Neerah pulled back from the Pyramid of Echoes crystal, her face as red as the setting sun. She understood Ionee’s curiosity, yet she couldn’t help but find the whole experience a bit embarrassing. Neerah was beginning to understand the problems that drove Ionee and DaeNoth apart. It wasn’t that either of them had been wrong, exactly, it was more that neither of them had really considered the other when making choices.

Looking around to make sure she was alone, she took several deep breaths before going back into Ionee’s memories. She hoped she could skip some of them, now that she had made a partial connection to the problem, because some of these were just too personal and too embarrassing.

*****

Ionee was back in the human settlement just watching the people as they came and went. Two men stopped and began arguing about something, while several women walked by, some with children. Ionee was especially fascinated by the children. She was making silly faces at a little girl, whose mother had stopped to chat with one of the other women, and was surprised when the child responded back. It had never occurred to her, that anyone could see her, but evidently the little girl could. She was just kneeling down to be on the same level with the girl, when she felt herself jerked backwards.

There was a tug on her midsection, then a feeling as if she were falling. Suddenly she opened her eyes and found herself in her own bedroom lying on the lounge, DaeNoth standing next to her.

Startled, she snapped at him, “What are you doing here?”

“I…um…you asked me to awaken you for evening meal.”

Realizing that her anger was out of proportion to his actions, she apologized, “Yes, I did. I am sorry. I did not mean to snap at you,” she smiled pleasantly at DaeNoth. “You startled me that is all. I was dreaming, then suddenly the world was shaking.”

“What were you dreaming about?” DaeNoth asked, apparently happy now that Ionee was no longer angry with him.

“Um…I am not sure, now, it all seems to vague,” she responded as the stood up. She couldn’t tell him that she had been experimenting with essence projection again. Actually, she had been doing it now for several months, but he would never understand, especially since it was because of him that she was doing it at all. He was so overprotective. She couldn’t go anywhere or do anything without him tagging along, and if he thought that what she wanted to do was too dangerous or too risky, he would keep her from it. Who was he to dictate to her what she could and could not do. She had come to Danaria to find out what it was like to be physical, instead she had become a prisoner in the world of Aurisens.

*****

Ionee stood near the café and watched a young couple emerge. It was the same young man she had observed many times before over the past few months, but again he was with a different woman. While she watched them walk towards the corner, she longed to be the woman with him—to feel his touch, and to smell the evening. As that thought flew through her mind, she found herself looking out through someone else’s eyes, and walking with someone else’s body. Stopping, she looked down and realized that she was somehow inside the body of the woman who had just strolled past her. Briefly, she wondered where the woman was, but was soon too fascinated with her surroundings and her companion. She touched the fabric of the dress, sliding her fingers up and down the sleek and shiny smoothness of it. Then, catching a sweet, yet musky scent, she sniffed the evening air. There were so many smells; it was marvelous. The Forest of Reflections was so bland compared to this. Instead of just the aroma of flowers and grasses, here there were a great many odors that she didn’t even recognize. She turned toward the young man accompanying her, and marveled at how blue his eyes were and how soft his golden hair looked. Reaching out, she twined a lock of his hair around her finger, and smiled. It was soft, like the downy flower seeds.

The man reached up and took her hand from his hair, then pulling her close he kissed her. Ionee was in heaven. Her body—no, her borrowed body—trembled, and she felt as if her legs would no longer support her. She moaned deep in her throat, and the man pressed himself against her more fully. She could smell his musky scent mixed with the fragrance of some subtle perfume, though she didn’t know if it was his or hers. It didn’t really matter. Her senses were reeling from all the stimuli, yet she didn’t want it to stop.

Breathless, the young man eased himself away from her, “I fear you are almost too impatient, my dear. My place is just around the corner.” Taking her hand again, he began to lead her down the street.

Ionee, wanting to experience those strange breathless quiverings again, stopped and tried to kiss the man again.

“You are not only impatient, but quite forward. Something I find most intriguing,” he said when her lips nibbled on his ear lobe.

Just as he began to kiss her again, Ionee found herself back to being an essence projection again. The young lady, now returned to her own body, slapped her date, and stalked off. As Ionee watched the woman’s bewildered date rub his cheek, she knew she would have to find another way to visit. Her vicarious existence no longer satisfied her, she wanted to experience everything—every last nuance of life.

Dissatisfied yet determined, she returned to her own body.

*****

Neerah experienced several more memories in which Ionee stole someone else’s body. Stole was a harsh word, but Neerah felt that what Ionee had done was no better than what d’Oessler had done to Darkwind.

She shuddered at the thought of pushing someone out of their body just so she could go and have fun. It wasn’t right. Each time Ionee had stolen someone’s body she had returned it, but that still didn’t make it right. She was stealing part of their life and taking away their choices.

Neerah was growing despondent. She had always believed all the legends and stories regarding Ionee of Starfall. But they had painted her as the victim not the victimizer. Now, seeing the truth as to who Ionee had been—who she had really been—depressed her. She wasn’t sure that the Ionee she was coming to know was someone she liked very much.

If only Ionee hadn’t been so insensitive or DaeNoth so demanding and controlling, she sighed.

Ionee gazed about in fascination. She really was in a human settlement. The buildings were so different from what she was used to. They were so…plain. Yes, she thought, that was a good way to describe these solid, box-like structures. Most of them were some shade of gray with small bursts of color around the windows, doors or on the signs they all bore. And there were so many signs. She started reading each of them, wondering what some of them meant. There was a tavern, an inn, a mercantile, and a haberdashery—that was an odd one, she thought. The sign on the building behind her said Café, and she reached over to touch the gilded lettering. Her hand passed right through the sign and the wall of the building, startling her. She had forgotten that she was here only as an essence projection. Because of that, she couldn’t really experience everything.

She could see the physical world around her, although it was slightly blurry and out of focus, and she could hear the noises and sounds created in the world around her. Even those were muffled, though, since she wasn’t really a part of the physical world. As an essence projection, she was not fully part of the physical world, yet she wasn’t part of the Ethereal world, either. It was sort of a between state.

Just then a young man with golden hair and a dashing smile strolled out of the eatery accompanied by a beautiful, tawny-haired woman. The woman wore a peach colored gown of some soft-looking material, which was decorated with lace and small pearl-like buttons. Ionee tried to touch the fabric, but again her hand failed to connect with the object. Sighing, she wished she could touch the world around her.

Frustrated, yet still curious, she drifted down the street behind the couple for a short way. They walked hand-in-hand, laughing together at something the man whispered into the woman’s ear. As they came to the corner, they turned, and Ionee’s attention was diverted by another couple emerging from the nearby tavern.

This couple was also laughing, but their laughter was harsh and seemed to offend the ears. The man clutched at the woman’s bosom while slobbering on her neck and face. Puzzled and intrigued, Ionee decided to follow them instead of the first couple. They stumbled their way up a tall set of wooden stairs at the side of the building marked tavern. At the top of the stairs, they disappeared through a door. Ionee paused at the door, but then realized that in her present state of being, the door was no barrier.

When she stepped through the door she saw a long dark hallway with many doors on either side. Most of the doors were closed, so she drifted down the corridor listening to the sounds coming through them. The first few were silent and she poked her head through one of them and saw only shadowy shapes of furniture.

At the next door she heard giggles and a rhythmic squeaking. Curious, she poked her head through that door and was greeted with the sight of a copulating couple. More intrigued then ever, she came all the way into the room. This was definitely something she needed to learn more about, she decided as she watched the writhing couple.

Time sped forward and another memory played out.

 *****

“DaeNoth, look!” Ionee cried out to the lagging DaeNoth, as she stood on the edge of a small, rock-filled vale. It had taken her forever to convince DaeNoth to venture outside the Forest of Reflections, and she only got him to agree because she promised they wouldn’t venture into any populated areas. Now that they were outside the protective shell of the Aurisen enclave, DaeNoth had grown fearful of every little thing. She had wanted to see the crystal fields ever since she had heard some of the other Aurisens talking about them, and this was the first time she had managed to convince DaeNoth to venture forth from that artificial bubble of synthesized life inside the Forest of Reflections.

The one time she had snuck out on her own, DaeNoth had become so hysterical. After that, he rarely left her side so she had little opportunity to sneak away. However, because he insisted on following her everywhere, she managed to coax him into trying more and more things, as her desire for new experiences continued to draw her. Her need to experience real life was too compelling, so her only recourse was to convince DaeNoth into trying things with her.

Ever since she had heard of the crystal fields, she had connived and coaxed DaeNoth until now, here she was. One of the first things she had noticed was that the crystals of this world sang to her. They touched a place deep within her that only some of the most ethereal of compositions had ever spoken to. To be able to immerse herself in a place containing so much music and power, was simply too much to resist.

As she waited for DaeNoth to catch up, she let the energies flow over and around her. She stood at the edge of the first crystal field, her eyes closed, just listening with her whole being to the call of the crystals. One crystal, in particular, seemed to stand out from the others, and she allowed its call to lead her through the rocky terrain.

When DaeNoth finally caught up with her, Ionee held the newly freed crystal to his forehead, “Can you feel it now?”

“It seems very vibrant, yet soothing…” he turned to look at Ionee, who was smiling widely. “What type of crystal is it?”

