Kinzul stands abruptly as Lil leaves to attend the duties she set out for him. Our eyes meet, and I could see anyone wilting under the cool calculating gaze set within the onyx orbs of her eyes. I attempt not to think of how attractive her features are, which of course means I just thought that out loud in her presence, more or less. Still, I don’t shy away, or wilt under the scrutiny, but I nod solemnly, acknowledging the loss, but also the readiness to carry on.
Uncertain where we stand, and able to multitask while learning the runes for the spell, I ask, “Could you tell me about the region, and the state of current events, or even events that brought about this war?”
Our Lady takes in my presence with her gaze once more, looking me up and down, assessing me on every level. She answers, “I’ve matters to attend to that require my direct attention. The Curator will fill you in. See that your magical prowess grows, ask if she has any knowledge that will help fill in the chinks in your armor, anything that could shore up your vulnerabilities. I wish to never again see the corpse of an agent of the Onyx Dawn, and you will be present for many, many of its coming battles. It would not do to have the Order’s Hero fall. I bid you well, Hero.”
I nod solemnly once more as Kinzul turns her back on me to leave. She trusts me to follow her orders, and wants to see no harm come to me. I guess I should ask Lu where the library is, and go see Nala, the Curator. Or maybe I should nap. It’s already dawn on a new day, something like sixteen hours, maybe twenty, since we were woken up by nets, I think. Screw it, I’ll go til I’m pretty sure it’s been about twenty four hours, then pass out.
I cast my mind out for Luni and Teuila, since we aren’t altogether too far apart yet. It’s going to take quite a while to set up enough layers of telepathic bonding on as many agents as Kinzul wants to build up a suitably sized network such that we could communicate with each other from far across her domain. That part’s frustrating, because like she said, my learning and my enchanting are mutually exclusive. I can multitask learning with something else, but I can’t multitask my learning with more runic learning. Jarrah Bettergrove warned me of that, and I’ve promised my mentor I’d heed his warnings.
Checking in on Teuila’s emotions, she senses me and telepathically calls out, “I don’t know if I like this Air. I’m honored by Aunty’s title, but I want to be out there kicking butt, not in here worrying some chick might break out and flip her lid. Can you keep me company while learning brainbusting magic or whatever?”
I chuckle at Teuila’s affectations and turns of phrase, but my telepathic avatar shakes its head sadly as I answer, “Not just yet, depending on where the library is, I might be able to connect with you from there, or borrow books and head your way. Kinzul wants me to shore up my defenses. I’m really weak to psychic attacks, like the spell Tairkul used, and necrotic energy hurt really bad too. I’m not sure how many Terrorzin loyalists are capable of those kinds of spells or attacks, but friggin’ ow.”
Silently, I wonder if taking those psychic attacks raised my psi defense skill from Can’Z’aas. Are the actions I’m taking here on Rayileklia still translating to increases in ability from Can’Z’aas? Can I somehow cultivate ability growth, in a way that’s compressed or expanded enough that the changes would affect me here, on Rayileklia?
Teuila’s avatar pouts in response, “Poo. Just when I think we’re safe to have more time together, now we have to fight a war and we don’t get the same assignments. Razzafrazzitall. Ugh. Just, just stay safe, okay Air, my Airhead?”
My avatar nods in response as it embraces Teuila’s tightly for several moments. I mutter an ever so slightly cheeky reply, “Back at you Te, back at you.”
I’d almost be afraid that Teuila would disobey orders in order to get more time with me, but Teuila is loyal to the extreme. Kinzul likely filled her in telepathically on her title, her position, and the importance of what’s going on. Teuila’s avatar sticks her tongue out at me as we break off the embrace, and she blows a raspberry as Luni’s avatar is showing up in our shared mindscape. I’m surprised how deftly Luni traverses mindscapes, despite Te and me having had to have Bud help craft this one for us, since the telepathy is entirely different from our Can’Z’aasian bond. Luni’s avatar blushes, and attempts to whistle innocently at my train of thought announcing my suspicions. Sure Lu, smooth, real smooth, completely inconspicuous.
