‘When it rains the sun weeps for this mere fact; those are hot tears, hot rain during summer days. When the moon cries; cold tears. Their tears always bring new life and help to sustain it. Without water there is no life. So you see, rain, tears are good and it’s just as important as dry days. And were it not for the droplets of water, the sun’s rays could not create a rainbow,’
he made his voice even softer when he concluded, ‘Your tears eventually will bring something good, even though you can’t see it now.’
~~~
Never in her life had Ashanna been comforted like this, not even by own her mother. When she was a child her mother had been distant from her and always seemed so busy and her father was always at sea, being a fisherman. She had only been six when the stone had called to her after the death of the previous priestess, and from then on her training had begun. Her parents visited her only once in a while, and the stone taught her everything. The villagers provided her with food and shelter. As the years went by her parents had begun to look up to her, like the rest of the villagers and look down on themselves, being simple people. They were ever so proud of having such an important daughter. She hadn’t thought about them for years as they had visited her less and less and she had no time to pay them a visit, for her work had always been very demanding and tiring.
Shazar had comforted her. Not only did his story fit right in with her belief in good and bad and the all-important balance, but she thought to herself how her own parents could have been more to her if only they had had it in them. They were probably never comforted as children themselves, so as a result they hadn’t known how. That saddening thought was replaced by Shazar’s presence. He had been a parent for her, just now. The way he had told her this pretty little tale. She, a wise woman being taught by a man. That had never happened before, only the stone had taught her. She had begun to regain her trust in men, in people. He had done that for her, although he didn’t know this yet.
Ashanna leaned back and avoided his eyes, drying her own.
‘That…was kind of you.’
‘Not a big deal. You may seem a tough priestess but you’re fragile, just like everyone else.’
She smiled for the first time and he noticed through the bruises and stains that she had a lovely face, though not overly attractive with her nose perhaps too long and her eyes a bit too close together. She had very bright intelligent eyes, and she had the most beautiful smile. He found himself thinking again that it was a pity that she was not of his kind. She was lovely both within and without and she had similar powers to him. If she could do a Mindmerge with a stone; she might be capable of other things, most humans couldn’t. That stirred an interest in Shazar.
She seemed to be aware of herself for the first time and said suddenly, ‘I’m going to have a proper wash before I leave.’ She stood and walked over to the river’s edge.
Shazar just nodded at her.
He saw the stone lying on the grass and quickly picked it up. Now was his chance. He didn’t want her to find out he was different, that he was probably able to hear the stone as well. That makes three. It will be the end of her!
He also didn’t want to hurt her feelings by still wanting his question answered, even though she had no idea of the importance of it.
Let her think I don’t care for that anymore. She needs healing. She mustn’t find out that I have her stone again,
He concentrated and closed his eyes in order to begin the Mindmerge, ‘Your breath, my breath, your mind, my mind, your soul, my soul…’ He began the chanting.
The stone started to shimmer…
Chapter 15 The Chosen One
‘You can make it shine too?’ he suddenly heard a small surprised voice: Twello!
Annoyed, Shazar looked up. He had forgotten about the boy.
The stone shone bright green in his hands, awoken, ready to be spoken to.
‘Of course, because you’re a wizard, right?’
‘Right.’ Shazar smiled warmly at the boy, genuinely touched by his faith in him.
‘Can’t we keep it?’
‘I’m afraid not. It’s already brought too much trouble. Best to get rid of it.’
Twello nodded fast, holding his breath. ‘But I can hear her.’
‘Hear who, Twello?’ Shazar asked curiously, for that was special indeed.
‘Calling me, saying my name. It doesn’t frighten me, it sounds a bit like…mummy.’
Tears suddenly filled the boy’s eyes again. Shazar pulled him towards him and put his arm around his tiny shaking shoulders.
He sat there for a while with the boy until Ashanna came back; all washed and clean. She not only looked better but she felt better as well. With Shazar’s blanket around her, draped like a dress with a knot over her breasts, her hair hanging wet on her shoulders, she held her wet washed rags in front of her.
Shazar’s blood suddenly ran faster through his veins. He tried to ignore it and instead looked down at his hands where the stone lay.
He was weary and had stupidly forgotten about it for a moment. It was too late. When she glanced at him she saw the stone in his hands glowing brightly in the fading evening light…
‘The boy,’ she spoke with wide eyes. ‘and now you as well? Is… e…everyone a…able to talk to it now?’ She was so stunned that she stuttered again.
He sighed and bit his lip, shaking his head, thinking fast. He had to tell her at least something, that much he owed her. She already suspected he was a wizard, so let him be that.
‘Come, sit down beside me and I’ll tell you how it’s possible.’