“I do not know what it is named, only that it is some type of beryl. But you are correct, its song tells me that it would be a powerful healing crystal—offering both revitalization and comfort.”

They clambered over the rocks, Ionee following the voices of the crystals as they sang to her. As they scrambled over a particularly cumbersome stretch of loose rocks, DaeNoth lost his footing. His right ankle twisted and his foot wedged itself between several of the larger boulders, and as DaeNoth fell forward, a loud cracking sound echoed in the air.

At the sound of DaeNoth’s ankle breaking, Ionee stopped her mad dash across the rocks to see what had happened. Seeing DaeNoth sprawled across the rocks, she hurried back to help.

“DaeNoth! DaeNoth, are you all right?” She cried out as she crossed the loose jumble of rocks back to where DaeNoth’s body now lay. As she reached him, she noticed that a second DaeNoth stood next to the body. Drawing nearer, she realized that this second DaeNoth was not a solid image. She could see bits of the landscape through him. Hesitating, she looked from this ghost-like DaeNoth to the DaeNoth lying on the rocks.

“DaeNoth?…” she reached out to touch the not so solid image that stood near, and her hand connected with nothing. The only sensation was a light prickling of the hairs on her hand and arm as it passed through the image of DaeNoth.

*It is I, Ionee…yet it is not,* the image spoke directly into her mind. *I jumped out when the ankle broke. I could not face the impending pain.*

*But what of …* and squatting, she reached out and touched DaeNoth’s hair, and caressed the cheek of the fallen DaeNoth. *It still lives…* she turned her eyes up toward the translucent image of DaeNoth, *but how…?*

*I am still connected to the body, but I do not feel what it feels. I do not sense what it senses.*

*But how did you manage this? I thought once we accepted the physical form, we had to remain with it or it would perish.*

*There are levels of integration. You are fully integrated, while I am currently only minimally integrated. I can maintain the body, but only in a minimal way. I need you to help me heal it, so that I may return.*

His comment brought her back to herself, and she realized that her hand still rested on the body’s back. Looking back toward the physical form of DaeNoth, she saw that she would need to free his foot before she could heal it. Moving down to where the rocks wedged against his foot, she carefully began prying at them until she managed to shift one enough to free his foot. Gently, she unwedged his foot and straightened his ankle. Then holding her palms above it, she focused her energies on healing it.

As the ankle returned to normal, the ghost-like DaeNoth flickered as it hovered above his physical form. Then it just seemed to merge into the body, and the DaeNoth beneath her hands began to moan and stir.

Ionee helped DaeNoth sit up, then she gave him several more healing boosts to remove some of the bruises and cuts he had received when the body had fallen against the rocks. As she did so, she kept thinking about how he had freed himself from the body. When he was once again healthy, she could no longer put off her curiosity. “How did you jump free of the body? How long can you remain that way? Can you see and hear everything that goes around you?”

“Do you not even care that I was hurt?” DaeNoth grumbled, though in truth, he was rather touched to have so much of her attention, no matter the reason. Standing, he brushed the dirt from his robe, and tried to neaten himself as best as possible. Ionee also stood, but her eyes continued to probe his as she awaited some answers.

Finally giving in to her silent demands, DaeNoth found a medium sized boulder to settle himself on and Ionee found a spot next to him. “One of the elders explained about the seven connection points between us and the physical forms that we have created. Each one has a different purpose. Any of these points can be released without harming the body, except one—this one, here,” and he touched her abdomen, placing the flat of his hand just beneath her breasts. “If this one is released, then the physical form will die,” and he pulled his hand back.

“But how do you release the others without releasing that one, also?” Ionee persisted.

“I told myself to step free of the body and I did. So, as the body fell forward, I remained standing. However, you have to make an effort to sever all connections, and I did not do that. I merely wished to save myself from experiencing the pain, which I assumed would occur once I felt the bone in the body break. Therefore, I focused on releasing only those connections that would hold me within the body.”

“Are you saying that the body can be animated without our actually having to be within it?” Ionee leaned forward as if afraid to miss a single word.

“Yes…I suppose someone could,” DaeNoth said thoughtfully. To animate the body at a minimal level you would need two connections. This one,” and he indicated his abdomen, “and the one here,” he touched his forehead. This one directs the body’s basic movements and thoughts, while this one,” he touched his abdomen, “directs the body’s basic life force.”

“What about the others? What do they do?”

“The lowest connection, there,” and he indicated a spot at the base of Ionee’s pubic region, “connects the body, and you, to the planet. The next one, here,” he touched a finger to her stomach, “gives you a connection to self. It helps the body understand who you are. The connection near the body’s heart, lets the body feel and react to your emotions. This connection,” and he touched a finger to her throat, “lets you use the body to communicate.”

“Very interesting…” Ionee ‘s thoughts turned inward for a moment. “So, how do you release these connections?”

“Well, you just let go,” DaeNoth paused to try to come up with a better way to explain it. “It is similar to taking off these clothes, only in this instance, the clothes represent the physical form.”

“I want to try.” Ionee sat up straight, then her body began to slump forward. DaeNoth jumped up and caught Ionee as her body slid from the boulder, and eased her onto the ground.

*This is fascinating,* a ghostly Ionee said, as she watched DaeNoth lower her body onto the rocky ground.

*Ionee!* a frightened DaeNoth admonished. *You should not do this. Return this instant!* He demanded from his position next to Ionee’s physical body.

*Why? If it was all right for you to do this, why is it too dangerous for me to try?*

*I only did it because I was frightened. It is not something you should take so lightly. You could harm yourself.*

*How can I harm myself? I am simply in my natural state.*

*No, you are not. Not for this world. For this world, you need to retain your physical form.* DaeNoth scolded. *You need to return. If you remain absent for too long, the body will die.*

*What if it does? I will simply create another.*

*You know that is forbidden. If the body dies you must return to the transitional plane.*

Ionee’s hovering image shook her head in disdainful frustration. She had heard all the rules and explanations, too. So, she knew that what she did was up to her. It was her life and her choices, and his restrictiveness was becoming intolerable. Just once she wished she could do what she wanted, without all of DaeNoth’s attempts to control everything. And what I want is to see where real humans live, she thought.

Suddenly, she was standing near the edge of a busy cobblestone street. Several people walked by, and another nearly walked right through her. As a horse-pulled carriage came near, the horse reared. Shaking its hooves nearly in her face, she ducked. When she opened her eyes, she was lying on the ground at the base of the boulder, with several large, pointy rocks digging into her back.

Startled to be back at the crystal fields, let alone back inside her physical body, Ionee stammered, “Wha…what happened?”

DaeNoth, happy to have her back, gripped her in a hug and held her tight. “Thank goodness you came to your senses and returned.”

Ionee barely returned DaeNoth’s hug, but he didn’t seem to notice. Her mind was on what had just happened. She was positive that she had actually been in one of the human’s cities, even if was just for a few moments, she had been there. Slowly, a smile curved her lips upward and she started planning how she could use this new technique to see more of this world called Danaria.

Neerah pulled back from the Pyramid of Echoes just far enough to pause the memory, but not enough to remove the bubble of energy that encapsulated her. She had paused because of the amount of fear which DaeNoth was feeling. It had almost overwhelmed her several times during the memory, and even now, she could still feel the stirrings of panic at the edges of her awareness. She had never realized just how frightened DaeNoth had been in coming to the physical plane. I…or rather, Ionee, had been so intent on her own pursuits and her own pleasures that she had failed to observe or acknowledge what poor DaeNoth was going through. Ionee had just assumed that he was enjoying the experiences as much as she was. It never occurred to her that he might be absolutely terrified.

Neerah took several deep breaths to clear her emotions. She wished she could somehow go back and at least apologize to DaeNoth; let him know how sorry she was for being so inconsiderate and not even trying to understand the amount of fear and anxiety that he was feeling. Just then, Yarrie’s voice filled her mind, *Understanding often results in regret. But only through acknowledgement of that feeling can you then not willingly repeat those actions or choices that resulted in the regret. This is change. This is growth. This is the beginning of balance.*

She nodded to herself as Yarrie’s voice faded away. Small steps in a long process, that’s what she was taking. She truly hoped though, that she wouldn’t need several centaras to fully understand and accept all the choices that were made, and that had led her to where she was now. Her impatience wasn’t just about wanting to be with DaeNoth again, either. She couldn’t fully explain, but it felt as if there was an aura of urgency surrounding her and everyone she was close to. Shaking off her qualms, she turned back toward the pyramidal crystal. 

Determined to reach that point of balance that the Ethereals said she needed to achieve, she let the resonance of the crystal encase her again. Releasing herself to her memories once more, she again found herself as Ionee in another fragment of memory. Neerah had the sense that this was another part of the earlier memory and that the elapsed time between the two was less than a day.

*****

Ionee was capering. That was the only term for it. She was dancing and hopping about on the springy mat of green grass that covered the ground, and she was enjoying herself.

DaeNoth had returned soon after leaving her last night, so she hadn’t really had a chance to experience everything that she had intended to. On his insistence, she had finally joined him at the main village, where they had spent the night in a wonderful place called a home. Constructed of stones, with glass cutouts so you could see the out of doors, it had contained many fabrics and cushions. Although, the stated purpose for their going to this home was that they were to rest for the night before attending some informational sessions the next day, she had actually been too excited and inquisitive to truly rest. Instead, she had spent the night touching and examining everything that she could.

