“Jal?” Jal bolted upright as Sage Elvan’s voice woke it up.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry if I woke you, Jal.”
Jal looked at its timepiece. It was just after dawn. “That’s okay. It’s time to get up.”
“Jal, I want you to pack up your things.”
“What’s going on?”
“We have an appointment with Lu Kan Moti this morning.”
“Do I get to come home and clean up?”
“No. We’re going directly from where you are to Kop.”
“Kop?”
“Lu Kan’s back on Zuphreon, and he’s going to be in Kop this morning.”
“Okay. It’ll take me a few minutes.”
Jal was putting the kettles into the backpack when Jan materialized.
“Jan, when will I be able to do that?”
“Do what?”
“Transport by the wand.”
“When your magic skills are level four and your character board says you are a level six.”
“Character board? What’s that?”
“Let’s go talk to Lu Kan Moti. We can talk about this when we’re done there.”
Several minutes later, they walked down the street in Kop. “Do you know your way around here?” Jal asked hesitantly.
“No. I was given specific street names. This place is around here somewhere.” The pair studied the business names as they went along. “Minerva’s Tea Shop. Here we go,” Jan said. As they entered, they looked the crowd over.
“How are we supposed to find him? Is he wearing something notable?” Jal asked.
“I didn’t think of that,” Jan responded. “We’re early. We’ll take a spot where we can see the door and watch for a person who comes in alone.”
Jal ordered a meal and ate it. Thirty minutes after the appointed time, they were still waiting. The breakfast crowd slowly trickled out. “How long do we wait?”
“I should think that an hour would be plenty.” Jal told Jan about the hike and the fight with the rock creatures. “You killed someone?” Jan was aghast.
“They were going to kill me!”
Jan wasn’t sure what to think about that. When Jal pointed out that all it had done was walk on the mountain, Jan relaxed a bit. “You have the right to defend yourself,” it nodded. “Well, it’s been an hour.”
Jan tried to contact Lu Kan via the communicator.
“This is JaToe Bome, aide to Lu Kan Moti.”
Jan explained who it was and that it and Jal were waiting for Lu Kan at the designated rendezvous in Kop.
“Designated rendezvous? Kop?”
“He called me last night, and said he would be in Kop this morning.”
“I’m sorry. You must be mistaken. Lu Kan was in Kop yesterday morning. Perhaps he called you from Shifos?”
“He didn’t say.”
“He may have done that; he is often confused by the time differences.” There was a pause. “Lu Kan was there yesterday.”
“But I spoke with him less than seven hours ago.”
“I don’t know what to say about your situation. Would you like to reschedule your appointment?”
“Yes. We’d like to see him when he returns to Nik.”
“That may not be for several months.”
“Oh? May I ask where he is? Perhaps we could meet him at his present location.”
“He has gone off-world to a scientific gathering.” The speaker named a distant galaxy. “It will take him approximately three weeks to arrive there.”
“We’ll contact him in a few weeks. Thank you. Well, Jal, is there anything you’d like to see here in Kop?”
“What is there to see?”
Jan looked around. “Not much, I guess. Shipman University.”
“I’ve been there. It’s mostly buildings around a large green area.”
“We could go out to the Wrentpids Beacon.”
“I’ve been there.” Jal told Jan about the little boy.
“Those are the only things I can think of,” Jan remarked as they walked toward the downtown area. Jan stopped, then stepped out again. “No, you probably don’t want to see that.”
“What?”
“There’s a temple south of the city.”
“A temple? You mean like the Sanctuary of Revelations.”
“Yes.”
“Maybe I would get to meet a Protector?”
“That’s highly unlikely, but we could go there. It’s quite different from the one at Ebenbell.” Jan waved the wand and stated the destination.
The pair stood in front of a geodesic dome in the middle of a wide, open area. It was surrounded by green, but the green wasn’t grass or any other living substance. “This is an odd surface,” Jal stopped to examine pebbles. “It’s not anything like the rocks I’ve studied.”
“It’s believed to have been caused by a meteor.”
Jal wrinkled its forehead. “That’s odd. I’ll have to look it up when we get home.”
They entered the temple and stood quietly at the back. The trapezoidal walls leaned in and on top of them rose an odd shape. The walls of the large room were covered with frescos in shades of green. They were faded, Jal noted, and parts of them were missing.
