Finders, Keepers, Losers and Weepers
The rains belted down on the countryside for a whole night and day. Heavy and loud drops beat against the tiled roofs, and tiny waterfalls poured from its edges. The skies thundered, hiding the sun behind lines of black and silver clouds. She was partially relieved that she didn't spend the night out in the city with Deruth and his friends. Delta stared out of the opened windows as she lay on her pillows. A'gesh sat sleeping inches from her away from her perch. She didn't want to be alone after what happened the previous night. She pulled her hand out from beneath the quilts. It's shape and colour had returned to normal after her parents called for their family's night healer to come out. Delta traced the faintly blackened spots on her wrist, they still held some internal pains as her fingers grazed against them, but the healer said it would go away in a few days. That's what she thought about the whole night: going away.
She sat up; the crisp linen sheets gently cracked with every slight movement. A'gesh's little head was tucked tight under her wing surrounded with crumbs of various nuts around her body, dreaming too deeply to be stirred as Delta gently climbed out of bed. She looked around the mess of her room but didn't feel like it was her room anymore. This wasn't her home anymore. She dreaded walking out of doors, hearing what her parents were fighting about. With a deep breath, she pushed herself out. Her parent's voices came from the higher levels. She wanted to tell them that she wanted to return to school, she wanted to be with the magi for the remainder of the holidays, that little detail she decided to leave out. Maybe everyone's heads would cool after a few months apart, she wondered – she hoped.
Turning up a small staircase leading to the higher levels, she could hear their voices coming from the observatory. Their tones quietened when she stepped on the stairs, their metal creaks giving her away. Light washed the upper floor; the walls and some of the ceilings were windows with several seating areas and slender telescopes pointed to the heavens and horizon. Olanta and Durun stood beside the largest and only black telescope that pointed to the skies. They turned to see her head poking from the stairs.
“Come in Delta,” Olanta said. Her voice sounded tired from hours of yelling and screaming. She even wore the same clothes from the night before.
“We've been doing some talking and-,” Durun said as he glanced at his wife.
“It's fine, I was planning on returning to school anyway,” Delta said as her arms crossed over her chest.
“We thought about you finishing your studies there, but then move along somewhere... else,” he said as his eyes dropped to the floor.
It felt like a brick just dropped in her stomach as she looked between the two of them. “And not come back here?”
“This sort of behaviour-we can't work with it anymore. Last night was the absolute last straw, how could you do it? You broke the one thing my mother ever gave-,” Olanta said, her head twisted to the horizon, her glassy eyes reflected by the outside light.
“I'm sorry, I just got so fed up with how you were treating Mayen and my head wasn't in the right place...” Delta said as her eyes swelled with the coming of tears.
“We've given you everything and it seems like you don't appreciate any of it. You need to go out and learn to appreciate life on your own merits,” Durun said taking a quick glance at Olanta, “but you won't be without anything, we've deposited some gold and sapphires into your account, but that's all you're going to get from us for some time.”
“So, kicking me out is the only solution? Very well,” Delta said, spinning around to see the stairs below before taking one last look at her parents, “just so we're clear, I had appreciated every little thing you ever did for me, pity you only did it when I ever had to catch your attention.”
The moment she was out of the observatory, she dashed to her bedroom and pulled her packing cases from beneath her bed. A'gesh chirped in surprise at her haste; she made disgruntled sounds as she nibbled on the nut remains around her. Delta spared no time in pulling out all her beloved clothes and shoes from her closet, grabbing her jewellery boxes and other valuable goods she collected over the years and sprawling them across the bed. She then pushed every item in the leather-bound sacks, unthinking whether they would be squashed or wrinkled once the air sealed them.
“Can't say I'm surprised,” she muttered as her arms pressed deeper and deeper into the bags, “it was only a matter of time.”
A'gesh chirped; her head twitched to the side as her teal blue eye stared unblinking at her.
“It's fine, A'gesh, we'll go back to the tower and figure it out from there,” she sighed.
She pulled her old light red sleeping gown off and padded her sweat-stained skin with towelettes before slipping into her sea blue catsuit with ruby threads of Atlantean runes stitched into the shoulders and chest. Her finger tapped the black glass of her wrist phone, yellow letterings appeared instantly as she frantically searched for Kyirn's messages. 'I'm coming back, tell Goru,' she typed. Barely a moment went by before her message had been received. Once the vacuum sealed her bags, she swung them over her shoulders, almost toppling over at their increased weight.
