The Cave of Nine Bears (Chronicles of a Magi)

by Gene Curtis

  Mark pulled a bag from Aaron’s Grasp and took out the computer tablet Mr. Young had given them along with six visual cortex transmitters. He passed out the necklaces and said, “There aren’t enough transmitters for everyone.” He turned to Nick, “Do you have a new tablet yet?”

  Nick pulled out the new one and held it up to show him.

  When everyone was situated, either with a transmitter or with looking at one of the tablets, he continued. “What you’re seeing is a map of the world with an overlay indicating places that have been searched for the sunstone. It’s updated in real time. If the sunstone is found, the dot will be red. The bright green dots are places most recently explored. The dots fade with time since it’s possible the sunstone can be moved.

  “I know it’s not likely, but if you’re away from school look around for the sunstone and report the search to either me, LeOmi or the Council of Elders and it will be logged. I know it’s not much, but it’s a start.”

  Everyone looked contemplative and Chenoa finely asked, “What does your intuition say about this?”

  Mark thought for a moment and said, “Not much, it could be anywhere, but I think they’d want to hide in the most secure place possible. I think that would be in or around their headquarters in Iznik, Turkey.”

  Steve, Mark’s dad, said, “Militaries like to keep valuable targets moving if they can. They’re harder to locate that way. Camouflage is important too. The sunstone could look like something else now.”

  Chenoa added, “I’m sure a lot of places are being monitored with Spirit Sight which means it has to be in an unlikely place since it hasn’t been found yet.”

  Shirley, Mark’s mom added, “They don’t have a power source. I’d want to know what this thing did and I’m sure they do too. I’d have it in a research facility.”

  LeOmi said, “We can speculate all night and not get any closer to finding it. You know what we know. We just need to start looking for it.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Classes

  The next morning Mark’s mom and dad joined the group for breakfast. It still felt awkward having them there, but they were part of the team. It was difficult to stop thinking of them as his parents and start thinking of them as individuals.

  Shana approached and said, “Good morning everyone. Does anyone not want their usual?”

  Steve raised his hand, “I’m feeling a little nostalgic. I think I’ll have SOS; Camp Lejeune will do, or anywhere really, and coffee.”

  Jamal said, “SOS, I’ve never heard of that.”

  Steve chuckled, “No wonder, you’re a gourmet chef. It’s a standard Marine breakfast, chipped beef in white gravy over toast. It’s tasty and filling. SOS means sauce on singles, though some might say it stands for something a little different.”

  “I think I’ll step out of the box and have some of that; coffee too.”

  Everyone else ordered SOS as well. When Shana left, Shirley asked Mark, “So, what’s the plan?”

  “The plan?”

  “For finding the sunstone or the staff; you always have a plan.”

  “We don’t have a clue yet. Basically we’re just waiting and watching.”

  “Well, when you do go to investigate something, I want to go with you.”

  Steve said, “So do I.”

  Mark looked around at the sixty plus students seated at the pushed together tables, “Any more volunteers?”

  Everyone raised their hands.

  Mark nodded, “I’ll put together the team based on the skills required when the time comes.” He looked at the group again. “How many aviators are here?”

  Eight raised their hands; they were seated on either side of Chenoa.

  “Chenoa, how’s training going?”

  Her face lit up with a grin. “We’ve started training in F-22s.”

  The girl sitting next to her said, “Awesome aircraft.”

  Steve said, “Aren’t they a bit expensive?”

  Chenoa answered, “Here? Not really; all of our planes are manufactured at The Fifth Mountain. They make every kind of fighter jet in the world.”

  Steve rebutted, “That seems a bit excessive. Why not just make a couple of types?”

  “It’s because of our mission. You’ve heard stories of a squadron or two of planes just appearing out of nowhere to confront aggressors and the aggressors turning tail when they realize the threat.”

  “Sure, but I always thought those were just stories; that they probably just didn’t see the threat going in.”

