Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 11
prophecy and all he was, was the bodyguard of a human girl he had never met! Moyo bowed formally to the Elder Counsel and the Magi in the room.
“Thank you. Is there any thing you can tell me? What direction I should travel? That wouldn’t effect the prophecy would it?”
“No it would not effect the prophecy since it is not a part of it. The scrying masters have determined a place to start looking. Magi Professor Timory will give you instructions and traveling funds. We don’t want you to use your own funds on this quest; it must come from the free isles of the Miwa instead of from the coffers of the old monarchy. Do you understand Shaleant?’
Moyo understood. He had understood all his life that he lived for the Council of Elders convenience. They needed his unique DNA to open the doors to the Chamber. His family was the only key and he was the last of his line alive. “I understand.”
“We have written out what you can know Shaleant de Curria, the secretary will give you all that you can take with you. We have taken the liberty to pack for you. Thank you for undertaking this Vision Quest for it is of grave importance. Good luck.” Magi Timory nodded to Moyo. The secretary stepped forward to show Moyo out handing him a small case.
Someone had packed supplies for him and his clothes. Professor Semloc handed Moyo his father’s crystal imbued bow and quiver of arrows to take with him. Moyo didn’t tell them that the Professor Semloc had told him it was the prophecy of the four, he avoided looking at the Dean as he took his fathers bow.
The secretary of the school was a typical Miwa, medium height with light brown wings and brown eyes. He led Moyo from the chambers to the clat without allowing him to say his good byes. Telling him it was imperative to keep this quiet since a prophecy was involved. The secretary told him how to contact him in the advent of an emergency and impressed upon him that he needed to do what he felt best at all times and that the magi could not counsel him in anyway lest they change the prophecy.
6 – The Line
The Yemis started pulling the treb when Zos clicked at it in an affectionate voice. He reached down and stroked its soft neck. Rica was sitting in the seat next to Zafira so she had a good view of the Yemis and what Zos was doing. Melnone, Nottia’s brother, was riding the other Yemis and kept up with Zos. Rica thought it was odd that Zos rode the Yemis that pulled the treb, but it seemed to work okay. Zafira and Nottia were talking about what they would do when they got back home. Energy hummed in the runes of the treb. Rica could feel its strong, almost hypnotizing power. She forced herself to concentrate on the scenery.
The rock road was just wide enough for the two Yemis to walk side by side. The treb floated behind. Rica liked that there were no jarring bumps or teeth rattling ruts and if there were it didn’t affect her in the treb, it glided over them silently. The sound of the yemis’s soft padded feet and the click of their hard claws was the only sound of their movement. Rica looked around at the canyon walls as the Yemis pulled them up the ancient road. The walls of the canyon were layered in many colors of quarts and sediment. It was a wonder of color and heat as the day progressed.
Something bothered her about the surrounding land. The same thing she had noticed while she was lost in the wastes. There were no animals or plants along the way. Rica didn’t see any birds in the sky or insects for that matter.
“There aren’t any plants here. The deserts on Earth have plants.” Rica said.
Nottia looked around and gestured back the way they had come. “This is the edge of the wastes. Nothing lives here.” As though that explained everything.
Zafira glanced over at Rica and added, “The Magi and Scientists have tried to reverse the effects here but so far there has been no change.”
Magi? Scientists she could grasp but magi? These cats were always talking about magic and magi. So far what she had seen of magic up close had been uncomfortable and a little more than unnerving.
“Was it a spell that had gone wrong to cause this wasteland?”
“There was a war fought here a long time ago. Now the land is sterile. Even birds wont fly over it.” Zafira was so matter of fact about it all. Though war was no joke.
“Must have been a bad war. Not that all wars aren’t bad. Oh never mind.” Rica shook her head. Sometimes she just couldn’t express what she meant.
“You are right. We Kahshian’s believe that no one ever wins in a war. All suffer. We are traders and business people. We don’t even have an Army.” Zafira looked at her earnestly.
“Aren’t you afraid some country will just come and take your land?” The idea of no army to defend a country was strange to Rica who had come from a country that was the leader of the free world.
