The Magi Order
The secretive Magi Order had been around for thousands of generations. They formed post the Age of Fear, when the Atlanteans expanded across a primal world and contacted the few remaining humans who survived the ancient wars. Atlanteans sought to build a realm with no place for conflicts and instil respect for life in whichever form it came. An extensive litany of rules was ascribed on their core values and what they wanted to spread and how they were to achieve them. It's said the greatest minds formulated these rules to allow primitive humans to reach out to them in order to learn, as opposed to conquering and enforcing these values on them.
As time flowed, this sect of Atlanteans had begun seeking knowledge that would span this universe, learning the truth through high physical and mental cost, to better aid life and development. For this, they were respected both by humans and eventually, off-worlders. This is when the Order of Magi was born. Since those early years, magi have worked often behind the scenes, serving and consulting leaders of every faction, race or species and regularly deployed to settle any social or political disturbances that happened across the globe.
Because of their delicate affairs, magi allowed only a few to know of their inner workings. Not their disciples or even full-fledged magi could know every piece of the machine, except for the high few. Delta had suspected that Mage Goru might be the highest ranking in the tower since observing some of the magi older than him. They spoke to him with great respect, whether to his person or about him. His openness and willingness to share so much knowledge in a couple of days since her arrival surprised her. Everything she learnt from her parents and other tutors about 'magi shyness' or their rumoured arrogance had so far been proven untrue. Perhaps spoken by those with jealous hearts resenting their power, something Delta could understand.
As she reminisced on a heavy floor cushion in the small accommodation shared with Kyirn, who was out presumably travelling the astral plane, she flicked through the various tomes that were sprawled across her narrow bed and piled up into towers around her under a bright hovering lantern. She had read through these books and texts many times, even enjoyed some of the hand-drawn black and white images of the first magi. Their shaded and serious faces detailed their authority and power that seemed to extend from the page. They were so life-like; they appeared as if they were holo-photos. Even their highly detailed attire seemed to move around their feet as if there was a draft of wind on the pages.
Her eye caught a figure standing behind the group; the dark ink shaded the face and bust, apart from two white eyes in the centre of the round head. The sex was indiscriminate, but the being was taller than the rest. As Delta stared at the strange shadow figure, the lantern began to violently flicker and extinguish all the light in the chamber. She slammed the book shut and tapped her finger on the empty spherical glass, but it didn’t come to life. Delta pulled her weight from the cushion and clicked the latch open on the sliding door, but her body froze when she saw a dark figure standing a step away from the entrance. The figure also seemed to have been startled by her sudden presence. It took her a moment to see Mage Goru rubbing his forehead followed by a hearty chuckle.
“Apologies, I hadn't meant to startle you, Delta,” he said as his perfect white teeth shone in the shadow, “why is it so dark in there? It doesn't do the eye any favours reading in the dark.”
“No, it’s just the lantern had gone out again and I was going to find a new one,” she said pointing behind her with adrenaline still coursing through her body.
Goru glanced over and frowned. “That shouldn't be happening, do you mind?”
Delta nodded and stepped aside. Goru strode to the dead lantern and tapped it several times, but it's once amber light still hadn't evoked. The lantern hummed as his hand wrapped around the glass ball. It sparked back into life, but its light had transformed into a bright baby blue.
“That's better,” he said before turning to Delta, “I haven't been startled like that in a long time; I have to say I'll never get used to being unable to read the mind-waves of another.”
“Surely with your teachings, it's entirely possible you will be able to read my mind one day,” Delta said as her finger traced the line along her short fringe.
Goru's eyes twinkled as they dropped to the tomes scattered around the room. “I could have sworn I'd only given you three study books when you first arrived.”
“Yes, but I already read through them before sundown, so I went back to the library to fetch more,” Delta paused and bit her lip as she carefully considered her words, “I hope you don't mind going through so much.”
Goru smiled as he shook his head. “That's fine, nothing in the library or computers are off limits. Although I would ask of you next time to have better handling of these tomes, they're rare and paper is flimsy.”
Delta nodded as she carefully picked up the book she had just closed. It's leather and bamboo had shiny silver lettering Origin: The Magi Order over its cover. Goru laughed, he hovered his smooth hand over its surface as telekinetic energy sparked from his fingers. “Ah, this one's a classic. Though a little dull for my tastes.”
The cover trembled and flipped open to the last page she was on, her mouth dropped when she noticed that the black figure behind the group of magi had vanished from the paper. “I think it's very interesting.”
“All good to hear, however, we cannot stay and just talk about the wonderful discoveries of our forefathers, let's embrace them!” he said before circling out of the room and down the hall.