“Come, A'gesh,” she said, but the bird hesitated for a moment before fluttering on to her shoulder. Her stride was slow, but true. As she headed toward the teleportation alcoves, she heard the calls from behind her. Reluctance gripped her as she turned to see Deruth coming from the entertainment hall.
“Heading off already?” his face looked tired and partially swollen, but his smile beamed like the morning sun.
“Probably for the last time,” she said quietly.
“You're not coming back?” he asked cocking his head to the side.
Delta shook her head. “I've outgrown my nest, it seems. Tell Lord and Lady Ungbrahe that I've already left, don't like long goodbyes.”
Deruth slowly nodded. “Well, hopefully, we'll meet again soon.”
“Me too,” she said before turning back. Her finger pressed to her old boarding school name and then added a secret redirection to the Magi Tower's teleporters. With a big breath, she stepped on the pad and, in mere moments, she was sucked into an airless hole, spinning around through a tight, alien space before being flung back into the physical plane. When her eyes adjusted to the dark wood and old stones of the tower's insides, she saw a figure standing just on the edge of the alcove, with his cocoa skin and starry blue eyes.
“So soon, though I'm glad to have you back anytime,” Mage Goru said. His arm extended offering to take her bags.
Delta pulled off one and handed the strap to him, but the sudden weight didn't seem to throw him even slightly off balance. “Thank you, I think I'll be here for the remainder of the holidays, maybe even longer.”
“What happened?” he said as he took the second bag into his other hand.
“Too much for one lifetime,” she looked at Goru. His concerned eyes were transfixed on hers, “my parents have made it clear that I'm not to return to their home, not even when I finish my studies here.”
Goru sighed and slowly shook his head. “I'm shocked, but not surprised. Come, let's get you resettled.”
He started down the corridor, heading to the bedchamber where Delta and Kyrin shared their residency. She followed closely behind him. She wanted to tell him about Mayen, but something gripped around her throat stopping her from doing so. She didn't understand why there was something amiss about the tower and about her mentor. Maybe something her very latent psionics was telling her to keep silent, or maybe it was her tired mind reeling from being thrown out her home by her family.
“I won't push for details, but if you ever want to talk about what happened while you were away, I'll always listen,” he said, his face slightly turned to hers.
She looked to the floorboards, realising that there was something she wanted to share. “Actually, something did happen that may have triggered a past life recall.”
Goru stopped. He turned with his eyebrow raised and the twinkle of excitement in his eyes. “You remembered your past?”
Delta shook her head as she rubbed her forehead. “I'm not sure, but something my mother- Olanta did, triggered a feeling and a vision…”
“That's good, I'm so proud of you! What do you recall?” Goru said. His wide grin shown his sparkling white teeth.
“No, it's not good- I don't think I was a good person. I did something wrong,” she said as her hand patted A'gesh's talons.
“Hmm, that's interesting,” he said biting his lip as he continued down the hall before pressing his hand against her bedchambers.
Inside, Kyirn lay on the bed with a damp creamy cloth rolled over her eyes with Mage Balgrif sitting by her side. His head spun around and frowned. “I already told you to keep it quiet, she's ill,” he whispered.
“Understood,” Goru said as he placed Delta's bags beside her bed, “we'll talk later.”
Delta smiled and nodded before Goru disappeared out of the room. The door closed behind her by itself, or at least by some telekinetic extension of Goru. A'gesh flew from her shoulder and found her perch on the high four post bed frame. She glanced at Balgrif. His hand was tightly pressed against Kyirn's and his eyes trained on the centre of her forehead.
“What happened to her? Is she awake?” Delta whispered as she leaned over.
“Get back!” Balgrif waved his arm at her before returning his attention to Kyirn, “she has travelled too far to the higher planes, got her astral form caught up in something it shouldn't have, I told her...”
“Delta,” Kyirn whispered, her hand lazily felt around the air, “I can hear…”
“Shh,” Balgrif gently took her hand and placed it on her chest, “it's fine now, your family's here.”
“How long has she been like this?” Delta said, glancing at her darkened wrist phone.
“Delta,” Kyirn's moans sounded like she was begging something from her. She wished she could understand.
“Since last night,” Balgrif slowly turned his head up towards her, “I think you should leave now, your presence is disrupting her recovery.”
