Master Giric laughed. “Perhaps. Discipline was never one of your strong points. In fact, it was your resistance to following instructions that defined your time here. But, as I predicted, your ability and determination proved to be greater than any challenges presented by your behavior.”
Daniel wasn’t absolutely sure, but he would swear that Saul actually blushed under his beard. Master Giric continued as if he hadn’t noticed.
“Thank you for bringing Daniel to see me. I’ll send him back to you this afternoon when we are done for today.”
“Yes, sir.”
Saul nodded to Daniel and left the gallery.
Master Giric then gestured to a corner of the room where four chairs surrounded a large leather mat on the floor.
“Let’s get started, shall we? Mr. Keldon was most insistent that no time be wasted in your training.” If he resented the orders, he gave no sign of it.
They took chairs around the leather mat. Daniel tried to quell the nervousness that sprang up with little success. He’d gotten this far on bravado and the time honored tradition of ignoring any inconvenient nagging thoughts, but that wasn’t working so well now.
Master Giric watched Daniel silently for a few moments and smiled.
“You seem to be doing remarkably well for someone who has been through so many unsettling events in so short a time. Many of my students only begin to face the Veil after many weeks of careful adjustment. You only seem worried, which is a good sign.”
Daniel blew out his cheeks. “Nerves of steel, that’s me all right.”
Master Giric shook his head. “Just like Saul. No wonder he likes you so much. He was a good student, if a bit headstrong. You had only to point the way for Saul to turn around and try every other way first. I suppose that’s why he took to tracking so well. Nothing interested him less than the obvious path.”
Daniel grinned, feeling a little less nervous. Master Giric slapped his thighs and sat forward in his chair. “Well, enough about Saul. Let me explain a bit about what we’ll be doing, and try to put your mind at ease if I can. Each student comes to me after navigating the Veil alone, usually without any intention of doing so. Depending on their beliefs, and the events of the episode itself, many will fear the experience and flinch away from further contact with the Veil. This makes it very difficult for them to open themselves up enough to sense the Sanctums that guide us, and fully explore the gifts that have been given to them.”
Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Master Giric continued without seeming to notice.
“Since we are somewhat pressed for time, I’m going to use a technique that we have developed to help those who have the most difficulty contacting the Veil. I’m going to act as a conduit for you, and allow you to experience it with me directly.
“Instead of weeks and months of gradually learning to feel the Veil, I can show you what it’s like right now, and guide your interactions directly. I don’t do this with very many students as it is very taxing, and risky if the student resists enough. But in this case I feel it’s the best course of action. Will you attempt this? I promise that I will do everything in my power to keep you from harm. You won’t be able to accidentally Walk, if that’s what concerns you.”
Daniel nodded and scrubbed his palms on his pants. People were depending on him to get this right. It was nerve wracking, but he found that the added responsibility for other people’s lives gave him a kind of courage that he had never experienced before. Of course, the added responsibility also gave him a fear of screwing up that he never had before, either.
Master Giric left his chair and sat on the leather mat, legs tucked underneath him like some ancient Samurai. He indicated that Daniel should do the same, facing him with their knees almost touching. Then he reached out and clasped Daniel’s wrist, gripping Daniel’s Arc as he did so. Daniel turned his hand under and did the same, so that each of them clasped the Arc of the other.
“Why are we doing this on the floor if there are chairs right here?”
“Because it’s much harder to fall off of the floor if you pass out. Now concentrate and stop stalling.” The words were kind, but with some iron underneath.
Daniel tried to relax.
“Okay Daniel, close your eyes, and hold still. I’m going to open us both to the Veil. You’ll be able to see in your mind’s eye points of light in the darkness. Some will be brighter, which is to say closer, than others, and as you concentrate on each in turn, you will get a sense of the world that holds it.
“This is how I see the Veil, so don’t be surprised when you do this yourself, that you see only the closest ones. With time, your sensitivity will increase, and you may one day be able to see even the farthest of the known worlds with ease.”
Daniel closed his eyes. At first there was nothing but the normal red tinted near-darkness that you see when your eyes are closed in a lighted room. Then the Veil rushed through his mind in a torrent, and he was surrounded by an inky blackness studded with a dozen pinpoints of light far above.
He immediately recognized the charged feel of it moving through him from his own crossing and from the time Saul brought him to the Guild headquarters. He felt buoyant, energetic, and maybe a little out of control, like rushing down a mountain on skis faster than you know is good for you.
“These points of light represent how I see the Veil. It can be different for each person, depending on how they interpret the world around them. I ask my students to use a metaphor that they are comfortable with. In my youth, I was a sailor on a trading ship, so I tend to think of it as navigating by the stars in a night sky.
“These stars show the Sanctums, where Wayguides are broadcasting into the Veil to let their impressions of the world show through. That’s what a Walker moves toward. We don’t really see or register the material world. Life is our beacon. Since no one is sensitive enough to feel the life on a distant world without help, Walkers are just as dependent on the Wayguides as the Guild is upon us.
