Keeper's Knowledge (Balancer's Soul cycle)

by Lee Morgan

  He chuckled. “Nah, I feel like myself once again.” Then he remembered something that she would. “Do you remember when I was hospitalized after receiving this?” He thumbed his bare chest. “Do you remember what I was like after a single week of being cooped up in that room?”

  Her eyes widened, remembering vividly of the past. “How could I ever forget what you did to those poor people?”

  Sarah released her grip on his arm and took a step so she could look at him and his sister with an arched eyebrow. “And what, pray tell, did Connor do while being at the hospital after only a week?”

  By this time, everyone was starting to walk over to them so they could get in on this story from his sister’s perspective. She leaned back and stood erect on her back legs. “Give me just a moment. It’s easier to talk when I’m not looking like this.” She walked behind a tree while followed closely by Mark. Once they were hidden from sight they heard bones breaking from two distinctive sources. After about thirty seconds they returned, looking like themselves. The only difference was that their hair both remained long and straight. Kara skipped over to the rest of them while Mark walked normally. She stopped and said to herself in her chirpy voice “Where should I begin…?”

  “The beginning would work for all of us.” Sarah said pleasantly.

  “That’s fine by me. I love to talk as you all know.” She grinned her normal goofy grin. Connor sighed heavily, which made her grin widen all the more. She took a deep breath and began the story. “When Brother knocked Granddaddy out of the way of the crossbeam and received that tattoo, he went unconscious from the agony. When Granddaddy was finally able to get the searing hot metal off of Brother’s chest, he managed to drag Brother onto the bed of his truck. Grandma drove the truck while Granddaddy did first aid until they got him to the hospital. Granddaddy stayed with Brother while Grandma called our house to let us know what had just happened. Since Mom is the head nurse at the hospital she was able to get me back into the PICU…” She looked up at Sorono and Veronica. “That stands for the Pediatric. Intensive. Care. Unit. It is where children under eighteen go when they are critically injured and get the best treatment.” They nodded in understanding and for Kara to continue. “For some reason the sedatives they used on Brother were potent enough for a bull elephant to sleep for a week. They had to keep giving it to him because he would burn through it faster than he did with his meals. That baffled the doctors, let me tell you… they couldn’t believe the quantities they were forced to use and would have killed five full grown men, but they were forced to keep him under at any cost. They did blood tests and so many others I cannot even begin to comprehend, but they all turned out as if he were another ordinary human boy with a fast metabolism. When they finally and eventually allowed him to wake, Granddaddy explained what happened. Now this is where things got interesting.

  “What you saw in Brother’s eyes earlier today was nothing to what I saw when he was awake and in bed for a week. He kept saying he needed to go outside almost every minute, but the doctors said it would be too dangerous with the severity from his wounds. He’d ask and ask and ask, like he forgot he said it the last thousand times or so. Brother sounded more like a junkie wanting more drugs, like he was going through withdraw. Brother was fed up with being told what to do. He grabbed the doctor and threw him through the doorway that laid at least fifteen feet away. Granddaddy tried restraining him from behind as he got up out of the bed, but Brother easily broke the hold and threw Granddaddy back on the bed. Some nurse was by the door and had a needle full of sedatives ready. When Brother exited his room the nurse jabbed the sedatives in his arm. Unfortunately she was in Brother’s territory and he backhanded her. She had been knocked out before even hitting the tile floor. Mom was with me and Grandma in the lounge and came out to see what was happening…”

  “Did you try to stop him?” Jillian asked.

  “Are you kidding me? I would have ended up like that nurse.” Kara chuckled and went on. “As I was saying, Grandma tried to stop him too, but Mom pulled her away. The three of us followed Brother as he walked down several flights of stairs, almost in a focused trance. Someone had called for security and six guards were waiting for him on the first level. They underestimated my fourteen year old brother. He blew threw them like a tornado in a trailer park.