Delta looked to Kyirn, her lips strained in pain from something she was seeing in her third eye or mind. She nodded and mouthed to A'gesh to watch them. The bird shook as her feathers puffed out, understanding Delta's requests. Delta quietly stepped out and headed down the hall. Her stomach growled for something to eat. She quickly dashed down a level to the tower's hearth. It was a room no bigger than her mansion's dining hall, but an assortment of wooden tables and metal chairs sat empty in the silence. She had been in this room many times before, it always had someone, whether mage or disciple, studying or eating. However, the stillness of the place made her uneasy, as if there were ghosts ready to jump out from the corners and attack. She looked to the floating lanterns, each orb shone different colours and intensities as she made her way to a hip-high shelf that always had fresh fruits displayed atop.
Her eye caught a shiny apple. Its ruby skin was plump and almost ready to burst from all the sweet juices inside it. She took a bite. Her teeth were catching its fibres as she pulled up a chair and considered challenging the invisible spectres around her. She wasn't going away; she didn't have anywhere to go. She flicked the wrist phone, its black round screen burst with amber letters as she looked at her message to Kyirn about her return to the tower. It showed her earlier message followed by Kyirn's response receiving that message. Not even an hour ago.
Delta looked to the ceiling, Kyirn was in no position to read that message, let alone respond. Worry struck her as perhaps it was someone else that responded, someone else had been intercepting her messages. It couldn't be, Delta thought, wrist phones were tied to the person using them, anyone else outside of the user wouldn't be able to access them. However, magi were far more than regular people. Could Goru already know about Mayen? She didn't understand why this worried her so much. There was something she was missing.
As she sunk her teeth into the apple's yellow flesh and pulled a piece into her mouth, her thoughts were disrupted by hushed voices beyond the hearth's entrance.
“So, she's damaged now?” said the deep voice. That voice, she knew it, she heard it before when she was much younger, but couldn't put her finger on it.
“For a time, her astral form has been ripped apart and will take too long to revive, we can't count on her,” said another, its tone was unfamiliar and grating, as if someone spoke through a machine.
This spiked her curiosity as she slowly headed towards the entrance. Her ears peeled for every word as she slowly sunk to a chair closest to the voices. Even though they may detect her presence through the wall, as she learnt from her last eavesdrop, she kept her wrist phone on several digital books. She could make an excellent spy, if it weren't for the existence of telepaths, she humoured.
“She is willing and physically capable, but her mind isn't where it's meant to be. There are other options for the program,” said the second voice.
“Certainly not, she wouldn't be ready for that,” said the deep voice. Delta's veins felt like they turned solid as she listened to it: it was the same voice that she had heard at her greatfather's funeral.
There was a sigh of frustration from the second voice. “The other magi are already many levels above us; this tower is sorely behind the project. We need that blood, mixed or-”
“That's enough! She's not ready until I say so, we need to wait until the whisperings of that damned acolyte have left her head,” said the deep one.
Delta's mind felt like it had slowed, they were talking about her.
“I understand, but at least open up the idea to her,” said the second voice.
For several moments, there was silence. The only sound Delta could hear was the humming in her ears and her racing heart. She was too frightened to see if they were still there. She couldn't bring herself to peek through the entrance. She stuffed the apple in between her teeth, and she slowly pulled herself from the chair before creeping to the kitchens behind the cafeteria. The kitchens were bare, shining silver equipment sat orderly and silent along barren cutting benches. She slid her way through the cramped path and out to a narrow open archway. Her eyes drifted along the wide corridor with many doors leading to various classrooms and study halls. There was one doorway that was larger than the rest; it led to the Mage library.
With one last glance around her seemingly empty surroundings, she dashed to the library's doors, slid them open just enough for her body before shutting them behind her. This room was larger than all other's combined: rows upon rows of bookcases filled with tomes and scrolls as far as her eye could see. She headed towards its centre, where several lounging chairs, floor pillows and sofas sat. She could hear the library door's sliding behind her; she quickly pulled a random tome from the nearest shelf and opened its hardcover before hopping into the nearest cushioned chair.
“Delta?” called Goru. She couldn't see him, and she was almost certain he couldn't sense her. She hesitated for a moment before returning his call.
“I'm here,” she said in the most innocent tone she could muster, though she feared it may have sounded too innocent.
Sandal's scraped against the polished floors, and Goru's smiling face appeared beside the bookcase. “I've been looking all over for you. Haven't you read that one before?” he said pointing to her novel.