Delta dropped the tome on the bouncy mattress before continuing after him. Her mind raced at what sort of trials Goru will put her through, what the expectations were and feared that she will disappoint him.
“What are we doing today?” she said, finally catching up to him.
“You're going to open your third eye today with some simple exercises,” he said as they wandered down the steps of the tower.
“Yes, I've done that all before with dozens of tutors, I can't open it,” she said, her breath wavered as she hurried behind him.
“None of them were magi, and as I'll be your mentor, we will open you up to the universe and understand why things are the way they are,” he said before reaching the final steps to the indoor forest, “and sadly, it will be a rather uncomfortable experience.”
Delta hesitated before placing her foot on the ground level. “Nothing I won't be able to handle.”
Goru's smile didn't meet her face as he directed her to the centre of the foyer. “I haven't been honest with you, I should have said this before you agreed to come to the school, but I know your mother.”
Her jaw clenched and felt her eyes were about to pop out from her head. She hadn't expected that from him. “How do you...?”
“Before she left us, she was a mage,” he said. His head cocked to the side with slight confusion, “didn't you know?”
Delta's lips curled, and her hands tightened into fists. “No, she hadn't told me. They never tell me anything.”
“You're angry, that's good,” he said. His deepened voice chimed through her head.
“Why would that be good? It’s just more stupid secrets they keep from their only child!” her screams frightened some of the birds in the teal leaves.
“Push that anger from your stomach and into the middle of your head, Delta,” he said as his fingers tapped the centre of his forehead.
Her lungs took a big gulp of air before pushing it back out of her mouth. Her eyes slammed shut, a sliver of tears formed around the edges of her lids, as she tried to imagine her anger building up into her head. However, it bubbled over into despair as more tears leaked down her cheeks. “I can't do it.”
“Olanta kept a lot to herself, something that we saw as a positive, in combination to her harkan heritage, but she shouldn't have kept you out as her daughter,” his voice echoed through the chamber.
Delta saw her mother inside her mind, how happy she was when she spoke to other people, how easy it was for her to be the centre of the room's attention, but when addressing Delta behind closed doors, there were no smiles for her. She knew what Goru was trying to do and she forced the anger to rise and rise into her skull. She shook her head, desperately trying to bash through whatever barrier that kept her from opening to her psionic rights.
“Keep going, you're so close. I can feel your rage under your skin,” he said.
Delta's eyes opened; her vision obscured from her tears. “Why do they always shut me out? Why am I their embarrassment? Why am I like this?”
“Because Olanta has only ever looked out for herself and she has failed you as a mother!” he called but was almost drowned by the bird's panicked squawks.
“I don't want to be mundane!” her throat ached from her screams.
“Channel all your energy through your third eye, now!”
Without thought, Delta felt a powerful spark shoot through her head and arch across the room. A brilliant blue beam almost blinded her, but she saw just long enough to observe the light strike a bird nesting on a tree branch. The little feathered creature tumbled from the bark, hitting into several branches before collapsing to the tree's roots. Delta felt a burning pain from the skin on her forehead, but it paled in comparison to what she had just done to the bird. Goru's mouth hung open as he glanced between them. His face was not one of horror or disgust at what she had done, but pure shock.
“I'm sorry,” Delta stuttered as she placed a hand over her sore flesh.
Mage Xian jumped from one of the trees. His husky voice yelled something incomprehensible as he rushed over to the dead animal, pushing her aside in the process. Goru followed him as they leaned over the roots. Delta dared to walk up to see for herself.
“Is it dead?” she was terrified of the answer as she looked to Goru's unreadable face.
Xian nodded his head as he lifted the now lifeless bird, its head rolling around in his palms. “She's dead.”
“But her chick's alive,” Goru said as his fingers plucked the nest from the branch and tilting it over for her to see a white fluffy infant bird chirping for its mother.” How do you feel about this?”
“I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened, I didn't mean-,” Delta's words spun inside her mouth.
“It's alright, not your fault,” Goru said as he gently tapped her shoulder, “this baby will need to be hand-reared,”
“I'll take care of it,” Delta said, desperate to fend off the guilt.
“Certainly not, with your psionics so unstable!” Xian said, shooting a glare at her.
“Calm yourself Xian, Delta hadn't intended to disrupt your menagerie. I was at fault for allowing her to train in this chamber, though now we know how strong you are, or can be,” Goru said, his fingers carefully curled around the chick and rose toward her face, “you will be her mother now.”
“Please, I must pray to her soul before burial,” Xian murmured as he waddled deeper into the thicket.
Delta took the chick from Goru's hand; it flopped in her palm as it looked up at her as it softly chirped. “I didn't mean to do that to you.”
