Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 20

produce. This ensures that we still have fresh produce all year round, even during our dry seasons.”

  Zafira continued making her way through the traffic in the city, pointing out various places she had gone to or liked. Parking was scarce near the Academy so they circled around a couple of times looking for a spot. Zafira pulled into a parking spot and said, “Okay, we have to walk from here, if you thought our agriculture building was big wait till you see the Academy of the Arts!”

  As they started walking Rica noticed they were headed towards a towering granite wall that ran in both directions for many blocks. Rica was curious and a little anxious looking at the ominous wall “Is the academy behind that massive wall? Why is it so fortified?” She was feeling more than a little intimidated.

  “Yes, that is the outer wall of the academy. It was built in ancient times and fortified with magic. In that era it was not uncommon for the mages to wage war upon each other.” The wall rose high into the air. Rica looked up at it trying to see the top and bumped into Zafira who had stopped.

  “Oops, Sorry!” Rica laughed.

  “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Zafira was looking up at the wall too. There was a glint of something shiny at the top but it was impossible to make it out.

  “Come on, we don’t want to be late!” Zafira tugged at Rica’s arm. The walked down the wide sidewalk to where a lot of people were bustling about.

  Colossal metal doors stood open for the people passing in and out of the academy grounds. Rica walked through them she was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the doors, her jaw dropped open and she stopped. The nicely dressed Kahshian walking behind Rica almost collided with her at the sudden stop; he mumbled a polite apology and continued on his way. Rica didn’t notice him; the sight before her enraptured her. Through the doors was a fantastic world she just couldn’t seem to get her mind to accept. Rica’s feet seemed stuck to the ground as she gawked at the magnificent vision in front of her. There were ten incredibly tall towers surrounding a central palace. Each tower was unique in its own right; they seemed to be stone covered in crystal. The crystals glinted in the sun in a rainbow of color.

  Rica had never seen anything like it. Some of the towers in the compound were like blown glass creations; one of them had crystal leafs and flowers and another looked like it was being engulfed by crystal flames. Bridges hung between the towers up high; they looked to Rica as though they floated unsupported sixty or more feet in the air. They didn’t look as though they could support any weight let alone withstand weather. But there were people hurrying across their expanse. The grounds between the towers were planted in grand gardens, which looked like wonderful places to sit and read or study. There were stone benches and tables with trees and flowers all around. One area had a large pond with a little dock and boat.

  Zafira noticed Rica’s sudden stop and the astonishment on her face; smiling broadly Zafira gently took Rica’s arm and guided her to one of the stone benches. “This place is absolutely stunning.” Something had happened. Rica understood everything that was being said. Could she make a sentence in this language with out sounding like a foreigner? She thought about it. Yes the words came to her as she thought about what she wanted to say. She tried a more elaborate sentence then she had before. Formed it in her mind then tried to say it in the cat people’s language.

  “You weren’t kidding when you said this place would be big. It’s so beautiful; those crystal structures on the towers are amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Did Zafira understand her? Yes she did, now just need to learn to read their language so she could understand what the signs said.

  “Don’t you have schools where you come from?”

  Rica smiled, “Yeah we have schools, it’s just we don’t have anything this big, or living crystals or floating walkways, or magic.” She relaxed. Knowing how to speak a language to be understood was big.

  “I can’t imagine a world without magic. We don’t have any time before our appointment we can look around after.” Zafira led Rica over to the green tower the crystals lit as Rica approached, shinning brightly even in daylight. People walking near by stopped to gawk at the sight.

  They climbed white marble steps that lead to the central building, the ornate doors opened as they approached. The interior was cool. It was decorated in rich woods and a gold colored metal with plush red carpets on the floor. Rica was feeling daunted by all the grandeur of the palace and not sure what she would say to the director when she met him. The inside of the building was a busy place; there were many people moving about. The two of them made their way to the administrative offices on the second floor and checked in with the secretary. She smiled kindly, “Hello, you two may go on back. Magi Kohl is expecting you.”