This morning she had again managed to convince DaeNoth to go to these informational sessions on his own. So, with DaeNoth off learning all about how to be a physical being, she was exploring in her own way. She knew all about the physical world in an intellectual way—about how you needed to eat food and drink water in order to maintain the body, and the names of many of the objects that they would encounter—but she had never dreamed that something with such a bland name like grass could feel…well, so cushiony. The word grass just didn’t seem descriptive enough. She thought it should be called something more like green-cushion-ground. Laughing just for the fun of it, she started running across the wide meadow.

She stopped suddenly, aware of a strange sensation in her bare foot. Standing awkwardly on one leg, she tried to bring her left foot closer to her face. Unable to twist herself in such a way, she finally plopped onto the ground. Holding her left foot with both hands, she turned it so that she could clearly see the bottom of it. A streak of red oozed from a spot near the ball of her foot and she stared at it curiously. She touched the redness with the index finger of her right hand and it came away with a small bubble of red liquid on it. Dropping her foot, she puzzled over the red spot on her finger. Although, the red had moved from her foot to her finger, it was still her foot that felt oddly. She touched the tip of her finger to her tongue and was surprised by the taste. So, that’s what blood tastes like… if that’s blood, then what I’m feeling in my foot must be…Pain! Somewhat excited, she grabbed her foot again, and looked at the small slice. The cut was really rather small, so small, in fact, that it had already stopped bleeding.

Holding her right palm over the spot, she extended her energies to making the body perfect again. The small cut simply vanished. At the same time, the pain also ceased. Smiling, Ionee bounced to her feet again and did a little jig-like step.

So, that was pain, huh? Interesting… and she resumed her dash across the meadow.

*****

Neerah felt the anger and the frustration as DaeNoth tried to understand the surge of emotions that kept flooding through him. Neerah could tell that the overriding emotion seemed to be fear. He was frightened of almost everything—of what he saw, of what he felt, and of his own reactions to his feelings.

There were so many different feelings, and he didn’t even know how to identify them all. It was so confusing. Neerah felt sorry for him, and wished there was someone there who could help him understand what he was feeling and experiencing.

As she continued to follow the experiences within the crystal, Neerah felt time fly forward. She somehow knew that the next images she saw had occurred months after the last memory she had just experienced. Information seemed to simply pop into her head as the images appeared, so that she knew where the incidents were taking place as well as the time of day and any other information that might be needed to understand what she was experiencing.

On one level, she knew that the information was coming from inside her, from her own internal memories of when she was Ionee. Yet, it all seemed so new and bewildering. It was like reading a book where she knew all the characters, but had no idea of the plot. So, she simply allowed the images to flow around, filling her and encompassing her.

*****

“I wish you would not do that, Ionee,” a worried and querulous DaeNoth stated.

“You always worry so, DaeNoth,” Ionee laughed as she clambered out onto the tree branch in an effort to grab one of the last fruits dangling there.

“I simply do not wish any harm to come to you.”

“What possible harm could occur? And anyway, if perchance I do injure myself, I will simply heal myself as I did the other day,” Ionee persisted. Then reaching the piece of fruit, she began to scoot backwards on the branch, back towards the trunk of the tree.

“What do you mean ‘as you did the other day’? What happened?” DaeNoth was extremely agitated and glared up at Ionee’s back.

Glancing down at DaeNoth’s rigid stance, and angry face, Ionee laughed. “It was nothing. Do not carry on so. I merely cut the bottom of my foot. It took but a mere second to fix it.”

Sighing audibly, DaeNoth continued to chide Ionee, “I have told you how fragile these forms are. You must be more careful. I forbid you to go about without some sort of protection on your feet.”

The gaiety turned to anger and Ionee glared down at DaeNoth, “You forbid?! Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?!” In her anger, she released the branch she had been holding and tried to put her hands on her hips. However, she overbalanced. Sliding to her left, she reached forward and grabbed for the tree branch, but her body had already tossed most of its weight to the side. Her hands scrabbled against the bark, but she couldn’t keep herself from pitching sideways off the branch. She fell little more than six feet, and landed with a whump on her left hip.

DaeNoth was frantic and stooped to see if she were all right. Meanwhile, Ionee was laughing almost hysterically.

“What is so amusing?” DaeNoth’s voice was accusatory. “You could have been severely injured!”

“Oh…” she started, “the feeling…the feeling of falling was wonderful,” the laughter calming down into spurts of giggles, “but I do not care much for the landing.” She started to stand, and DaeNoth instantly reached out to help her. On her feet once again, she straightened the sleek outfit she wore. She had refused to continue wearing the traditional robe-like attire because she found it too inhibitive. How could she run or climb trees or any of the other of myriad of things she wanted to do with that on. Instead, she had created an outfit that fitted her form more closely and allowed her to move about more freely.

Rubbing at her backside with one hand, she retrieved the piece of fallen fruit with her other hand. “Oh, but that was an interesting experience,” her eyes sparkled with life and she felt the giggles just waiting to burst forth again.

The first thing that the male Aurisen noticed was how the air touched against his body. It tickled the hairs on his arms and caused small bumps to appear on his skin’s surface. The second thing he noticed was his inability to see much of his new surroundings because his eyes did not function well in such low light. Although for him, the sensations were not wholly positive, they were memorable, therefore, he decided that his name would be DaeNoth of Darkwind. When he turned to see what Ionee was doing, he saw that her attention was on the sky. Tilting his head, he watched the bits of light streaking across the sky until his attention was drawn back to Ionee. She wrapped her arms around herself, then spun in a circle letting her arms swing outward. When she stopped spinning, she wobbled on her feet, and DaeNoth lunged forward to help her. However, she plopped onto the grass, a large smile on her face. DaeNoth reached out to help her up, but she ignored his hand. Instead, she rubbed her hands through the grass enjoying the feel of the vegetation. When she brushed against a pebble, she picked it up, looking at it curiously. She rubbed her fingers across it as if she were trying to memorize each crease and dimple of its surface. Dropping the pebble back into the grass, she finally clambered to her feet, admiring the way her body worked. She paused momentarily as the trilling of a night bird filled the air, and DaeNoth realized that there were a great many sounds filling the night, though he had no names or descriptions for the sounds or those making them. He peered around cautiously, wondering just how safe they were in this strange environment.

He felt overwhelmed. There were too many stimulations here; too many sensations that he just didn’t comprehend. DaeNoth wrapped his arms around himself protectively and watched in horrified fascination as Ionee gave out a loud and vigorous whoop, before bending her knees and jumping straight up. Then, as if startled by her own vocalizations, she touched her throat. Giving another, even louder whoop, her grin grew even larger. Laughter erupted from deep inside her and she raced across the lawn.

She wore an expression that DaeNoth didn’t quite understand. He swore it seemed as if she loved the way the grass cushioned her feet as she ran, the feel of the dew between her toes, and the way the cool breeze flowed against her naked skin. He watched as her hair flew back off her shoulders as she skidded and streaked across the grass, and he shivered—not with cold, but with fear. How could she possibly be enjoying herself, when any moment they might be attacked, or these fragile forms injured?

*This is wonderful!* she called to DaeNoth mentally as she raced across the grass again. *I do not understand why all Numinousens do not want to come and try this.* Her face was lit with an inner giddiness, and her laughter was almost manic as she skidded past DaeNoth.

DaeNoth, though, wasn’t so ecstatic with this new world, and Ionee’s exuberance frightened him. Watching her as she streaked back and forth across the grassy expanse, he decided that he would have to gain control of her and quickly. If he didn’t get control of her now, she would lead them in a direction that he had no desire to go in. He could already see that she was becoming too enamored of this world and of the physical sensations that came with it. As he watched her come racing back toward him, he realized that the more she seemed to enjoy herself and this new world, the more frightened he was becoming.

Grabbing her arm as she streaked past him again, he brought her up short. “That is enough,” he heard himself saying and realized that vocalizations were much different in this plane. The language was not as musical nor as full of visual color as on the ethereal plane, and he almost let Ionee go in his confusion.

“It is not nearly enough,” Ionee responded, then giggled. “Listen to that. Is not that the most wonderful sound you have ever heard?” She shouted out a note, then sang a scale. “I cannot get over how marvelous it all is,” she said breathlessly. “Come,” she turned away from DaeNoth of Darkwind, his hand still around her upper arm, “let us both run.”

“No,” fear tinged his new voice and his grip tightened on her arm.

“Why not?” Her eyes glowed in the moonlight.

“The guides said we should seek out the elder Aurisens when we got here, so I think that is what we need to do,” DaeNoth said decisively.

Ionee shrugged, then shrugged again, “See how the muscles work,” she shrugged a third time, “It is all so fascinating.”

DaeNoth took her hand and led her toward the area where they were told other Aurisens would help them. As they went, Ionee continued to touch, smell, and stare at everything she could. They would only take a few steps before Ionee would stop and have to investigate something—a flower, a rock, a night bird as it flew across the sky.