“Come, I'll show you where Xian keeps feeding stock,” he calmly said before striding off to low door beneath one of the staircases.
“Goru, do you really know my mother or were you just saying that to get me to...” she said closely following. Her forehead still aching, yet there was an unfamiliar buzz humming throughout her body. It was strangely pleasant and exhilarating.
“What I said was true, though I'll admit, I also got caught in the heat of it too,” he whispered. He unhooked the latch and pulled the door to the side. Floating lanterns immediately flicked to life as they stepped down to a narrow crawl space littered with crates and sacks pilled in every corner.
“Sounds like you two were close,” she said as her other hand shielded the bird from the strong brightness.
“We were, in fact, she transformed this place into school. She once believed that Atlanteans had potential so great that we could transcend, be like what our creators had intended us to be, but when hard times were on us, she left to pursue more selfish goals and left us all behind,” he said as he pulled sacks of vacuum sealed dead insects and other small animals, absorbing rags and bedding for a growing bird, “that's a bird of prey, start her off with the insects and move up to the rodents, though she can eat certain seeds and nuts too.”
Delta took the hefty load in her free arm and glanced at his sorrowed face. “If she had made a different choice, then I wouldn't be here.”
Goru smiled and gently shook his head. “Of course, I'm glad things went the way they had. Otherwise we wouldn't be here.”
“Can you really help me get my psionics? Even if you did, then I would be like a bomb waiting to go off,” she said.
“It won't happen to you, this I swear,” he said. His blue eyes shone under his dark brow. “I know this seems like a strange question, but how did you feel when you... when the bird deceased?”
Delta closed her eyes and shook her head, her heart felt like it sunk into her belly as images of the beautiful lavender avian falling from the branch replayed through her mind. She searched for the words, trying to pull every piece of her to answer him, but there was just regret and sorrow. There was something else that hid deeper, a sense of apathy merged with only that which can be described as pleasure. Delta snapped back, disgusted at the emergence of the sensation.
She looked at the chick; it's little talons clawing in her palm, trying to find comfort. “Difficult to say. I'm horrified that it happened and wish that it hadn't, I keep doing things that always end badly.”
“Hmph, are you certain that's all?” he said as his finger traced along his jaw.
“That's all,” she said, pushing down the bizarre emotions of her subconsciousness, but looking at the chick seemed to cease her struggle, “I think I'll name her A'gesh.”
Goru raised his brow, and a wide smile stretched his cheeks. “It's so refreshing to hear someone your age who knows about our ancient explorers. Though, it'd be more fitting for a bird that came from earth.”
“A'gesh isn't from this world?” she said as she studied the chick, she felt almost foolish asking when noticing her purple fluff and her mother's otherworldly plumage.
“She is, but her species came from Elzona, a world not too far away from here,” he said. His eyes rolled at the back of his head and his lips mouthed something inaudible before returning his sights on Delta, “Balgrif has returned from his astral travelling’s, I suggest you settle with A'gesh while I brief him on our lesson.”
Delta's feet dragged up the steps of the tiny room, her elbow grazed against the coarse walls before reaching the fresh forest air. Her thoughts drifted to her father and how much she wanted to speak with him, tell him the new wonders and horrors of her recent adventures with the mage, but she couldn't without revealing the complete truth about her former school. She wondered if he thought about her while in the laboratories, if his worries of her distracted him from work. She missed his voice and trusted that he would make her feel better about whatever was going on, as he always did. Then again, he didn't tell her about Olanta being a mage, so how was she expected to trust him now. How many more secrets had her father withheld from her, she wondered.
Her mind halted as her wrist phone vibrated. She read the amber letters appearing around the grey and black band to see her mother had sent her a message 'call me when you can,' flashed on the glassy surface before vanishing. A device she had received from her parents when she began attending school from home to help absorb and translate telepathic and electronic messages for the user, including channelling their psychic communication to the right people. With this technology, Delta felt she could still be part of a greater network but believed the letters on a screen were only figments of a telepath’s sensory spectrum.
Staring at the blank screen Delta thought of how her mother never wasted words, despite her social prowess. She still hoped that her mind was still closed from Olanta.
~
The humid air heated, the sun seemed harsher on bare skin, and the flowers opened unleashing their aroma and rich pigmentation on their petals. Summer had finally descended on Atlantia, though sadly, this was a time when she would return home from Pitach-rhok and miss out on the exotic openings of the 'faerie flowers' in the magi forest. Goru insisted that she return to avert her parents' suspicions and Delta agreed, but only after he had assured her that the flowers would remain open for viewing when she had returned from home. The other magi wished her well on Delta's sabbatical, except Mage Xian, who avoided her after the death of A'gesh's mother. She sympathised with his loss for a time, but as the months passed, his insistence on not forgiving her became a thorn in her foot.