  “Well, a lot of the stories are true. We maintain a couple of squadrons of every type of combat aircraft in use around the world. They’re based at every mountain and routinely fly support against aggressors. Pilots remanifest to the correct location, get spotted by the bad guys, the bad guys flee and the planes return. Very rarely is there a fight, but when that happens the bad guys are really out of their league.”

  Mark said, “You can remanifest?”

  “Not yet, but we’re working on it.”

  Mark noticed that she said ‘we’re working on it’ instead of ‘I’m working on it’. She was starting to think in terms of her team. He nodded and turned to Jamal, “How’s your kitchen doing?”

  “We’ve only been open a couple of nights, but we’re in the black. Seems people like tipping. The new sophomores say they’ve never worked so hard in their lives, but they’re holding up. It’s still a lot of fun inventing new entrées and trying them out.”

  Shana returned with a food cart with a large steaming pot on top beside a stack of green plastic sectioned trays on one side and stacks of toast on the other. On the shelf below were several large carafes full of coffee and several pitchers of iced tea along with cups and glasses. The bottom shelf had fruit and green gelatin squares. “I have a friend at Camp Lejeune and she fixed me up. Since this is a mess hall breakfast, we’ll do it mess hall style. Come and get it.”

  * * *

  After breakfast, Mark and LeOmi walked to the healing ward balcony for their Rescue class with Gerod. They were a few minutes early.

  While they were waiting for Gerod to show up LeOmi leaned on the balcony wall and looked across the grounds. “Doesn’t it mess with your head when you look at the enormity of what we’re up against?”

  “Not really; I don’t look at it that way. It’s like when I started kindergarten; I was four. From what I remember, it scared the other kids enough to make them cry. I didn’t understand why they cried. I trusted my parents and they said it was something I had to do. I did it and didn’t think twice about it and I didn’t comprehend why the other kids were crying. Here, God has told me what I need to do and I’m doing it. It’s that simple. I think I’d be afraid of not doing it; I might get eaten by a big fish or something, but not doing it has never crossed my mind until this moment.”

  Gerod walked onto the balcony, “Hi guys. Mark, how’re you doing on remanifesting?”

  “I’ve been trying, but I can’t get the hang of it.”

  “That’s a shame; I’d hate to lose you. If you can’t do it by the end of the year, I’m going to have to cut you from the program. Nonetheless, we’re going ahead with Tactical Sight. Tactical Sight is closely related to Spirit Sight, but in Spirit Sight, you’re just using your spirit’s eyes. In Tactical Sight, you’ll learn to use both your spirit’s eyes and your physical eyes at the same time. The most obvious advantage to this is in combat where you use your physical eyes to fight your opponents and your spirit’s eyes to assess your situation. In rescue situations, you’ll use your physical eyes in treating your patient and your spirit’s eyes for situational awareness and locating others that might need your assistance.

  “First lesson, close your eyes and enter into Spirit Sight, then stay in your physical body and open your eyes while maintaining Spirit Sight. Easy to say, very difficult to do. Your minds believe that when your eyes are open that you should be seeing with your physical eyes. When you’re using Spirit Sight, your minds keep yo
ur physical eyes closed and accept input from your spirit’s eyes. This reflex has developed in you since birth and most people find it difficult to overcome. It’s as difficult, if not more so, than trying to keep your leg from jumping when your knee is struck with a reflex hammer.

  “Okay, let’s give it a try. You’ll know you’ve got it if when you open your eyes you see my eyes as bright green as they are when you see them using Spirit Sight.”

  Mark said, “That won’t work for me. I see eyes that way all the time. Magi, depending on how much training they have gone through, have very bright eyes. Regular people have sort of dull eyes and people that work for Benrah have dark, dull eyes, almost matte black in some cases.”

  “Can you see what I’m carrying in Aaron’s Grasp?”

  Mark shook his head, “Not unless I don’t think about it.”

  “You’re telling me you can use Tactical Sight? What do I have in my hand?”

