Keeper's Knowledge (Balancer's Soul cycle)

by Lee Morgan

  The large black claws disappeared from the shield and Sarah felt them wrap around her entire torso. She could see the three fingers and the thumb wrap around Connor. Instantly she felt the ground leave her feet and the movement of the air said they were running as fast as Sorono could carry them. And that is fast.

  Sarah realized that they were now outside and close to the front gate. Sorono sat them down and said “Sarah, turn your palm to the stone wall and force the flame in that direction.” She imagined it and the heat of the flames were only on the palm of her hand and aimed at the wall. Her heart continued racing in fear as he said “Connor, I will make a Pressure wall for all three of us at the very moment you release that shell.”

  “One…two…THREE!” Connor jumped back to stand beside her and the orb disappeared, allowing the untamed flames to go wherever they pleased. Sarah didn’t see it, but the wall Sorono made wrapped around her wrist and blocked the flames from traveling back at them. The flames roared forward and slammed into the stone wall. It traveled halfway up the wall and she cut the power when Connor rested a hand on her shoulder. Sarah withdrew the hand back and watched as the blue flames slowly suffocated because there wasn’t any more fuel for it to feed off of. Not even the petrified log held fuel to burn

  Tears started welling in her eyes so she turned to put her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed the back of her head tenderly. Sarah knew when Sorono released his shield because a rush of heat slammed into them.

  “What just happened!?” Jack demanded.

  Sarah looked up to see that everyone had followed them outside. Every single one of them had a worried look written on their faces. She dabbed at the tears with her sleeve and was barely able to control her voice. “I… I don’t know what went wrong. Everything felt right as I made the blue flame like I did before. I don’t have a clue as to why my flames flew out of control like that.”

  “Sarah, it wasn’t your fault. It was an honest mistake on my part. I didn’t think about it until you started making that flame.” She looked up to see Connor smiling reassuringly and his eyes looked relieved.

  “Neither did I. I am also to blame for the incident.”

  “What are the two of you talking about? Did you know this would have happened?” Jack demanded again.

  “Yes, we did Jack. That is why we had to contain it as quickly as we possibly could.” Connor looked up. “Go ahead and tell them why it happened. Sarah needs to sit down and collect herself.”

  “Very well, brother.” Sorono turned his attention to all present. Connor sat down right on the stone floor and brought her to sit in his lap. Her mother and Kara came over to tend to her because she started shaking from the violent experience. “What just happened wasn’t Sarah’s fault. She didn’t take into account the ozone saturated room. It was trapped because I shut the temple doors and it didn’t have anywhere to dissipate to. Ozone is highly flammable and when she used her blue flame, Connor and I reacted to contain it. If we didn’t, every single one of us would have been incinerated by the wild flames.” Sarah actually saw a female Immortal Guard faint in her mate’s arms. “I am sorry to say this, but I made a mistake.”

  Sarah felt sorry for the giant. She still shook, but her voice no longer quivered. “Don’t go beating yourself up. I’m the one who made the fire. I’m just thankful that you and Connor acted so quickly. You both saved our lives.”

  “You’re damn right it’s your fault!” She looked to see a Changer baring her teeth at her. She was shaped like a lioness.

  Sarah felt Connor’s power rising while he began rising to his feet as well. She knew he didn’t like anyone to demean her in any way and this situation held all on edge. What was worse is that he hasn’t been completely himself for awhile. Her shaking stopped and she turned around to stop him. Sarah placed both hands on his chest and pushed with all she had, after feeling his tremendous rage. She pinned him to the wall and managed to see his eyes. They were wild like she thought, but he only looked straight ahead at his intended victim. His muscles were locked because she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but if she released her grasp something horribly bad would happen.

  She yelled over her shoulder “Everyone must get out of here now! He needs to calm down. He won’t unless everyone who isn’t family isn’t gone in one minute.” She didn’t care how ridiculous she looked pinning her overgrown mate to the wall, but it was much better than the other options he was considering.

  “This has been an interesting day. You all have a lot to think about from this meeting. Please return to your posts or get some rest if that is what you were doing before you were all called… Follow me.” Many sets of feet began walking away. She heard the ancient latch open and the gate swinging. “Remember, if you see either Connor or Sarah, they have the authority as I do. If anyone stops you to ask what went on down here, you can tell them or you can tell them to wait until tomorrow morning. I will explain it again in the meeting anyway.” After a minute the gate shut and locked. “Listen, everyone must retire for the evening… Damian just go, I will handle this. It would be best to do as Sarah says.”

  Soon several more heavy footfalls began walking away.

  Sarah watched Connor’s eyes the entire time and the wild look didn’t fade until the gate closed, but it didn’t completely go away.

  She spoke as calmly as he usually likes. “Connor? It’s me, Sarah. Your Princess, remember? Everything is ok, now. Come back to me. I need you to calm down and look at me.”

  Ever so slowly his hazel eyes came down to meet hers. His locked muscles slowly relaxed and he cleared his throat. His voice was straining as he said “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me?”

