by Jon Chaisson
*
There were too many flashes of light in the immediate area to discern one person from the other in this neighborhood, and that was the one negative aspect of entering Light in such a populated area, but Kai soldiered on. She sat perfectly still in the moving car, fully conscious of both this reality and the elsewhere. It took nearly all of her energy to filter out the white noise and achieve that perfect balance.
She checked in on her brother first. Ashan sat in a near-catatonic state in one reality, while in the other his spirit flickered as he searched for the elusive Denni. Caren sat next to him in the back seat of the car, holding his hand tightly and stroking the small hairs on his wrists with her thumb. Her first concern, and rightly so, was with her sister, but at that very moment she watched over Ashan like the Protector that she was, guarding his Mendaihu body and soul. Kai sent a wave of recognition her way, thanking her for her selflessness. Caren sent the wave back subconsciously, with an added amount of energy…she had chosen to protect her as well.
Ashan, she called out. His aura rippled in response, an ethereal bluish-white mist surrounding his body. His spirit signature was stuck in an excited state, jumping from one emotion to another, attempting to focus but never quite getting there. Ashan! she called a second time. His aura rippled again, this time followed by a quiet hum. It took a few tries, but he was coming back. The ripples eventually ceased and he was calm.
Taftika… he breathed. She’s returned to the school. She’s okay…but she’s in trouble.
Kai’s heart dropped. Let me talk to her.
She doesn’t know you, Ashan started. She won’t recognize you. She refused to talk to me.
“…find her soon,” she heard, from Poe. His jittery aura, pulsing between dark red and a light blue, rumbled next to hers. “…almost there.”
“School,” she muttered between the two realities before fading back into elsewhere again. Ashan was still having trouble holding onto a stable foundation, the winds of countless spirits had grown turbulent. There was so much noise here in this neighborhood, much more than there should have been. She tried again, this time reaching out only with the gossamer thread of her consciousness. She aimed it towards the school, and felt the invisible energy pushing at it, forcing her back again. Something or someone was keeping her from moving in Light…but why? Was Denni doing this?
Yes. Denni was not only protecting her sister, but everyone in the city.
She caught her breath and fell awkwardly out of Light and back into her reality. Opened her eyes and felt her temple resting up against the window, her head lolling back and forth from the movement of the car. Breathed in again, and with a slight pain in her skull, pushed herself back into the seat.
Mendaihu Gharra, she thought.
“She’s at the school,” she heard Ashan say behind her. “I’ve tried to contact her, but there’s too much noise...” He had meant to say more, but he had stopped midsentence, the point moot. They knew what was happening, in the midst of all this chaotic energy, in the midst of the nuhm’ndah on their way to capture Denni, in the midst of the growing number of Mendaihu and Shenaihu at the Waterfront. Denysia was now the Ninth Embodiment of the One of All Sacred, and she was exacting balance on everything, whether she fully realized it or not.
Kai closed her eyes again and concentrated, willing away the white noise of all the excess energy. Denysia? she called out tentatively.
Again. Denysia?
Once more. Denysia! Can you hear me?
I hear you. Denni’s voice, small and frail, burrowed through all the static and caught hold. I hear you…you are someone new. Who are you?
Akaina Shalei, she said. You may have heard my brother Asyhntoya calling you. I am here with Karinna. Are you safe?
Karinna! Denni gasped in horror. Oh goddess, I’ve got to get to her…
Kai bit her lip. Whoa! She’s all right. She’s with me. Alec is here as well.
Karinna!
“She’s losing focus,” Kai said to no one in particular.
Akaina? Are you still there?
Yes… Kai was suddenly aware that she had taken hold of Poe’s jacket sleeve. She softened her grip and forced herself to breathe evenly. She closed her eyes again, trying to get at least some sort of mental picture, a remote view of what was going on. It took her a few minutes to get a complete scan of the northern part of the Sprawl, now that she knew enough to narrow down her focus to include only Denni’s voice and any trace of the nuhm’ndah. She focused on a dimmer Light and called out once again.
Denysia. Are you aware of what’s happening to you?
A squeal of pain slipped out of Denni’s voice. I think…I think I do. I know I’m the One. The One of All Sacred…but what’s happening to me? I feel…I feel like something’s invaded my head! It…it doesn’t hurt, but it feels…I can’t focus, Akaina, it’s making my head spin.
Nothing can harm you, child, Kai soothed. Light is flowing freely through you for the first time. It can feel disorienting. We’re coming. We’ll be there as soon as we can.
Akaina! Don’t go! Talk to me!
I’m here, child, she soothed. I’m here. I’m not going to leave you.
“I can hear her,” she heard Caren say behind her. “She’s in trouble.”
“She’s confused,” Kai corrected. “She’s fully awakened now. But she’s in no trouble.”
“What about…?” Poe said.
“The nuhm’ndah?” She let out a quick laugh. “She’s holding them back herself.” Denni had no idea she was doing this; it was the Spirit of the One’s strength putting a damper on their sensing. Kai’s reverie was short-lived, however, as she realized with a sudden fear that that had been the problem all along — Denni was accepting it all, even though she did not yet understand her own actions. She was acting completely on faith alone.
“How close are we?” she asked Poe.
“About five minutes,” he said.
She nodded to him and closed her eyes again. Denysia, she called out.
I’m here, the girl answered, obviously tired but sounding more relaxed. I’m okay now…feeling better.
Good girl, she said, and breathed a sigh of relief. Can you focus?
