both gone…
then she began giving me lessons in visual recall. After those
lessons I never had to look at anything for more than a moment
until I could identify everything I had seen. No more food
preserver incidents.

I fall asleep thinking of her, and in my
dreams I’m once again a babe in her arms, watching fantastical
scenes from the safety of her embrace. The very world around us
changes impossibly, several times; I have not until recently had
anything to compare it to. Now, I can almost see monolith like
portals before the world-changes. Some man accompanies us, but he
is so unremarkable I cannot recall his face.

I wake in the early morning and decide to
take a short swim in lieu of a shower. There is something about
water… I can rarely resist making it whisper my name. “Shi” as I
draw my hand in an arc through it, “ahhhn” as the spray rejoins the
lake. Gaea hears, of course.

‘Shi'ahn! When did you return, were you here
yesterday?’

‘Yes I was, I was experimenting with a new
item I was given. I had no idea how long I had used it until I was
too tired and hungry to come down for a swim.’

‘I thought I felt you, but you did not
respond to me.’

‘Sorry, the device is rather enthralling.’
Interesting, she doesn't usually notice me until I come to the
water. Is my Gaea continuing to evolve?

‘How long will you be staying?’

‘Not long at all, I’m afraid.’

‘I miss you, I miss the touch of your
mind.’

‘Well, before I go I would like to do
something that may help with that.’

‘What would that be?’

‘I’d like to attach a power tendril from my
new ring to your consciousness. I believe it may allow us to
contact one another while I am away, though the time differentials
will make it somewhat problematical.’

‘It sounds well worth the effort.’ Yes,
while many of her thoughts are child like, that last statement was
not. I concentrate on the ring again, and think of Gaea. The
tendril angles underwater and continues sinking deep into the Shir.
As it reaches deeper it seems to increase in size to encompass all
of Shiral. Finally, I feel the sense of contact. ‘Shi'ahn, is that
you?’

‘Yes, that is the ring. Now the time
differential we will be dealing with is great – one day here is the
equivalent of about a ninebreath in Lumina. Our getting the other’s
attention may be difficult.’

‘We will manage.’

‘Yes, I believe we will. Gaea, I must return
now – there is a lot going on there. But first, I want you to
promise me something.’

‘Anything, my Shi'ahn.’

‘I want you to promise not to speak to
anyone but William or I, no matter what contact method is used. The
place we go to, Lumina, it is filled with very powerful but not
entirely trustworthy individuals. There are also others from other
places that may wish you harm. Speak to no one but William and
I!’

I sense her sadness, ‘But I get lonely,
Shi'ahn.’

‘This is important, for both your safety and
mine.’

‘If it will help keep you safe, then I will
do as you wish, but I would ask to at least speak with Zah-Ha'Gor
and Puff.’

‘Gaea, have you been speaking to anyone
else?’

‘Aside from them, no, not yet, but I always
hope. It is lonely here without you.’

‘That link you may continue, but otherwise
nurture the land and the people, Gaea. I have made you stronger
than you were, use that strength to protect Shiral. Serving a
purpose helps keep loneliness at bay.’ I let her feel the sorrow
that floods my heart at the thought of her isolation, so closely
related to my own. She understands.

Once I’m back in Lumina, I concentrate for a
moment on the Gaea link, calling out to her. I hear her resounding
response, ‘Shi'ahn!’