  “When Brother managed to finally get outside, he found the first tree in the parking lot and climbed up in it and went right to sleep, like nothing had ever happened. All the while his entire torso was wrapped and his wounds had barely begun to scab over let alone be completely healed. I knew he was still in a tremendous amount of pain, but that oak tree seemed much more important. The doctors said he went to sleep from the drugs, but my family and I knew that shot was as useless as if they used straight saline.

  “After that incident they moved Brother down to the first floor under Mom’s consistent badgering with the PICU doctors. Everyone she worked with wanted to restrain him to his hospital bed and Mom said ‘Go right on ahead. I won’t stop you.’ and she told them that with a smile I might add.

  “Well they strapped him down with those hardened leather restraints, but when they came back an hour later they found Brother up in that tree again. He was strong enough to rip the restraints right off the bed itself. I still remember him sleeping with those leather straps dangling down from his wrists, waist and ankles. At night he would climb back down and sleep in the bed and get his dressings changed without any more outbursts or attacks. Mom said that all the girls she worked with were saying she had a monkey for a son.” Then Kara’s smile turned bitterly to her big brother. “I never fully understood why you were so violent back then until now. It finally makes sense.”

  “His connection with nature was severed for too long. Even in sleep our attachment to it never wanes.” They all turned to Sorono and Veronica as he interrupted what Kara had been about to say. He continued saying “Even I fought the Third when I received the brand upon my back. I was still only a hatchling, but I fought him to get outside his home and lay on some grass. I laid on my belly until my back wounds finally healed. I know the pain he went through all too well and the separation from life is even more unbearable. Connor, were you branded by crossed metal rods as well?”

  “I was.” Sorono simply nodded.

  “Hey Brother! We can finally tell Mom why you’re so weird.” She chirped with a full grin.

  “What are you thinking, Sis?” He crossed his arms over his chest to hear out an answer.

  “Well since you are a powerful Harmonizer and have the same authority as the Old Lizard Man here.” She thumbed at Sorono and he smiled and shook his head. “Then you have the choice of telling whoever you want to and whatever you want. That means you can tell Mom about everything…”

  Sorono dropped to a knee to look closer at his sibling’s silver eyed surrogate sister. “Little one, what you say is true. He can do as he wishes, but you must also remember that sometimes too much knowledge can be a very dangerous thing. I don’t ever want to see another Immortal killed by mortals who cannot or will not accept us for who we are and what we can do. Biased and bigoted people are the only reason we stay hidden, but if that was the only problem we’d be safe. The true problem I speak of is those bigots infect the weaker minds of people who come to believe as they do. Their ideas and theologies are more dangerous than the virus flowing through your very veins. I’ve seen anger and hostility you aren’t capable of imagining. I ask that you think long and hard about your choices because you will not be the only ones affected if this turns out badly.”

  “I understand, Sorono.” He and everyone turned to Connor. “My sister won’t tell her secret or my secret to anyone who isn’t trustworthy. The thing is, I need some answers too and my family needs to know who they raised. My family is strong willed and trustworthy. I bet even Afleen told his mother what he was and she still accepted him as her surrogate son.”

  “Wise words, little brother. And may I ask a favor from you
if you are adamant to do this?” His arms crossed his chest as he stood up again.

  “What do you need from me?” Connor’s arms uncrossed.

  “My new mate and I wish to meet the parental figures who shaped you into the young man you are.” Veronica said, placing a palm on Sorono’s shoulders. “I am very curious as to how you were raised.”

  Connor looked at Sarah and she wore a soft smile on her rosy lips. He said “I would be honored if you came with us to meet my family. On one condition, I want to know how all these facilities are getting power.”

  Sorono smiled and said “Done. But I will show you tomorrow, after the meeting adjourns. Until then we must get some rest. Please stay wherever you would like in here. I extend that invitation to all of you. For now, my new mate and I need to spend some quality time together.”