She flipped the lid over which title read in silver paint Natives and the Settlers: The Age of Fear. “I like re-reading my favourite chapter, it's when the settlers were running from their old nation's warlords and how they traversed the dangerous seas with stolen ships to find Atlantia. Then warned the natives that the warlords may be coming to their shores for retribution, so they had to prepare the land. Though the war never came,”
“Yes, it's quite a thrilling tale, but I thought it happened over a number of chapters?” Goru said as his piercing blue eyes twinkled.
“It does, but I get so lost in history,” she said slowly shutting the book.
“I know this is probably not the best time, but now that you're here and most of our students are away for holiday's I can dedicate more time to you. I wondered whether you wanted to continue with your psionic lessons,” he said resting against the soft arm of the chair.
Delta sighed and slid the tome across. “I'm not sure, my mind isn't in the right frame to-,”
“I understand, it's too soon,” Goru said as he rubbed his eyes, “Olanta has never made it easy, has she? Not for myself, nor you. I'm sorry you're no longer welcome under her roof, but you will always be here.”
“I'm grateful,” she said biting her lip, “you talk about my mother a lot, but the way you talk about her sounds as if you were more than just colleagues.”
Goru's eyes dimmed. Their pale blue darkened as if they were cast down into the ocean's depths. He straightened up and glanced around the empty halls of the library before turning back to her. “Well spotted, no we weren't just peers or even friends. We had intended to marry.”
Delta felt her throat tighten; she gulped down a wad of saliva forming on her tongue before she started speaking. “Were you two in love?”
Goru chuckles surprised her. “At first no, but over time, I did form some feelings, yet she never returned them.”
“Maybe in another reality, I could've been your daughter,” she said, she felt sick, but a part of her damned herself for not getting accustomed to life-altering revelations already, “were you two forced to marry?”
Goru nodded, the twinkle in his eye returned before shooting a smile her way. “That's for another time. I can feel your anger growing and it would be a waste not to have a psi lesson.”
Delta sighed as she pushed herself out of the sofa. “Which classroom?”
“We will unlock your past recalls and channel your psionics through them. We can try in here, no harm in that,” he said glancing around the bookshelves.
Delta shook her head violently. “Goru, you know what could happen-,”
He stretched out his hand before she could finish. “This time you will exercise control, what better place for you to do that than in a place of flammable goods!”
“I can't, I won't-” she stammered.
“You will. Now, push that feeling high above your stomach and into your mind,” he said as his hands mimed the rising of waves.
Delta closed her eyes and focused her mind. She dove deep on the growing hatred for her parents, especially her father who seemed too eager to swap a defective daughter for an acolyte. Her rage travelled to Mayen, a girl she had only known in a span of days, a girl that she wanted to rip out of her life. Then to Anobus, a boy that knew too much and held it over her head to torment her. With her rage realised, she slowly opened her eyes and stared directly to her mentor. His eyes had changed to a baby blue glow and his grin was stiff on his face. If she weren't so filled with anger, the twisted visage of Goru would have sent her running.
“Tell me your recall,” his voice echoed through the empty halls.
“A woman with grey skin and dark lips, she struggled against my hand...I see three fingers,” she said through gritted teeth as a strange heat prickled behind her eyes.
“Very good, what were you trying to do to her?” he said as his voice deepened.
“I was giving her something, memories of places I've been, people I've known. There's hatred, so much hate in my heart that I tried forcing my mind into her,” she said, replaying the scene within her mind.
“Very good. What you did to her; do unto me,” his voice crackled with electricity.
“No, it hurts too much!” Delta cried.
“Do it!” he roared, the light surrounding his form disappeared into a dark cloudy mass. It was the same voice she had heard in the hall; it was the same voice she had heard at her greatfather's funeral. Mage Goru had been around her for years, and she didn't even know it. His presence at Pitach-rhok, none of it was an accident.
Her hair clamped on her wet scalp as she violently shook her head. “I can't,” she whimpered.
Goru growled; his form trembled for a moment before the darkness surrounding him vanished. His eyes returned to their normal blue, but his face was twisted with frustration. “Enough,”
The heat behind her eyes faded as Delta's knees buckled before dropping to the floor. “It's too much,” she sobbed.
“Wasn't enough,” he said as he straightened the sleeves of his loose tunic, “I know you're capable of so much more, but you're not giving yourself permission for ascension.”
