"Tanzy, I need you to direct from her feet. Channel your energy to meet mine. Direct it up from her feet, through her center to her third eye, and out of the crown of her head. I'm going to attempt to funnel it back to you so that we can powercycle it through her body in a continuous loop."
Amet's hands hovered several inches above our patient's head while I settled mine lightly on the flat of her feet and tried to feed energy from my palms through her soles and up her legs to her core.
"Just relax and try to take deep breaths," Amet murmured softly to the girl as he pulled the energy through her. "Do you know what happened?"
Her head tossed restlessly as her hands twitched at her sides and her eyes blinked open and closed before fixing on my concerned gaze. The sheer terror in her look held me paralyzed as she whispered, "They held me." Her voice wavered before continuing on. "They said I should share my power."
Blanching, I swallow hard, waiting for her to continue. "Then they said I wasn’t worth bonding, that I wasn't powerful enough, that I should just give everything I had to them because they could make better use of it."
Her color suddenly pales dramatically and I hear Amet snap, "Tanzy, I need more focus." My eyes fly to his and I realize the strain is taking a toll on his resources. Bringing my focus inward I gather a ball of vibration in my core and push it outward, listening for the slight hum of her vibration as I try to match the frequency. We should be able to at least hear a faint chime now as we match her pitch but the sound is off-key and broken; there is no discernible resonance and I try to lower my pitch once more to match hers, but it's like a magnetic force repelling a negative charge, the more I search for her frequency, the more it fades.
My tears fall unchecked as I see the color leaching from her face and I lift my eyes to Amet's in panic. The hum of his energy backs down as I watch him place his fingers on both of her temples before whispering what I now realize is the prayer to release a soul. With a final gasp, the energy flows from her being like a door closing, snuffing the last of the air in a chamber, sealing it away from the world.
As Amet finally brings his hands back down to his lap I'm overcome by a vision; I'm standing in a dark courtyard staring at my Mother's broken body. My small body shakes as I sink to the ground near her and cry as I rock. Finally, two strong hands lift my exhausted body and I'm cradled into the warmth of a Violet vibration as I gasp for air. Opening my eyes, I stare at Amet across our patient's body, my eyes wet and blurry, asking the only thing I can think of at this moment.
"Why didn't you tell me you were there?"
Amet shakes his head regretfully, sorrow filling his eyes as he stares at me. "What would you have me say, Tanzy? You didn't recognize me when we met. At first, I didn't recognize you either as the devastated offshoot I found, until I really focused on your vibration. You seemed relatively happy, and it was obvious you weren't still reliving the trauma of that night, unlike so many of the rest of us."
Rubbing a hand across his face he confronts me wearily. "Were you really ready to hear that I was one of the beings who found you that night and carried you away from where you huddled among the dead? That I took you away from everything you had ever known and placed you in a school to spend your days as an orphan?"
Looking away, Amet pauses as if gathering his thoughts, "Trust me, none of us relish reliving the memory of those nights. Most of us would erase them if we could."
"But why were you there?" I ask plaintively, my mind scrabbling to block out the memory it has just unleashed, filling me with residual sadness. "And who is WE?"
"Think about it, Tanzy. I'm a healer. I was sent with a squadron of Guards to search for survivors and heal whoever we could find. Unfortunately, the only one we found to save was you," he says sadly.
"Why can't I remember the others?" I ask, my mind searching for more of the memory but balking at the vision, a gray cloud the only thing I can remember, and eventually the faint feel of Amet's vibration. Wait, there's another sensation, that of a low-pitched voice singing softly to me as I cried, and was passed from one set of arms to another. A lull-a-bye soothing my exhausted mind, lulling me into a sense of safety as I fell asleep.
"Who was singing?" I ask Amet as he finally pushes back his chair and grabs a blanket to gently cover the young girl fully Unlightened before us.
"One of the guards," Amet says absently, his mind clearly moving back to the patient we've lost. "It was a young training squad out on patrol for the first time. They were the ones who called for help. No one expected that type of tragedy in a small village. Believe me, they were as traumatized as you were; I think he was singing to ease his own fear as much as yours."
Chapter Twenty
Tanzy
Year of Enlightenment 2089
At last! Anxious pacing gives way to relief when the knock sounds on my door alerting me to the presence of my guide. There’s something about waiting endlessly that puts my nerves on edge, especially when you don’t know what you’re waiting for.
Releasing the panel I’m surprised to find Jasper waiting for me, arms crossed and a stern expression on his face.
“For a high-ranking Guard, you’re being given some very mundane duties,” I offer quirking my brow slightly, watching his frown deepen as he steps back from the doorway to allow me through. Again I’m struck by the silence in this wing, it’s almost as if no one else exists in this entire sector. As much as I like solitude, this makes the fine microns of energy that regulate the temperature of my silica fluctuate, causing an uneasy shimmer along my aura. Shaking myself slightly, I watch the panel swish behind us and turn to follow Jasper, my teeth worrying lightly at my lip.
