Obsidian: Birth to Venus (The Obsidian Chronicles Book 1)

by Marisa Victus

  Chapter 34

  2121

  The next day, Jai woke to the sound of Sean, pacing the floor beside her. A dull ache muffled her thoughts, but she was relieved. The pain in her head had subsided. Jai hesitated before she opened her eyes. Should I even try? She took a deep breath, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to see, that she’d still be blind. The idea frightened her. Please. Please, be able to see again.

  Quickly, she opened her eyes, like she was ripping off a bandaid. Elated, she saw Sean rush to her side.

  “Thank you, thank you! You’re awake again.” He kissed her lightly on the lips.

  “How long was I out?” she asked.

  Sean whispered. “Sixteen hours.” He held her hand. “How are you feeling?” he asked. She stayed silent, still doing her best to focus on the objects in the room. Each piece of furniture, every clicking instrument, seemed to hum louder than before, but nothing compared to the energy, the aura surrounding Sean. Colors seemed to vibrate off of him, none more predominantly than yellow. It glowed bright around his shoulders and arms. Kevin ran over, a stream of blue trailing behind him. Slowly, the colors began to subside, as if Sean’s and Kevin’s bodies had absorbed them somehow.

  Kevin grabbed hold of Jai’s hand and placed a computer cuff on her wrist. He linked to it and checked her vitals once more. “Perfectly healthy,” he said. “No sign that this even happened.” He shook his head, puzzled. “Jai, look here,” he said, raising the light to her eyes. “Pupils look fine now. Reacting as they should. Color’s dark brown.”

  “What happened?” Jai asked. She remembered siphoning Zin, and the rainbows in the room, but not much else beyond the blinding pain.

  “Honestly, I don’t know.” Kevin looked concerned and intrigued. “According to the cuffs, nothing happened. Your heart rate and blood pressure jumped, but the computer shows you stayed within normal range.”

  Sean looked around uneasily. “That’s far from the truth.”

  “I’d say so,” Jai said, rocking her neck from side to side. “Was it a migraine? I get those from time to time.”

  “Perhaps,” Kevin said. “Hemiplegic migraines can sometimes cause aura, even temporary blindness.” Kevin sat beside Jai. “But this was quite different.” Kevin turned with a serious expression on his face. “Your eye color shifted, Jai.”

  “Shifted?”

  “Yea, like a kaleidoscope,” said Sean. “Craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  Kevin paused. “Something similar exists, in cuttlefish. Their eyes function more like electric skin. See, cuttlefish have millions of tiny color cells throughout their skin. That’s how they’re able to change color so rapidly. Each color cell is controlled by a neuron in their brains. Their brains turn some neurons on, switch others off. Doing that rapidly creates patterns and allows them to shift colors. They’ve also got chromatophores that contain pigments to absorb and reflect light. Many other animals have them, like amphibians and reptiles.”

  “You saw that, in me?” Jai asked, perplexed. In all their years together, Joy had never seen her do that.

  “Yes. Both of us saw it,” Sean said.

  Kevin moved in closer, examining her eyes with a computerized magnifying lens. “The color shift is called metachrosis. But, it isn’t known, has never happened, among sentients. You’d be a first."

  That’s not the only first. Jai’s body went stiff, her mind uneasy. Should I tell Kevin I’m actually the Eldest, or not? Clearly, I need the help, but…? Her thoughts raced. Sean and the rest of her family already knew she was the Eldest. She trusted them completely. But, they couldn’t help her figure this out. Now that my eyes have gone haywire, I need to understand what I am, figure out the science, now more than ever. Kevin was a Yale-trained Ph.D., M.D. If anyone could help her, Kevin could.

  "Let me run a scan with the MRI-OIS," Kevin said.

  "The what?" Sean asked.

  "It's special equipment that combines Magnetic Resonance Imaging with an Optical Imaging System, or MRI-OIS, for short," Kevin said, as he placed a series of probes around Jai's head. "Thankfully, we're no longer tethered to massive machines. We can take a series of scans in just a few moments, watch it in real-time and record it for later."

  But, Jai couldn’t think only of herself. “And, what about Zin? How is he?”

