Aegis Rising (31 page)

“To say that it’s interesting would be an understatement,” she replied. “Saiyu’s been an amazing mentor. She’s pointing out things to me that she believes I’m capable of that completely blow my mind. And here’s the thing: she makes me prove that she’s right. You’re not going to believe what I did today.”

The others stared at her. “What?”

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this,” she said, awed, “but I moved my meditation crystal—with my mind.”

“No way,” Kody sputtered.

She grinned. “Yes way. I can show you.”

He scoffed. “Right. Four days into training and you’re already using your mental ability? Gimme a break.”

“How much you wanna bet on that, brickhead?”

“Name your price.”

“Alright. If I can prove it, you have to climb up on the nearest tree and stay up there till morning. And you can’t have dinner.”

Kody smirked. “And if I win, you have to make me steak every day for the rest of the week. If I don’t like the taste, it doesn’t count.”

Mariah looked around for something she could use. She saw Tegan’s mug on the tabletop and pointed at it. “Keep an eye on that mug, kids, but don’t you talk or I’ll lose my concentration.”

Amused, the others turned and stared at the cup. Moments passed, but nothing happened. “Mariah—” Aari started.

“Hush. I need to focus.”

The four stared at the cup again, not really expecting anything. At first, imperceptible, there were minute vibrations, something that the friends thought they heard faintly rather than saw. As the vibrations gradually increased, the four watched with unbelieving eyes as the mug moved across the grain of the wooden tabletop, struggling against the friction, and slowly inched its way to the edge of the surface. The friends stared for a long moment until Tegan, bewildered, looked back at Mariah. “Did that actually happen?”

Mariah was holding her head in her hands, eyes shut tight. “Ugh, I’ve got a headache now.” She rubbed her temples. “Saiyu did warn me that this would happen at the beginning. I wonder what size of a headache I’d get if I tried to move boulders.”

The others laughed and Jag tackled her in a hug, Aari and Tegan joining in and exclaiming, “You did it! You actually did it!”

Kody sat quietly, hoping that if he were still, no one would notice him. Mariah turned to him and smiled. “Looks like someone is heading up the tree tonight.”

“But . . .” Kody looked panicked. “But I have to eat! I can’t do without food! My metabolism—”

“Too bad, buddy-boy. You thought you knew it all.”

Kody looked as though he might cry. The other three avoided commenting on the subject and instead stared back at the mug that stood at the edge of the table.

A woman’s voice sounded outside the
neyra
. “Younglings, are you here?”

The five looked at each other and quickly scrambled out of the shelter to greet Tikina. The Elder smiled warmly at the friends. “Do you have a few moments to spare? I would like to take a walk with you and talk to you about something.”

Unable to resist her pleasant and motherly ways, the five agreed and walked on either side of her. The Elder took the friends past an array of trees and bushes. The group noted a colorful bed of roses and a stretch of lavender.

“Who gardens here?” Tegan asked, impressed.

Tikina smiled. “My daughter—Huyani and Akol’s mother—does. She certainly is the one with the green thumb in the family.”

Kody quipped, “Judging by all the amazing colors here, I’d say she’s got very colorful thumbs.”

Aari groaned. “It’s an expression, you idiot.”

“I know
that
. Can’t a guy crack a joke around here?”

Mariah turned to look up at Tikina, almost in a childlike manner. The five loved being in the presence of the Elder; there was something comforting about her. “You said that you had something you wanted to share with us?”

Tikina smiled again. “Yes. But first, I would like to enquire as to how you feel your training is coming along.” The five responded almost in unison. Tikina laughed. “One at a time, younglings.”

Starting with Kody, the five shared their newfound enthusiasm for their training sessions. They went on to describe how intrigued they were by the idea that the latent powers in each of them could be unleashed through training, discipline and most importantly, by fortifying the spirit. The group was in agreement that this was a lot to wrap their minds around, but they were eager to learn.

