Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 24
not cruel people they think it a kindness to adopt out the ‘flawed’ offspring to other ‘lesser’ nations.” Magi Locke spoke as though he had personal reasons for his intense dislike of the Ahaya and their practices. Giving a child away because it wasn’t perfect in their eyes was awful. Rica had been adopted as a child and instantly felt dislike for the Ahaya people. Or was she feeling what Magi Locke was feeling and taking it as her own emotions?
“Sorry to go on about that. I don’t like the Eastern Lands or their policy’s” There was a deep anger around Magi Locke covered over with a calm outer shell. Rick had never seen this side of him before.
“Can you get it off? The bracelet I mean.” Rica asked to break him out of his dark mood.
“Oh, no. I’m afraid that is a part of you now. Others with such protective warder gems usually cover them with a decretive band to disguise the nature of the ward.”
“Nature of the ward?” Rica noticed he was calming down now.
“The Gem is a precious stone, not a crystal and usually they are imbued with a protective spell of some kind so that it lowers barriers to a specific room or vault of some kind. Some of these warders are personal ones that protect the wearer. But this isn’t the case here. That Gem has several spells woven into its metric’s. So where ever it allows you access to it would be deadly to enter without the bracelet.”
“I can’t get it off so that’s not a problem.” Rica smiled, then she had a sudden realization and a chill went down her spin.
“There are other ways to remove it, none of them pleasant.” Magi Locke looked grim.
“Oh, right like – cutting the arm off.” Rica tried to laugh it off but this revelation had shaken her. Now she didn’t want the thing on her wrist. What had her father been thinking? And why had she so blithely put it on?
Magi Locke noticed her reaction and smiled slightly, “Most people who have those disguise them in some way. I recommend you wear a band over it. The metal has bonded with your skin. There is no practical way to remove it. I don’t recommend amputation.”
“What I don’t understand is how my dad had this on Earth. We don’t have magic.”
“I don’t know Rica. But I do know with out a doubt that your bracelet is of this world not from yours. That bracelet was specifically made for you down to the DNA level. If someone other than you had tried to put it on it would have killed them. Nasty things warder Gems, not to be played with.”
“I, well Okay.” Was all Rica could think of to say. Stunning I know, but there it is. She would ask Chaura for some cloth and make a cover band for it. Rica smiled, cover band that has so many meanings. She looked at the bracelet; the deceptively beautiful Gem sparkled so benignly. She felt sleepy when she looked at it too long, it almost felt like that night she had heard someone call her name in the dark, she shuttered and looked away, pulling her sleeve down over it.
That night Rica talked to Chaura about the warder Gem and a cover for it. Chaura helped her make a cloth band with leather laces. It didn’t look to bad, sort of rustic. Later that night Rica studied the portal spells from her textbook, trying to memorize the rhythm of the words the feel of the spell. It was so hard to try to get the feel of something you have only experienced once and had passed out doing. So she concentrated on the words memorizing every one and saying them over and over.
The next morning while she was getting ready to go down to breakfast Rica took out the necklace of crystals Zafira had helped her make. She watched the crystals come to life in brilliant glory and sighed. Chaura was walking past her room and stopped looking in at the despondent Rica.
“Rica? Is everything alright?”
“Yeah.” Rica said softly.” Everything is just great.”
“It doesn’t sound like it is.” Chaura walked into the room and looked at the beautiful necklace of natural crystals from their family’s affinity caves.
“Is that the necklace of crystals from the cavern? They are stunning!”
“Yeah.” Rica started to put the necklace back into the leather bag she had kept them in for the last week now.
“Why don’t you wear them? They would help you focus while you practice at school.”
“Some of the Magi and students are giving Rica a bad time. They don’t believe she is aligned with all the crystals. Just the White and Black is what Magi Kohl said.” Zafira had stopped and over heard what was being said and now entered the room too.
“Well Magi Kohl is mistaken. Did he test you in their affinity chamber?”