*****

As they passed by one of the many trees, Ionee saw some interesting looking objects dangling from the branches. Breaking free of DaeNoth, she plucked a couple of the objects from the branch. They were yellow and coral colored, with a slightly fuzzy skin. She rubbed one against her cheek, and thought how pleasant it felt. Sniffing it, she noticed an aroma that was both sweet and spicy. Taking a bite from the juicy yellow and coral colored fruit, she giggled. “DaeNoth, you must try this,” she held out the second piece of fruit toward him, “it has the most delicious flavors. It is tangy, yet sweet.”

DaeNoth looked at the proffered piece of fruit as if it might bite him. “Are you sure that you should be eating that? What if it makes the body sick?”

“Oh, DaeNoth, do not worry so!” She wiped at the dribble of juice on her chin.

“I am merely being cautious,” he responded pedantically. “After all, we have only been corporeal for a few hours, and we do not yet know much about the care and maintenance of these bodies. I would think it would be wiser to spend time with the elder Aurisens. Perhaps, by learning from them, we can spare ourselves major traumas.”

“The whole purpose of being here is to have fun,” Ionee chided, “to experience life as a corporeal being. I cannot do that if I am sitting confined somewhere listening to another’s memories of their experiences.”

“And I cannot enjoy my experiences of life if I must constantly worry about what you are doing,” DaeNoth growled.

“Then stop worrying, and join me,” she countered, discarding the core of the first piece of fruit and biting into the piece DaeNoth had rejected.

“It is not safe. What if you damage the body? Why can you not at least try to consider the consequences of your actions before you act?” DaeNoth lectured.

Ionee sighed. If I damage the body, I will simply heal it again. And if I damage it beyond healing I will just create another. I do not understand why he fusses so. “What if you go and listen to these elders, while I remain here in the gardens?”

“How do I know that you will not take off and do something foolish?” DaeNoth challenged.

Putting her left palm against her heart, she looked solemnly at DaeNoth, “I promise I will not be the cause of anymore worries for you.”

She watched DaeNoth study her eyes and face, looking for any signs that she wasn’t serious. Finally, he nodded and she put her hand back down. As he turned to continue on to the guidance center, she heard him sigh. He seemed so frightened by everything, and she shook her head as she wondered why since everything so much fun. When DaeNoth was finally gone, Ionee smiled. Now she would have some fun. She was sorry that he didn’t want to venture out and try new things, but why did he have to try to force his way on her? If he wanted to sit and listen to some silly lectures on what they should and shouldn’t do, that was his choice. As for her, she was going to try as many things as possible in this new environment.

Neerah, as Ionee, glided through the music and watched as the colors shifted from the pleasant rainbow of blues, greens and yellows, to the more strident reds and oranges causing the chords to become inharmonic.

“Oh, I do apologize, Ohna,” she offered the other Numinousen her regrets at ruining the composition.

“What is it that troubles you so?” Ohna sang as she allowed the other colors she had been holding to dissolve, fading back into the ether where she had gotten them from.

Ionee sighed, then plucked one of the crystal notes from its place and tried to shape it into a more pleasing sound and color. “I cannot decide whether to try being an Aurisen or not,” she put the note, which was now more golden, back with the others. “I have become of two minds. There is a part of me that longs to experience all things physical, yet there is another part of me that seeks not to experience these things.” She took several other notes out of the discordancy that displayed around them and turned them into starbursts.

“Why do you not simply become two Aurisens, then, if that is the way you feel?” Ohna scattered more blues and yellows into the composition. “For then you can experience both the world of the physical, but also remain apart from the physical, if you wish.”

Ionee flared blue, then white, then back to gold. “You are so wise, Ohna.”

Ohna shifted the composition from blues to greens and added several notes of purple. “I only propose what you already said,” Ohna trilled, pausing in her composing long enough to note Ionee’s improved mood.

“I must speak with Ryal, then, immediately, for I would participate in the upcoming ceremony,” Ionee tossed several emerald sparks into Ohna’s composition, before hurrying away.

* * *

It was the ceremony of Becoming. Those Numinousens who wished to experience physical life would gather together, and form themselves in a circle. The Numinousens who monitored and guided the newly physical beings would form a large circle around them. Then, at the appropriate moment, each of those wishing to try life as a corporeal being, would create a physical body. That body would then enter the Forest of Reflections on the planet of Danaria. In this form, they were referred to as Aurisens—a blending of Numinousen and physicality. Although, they wore a physical form, part of their essence would still show through, creating an all over golden aura. As Aurisens, they also retained all the knowledge gained as a Numinousen, which included their abilities to manipulate all energies existing within and between the physical plane and the ethereal plane.

While an Aurisen, they could dwell within the Forest of Reflections for as long as they wished, then when they wanted to return to the ethereal plane, they would simply deconstruct the physical shell they had created, and return to being a full Numinousen. The physical body was just another way in which they manipulated resonance. The body, a physical shell that could exist within the vibrational frequency of the physical plane, is what gave them the means by which they could then function and exist within the physical plane as a corporeal being. With the body they would have the ability to taste, touch, smell, and experience all the things within the physical plane. Without the body, their experience of the physical realm was limited, because Numinousens couldn’t experience physical reality. They could travel to and within the physical plane, but as a Numinousen, they didn’t have the ability to touch, taste, smell, or fully explore and take part in a physical life.

Becoming corporeal was not an easy decision for most Numinousens, so the majority of those that became Aurisens remained within the Forest of Reflections until they returned home to the ethereal plane. Occasionally, a Numinousen would become corporeal so that they could follow the Circle-of-Life path. Following the circle-of-life path was not something that most Numinousens or Aurisens took lightly, though. It normally required many choices and much planning before committing themselves to such a venture. There were a few Aurisens, though, that made no plans or gave it no thought, but simply involved themselves with man and his dramas. By doing so, they ended up committing themselves to the Circle-of-Life path whether they wanted to or not. Sometimes those along this type of path did fine, more often than not, though, the first few lives were very difficult, and the lessons exceedingly painful.

Ionee wasn’t thinking about any of this, though, as she floated into the inner circle being formed. Her mind was filled with joyous expectations. She had observed the physical world several times, and she had even visited there once—though without permission—when she was still a very young Numinousen. So, she was filled with unbridled anticipation, and laden with many second thoughts. It was the part of herself that had all the misgivings that she planned to separate from. As she tried to calm herself, she concentrated on grouping all those shades of trepidations and hesitations together, while holding onto her enthusiasms and joys. As her being alternated between these two vibrational frequencies, her golden essence began to flicker. Slowly at first, then faster until it appeared as if two Ionees were hovering there. When both beings were complete and distinct, the flickering stopped. Now there truly were two Ionees—one who couldn’t wait to go into the physical plane and try being a corporeal being, and one who wasn’t at all sure that becoming corporeal was a wise thing to do.

Looking around, the happy Ionee noted that several other Numinousens had also created a twin, so she knew that at least she wasn’t alone in her duality. Now, those going to the physical plane needed to create a body, so both Ionees began to do so. Soon, where two Numinousens had been, there were now two Aurisens. While most of those who had created twins had created bodies of the same gender, several had not, including Ionee. The happy Ionee had created a tall, lithe, blonde female form, while the hesitant Ionee had created an even taller, dark-haired, rather rugged male body.

The newly corporeal beings were guided to the Forest of Reflections where they were directed to meet with the other Aurisens who lived there so that they might gain some insights. However, once in the world, the blonde Ionee Aurisen was so fascinated by everything, that she merely stood and stared around her. The first thing that really caught her attention was a star streaking through the sky above. This was quickly followed by another, then two in rapid succession, then one more. Deciding that she would like to be named for this event she had just witnessed, she named herself Ionee of Starfall.

Neerah touched her forehead to the Pyramid of Echoes and instantly she was standing with a crowd of Numinousens. They were listening to another Numinousen explain the process for becoming an Aurisen. As she moved closer to the speaker, she realized how familiar this whole scene was.

* * *

“If the path of Aurisen is what you choose, then you must understand that there are certain rules you are innately agreeing to follow. As an Aurisen, you will experience physical existence, but you must refrain from influencing the events and lives of humans, for you are not human, you are Aurisen—a Numinousen in physical form who retains all the powers of the Numinousen. To interfere with, or overtly interact with, those who have chosen the Circle of Life Path, is to concede yourself to that Path, too. For once you begin to interfere or interact with those along the Path, do you begin to create imbalances that can only be corrected through your participation in the Path of a thousand lives for only through the cycle of birth and death can you return to balance. Those who try corporeal existence but who do not mix with those along the Path, may come and go as they wish—moving between their Aurisen and Numinousen forms as they choose.

“An Aurisen may retain one form for as long as they remain corporeal, if that is their wish. However, as an Aurisen, you also have the option of trying different forms at different times. To create a new form, you must first release the current physical body before creating a new form. The first form will discorporate, the energies comprising it returning to the One from whence we all come.

“As an Aurisen, will you still be aware of that inner need to reunite with the One, just as all Numinousens do. It is this inner yearning that will keep you on the best path for what you wish to learn or experience. All sentient beings retain that inner need. This is what causes them to eventually seek balance, for they need to return to that point of balance that will allow them to find their way to the One. However, as an Aurisen you will still be able to recognize the need for what it is. Those along the Path do not always know that they seek, or, if knowing, then do they not always understand what it is they seek.”