Tikina was extremely pleased. “I am very much encouraged by the zeal you have shown for the training and for your courage to explore your true potential.

“Now, I would like to share what I came to speak with you about. The other Elders and I were in a discussion this morning, and we have given this a lot of thought. We have made a determination about the five of you with regards to the prophecy. Now we believe that the time has come for the community to finally meet its special guests.”

The friends, stunned for a moment, burst into flurries of “Why!” and “Do we have to?”

The Elder raised her hand and the five quieted down. “It is good for them to get acquainted with you, and for you to get acquainted with them,” she told the friends gently. “You will be living here for the next little while before you head back to your families, and there are no more reasons to keep you in the shadows. You are an important part of our community, and you are destined to play a very special role. It is only fitting that you become fully immersed in the life of the village.”

The five were not sure how to respond. On one hand, the Elder made perfect sense. On the other, the trepidation of being showcased to an entire community of over seven hundred people was overwhelming to say the least. They looked to each other for a cue, then to Jag. He looked pensive. Unknown to the group, he was trying to separate the facts from his emotions. Surprising himself, he looked at his friends and said, “I think we should do this.”

Tikina gazed at Jag, impressed, and nodded to herself. She could see how the training was already beginning to affect the youth’s decision-making, even though it had only just begun. She made a mental note to bring this up to the other Elders later.

They walked for a little longer as she briefed them on what to expect at the gathering, then instructed them to meet her behind the amphitheater in the village square. As she guided them back to their
neyra
and started back to her home, she waved at the five genially and said, “This will be an evening to remember.”

The five waited until Tikina was out of sight, then Mariah spun around and poked Kody in the chest. “You got lucky this time, bozo.”

Kody grinned in relief. “Saved by Tikina. Looks like I won’t be spending the night up in a tree.” He patted his stomach. “And I won’t be missing my meal, either!”

35

T
he village square was essentially an open field with a tree-lined perimeter and a curved amphitheater at one end. Flanking the amphitheater on either side were two large fire pits. A gazebo was built over each pit with layered roofing to shield the naked flame from the night sky. Groves of trees were strategically planted in clusters to provide camouflage from the air. The wondrous thing about the way the groves and the attending shrubs were arranged was that, no matter where one stood, the view of the amphitheater was never obstructed.

The fire pits were already lit to compensate for the fading evening light, casting a warm glow on the faces of some of the villagers who had gathered. They chatted amongst themselves; lots of speculation was in the air as to the reason for the gathering. They didn’t have to wait long to find out why they had been called upon.

The Elders stood in front of the assembly and Nageau raised his hand, calling the gathering to order. “My friends,” he began, the amphitheater augmenting his voice naturally. “Let me first begin by saying that I am pleased to see your radiant faces here, and we—” he gestured to the other Elders—“are honored to address you today.” He paused to scan the faces of all those who had gathered. Gazing at them, he was reminded of the precious trust laid in the hands of the Elders. The people had looked up to the council of the Elders for generations. They were not only their leaders, but they were also guides and mentors. Most importantly, they were the custodians of their culture. Always aware of this tremendous responsibility, Nageau remained humbled by the faith that the people had placed in him.

Tikina gently rested a hand on his arm and spoke. “We are gathered here for a reason. As I am sure some of you may already know, there is an illness that has befallen our village. It is unlike anything we have ever experienced and none of our age-old remedies seem capable of healing those who have been infected. We have already lost one of our brethren to this insidious disease, and have witnessed the ugly arms of this illness as it grabs ahold of the minds and bodies of our people.”

A few heads in the crowd began to nod, recalling the last moments of Fiotez’s life. Among those gathered were Fiotez’s mate and son. Both tried to put up a brave front, but there was weariness and grief in their eyes. A few yards from them, Akol and Huyani stood with their mother and little brother. Huyani held Tibut in her arms while their mother had her hands over Akol’s shoulders. The youth was enrapt as his grandparents spoke.