A'gesh had shed her fluff and grown into her flight feathers, which she was eager to show to any onlooker. Delta swelled with pride as her efforts on rearing her bird paid off. A’gesh was a fully-grown bird and capable of understanding human tongue. However, her ability to follow instructions had left much to be desired.
Despite how much her eyes had been opened by the magi and their support Delta still felt no closer to obtaining her psionics. Goru insisted on practice several times a day, either with him or trying to psychic commune with A'gesh or with Kyrin, but after every lesson, Delta would return with a slight increase of energy rather than opening her third eye.
“What am I supposed to do for the next few weeks at home? It's not like I can bring reading material from here or even have holo-talks with you or Goru,” she said as she air-sealed bags.
“Give your mind a break, Delta. You may be a genius, but you're not an Arinu... well, not completely,” Kyirn said as she lounged on the floor cushion, her fingers intertwined with an ornate silver pipe with grey smoke rising from the outer end.
“You're not packing for home?” Delta said, her back turned as she searched for her sandals, which hid under the crumpled sheets of her bed. She was slightly disgusted that the dirt from the shoes had rubbed onto the bedding but figured the magi would throw them into the photon-washer machine.
“Family comes here to visit, any excuse to visit the tower, who could blame them,” she said, taking a deep puff from the pipe, “I have a thought: since you won't be able to practice psionics while home, maybe you can focus on past life recalls.”
Delta slipped into her sandals before the black straps tightened around her feet. “Could do, Goru hasn't really walked me through that just yet, but I thought you need working psionics to do recalling?”
Kyrin shook her head before exhaling enough smoke to obscure her face from view. “Not at all, normally a telepath will be able to reach into your soul memories, but you can figure it out for yourself.”
Delta rolled her eyes as she tried to swat away the smoke from her face. “I'm all ears, Kyirn.”
“I focused on something that made me emotional; that emotion was the key to opening up my subconscious. Mine showed me images, smells and sounds. Unfortunately, they came out as a mess and it took ages to filter through them and come up with some sense about them, but it worked. Let your inner self do all the talking,” she said as she further descended into her pillow.
“How poetic,” Delta said as she tried summoning A'gesh with a click of her fingers, yet the bird remained content on her perch cleaning her violet and ruby tail feathers.
“Seriously, haven't you ever felt something strange that didn't make sense for you to feel at the time? Like knowing a place you've never been before or knowing a person you've never met before?” Kyirn offered the cindering pipe to Delta, which she refused.
She watched A'gesh shoving her beak into her back feathers, her lavender wing opened, and for a moment, Delta was reminded of how alike she was to her mother. Shame came over her as Kyirn's words sunk deep into her mind reminding her of the satisfaction she received when the bird died by her hands. “Maybe.”
“I remembered you, though I can't tell you how,” she said with a smirk.
“Yes, yes, can't say out of risk of contamination,” Delta said.
Heavy knuckles thumped at the door. “Come in, Mage Goru,” Kyrin called as she tried hiding the silver pipe under the cushion before lifting herself from the cushion, but her weight pulled her back down.
Goru's shiny blue eyes twinkled as he entered their smoky chambers. “Don't strain yourself, Kyirn, stay seated,” Kyirn's cheeks turned pink as she avoided meeting his gaze, but Goru seemed unbothered by her activities.
“You almost ready, Delta?” Goru said keeping his foot outside the room.
She nodded as she pulled the bag straps over her shoulders before pulling out a soft and gooey nut from her loose trousers and placing it in on her shoulder, which A'gesh immediately took to.
She waved to Kyirn a farewell, which was barely noticeable since the girl could barely keep her head up before following Goru to the staircase. They came upon a row of rectangular alcoves along the granite walls. Goru strode over and tapped the cobalt frames until they shone with a soft neon light along their edges.
“I thought I was going by hover vehicle?” Delta said as she looked at the lit wall.
“It would raise fewer questions if you took the teleporter. At least we can redirect you back to Pitach-rhok if Olanta were to ever look at the computer records,” he said as holographic symbols appeared underneath his fingers before turning to her “Kyirn has some good advice on past life recalls.”
“What if nothing happens? Or something terrible happens?” she said as she stepped on the alcove's pad.
“No matter what happens, magi are stronger when broken and taller when ruined. You can always return here,” he said pressing into some symbols.
A strobe of white light blinded Delta as she felt sucked through an airless hole; her body compressed as it flew in a dark and bright space before being spat out in an alcove like the tower’s. Her stomach turned as sick climbed up her throat. She looked up to see Durun's smiling eyes staring back at her.