Passing into the center atrium we head back toward the color archways again, each color now reversed, and I realize the energy has changed as well. It’s interesting to feel a reverse charge almost propelling you outward toward the entrance before we veer off to a side walkway that I didn’t notice on the trip in. Large, beveled glass doors reveal another long corridor with yet another set of doors at the far end.
“This is the Healing Center,” Jasper finally speaks again, releasing himself from the surly silence he’s maintained since greeting me at my suite. “It’s in the far wing so that any broken energy remains away from the Counsil,” he explains as I ponder that seriously for a moment. Considering how strong the Spectrum is I can’t imagine them being disturbed by some minor, broken energy. I wonder why that’s significant, but as the doors open and I find myself in a large, empty chamber, my mind empties of rational thought. Anxiety begins to flood my system again as I look for whoever I will be facing here.
A slight buzz of energy nips at my silica again and I straighten, ready to face it head on when it quickly fades once more. Turning to Jasper, I’m surprised by the frustration on his face and open my senses to sip lightly at his emotions. Yes, definitely frustration but also, I sense some slight regret and even more confusing, mild jealousy and longing emanating from his being before he looks at me sternly and shuts down his emotions, locking them out of my reach. Just as I begin to speak, some Healers walk into the room from a side hatch and Paz enters the chamber from behind us.
Bowing my head in greeting, I offer “Good Light,” to Paz before he reaches us and grasps my hand in his. It’s rare that people clasp hands in greeting any more, and I’m charmed to realize how old Paz must be if he still upholds the custom. Taking my hand, he pulls it through the crook of his arm before leading me to meet the Healers who stand in the center of the room waiting for introduction.
“Tanzy, this is Marin, our Chief Healer, and his Team. They will prepare you for the trials to come.” Bowing my head to Marin and the Team I offer, “Good Light,” surprised when I feel Marin’s energy spike with tension before offering me a polite blessing in return.
As one they turn and head out the other door as Paz releases my arm and gestures for me to follow. I search for Jasper as I head from the room, realizing he must have left at some point during
the short time my attention was claimed. Not that there was any reason for him to stay, but his surliness was actually one of the few things that felt familiar in this place right now, and it actually made me feel infinitesimally better. Besides, I’m puzzled by his emotions and it’s hard for me to resist a puzzle.
Sighing to myself, I remember the warnings both he and Titan gave me, before locking down my energy protectively and muttering to myself.
“Let the games begin.”
I’m surprised to walk into a lab similar to the one that Laz and I share back at the Healing Center, except that this one is empty. There are no “lab rats” as Laz and I like to call ourselves; a joke based on a passage we found in some of the old Earth histories. Apparently they used to test healing practices on small animals before trying them on humans; and they joked about themselves as if they were the ones being experimented upon.
It was a bit confusing at first, but eventually we got the humor, and it became our secret code for our special teams of healers and scientists that we trusted. They became our family and working with them is seamless because we’ve spent so many years together now. We can anticipate each other’s questions, and toss troubling data back and forth, until someone has an epiphany. We love working that way, it keeps everyone on their toes.
This lab felt sterile, as if no one had worked here for at least a yarn, which was curious. This must not be the primary lab; surely no one doing any significant research could keep a lab this uncluttered. Where was the equipment? Where were the patients? Surely a compound this big must have a regular stream of beings coming and going, the hereditary rescaling alone usually kept most centers buzzing for a large part of the sunphase.
Marin stops abruptly, turning to me before signaling that the others should leave.
“So, what do you think of this space?” he asked while my eyes travelled the room before coming back to his.
“It’s… spacious,” I reply cautiously. “Although, surely there must be another main lab elsewhere in the compound?” I question. “This one doesn’t seem to be getting much use.” Feeling a faint buzz along my senses, my energy perks slightly.
“It has solid energy.” Licking my lips, I can almost taste the charge in the air. “That must be helpful. Is there crystal embedded in these walls?” I ask, hoping to find the source.
“Yes,” Marin nods, “but all of them were tuned to Amet’s energies; this was his private lab.”
My mouth forms a perfect pink ‘o’ as I suddenly realize why the energy feels so welcoming, and now that I know what I’m looking for, I can tune directly into the buzz and feel it dance along my silica until I choose to release it.
I continue to stalk around the room, trying to get a feel for how Amet used it. Stopping abruptly at a corner table I spy a delicate, crystal bowl that I know is a singing bowl. Amet used to keep them everywhere, in fact he used to collect them. He was fascinated by the different sounds each made when he wet the rims and ran a finger round and round the edge. They were like his own personal instruments, and he used to carry them from place to place until he found the perfect environment for each one. He said the space determined the energy needed and he searched for these bowls to augment that energy. I never really saw the purpose myself, but he believed in their power as a focus.
Lifting the delicate pale green vessel gently into my palms, I held it up to the light watching the colors dance against the ceiling as they refracted into a perfect spectrum. My pulse sped up slightly, as if the spectrum was a reminder of why I was here.
A light cough echos from near the door as Marin watches me, a more indulgent smile on his face now, as he moves toward me and gestures to the bowl in my hands. It truly was beautiful, the pale green blended to aqua, and then faint striations of a pale purple, although there were small fractures and imperfections in the surface near the base.
