by R N Skye
With the help of Roger and several trips to the stern to see how the tiller operated he consulted his instructor for a few lessons in what it called fluid and hydro dynamics. An hour of instruction later Shane conjured a few more steel parts that he welded to a frame forming rudders on each of the thrusters. With the towing unit completed he asked Ari to come to a stop and let him test his idea for a wakeless invisibility option.
As soon as they were stopped Shane levitated his new towing device into the water. To his dismay it floated. Not knowing how to un-weld the cones and lacking the tools to drill a hole to add water he wracked his brains on what options he had. Ari suggested he load it back up and they continue to make way while he wrestled with the issue.
As it was approaching the lunch hour Shane went down to the galley to see if Roger needed any assistance with anything,
“It hot as an oven in here and there isn’t a port hole, unless you can magic me a window, Im good. I’ll call you and Ari in a few minutes for lunch,” responded the Luionese.
“A window,” Roger, you’re a genius.” Shane hurried back topside.
Shane, working with the instructor soon had a small window glyph set copied down in his note book. Using mastery he conjured a window into the pipe and he was able to see inside and he would be able to fill it with water. As he filled it with water he tried to estimate how full to fill it. Guessing the weight he filled it just below half full. He was about to remove the opening when the sloop hit a wave and the water sloshed in the center pipe causing its center of balance to shift and it rocked back and forth until the water stopped its sloshing. Realizing that a half empty center pipe would cause the device to rock had decided to fill it completely full of water and just use levitation glyphs to keep it level on both the fore and aft as well as the starboard and port axis’. Deciding that four cubits should be sufficient depth for most waves he adjusted the glyphs to keep the device always submerged and level at that depth; realizing that in heavy seas he would likely have to override it to keep the thrusters submerged. Hooking a tow rope to his latest creation Shane asked Ari if they could test it again, as it was now lunch time Ari reluctantly agreed.
While Ari and Roger began to eat Shane levitated the tow device into the water waiting for it to sink to the proper depth and level out. He then secured the rope to a large cleat on the bow that was designed for towing. As a strengthening measure Shane used his glue glyphs to stick everything connected to the cleat to the boat so that the ship would most likely rip in half before the cleat broke loose.
Taking the small plate with the control glyphs Shane held it in two hands with a thumb on each of the two circles placed in the centers of a line each; one controlling the speeds forward and reverse, the other starboard and port. Slowly he increased the speed. The rope tightened and the boat slowly moved forward. He used the steering control, left and then right and the tow unit moved accordingly. Next Shane raised the entire boat out of the ocean so that the short keel was several feet above the waves. Because the tow device was set to remain at four cubits it didn’t raise; only the rope angles shortened and they kept moving at the slow speed this time above the water. As an added test Shane activated the invisibility and the boat and the rope disappeared. Looking over the side the only sign of their presence was a very small spray of water were the invisible rope knifed through the water. Testing complete Shane deactivated the invisibility so that he could see is way inside the wheelhouse and down to the galley only pausing to speed their boat up to a wind whistling speed at half power; the boat seeming to go much faster now that it was not in the water.
Entering the galley he found Ari and Roger talking about old times as they sat at a bench and a collapsible table. The heat was a bit stifling so Shane without much thought took his scribe and drew glyphs on the port and starboard sides and activated a window on each side of the wide galley. The outside breeze from the high speed they were traveling soon had the galley at a comfortable temperature.
“How did it go,” asked Ari. “The sea feels pretty calm we should probably get back under way.”
Shane smiled and set the controller on the table. “We are under way. We are being towed at a bit higher speed than we were before and are about ten cubits above the water’s surface; pretty smooth isn’t it?” he nodded toward the window. “We could probably go faster but I should probably use a steel cable if we do I’m not sure how much stress that rope can take. After lunch I’ll see if there is some way I can use glyphs to strengthen it.”
Both Roger and Ari bunched up to the window gaping in amazement.
After the men had eaten, Shane handed the new and improved scribes to Ari and Roger. Here I made these for you yesterday at the hotel. They have a few simple enchantments already loaded in them; Ari yours also has your scroll glyphs but this time it won’t sap your energy to write them. I’m going to go take a nap before my watch this afternoon if that’s ok. When I wake up I’ll get to work on strengthening that tow rope. If you want I can take us back down put us back on the ship thrusters and bring the tow device back on deck to save the durability of the tow rope.”
“Bringing in the rope would probably be the best,” agreed Ari; Roger nodded as well. “As far as you taking a nap, I recommend it. You’ve had a busy morning. Roger has the helm next then I’m going to work on my instructor; maybe in an hour or so if I’m done I’ll come and get you and you can teach me lumen and activation.”
Shane hustled up to the deck and lowered the boat back into the water and brought the tow device back on deck where he secured it on deck. With Roger at the helm the ship resumed course and speed and they continued to the island.
XII
Shane felt a shake on his shoulder and looked to see Ari standing over his cot.
“All done,” yawned Shane.
“Yep,” smiled the former agent.