‘May you never be truly alone again, my
Gaea.’

~~~

There is an urgent thumping on my door.
“Shi'ahn, are you in there?”

“Yes, come in William.” He steps in and
closes the door, and my mind freezes. He’s… his
song
is
astounding!

“I’ve ascended the Path, Shi'ahn – the Path
of Enlightenment!”

“
Yes, I hear it, William –
you're beautiful! How… When?”

His smile, if possible, becomes more
radiant. “Right after we left Shiral – I intended to transport to
the front gates, but Cailliach intercepted and brought me to her.
She said it was time!”

“So what was it like?”

“I don’t have the words to describe it.” He
reaches out his hands for mine. I eagerly take them, but then I
experience… nothing.

“William? Have you changed your mind?”

“What? No – didn’t you see it?”

“No, I did not.” I sense him concentrate
harder, but again I experience nothing.

“Well?”

I shake my head.

“I guess I can’t share it.” It’s the first
time we have ever been unsuccessful in sharing our experiences; it
feels strange, wrong. “Tell you what, I'll do my best to describe
what I can.” He sighs, collecting his thoughts.

“She took me, via her transport crystal, to
an amazing looking chamber. It was filled with the most beautiful
crystal formations I've ever seen. The crystals seemed to grow out
of the tower walls, forming a tall spiral staircase with occasional
landings. The entrance to it was entirely blocked by another one of
those strange monoliths, this one bearing the same message as the
one on Shiral: “Those of the blood, prove it.” Once it had my blood
sample, the monolith seemed to disintegrate and I was standing on
the brink of my future. They are data crystals, Shi'ahn! With each
step my mind was forced to absorb all the knowledge stored in that
crystal. I can see why she said ascending it prematurely could be
fatal – I felt like my mind was exploding and yet, it felt
wonderful as well. She later told me that individuals usually
ascend to only one new platform with each traversal, but I just
couldn't stop myself, I made it to the third.”

“But William, you could have hurt yourself!
How could you possibly have been ready to ascend so far?”

“It was the pathway itself – each crystal
provides the background necessary to begin understanding the next;
it's the first step that's the real lulu. After that it's really
the strength of the mind that carries you through. The platforms
are intended to assist in integrating the information, and allowing
one to leave the staircase, but on the first two I felt energized
to continue, as if I was meant to go on. At the third platform,
when I knew I was ready to depart, I suddenly found myself standing
on the floor in the center of the chamber. Oh, I'm doing a terrible
job of describing the experience, I haven't even mentioned the
light. I’m sorry, sis. It was so amazing – I can’t wait for you to
experience it too.”

I find myself quite anxious as well. I have
to force myself to return my concentration to more mundane matters.
“So that was last night? Where have you been since?”

“It took a while, and we spoke for quite
some time afterward. Then suddenly she swore rather angrily and
sent me to my rooms.’

“How long ago was that?”

“Oh, about… an hour ago? I would have come
straight to see you, but I was really hungry, and I realized I
needed a bath. You didn’t answer your door the first time I tried.
I knew you had been in here, though, I could sense you; was
something wrong?” I lose control and laugh through many emotions.
William looks really concerned. “Shi'ahn? What’s happened to you
since we last spoke?”

“Oh William, it’s a long story. I suppose,
though, that it would be best for you to understand.” I reach
toward him and offer one of our ‘reports’, beginning with the
summons to Lucian and ending just after Cailli justifies casting
Casanova away. William gasps, looking horrified.

“That Bastard! Those bastards! So that’s why
Cailliach took off in such a hurry – I understand now. I knew
Casanova was trouble!”

“No, you don’t understand, William. He
helped me a great deal – he gave me the comforting that no one else
was available or willing to give.”

“But he broke his promise of your
safety.”

“In truth, I don’t think there was such a
promise in effect at that time – yet I don’t think he planned his
action. My chosen method of obfuscating what he sought struck a
familiar chord within his heart, that’s all. I am not angry with
him, and I won’t have you be so either. Not at Casanova. Lucian,
however, is another matter altogether. He stood by and purposely
let me be…”

Our conversation is interrupted by yet
another knock on my door. I hear a servant’s voice, “Lady
Shi'ahn?”

“Yes, enter.”

The servant pauses for a moment, staring at
William. “Lord William. This message is for you as well. There will
be a formal court in the morning at 8:00 sharp. A Chaos lord will
be in attendance – the Shiftling woman’s brother, he is coming to
negotiate her release. Attendance is expected.” With that he turns
and leaves.

“Well, this should be quite the interesting
day.”

“You mean tomorrow should be.”

“Yes… well, I’ve already slept. I just
returned from Shiral.”

“Well, you may be rested, but I am not. I’m
off to bed. To sleep.”

“Join me for breakfast?”

As he pauses to look back at me I see that
the adrenalin rush he had experienced with his ascension has
drained away, and without it he has little energy left, leaving his
voice sounding half asleep, “Sure, sis.”

~~~

While William sleeps I find all the
information I can in my personal library regarding Chaos and those
who live there. There are very interesting differences between our
realms. While those in Lumina rely primarily on science and reason,
those of Chaos live lives filled with magic and mysticism.
Scientific laws often don’t work in their end of the Universe and
reality constantly shifts upon them. The constant change is
dangerous, and so they must be able to shift to adapt or risk death
at any moment. That explains why they are sometimes called
shiftlings, though according to my books that is usually considered
a derogatory term unless describing the not very powerful masses.
Those who are able to exert power over their surroundings are
referred to by titles revealing the extent of their powers. Those
who have learned to control the stuff of Chaos as it exists now,
after the creation of Lumina, earn the title Cas, pronounced as
though reducing the word Chaos to one syllable. Those few who are
able to maintain, without assistance, a suitable reality for
themselves within the Rimall, where primal chaos is the only
constant, have a different title, greater than Cas – they are
called Ra. Few outside the Royal Dynasty hold this title. Those who
are able to exist within the Abyss itself, a place where there is
nothing except what one creates and maintains the existence of
through sheer mental control, hold the additional title of Ab.

Rimall? What is that? My thoughts are
interrupted by a crystal shimmering sound; on the table before me
appears a very, very old looking book. All else forgotten, I pick
it up and caress the cover. It is indeed very old, it sounds
ancient, and… odd. It is boldly entitled, “
A
Brief History of The All and the Rending of Our Universe
.”
This should be interesting. The first pages appear to be a summary,
with occasional comments penned in.

~~~

A bit dramatic, but fairly
accurate
.

In the beginning there was nothing. No mass,
no light, no energy, no vibration, no sound…nothing. A blank
canvas, waiting for… something. With a tearing rend, tremendous
energies spilled out into the emptiness, filling it with a
cacophony of random noise and one very large… creature. Other
beings occasionally flashed into existence, then were destroyed by
the very chaos that had given them birth. Everything was fluid,
even time itself, although a generally forward motion predominated
unless a powerful individual forced it back. Matter and energy were
in a constant flux, seemingly battling for supremacy. A few
superior entities survived for a time, though eventually only two
of the original oldest ones remained. One of them was clearly
stronger, the very first to appear within The All, while the other
seemed as though it was not yet complete.