The Numinousen, Ryal, finished speaking, and Neerah turned her head to look around. The world was filled with the most magnificent colors. They flowed around her like a sea; rising and falling, ebbing and cascading. There were so many shades of purple and blue, more than she had ever seen before, and over there were yellows and reds. She had never realized that so many different shades of the same color even existed. Each color or group of colors also seemed to be accompanied by music—well, not music exactly, but sounds; beautiful sounds. Sounds unlike anything she’d ever imagined. It was if the colors were the visual representation of the music, yet not. She didn’t know quite how to explain it, except that she felt like the colors and sounds were all part of her.

She looked down at herself and was surprised to see that she was no longer herself. What she was looking at was another Numinousen, yet when she told the arms to move they did. She was back where it all started; back to before she ever became corporeal or human. The other Numinousens were now asking questions of Ryal. Questions as to whether they had complete control of what their physical body would look like, did they only have the choice of male or female, and was it safe to take on a corporeal existence. 

She left the gathering of Numinousens to search for her friend Ohna, and as she did, it occurred to her, that although she was thinking of herself as female, that Numinousens weren’t of any specific gender—she was neither male nor female, even if she continued to think of herself as female. Shaking her head, she continued on her way to find her friend, Ohna.

*****

Neerah pulled her hands away from the Pyramid of Echoes and the images, sensations, and emotions that had filled her drifted away like whispers of a leftover dream. As she came out of the world of Ionee and Ohna, she found herself seated on a low, cushioned chair facing a rather large pyramidal crystal. The edges of the translucent crystal shone with a bluish-white glow. When her hands had been touching it, the crystal had created a glowing bubble that had encased her along with the gem. The crystal took the memories within her and recreated them. It allowed her (or anyone, really) to experience those memories as if they were really happening right now—and not just from her own perspective. She would experience the memories as well as view them—becoming both a participant and an observer, thereby experiencing the emotions of everyone that participated in creating that particular moment and memory. This way she would, hopefully, gain the necessary insight to understand and accept why everyone made the choices they did in regard to that particular moment or event. The Pyramid of Echoes suspended her within a reality outside of her own. It was as if she had stepped into the transitional plane to review her past, only here, she not only didn’t have to die first, when she was done reviewing, she would still retain the memories of what she had experienced and learned. Once you finished the life-review on the transitional plane and moved onto your next life, no memory of those pasts was carried forward into the next life (or so she had been taught).

Neerah reached up to push the tendrils of curls off her forehead and stopped with her hand mid-air. Turning her hand over, she wiggled her fingers. Laughing to herself, she swiped at the curls, I can’t believe how real it all seemed, she mused.

“Are you all right then?” Lail sang.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine,” she replied still looking like someone who has just awakened from an interrupted nap. “It seems simple enough, I guess.”

“The process itself is not difficult,” Lail explained, “rather does the difficulty arise when one is faced with the choices made and the repercussions of those choices. For then do you feel not only your current self’s reactions, but also the reactions of your previous self and of all those involved. It is only through complete understanding that you can learn.”

“If all participants in the original event have to understand how the imbalance was created so that it can be balanced again, then how can this work if I’m the only one going through this?” Neerah questioned.

“While those who participate in your life now may have also played parts in previous lives, it is not necessary for them to be a part of this remembering process, for the lessons you need to focus on pertain primarily to you and Darkwind, and you with yourself.

“The imbalances between Joelnar and Rafe are being worked through by means of the cycle of birth and death. This was their mutual choice.

“In their lives as the brothers KelNor and EnMar deRastfire, did they choose as their chief lesson, responsibility. KelNor sought to never take responsibility for anything, for the idea of being responsible frightened him, while his brother, EnMar, over compensated by being responsible for everything. Now in the current life, as Joelnar and Rafe, have they reversed those roles in an effort to gain insight and wisdom, and thereby gain balance. For with balance, in this instance, do they come closer to that perfect blending that will allow them to return to the One.”

“The imbalance that prevents you from being able to blend the pieces of the Ethereal stone into one and close the gate is the imbalance within yourself. This is an imbalance created within the overall being that is the Ethereal Ionee. This imbalance was caused when Ionee did first choose to see what it was like to be corporeal, for she did choose to separate into two parts—one being male, the other female. You are the rebirth of that female part, while DaeNoth is the male. It is this imbalance that needs mending.

“DaeNoth of Darkwind has had much time in which to gain understanding and has done much of what you still need to do. As you attain an inner balance, will you be the link that he needs to maintain a presence there in your world.”

“You mean the quicker I learn, the quicker he’ll be able to come back?” Neerah asked excitedly.

“That is a simplification, but yes,” Lail responded.

“Can you at least give me a hint as to what happened? What did I do that created so much imbalance?”

Lail’s large black eyes studied her for a full minute, before the Numinousen spoke again, “Ionee of Starfall sought to experience the physical path, while DaeNoth of Darkwind fought to remain as an Aurisen. This in itself created an imbalance, for they are but two halves of the same whole and cannot return to the state of Numinousen until balance is achieved, which for them also includes the re-uniting of the halves. Until those halves seek the same goal will they always remain apart.

“DaeNoth of Darkwind, through his fear of separation, sought to control that one called Ionee of Starfall, while Ionee of Starfall fought to retain her freedom, her separateness, for she was afraid of losing her individuality, her identity. Also, did she enjoy the physical world, and so chose to pursue physical life, and all that it entails, while the world of physical sensations discomfited DaeNoth of Darkwind and he sought to return to the world of the Numinousens. This in itself should not have caused a problem; however, through Ionee’s interactions with those along the Path was DaeNoth drawn into the Circle of Life Path against his wishes. This, then, is one of the imbalances that needs correcting.”

“So there are other imbalances?”

“Imbalances are primarily caused by fear, and the fear most prevalent in your life as Ionee and in this life as Neerah is that of losing yourself, your uniqueness. You fear the rejoining of your essence with that of DaeNoth’s for you view it as a kind of death, and you fear death because to you it represents the end of everything you consider to be you. You still do not understand that who you are, what makes you unique, will never die or go away. It will always be there.”

Neerah listened thoughtfully to everything that Lail said, and when Lail finished, Neerah remained thoughtful. She had known that what she needed to do wouldn’t be easy, but from what little Lail had said, it sounded even more difficult than she had anticipated. Sighing, she turned back toward the Pyramid of Echoes, “I guess I better get back to it, then.”

Phessari forged ahead even though the path she struggled to follow wasn’t always easy to find. Sometimes it hid beneath the ice crystals, and at other times it seemed to fade into the underbrush. She took the amulet from around her neck and set it on the frosty ground. She knew the small bit of polar wood would help her determine whether she was still headed in the right direction.

While she knew approximately where the stronghold was, navigating by the sun’s position was difficult, since it seemed to spend much of its time hiding behind the sullen clouds that covered the skies so often during cold season. She watched as the piece of polar wood spun. When it stopped she noted the direction and nodded to herself.

Having reassured herself that she was still going the right way, she placed the amulet around her neck once more, and started pushing her way through the brambles that had swallowed the path.

She had been traveling now for several days, and with each day her anxiety level increased. Over the course of the past couple of days, she had tried several more times to contact Joelnar. Each time she had been thwarted. No matter which method she used—following the cords that connected them, using the communication crystals, meeting him in the dream plane—she couldn’t get to him. More and more she was finding that most of her non-standard means of communications were being cut off. She felt isolated and alone. Many of her inner senses were becoming blurred, almost fuzzy, and she realized that the majority of her input was now only on the physical level. She worried that her protection spells would falter, but they never did. Her ability to use the resonances around here remained steady; instead, it was if something or someone were trying to isolate her.  

At times she wondered if the isolation were being generated by the creature whose presence she had momentarily felt. Although a brief touch, she wondered if the creature had recognized her and so was manipulating the resonances; preying on her fears.

She hadn’t felt it since that one touch, which she knew should alleviate some of her anxiety, but instead she found herself more bothered than ever. With her communications not functioning properly, she had no “early warning” triggers anymore. Nor could she reach out and investigate on her own. So, she had no way of really knowing what the creature was doing, and most terrifying of all, she had no way to determine whether it had recognized her.

She reached out on a resonance level trying to contact anyone even remotely attached to her. Every avenue, every cord, seemed to simply disappear into a blank nothingness. Becoming desperate, she reached out toward the Forest of Reflections. When that also ended in a blank wall of nothing, she began to tremble. She didn’t know what to do. Frightened like she had never been frightened before, she wondered if she should return to the Forest of Reflections. Only when her mind replayed the images of the slaughtered warriors, did she realize that she couldn’t give up. No matter what, she had to warn Marek. Still shivering, she curled up next to the fire and tried to sleep. At first sleep wouldn’t come, and when it did, it was light and every sound seemed overly loud.

She shivered and scooted closer to the small fire she had built. Although mostly embers it brought her a small measure of comfort. To calm her mind, and still her thoughts, she began to focus on the heat and warmth emanating from the embers. Moments later, she felt a comforting resonance surround her almost like a warm hug.

Focusing on that soothing resonance she reached out and touched Orrin. His calming resonances spilled over onto her and suddenly she felt less cut off and isolated. She listened to his pleasing banter and insightful quips as to what was happening in the Aerisens’ world and she let his resonances calm her. He invited her to share her worries with him, but she declined. Somehow, when she connected with him, her worries seemed trivial and less pressing.