“Well let’s head to the galley and I’ll see what we can do with getting it activated.”
As they both pulled up chairs and sat down, Ari looked at Shane with poorly concealed enthusiasm. Shane smiled with empathy recalling when he was at this point with his instructor. Taking the steel plate from Ari Shane examined it carefully; the glyphs looked pristine and where exceptionally neatly placed. “Looks good, you ready to be a glyph mage?” Shane could tell from Ari’s expression that he needn’t have asked the question but Ari nodded yes regardless. Shane handed the metal plate back to Ari.
“Ok I want you to look at the glyphs currently on the metal. Notice how they seem a little dull? Now close your eyes and see if you can still see them.”
“I can still visualize them but they are still the same,” spoke Ari.
“Ok, now I want you do the same with the glyphs that I put on the wall there by the window. Look at them with your eyes then I want you to close your eyes and tell me what they look like.”
Ari followed Shane’s instructions and to his astonishment unlike with the steel plate the window glyphs where lit with a golden light. “Remarkable,” he commented as he opened his eyes. Now that he had seen the glyphs glowing with his eyes closed he was now able to see them glowing with his eyes open as well. “Hey, I still see the glow.” Ari looked around the entire galley at the stove, the toaster, the roasters pot, “everything you’ve got glyphs on is glowing.”
“The next thing you need to do,” Shane continued, “is you need to look at your instructor and see the glyphs then close your eyes and continue looking at them. Now I want you to recall the glowing that filled your body when you were having your dream. Place your hands on the any of the glyphs where you feel it is the best and you need to imagine that light within you expanding into the glyphs.”
Shane watched as Ari focused and with his own, now well developed, sense of lumen saw the lumen flow from Ari’s hands into the instructor.
Ari shook with a shudder and an exclamation. “You didn’t tell me about the tingling shock.”
Shane laughed, “Oh, did I forget to tell you that? Sor
ry, just a heads up, your first few lumen activations you will feel that sensation, but it gets less and less but you never lose the tingle that lets you know the lumen has been imbued.
The next step,” Shane continued, “is to get you bonded. Locate the top corner glyphs; on yours they should be kero and custos. Simply touch them simultaneously and imbue them with lumen.”
Ari looked at the dormant instructor and then closed his eyes. As before Shane was able to detect the flow of lumen and watched with a smile as he saw Ari go through the same experience he had been through as the bonding took place.
Suddenly a sphere appeared and around its equator rotated symbols and words that Shane still didn’t understand. As suddenly as the words and symbols had appeared a voice called out a short sentence in a language that was as unfamiliar as the symbols.
Ari was watching the sphere with interest and Shane explained that he wait and eventually he would see and hear a familiar language and to follow the instructions
Like with Shane, after a few more orbits the symbols eventually changed to symbols, glyphs and letters that he understood. The Voice was instantly recognizable. Both the letters and the voice said, “Please place your right hand onto the globe.”
Mardi morning was overcast as Laura and Ava, armed with a picnic lunch caught the trolley to the overland station. Once at the station it was only a short wait and the long monorail slid silently up to the platform. Ava was excited to finally be riding this fantastic device in the day time. Ava had received the history lesson that she had sought but it was more or less what she already knew because she was only a student level and the details of the destruction of Valee were not available to her level of access.
The rain began to fall as the train sped to the west. They soon left the foothills of Yllyan behind as they coursed their way through seemingly endless woods of mostly deciduous trees.
Gradually the trees thinned out and they were crossing a rolling plain. Without warning they suddenly seemed to fly through mid-air as they soared above and over a large gorge. Ava looked out of her window and down at the bottom of the gorge and beheld a blue line of a wide winding river with wide sandy shores. Just as suddenly they were over the grasslands again.
“That was remarkable,” exclaimed Ava. What is that river called?
“I don’t know, I’m sure it has a name, but it has been so long since anyone lived here that I don’t think anyone recalls what it was called,” responded Laura.
“I wonder if the records center has information on this area.” said Ava. “In fact I’m curious to know just where we are. You mentioned that we are twenty four hundred milos east of Jehhet; that must mean that we are across the ocean on the Continent of Coholo somewhere. I was told that it is very dangerous here and that there were wild beasts that aren’t found on the Great Western continent. I saw a skeleton of one at the Wonstrowd museum it was tall as a house and had tusks ten cubits long and four hands in diameter at the base.”
“I hope that we don’t run into any of those,” Laura shuddered and she unconsciously fingered a turquoise setting attached to a silver necklace that she was wearing.
“What a beautiful necklace.” Ava commented as the movement of Laura’s hand drew her attention to it.
Laura moved her hand away so that Ava could see it better. “It was a gift from Soaris just before he left Shane and me when he was called to be a guardian, “Explained Laura. “It matches my ring and bracelet; they came as a set.”
A short while later as the monorail was descending from large hillside; the Valley that contained the station came into view.
