by Travis Pond
Everyone fell silent as they sat reflecting on what Tureis had said on everything they had learned this day. Braon got up and walked to the door. “I’m going for a walk outside,” he said. “I want to get a better sense of where we are and think about everything. Since I’m not being met with tomorrow, I’ll just leave you to your preparation.” He hung his head and slipped out the door.
Eammon stood, “I think I’ll just go to bed. I can focus better in the morning better after a good night’s rest.” Eammon went into the sleeping quarters and closed the door.
“What am I going to ask the Oracle tomorrow?” asked Seth. “I have no idea what to do here.”
“There’s no right or wrong here,” said Tureis. “You can ask her anything you want.”
“Ugh!” Seth said exasperated. “I really have no idea what to ask her.”
Ailish moved over and sat next to Seth. She put her hand on his arm and said softly, “Seth. It’s ok not to know what to ask. If you just calm down and focus I think the Matya will tell you what to ask when you need to ask it.”
“That’s my biggest problem. I have a hard time focusing,” said Seth.
“Maybe just take some time and meditate. It’ll help you relax and let your mind open,” said Ailish.
Seth thought about this for a minute and nodded. Then he stood, and without a word, went into the sleeping quarters and closed the door. “Well, goodnight Tureis,” said Ailish.
“Goodnight,” said Tureis. Ailish stood and went into her room, leaving Tureis alone in the sitting room. He removed his book from a pocket inside his cloak and began to read. There were so many things on his mind. He too was having a hard time focusing. He hoped he could read from his book for a while and that would help his mind relax. Tureis didn’t know everything he wanted to ask the Oracle, but he did have a few things he really needed to know.
Chapter 19
- Sepi -
The morning was picturesque. Tueris had been up early and had decided to take a walk. The sun was rising over the tops of the mountains to the east into a clear blue sky. The air was crisp and the sunlight felt full of energy. He walked a short distance from the dwellings and had come upon a large field of purple flowers intermingled with yellow sunflowers. Tureis smiled as he took in the beauty around him.
Slowly, he made his way to breakfast. Plates of breads and meats and fried eggs waited for him as he sat at the table with his companions. Everyone looked well rested and full of energy, except Braon. Tureis had been up late the previous night reading and when he had retired for the evening Braon still had not returned from his walk. When Tureis left early this morning for his walk, Braon was fast asleep in his bed. Braon sat at the table looking as though he hadn’t slept well at all. “Braon, are you feeling alright?” asked Ailish.
Braon waved his hand dismissively, “I’m just fine. Sort of got lost on my walk last night and I was out late making my way back.”
After finishing breakfast, they all separated in preparation of meeting the Oracle this afternoon. Tureis went into the sitting room and scanned through some of his books. Ailish went into her sleeping quarters to meditate. Seth and Eammon went for a walk outside and Braon went back to bed.
The meal at midday was more of a feast. This time Luram joined them for the meal. The meal consisted of several courses, beginning with cheeses and breads, followed by a soup. The main course was wild turkey, served with vegetables and potatoes. This was followed by a wild berry pie for dessert.
With the meal was finished and the table cleared, two servants appeared again with silver trays and large teapots. They sat the trays on the table and served everyone Laviscus tea. The hot tea warmed them on the inside and helped their bodies and minds to relax.
“The Oracle will now meet with you,” said Luram. “If you will all please wait either here or in the sitting room, one of the servants will come get you when the Oracle is ready to see you.” He stood and motioned to Seth. “Seth, you will follow me please.”
Seth stood and followed Luram out the door. The rest of the group finished their tea and moved into the sitting room to wait. Braon paced the floor uncomfortably for over an hour until he finally decided to go outside to check on the horses and to take another walk.
Finally, a servant appeared to usher Ailish in to see the Oracle. Eammon was next, nearly an hour later. Tureis sat in the sitting room alone for what seemed like an eternity before the servant returned.
Tureis followed the servant outside and they walked down a dirt road a short distance toward the stables. As they came around the stables, a large house came into view, sitting by itself a short distance further. The house had two long wings extending on either side of the entrance to a tall round tower. Around the top floor of the tower, just below a cone shaped roof was a ring of windows. A door was open at the base of the tower with a servant standing outside to greet them.
They entered the door to find a long spiral staircase. The servant stopped at the staircase and motioned for Tureis to ascend the stairs. He looked up the spiraling stairs and was amazed at the amount of light that entered the tower. He hadn’t seen it before, but there were several large windows positioned around the tower following the staircase letting in the natural light.
When he reached the top of the staircase he was met with a closed door. Tureis paused, not knowing exactly what to do. Should he wait for someone to open the door? Was he supposed to knock? He waited for a moment staring at the door and focusing his Matya. There came an impression and general feeling to simply enter, but as he thought about it, he was unsure of the normal protocol and was afraid of offending the Oracle.