"That was one of Amet's favorite possessions," Marin said gently as he watched my hands smooth across the surface over and over again. "He said it had particularly powerful energy."
My brow lifting in question, I watch his expression as I say, "Do you think it has power?"
Taking the bowl from my hands, Marin turns it in the light, a pensive expression on his face. "I don't know that it has power for me, but then I'm only a lower level empath," he says, looking a bit embarrassed.
"But Amet used it often, that's how it fractured." Marin points to the small fissures at the base. "He said he tried to channel too much energy through it one day."
I suddenly realize I can't tell what kind of crystal I’m holding. The color looks like a version of fluorite, but the energy doesn't feel like fluorite. Curious. Putting the bowl gently back on the table, I turn to Marin at last and gather my thoughts together.
"So what's next? How does this work?" I ask, determined to get this ordeal moving and over with.
"Amet always said you were fearless." Marin's smile is a bit strained now as he looks around the room as if expecting someone to enter.
"Is there something to fear," I raise my eyebrows in mock horror, "other than total humiliation? My understanding is that they have been testing experienced healers for some time. I can't imagine why I am even here, other than someone was feeling very inconveniently sentimental." I try not to let my anxiety show, relying on my frustration to carry me instead.
"At the end of the day, we know I'm not experienced enough to work for the Spectrum. I could be back in the lab doing something more productive as we speak."
Looking around uneasily again, Marin tries to look reassuring, "Well, then the tests should be relatively short. Let's get you set up - the sooner you start, the sooner we can be done. We already know that you have exemplary Lab skills, still I'd like you to create an antidote for these ingestibles."
The far door opens as one of Marin's lab rats walks in with a tray of items; some basic roots, a bitter smelling brown liquid - which I immediately recognize as phloc - and a purple, leafy plant that I've never seen before. What in the universe?
"Supplies are stored in those cabinets." Looking at my flottoms and loose, sleeveless tunic he gestures to another closet. "Lab coats are stored in there. Use whatever you need. We'll check in on you periodically to mark your progress. Let us know if you need anything," he says turning to leave.
"Wait," I say in surprise, "what am I supposed to do if I finish before you return?”
"Just press the communicator when you finish each remedy. We'll analyze each as we go along to save time," he says turning to leave again.
"Well, take this before you go," I say handing the phloc to him as he looks at me surprised. "There is no remedy for phloc other than a natural immunity. At least as of now. But who knows? If I ever get back to my lab, maybe I can find one for you."
Turning away, I sigh and set to identifying the roots and flowering plant while Marin just stares at me for a few moments, before shaking his head and angling for the door. Once more, I wish Laz or one of our Team members were here with me, knowing the time would pass much more quickly with their companionship. Shifting on the stool, I hum a tune under my breath, and resolve to get through this as quickly as possible so that I can go home.
Chapter Twenty-One
So, now what? Do I jump in and get this done as quickly as possible? All I want is to get back to Laz, and pick up my life where we were before everything took this strange turn. If that means jumping through their hoops first, then I best settle in and get it done.
It takes a while, but I’ve always had a head for breaking things down in a way that allows me to peel back the layers to get to the core. Amet always said it’s because my energy is actually the inverse of most other beings. For instance, take meditation; most people focus on emptying themselves inside and then push the energy out to create a quiet mind. I’ve always found myself starting outside myself, building barriers to quiet everything down layer by layer, until I finally get to my core of quiet. It’s a bit inconvenient because sometimes it’s the longe
r way around, but as long as the result is the same, I don’t focus on the disparity. And I’ve gotten faster now that I realize what I am doing.
It caused a lot of frustration with my mentors initially, because I couldn’t seem to follow their instructions and do things the way everyone else was doing it. Their surprised expressions when I finally got to the same result was always irritating. I think that was also partly the root of my shyness and insecurity when I was young. I couldn’t seem to follow and do what others in my classes were doing. Laz was the first to help me realize that doing things differently didn’t mean that I didn’t fit in. It was Amet who was finally able to explain it in a way that all of us could understand.
I only knew that what I was doing was different, but got me to the same place. Once he was able to explain the “what” (in a way that I could visualize), everything became so much easier. I was able to look at every scenario given to me and just intuitively flip it in my head.
I actually believe, as a healer, my quirk can be helpful. Most healers try to match the frequency of the injured being and support their internal vibration first, encouraging the being’s own healing factors to seal the break. By my focusing on the outer frequency as a starting point, my energy tends to seal the fissure first, preventing additional energy loss, and then supporting that frequency to go deeper.
The result is the same, but by sealing the fracture faster I believe that the immediate relief allows the internal energy to build more quickly, and acts as a mild anesthetic. At least I think that’s what happens. It’s hard to verify, especially by asking a subject who is not a healer, but I can feel the reduction in their pain level, so that’s enough for me to believe my process has value.
The purple flower is quite lovely with long tubular stalks, tiny clusters of tight blossoms that open to small, almost flat petals, and a delicate scent. Examining them closely, I realize the scent has triggered a memory of something I haven’t thought about in a long time.
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