“Welcome to the Sanctuary of Revelations and Temple to Shather,” a small human greeted them.
“Thank you,” Sage Elvan responded. It introduced itself and Jal. “Jal has been to the Sanctuary on Iragos Peninsula, but this is its first time here.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“I am Kanece. I will attend to you today. I offer to you, a tour, explaining the paintings on the walls.” They followed Kanece from panel to panel around the main area. “Do you have questions?”
“How long has the temple been here?” Jal asked.
“Since the beginning days,” Kanece responded.
“What types of paint were used on the walls?”
“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”
“The colors and drawings seem fairly recent.”
“Of course they are. No one wants to look at old paintings. Our artists paint a panel each year.”
Sage Elvan looked at Jal. Jal wondered whether the green-eyed, green-skinned female would tolerate another question. “I would like to meet Shather,” Jal proposed. “Perhaps we could set up an appointment.”
“Appointment? Shather?” Kanece scowled. She reached into her pocket and fumbled with something.
Another female joined them, as they stood near the hallway that led to the rest of the facility. “What is it¸ Kanece?”
“This young Stafriez would like to meet Shather.” The two looked at each other solemnly.
“Perhaps you can explain what I’ve said that’s so wrong, Sage Elvan?” Jal turned to it.
“I’m not sure,” it rubbed its chin. “Perhaps we don’t need an appointment. Maybe we can see him without one.”
“She doesn’t make appointments,” Kanece snapped.
“Is she available?”
“The gods are always available. Pray to her, make offerings and sing litanies, and she might come to you one day.”
“One day?”
“The gods are busy people. Shather is responsible for all the plants and trees that grow on Trazene.”
“Yes,” Jal nodded. “The book I read said that. I would like to know how to contact Shather and the other Protectors.”
“Pray to them, make offerings and litanies.”
“If I pray, then I can have an appointment,” Jal proposed.
“Appointment? A god doesn’t need an appointment!”
“God?”
“Sage Elvan, has your child had its religious training?” Sage Elvan looked at Jal, speechless. “I suggest that you go to the Spirit Guardian at the Temple closest to you. Good day.”
Once they were outside, Jal looked at Sage Elvan. “Why did she talk to me like that?”
“I think she thought you were making fun of the gods.”
“Making fun of them? Why would I do that? I just want to learn.”
“Most children your age know the answers to your questions because they’ve had spiritual training. I thought you were having training.”
“Aren Moshe taught me how to meditate. He hasn’t said anything about spiritual training. I don’t really think he likes me.”
Sage Elvan stopped mid-step. “Why would you say that?”
“He says I ask too many questions and that I need an attitude adjustment.”
“Hm,” Jan said aloud. “Maybe it’s how you ask the questions that irritate him.”
“I guess so. Would you teach me how to ask questions that don’t irritate people? I’ve been irritating people since I was born. I’d like to stop, please.”
***
“Come,” Jal responded to the knock on its sleeping room door.
“Jal, I’ve found some books that might—“ Jan looked up from the book it held. “What is all this?”
The light walls of the tower had been sectioned off in various shapes. Long sequences of markings were in several long sections and others were filled with markings that had been circled or crossed off. Three columns of alphabets were in a grid.
“I see you’re learning a new language,” Jan said, “Which one is it?”
“I’m not certain.” Jan looked at Jal puzzled. “I can see that some of these letters are simiiar to the Stafriez alphabet, but I don’t see exact correlations.”
“Isn’t this a language that you’re studying for school?”
“No. It’s from the document that the Protectors have.”
“How do you know what’s on the document?”
“I have this.” Jal handed Jan the copy.
“So you’re attempting to decode it, when you know that the scientists haven’t been able to?”
“I’m sure that it’s not that hard. If people like your ancestors were able to build Ridali, then they were very intelligent. If I had more documents, it might be easier, but I’m working with what I have.” Jal pulled the shirt off that it had been wearing. It stood in front of a mirror and flexed its muscles. “Look at this, Jan. I’ve been able to build these two muscles up so that I can jump twice as high as I used to.”
“I didn’t know that was possible. I did notice that you’ve been adding weights to the lifting bar.”