“No. He just assigned me teachers and told me to research on my own for the white and black affinities since they don’t teach them. I’m training with the four affinities they teach on a one on one bases when the teachers have time.”
“You should have told me. Zafira you know better then to keep this from me.” Chaura was shocked. “Magi Kohl is wrong. You are aligned with all the crystals or the magic of the cavern would not have gifted them to you. It is the nature of our cavern that tells me you are unique. No one in recorded history but one has ever been so gifted as to have all the affinities. That man is mired in his own pride in thinking he is right and everyone else is wrong.” Chaura was angry now. Rica could see the angry red of her aura swirl faster and faster. Rica had never seen her lose her temper or raise her voice before. Rica reflected that she seemed to bring strong emotions out in everyone she met.
“I didn’t mean to make you upset Chaura its ok really.” Rica put the necklace away.
“No it is not ok.” Chaura was insistent. “You put that necklace on and ware it proudly. If nothing else it will prove to all the doubters that you are aligned with all the crystals. And further more it will help you in your studies.” Rica obeyed her. Her hands shook as she tried to fasten the catch on the necklace. “Let me help you with that.” Chaura took the necklace and fastened it around Rica’s neck.
“The crystals draw power from the world and stores that power with in for use when you need it. The brightness you see will dim after about ten minutes and stay a steady glow from within each crystal. Only those looking directly at it will notice. But you will know and that is what is important. You need your confidence. Magic is all about confidence and focus, as no doubt you are finding out. Now lets go downstairs and make some breakfast. You tell me if you are having trouble with these magi. You can always talk to me Rica. I think of you as a daughter.”
“Thank you. You are like a mother to me too. Zafira like a sister I never had. I don’t know what I would do with out your help.” Rica hugged Chaura and Zafira joined in for a group hug. Rica felt so much better. As though just hearing how they felt about her had grounded her doubts and focused her resolve to be able to get through anything.
14 - Nabarun
Nabarun stood in the predawn cold looking out over the city of his birth. He waited, shivering as the first ray of light hit the top of the science observatory tower in the palace compound. The stone lit with a brilliant glow. This was his favorite time of day and his favorite place to watch the city wake up. His city. He watched until the valley was drenched in light and people started to move about. His mother would be looking for him, he needed to get back before she sent the militia after him.
He had forgotten how ruthless and cold his mother could be. He had been away for eight years at school and another two in mandatory military service. Then his father had died. Everything had changed. Now he was at home seeing just how emotionless, cold bordering on cruel his mother was. Today he would confront his mother. The nation disserved a ruler who was fair, not the tyrant that his mother had become.
His older brother had left the nation in disgust three years ago. The heir to the throne, ha some heir. The last reports of him were in a northern seaport drunk in a tavern. Filthy and uncouth not exactly what the people of Opia Nation would want to lead them when the time came. The way things were going; the people were on the verge of a revolution with his mother as the evil to over throw. How had it all come t
o this? Nab was bound and determined to have it out with his mother and find out what the hell she was thinking.
He turned and headed back toward the path that would lead him to the southern entrance to the city of his birth, Ternikla, meaning jewel of the mountain, and once it had been a jewel. A bustling hive of merchants and craftsmen in all seasons, even in the dead of winter people had found their way to Ternikla to buy the runed weapons or vehicles they were noted for making. There had been laughter in the streets then. Now no one would meet your eye. Most of the master craftsmen had moved out to other less stressful cities. With no trade coming to the nation where was the money coming from to pay the guards, the maids, the government? People were scared. His mother’s grief had been understandable at first but now, it had turned into something else entirely.
Nab stumbled in his reverie and almost fell off the steep path. His heart racing he looked down at the jagged rocks below and pulled himself back up. He had always been lithe and fit. He was tall and muscled with dark brown hair and bronze skin. He was grim lately and never smiled except in cynicism.
He could hear them before he saw them. His mother had sent the royal guards out to fetch him. He jumped down behind them. They started and drew their swords.