“No, our cities have defenses just no Army. There are diplomatic ways to resolve any issue.” The pride in Zafira’s voice was there for all to hear. The sentiment made Rica’s nerves seem to tingle. Something was trying to get her attention.
“I hope you’re right. Maybe the people of my world haven’t learned how to live that way. But one thing I have learned is that bullies like to pick on the little guy, especially if they don’t have a way to defend themselves.” These people were naïve!
The Yemis were slowing down. The ancient road was coming to an end. Rica looked around and back the way they had come. The road winded down into the canyon a ribbon of white quartz. Rica could see a good part of the massive canyon from where they were now. It stretched out for miles with many branches and limbs going out like a giant rock tree. The only white quartz in the area was that paving the ancient roadway and echoed in the walls next to it. The rest of the canyon was in darker colors, reds, purples, even black. Beyond the canyon Rica imagined it must look like a vast desert of sand and rock. She could not see beyond the canyon it stretched out as far as she could see.
The treb came to a stop and Rica turned around and gasped to see trees and foliage in a clear line ahead of them. Where the wastes started and stopped was as though someone had drawn a line. One side of the line life flourished the other side barren rock and sand. The difference was striking. Zafira watched Rica as she noticed the line and nodded.
“It’s almost like someone drew a line!” Rica exclaimed. A sickening swell of energy wrapped itself around her and pulled away again. Gooseflesh formed along her arms.
“Yes it is an enigma. Even insects wont cross the invisible barrier. Come I’ll show you.” Zafira stepped down from the treb and walked over to the line. Rica followed. Zafira stepped over the line and looked up at Rica.
“It feels different on this side.” Zafira said.
Rica straddled the line one foot on each side. A tingling started in the foot on the living side, the other felt like it was pulling her somehow. Some force within her pushed the feeling away. Rica knelt down and put a hand on either side. The opposing feelings increased almost taking her breath away. Rica swayed loosing her balance for a moment. Warring forces of energy surrounded her from within and without. Dizzy, she shook her head, a welling of heat started in her chest and rapidly traveled down the arm to the hand on the dead side. Rica took a deep breath and stood up. She needed to get away from the discomfort. Zafira gasped. Rica looked at her. Zafira was staring at the ground where Rica had knelt, her eyes wide, and ears flat tight to her head, she took a step back.
Rica looked at the ground and stared in disbelief. A line had formed around where her hand had been as though drawn there. The ground inside the outline was changing, glowing. When it stopped the dirt no longer looked dry and dead but darker and healthier like a good loam.
“Whoa!” Rica exclaimed. Had she somehow done that?
Zafira was looking at Rica in astonishment, “You – What did you do?” she stammered.
“I don’t know. I felt dizzy and fell forward then I felt sort of hot. I didn’t do anything.” Rica had a fluttery feeling in her stomach almost like stage freight. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and the air around her crackled with electricity, Rica stepped back hurriedly,
lightning crackled in a ball and ached down in a tiny streak hitting where she had just been. A white light burst all around her. Warring forces of energy converged around her. Rica felt safe suddenly. The glow of the light sizzled across her arms and all her hair stood on end then fell normally as though nothing had happened. Jim ran across the ground from the treb where he had been asleep and ran up to sit on Rica’s shoulder clinging to her. Rica pet his soft fur absently.
“Wow what was that? Some kind of static electricity or something?” Rica felt wonderful but lightheaded as though at that moment she could do anything.
“I don’t know, I have never seen anything like it.” Zafira said staring at Rica.
Zos ran up to them worry and apprehension on his face, “are you all right?”
Melnone was slower to come up. Keeping his distance. Nottia looked around at the phenomenon on the ground. She looked back at Rica. They all seemed astonished at what had happened. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. Anger washed over her from somewhere near. Rica pushed the feeling away and it went.
“It seems to be spreading, look at the edges they aren’t clear but blurred now.” Zos and Zafira looked at where Nottia pointed. Melnone stood back looking at Rica with his eyes narrowed.