  “I do. You’re starving, my brother. Please follow me because I know just how to sate your hunger.” Sarah finally eased the pressure off his chest as his sanity returned, to an extent. She turned around to see only those close to her. Mark and Kara were both on their hind legs looking up at Sorono and Veronica. Jillian looked almost in tears as Jack held her close to his chest. Sarah figured she was worried for her.

  Sorono started walking toward the largest building in the center, with the open roof. Connor gently grabbed Sarah’s hand and he was the one now shaking. She had to start walking because he looked frozen in place, but not with fear it looked more like sorrow for what he almost did.

  Everyone silently followed Sorono up to a large, simple wooden door made for the size of a Keeper. Before he opened the door he looked at us and said “This is my personal sanctuary. I grant all of you permission to visit any time you like, but you mustn’t destroy anything. That is my one rule.” Then he looked at them. “He needs to go in first.” Connor’s wild eyes glared at Sarah before she smiled. He let go and walked up to the entrance. Sorono opened the door and gestured for Connor to go ahead. He followed Connor and she quickly followed after.

  Sarah immediately caught the scent of flowers and other wild scents. It was a strange turn of events as of late and was remarkably a great change. She stepped to the side and saw what was laid before her. There were trees of all different breeds and heights. Shrubs grew as wild as the grass and the wildflowers were all blooming and filling her lungs with a clean and pleasant scent. There were fruit trees and she immediately saw an apple tree and her stomach started rumbling in excitement. Everything was so green and calming. Crickets and other small scurrying animals lived all around them in perfect harmony. Butterflies kept flitting from flower to flower. This room made so much noise it was almost like being out in the wild itself.

  Then she spotted Connor just standing in the center of the clearing looking blankly into Sorono’s sanctuary. She then tried making her way to him to see what the problem was. A black claw swooped down in front of her and she stopped to look up at Sorono as he stared only at Connor. She knew that only he was in her mind because Connor didn’t flinch from a mental intrusion. “Wait a minute… and watch what happens.”

  They all waited silently toget
her for five minutes before Connor finally took a step forward, after removing his shoes and socks. Then Sarah saw what Sorono was trying to show them. Jack was the one to speak aloud. “How are the leaves moving without any wind or enegy? Is Connor the one doing this?”

  “Indeed he is.” Sorono looked down and addressed Sarah. “That look he had will be gone soon, my dear. We Harmonizers have a deep connection with nature and if that connection is lost for an extended amount of time we become extremely dangerous. He is a good man and I know how strong he is because I am the same way. He needs the calming effect of life to dissipate his rage.” Sorono looked back into the trees and it seemed as if the plants were welcoming home a long lost friend. Suddenly Connor disappeared into the thick woods. “I know you two live together somewhere with much raw nature surrounding your home. I know because I have many homes and they are all isolated by nature. I am surprised he hasn’t killed anyone to get back outside. I suspect his tension was greatly tempered by you, Sarah...

  “Go ahead and follow him now. I expect he should be returning back to his old self by now. He will be at the tallest tree in the center of my sanctuary. We will await your return, here in this clearing until you come back with him. Take as much time as you require.”

  His claws pushed gently against her back. Sarah stumbled a few steps and looked back to see everyone urging her to go on. She turned around and took off her shoes and socks like he did. The feel of soft sand and cool grass between her toes felt pleasant and refreshing. She thought to herself Ready or not here I come. She didn’t make the leaves shake like the wind blowing like Connor did, but it was because she wasn’t a Harmonizer.

  Sarah managed to go into the woods and left the field behind without a further distraction.

  Wild and Calm

  Connor felt driven to delve deeper into the thick underground forest and could slowly feel an insubstantial pressure being lifted off of his chest and shoulders. Anxiety shed from him like a burdensome carapace. He breathed in the fresh air from the many plants and his heart slowed to a comfortable and even beat. The smell of pine, cedar and all the flowers eased his suffering. His mind felt calmer, clearer and sharper the further he traveled. Leaves brushed against his exposed upper body as he pushed deeper into Sorono’s sanctuary almost as if they were welcoming home an old friend. It held an exotic beauty that suffused and permeated his every nerve and cell.

  Six hundred paces later he came upon an oddity and looked up into the largest tree that resided here. It was a gigantic Western Red Cedar and one of the thickest ones that he had ever seen. It was at least one hundred feet tall and the base of the trunk had a minimum of a twenty foot diameter. Connor loved the smell it gave off as he plucked a leaf off a branch and crushed it between his fingers. It gave off the scent of freshly cut pineapple. The tree has been kept smaller than it should be, but if it were to grow wild it wouldn’t fit within the confines of the room. He looked back up the tree again and realized that the central light in the room hung deliberately over this building as an artificial sun. It could be the only way for the plants to survive in this underground environment. He searched the lower hanging limbs and found just what he was looking for.

  Reaching the base of the tree, he brought his power forth. He used a flowing Pressure under his feet and rose up to the largest and thickest branch on the tree. And then he cut the flow as he laid a foot down on the horizontal bark. He turned and sat down on the limb for added comfort. It was twice as thick as his torso so Connor knew that he wouldn’t fall off any time soon. He closed his eyes and rested his back against the rigid trunk of the tree. Almost everything within his being finally felt right. Constant anger or the jittery sensations floated away after these past few weeks. He felt almost at peace, but something was still missing.