“The exception is that one can usually return to their home world without a Sanctum to show the way. No matter how far away we are, we never lose that connection. This is what allowed the network of worlds to be built. A Walker from an unknown world would come to a Sanctum, usually by accident, then bring a Wayguide back to his home with him to start a Sanctum for others to follow. Or, more rarely, an untrained Wayguide will unknowingly project his surroundings into the void, perhaps during meditation, and guide Guild Walkers to him.
“Now, pick a point of light and focus on it, as if trying to see it more closely.”
Daniel picked the brightest point of light in front of him. In the same way that an optical illusion can seem to flip between two images, like the familiar table-or-two-profiles silhouette, or how a drawing of a front facing cube can suddenly seem to be facing the rear, the point of light seemed to be both a single dot, and an infinitely long and narrow tube.
As he stared at it, he felt a strong sense of déjà vu. The feeling came with ‘memories’ of warm sunny fields, and an image of a stout wooden structure, low to the ground and round as a barrel.
“Ah, that’s a Sanctum on Alde, in the Kantem province. You can smell the grasslands and harvest fields if you try.”
He could.
“These impressions are the Sanctum’s identity, or imprint, that the resident Wayguides are projecting through the Veil. They are able to take their present experiences and the sense of their surroundings and echo them out to us as they go about their daily business. Now, think of the house. Try to remember what it’s like inside, even though you’ve never been there.”
Images of curved wooden stairs spiraling down the inside walls of the round building came to Daniel’s mind. He could picture the communal dining room, and an echoey tile bathroom on the second floor.
“These immediate impressions of the Sanctum are what allow you to cross to that world. Except in the case of one’s home world, a vivid memory of a distant place is not enough to make t
he crossing. You need to have a very specific sense of place in order to Walk to it. The Wayguides provide a constant sense of place for their Sanctums, allowing a Walker to enter at any place that they are experiencing at that moment, if they are Guiding.”
“Now,” said Master Giric, “pull back. See the Sanctum again as a point of light.”
Daniel did so and the impressions of the house in the field quickly faded away. He was once again gazing up at a handful of stars against a black velvet backdrop.
“Now, I’m going to draw away. Don’t worry, I’ll still be here, but I want to you feel for the Veil yourself. Try and remember what you see, and reach out for the Sanctums that you know are there.”
Daniel nodded, which probably didn’t do any good, since they both had their eyes closed. Gradually, the lights faded, leaving only the faintest traces of the closest ones. The feeling of airy expansiveness gave way to a closer, more restrictive feeling as the darkness pressed inward and the stars went out.
“This is as little as I can support you, and still be in contact. Now, feel for the Veil and reach out to it, as if you were attempting to see or hear something very far away.”
Daniel concentrated on the faint phosphor glow of a Sanctum that was still in his sight. Straining towards it, he tried to bring it into focus, as though squinting at a distant object. After a frustrating minute of trying with no success, he relaxed and shook himself mentally.
Since contact with the Veil is what gave him the ability to Walk in the first place, perhaps he needed to focus less on the Sanctums and more on the Veil itself.
He began by ignoring the faint points of light overhead entirely, shutting out everything except the feel of the space around him. It felt like being in a medium-sized room, rather than the open feeling of being outdoors that he experienced when Master Giric was guiding him.
In a way, that helped. It was easier to feel the smaller space in a more intimate way, to concentrate on the tiny currents that he began to notice as he stilled himself.
Focusing entirely on the feel of the space around him, it occurred to him that the Veil had a density about it, more like water than air. He was immersed in it. In a flash of insight, he knew that he needed the Veil to flow through him, rather than around him, in order to interact with it. He took a deep breath, imagining that he was drawing the substance of the Veil surrounding him into his lungs. He immediately began to feel that light, energetic feeling come back, and the darkness around him receded somewhat.
“Very good, Daniel. Don’t resist, allow the Veil to pass through you.”
The Sanctums began to brighten and multiply, until half of Daniel’s internal sky was filled once again. Instead of the blankness between Sanctums that Daniel had seen earlier through Master Giric’s eyes, the darkness was now a deep oceanic green, rippling and scintillating with texture. It had substance, and vast currents only partially glimpsed.
Seeking to extend his perception and find more of the Sanctums that he knew were out there, Daniel strained outward with his mind. The points of light overhead brightened more, and he began to perceive the point/tunnel effect of the nearest ones. He thought maybe a few more faint dots had appeared, but the effort required was too much to allow him to look very carefully. With a shuddering breath, he let go and opened his eyes.
He was surprised to find that he was drenched in sweat and panting. He began to sway, so he put one hand on the floor to steady himself. Master Giric released his arm and put his hands on Daniel’s shoulders to help steady him.
“Huh. I felt fine until the end there, and then the bottom dropped out all of a sudden.”
“Yes, working within your limits is easy, but extending yourself even a little more than that is very taxing. However, you must do so in order to expand your abilities. Like exercising the body, you will be able to do more with practice. Be aware that there will come a time when your mind will be directing as much of the Veil’s energy as it is capable of, and you’ll make no further progress. That’s when you will know the extent of your sensitivity. It is a limit of understanding, and the ability to give up your identity as a separate entity to merge with the Veil that determines this. Inside each of us, there is a core of identity that we must keep separate from all that is around us. As you diminish the barriers around this inner self, your control will increase accordingly.”
