Coil of Worlds

While Skye walked away with his shirt in his hand, leaving her to wash without an audience, Lara busied herself with dumping the bucket back into the cold water. She had trouble pulling the bucket out, but with a deep-belly grunt, Lara settled it on the flat boulder sitting next to the large water barrel. Lara picked up the small satchel she dropped there earlier this morning and pulled out a length of clean cloth and a brown bar of soap. She dunked the cloth into the water and sighed when the cool water soothed her heated and bruised hands. She lifted the bar of soap and rubbed it against the wet cloth, bringing it to a lather.

She abhorred being covered with dirt and sweat. She had persevered while traveling in the tunnels because of their inability to bathe. Now she refused to put up with the smell of grime and sweat when there was a steady supply of water nearby. Lara washed her hands first, attending to the dirt caught beneath her fingernails. She next washed her face and neck. Rinsing the cloth, she grimaced when the water turned a pale brown.

One of these days, she’d learn how to stay off the ground. Lara scoped the area for curious eyes while squeezing out the excess water. She quickly washed under her arms and her chest by lifting her shirt away from her body. Though it felt good, the cool water against her heated skin had her stomach clenching in reaction.

She missed taking long, hot showers. Well, if she was going to list things she missed, she had to include the other thousand things, too. That would take far too long.

Before she went inside, she tilted her face up into the wind, letting the breeze calm her stressed body. Lara closed her eyes at the stream of sunlight that filtered through the large, overhanging tree above her. She draped the wet cloth over the stone, leaving it to dry. She laid the soap on top of the cloth to make sure the material wouldn’t fly away.

She entered the dining hall, hearing a murmured, “You are just in time.”

Not certain who made the comment, Lara walked over to the broad, wooden table and sat down beside Skye. The room held several rows of long tables, but they always sat at the table closest to the kitchen. The room felt too large for only four people. Lara took the bowl of chopped rok meat from Skye and used her meat knife to select two pieces and put them onto her plate. Next came a steaming bowl of cooked yarroh with spicy herbs—a vegetable that reminded her of a cross between a ginger root and a potato.

She was always ravenous after the morning’s workout, but the trainers wouldn’t let her eat more than the light fare, saying her body needed to rest and recuperate from the morning’s exercise before eating a bigger meal. This meant her stomach began growling long before it was time for the evening’s dinner. Biting into the tasty food, she realized she was homesick for another reason. Lara missed the familiar foods she’d once taken for granted. Visions of hamburgers and salads often crisscrossed her mind. The food was delicious in its own right, but her palate wasn’t used to the texture and taste of this world’s food. She stopped chewing her food for a moment, then swallowed.

“I have a question.”

Audren raised his eyes to look at her. Lara cleared her throat. “What do you call this planet? In my head, I keep calling it this planet or this world.”

Lara heard Skye snicker, and she turned to scowl at him, embarrassed at having to ask such a stupid question. If Chion had been there with her, she could have asked him through their bond. But he wasn’t. In order to learn things, she was forced to ask questions any child would know the answers to.

“The Kurites call this world Aradun. Now I am curious, what do you call your own world?” Audren asked, looking at her with inquisitive eyes.

“Earth. My planet is called Earth.”

She had to give her teachers credit for not flinching at the idea of her being an alien. Of course, the word ‘alien’ didn’t exist on this planet, since no one believed other planets existed or held life. When Etheme, a High Councilor who was assigned as their guide during the week following their trial, had explained the circumstances surrounding both Skye and her, neither Audren nor Tryvor batted an eye.

After downing the entire cup of cool water, she reached for the pitcher in the middle of the table. Her morning workouts included numerous breaks for water, but she never seemed to drink enough. She was always thirsty. After she drank her fill, Lara pushed herself up from the bench at seeing a silent summons from Audren. Their teachers kept a rigid routine, which meant Lara was never quite rested before the next session.

Her afternoons were focused on learning the strengths and weaknesses of her magical ability, sensing others’ emotions. Though learning to control her magic didn’t entail any strenuous activity, Lara still felt as if she’d run a marathon at the end of the four or five hours.

She trailed behind Audren and Tryvor to the smaller practice field. This field was shaded by numerous trees, with bushes encroaching into the immediate area beneath the large branches. The plants gave the field an enclosed feel. A small pond could be seen in the far corner, giving the area a serene atmosphere. Where the field met the cliff leading down into the ocean, a sturdy fence had been resurrected, supposedly to keep the younger, more adventurous trainees from falling to the ocean below.