  Kevin struggled to think about Zin, whose condition was now stable. Jai’s condition was a far more enticing puzzle. “Zin’s looking better,” he said. “Siphoning’s definitely helped. His skin’s less pale and, it appears, he’s regressed. At least now he looks like his last photo, and his appearance hasn’t aged since. I’m monitoring him and I’ve hooked him up for fluids.”

  “Has he woken up?” Jai asked.

  “No. Not once. He’s still unresponsive.”

  “What happened, anyway?” Sean’s voice grew cold. “Kevin said you two siphoned. What did Zin do to you?” Blinded you, that’s what. Jai flinched as she heard the anger in Sean’s thoughts.

  She tried not to fault Sean for jumping to conclusions, given what had just happened to her, her horrible migraine and color-shifting eyes. But, she couldn’t help herself. She mirrored the coldness in his voice. “Zin didn’t do anything to me, Sean.”

  Sean looked at her, an unapologetic, incredulous look on his face.

  Jai met his gaze. “It’s what Zin’s doing to himself that matters. Zin’s locked himself away in there, in his mind.”

  “What?” Sean asked, dumbfounded.

  “Yeah, what?” Kevin repeated. “How would you know that?” Kevin looked at Sean and vice versa.

  “I sensed it.” No, be real, Jai told herself. She could hear Joy’s voice, saying, Let others in. She took a deep breath and clarified. “I mean, I saw it.”

  “Wait, wait,” Kevin said, hand raised. “I thought I knew all there was to know about sentients, about siphoning. But, after last night, I just don’t know anymore. Are you saying you actually saw something when you siphoned with Zin?” Kevin’s voice was brimming with excitement.

  Jai thought on it. This is it. No one else can help me. I can barely understand what’s happening to me. She took another deep breath. “There’s no sense in hiding it from either one of you.” Especially now, given what they’d already seen. “I do. I see visions when I siphon.” They stared at her. “I always do.”

  Sean was struggling to understand. “How’s that possible? When I siphon, I can only feel energy flooding in, out, and through me. It’s powerful, like being stranded in a desert, then taking a long drink of water. It quenches a thirst, that’s for sure. But, I’ve never seen anything.”

  “Me neither.” Kevin was leaning in, begging for more detail.

  Jai swallowed. “What you describe…I feel that too. I sense that energy, feel that thirst quenching deep within my veins. But, it’s more than that. When I siphon, I feel it in every cell of my body. It’s tactile. It has substance. I can touch and hold it.” Here goes, she thought. “And, at the same time, I can see, not only what I’m seeing in my mind’s eye, but also what Zin can see, inside his mind. Our minds sync.”

  Sean flipped his head to look at Kevin, then at Jai, and back to Kevin, waiting for some semblance of a scientific explanation. But Kevin was silent, his mouth flat. Jai could see Kevin’s mind working, cranking away, thinking of all the studies he’d read. “Nothing,” he said. “There’s nothing in the literature about mind-synchronization.” Kevin looked down at his open palms, as if the answer was missing there. Sean stared at Jai, the worry in his eyes growing deeper. Clearly, he feared Kevin would learn Jai’s secret, that she was truly the Eldest, not Zin. But, how’s that matter now? he realized. I need Kevin to help Jai. I need his help.

  Jai thought so too, knew it as soon as she went blind. Jai had the common sense to know when an expert was needed, and she certainly had no expertise in this. Besides, Kevin had proven himself a worthy confidante. He’d already risked his life to follow the secret lead that Dr. Jensen had left him. If the tattooe
d blades ever found out, Kevin would be at the top of their list, possibly kidnapped or killed. Yet, Kevin was determined to save Zin, no matter the consequences. And, Jai’s sixth sense rang loud and clear: Kevin’s motive was pure intellectual curiosity, not fame or fortune. Jai gave Sean a knowing look. Sean understood immediately and nodded in agreement. Here I go, she thought again and turned to face Kevin. “And, one more thing,” Jai said. “Zin’s not the Eldest. I am.”

  Kevin’s hands fell as he looked up. He stared at her, then blinked. “Say what?”

  “It’s true,” said Jai. “I’ve never been tested, so my blood and tissue, my birthdate, my identity, none of them are recorded in any sentient record. But, I was born….” Her heart skipped a beat. “I was born in 2050.”