Luni’s telepathic avatar puts her fists on her hips in mock annoyance as she flicks her head to one side, snubbing me. She can’t keep it up for long though as I stare at her with a half grin and a raised eyebrow. As much as I love how playful she can be, I have to get down to business, and I kind of hate myself for it.
I ask, “Did you know them? Amie or something like that, Amestue? Lil called her Aims or something like that. The other one was Dmitrin. Lil didn’t have a nickname for that one, but Kinzul said they were our Seer and Scholar, both of which sound like terrible agents to lose so early in a war that’s been brewing.”
Luni’s telepathic avatar nods sadly, and holds out one arm, keeping Teuila’s avatar at bay as Teuila comes in with arms wide open. Te jokingly keeps walking against Lu’s outstretched hand on her sternum. I try not to laugh at Teuila’s antics, since I know Lu might be hurting.
Luni’s eventual response is, “Aims was, she was nice, and dutiful, and, and, like—. How can someone that sees all the things she does, that knows the things that she’s made to know, still get to be a kid? I was jealous, and I resented her for it a bit. The more future ‘Me’s that came back to me, the harder it was for me to just stay me, knowing what I knew, keeping the secrets I had to keep. I feel like crap for thinking that way about her, but I hate lying, or hiding my feelings, or keeping secrets. You know I do. I didn’t admit those feelings until now, but you know what’s worse? She *knew* I felt that way, and she was still a total sweetheart to me. She drew me pictures for crying out loud!”
Luni’s avatar stamps in frustration, and I can see the tears welling in her eyes. Lu’s avatar slumps, defeated, and finally relents to Teuila’s avatar’s advances, so that her big sis can wrap her up in a warm embrace. Luni grumbles something about, “Weird being sisters.”
Luni shoots me a glance as she can tell my mind overheard that particular thought, and it’s starting to piece something together. The worry in her gaze says enough that I know not to pursue the train of thought. Oh Lu, the burdens you bear. My telepathic avatar approaches the pair and wraps them up in a firm hug as well.
I sigh as I ask, “Can you possibly direct me to the library Lu? Kinzul wanted me to talk to the Curator about shoring up my weaknesses, and I figured that’s where Nala would be. I think that’s who it was anyway.”
Luni nods as she disentangles herself from our combined embrace, shoving Teuila away by Te’s face playfully, resulting in a Shellcracker Family Slap Fight. Lu responds, “Yeah, yeah I was going to pass by that way anyway. We can catch up a little on the way. Te, I love you, but be good. Please?”
Teuila looks disgruntled, and mildly taken aback as her face contorts. Te defiantly retorts, “Hey, I’m always good,” which results in an incredulous expression that includes a raised eyebrow from Luni, a shared half laugh, and ends in Teuila’s avatar rubbing the back of its head in mild embarrassment.
Luni catches up to me in meatspace, so I sadly have to abandon My Wings to her duty, guarding a one-armed prisoner. Hopefully missing an arm means Tairkul can’t cast her spells even if she did somehow get free. Be safe Teuila, please. I take in the sight of Luni trotting up to join me, and I sigh contentedly with a sad smile on my face. I’d probably feel guilty about not telling her what I’m going to say, earlier, if I wasn’t already sure she already knew.
Luni nods along with my thoughts, agreeing that she already knows, but I tell her anyway, “I’ve needed you My Anchor, I made some big blunders, and learned some things that have caused a lot of damage in my brain, and mindscape. I’m sorry that I kept poking at things while here on Rayileklia.”
