“What is goin’ on here!” Moona asked, frustration clear in her voice.
“The cabin is completely circled in a ring of salt water. I cannot feel things in the home that I should,” Codger replied with a knowing glance at Moona that told her all she needed.
“You head strong fool of a boy. What were you thinking?” she whispered as she motioned for Mally to carry Shuran into the cabin.
As Shuran slept the others sat in the small common area supping on bread and rabbit stew with vegetables.
Mally explained the events of the afternoon with excitement.
“Don’ be so excited Mally my boy. That was nothin’ compared to what that boy is capable of or will be when he comes to full power,” Codger spoke.
“What do you mean Codge?” Mally asked but it was Moona who continued the story.
She spoke of the prophecy and the events that brought them all together. Until this was all revealed Mally had just known they were escaping the Inquisitors who were, and still are rounding up Essence wielders. He now knew the truth.
“You must not speak of this now. The time will come but not yet,” Moona explained. “The visions he experiences are likely caused at times by a link he shares with his sister who lived.” The rest of the meal was eaten in silence and they all retired early without a word.
The next morning they were all woken early by a rapping on the cabin door. Moona and Codger shushed Mally as he shuffled into the room still half asleep.
“They couldn’ have sensed anything unless they were close at hand! Codge?” Moona asked.
“I wouldn’ think so but I just don’ know. Maybe if the link is two ways?”
“What link?” Shuran asked as he entered the room.
More rapping came from the door.
“Is someone going to answer the door or not?” Shuran asked as he walked for the door.
“Don’ open that yet boy! Could be an Inquisitor, after your little stunt yesterday.” Moona scolded.
Shuran just shrugged them off and opened the door. “Hello Andra,” Shuran said knowingly and turned to let his old friend in grinning at the others as they made their way to the table.
“I dreamt of your arrival days ago,” Shuran said as they sat eating.
“He was having night visions before,” Moona said.
“Before you warded off the cabin you mean,” Andra responded.
“How did you know?” Asked Mally.
“It is a simple matter for one practiced in seeing what is not there.” Andra could see the puzzled looks and continued. “You created the ring to buffer the Essence and block unwanted visions I am to assume. Salt water is best but the depth to which you created the ring gives more strength to the whole of it. I also sense a lining of clay baked hard by flame.”
This all creates something more, a cloak of sorts. You have obscured this place from far seeing or scrying. But if one knows what they are looking for they will find a dark spot in their vision, a void of Essence.”
Moona took on a face of deep concern.
“I should not take too much concern Moona. I doubt any in Aurderia know how to find such things and no one should be looking for you any more.”
Moona was not convinced but did not voice here doubts.
“What brings you back to us?” Codger asked.
“Been some time since we last saw or heard o’ ya. We didn’ know what to think.” Codger said with a question on his face
“I have been busy with Guardian business. I have returned to help teach Shuran some things he will need,” Andra said as he reached into his traveling bag to produce a dusty old book. He placed the book in front of Codger. It was thick as a man’s palm and bound in deerskin.
Codger took one look at the cover and gasped in surprise. “It is of the Telukukal!” he exclaimed.
“Yes, but it is but a copy, made millennia ago. It is called the INIMINIMMA LAMMUDUTU.”
“That be a mouth full. Why not just call it the spells of abundant knowledge?” Codger asked.
Without answering, Andra continued. “Guard it well it cannot fall into the wrong hands.”
Codger opened the book and scanned its pages with a look about him that resembled someone discovering a hoard of treasure. “It is amazing!” he exclaimed. “Moona these are ancient texts containing, and explaining, the words of power and their use. Further more it has instruction on focusing and harnessing some of the seven powers.”
Moona smiled sullenly at his and the boys excitement and moved to clear the table.
Later that day while Codger and the boys created a lesson plan from the texts provided, Andra joined Moona in the garden.
“What is it you are not telling us Andra?” Moona asked.
“You are perceptive for one so weak in the Essence,” Andra said.
“I was not always without the ability to weave!” she snapped before gathering her self control a bit. “I can tell when someone is speaking half truth even without seeing his or her face.” she continued, making reference to Andra’s hooded figure.
Andra sensed her agitation and shifted into the features of a young man of thirty harvests before lowering the hood Moona was leering at.
Moona looked at the young man standing before her, then looked back at her gardening and weeding.
“The balance has shifted further in the past years.” Andra told her before she stood and led the young man to a log beyond the garden where they could talk.
Andra continued to tell Moona all that has been happening.
All over Aurderia the larger towns and cities have been set on edge by the presence of Land’s Guard and Inquisitors. The Great Council has been reviewing sanctioned weavers and testing their blood. Many weavers have been either drafted into service of the Council, had their sanction revoked, or been sent to trial of ANZILLU.
Moona cringed at the mention of the trials. “I have been finding refugee Foresworn and offering sanctuary,” Andra said. “Many have taken the offer but more refused to trust in the Guardians. I took a group of those who wanted safety back to the territories. It was there that I received the book and instructions to return here and get Shuran ahead in his studies.”
“What else are you not telling me?” Moona asked.
“There has been a change in the flow of events as it was told to me. Something twisted is changing the path of prophecy, something unknown and not foreseen.” Andra turned to look at Shuran off in the distance. “He must learn quickly to prepare for what is to come.”
“And what is that?” Moona urged.
