The Sage Seed Chronicles: The Unraveling (22 page)

“Yes. I found the information. The entire
hexagon was collapsed into the shape it is now fifty years ago.
They wanted to put a fountain in the center to tap the small
artesian geyser but it wasn’t in the center so they adjusted the
posts. Two posts weren’t moved so we can take measurements from
them.” She made a motion with her hands as if she were slapping the
dust off of them. “Easy fix! A little measuring with angles,
digging holes and the posts are back where they need to be.” She
gave a wink to her father and laughed.

Thesr looked at her with affection. “My
daughter has a great mind. She could have the calculations and
measurements plotted by morning. Her mathematical skills are well
respected in Morraton. We’ll let others share in the task by moving
the posts, shall we?”

They were finishing the very convivial dinner
when a vibration went through the city and the glow stone pedestals
rattled. It lasted for half a minute and everyone held onto their
glasses. Cesler turned to Gyan, as the mayor rose from the table
and said quietly. “This is happening all too often! I’ll go check
the city and the outlying buildings. Thesr and Yvon can help you
with the other task. I would trust their discretion with my life.”
Then he turned to the people assembled. “You know the drill. Please
go check your homes and businesses. I would like all of you at the
public meeting tomorrow. It is necessary for you and the Great One
to exchange information.” With that he left the room with all of
the guests.

Thesr and Yvon, having heard Cesler’s comment
to Gyan, remained behind. Gyan stood and said. “Yvon, I would love
for you to show me your city archival room. I appreciate your offer
and hope it didn’t sustain any damage in that quake!” They all got
up and Gyan took her arm so she could lead the party. Everyone was
scurrying around and didn’t pay much attention to the five people
who climbed the stairs to the second floor. The archives were in an
isolated corridor on the right side of the staircase. No one else
was about when they stopped in front of the door. Yvon turned the
key to unlock it and Drune stepped inside to bring a chair out into
the corridor. He quickly stood on it and turned the pattern plate
on the lintel. In just moments he handed a small bag to Gyan and
twisted the pattern back in position again. Thesr and Yvon had been
silent as they had watched the proceedings with wide eyes. As Drune
stepped down and picked up the chair, Gyan said, “Can we speak with
you in there?”

Yvon nodded and when they all filed in she
closed and locked the door. She moved to her normal position in the
room, which was behind her desk. Everybody sat down and Gyan
started. “It has been the practice, over the centuries for only the
most trustworthy and intelligent to be in charge of the founder
city’s archives. Since you have had this job for a number of
years...”

Yvon nodded. “Twenty-five.”

Gyan smiled. “Since you have had this job for
twenty-five years you know many things and probably a fair amount
of secrets.” She shrugged and nodded. “Tell me what you know of
sages.” He encouraged.

She thought a moment. “A sage is born once
every two or three generations. When they reach an age of maturity
certain skills emerge that are not flashy, but are unique. Sages
have been called ‘Timeless Ones’ because they age slowly after
their skills develop. There is a stabilizing bond between the
planet and the sages. I can only assume that that connection has
been disrupted causing the upheaval we have been experiencing.”

Gyan looked at her. “Very good, Yvon! I
didn’t realize all of that was in here!”

She shrugged with a smile. “It isn’t all in
one place. It was hidden in a number of texts.” Erin and Drune
grinned. They understood that!

Gyan caught their reaction but went ahead
smoothly. “Okay, let me finish filling you in. When Bure and his
kin started killing people they managed to poison a total of eight
people. Six of those eight were sages.”

Yvon and Thesr gasped. “So many!” she said.
“The planet is reacting to that reduced number and if we can’t get
the number back up the world will literally shake us into
extinction.”

“Erin, Drune and I combed the Ancient’s
archives in Aerie. Yes, it was a bit of a treasure hunt because
they hid the information well. That’s why those two were grinning
when you mentioned that. We understand. The information we found
was that there are latent sages. People that carry the sage seed
but it hasn’t activated. It was an unknown fail-safe that the
ancients designed in and didn’t tell anyone about. It is needed
now. We were given pendants to help us identify the latent sages
and the means to activate them. Yvon, you are a latent sage.”

She blinked and looked at her father, then
back at the three facing her. “Well, what are you waiting for?
Activate me! We really have no time to waste, do we?”

Gyan held up his hand. “Your decision must be
made with careful thought. It will change you and you will become a
‘Timeless One.’ Consider.”

Yvon turned to her father. “Do you object?
From what I have read sages lead normal lives, albeit much longer
ones. I can help my world and the people I love. Besides which, I
can have much more time to learn and be of use that way.”

Thesr patted her hand. “I don’t object and
the job would suit you.”

She turned back to Gyan, “Sign me up!”

Drune moved his chair close to the desk and
reached across to put his palms over the insides of her wrists.
Erin stood and put her hands on his shoulders. Drune became very
quiet as did the room. Erin could now sense where he was in his
journey and when he reached the knobby spiraled strands. She sensed
his concentration when he found the dark pulsing one and forced it
into illumination. Gyan and Erin’s pendant pulsed, then Drune
retreated out of the depths and back into awareness. Erin and Gyan
smiled as Drune sat there a minute collecting himself.

Gyan faced a wide-eyed Yvon and said simply,
“Welcome.” Then he shook out the items from the bag onto the desk.
“Every sage has special tokens that are called enhancers. They help
us link or connect our sage energy with the planet. What I want you
to do...” he said, as he arranged them in a row, “is to concentrate
on each of these items. One or two will draw you. The others will
not. We will leave you alone for a moment to decide.” Everyone
retreated to the farthest stacks of books to give Yvon a moment of
privacy.