So far she’d learned that the farther she was away from someone, the weaker the emotions became. However, she’d yet to figure out how to block the emotions. It was a growing frustration for both her and Audren, so she was surprised when Tryvor had her follow him to the far side of the field, leaving Skye and Audren the opposite side. Tryvor turned to face her.

As our usual training techniques aren’t working with either of you, we thought a change in teachers prudent. For this next week, I will provide your training.

Lara crossed her arms under the close scrutiny of the paka’s golden eyes. He sat down on a patch of green grass, cocking his head in contemplation.

First, I must determine how strong your ability is. I’ll think of a strong emotion based on a past memory. I want you to tell me what emotion you are sensing. When I give you a nod, you will walk toward the other side of the field until you can no longer sense the emotion. Do you understand the task?

Lara nodded. She blew out her breath on a slow exhale, trying to focus her attention on the paka sitting before her. When the emotion hit her, she almost rocked back on her feet from the intensity. In the next instant, Lara felt as if a chasm opened within her heart, and her chest clenched in reaction. Her breathing turned sporadic, but she blocked out the physical symptoms, trying to pinpoint the exact emotion. Once she identified the emotion, she wondered at it. What memory did this paka have that would cause such a weighty emotion?

In a raspy voice, she said, “Loneliness.”

At his nod, she walked backward, periodically looking over her shoulder to make sure she didn’t trip on the rocks in her path. The more distance she gained, the less intense the emotion became until she could take an easier breath. Though she could still feel it, Lara was able to focus without feeling like she was fighting against the current. She made it to the opposite fence without losing the feeling, though it did flicker in and out. Across the field, she saw him jerk his head, telling her to walk back.

Back in her original position, Tryvor said, Now, I’m going to attempt to mute the same emotion to see whether your magic can detect it. Follow the same instructions as before.

She shook out her hands, trying to relieve the tension. This time the loneliness she sensed was far more controlled, making it easier to curb her body’s reaction. At his nod, she walked toward the fence again. Halfway across the field she stopped and took a step back. She called out, “Here.”

Return to your position. The emotion cut off like a switch. She rolled her shoulders to loosen the knots and jogged back to her original position. You’ve attempted to gain control of the emotions that, as you have said, bombard you with the assistance of Audren. We know you haven’t mastered this. Before I can determine the next step, I must see how well you are able to stop the influx. So, I will use the same intensity as the first time; however, this time, try to block the emotion before it touches you. At her shaky nod, he asked, What imagery are you using?

“I imagine a brick wall on all four sides of me.” She shuffled her feet, knowing full well the imagery didn’t work.

It has worked well for others. It provides an interesting puzzle. Let’s try this, and then we will work together to find another image that does work.

She bent her knees a couple of times while she built strong, impregnable mental walls around her. Once the walls were stacked around her, Lara covered the four sides with a thick, metal roof. Her lips flattened into a thin line as she concentrated on the task. Lara opened eyes she hadn’t realized she had closed, looking over at the paka to tell him she was ready.

Before she could open her mouth, loneliness hit her like a loaded freight train, blasting her defenses into crumbled ruins. The emotion she sensed was far stronger than the first time. With a cry, she fell to her knees and raised her arms in a useless attempt to stop the onslaught. As suddenly as the sensation hit her, it dissipated, leaving her panting and trembling where she’d fallen to the ground. She wiped the beads of perspiration from her forehead as the paka approached.

His voice full of apology, he said quietly, I do apologize. I had not seen its effect on you while you worked with Audren.

Flicking a look of betrayal at her teacher, she gasped out, “Why did you increase the memory’s power? Why did you do that?”

He didn’t immediately answer her, though a quizzical expression crossed his face. When he did reply, Tryvor spoke in a low, even tone, Lara, I did not. As I warned, it was exactly the same intensity as the first time.

Forgetting her body was still recovering from the emotional blow, she stood up only to lean back over, putting both hands on her knees. She lifted her head, wanting to understand what had happened. “Then what was that?”

She watched as the paka’s eyes glinted with a sudden thought. He studied her to determine her welfare. Are you well enough for this conversation? Perhaps we should wait until you’re ready.

She was shaking her head before he finished. “No, I’ll eventually recover. I want to know what epiphany you had.”

When she tried to stand back up, Lara weaved back and forth on her feet, and she widened her stance so she wouldn’t fall.

Lara, sit down. We will discuss this while you rest.

She dropped back to the ground with a happy sigh of relief. She waited, absently pulling up individual blades of grass, as the paka found the words to explain his conclusion. Lara, I believe the image of walls surrounding you is opening yourself more. Similar to caves where sound bounces off the walls, perhaps the imagery is magnifying your gift. Another option is that your concentration is narrowed to this one image, which is unconsciously allowing other avenues to pass through the barrier. We must create an image that is far removed from an enclosed building around you.