Several times while connected with Orrin, she experienced the shaking tremblings of his land along with him. Concerned for him and the Aerisens she asked him about the quakings, but he always reassured her, saying that they were nothing. Wanting to believe him, and needing to enjoy those moments of quiet communication, she let his reassurances stand. However, deep inside, she knew that there was something wrong. She sensed the warnings from the planet as they tried to resurface, but she tamped them back down, letting Orrin’s warming resonances surround her again.

She struggled through the ice crystals and cold each day bolstered by the connection she had found with Orrin. While he couldn’t alleviate all of her worries, she felt isolated knowing that he was there when she needed someone to talk to. She still fretted and worried about Joelnar, but even that had become like a distant memory. As for the creature whose resonance she had touched ever so briefly, she had to presume that since there had been no further contact, that it had not recognized her, and for that she was grateful.

* * *                                                                                                                                       

She felt as if she had been traveling forever, yet she was only now starting to pass through the southern most portion of d’Oessler’s land. The bleak barrenness did little to help her shake the feeling that she needed to hurry. Now there was only rocks and cold. There was little cover from the wind, which continuously crept inside her cloak and tried to steal what little warmth she had.

The sun was a sad silver disk that was barely discernible from the gray sullen skies. Phessari had stopped for a brief rest and was just placing her amulet of polar wood back around her neck when she heard a clatter of smaller rocks up ahead. Fearing that it might some of d’Oessler’s soldiers patrolling the area, she quickly and quietly ducked behind one of several large boulders, which she had been using as a wind break.

She crouched behind the boulders and listened. At first there was nothing, but then she heard a scuffing sound, as if a boot had rubbed against a rock, and a few more pebbles clattered. Cautiously, she peered out from between the boulders toward the sound. Still expecting to see several soldiers, she was surprised when the painfully thin young boy stumbled into view. His skin was dark, as was the mass of curls that surrounded his face. And his clothing was a mismatched collection of items.

She saw that he was having difficulty walking; he was limping, favoring his left foot. She wondered where he could have possibly come from,. He muttered something in a vaguely familiar language and dropped the makeshift pack onto one of the boulders near where she hid. A moment later, he plopped down next to the pack, and gently rested his left foot on a nearby rock. She heard a sigh slip through his lips, and he closed his eyes.

As she studied him, she looked beyond the surface. She checked out his aura, which told her everything she needed know about him—he was no threat to her. She started to shift her sight back to normal, when she saw something else. There was something in him, some power about him that shone as a bright golden light. This golden resonance was restrained, almost hidden, but it was there. How curious, she thought.

For the moment, though, her attention needed to be on how best to make her presence known without frightening him. She knew she could simply stay hidden behind the rocks and in a few minutes he would continue on his way, never even knowing that she was there. However, something told her that that wasn’t the best course of action for her to take. She had a feeling, and that feeling was telling her that he was important. There was also a deep sense of recognition, almost as if she knew this boy. Yet, she was positive that they had never met.

The boy eased himself back up, and while still favoring his left foot, he reached for his pack. She had to make a move now or he would be gone and the opportunity would be missed. Hoping for the best, she slowly stood and stepped out into the open. The boy yelped in surprise and fear, and dropped back a step. His hand whipped down to his waist, and a moment later he was holding a knife.

Holding her hands palm outward, she spoke in her native tongue, “I am Phestle-Phessari. I intend no harm.”

The boy’s face grew puzzled, but the knife wasn’t lowered.

Phessari tried again, this time using the little bit of Rheandorn that she had learned.

The boy’s face remained guarded, but the knife dropped to a less aggressive position. “What do you want?”

“I want to help you,” she answered and pointed her chin toward his left foot. She had seen the redness in his aura in that area, and judging by the way he was still favoring it, she suspected the pain was caused by more than just his ill-fitting boots. “I am a healer; a medeor.”

The boy seemed to think over what she had said, perhaps deciding whether she was worth trusting and weighing it against the amount of pain he had. Finally, he lowered the knife to his side and waved her forward. She knew she could probably overpower him if she really had to—he looked as if hadn’t had a decent meal in quite a while—but she hoped it wouldn’t come to that. She really wanted to just reach out and hug him; however, she knew that that was the wrong approach to use with him. He was too shy and frightened. She would have to win him over the same way she used to coax the aguilar’s from the depths of the forest. Trust and love.

She took two steps closer to the boy, then quietly motioned for him to sit back on the boulder he had just abandoned. Once seated, she knelt on the hard, rocky ground and placed her hands several inches from his foot. As she reached out towards his ankle, the boy tensed even more, but the knife remained at his side and Phessari took that as a good sign.

She slipped into a light trance and focused on the angry resonance of his ankle. As she had suspected, it appeared to be badly sprained. She soothed the resonances and blended some of her own health resonance into his. Soon the red spiky resonance that had surrounded his ankle became smoother and more green. As she continued to focus on it, the green turned golden, and then finally white.

She rose slowly, so as not to alarm him, and took two steps back. “Try it,” she motioned for him to stand.

The boy rose cautiously, placing most of his weight on the right foot. She watched as he shifted his weight to the left. When he experienced no pain, a smile blossomed on his too thin face, and his dark eyes lit up. However, it lasted only a moment, and when his eyes again met Phessari’s she saw that the distrust and wariness had returned.

He snatched his pack from where it had fallen when she had startled him and started to scoot past her. He kept his back to the boulders and his eyes watched her warily. Feeling pressured, yet not wanting to frighten him, she said quietly, “Please…wait.”

The boy stopped and looked at her questioningly.

“Please, I need to know,” she paused and she allowed the fear she was feeling to show on her face, “are there many of d’Oessler’s men patrolling up there?” and she indicated the way from which the boy had come.

The boy’s dark eyes studied her intently, and his hands clutched the pack even tighter to his chest. Phessari feared that he would simply run toward the rocks she herself had so recently hidden behind, but she prayed that he would see how much she really needed him. She pushed thoughts of calm reassurance forward, as much for herself as for the boy. Finally, he dropped his hands to his side, the pack still clutched in his left, and spoke.

“I saw only one patrol,” he spoke softly and hesitantly. “Back there,” he raised his right hand and pointed.

She smiled, but remained still. A glimpse of the boy’s aura told her that he was struggling to decide whether to follow his fear or his curiosity. A moment later, he was still there and he spoke again, “Why would you go there?”

Still weighing her words carefully in the hope of not frightening the boy away, she answered, “Beyond d’Oessler’s territory is a friend, and I must warn him of a terrible danger.”

Again, the intense scrutiny, but he hadn’t fled. Not yet.

“This friend,” she noticed the slightly mocking tone he gave the word, “he makes you do this. He makes you spy for him?”

“Oh no,” the shock in her voice and on her face were not contrived. She simply could not conceive of Marek forcing anyone to do something they did not wish to. “He is a friend. Someone I have known for many years. Someone I trust and respect very much.”

This time his head tilted as he studied her. “And you would do this on your own. With no help? Why?”

Now it was her turn to appear puzzled. Why? What a strange question, she thought. “Because he is my friend. Because I care what happens to him.”

* * *

T’khara studied the woman before him and puzzled about what she had said. It had been so long since anyone had shown him any kindness without wanting something in return. He felt something in this woman, something warm and almost motherly. He pushed those feelings away. If he trusted her, he would end up being betrayed—just like always.

He started to edge away from her. He would simply continue on his way and let her do whatever she would. He was grateful for her help with his ankle, but it was no concern of his if she were to fall prey to one of the many traps that d’Oessler’s troops had placed around the area, was it? He looked at the woman again, and bit his lip.

T’khara remembered his own anguish when he had stumbled into one of the many traps that d’Oessler’s men had set.

He had finally snuck away from the wyverns nesting cavern during the early morning hours. The baby that had become so enamored of him had pushed him toward the nest where it was supposed to be sleeping. Unable to stand against it and the monitor, he had complied. Within a few hours, the baby had finally fallen asleep, and T’khara had succeeded in sneaking away.

He had clambered over rocks and through crevices trying to put as much distance as he could between himself and the wyverns. But he also wanted as much distance between himself and the d’Oessler beast as possible, too. So, he had continued through most of the morning without rest. Around mid-day he had finally relented and had taken a break near a small stand of straggly-looking needle trees. Something about the trees bothered him, so he curled up beneath a small group of shrubs that fronted the trees.

The voices of several men woke him up. At first he couldn’t remember where he was, and then he realized that he was outside. Outside the castle and free. The sky was now orange and purple, and T’khara realized that several hours had passed since he had decided to take a break.

The low rumble of voices accompanied by male laughter came again, and he grabbed his things together and hunkered down behind the bushes that screened the small copse of trees. The voices seemed to be coming from the side. He poked his head up, but saw nothing. He grabbed his pouch and hesitated. He didn’t want to be caught, yet he still didn’t like the feeling he got when he looked into the small clump of trees.

The voices sounded again, and fear of being caught won out. Remaining in a crouch, he took off into the trees to get away from the men whose voices he heard. It seemed only moments later, he was sprawled on the ground. Something had grabbed his ankle; actually, something still had his ankle.