Luni cups my cheek and stands on her tiptoes to lean forward from too far away, resulting in her nearly toppling over as she tries to kiss my cheek. We do collide as she slides as if her torso is attracted to me. I raise an eyebrow at the supposed clumsiness that results in me catching Luni tightly against my body. I shake my head at the obviousness of it, but even as I realize what she’s doing, I can’t resist blushing for long. I help drag Luni closer so that she can get her feet positioned under her, and I mentally facepalm. I could have used telekinesis to guarantee she kept her footing.
Luni pouts as she grumps, “You’re no fun,” at the thought of me spoiling her teasing before it even started. I half smirk in response, and nuzzle noses with her before we share a tremulous kiss.
Hesitantly, Lu asks, “Reggie? How much of what you learned can you remember without hurting yourself?”
Gulping, I try to think back on which revelations allowed themselves to be had pain-free, and I come up blank. Luni slumps into my embrace, disappointed, saddened, disheartened. I levitate us in the direction she points, to begin heading towards the library, and I feel guilty for not being able to give Luni better news about my memories. Luni still takes some comfort in snuggling against me during our surfing flight, and I don’t rush as fast as I’m able to, nor do I prevent myself from meandering slightly. I trace sin waves through the air as I swoop left and right to each side of the hallway repeatedly.
Disheartened by the lack of conversation, when we could be catching up, I fumble about my mind for something to say, some nugget of wit, anything. I almost resort to asking how the weather is. On friggin’ Rayileklia. The planet where it’s a never ending acid rainstorm, permanently, everywhere, at all times. I mentally facepalm, and Luni giggles at my ridiculous line of thought.
Lu offers, “So much has happened. We foiled a plot in the Heart of the Wilds, Lucky got knighted by the Courts, that was kinda weird and funny, but he behaved himself. The Sisters were cryptic with things, but you can probably guess what they said when they told us our innate affinities, our powers, like you and Te.”
I nod as I guess, “Sound, or waveforms for you, fire for Lil, earth or rock or something for Lucky?”
Luni nods and chirps, “Got it in one!”
I grin and chuckle as I shake my head. Luni was right, it was an easy guess, because they were obvious. Similarly to when Teuila was told hers was, if I recall exactly, “precise control over the forces of attraction.”
Luni coughs, and sputters, surprised at the wording of my thought train for some reason. I raise an eyebrow, but she refuses to elucidate me as to her reaction. After playing coy for a while longer, Luni flushes heatedly as she mumbles, “Yeah, yeah Te is good at attraction stuff.”
In most other situations, I might tease Lu about something like that, but with the hints I got earlier, and hints from our first day on Rayileklia, more things are snapping into place, but they’re coming naturally. I *remember* scenes of Taylynn and Selunie laughing together, holding each other, *kissing* each other. I observe those scenes from some strange otherworldly perspective. I blush deeply as I recall scenes, memories, of accepting a job with Taylynn, and riding on just her horse as we crossed regions of Rayileklia, and the nights we spent mudcamping together, exploring eacho--. Argh, ow, I pant with exhaustion and we tumble to the floor as my telekinetic grip snaps as my skull reels from a migraine.
Luni gasps as she asks, “Reggie, Reggie do you know what those mean?”
I am so very tempted to tease her by asking, “Who the hell is Reggie?” Or to joke, “That you have the hots for your sister?” but the fact that she’s reading my mind as I think it would spoil any of the teasing I attempted. Things are mixed though. Wait, there’s that little white blob again! Is that Aces’ soul? Is that my soul? My heart races, as does my mind, and I can barely catch my breath. We’re attempting to pick ourselves up from where we tumbled, but my balance is out of whack, everything seems slanted. My brain feels like it’s on the tilt-a-whirl, or maybe in a blender, possibly spinning down a drain. I can feel memories slipping from my grasp, memories from Can’Z’aas.
Despite the sudden frighteningly powerful exhaustion, I manage to mutter, “Lu, what’s— what’s happening—?”
Luni catches my head, and lowers it to her lap as I topple over. There are so many emotions fighting to come to the fore, hidden beneath the concern on her face.