She did, but she sat a little away from him, keeping her distance. He had spoken with the stone in his hand, the fool, and told her that he was a wizard. But at that moment he, of course, lied and the stone knew when a lie was told and dimmed immediately. That was how she knew.
‘Did you really think you could fool me this easily?’ Her voice was icy, but her eyes still showed feelings, feelings of disappointment and hurt.
‘He is a wizard,’ Twello said in protest, knowing he had to defend him. ‘I saw him kill all those men with just an iron stick and he made a very loud inhuman noise which hurt my ears when I tried to run away with the stone! And he kicked that door in with just his feet like…like a bear or something.’ Twello spoke rapidly.
Ashanna listened to the boy’s fast flowing stream of words. Shazar kept quiet. He didn’t know what to do, but fear ate at his heart; old but somehow still raw fear. She saw it and was a little puzzled.
‘Inhuman, huh?’
The boy nodded happily because he had silenced the argument.
Silence indeed followed.
Then Ashanna picked up the stone from Shazar’s hands and placed it in Twello’s hands, asking the boy if he could ask it if Shazar wasn’t human. Twello looked at Shazar who silently nodded and only then did the boy obey.
‘He isn’t human!’ Twello exclaimed in shock. ‘I hear the stone say it in my head!’
Ashanna was too shocked to ask what he was then.
‘Now you know,’ Shazar spoke quietly.
‘I knew it,’ she mumbled. ‘somehow I knew you were no ordinary man. This kind, soothing, understanding, wise…beautiful.’
Shazar had expected anything, but not this. She wasn’t afraid or at least she didn’t show it and he had seen fear in her eyes before and so his own anxiety eased off a bit.
‘You don’t need to explain. You must be tired of that and afraid of those who mean you harm, even though you are strong,’ but why did he look so afraid? ‘Your secret is safe with me,’ was all that she said despite her curiosity.
That surprised him, for they always wanted to know didn’t they? Well, he and his family had avoided humans since he was born as much as they could, so he wouldn’t really know. He never had to explain before either. He and his brother had killed everyone who found out and Shazar had continued to do so, even after his brother’s death. If his headband came off or if anyone had
seen his eyes change when defending himself they were soon dealt with. There had never been any personal contact and yes, he was still a virgin. But that wasn’t why he could communicate with the stone; comyentis could link their minds with anything with a soul if properly trained…
Until he met Twello and Ashanna he never had any human contact. The Search had not taken him to look amongst humans. Comyentis would not mix so there was no need to.
~~~
He had been surprised how easily she took it all in and he tried to read her mind, but of course he couldn’t, not until there had been a very intimate connection established, the sacred Heartmerge. A Mindmerge would also be possible, but since humans had nothing a comyenti could use, it was never done. However the Heartmerge was all the more out of the question; for not only did comyentis mate for life with only one chosen mate, they mated solely with other comyentis. Shazar had been told this by his parents and grandparents who were all gone now. Mating with the enemy, humans, was strictly forbidden by the elder comyentis.
He needed to trust her but could he?
‘I’m honoured to know you, Ashanna.’
She turned towards him. ‘Well, likewise. You’re a powerful man, being strong and caring; that’s what all women want, believe me: I know.’
He grinned sheepishly.
‘Are there more like you?’ she asked perching down beside him.
‘I wouldn’t know to be honest.’
Ashanna stared at the stone which lay on the grass. Well, he was opening up to her and genuinely so. She trusted that much on instinct. However empty it made her feel, she had to make it without her stone. She was on her own now; a life without the stone. Just her and her faith in herself. But she wasn’t ready to face the world on her own yet. That troubled her, and the boy, could she care for him? She knew that she could, for the stone had taught her that much over the years; through her answering the villagers’ questions about their children, their development, their need for structure, love and safety; their tantrums and what guidance they needed. “The child needs a mother. The woman the child.”
Her mind shifted to Shazar again.
‘You mean, you’re the last?’
‘That remains to be seen.’ He stared hopefully at the stone.
‘Why didn’t you tell me this before, I would have understood!’
‘I don’t normally trust people with my secret, Ashanna. I have to kill all those who find out.’ His eyes darted away, ashamed.
Her face paled visibly and she swallowed away her fear.
‘Don’t worry, I have a policy too. I don’t kill women and children.’
‘Oh,’ she sighed relieved.
‘But you do have to promise me that you’ll keep it a secret. Can you promise me that?’
‘I promise.’
There was no doubt in her eyes. She would do anything for him now, her saviour.
‘Well, go on then,’ she coaxed him. ‘Ask the Truthstone. You don’t need me anymore. Can you tell me how you do it at least?’