He tried twisting around to see what had grabbed him, and he was jerked backwards several feet. Twisting around again, he saw a dark gaping hole in the ground near the base of one of the trees. He knew it hadn’t been there a moment before. He clutched at the ground, trying to grab anything to stop the vine or tentacle or whatever from pulling him any closer to that hole. His hand found a small root and he clutched it as tightly as any drowning man would a life ring.

The jerking and pulling continued on his ankle. At one point, he heard and felt something snap, and small gasps of pain erupted from him. If he didn’t let go, it would pull him apart. His knife was in the pack, and the pack was now out of reach, resting in the dirt where he had dropped it when the thing had first grabbed him.

As the thing yanked at him again, he remembered the discarded wyvern tooth—probably from one of the youngsters—that he had picked up. It was shoved inside his pocket. Maybe, just maybe he could use it to make the thing let go of him. He let go of the root with one hand, and the thing (perhaps sensing its victim’s weakened position) pulled again. His palm was sweaty and he felt his hold on the root slip a bit, but he managed to keep his grip.

He fumbled trying to get his hand into his pocket, and he sliced the side of his thumb when it slid against the edge of the tooth. He pulled the tooth free, and then gazing back toward his ankle, he gauged the amount of time he would have. Praying to the gods to help him, he released his grip on the root and twisted at the same time. Aiming the tooth at the thing around his ankle, he managed to slice it just as it started to pull again. The thing tore itself apart, and T’khara scooted forward towards his fallen pack.

His hand fell on the pack, and he grabbed it and lurched to his feet. The left ankle barely held his weight, but the adrenaline kept him from noticing. He lurched away from the thing, which he thought looked a lot like a tongue protruding from an open maw.

The shudders started almost as soon as he cleared the scraggly needle trees. He collapsed behind some people-sized boulders and just waited them out. Eventually, the shaking subsided, and he was able to think about what to do about his injured ankle. He didn’t want to remove the boot. He was afraid if he did, the ankle would swell too much to put the boot back on.

Finally, he knew that he would simply have to keep going—injury or not. He had to put enough distance between him and that d’Oessler beast as possible. He grabbed up his pack and hobbled away. He had made fairly good time, despite the injury. And being even more wary after his encounter with the creature in the trees, he managed to avoid the four other traps that he came across before meeting this Phestle-Phessari woman.

Now, he was torn. He didn’t trust her; he didn’t trust anyone—not anymore. Yet, something about her wouldn’t let him just brush her away as easily as he would have liked. Before he realized what he was doing, the words were out of his mouth, “There are traps.”

The woman’s amber eyes met his, and T’khara felt such a yearning to be mothered and comforted by this woman. He tore his gaze away, knowing he was too old for such foolishness and daydreams. And besides, she is probably like all the others, he thought angrily.

“What types of traps?” Phessari asked.

“Different traps in different places,” he said evenly.

“Is that how you were hurt?” she glanced down at his now healed left foot and T’khara nodded.

Phessari nodded back. Then hitching her pack up, she said, “I will be doubly careful then.”

T’khara watched as she took several steps toward where he had come from. Part of him knew he would come to regret this, but sighing to himself, he gave in, “Wait.”

The woman turned and her calm amber eyes studied him. He squirmed inside, hating himself for doing this, yet knowing he would hate himself more if something happened to the woman. “I…I will go with you. I will show you where the traps are.”

Joelnar, the captain, and the crew removed as much of the land-based items from the deck area as possible. The remaining sails were furled, and everything else was taken below decks. The fog was even denser now, and although Joelnar couldn’t see the towering walls of water, he could sense them.

It felt as if the walls were just feet away from the edge of the ship. But peer as he might over the edge of the ship, all he could see was gray swirling mist. He was actually afraid to reach out past the ship’s rail; afraid that if he touched the walls it would make them all too real, and much too close. He also had the strangest feeling that if he actually touched the column walls, he would be sucked into a watery vortex and drowned, like in his dream.

He shuddered and then hurried down the stairs to the crews’ quarters where everyone else was. The plan was for the first mate to use his spell-casting abilities to cover the ship in ice. They hoped that that would disguise it enough to let it slip past the wall of water that surrounded them. Everyone would remain below decks except the first mate. Although, risky, Forrest claimed it was the easiest way for him to do what he needed to.

Forrest had assured the captain that he would be able to encase himself in ice, too, just before the column they were in closed up on them. That way, instead of sensing a land-based creature, hopefully, it would sense the water instead. Furthermore, he insisted that the difficult part was maintaining the temperature needed to keep the water in solid state.

When Joelnar and several other crew members entered the room, the first mate was giving some last minute instructions.

“Try to stay together so you can keep warm. You will not be able to use the stove or any other heating device, and the temperature is going to become very cold quite quickly. I do not know how long I will have to maintain this coldness, so just be prepared as best you can.”

The captain took over, “There are plenty of blankets piled there,” and she pointed to a large stack of brown and green folded material. “Everybody take a blanket and try to make yourself as comfortable as possible.”

There were some whispered comments and a few grumbles, but everyone grabbed one or more blankets and either clambered onto a bunk or pulled up a piece of floor. Meanwhile, Forrest left to go topside.

Joelnar found himself sitting on one of the bunks near the captain. They each sat cross-legged with a blanket wrapped around them. The first indication that the temperature of the ship had dropped were the little puffs of vapor that formed whenever someone breathed or spoke. Next, Joelnar saw laceworks of frost begin to decorate the walls and other surfaces.

At first there a few low-volume conversations and he could bits of friendly banter scattered about the room, but as the time dragged on the voices began to still. One of the crew grumbled when the drink she had been enjoying froze. Joelnar huddled beneath his blanket and tried to keep from worrying.

Something wasn’t right. He didn’t know why, but he had the worst feeling that they had missed something. Something vital. Images of crystal ships, the captain stepping around icy patches on a dead ship, and the taste of saltwater in his mouth, kept plaguing him. He wanted to contact Phessari, he needed some reassurance that what they were doing was right.

He looked over at the captain. She, too, was huddled into her blanket, apparently deep in her own thoughts. A bit of sparkle caught his eye, and he saw that she had the pearl out and she was rolling it about in her hand. He watched the pearl as it caught the meager light from the nearby frosted porthole. Back and forth, she rolled it. From index finger to pinky and back.

He pulled his eyes away from the hypnotic motion and blew warm breath onto his freezing hands. Shivering lightly, he wished he could at least tell Phessari that he loved her. Oh how he hoped this would work. A father. He didn’t know if he knew how to be a proper father, but he certainly wanted the chance to try.

His eyes started tracking the pearl again. Back and forth. Back and forth. The rhythm seemed to echo in his mind. It was accompanied by the same three images. Back and forth. Dead ships. Back and forth. Icy decks. Back and forth. Crystal ships. Back and forth.

Oh my gawd! We’re wrong. We’re absolutely wrong. It wasn’t ice that would hide them.

As calmly as he could, he caught the captain’s hand, stilling the motion of the pearl. She looked up startled. Seeing something in his face, she started to speak, but Joelnar shook his head, and motioned toward the door. He didn’t want to say anything in front of the entire crew. This was a matter best argued in private.

He knew it would be an argument. After all, wasn’t he the one who had led them to try encasing the ship in ice in the first place. To now suddenly call it off; to change tactics at this time—well, it was madness. And he didn’t even know if they had time. He had to see how close, if possible, the column walls were.

Joelnar slowly uncrossed his legs and made his stiff and frozen body move. Without displaying any signs of haste, he crossed the room, the blanket still wrapped around him. He looked over his shoulder at the captain, who acknowledged him with a small nod.

Out in the hall, he paced a bit to try to bring some warmth to his limbs. When he heard the door open behind him, he headed for the stairs knowing that the captain would follow. She joined him by the galley.

She had knotted the blanket around her shoulders like a cape, and when she turned to face him it flared slightly. “Do you want to tell me what this is all about?” Her face was pinched with concern, but her eyes flashed with the inner heat of suppressed anger.

Before she could ask, Joelnar said, “We’re wrong. I’m wrong. Ice won’t work.”

“What do you mean, ice will not work? It was you who said the dream was a message from the gods telling us that we must make the ship into something of the Sea.”

“I mean I was wrong. Think about it…the ship you found before. Didn’t you say that it had patches of ice on it, but no people? The ice won’t work.”

She started to argue back, but then stopped. He watched her think over what he had just said. A moment later, when her eyes widened, he knew she had seen the same problem he had when. Just as swiftly, she was back in charge. “I presume you have an alternative and did not seek me out just to tell me that we are all going to die.”

“I do have an idea, but I need to speak with Forrest, and I’m not sure we have much time.” With that pronouncement, he turned and headed toward the deck.

He knew that Forrest was on the quarterdeck trying to maintain the icy exterior that they had hoped would let them survive the Columns of VnoV. He needed to interrupt Forrest’s concentration to find out whether his idea was even feasible. The Ethereals and Phessari had told him about the resonances in a few of the many different gems and stones, so he hoped he was right. But it was a pretty giant leap, even for him.

When they stepped topside, Joelnar saw that much of the mist had been turned into ice flakes, and the flakes now littered the deck. With the reduction in the fog surrounding the ship, he could see that the column walls were almost within arm’s reach. He didn’t know if they had enough time, and he didn’t even know yet if Forrest could do what he was going to suggest. Swallowing his fear, he stepped onto the frosty deck and as quickly as he could, climbed the stairs to where the first mate sat in total concentration.