  He turned so that Gerod was still in his field of vision but off to the left a little and looked at the door to the healing ward. “It looks like you’re holding a bucket or something like a bucket.”

  Gerod removed a gallon bucket from Aaron’s Grasp. It was full of numbered fist size stones painted orange. “So much for hide and seek. These were for a competition between LeOmi and you for later in the lesson. How long have you been able to do that?”

  “I’ve seen people with bright eyes like my mother’s and a few others for as long as I can remember. I thought it was normal. It wasn’t until I got here that I noticed all the bright eyes and occasionally noticed people carrying odd stuff, but here, it isn’t all that odd. I didn’t think much about it except that most Magi usually have bright eyes.”

  “You’re telling me that you always use Tactical Sight and you don’t get fatigued after a while?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.”

  “Let’s try something.” Gerod looked in the healing ward door. “No one is too close. Let your thoughts go while using Spirit Sight. Keep your physical eyes opened and let’s see if that’ll help LeOmi pick it up.”

  After a minute LeOmi said, “I’m seeing what he’s seeing.”

  “Okay Mark, leave your body and look at something else. LeOmi you try to stay with him.”

  LeOmi said, “I think I’ve got it. It’s like looking at one of those 3D pictures where you have to refocus. It’s easy to switch back to the physical sight, but you have to concentrate to get the spirit image back.”

  “That sounds right. LeOmi, leave your body and join Mark’s spirit and look at what he’s looking at.”

  LeOmi said, “I’m there.”

  “Okay Mark, slowly come on back to your body. LeOmi, you keep concentrating and keep your eyes open.”

  Mark said, “I’m back.”

  LeOmi said, “I’ve got it.”

  Gerod smiled, “Great job. Lesson over and I get a long lunch today. See you Wednesday.”

  * * *

  He was riding the floor buffer, sort of a mini-Zamboni like machine, when Mr. McGraw, the museum’s director, approached. “Steve, Mrs. Shadowitz is in the museum’s office for your first lesson.”

  “Would you tell her I’ll be there after I put the buffer away? It shouldn’t take but a minute.”

  “Nonsense, I want a turn. I so seldom get to play with the toys.”

  Steve chuckled, “Yes sir and thank you.”

  “Not at all, now run along. You don’t want to keep her waiting.”

  Mrs. Shadowitz was seated behind Mr. McGraw’s desk and she greeted him when he walked in. “Hello Steve, please have a seat.” She pointed to the chair in front of the desk. “Aaron’s Grasp is a basic ability that all beginners must acquire. Early adolescence is the best time to teach it since one’s minds are reforming at that stage of growth. You’re well past adolescence and that is why I’ve decided to teach you.

  “Like Mark, I am also gifted with the ability of Rooack Dabar... spirit speak. Unlike Mark, I’m much more practiced.” She waved her hand and an image of a grinning Mr. McGraw riding the floor polisher appeared over the desk. “I can project what I’m experiencing into the minds of those in proximity to me. That’s why you appear to be seeing the image of Mr. McGraw polishing the floor. I’m using Tactical Sight to observe him while speaking to you.” She waved her hand again and the image disappeared.

  “The reason I’m doing this is that your minds are pretty much set in place as to what you believe to be reality. It would be impossible for you to learn this with the standard methods of teaching. Those methods were developed to encourage the student to explore and learn new things on their own, life lessons, if you will. It is very difficult for one to disregard those life lessons, once learned, in the way one thinks.

  “I know the odds are against it, but have you ever had an out of body experience?”

  “I’ve had two, in fact.”

  “Excellent, this might be easier than I thought. Please tell me about them.”