  “You are finally looking more like yourself.” Connor’s eyes flew open at the sound of Sarah’s velvety voice. Her emerald green eyes studied him from head to toe and back up again to seem satisfied. She easily hovered in the air, close to the branch he rested on. Her hair cascaded over shoulders and her expression became relaxed and calm. “It looks like your back to your old self, at long last.” He watched her rosy lips moving and they were enticingly inviting.

  “Would you like to see how much I’m back to myself?”

  Her lips curled at the ends into a timid smile with a hint of mirth. “What do you have in mind?”

  He raised his right hand to her and she reached with her left to grasp it. Connor pulled her closer to himself and she stopped the flow of her energy. She twisted to sit with her back to him, but he grabbed her hips and spun her sideways. She sat down side saddle on his thighs. She squeaked only once until she understood exactly why he did it. She said “You’re still a little forceful, but I don’t mind sitting like this as long as you’re gentle.”

  He started brushing her hair with his fingers while rubbing her back. She moaned and he continued rubbing slowly to prolong her pleasure. He placed a hand on her hip and drew her closer. Her eyes widened as she felt the palm of his hand on the nape of her neck and drew their faces together. When their lips met that same tingling and shocking sensation shot through them both like it always has. Another moan passed her lips, but this time it was for another pleasure. Her arms wound around his head and she started kissing back with need. She suddenly drew away. “This isn’t very comfortable for me.” She leaned to her right and threw he left leg over. She now straddled his legs. She put her hands around his hips and drew herself closer. She wrapped her ankles around his waist and a playful smile dominated her plump red lips. “This suits me better.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Me too,” She wrapped her fingers behind his neck and drew him back into her perfect lips. It was warm, wet and passionate.

  He then knew that everything came together in perfect harmony. Connor needed both Sarah and nature to ever find a true center.

  They kissed for what seemed like an eternity, but even that wasn’t long enough for either of them. She drew away panting and her eyes were glazed over with a wild desire. She slowly closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. Her soft, firm breasts gently pressed against his upper abdomen in cycles along with her breathing. Her voice became soft, quiet and velvety as she said “I’m so happy to have you back, my knight. I was worried that your dangerous side started dominating you, but now I know the truth.”

  “And what truth would that be, Princess?” He started rubbing her back again and she nuzzled even closer.

  “Sorono said that Harmonizers need to be close to nature. Nature tempers your rage and impatience. He was surprised that you didn’t kill anyone to get back outside. He said that I also helped temper your anger.”

  “He’s right. Every time we made love or shared time together I would feel less angry. The thing is, I didn’t feel perfectly myself until you joined me up here. I know I need you as well as nature to ever get back to being completely myself.”

  “I’m glad you said that.” She leaned back and looked him in the eye, the glazed look remained. “I also need you to be yourself so our love making will feel right again.” It was right then he understood exactly what her eyes wanted.

  She leaned back and pulled her top off. He looked around and saw nothing but trees and any sound they would make would be drowned out by the crickets and small animals as well as the thickly growing trees. He knew they weren’t being watched nor could they be heard.

  She dropped her top over the edge and quickly slid off her chainmail and dropped it on her shirt. She slid off her armguards, bra, pants, shin guards and her black panties to drop them to the grass below. She twisted and stood. She held the limbs above her head and moved back on the limb to stand. Connor stood and undid his belt and the fastening on his pants. He dropped them right next to her perfectly dropped pile of clothes along with his own shin guards and boxers. The only things they were wearing was an armlet and ring on him and a ring and anklet on her.

  She closed the distance once
he became nude and pinned him against the trunk. It was the first time they made real and perfect love since entering this mountain.

  After an hour of pure bliss they decided to head back. They flew to the ground together and put everything back on. Both had a thin sheen of sweat from the exercise of passion. So Connor used power over Liquid to make it evaporate quickly. She looked positively radiant and her pleased smile made him even more satisfied. She wove her right arm through his left as they started making their way back to the others.

  The thickness of the trees began thinning not long after departing. They finally passed the tree line and he realized everyone was still waiting patiently for them. Mark and Kara were cuddled together off in the high grass and they remained in their wolf form, but they got rid of their wings. Jack sat in the grass that led up to the wall. He leaned his back against the wall and Jillian had her back pressed into his chest and both of their eyes were closed. Veronica and Sorono were leaning on the other wall. They were looking into each other’s eyes and having a personal conversation.

  Sorono’s hazel eyes shifted as he heard them enter the clearing. He smiled and said “It is good to see you two again. You’re looking calmer, Connor.”

  “Mark, Brother’s back!” Kara’s head immediately aimed in their direction while she began shaking Mark back to consciousness. He popped his head above the grass so he could see and he then grinned at their return. Jillian and Jack also woke up and rubbed their eyes before spotting them. Kara trotted on all fours and sat on her haunches about five feet from where they stopped. She cocked her head to the side and her ears were flat against her head. “Brother, are you feeling any better? You’re not going to go crazy on us again, right?”