“Daughter,” he said opening his arms out for her. His face had greyed, his skin looked like paper, and his hairline crept up his forehead since the last she saw him.
A'gesh flew off her shoulder as Delta leapt into his arms and pressed her face into his shoulder before pulling back. “Missed you.”
“Who's this?” he said looking up at the lavender bird.
“A'gesh, she was a gift from a friend,” she said, grabbing her bag straps, which her father eagerly took. The entrance hall of her mansion was littered with more furniture and antiques with a layer of thin dust atop each surface. The large potted plants that Olanta once took great love and care for were drying and were dropping shrivelled leaves around their containers. Cobwebs laced around the floating chandelier, some of which had tiny insects caught in it. This wasn't home.
“Delta!” her mother's voice called from the entertainment hall. She was wrapped in a loose slithery lime home gown and her hair stuffed in a high bun atop her scalp with a few wild ivory strands about her head. She seemed happy, almost relieved, to see Delta.
“Mother,” she said, uncertain whether her maternal parent was within her right mind. Delta felt her head getting pulled into her collar bone. This affection was alien to her.
“We missed you greatly,” Olanta said pulling away. Her eyes were red and glassy.
“As have I,” Delta said looking between her family members until the tapping of shoes brought her attention behind them. A boy, grown into a man, with fair skin and slicked blonde hair strode to them. His fierce amber eyes beamed under his hooded brow made Delta take a step back into the alcove.
“Ah, Delta, good to see you again,” Anobus said. His polite and professional smile didn't meet his eyes.
She felt the fine hairs on her neck stand. “What are you doing here?”
“Delta please, not now. I must attend a conference with the Federation and human emissaries, and I need to keep a clear head because gods know they won't. We'll talk later. So happy to see you my dear,” Olanta said, planting a hard kiss on her forehead before whisking away to the entertainment chamber.
“I'll take your bags up and find a stand for your friend,” Durun said as he looked to A'gesh, who had found her seat on the chandelier, before taking her bags and disappearing up the stairs with them.
“So, what's the story?” Delta said as her arms crossed over her shoulders. Even looking at Anobus threw her back into her angry child-mind.
“I remember this place was full of servants and maids, what happened to them all? Fallen on hard times?” he said glancing around the disarray of the foyer.
“Certainly not, they’ve probably taken temporary leave, we don't keep anyone against their will,” she said taking a few cautious steps around him, “I heard through the gossip vine you had some nightmares about the sea since your accident here, how've you been coping?”
His cheeks twitched as his smile disappeared. “The trauma was exaggerated, although through my work I've managed to overcome those fears. I suppose I should thank you for it, I've toughened up with your help.”
“Is this why you're here, trying to get an apology from me?” she said.
“I would wish one, but I have enough sense I won't get one. No, my work brought me here instead of any sentiments,” he said. He stepped closer and leaned in, his eyes smiling when he said it, “I'm here to council Durun and Olanta.”
Delta's frown was so harsh she felt the muscles on her headache. “What in the universe are you talking about, Anobus? Why would they need your counselling?”
“Because we're family and it's more discrete. I'm not allowed to discuss details, but surely they'll fill in the blanks,” he said.
She pressed her hand against her hot cheeks and ears, trying hard to keep the red-blotched skin from showing. “That's doubtful,”
Anobus' head slightly tilted. “Why wouldn't they say?”
Delta shook her head. “Nothing. I need to go.”
She didn't sense him leave as she skipped up the beautiful metal stairs to the higher storey. Anobus' presence reminded her of the hundreds of opponents she has had to defend herself against and won many times. She hadn't shown weakness or allowed herself to be swayed, but this time it was different. It was raw. Her parents may not have been perfect, but they were always so high above everyone else, or at least that's how they spent their lives trying to portray this. To hear that they were weak, it almost made her knees buckle. She sped down the hallway. Her bedroom doors were already wide open when she swung around to see her father sitting defeated on her made bed.
He looked up, a sad smile on his face as he patted the sheets next to him. “Come in, child,”
“Why did Anobus come to see you and mother? Are you two separating?”
Durun rubbed his balding scalp as his eyes locked to the floor. “Delta, I can't tell you if that will happen...”
She slowly walked in and knelt before him. Her palms rested on the edge of his leg, trying to catch his stare. “Please tell me.”
Durun sighed as his hand delicately brushed the wild strings of her hair from her eyes. “A little while ago, I was contacted by a woman, an acolyte that claimed to be my daughter, this turned out to be true. Delta, you have a sister.”
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