“I’m sorry I could only manage those few Sanctums. I should be able to do better once I catch my breath.”
Master Giric gave Daniel an appraising look. “When a student first starts, he’s lucky to be able to perceive the Veil at all. An intermediate student will feel some connection to the Veil, and perhaps be able to sense his home world. I spent a year meditating on one beautiful star above me, my home, before I could expand my view to foreign Sanctums.
“I have never seen anyone who could manage the depth of affinity that you just showed on his first attempt. I counted five worlds, which should be impossible to anyone with less than two years of training, and I have no idea what resonance and subtlety was revealed in the Veil in your view. The Veil itself is a blankness to us, unseen. I can only imagine what your view represents.”
Daniel grinned, embarrassed by the praise, but proud nonetheless.
“And you won’t be trying again today. Rest. Come back tomorrow and we’ll try again.”
“I couldn’t tell, did you see any new worlds?”
Master Giric shook his head.
“No, but I wouldn’t be concerned. Spontaneous Walking is very different from directed Walking to a Sanctum. It’s a subconscious connection that builds until enough empathy exists for you to cross over. I have no doubt that the world will be revealed in time.”
That was hardly an encouraging thought. He hadn’t counted on having a witness in his mind if and when he managed to find that autumn world again. That meant it was going to be that much harder to keep the knowledge a secret until he could escape with the Doc and his group. Just one more thing to worry about.
8
Daniel found Mr. Gray sitting in a deep leather wingback chair just outside the training hall as he left. He stood and walked past Daniel without a word or a glance, which suited Daniel just fine. No doubt going in to get a report from Master Giric on Daniel’s progress. You could have just asked me, thought Daniel. Prick.
Being exhausted, famished, and sweaty, he climbed the stairs back up to his apartment, hoping for lunch and a shower. As he exited the stairs, a young man with short blonde hair and a hopefully groomed but patchy goatee fell in beside him.
“Daniel Thorsen?”
“That’s me.”
“Great! I’m Leland, one of Master Dashel’s aides. Your appointment for this afternoon got moved up I’m afraid, so he sent me to fetch you.”
“First of all, I only had one appointment today, and I just did it. Second, I don’t know any Master Dashel. Third, anyone standing between me and a sandwich is going to start having Donner Party flashbacks, get me?”
Leland grinned and said, “Lucky for you I’m from Earth, so, yes.”
He held up one hand and began ticking off fingers.
“Let’s see now. One, Master Dashel is the head Channeler instructor. Two, you do have an appointment for today. Mr. Gray made it an hour ago. And three, you can eat on the way to class.”
“You seem like a great guy, Leland, really. And I’m always happy to meet another guy from Earth. Australia right? I’m sure Master Dashel has a hell of a class, too, but I’m a Walker, not a Channeler. Also, I just left Master Giric, and I’m beat. Gimme a break here, huh?”
“Australia, yeah, Canberra herself. I dunno why they want you if you’re a Walker, but that’s not really my business. Besides, you don’t know what tired is until you’ve been through one of Master Dashel’s classes. What’d you do in Walker class, meditate too hard? Besides, if I’m gonna make somebody mad, I’m sure as hell picking you over Master Dashel, right?”
Daniel sighed in defeat. “Fine. You win.
I get a sandwich, and you get to drag me off to boot camp. Happy?”
“Close as I’m gonna get today, mate.”
Leland ran them through the nearest cafeteria and then back outside by the time Daniel had unwrapped his sandwich all the way. He was just starting to slow down enough taste it, salami apparently, when Leland spoke up.
“So, um, I hear Iyah recruited you. Even gave you a Protector’s blade and everything. That true?”
Daniel noticed that he was keeping his eyes forward and his face blank while he asked.
“True, and might I add that’s some grapevine this place has. She was there when Saul recruited me. Scared the crap out of me, too. Remind me to tell you the story some time. Why?”
Leland was silent for a moment while they navigated around a huge white blanket spread out across the lush, manicured lawn. It was covered with students who were likely supposed to be studying the books strewn haphazardly around them. Instead, they were talking and laughing in that delightful time-wasting haze that Daniel fondly remembered from his own school days.
“Well, maybe you don’t know this, but Iyah’s kind of a celebrity in Channeler circles. She’s the youngest Protector to ever be named, and they say she could probably give Master Dashel himself a run for his money in a fair fight.”
“Yeah, Saul was telling me at dinner last night that she was considered to be one of the best. So why do you want to know about Iyah? I just met her a few days ago, I’m sure you know way more about her than I do.”
“Well, I’ve seen her around the Hall quite a bit, but I’ve never had the nerve to actually talk to her myself.”
Daniel groaned loudly. “Okay, now I see where this is going. No offense, but I’m not telling her that you like her during recess. Tried it in the third grade for a pal of mine and got beat up by the girl. Tell her yourself.”
Leland laughed and shook his head. “No, no. It’s nothing like that. She’s gorgeous, but believe me, nobody in his right mind is going to go there. “
Walker Page 7
