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The Crystals of Tlalli:

  Awakened Affinities

  By Dianne R. Vincent

  Copyright 2012 Dianne R. Vincent

  all rights reserved

  This book is also available in print at most online retailers.

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to everyone who helped make this book possible, in no particular order: Ken, for your insights into military things and proofreading, Sharon for your insights into Nab and his mother, for helping with the chapter on the ritual and for proofreading, Samantha and Sophia for being excited about the book and wanting to hear the story.

  Dedication

  To the memory of my son Kenny, I miss you.

  Table of Contents

  Prolog

  1 Ulrica

  2 Rescued

  3 The Ritual

  4 Affinity

  5 Moyolehauni

  6 The Line

  7 Shani

  8 Part of the Family

  9 Finishing The Garden

  10 The Herbalist Shop

  11 Clues

  12 Nottia’s News and Rica’s Party

  13 Growing Pains

  14 Nabarun

  15 Clouded Vision

  16 Frustration

  17 Investigation

  18 Introductions

  19 Escape

  20 Developments

  21 Denham, City of Trade

  22 Meetings

  23 Betrayed

  24 On the Run

  25 Captured

  26 The Forests of the Onur

  27 Tabor Town

  28 Revelations

  29 Tlalli-Dex

  About the Author

  Prolog

  The World of Tlalli is much like Earth with a few striking differences. This world has more than normal crystal formations. Crystals can be found everywhere on Tlalli. Eons ago an intelligent race of beings that have come to be known as the Seeders found Tlalli. They observed life form on the world, watched it carefully, guiding it to civilization. The Seeders played at being God for a time. They modified the emerging sentient life on the planet, changing the DNA. They changed while still retaining their uniqueness. The race of beings on the planet was winged and telepathic, they called themselves the Miwa. They fascinated the seeders. The Seeders wanted to know how they would cope with competition: so they brought some of the other intelligent life they had come across in the universe together. They brought humans to Tlalli. Would they live together peacefully?

  This kept the Seeders attention for a time. Then they modified the humans to be able to communicate with the Miwa. They also changed the DNA again of the Miwa, fusing the human DNA with the Miwa’s. The Miwa didn’t look anything like they had before; now they looked human with wings, could speak a language and had a high level of civilization. The humans the Seeders brought to Tlalli were modified in three groups. The first group was only modified to communicate with the energy of the crystals like the Miwa could. The second group was modified to be able to tap into the crystals energy and to have attributes like cats, agility, enhanced sense of smell and eyesight, eyes, ears, skin coloration, and hands with retractable claws. The third group was modified to have attributes like reptiles, enhanced sense of smell, eyes, skin, and strength. They left a control group of humans untouched on the world for many thousands of years. But at some point the Seeders modified the control group to have enhanced strength and be more intelligent. The Seeders made portals using the power of the Tlalli crystals to other worlds they had played with, then one day the Seeders just left. They never returned.

  On the world of Tlalli the different races of people relegated the Seeders to myth and then started to forget about them all together. The way the Seeders set up the races to interact with the crystals had a profound effect on the world. There were ten different colors of the special interactive crystals. The crystals made up a network of knowledge and power that could be tapped into and used. We would think of this as magic. Each crystal color has its own unique power frequency, magic abilities spring from this.

  The Seeders had made a central control chamber the people of the world came to call the Chamber of the Stars. Within the chamber the gifted of the world could come and harmonize with the main crystals. This created a balance and kept everything working in harmony. Then some of the races decided only the leader of that race could come to the chambers. The crystals adapted, recognizing the DNA of those who came. Soon only the DNA of the families that frequented the chambers could align the crystals. The people had changed the way things worked. Slowly the crystals began to dim.

  Magic was failing in the world. Twenty-five years before the main story unfolds we find the world in chaos again. This time it is different. The last remaining Miwa ruler to be able to access the Chamber of the Stars has been assassinated. His three-year-old son is the only remaining Miwa with the DNA capable of opening the Chamber. With the death of the King of the Miwa isles comes the dimming of the violet crystal. All the magi who could tap the power of the violet crystal are now unable to do so without help from existing runes for that purpose. Only a few of the runes still exist. The crystals have grown dim. Only four crystals remain of the ten. The others set dark, waiting for harmony again.

  In the northern Nation of Semlor a studious magi turned scientist sets contemplating his marriage to Mayree Sylvestry a daughter of High Magus Sylvan Sylvestry and Magus Mayrica Ohlanta one of the Twelve of the Eastern Lands (Ahaya). He has never met his bride but knows something must have been wrong for the High Magus to allow this marriage to happen. The Eastern Lands do not allow other nations into their country except to trade and then only at the sea ports under stern guard. They do not allow other nations to visit or study in their lands let alone marry. To allow one of their own and a daughter of such a high magus to be married to someone of another country is unheard of. Yet it was happening. His father had made the arrangements somehow. Jarath wasn’t going to question, he was just happy he would be accepted by this powerful woman. He was a shy man. His father was always disappointed in him. He had gone through the Affinity training his father had insisted on when everyone knew the crystals were dying. He was a scientist at heart. His father had told him if he studied why the crystals were failing and could come up with a reasonable way to correct the problem he could continue as a scientist.

  This was fine with Jarath. As he started the study he become increasingly obsessed with it. The gifted had enhanced DNA. The chromosomes were minutely different then the ungifted. As a scientist this fascinated him. When the Violet affinity dimmed Jarath became even more obsessed with finding ways to restore all the crystals to power. His new bride had captivated him. She was upset about the magic failing. He wanted to wipe the sadness away from her eyes. He didn’t know she was despondent for another reason.

  She had run away to the Southern Kingdoms and had had an affair with a Southern Kingdoms Prince. They had had a baby. When her parents found her the baby was gone. All was good with that they assumed. They came and took her when her lover was out hunting. Her parents took her back to Ahaya until a decision was made as to punishment for her terrible crime. To the magi of the Ahaya everyone who was in constant contact with ungifted people was tainted. Their gifts were then tainted as well. The Twelve of Ahaya had met and had quickly made an assessment that she was tainted with foreign blood now. Death was the answer. Her parents were high up in the county and one of them was a member of the Twelve and had influence. Her life was spared but she could not stay in Ahaya and was forbidden to return to her Prince. Her parents arranged to have her married off to the Northern Magi Jarath. Mayree hoped still that her prince would find her a
nd rescue her. But he never came. She knew her baby was safe and that was all that mattered now.

  Jarath tried many ways to win Mayree’s heart but to no avail. She was aloof. She could not be consoled. Jarath became despondent. Then he became angry. She had bourn him a boy child and would not bond with him. Nannys raised the boy. True he was a difficult child but a mother should love her own son shouldn’t she? Jarath poured himself into his work. He paid no or little attention to his wife and son; he was having trouble of his own.

  The mage community in Semlor at first supported his research and helped him by sending newly graduated magi to Jarath as helpers. Over the years his research has taken on a more desperate turn. When he found the DNA link to the power of the crystals he experimented on volunteers to see if he could enhance their existing powers. It worked in some cases. The red affinity responded well to the enhancements, in other cases it had devastating results. The failures suffered. They found their gifts had