Ferren-Forrest sat cross-legged by the hatch on the quarterdeck. His hair and lap were covered in white ice flakes. His hands, which clutched a blue stone with patches of ice flakes on its surface, were grayish blue. The captain’s quick inhale of breath told Joelnar just how concerned she was about her son’s condition. She knelt next to the young man and brushed away the ice flakes from his face. She then placed the palms of her hands on his cheeks and very gently called his name.

At first, Joelnar couldn’t see any reaction from the first mate. His eyes remained unfocused and his body stiff. However, as she continued whispering his name, Joelnar saw just a hint of movement. A softening of the young man’s posture was followed by several eye blinks. A moment later, the first mate reached up with one hand and clutched at his mother’s hand, which was still cupping his cheek.

“Mothe…uh, captain, what are you doing on deck?” His eyes seemed to adjust even more and his eyes met Joelnar’s gaze. “Both of you, what are doing up here? You need to get below and I need to get back to keeping this ship covered in ice.”

Already, the bits of ice and frost had begun to return to their original foggy and misty form. Forrest started to tune them out again, and Joelnar quickly spoke up. “Actually, I’m not sure the ice is going to work.”

Forrest looked toward his mother for confirmation of Joelnar’s outburst. When she nodded, he turned his puzzled eyes back to Joelnar who continued, “I think we need to use something created from the Sea.”

“What do you mean?” Forrest queried. The captain was also looking toward Joelnar with bewilderment.

“I think you need to use the pearl the captain has to encase us in a pearl-like bubble, if possible.”

Instead of the derisive laughter or outrage that he expected, the captain and the first mate actually appeared to think about what he had just suggested. Forrest gazed at the returning mist swirling around them, and that at the pearl his mother now held displayed on her palm.

When Forrest answered, he weighed his words carefully. “I might be able to use the pearl’s resonance to capture the mist and make it appear to be pearl-like.” He glanced at the walls of water that now stood inches from the ship. He didn’t need to finish his thought. They could all see that time was not on their side. The captain slipped the pearl into her son’s hand and closed his fingers over it.

Joelnar looked away from the private exchange of looks between Forrest and his mother. When he turned back, Forrest had slipped back into his deep meditation and the captain had stalked toward the stairs to the main deck.

Joelnar followed the captain to the bottom of the stairs where she decided to wait. Joelnar thought about urging her to go below again, but knew it wouldn’t make any difference where they were. If he was wrong, or if Forrest failed, they would die down there just as easily as up here on deck.

He slipped over to the side rail near the captain and sat down to wait. At first nothing seemed to be happening, but then he realized that the swirling mist seemed brighter, as if it had some inner light glowing through. Brighter and whiter the mist grew, while at the same time he saw that the swirling was no longer random. Instead, the mist was moving upward to form a sort of dome above them, and it was coalescing into a solid mass.

Without realizing it, Joelnar found himself standing and staring at the newly formed bubble around them. He turned to the rail and could no longer see the column walls. Now, he saw what seemed to be the inside of a giant pearl.

He knew they were at the defining moment, and he nearly held his breath. The walls from the columns of VnoV had to be right against the pearlized mists. If this deception worked, they would be safe; if not, the façade would crumble and they would all drown. A dark shadow moved across the outer surface of the pearlized mist, but the shell held.

The only sound was the gentle creaking of the ship as it floated within its pearl of mist, and Joelnar turned to check on the captain and the first mate. She was as mesmerized by what was happening as he was, while the first mate looked tired and strained. A swirl of mist crossed the deck, and he wondered how much longer the first mate could maintain the bubble.

A shadowy darkness began to slide down the outside of the bubble, and light glowed through the top. It took a few moments for Joelnar to realize that he was seeing sunshine filtering through the bubble.

The storm was gone and the walls of water that had surrounded them also seemed to be gone. He knew there was only one way to be certain without endangering the entire ship and crew.

He started to head for the stairs that went below, and the captain looked at him questioningly. He held up a finger, and quickly slipped below decks where he grabbed a coil of rope. Back on deck, he tied the rope to the rail and lowered it to the water.

By now, the captain suspecting what he was up to, tried to stop him placing herself between him and the railing.

“This is foolish. You might die, and then who will fulfill the gods’ mission?” she hissed at him.

“Someone has to check it out, otherwise how we will know?” Joelnar countered.

“Then let me. It is my ship,” the captain commanded.

Before she could move, he slipped off his boots and vest, and with a quick feint to the left, he climbed over the rail and dove into the Sea.

He dove as far as he could, sliding through the water away from the ship. He encountered no barriers, and as his lungs began to strain, he headed back to the surface. When he looked around, he saw that he was several yards from the encapsulated ship. The effect from this side was quite impressive. He thought it definitely looked like a larger-than-life replica of the pearl that the captain had had. He was intrigued by the way the sun reflected off the surface creating little rainbows of opalescence.

With that thought, he realized that the water he was treading was calm and the sun was shining with a dazzling brilliance. But best of all, the Columns of VnoV were completely gone. He spun around, checking in all directions, but there was no sign of the tall watery columns anywhere.

Smiling broadly, he swam toward the pearly bubble. He reached out to touch it, but his hand slipped right through the illusion. While curious, he was glad he didn’t have to swim underwater to return to the ship. With a few strokes he swam to where he had hung the rope, and used it to clamber back on board.

The captain stood there waiting. Around her were several other crew members who had already found their way topside, probably due to their curiosity regarding the abeyance of the cold. Several of them saw Joelnar climb over the side, dripping wet, and they started asking questions. However, he wasted no time with explanations and the captain needed none. She could see the answer by his huge grin. She ran to the quarterdeck with Joelnar fast behind. Small bits of mist were floating about, and Joelnar could see how strained the first mate was. His face was gray, and there were lines of stress around his eyes and forehead.

Joelnar knew how draining these types of resonance tasks were, and apparently so did the captain. She knelt in front of Forrest and gently brought him back from his intense meditation.

The mist that had created their pearl bubble evaporated in the bright sunlight, and soon they were surrounded only by blue skies and bluer waters. As Forrest awakened, he relaxed his hands from the pearl. The once opalescent gem was now cold and gray. The resonance completely drained.

When the captain touched it, it fell to dust. The gentle breeze scattered the pearl’s remains, carrying them back to the Sea from where they had come.

Rafe’s eyes crawled open, and he looked around blearily. It had been a long night of partying and he wasn’t really ready to be fully awake yet. As he lay drowsing in his comfy bed, he found himself smiling as he thought about some of last night’s activities.

He was thoroughly enjoying life with the Aerisens. Not only did they know how to party, they let him sleep as long as he wanted to, and they never gave him any chores to do. In fact, if he didn’t feel like getting out of bed to find food, he could always convince several of the Aerisens to fetch him something. There were always a handful of ladies hanging around, and they were more than willing to do whatever it took to make him happy.

Life had never been so good. Occasionally, he would remember about that pesky chore that Joelnar wanted him to do. But Joelnar was off on his quest, and as far as Rafe was concerned there was no hurry. He’d worry about it later, at least that’s what he kept telling himself whenever he thought about that pesky little chore at all.

He rolled over onto his stomach, which grumbled. Ignoring it, he glanced at the doorway and saw that it was nearing half-day. Giving a half grunt, he thought, It’s almost time for the start of today’s games.

Rafe had never seen a group so happy to learn about all the different games that he knew. It was as if the Aerisens and he were made for each other. Today there were several rounds of races—stripes versus dots, females versus males, and the ever popular, hoppers versus croakers. Afterwards, there were contests using the pasteboards and throwing cubes.

The Aerisens were so into the games that they had taken to inventing their own. Once they understood the different concepts behind the various games, they had become very creative. They had created a type of betting game using the leaves of the snore tree—the leaves of the male trees released a sap that actually made you fall asleep, so if you got stuck with one of those leaves, you could lose the whole game. It was very challenging, and could become quite hilarious when played while drinking the Aerisens’ version of ale—made from the nectar of the dewsberries, it was very potent drink.

Yes, he and the Aerisens were definitely made for each other. He would have to remember to thank Joelnar for introducing them.

The world shook, and Rafe found himself lying on the floor of the modified tree house in which he had taken up residence. That was a nasty one, he thought, as he lazily got back up and sat on the edge of the bed.

He wasn’t happy about the constant shakings that occurred in this land, but it was a small price to pay for all the fun he was having. He had heard some of the Aerisens buzzing about how the shakings had started to become much more frequent. But then others said it was just their imaginations, and things were just fine.

Rafe was inclined to agree with the latter group, but just lately he had begun to wonder if he might be wrong. Sometimes it did seem as if he was being tossed about a bit more than he had been when he first arrived. He was deciding whether to go back to bed or get up and start his day, when the tree house shook again. It shook much more lightly this time—more of a shudder than a shake. The Aerisens called these secondary shakings shivers, because they said it seemed as if the world shook, and then continued to shiver for a few moments afterwards.

Smiling at their inventiveness, he stood and stretched. He supposed that if he wanted to get something to eat before the first races of the day he would have to get moving.