  As they walked into the director’s office the first thing Rica noticed was all the books; Bookcases covered three walls of the room and all of them were filled with books. There was a large couch and two armchairs with a carved green stone table between them. Setting on the table was a vase filled with yellow and red flowers. The carpet was thick and had intricate designs woven into it. They looked like the runes on the cave walls where she had started this adventure. Finally, Rica’s eyes settled on the man sitting at the desk. Instantly Rica had the thought that he was one of those people who had a place for everything and everything was in its place. His desk was neat to the extreme. All the papers were in a neat stack and parallel to the edge of the desk. All the things on the desk were spaced evenly apart. He seemed engrossed in whatever he was working on. Zafira cleared her throat, “Hello Magi Kohl, I’m sorry to disturb you. The secretary said you were expecting us.”

  Magi Kohl looked up and set his pen down, and pushed away from the desk “No problem at all. Please do come in” He stood up and stepped from behind the desk. The director was a tall, slender middle-aged man. “It’s nice to meet you Zafira” He bowed his head slightly to Zafira and opened both his hands, palms up at his sides; Zafira in turn bowed her head and repeated the gesture. He then turned to Rica, “And you must be Ulrica, I must say I have been eager to meet you.” He then repeated the bow and gesture to Rica. “Please both of you feel free to call me Ian. Magi Kohl is such a formal title and I have never been one for formality.” Rica’s eye’s started to tear up as she realized this was the first human she had encountered in weeks. She warmed to him immediately.

  Rica brushed at her face with her hand and said, “I’m sorry you are the first human I have seen since being dropped on this planet, it’s so nice to know I’m not the only one.” Rica extended her hand to shake his. He looked at her with a curious glint in his eye, and copied her by extending his hand in front of him but not taking her hand. Rica stepped forward and grasped his hand applying slight pressure and shook it. He laughed slightly.

  “Well this is new. We typically don’t touch people unless they are our close friends and family.”

  Rica could feel her face heat up and knew she must be flushed with embarrassment, “Sorry, that is how we greet people where I’m from.”

  “It’s quite all right. I enjoy learning about other cultures. I am particularly interested in you.”

  “Why me? How do you know so much already?”

  Zafira chimed in, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Rica. Ian and my father have been friends since their academy days. Father set up this appointment for us.” Zafira looked at Rica with meaning in her eyes. OH! Don’t tell him how we found you. Got it! Rica remembered what Chaura had said about not trusting this person completely.

  Ian was still looking at Rica and smiling when he said, “I am particularly intrigued about how you got to this world and about Tod’s insistence that you have all affinities.” He frowned slightly at the mention of affinities.

  Zafira and Rica then recounted the whole experience, most importantly about Rica wanting to find a way home. Ian was not hopeful about transporting Rica back to Earth. However, he was adamant about the necessity of training Rica in her abili
ties. He explained that the affinities could be dangerous. If left untrained they might manifest unpredictably. Rica blushed, remembering her wet morning at the breakfast table. Ian further indicated that he doubted she was attuned to all of them.

  “A person’s affinity is mostly paired. It sounds as though your affinities truly are for the Black and White Crystals, which encompasses minor properties of all the others.” He said with distain. Rica’s initial like for this man was rapidly dwindling. Rica could feel the animosity from Magi Kohl. His façade of interested Professor was covering distrust. Rica could see a swirling chaos of color around him tightly contained. It was a sickening orange and green shot with the most awful purple she had ever seen. The swirling mass was increasing in speed as he talked. Rica looked at Zafira, her colors were tightly blue. Rica could feel that he didn’t believe her. She instantly wanted to prove that she was telling the truth. A feeling of righteous injustice grew within her. Something was going on inside her, a growing need to stay silent. This person looked harmless but there was danger alarms going off inside her.

  “Oh, thank you Magi Kohl. I think you are right.” Zafira turned toward her and started to say something when