  Kevin choked and coughed, trying to clear his throat. “2050?” Kevin did the math in his head. “That’s sixteen years older than Zin!” It was far too much for Kevin to take. “First, your eye color shifts unlike anything I — no, the species — has ever seen. Then, you not only siphon, but experience visions while doing it. And, now, Zin isn’t the Eldest; you are?!” He paused to stare at her again. “How on earth did you go from my anonymous benefactor to this?”

  Jai laughed. “I just know I’m relieved. I’ve finally told you.” The tension in her body began to melt away. Though no one understood why she was the way she was, and no one had the same sixth sense that she had, telling them, saying it out loud, mattered. With Joy gone, it was comforting to know that others knew her, the real her. And, it was intensely frightening. In the last 24 hours, she’d revealed more about herself than she ever had before. She’d even said she was telepathic, at least when she siphoned.

  She stopped short of telling them she was always telepathic, thinking, That’s enough disclosure for one day. Besides, she thought, How would they feel? If they knew I could read their minds, without siphoning up-close or at all? What would they say? Would they be angry? Maybe, never speak to me again? Over the years, Jai had wished, had hoped that her sixth sense might fade away. But, it never did. If anything, it appeared to get stronger over time. Now, she couldn’t help but hear people’s thoughts. The more powerful their emotion, the louder their thoughts would scream into her mind. Would they understand that? Jai didn’t want or mean to invade anyone’s privacy. Jai found it uncomfortable herself. No, I’m not ready to tell them that.

  And, what if I told Sean, Kevin, everyone, I can project visions into other people’s minds? Just the thought of disclosing it made her body go rigid with fear. How could I tell them that? Jai knew, if the tattooed blades found out, her family would be put in harm’s way. Seeing another person’s visions was one thing, but being able to project her visions into another person’s mind was an entirely different matter. And, it didn’t take a scientist or a doctor to know how dangerous projecting could be. Even Jai was afraid of its capabilities. She trusted herself, but, what about others, individuals who might want to project on their own, maybe even weaponize it? The only conclusion was to keep her projections a secret, for as long as possible. The tattooed blades had already shown a deadly interest in Zin's blood, tissue, and data — just because he was supposed to be the oldest. Jai had skills that were far more powerful than anyone could imagine.

  The more Jai thought about it, the more she felt isolated and alone. Her siphon was unique. Like the 14th century weapon Joy had collected, Jai's siphon was itself a halberd. A triple-threat. She was the only sentient who could control her energy, hear others' thoughts, and see and project visions. Yes, her siphon was a hook, a bard she could use to snag and pull any opponent to the ground. She’d done it with Zin, had shown him the cabin he’d loved, hoping that he’d come out of hiding. It had worked but, even there, there were unintended consequences. She couldn’t help but wonder. If Zin wakes up, will he hate me? Will he know I saw him, the real him? The Zin who doesn’t wear any armor, the Zin who was kind to me? Jai was afraid the wolf might wake up instead.

  Jai knew, she had to be careful. Her siphon, her sixth sense, could harm or kill another, perhaps even imprison someone in his or her own mind. Deep down, Jai worried, Did I do that to Zin?

  “Earth to Jai,” Sean said, interrupting her ruminations. He looked at her, concerned. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yes, yes. I’m fine,” she said. She unfurrowed her brow and held his gaze, hoping that’d convince him.

  “Then, tell us what you meant,” he repeated. “You said, Zin's doing something to himself?”

  Kevin, who was lost in his own thoughts, straightened up. “Yes, right. What’s Zin doing?”

  “What I meant was, I doubt he’s going to wake up anytime soon. He’s in there,” she said, pointing to her head, “in his mind. He’s back in his cabin, where he’s happy. And, the happier he is in there, the less likely he is to come out.”

  “Wow. You could see, all of that?” Kevin transferred the MRI-OIS scans to his computer cuffs and started a recording program, ready to document Jai’s every last word.

  “Hold it,” Sean said, grabbing hold of Kevin’s hands. “Make sure you turn everything over to me after we're done here. I'll set up some more security.” It went without saying that Kevin would keep everything privileged, but Jai welcomed the extra precaution.