“I am, but this doesn't feel right. I never want to go back to that again!” she said wiping the sweat and tears from her face.
With a heavy sigh, Goru stared up to the high ceiling. “Then I can't help you, and you'll be stuck in this limbo for the rest of your life.”
Delta bit her lip to stop her wails; her cheeks burned as new tears streamed down them. “I'll do anything, but not that,” she whispered.
“Before the disciples return, you can help Mage Xian with tower upkeep. Maybe it'll free your mind from worries for a while before we…continue,” he said.
Delta nodded, her teeth sinking further and further into her quivering lip. Goru exchanged a small nod before he spun around and strode out the library, leaving Delta to cry alone.
~
The routine of cleaning and straightening various parts of the ancient tower did little to ease Delta from her stresses. Mage Xian kept his distance with her, but she had noticed that he would hang around a little more than usual when she was in the indoor forest. On occasion, he would come up and open his mouth, his eyes filled with worry and fear, but that would wash over him and he would ask something simple from her. His unusual behaviour grew more unpredictable as days passed. Even Mage Goru had receded from her, there was always some important meetings and events he had to plan before the rest of the disciples returned. Delta wasn't too disheartened by this, as her mentor released the pressure from continuing the lessons.
Kyirn was still bed-bound. Delta would wake up in the middle of the night to hear sad moans and cries from her roommate for a moment before she returned to her quiet slumber. Her parents had essentially stopped communication with her, she would check her wrist phone when she remembered, but the message banks were empty. As for A'gesh, she was the same stubborn and vain bird, something Delta found some solace in.
Laying on her thin quilts with A'gesh demolishing half a carcass of a mouse, Delta mused over the uncertain years ahead. Talk had begun of her becoming an official mage after completing her studies. However, her psionic progression was at a snail's pace. Goru had mentioned that her skills would be required at the tower, but she would be essentially locked away from the rest of the galaxy. Though the tower did have some outstanding perks, she yearned for more since her eighteenth.
Her attention was grabbed by Kyirn's moans, there was a pole no higher than Delta's shoulder with a milky orb sitting on the end. A faint white beam emitted from its centre that streamed constant energy into the middle of Kyrin's forehead.
“It's fine, Kyirn, go back to sleep,” Delta said with her head slightly turned to her roommate's bed.
“No,” Kyrin whispered as her hand began feeling around the space above her body.
Delta sighed as she rolled over and sat on the low stool beside her bed. She grabbed her hand; its feel was of fleshy ice as she wrapped her warm hands around her palms.
“Why isn't it fine, Kyirn?” Delta said, staring at the girl's slightly open mouth, as her eyes and forehead were covered by a pale cloth.
Kyirn's lips twitched as if she were speaking, but no sound came out. Delta pitied the semi-comatose girl before her; she considered psionics or general astral experiences came at a great cost.
“Remember the funeral when you asked me what it was like not hearing other people's thoughts or past life recalls? It's a prison. Knowing that you have so little option in this land because of that condition. Yet...” she stared at her still body, “I don't think any knowledge out there is worth nearly dying for.”
“No,” Kyirn mumbled again, a quiet beep came from the orb, it's beam had dimmed.
Delta placed her hand on the damp cloth over her head. She didn't know what to say, she couldn't feel Kyirn's spirit underneath, or even her own. Anobus would probably know what to say to them both. She cursed herself for thinking about him. Kyirn's cheeks twitched as Delta felt around her covered face. There was something that didn't feel right, lumps where there where they shouldn't be and as her hand glided down to Kyirn's eye sockets, she felt two deep holes. Delta's heart raced as she slowly pried the cloth from her skin. She caught herself from screaming when she saw healing scars riddled across her face, parts of her skin were missing from her forehead and her eyes, though closed, the eyes were sunken in so deep, that the balls were gone.
Several thumps at the door made Delta almost shoot from her chair; she quickly pulled the cloth over her face just before Mage Balgrif entered their chambers. His eyes narrowed, accentuating the spiderweb-like wrinkles around his cheekbones when he saw Delta. “Don't bother her,” he growled.
“I was only warming her hands, they're freezing,” she said, trying to slow her heart rate.
Balgrif mumbled as he produced another orb from his open sleeves, he plucked the old one from the pole and fastened the new one. Immediately, the orb started releasing a sharp beam of energy back into Kyirn's head, she sighed deeply before her hand went limp on Delta's palm.