“Darkness and death will follow in the path of the Priestess. Shuran must find the light to conquer the dark. To do this he must find his path and travel Ersetu to discover the tools he will need.” Andra repeated the vision as it was spoken to him back in his homeland.
Moona took a long draw from her pipe full of frost moss and closed her eyes trying to chase off the feeling of doom.
Days went by with Andra and Codger giving lessons. Although their efforts were focused on Shuran, Mally proved competent enough with some of the simpler weavings and received some lesson as well.
They learned to create invisible shields around their bodies, blend in with surroundings, and call fog from the waters and a multitude of other simple defensive weavings.
Andra moved on to teach some defensive spells to use only as a last resort. It was important to never call attention to your abilities unless there was no other choice.
When they took a break for lunch, Shuran began asking questions of the Essence. “Why do we need to memorize all these words? I feel no power from them,” Shuran complained.
“The words are for focusing power. They do not contain any Essence of course, but they give you a way to concentrate on your intent and bring forth the will to make it happen,” Andra answered.
“Your mind works faster than your mouth boys and what comes out of it don’ always come out the way you wanted!” Codger interrupted when he noticed the confused look on the boys faces.
“Just so, and imagine your mind working a weaving without words and you lose focus as quickly as a stray thought crosses your mind,” Andra continued. “The resulting cast would not be as intended and often disastrous. Only the most focused mind can weave with thought alone,” Andra finished.
“But Shuran created that obscuring ring without words,” Mally said.
Andra turned to Shuran. “That was something other than weaving I suspect.” Andra ended the discussion then and the boys went back to practice what they had learned thus far.
While the lessons progressed, Codger noticed a passage and diagram in one of the pages toward the back of the book of spells. On the page he saw a drawing of a crystal shard much like the now dead one he had used on the Melammu Nanna.
He read the paragraphs below that described them and named them as ABNU EMUQ or power stone. They were basically the same as those he found in the ancient texts back in the ruins of the Northern outpost. These new descriptions however, seemed to describe their origins. When he turned the page to continue reading, several pages of the vellum had been removed from the binding. He looked over to Andra knowing they had been removed on purpose. He would need to have a talk with their guest when the time was right.
“How much does Shuran know of his blood?” Andra asked Codger and Moona later that evening, after the boys went off to rest their exhausted minds and bodies. To say that Andra was putting them through grueling lessons would be understatement.
“He doesn’ know anything of his background beyond his mother dying after his birthing. He knows of the basics of Essence but not beyond the stories of the Lalli Mah. We ain’ told him of his own heritage. Truth is, beyond being of the seven, we don’ know much of where he comes from. Sulura never talked much of it or his father,” Moona admitted.
“He must be told what runs in his body if he is to understand what he must learn. Eventually he will know everything but not yet. I know much of his parents story so I will share what is necessary for now.” Andra finished and got up and headed outside to sleep in the tent that was preferred over a cot in the crowded cabin.
Codger stopped the man that Andra was wearing. “There are sheets of vellum removed from the book,” Codger called out.
“Yes, there are,” Andra, replied while continuing out the door. Codger followed Andra out, not ready to accept the closed ended answer.
“And why would that be? I assume that it was you who removed them,” Codger stated more than asked.
“Which pages would be more of a question and that answer should end the inquiry,” Andra turned and said.
“I am only referring to the instructions for creating power stones, ABNU EMUQ.”
“We call them source stones but your translation fits I suppose. The pages are safe and will be returned when needed as will the others.”
Codger did not seem satisfied with the answer and moved to question more.
“Codger, please trust in what I do. Shuran is far to curious and that is a danger to us all. You see already the circle he created without a spell weaving.” Andra could see the realization cross Codger’s face.
“He is wielding the Essence and commanding the elements without even realizing it. He must be taught to know the difference and soon. This is not all. Has Moona told you that he transferred power to me? I see from your expression that she has not. That gift has not been seen since the long before the Lalli Mah.”
Andra finished and turned to go then faced Codger, “That is the gift required to store power in stone that does not come from the true source.” With that last statement Andra retired to the tent, leaving Codger with more questions than answers.
The next morning Andra took Shuran off into the wood to talk privately. "Shuran, I need to talk to you about who you are and what you will be facing,” Andra started. "I will be forward with you." Andra then told Shuran the story of the prophecy.
Shuran was told about his bloodline and the sacrifice of his sisters to the balance. Andra did not tell Shuran of the fact that one sister was taken by the Order of Chaos and lived because it was not time to know it yet.
"You were taken away without the Order knowing of your existence. They misinterpreted the prophecy and we took advantage of that. This is why it is important that they not know of your existence as long as possible,” Andra stressed to Shuran. "You must learn many things while I am able to help. Then you will need to journey the land to learn all you need to restore the balance."
"But how am I to do all this?" Shuran asked. He was on the verge of crying but at the same time he came to a realization. "I am older than I really am are I not?"
Andra just nodded in reply.
"And you are not all that you seem either. I sense it."
Again Andra simply nodded in response.
"I have to get back, Bastien is coming by to take me hunting in the wood." Shuran said.
"Shuran!" Bastien smiled. "Let's go I have a new bow I made and want to see how she shoots!" Bastien yelled as Shuran emerged from the wood with Andra.
"Who is this?" Bastien inquired after Andra.
"An old family friend come to visit."
Andra just nodded and moved past Bastien without giving a name. Shuran understood now the reason for secrecy.