Looking at Hill Station or Valee Station as Ava now knew it, Ava was more appreciative of the lovely valley and the extremely tall mountains that bordered on the east and southeast. As they approached Ava looked to the west at the desert hills. The landscape had changed instead of dusty sage covered hills a city now occupied the area even up to the point of occupying the hill that she had first appeared upon when she had been magically been whisked away from the island. As she looked at the city the monorail slid to a halt and chimed as the doors opened for them to disembark.
Stepping out the monorail Ava noted that the rain had either not reached here yet or it was done. As she was looking at the clouds she almost collided with a young woman of about her own age just stepping into the compartment.
“Excuse me mademoiselle, I wasn’t paying attention. Hardly anyone gets off here and I guess I wasn’t expecting someone to be standing there,” spoke a startled young woman.
“My fault entirely,” returned Ava. “I’m afraid I was looking at the clouds trying to decide what the weather had in store for the afternoon.”
“Hi Laura,” Greeted the woman as she side stepped around Ava. “The station is all cleaned up. I stayed out of the city like you asked.”
“Kaysee what a lovely surprise,” Laura gave the girl a hug. Kaysee, this is Ava, Ava this is Kaysee,” introduced Laura in a rush. “I won’t keep you I wouldn’t want you to have to wait for the next overland. I’m glad that we had a chance to say hello. Maybe later in the week we can all have tea.”
“I’ll see you then,” waved the woman as the compartment doors slid shut and the monorail slid away from the platform.
“That was Kaysee Lenore,” volunteered Laura. “When Soaris found her she had been abused and left for dead by some very bad men. Soaris brought her to Yllyan, gave her a home to stay in and made sure she had food and clothes. She kept to herself; Soaris being pretty busy and being a man didn’t have a clue how to talk to a young woman who had been traumatized so badly, so he just left here alone figuring that she needed time and space. Looking back it was probably the best thing he could have done.
When he brought me to Yllyan he told me about her and asked me to check in her, suggesting that she probably needed a friend more than anything. Well, as soon as I heard the story I went right over and had her to the house for tea. By the end of the week she and I were great friends. I could see that she needed something to do to take her mind off of the abuse so I suggested that she take charge of the Hill Station and get it cleaned up once a day. I figured it would get her out of the house and give her something she could call her own. I’m amazed at the turn around and I let her know it. She is a very hard worker; and smart as they come. I think you would like her. She’s the one that figured out how the snack artifact and the recycler worked. That’s why I left the cup the other day; I knew she would take care of it.
“So, what’s the plan,” said Laura changing the conversation.
Ava had to smile a moment before answering; Laura’s energy was endless. She was finally beginning to understand why Shane seemed to go, and go, and go. “The first thing I would like to do is to see if we can find a records center. This town is the same town that was on the island so I’m pretty sure where to look. If we can find it then I would like to see about turning on the infrastructure.”
“I’ll leave this here,” Shane’s mother said holding up the picnic basket which she took into the Station and placed on a nearby table and then joined Ava as they walked toward the direction that Ava estimated the records center building should be. After a few blocks Ava spotted a familiar architecture and led the way to the entrance.
Like the records center building in Yllyan the Valee building was also completely of stone. Unlike the Yllyan building this stone was a creamy yellow with clouds of off white blended with in the yellow. Locating the Activation circle Ava touched it with her finger and slid it along its line.
Instead of a female voice this time it was a male voice. Like the first time the language was not one that she understood but based on her experience with the historian she interrupted it and stated, ”Elios infinity dialect please.”
The strange language ceased and the voice began to speak the familiar infin. “Please state the purpose of your visit to the records center.”
“I have the need to study the history of this city,” Ava said confidentl
y.
“This facility requires lumen mastery for full access, Glyph mastery for medium access and provides limited access for students. Please state you access requirement.”
“I am currently a student,” she replied.
“Place you hand on the sphere for ancestral identification,” instructed the voice and a familiar crystal sphere appeared floating in the air.
Ava placed her hand on the sphere.
After a moment the voice resumed. “Elios descent detected, Luion descent detected. Origination available to Lumen masters only. Classified as descendant of recolonized refugee, Lumen potential positive; student access authorized. You may remove your hand.”
Like in Yllyan as soon as Ava removed her hand from the sphere, the stone of the doorway dissolved into an entryway. Ava quickly entered into the building.
Ava was so intent on activating the historian that she failed think of the possibility that Laura may have had trouble entering the center. If she would have been listening she would have heard Laura tell the sphere that she could come and go as she pleased and to go back to sleep. With a wave Laura strolled into the building and the door coalesced closed behind her.
Ava was just activating the historian as Laura stepped behind her. A crystal sphere appeared floating in the center of the desk top area of the cubicle. Again a voice in a language she didn’t comprehend spoke to her.
“Elios Infinity dialect please” Ava said to the device.
“Thank you for clarifying the proper language for you, and welcome to the records center I am a historian console how may I be of service to you today?” spoke the same happy youthful male voice that she had head in Yllyan.
“I am researching information on the infrastructure of this city,” stated Ava confidently.
“What level of infrastructure,” queried the device? “Lumen Master, Lumen Mage, Glyph Master, Glyph Mage, or non-potent”