“What does that do anyway?” she said as she carefully placed her hand down.
“Keeps her sedated and her body from starving,” he said as he pressed his thick fingers against the girl's neck.
“What about water?” Delta said slowly rising from the stool, half expecting Balgrif to shoo her out of it.
He chuckled with heavy sarcasm. “Mage Goru wants to see you.”
Delta stared at him as he moved around the bed; he had noticed her lingering before shooting a glare at her. “Something else you need to know?”
“Where is he?” she said as she motioned A'gesh on her shoulder.
Balgrif laughed, this time with no sarcasm before returning his focus on her. “Library. Do you need a map?”
Delta shook her head as she straightened her black leopard print jumpsuit. “No thank you. Take good care of her, Mage Balgrif,” she said before storming out of the bedroom.
“Markarta!” called Kyirn. Delta's head slightly twisted around, but before her mouth opened, Balgrif telekinetically slammed the door hard behind her. She had heard of the word before, in fact, it was a name that belonged to an omni-sexual deity that was worshipped by the ancient Atlanteans, but she knew little beyond this. Delta wondered why Kyirn chose to say that name, out of all things. She shuddered at the thought that Kyirn's mind had been reduced by whatever happened to her head. Delta's pace took her immediately to the entry of the library, it's door slightly open to reveal Mage Goru admiring the collection of countless tomes.
She pried the doors wide enough to allow herself to enter, his body spun around, and his eyes twinkled at her arrival. “You're the only person that can truly sneak up on me.”
“Good for you I'm not an assassin,” she said brandishing a smile. “I'm ready for another lesson if you are.”
“I'm very pleased to hear that, we certainly can in a little while, but first I'd like to speak with you and ask a few questions if you permit it,” he said.
“Only if I get to ask you something in return,” she said crossing her arms.
Goru smiled and nodded. “The galaxy is not what it once was. It's considerably more hostile to younger races; every species is suffering an internal issue that threatens their place in the universe – including humanity. Some of them have even taken it upon themselves to be our wardens, caging us like some animal that can't be controlled. Once your training has finished with me, have you considered what your place is in this universe?”
Delta's mind flashed to the Arinu emissaries and Olanta's words to them. “I've heard something similar, but my future is an utter mystery, like my past,” she glanced at Goru, his fingers were interlocked and his face expectant, “it's my turn: what happened to Kyirn's face?”
Goru's smile dimmed as he drew a little closer. “Expected you to find out, natural curiosity is what makes us. Kyirn's psionics were reversing, her mind couldn’t read and translate information as she once did in childhood. She opted for a dangerous procedure that should have made her strong again. It worked too well, and in her excitement for her newfound power, she went too far and saw too much for her mind to handle. Sadly, we don't know the extent of the damage and she maybe bed-bound until she draws her last breath.”
“If you knew about this surgery, then why didn't you mention it to me?” Delta said as A'gesh gently nibbled on her cheek.
“It's my turn to ask the next question,” he said, his eyes growing wider.
“Damn it, Goru, don't hide this from me!” she said unfurling her arms.
“Because you're too important to lose!” he shouted, Delta almost leapt back at his sound, “You're not some mundane that wanders around aimlessly beating her head against the stone, you're your mother's daughter and so much greater. I knew who and what you were before, I had my doubts when I first saw you…”
“You were at greatfather's funeral, it was your voice that spoke with Durun,” she said as she cocked her head to the side, “thought I wouldn't remember?”
Goru inched closer. “I knew you would. Now, I insist on asking the next question, if you had omnipotence, what would be your first course of action?”
“Probably to help people in need, try to get Kyirn to have a life again,” she said as she shrugged her shoulders.
“Your heart's in the right place. Sadly, no one has omnipotence, but magi are greater together than apart. Together, we could make anything happen if we willed it. However, our numbers are few and time is fleeting. More of us are needed,” he said as walked slowly around her.
Delta's stomach turned at his words, her heart raced as she listened to his footsteps behind her. “Needed for what?”
“To save our civilisation from being hamstrung and forgotten. Being forgotten is the second death, where real pain lies,” he said.
“I don't understand,” she glanced up at him, but his eyes twinkled as if he had said something humorous.
Goru parted his lips, but before any words were uttered, his eyes rolled back, and his brows furrowed. He opened them suddenly and his face twisted in frustration. “Forgive me, Delta, but we must cut our time. Some disciples had decided to show some tour group of off-worlders our tower, excuse me.”