With unintentional sarcasm, she asked, “Got any ideas?”

She looked up when he didn’t answer and found him staring past the fence and into the ocean below them. She sat up straighter to see down to the water, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

“What?” she asked impatiently. “What is it?”

He turned his head back with a considering look. I have an idea. Are you open to trying something new?

“I’ll try anything. I don’t care how bizarre you think it is. I’m tired of feeling like a piñata to every emotion that comes my way.”

A piñata? He shook his head once. No, don’t explain. As much as I enjoy your choice of words, this is no time for distractions. I assume this means you are willing? When she nodded, he headed toward the pond. Come.

When they both stood at the edge of the pond, he looked up at her and said, Get in.

Not understanding at first what he intended, Lara looked at the paka, looked at the pond, and then looked back at him. Her mouth dropped open when it finally dawned on her. “You can’t be serious.”

Indeed, I am. The physicality of the water will provide your senses with the image you will build in your mind. Seeing her hesitation, he added, We won’t know whether water is the correct conduit until you try.

She looked down at her clothes in dismay. She had to open her big mouth. With a resigned sigh, she toed off her shoes and unbuckled her belt, laying her weapon on the ground beside the paka. Lara muttered under her breath, making sure he didn’t hear her, “God, I miss my swimsuit.”

Lara waded into the water, grimacing at the slick mud that squished between her toes. At his insistence, Lara walked out to the center of the pond until only her head was above the water’s surface. She twisted around to face Tryvor.

“Now what?”

Use the feel of the water surrounding you to build a protective layer around yourself. Tell me when you are ready. He found a dry patch of dirt before lying down, flicking his tail every few seconds while he waited.

Minute by arduous minute, she turned inward, using the ebb and flow of the water to help her. In her mind’s eyes, the buoyancy of the water had her floating. She immersed herself into the large pool of water where she couldn’t touch the bottom and her head didn’t break the surface. She suddenly knew she was ready, and she shifted her eyes with difficulty, feeling as if the water blurred her vision. When loneliness came toward her, she almost laughed in relief.

Her senses weren’t blocked by any means, but the water’s density somehow distributed the emotion around her. Only a small fragment of Tryvor’s loneliness found its way to her. She splashed the water with her hands in triumph, laughing out loud.

Then she discovered something else. The choppy water made the steady emission of loneliness break up for a single second in time. She’d found the cure for her magic.

In unrestrained excitement, Lara bounced off the floor of the pond and jumped straight up in the air. Her entire body went below the water’s surface, and she came up spewing pond water from her mouth and her nose. It didn’t dampen her excitement. Wading to where Tryvor sat, Lara saw his look of undisguised pride. She grinned at him with water streaming down her body.

Congratulations, Lara. We have found the proper image. The difficult work now begins.

“What do you mean? I thought I now had it under control?”

He shook his head at her naiveté. Of course not. As has been explained, your magical ability cannot be switched on and off. Your power is, in a sense, always receiving information from the people around you. You must learn how to master the image so that water is constantly held at the forefront of your mind. Only then will you control your magic. At a later date, you won’t need to hold the image, except when you want to loosen your control.

“You think I’ll be able to do all that?” She wrung out the excess water from her shirt. “And here I was ecstatic at having found the right picture.”

As you should be, Lara. Until we determined the proper image, you would have been unable to master your power, and I’ve been told your power is impressive. Now, I believe today’s success has allowed you a respite. We will pick up tomorrow where we left off. His nose twitched, and he gave a chortle. I recommend a bath. You smell horrifically of pond water.

She laughed at his light teasing and picked up her things from the ground. They walked together toward the buildings, but stopped to observe Skye’s training. It was obvious that both trainer and trainee were frustrated. Skye wasn’t having the same amount of luck as her. She said quietly, so as not to disrupt the scene in the middle of a worn patch of land, “Why has Skye not come into his magic?”

She felt the paka’s shrug. Unlike your magic, where you must learn to turn off the flow of information, Skye’s has to be switched on. Until we ascertain the trigger for his magic, he will struggle. Both kinds of magic are difficult in their own way. He must persevere. I’ll remind young Skye that the passage of these three weeks is nothing compared to the year-long training some trainees are required to go through in order to acquire knowledge of their own magic. The difference is that both of you are adults and able to analyze your way through and around the barriers that arise from time to time. As he strode toward the two, he urged, Go, Lara. Enjoy your respite and your bath. You have earned the rest.