Within two minutes she called to them. She
had chosen two. “These fit you well, Yvon. He pointed to the flat
stone disc of a mottled orange stone. This is carnelian and it is
good for analytical thinking. It is etched with the triple spiral
which is for power through transition and growth. Wear this as a
pendant always. The second one is of howlite and resembles spalted
wood. The tree pattern on it is fitting. You can keep this anywhere
on your person. Both need to stay with you all the time.” She
nodded.

Gyan put the rest back into the bag and into
his vest. “There is one other latent we have found here and we will
approach that person with the same choice tomorrow. We will be in
touch and you won’t be alone with your questions for very long, but
right now we are on a time crunch. We need to get a lot in place
within the next ten days. Can you hold on that long with any
questions?”

Yvon grinned. “Yes, I can. I will store them
up. You three go do what you need to do. I will see the posts moved
and the installation of the enhancing devices. Thank you for
trusting me. May the ancient’s bless you on this quest.” Erin gave
her a hug and they left to go to their quarters.

Erin turned to Gyan as they walked to the
staircase. “Do you have spare enhancers tucked away in case we find
someone in a place other than a founder city?”

He stopped and looked at her. “No. In the
rush I didn’t prepare for that. I will take a few from each city
and return the unused when we are done.”

Erin nodded. “I didn’t think of it until
Wellyn. It is a good thing we didn’t find one there.”

When Erin got back to her room she opened her
window and her mind. ‘Nuit, where are you?’ There was a pause, then
Erin heard her friend’s voice in her head, but it was different.
‘I’m coming. I’m almost to Morraton. Can you meet me outside of the
city?’ I’ll be there!’

Erin tore out of her room and knocked on
Gyan’s door. “Nuit is almost here. She has asked me to meet her
outside of the city, but something is wrong. I’m going out. I don’t
want to jeopardize your mission in any way, but if she is injured I
will want to carry her through the city to my room regardless who
sees me.”

Drune and I will go with you. Run ahead and
find her!” Erin spun on the ball of her foot and took off at a run.
In less than a minute she was running through the city archway and
out into the city green where she stopped to call.

‘Nuit, I am here. Where are you, my friend?’
There was a weak Whoo-woo from the trees to her right and the Great
Horned Owl flew a little drunkenly toward Erin. The young sage
planted her feet wide for balance and held out both arms to her
sides not knowing which one the owl could grab. Gyan and Drune were
at the arch in time to see Nuit careen into Erin and make a grab
for her right arm. Erin winced as her friend’s talons fought for
balance and she reached over with her left arm to help her
stabilize. Not knowing where the injury was she didn’t know where
and how to touch the owl. ‘Talk to me Nuit. Where are you
hurt?’

Drune said softly, “She has blood on her
feathers at the top of her left leg by her back. Bring your right
arm to your chest slowly. That will stabilize her balance against
your chest. Then you can use your left hand on her chest to stop
her from falling forward.” Erin did what Drune suggested. Nuit
hadn’t answered her.

Gyan said, “I am going to find the healer and
bring her to your room.” as he jogged back into the city. Drune
walked beside Erin, ready to assist her in any way.

They hadn’t gone but a few steps when Tempo
came racing out of the woods. ‘I’m coming with you. I hope that
doesn’t spoil Gyan’s plans, but Nuit helped save my life and I want
to help. She will need her strength so I caught her a mouse.’ Erin
looked down at her small striped companion and saw a mouse clamped
in his teeth.

Her chuckle came out like a sob and Drune
looked over at her questioningly. He hadn’t seen Tempo. She pointed
at Tempo with a tilt of her head. “Tempo was attacked just outside
of Morraton. Nuit flew search patterns and helped me find him as
well as locating the slingshot that was used. Tempo certainly
hasn’t forgotten and wants to help. He has caught a mouse for Nuit
to help keep her strength up. He said that he hopes it doesn’t mess
up Gyan’s message but he is coming with us.”

Drune smiled. “Gyan will handle it. Tempo and
Nuit have been very helpful as well as exceptionally circumspect.
You can’t ask for more.” They were going up the stairs. Erin hadn’t
been paying attention if people were around. It was too much to ask
that they hadn’t been seen.

She said quietly to Drune, “What are you
reading from people?”

“For the most part it is curiosity. I am not
sensing any outrage. Not sure how it will translate by tomorrow.
Gyan will handle it. Don’t worry about it now. Just a few more
steps and you will be at your room. I’ll get your door. Ah, here
comes Gyan and the healer.”

Erin strode into her room and sat on the
chair by the desk. She propped her elbow on the desk for support.
When she looked up she saw that Gyan had brought the healer she had
met at the reception. Erin looked up at Gyan in apology. “I’m sorry
if this causes you difficulty.”

Gyan shook his head. “I’ll deal with it. I
see Tempo is here. I’m sure there is a story. While Glori gently
cleans away the blood you need to hold Nuit steady. Tell me what is
going on.”

So Erin told Gyan about the night that the
guild caravan left Morraton on their way to their campsite near the
bridge. She spoke of the frantic search for Tempo and finding his
hastily concealed unconscious body. Erin wasn’t aware how silent
her listeners were, following her story as Glori carefully tended
the injured owl. She relayed that Nuit had flown search patterns
back and forth and had found the dropped weapon. She spoke of the
owl flying ahead of her to warn Lor of her coming with the wounded
skunk and ended her narrative with Tempo running out of the woods a
short time ago. “Tempo has been so careful to not mess up your
message but when he saw Nuit hurt he came to me and said that he
hoped that it didn’t spoil things for you but he wanted to help as
Nuit had been there for him. Tempo said that he knew that she would
need nourishment to regain her strength so he caught her a mouse
and brought it with him.”