Tikina continued. “We want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to identify the source of this contaminant and find a cure for it. As we speak, four brave men who have volunteered to track the disease to its source are on the fourth day of their expedition. They are at the Ayen mountain range and are expected to return in the next two or three days. In the meantime, Magèo is working on finding a cure with the limited information that he has.”

The community turned to look at Magèo as he stood alone, observing the gathering from under a tree with his arms folded, trying to remain inconspicuous. He saw the entire village looking at him and, with a glare, threw the hood of his robe on so only his long white beard was visible. His dislike for large crowds and the outdoors was well known. The villagers smiled and turned back to the Elders, knowing that inside that hard outer shell was a man who truly cared for others.

“In the meantime,” Nageau said, “we strongly advise you to avoid consuming or coming into contact with any water outside of this valley. We have tested and determined that Esroh Lègna remains unpolluted and safe to use. However, we will be conducting regular tests of its waters and will notify you immediately if any changes occur.”

“Also,” Ashack said, his face stoic as usual, “hunting will not be permitted until this matter has been resolved. If you are to leave this valley at any point, prepare your own pack of sustenance.”

A collection of groans rose from the crowd, mainly from the youths. Sensing the unease, Nageau decided to open the gathering to questions from the people. The Elders patiently responded to their queries. When it seemed as though everyone had gotten their answers, Nageau announced, “Now that we have put that discussion to rest, there is another matter of great importance that we must share with you. This concerns not just the future of us as a people, but it has far-reaching implications for humanity.”

Hearing this, whatever remnants there were of murmurs died down and the crowd gave its complete attention to the Elders. Taking a few moments to gather his thoughts, Nageau probed, “We are all well-versed with our ancient prophecy, are we not?” He observed the crowd for a response, noticing the silent nods across the village square. “As we know, the prophecy paints for us a picture of the future. Its sanctified content, divinely inspired, guides, warns, and protects us. The prophecy, in conjunction with our sacred scriptures, is a fortress for our spiritual and physical wellbeing and has guided our thoughts and our actions for ages. One of the salient indicators given to us through this prophecy is the coming of a dark and destructive force that will befall all civilization.”

The villagers began to murmur quietly again, worried looks on their faces. A few who had been sitting on the ground stood up, ears strained, trying to make sense of every word that Nageau spoke. Understanding the need for reassurance, Nageau continued. “As troublesome as that may seem, the prophecy, as you know, also tells us about the arrival of five special souls destined to vanquish this darkness. They will fulfill the signs given in the prophecy and will learn the secrets of our ways.” His voice rose and his face lit with reverence. “Combined, the powers of the five will far exceed anything that we have ever known.”

Saiyu stepped in. “As many of you are aware, since the last full moon, there have been amongst us five youths who were brought to our valley by the Guardians after we witnessed a flaming craft fall from the sky.”

A ripple of anticipation rolled through the crowd.

Nageau exchanged glances with the other Elders and said slowly, “A lot has happened since the five younglings arrived in our village. We have observed many signs and seen convincing revelations in this brief span of time. Through lots of meditation and discussion, and having witnessed the pace at which they are able to grasp their training and realize their innate capabilities, we have come to the conclusion that these five youths were sent to us to fulfill the prophecy.”

The growing murmur cascaded into a cacophony of voices as the villagers tried to grasp the meaning of this momentous announcement. Some appeared relieved and even euphoric while others looked skeptical. They all had thoughts to share, but Nageau raised his hand for silence. “Please, my friends, settle.”

Someone called out from the crowd, “Do these youths know that they are the ones to fulfill the prophecy?”

“Indeed, we have had discussions with them. They are learning the importance of their role with each passing day.”

Exclamations filled the air. The Elders moved to enlighten their brethren and provided further explanation and reasons. The overall atmosphere gradually evolved from skepticism, to acceptance, and finally jubilance as the Elders brought to bear their rousing insights.