  With the look they each held for another, Connor knew they were going to do just what Sarah and he just finished. Sarah caught it too and smiled in her mate’s direction, but she began biting her bottom lip. He knew she was thinking about doing the same for quite a bit more once he entered her mind. She winked and promised “Later.”

  Kara looked up and asked “Sorono, is it alright if I go back into that room and study those paintings some more?”

  He shot her a quizzical eye. “You may. Are you an artist by any chance?”

  “Yes sir, I sure am.” She chirped and grinned.

  “I’ll have something special brought to you in the morning. With Connor’s appearance as a Human Harmonizer I believe we’ll need to add to the histories in the next few centuries. If your artistry is sufficient I’ll think about you becoming one of the Mélange painters. We have only thirty who work specifically for me.” Sorono turned to them all and bowed. “I must retire for the night. I have had a remarkable day as you all must have. Please have a pleasant rest.”

  Sorono started walking away and Veronica joined him. They proceeded down the short walkway and disappeared after closing the wooden door.

  Jack walked up to Connor and shrugged Haunt off his shoulders and placed its widely rounded head in the grass. His azure eyes were studying his son-in-law. He finally spoke casually “It seems like we finally found out why you’re so different. When we first met face to face and we shook hands I wondered how you were as strong as I was and you were only a human. And here I find out you’re anything but.” He smiled and shook his head. “What do you think of all this, my love” He looked down to his right.

  Jillian walked right up to Connor and she looked up at him with her golden eyes. “This has been a day with much information to process and digest. You fought eight guards who have lived who knows how long and singlehandedly beat them. We found out what you are. We hear the story of how you came to be. You are a truly remarkable thing, but for some reason everything seems to have worked out.” Sarah moved closer and wrapped her arm around his again. Jillian gave her daughter a pleased smile and then looked up to him. “You didn’t get in any trouble for fighting and disturbing the meeting. Somehow Veronica got the Head Elder for a mate. You aren’t exactly normal, but who among us can be considered normal?” Jillian laughed and walked back to Jack. “My Dear, we need to go get some rest as well. We need to see if there is somewhere we can bunk for the night.”

  Jack smiled and looked at the rest. “Good night, Kids. We’ll meet up with you in the morning.”

  “Good night.” Sarah and Connor said as one. They waved one last time before leaving the sanctuary.

  “Honey, are you going to come with me to see the paintings again?” Kara said gaining their attention.

  “Of course, Sweetheart. I would like to see those paintings again myself.” He smiled at her with calm silver eyes.

  Kara grabbed his hand and started dragging him across the untamed grass. She stopped and looked back. “What are the two of you going to do till morning?”

  Sarah rested a palm over the crossing on Connor’s chest and said “We are going to stay here. Connor still needs more time in here and I’m going to keep him company till tomorrow. We will see you two later.”

  “Alright then. Later…” Kara and Mark left and Mark shut the wooden door closed after Kara passed.

  Sarah released her hold on Connor and started walking away. He didn’t know what she was doing so he followed. She made a beeline straight for the apple tree. She grinned at him and started plucking fresh and ripened apples from the tree. By the time they sat they both had an arm full. He pushed the grass back and together they sat down on the soft grass. They ate the apples and talked about different subjects, but it always came back to finally getting answers about what he is and what they have become.

  Connor guessed it to be about eight or nine at night. Sarah and he were both back up in the Cedar tree again. He sat on the limb with his legs straight and his bare back pressed to the tree’s trunk while Sarah laid on the top of his legs and her back was against his chest. The best part of it all to him was that they were both stark naked. They shared each other’s warmth and everything grew so quiet and peaceful. His arms wrapped around her soft middle because he remained afraid of her falling out of the tree.

  Suddenly the dome’s central light shut off. Sarah jumped, but he held her to his chest. “Connor, what’s happening?”

  He looked up and smiled. “It’s night time. Look at the ceiling, Princess.”