After considering his situation for a moment, Tureis decided to go with his first impression and just enter without knocking. Slowly, he opened the door and stepped inside a very bright room. He closed the door behind him and looked around. The room was very bright, with high ceilings and white walls. The windows surrounding the room flooded the room in natural light. There were no drapes covering the windows, just light coming in from all sides.
In the center of the tall cone shaped ceiling hung a large crystal chandelier with numerous lit candles magnifying light throughout the room. There was a great peace in the room and the light provided much comfort.
The room was furnished with simple chairs covered in a white fabric, arranged in a conversational setting. Tueris looked around the room, taking in the beauty when his eyes eventually settled on a person sitting in a chair near the center of the room. As their eyes met, the woman in the chair smiled and stood, holding out a hand to Tureis.
Tureis crossed the room and took her hand. “Tureis, welcome,” she said. Her voice was calm and airy and possessed a sincere tone. “I am Sepi Neavitt. The Oracle of the City of Rocks.” Tureis continued to stare at her, a large smile on his face. “You may call me Sepi,” she continued. “Won’t you please have a seat?”
Sepi led Tueris to an area with several chairs and he sat down in a comfortable white chair with a quilted seat and padded armrests. Sepi sat in a chair opposite Tureis and folded her hands in her lap.
“Thank you for coming,” she said.
“The pleasure is mine...Sepi,” Tureis replied, unsure that he really should use her name.
Sepi smiled at hearing her name and then closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened her eyes again she still said nothing, but simply looked at Tureis, her eyes focused. Tureis became nervous and shifted in his seat. “Do you know why I had a closed door when you arrived at the top of the stairs?” Sepi finally asked.
Tureis shook his head. “I must admit, it caught me off guard,” replied Tureis.
Sepi smiled warmly and said, “It’s an assessment of sorts. Difficult to explain but the results are always true.”
Tureis immediately felt uncomfortable. “Was I supposed to knock?”
“You were supposed to do what you felt,” said Sepi.
“I must admit I was unsure if the feeling was correct,” said Tureis. “It seemed rude to just walk in.”
“But it was the proper thing to do,” she said. “Recognizing your feelings with the Matya and acting upon them is how you gain trust and comfort with the Matya. Recognizing the impressions of the Matya is difficult. It’s not usually a sharp or abrupt feeling, but rather a slight nudge or a whisper.”
“How do I know if I should listen to the feeling or trust it?” asked Tureis.
“It comes with study and practice,” said Sepi. “There are many feelings. Some are your own, some are the feelings from others, some are from the Matya. You must learn to recognize the difference and identify the Matya.”
“You said the closed door was an assessment. What did it tell you about me?” asked Tureis.
Sepi thought for a moment before answering his question. “Over the years, I’ve met with many individuals,” she finally said. “You are the first person to ever walk through the door on your first visit. As you approached the top of the stairs, I could feel your uneasiness with the closed door. I reached out to you, as I do with everyone, and suggested to you to open the door. After suggesting it, I left the decision up to you.”
Tureis responded, “I did feel something tell me to open the door. I was unsure at first.”
“But you did listen,” Sepi said directly. “Never have I seen anyone of your young age understand and trust the Matya as you do. I can feel the Matya within you, your inner light shines brightly. Others can sense it in you as well and naturally look to you for guidance without even knowing why.” Sepi paused and took a breath. “Your study and learning have helped increase your power much recently.”
“I don’t seem to know why, but lately I seem to crave learning and study,” Tureis said.
Sepi continued, “And that study will lead to more power with the Matya. The Matya is a divine energy, found in all of us. It is a real, tangible energy with substance. It is also an inner light. Light craves light, understanding craves more understanding. Never stop learning and your inner light will be felt by all who are near you.”
Sepi stood and walked over to a pitcher of water and poured a glass for herself. She drank, set the glass down and returned to her seat. “What questions do you have for me today?” she asked.
Tureis reached into his pocket and removed the familiar sphere. “I have wondered what this sphere is ever since I found it,” he said. “I only recently found out that it’s called an Oracle Sphere. Reading in a book I recently acquired, I learned of some of its powers and functions. I wondered if you could tell me more about it.”
Sepi reached for the sphere. Reflexively, Tureis pulled it back and shielded his eyes, remembering the last time someone had tried to touch it. Sepi smiled and held out her hand, “It’s called the Oracle Sphere for a reason.” She moved her hand closer and Tureis placed the sphere into her hand.
“This sphere,” she continued, “Is called the Oracle Sphere because it was created by an Oracle. Very powerful Matya was transferred into this sphere giving it its powers. There are many spheres, possessed by many individuals. Each sphere is intended for only one person at a time. When a person dies the sphere returns to the Oracle, unless the person is killed. If that were to happen, the link with the Matya is severed for a short time and any other person is able to pick it up. It will bind to that person and the powers will be accessible for that person, however they will not function as strongly as the person the sphere was meant for initially.”
She handed the sphere back to Tureis. “How did one find me and why?” he asked.