  “Well, the first one was when I was eight years old. I remember that because it was a Monday night and I was excited about starting the third grade the next day. I’d always viewed the big kids as being the third graders and above. I was finally going to be a big kid; it was a big deal to me. I went to bed at eight o’clock so I’d be wide-awake the next morning. I lay there trying to go to sleep, but I couldn’t. It must have been about two hours before my parents went to bed and a few minutes later, I saw a man jump up on the coal bin just outside my window. It was an old house and I slept in the back bedroom on the first floor. There had been stories about a burglar that would break in and do mean things to women and sometimes kids. Seeing his silhouette on the window shade and his fist on the outside windowsill scared me. I sat up and screamed; only nothing came out. I went to get out of bed to tell my parents and I saw myself still lying there in the bed. Surprisingly, that didn’t scare me; I just thought I’d broken something; you know, like when a screen door didn’t close properly and you give it a tug and the latch slips allowing the door to open. I lay back down so the latch would re-engage. I sat back up, body and spirit, and screamed my ruddy head off.”

  Mrs. Shadowitz nodded and said, “Between waking and sleep is the easiest time for the minds to interact with the spirit. Tell me about the other one.”

  “The second time it happened I was sixteen. I’d started taking karate lessons, Tae-Kwon-Do, and the master was also a purple sash in Pia Lum Kung Fu. I heard him talking about the ghost strike punches and kicks with another student and I was intrigued. He said I’d have to learn meditation first. He instructed me and gave me a special incense to use. I used the changing room for my meditation since during class it was a quiet place. After a few weeks of meditation, my spirit separated from my body and I was able to watch the class in progress. That one scared me and I quit. I didn’t just quit the meditation; I quit the karate school.”

  Mrs. Shadowitz nodded, “I think we’ll use the first one.” She lit a censor and it started to emit a sweet smelling white smoke. Then she handed him a piece of blank paper. “I want you to relax, try to sleep if you can.”

  After a few minutes he heard her say, “Think back to that moment when you were eight and you sat up, turned and saw yourself there in the bed. Now, imagine that the self lying in the bed is awake and sees your spirit, and then hand your spirit that piece of paper. Your spirit will want to take it.”

  He remembered back. He saw himself in the bed and he was holding the piece of paper in his hand, but he couldn’t get his physical arm to move. He tried and tried. Mrs. Shadowitz appeared there beside his bed. She took the paper and handed to her other self who was also lying on the bed. Her other self handed it back and she took it only to hand it to Steve’s spirit who took it and handed it back. She handed it toward the Steve lying in the bed and then pulled it back, just a little, and his arm jerked up to grab it. The paper crumpled in his fist. He flattened it out and handed it to his spirit. Mrs. Shadowitz said, “Open your eyes.
”

  He did. The paper was gone. “The paper is in Aaron’s Grasp?”

  She nodded, “Your homework assignment is to get it back and then to practice going back and forth. If you need help, ask Mark and tell him what I did. He’ll be able to work with you.”

  * * *

  After combat class, Ms. Vanmie asked LeOmi, “Would you like to start practicing with a dory?”

  LeOmi had used a dory in her classes with Henry before she came to The Seventh Mountain. She liked the weapon since it was easy to use when fighting several opponents at once. The lance tip was relatively long and double edged which was good for jabbing and slashing. Its length of about ten feet made it a standoff weapon, and stave-fighting techniques could easily be used. The tip made it front heavy, so the ancient Greeks had developed a counter weight for the back end in the form of a spike. This allowed adequate defense of attacks from the rear as well as an easy coup de grâce strike when passing a downed opponent. It was the preferred weapon of the Spartans for good reason. She had been disappointed that Ms. Vanmie wouldn’t allow her to practice with it, not even on her own time, since Ms. Vanmie didn’t want anything to detract from her sword practice.

  “I’d like that very much.”

  “Do you have one?”

  “No, not here.”

  “Follow me and you can pick one to use from my stores.”

  She followed her to the back of the classroom, an area that had always been dark whenever she had seen it. Ms. Vanmie touched the wall and a light came on revealing a staircase leading down. The base of the stairs appeared to be just a landing with no purpose until she touched the wall and another light came on. She pushed on a section and it pivoted open. There was a door there that appeared to match the wall perfectly in the low light reflected from above it. LeOmi said, “I would have never guessed that another room was here.”