  Her head tilted back and she then relaxed. “It’s so beautiful.”

  With the central light on it showed the dome to have a painted sky with clouds, but with the lights off it too became amazing nonetheless. The dome had tiny light fixtures that he didn’t realize were there until the central lighting turned off. They were scattered randomly and mimicked the stars in the sky. They even had some that twinkled just like a real star. It was an ingenious design.

  Sarah’s head came back down on his chest and she sighed. He could still see every inch of her ethereal beauty. The lights danced on her eyes as she continued staring at the twinkling ceiling. Her voice came quiet and distant, but sexy as she breathed. “Connor, I’m actually happy.”

  “I am as well.” He rubbed her silky soft belly.

  She shook her head. “No I mean I’m happy we met. Even in my ignorance of blending our souls together I would still do it again knowing what I know now. If I had taken another to be my mate, I know my life would have remained mundane. I had lived three hundred years of that lifestyle and I never would have dreamed it would end up like this. I mated a Harmonizer and I’m carrying his child. How many women can say they have the guts for that?” She giggled and shifted her bottom to get more comfortable.

  “Not many.” He chuckled with her. “Before we met I too felt the mundane and boring life. I would drag my sister to school, get treated like garbage, listen to teachers go over the same boring lectures and go home to do it all over again.” He kissed the top of her head and she started rubbing his forearms. “That all changed once you came into my class. You changed me from the outcast, to a star in my school. Remember the day you bought me a new wardrobe and I went to school. Not a single person recognized me for who I was. I still remember your face when Caliegh asked me if I had a girlfriend.”

  “Ugh…don’t remind me. I actually felt jealous because of her.”

  “Yeah I remembered the fire in your eyes…Wait, why would you be jealous of her?”

  She stopped moving and said evenly “Did you see the size of her breasts or the shape of her hips. I could never match that kind of knockout combination.” He chuckled and she elbowed him in the ribs. “I wasn’t aiming for a laugh.”

  “Sarah, not all men like physical qualities of a woman like that. For all her physical aspects, haven’t you seen how lonely she was?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She has been trying too hard to get an emotional connection with someone, but she doesn’t realize that you don’t have to always use your sex appeal to get us to do anything she would please.”

  “Yeah… Food works bette
r for real men.” She giggled and he couldn’t stop himself either.

  “Sarah, be nice.” She calmed and started rubbing his arms again. “Listen, she puts on a show for other men, but you don’t need to flaunt yourself like that. You hold more physical and mental beauty than any woman I have ever met. You have a kind of shy pride that cannot be duplicated. Also you didn’t shy away from me when Sorono told you about how I would have killed you with my energy if I didn’t bring your strength up to my level. Yes, you were worried, but you still didn’t fear me. And when we make love you are uninhibited, but around others you become shy around that subject.”

  “So? When we are together we do what we want, but it is private and between us. I don’t think someone’s sex life should be broadcasted like a televised football game.”

  “I agree. That is one of the reasons I fell in love with you. Just don’t change that about yourself.” He then remembered something. “Do you remember my promise that I made with you?”

  “Which one? I’ve lost count.”

  “The one about your ultimate dream,”

  Sarah rolled to her side. Her left shoulder began resting on his right ribcage and her hip rested on his thigh. Connor could tell she was having a hard time looking at him because her dark green eyes were trying to focus on a certain aspect on his face. “Yes, I remember that promise. You promised me that you would stay alive so that you could see that I became an Elder one day.” He nodded because she wouldn’t be able to see his darkened smile. She rested her head against his chest and said “No matter how bad the situation ever is, you always find a way to set things right. Don’t ever lose that comforting aspect, my knight.” She yawned.

  “Good night, Princess. We have had a big day.”

  “Good night.” She moved to get comfortable. Once he started rubbing her back she was asleep.

  He also slept, but also remained alert throughout the night.