  Kevin nodded. “No worries.” Kevin didn’t care how he recorded the data; he just had to learn as much as he could. “Just tell me. What were the visions like?” Jai explained how she’d tethered her energy to Zin’s, given him a steady stream of her own life force, then entered Zin’s mental cabin in the woods. She described how his personality was altered, completely different from the man they’d met. And, his appearance was healthy, far from the comatose man in the library next door.

  “This is astounding,” Kevin said. “After hundreds of years, not one scientist has ever been able to delve into what a comatose patient has thought or experienced. Not even a sentient scientist’s been capable of that. Yet, here you are, Jai. Doing it yourself, without any tools. Just simply your mind.” Kevin threw his hands up in the air, exhilarated. “What I would give to be you!” Jai worried nefarious minds would think alike.

  She didn’t begrudge him. “The method may be exciting to you, but it’s not good news for Zin. I need to go back, try to convince him to wake up.”

  Sean yelled. “No way!” Jai flashed a disappointed look, but Sean was just as pig-headed as before. “Seriously?” He looked at her, a cross between angry and in love. “No, Jai. Don’t do it. Just look at what happened to your eyes, to your mind. Your screams! I swear you screamed for an hour before passing out. Do you know how that felt? To know, that neither one of us knew what to do, or how to help you? Don’t do it again. You’re lucky you got out once. And, we can’t even say unscathed.”

  “I’m fine, Sean.” Jai spoke in her most reassuring voice.

  “No, Jai. Who knows what repercussions there might be? It’s too soon to even tell. You may not think Zin did anything to you, but I’m not convinced. Either way, that happened. What’ll happen if you siphon with him again?”

  Jai shook her head. How do I tell Sean, going blind, the color-changing eyes, those might be new, but I’m no novice to mind synchronization? Jai might’ve been new to the sentient life, but, as Joy had joked, Jai was an expert at “going mental.” After years of mental spars, Joy had made sure of that. But, Sean wasn’t prepared to understand. Or listen, apparently. His voice was unyielding. “If Zin wants to lock himself up, then by all means, good riddance!” he screamed, and stormed out of the room.

  Jai tried to remove the MRI-OIS sensors, to go after Sean, but Kevin grabbed her by the wrist. “Wait, Jai.” He was staring at the scan they’d just recorded. “Look at this. Something serious has happened to you. Without a doubt." He pointed to the video playing above them. A green electric current was winding its way through Jai's brain. Kevin pointed to the green pattern. “See that? Normally, sentients have a fluid energy pattern, like the green energy pattern here. That energy pa
ttern shifts and varies depending on if a sentient’s siphoning or not. No two sentients have the same energy pattern; much like fingerprints, every sentient’s energy pattern is different. But, studies show there are two constants. First, the resting energy pattern becomes more pronounced, more vibrant, when a sentient siphons; and, second, the siphoning energy pattern quickly shifts, fades, and ultimately disappears when siphoning is done, leaving just the resting energy pattern behind.

  “But, if I'm not mistaken," Kevin said, his voice trailing off. He zoomed into Jai’s scan, past the green pattern moving fluidly throughout her brain. “There.” He pointed. Underneath the green pattern was a shadow, a black energy pattern, like a fingerprint left on the soft tissues of her brain. “I think your siphoning pattern’s still there.”

  “But, I siphoned Zin yesterday. Shouldn't it have disappeared by now? How's this possible?” Jai asked.

  “I don’t know.” Kevin raised his hand to the video, selecting the black pattern closest to their field of vision. “Isolate and enhance,” he commanded. The computer cuffs opened a new video frame. There it was, a three-dimensional image of Jai’s black siphoning pattern, zoomed-in before their eyes. Kevin examined it carefully. “This isn’t like any sentient’s, not like any I’ve ever seen. Your siphoning pattern, it is still there. And, look.” He zoomed in further. “It’s not just black after all, Jai.” Up close, the black was an amalgamation of every color imaginable, like her color-shifting eyes. “Plus, look at the overall image,” he said, zooming out. He turned to face her, his eyes wide. “Your siphoning pattern has a defined shape. It’s a Mandelbrot."

  ❖

  Kevin brought Sean back, to show him what they’d seen on the MRI-OIS: proof that Jai was unique, even among sentients. She had hoped Kevin might calm Sean down, force him to see that Zin couldn’t be responsible for whatever was happening to her, that there was a physiological reason for her condition. But, Sean refused to budge.