Jal pulled a clean shirt on. “I suck at weaponry, but my martial arts have improved. Thank you for finding me a new teacher. “
“Here’s a book that you can start with. I know it’s written very simply, but its best to start at the very beginning. After you’ve read it, we’ll talk.” Jan took a deep breath; it knew it was irritated with Jal’s surrogate parents for the lack of personal training that it felt they should have provided. “You asked me earlier today what a character board was. I thought you knew what it was. If you close your eyes and say your name, your character board will open.” Jal did as it was told.
A grid appeared.
Name: Syp Emiel Bron
Age: 6 years, 14 months, 5 days
Class:
Level
Strength
Intelligence
Energy
Craft:
Diplomacy: Jr. Diplomat
Potter: Apprentice
Herbology: Apprentice
Dexterity
Language
Speed
Initiative
Reveal
“Reach up and touch the word ‘Reveal.’ Now I can see it too. Only show the people who are closest to you this information, and only when necessary.” Jal looked at Jan questioningly. “People take advantage of others who are weak and naïve.”
Jan explained that as Jal went through life, these numbers would change based on what it accomplished. Jan demonstrated that by focusing on the information in a box, a person could affect the contents. In this way, Jal changed its name.
“When each of the numbers hits the top number in the range, you will find the board is refreshed by a new one. These numbers will go up, unless you’re injured in some way.” Jan touched the class box. “We need to discuss your class further, but for now, I believe you should be in the diplomatic class, because then I can understand your abilities.” Jal filled in the word by focusing on the box. Now it read
Name: Jal Jomari
Class: Diplomat
Level: 2
Strength: 50/50
Energy: 50/50
Diplomatic Skills:
20/25 Analysis
22/25 Communication
25/25 Empathy
15/25 Critical Thinking
20/25 Customer Service
25/25 Creativity
15/25 Composure
Craft:
Diplomacy: Jr. Diplomat
Potter: Apprentice
Herbology: Apprentice
----------------------------------------
Dexterity: 15/100
Speed:
Initiative: 80/100
Reveal
“Your dexterity is only fifteen? That’s odd. I wonder why that’s so low.”
“Master Barloch says my dexterity sucks but my strength is incredible.”
Jan stood thinking while Jal put things away. “Come with me.” Jal followed Jan down to the main floor and through the eating room. Jan opened a door that Jal had never noticed before. “Here’s the playroom. You’ll find toys in here that will help your agility. This was one of my favorites.” Jan stood by a rope that ran from the floor to the ceiling three levels above. “The goal is to get to the top of the rope.”
“This should be easy,” Jal thought. It crouched to the floor, ready to leap.
“Stop! Stop, stop, stop,” Jan said loudly. “There’s no jumping allowed on this. You have to climb.” Jal looked at it mutely. It took the rope in its hands and pulled, not sure what to expect. Nothing happened. “Reach above yourself, and pull yourself up.” Jal did as it was instructed. At one meter off the floor, Jal wasn’t certain what to do.
“Will you show me?” It climbed hand-over hand, legs swinging free.
“No. You can figure it out. Let’s look at a few of these other things. This is to help you with hand-eye coordination. You throw the ball at…” Jan’s voice trailed off. “You can come down, now, Jal. Just let go, it’s not that far.”
Jal let go. It hit the matted floor and landed on its butt. “Ow!” It scowled. “Is that what you’re supposed to do when you get to the top?”
“No,” Jan chuckled. “You back down the rope, the reverse of the way you got up there.” Jan showed Jal how to play some of the games that were on the shelves. When Jan left the room, Jal was standing with the rope in its hand.
“…you want me to teach it how to play with the toys? Do I look like a teacher, Jan?”
“I don’t expect you to teach it anything. Explain what the goal is, give the basic rules, if there are any, and let it play by itself. I started it with the building toys and the rope.” Jal listened. “I’ll bring the extra mats up from downstairs, and I’ll have a worker come from the village to set up the trampoline.”
“Jal’s going to break its neck. Its simply not coordinated enough to use that.”
“It has to start somewhere, Tarryn.”
“It’s going to be like watching a toddler, Jan! Jal’s too big for that thing!”
“No, it’s not. It has to start somewhere. I’ll work with it on the basic bounces and we’ll go from there. It has to learn the basics before it can move to the next level. It didn’t get this as a toddler and little child. We need to help it.”
“You’re too big for that trampoline.”
“Well, then, maybe I’ll get a bigger one,” Jan looked at her and grinned.