‘Everything has a soul. I listen, Ashanna, like you and many others could do as well, if they tried hard enough. I suppose you, as a human, are a sensitive Hearer or Seer with the Sight, as they are called in some cultures. Both you and Twello. There are more like you and you have a hard time among your kind; just because, like me, you are different in your sensitivity. Being different means you’re often misunderstood. You were lucky to be worshipped as a priestess, in some cultures you would have ended up on a fire.’
Ashanna swallowed hard and looked at the boy.
I must protect him, she thought for the first time, feeling something again.
He saw her fright.
‘In the South you’ll be safe. But to be sure you must keep a low profile. Never show your gift to anyone you don’t trust. You had better keep it to yourself from now on to be on the safe side,’ Shazar said.
‘You mean you think I could have told the truth without the stone?’
‘That and much more. You often have dreams that come true don’t you? And often know what people think or are trying to tell you, even if they haven’t even opened their mouths? Sense of direction? Sense of right and wrong?’
‘Yes, how do you know?’
He almost smiled.
‘It comes with the territory,’ A pity I can’t train her. She could teach people, educate them to think differently; to use their own abilities in different ways.
‘I myself have the same and more, much more. My people… link with animals.’
‘Animals…but you look human.’
‘We are all animals, I’m simply a humanoid but I don’t like that term much. “Non-human animal” is much better, believed to have been born on a planet very much like Bhan. Many millions of years ago we took a different path in our development than your kind. We are what you could have been.’
She noticed him touching something around his neck, she hadn’t seen it before. It was some kind of necklace with a metallic round object as a pendant.
‘I hope we meet again,’ she spoke gently and Shazar wasn’t sure if she was referring to herself and him, or her kind and his in general.
He picked the latter.
‘It’s… better to keep the species separated,’ he said apologetically.
‘Oh? Didn’t you just say you link with animals?’
‘Yes spiritually. We stay away from people for obvious reasons.’ He grimaced.
‘But wouldn’t there be a better understanding if you did mix, living together in harmony?’
‘Pah, that would be impossible! Humans were our downfall and it could happen again. Their jealously and greed would kill us. Or worse it could lead to the disappearance of my kind into humans; our enemy. They might mate and create halflings. Our kind would be truly doomed!’
Chapter 16 Mindmerge
Shazar was alone with the stone. Ashanna was washing the boy down by the river that evening, before turning in for the night, as it was late and nearly dark. Shazar had made a fire and sat near its warmth, which he didn’t need for himself but he did like the smell and sight of it. It was an element and an ancient one; it put him in the right mood. Chanting he started the ritual, opening himself up to his surroundings, but to the stone in particular.
He spoke in his mind this time, Your mind…my mind. Precious gem, I need to know. Are there more of my kind; the comyenti, living in this world?
The stone lit up and like a heartbeat it pulsated.
‘Yes,’ it answered him in response.
It surprised him and his heart leapt with hope. So he wasn’t the last one. There were others! Other comyentis; Mindmergers with animals, having shared and ‘given’ their abilities to create Mindmodes and Mindskills.
Where are they?
Silence.
He asked again.
‘Here and there.’
Here and there? How is that possible?
‘They travel.’
Of course; like me. How many are there?
‘One and a half.’
Shazar rubbed his chin at that, shocked to find out the harsh truth, but puzzled at this strange number. How can that be possible? But there was no reply to that.
Where does this one and a half comyenti live?
‘In Northland near the Balla Mountains.’
Of course! The only safe place, where giants used to live so that people would stay away.
~~~
‘I tried for hours,’ Shazar said the following morning at breakfast, looking weary. ‘But it remains vague, what does it mean by ‘one and a half’? A whole one and a half one? Or no arms, no legs, a mutated one?’ Or a halfling? That was his worse fear.
‘The stone didn’t reveal it to me, only that the gender is female and that she or they live near the Balla Mountains in Northland.
‘Hmm, it has happened before that it answers vaguely, but perhaps this is for a reason, which you’ll have to find out for yourself. At least you now know where they live.’
>
‘Yes, of course I’m glad there are more of my kind; that at least is hopeful and I know the location!’
He closed his eyes against the bright sun light for a moment. It glittered on the river surface like fire… Images came to him and Shazar thought about his brother who had not lived to know this. He died two decades before in a fire when they had set light to a human village. That had been their revenge at the time in exchange for all the comyenti lives lost and their slim future. The whole human race their enemy.
He was wiser now but his brother had tried to save a baby left in one of the burning buildings; for they never killed women and children if they could help it. The baby lived, protected by his brother’s scorched body. No animal ability could have saved him from that.
How ironic; a comyenti saving a human. The hunted saving the hunter.
‘How come there are so few of you left?’
The Comyenti Series Book Bundle, Volume 1 and 2 (Epic Romantic Supernatural Fantasy) Page 14