He strode with feline grace out the library. Delta felt her heart slowly return to its normal beat, but her mind took a while longer to ease. A'gesh took flight and glided around the chamber's centre, her eye caught a small wet dropping from the bird's tail land. “Brilliant.” she murmured before rummaging the cupboards for a rag. Heading down the cool room, she heard an incessant hum of the waist-high computers nestled between the bookcases. The air was still as if she had walked into a cemetery. Ducking from any future droppings A'gesh might unleash on her, Delta found the white splatter on the polished wooden floor. As she tossed the rag to the floor and wiped with her shoes, a stand in the very centre of the chamber held a clear crystal head that took the shape of a skull. Lights flashed in its empty sockets and faint hymns emanated from its closed jaw.
Used as a navigator for tomes and scrolls, this device was certainly no stranger to her. She glanced at the skull, the light inside its cranial lattice shone as if the neurons exchanged information at lightning speeds. “Too bad you can't perform psionic surgeries,” she muttered.
The hymns evolved into audible words as the skull sung. “Psionic Surgery: referenced in Telepaths: Basics, Psionic Healers of History, Off-worlder Medical Science…”
“Don't worry about it, stop,” she said throwing her hands up at it. The skull went immediately silent as the lights in its head dimmed.
“I wish I could help Kyirn, I wish I could help myself. I feel so useless over here...” she said as she kicked the rag under the gap of the nearest bookcase.
“Reference in philosophy and theology: Where is my Place? Off-worlder Religions, Ancient Atlantean Gods and Goddesses,” sang the skull.
Delta's eyes widened. “Stop, reference ancient Atlantean deities – particularly Markarta. What do you know of it?”
“Markarta, first referenced during the merger of settlers and native Atlanteans, a being that was believed to be omnigendered, whose aspect was to encourage fertility, fecundity and prosperity of children. The worship of Markarta was phased out pre-contact with off-worlders,” the skull said.
“'More of us are needed,'” Delta whispered low enough for the crystal to not detect it. Her mind ticked at Kyirn's word choice and at Goru's, “Crystal, name the record for mage births and heritage in the last century.”
“Find tome Magi Family Tree, found in bookcase forty-one, the centre of the fourth shelf,” the skull sang.
Delta bolted down the narrow walkways, weaving in and out of the endless bookcases, her chest tightened as distressing thoughts flew through her fearful mind. She looked up at the edge of the dark bookcase; forty-one was carved into big, bold numbers along its wide frame. She stepped to the front as her eyes scanned the spines of the tomes on the shoulder-high shelf. There, in large, copper font was the Magi Family Tree. Her fingers pried the book from its neighbouring tomes and pushed aside the heavy wooden cover. Wetting her fingertips on her tongue, she flicked through the hundreds of pages with names of magi and their background details. Every single mage was also a harkan, or at least had an ancestor that was, and most married others from the same order, even having children who became magi themselves, continuing the cycle.
Each harkan mage had details of the species and race of their parents or higher ancestors, ranging from Matchenei, Barari, Ezoni, Xannian including the barbaric Ravansye. Oddly, the harkans who had Ravansye in them were unwed and reported to have no children, yet the ones who had ancestors that were more psionically inclined had many. As she flicked through the pages, her eye caught Kyirn's name, detailing she had a little bit of Barari in her, and then her mother's name: Olanta Ungbrahe. There was a smudged black line towards Goru and right beside his name was a broken line dotted toward hers. Delta swallowed as she flicked to the next page where her mother's details were shown; she was the only one that had Arinu heritage. Right underneath was Delta Ungbrahe's details, reading she was a quarter Arinu, physically healthy, but was mundane. The mundane was the only word on that page that was underlined. There was no mention of her high intellect or any credit of her previous achievements, the mundane was all that people saw, including the magi who she assumed were beyond it, yet they weren't.
Her eye drifted to Goru's hereditary details, there was a name of a species she had never heard before, “Girian,” she mouthed. As she read on, she learned that he came from a long line of magi and was born into the Markarta (Breeding) Program. She felt faint like her heart had stopped working as the tome she held in her fingers became heavier than a star.
“That's what Kyirn saw,” she said as A'gesh squawked. Its sounds made Delta look up at the gliding bird. “They’re using us as breeding stock.”
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