Sepi smiled and said, “The sphere did not find you, but was given to you...by me.” This caught Tureis by surprise and he sat up in his chair, eyes wide. Sepi continued, “I am just a person, Sepi Neavitt, but act as the Oracle. The position of Oracle is as the head of the Council of Matya, a secret council that oversees the Matya and its use. Everyone on the council has one of these spheres.”
“Council of Matya? So am I on the council?” he asked. Sepi nodded. “But I was just eight years old when I found this...or rather it found me.”
“Yes. Your Matya is very strong,” said Sepi. She paused for a moment collecting her thoughts. “I visited the castle in Thaven many years ago and met you. You probably don’t remember, but you were sitting amongst the books as you father worked. I visited and met you only briefly, but in that short encounter, I could sense the strength of the Matya within you. The Matya has chosen you to be on the council. If you do all you can to learn and practice using it for good, you will become very powerful.”
Tureis sat back trying to understand all that he was being told. He and Sepi had been talking for nearly an hour when she asked, “Did you receive a book in Kurith?”
He was a bit surprised with this question, but the more he read from the book, the more he thought there was more to this book than just being found under a shawl, on a table, in a random city. “Yes I did,” answered Tureis.
“Will you show it to me?” asked Sepi. Tureis removed the book from his pocket and handed it to her. She took it and caressed the spine and ran her hands over the leather cover. She gave the book back to Tureis and said, “This is a special book.”
“Special?” asked Tureis, unsure as to why Sepi had chosen that particular word.
“Yes, special,” she said again. “That is not an ordinary book, but rather an object of power. It possesses the Matya from the same Oracle that made your sphere.”
Tureis ran his hand over the cover of the book, feeling the power it contained. “I thought an object of power required metal to hold the Matya,” he said.
“You are correct,” said Sepi. “An object of power is created by transferring Matya directly into metal. The metal will hold the Matya allowing the user of the object to add it to his or her own Matya, thus increasing their power.”
Tureis held up the book and said, “But this one is covered in leather.”
Sepi smiled and asked, “What do you feel when you rub your hand up and down the spine of the book?”
“The energy seems to be stronger there than any other place,” replied Tureis.
“Very good,” said Sepi. “The reason is that the spine contains a thin sheet of copper embedded into the leather. The copper is storing the Matya.”
Tureis rubbed his hand along the spine again and felt the energy enter his hand. “What does the book do that is special?”
“I would ask you that same question,” said Sepi. “What have you noticed when you have studied the book?”
Tureis thought for a moment, but nothing obvious stood out in his mind that was different than any other book. “When I study from the book, I seem to find the answers I am looking for,” he said.
“Correct,” said Sepi. “I am the one who gave you this book as well. This book has an ability to sense what information you need at the time you are reading the book. When you open the book or turn the page the information you seek will be there.”
“Does it just work for me, like the sphere, or will it work for others too?” Tureis asked.
“This will work for anyone possessing the Matya and in need of information,” answered Sepi. She paused briefly. “I sense there is something else you’ve not discussed with me. What is it and what information do you need?”
Tureis had thought about this all night, wondering if it was the right place and time to discuss what was on his mind. He rehearsed to Sepi the altercation with the guards of Zummot and the letter Ailish found referring to the capture of Seth. He also discussed the concerns he’s had with Braon.
“First, let’s discuss Braon,” said Sepi. “All I will say is to trust your feelings and see where it leads.”
“Why can’t I feel his M
atya? Does he not have any Matya?” asked Tureis.
At this question, Sepi thought for a moment. Finally, she spoke, her voice low, almost a whisper. “If what you say is true, that you can’t sense any Matya in him, then I am truly concerned.” Tureis sat up at hearing this. “Every person possesses the Matya, whether it is activated or not,” she continued. “If you can’t sense it, there must be a reason.”
Tureis swallowed hard. “What do I do?” he asked.
“I don’t know what to tell you to do right now,” she replied. “You need to continue to trust him as long as he gives you a reason to trust him. As you learn more about why you can’t sense his Matya, it should become clear what you need to do at that time.”
Tureis thought this was a very ambiguous answer, and he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that information. When he tried to ask a follow up question, the look on Sepi’s face told him it was time to move on.
“The letter is concerning,” said Sepi, changing the subject. “This is information King Seathan needs.” She reached into her pocket and removed a sphere. The sphere looked identical to the one Tureis carried in his pocket. She moved her finger over the surface, then closed her hand over the sphere and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened her eyes Tureis was staring at her.
“There. King Seathan is aware of the information,” she said.
Tueris was puzzled and it showed on his face. Sepi smiled and said, “Reach into your pocket and remove the sphere.”
Tureis did so. He looked at the sphere and noticed some symbols and writing that wasn’t there before. He recognized several of the symbols from his recent studying, knowing one of them meant danger.
“The many spheres are connected and can communicate with each other,” she continued. “You simply write the message on the sphere you wish to communicate, close your eyes and focus your mind on the person or persons you wish to send it to.”
