She waited patiently, allowing them time to envision the energy transfer. Their concentration was palpable. The effort they expended would bring each of them to the brink of unconsciousness. She knew they were almost there.
She pitched her voice low, “Even though you feel that your container has reached maximum capacity, continue to force the energy into the limitation of space until there is no choice but to explode out of confinement. That is the power that becomes tangible.”
She felt her words resonate in Ni-Cio’s mind as he detonated a single train of thought into the dying echoes. The telekinetic evolution was instantaneous. His thoughts blasted outward in a tremendous release of energy and Kyla was knocked to the floor. She screamed as fiery trails of electricity singed her eyebrows and the acrid smell of burnt hair filled the room.
Daria watched the room erupt in a dangerous array of different external manifestations. A violent release exploded out of Aris and a hole six inches in diameter appeared in the wall next to him. At least Mer-An had encased herself in such a tight shield of energy that Ni-Cio’s blow ricocheted off her and narrowly missed his sister.
The velocity with which random thought-forms whizzed through the air caused everyone to abandon decorum and adopt an attitude of duck and cover. With the exception of Kyla, everyone had succeeded in some aspect. However, it was patently obvious that the expenditure of energy had taken a tremendous toll.
Daria got up from her prone position and wound through the exhausted, inert bodies. “If I had known how quickly everyone would pick this up,” Daria commented, “I would have been more careful in the seating arrangements. At this point, target practice might be an excellent idea.” She helped Kyla to her feet, and checked to be certain she was unhurt.
Her friend apologized, “I am sorry, Daria, but I could not make anything happen. I do not understand.”
Daria brushed some ceiling dust from Kyla’s shoulders. “Kyla, not everyone will reach the same levels. And as you can see, this ability will not help much if after one transfer, people collapse.”
She surveyed everyone for indications of internal damage and was reassured to find that the only repercussion was the intense energy drain. “We’re going to maintain exclusive training with this form of defense. If you thought re-initiation into the Last Strike was difficult, I promise you, this process will make that look like a walk in the park.”
Tired groans could be heard as her friends shuffled into more upright positions. Ni-Cio was the first to recover. However, he lowered his head to his hands with a gentle moan. “Daria is right. If this is the result of just one release, then it is not much help. Regardless, the time it will take to gain mastery of this latent energy works against us.”
Aris couldn’t even muster the strength to mutter, but everyone heard his whisper, “It will work. It has to.”
Marik eased himself out of a corner and stumbled to a couch. As the cushions enfolded his body, he sighed. “I cannot begin to imagine the energy Na-Kai expended. It is a wonder she ever walked again.”
Daria saw the slow nods of agreement as Kyla accosted her. “What did I do wrong? Why was I unable to make anything happen?”
Daria was baffled. “I don’t know, Kyla, I’m as confounded as you. Perhaps if you could describe what you experienced?”
She furrowed her brow. “I could feel the gathering of energy, yet when I attempted to force it outward, it just seemed to collapse upon itself, if that makes any sense.”
Daria shrugged. “Maybe too much energy flowed into the area and there wasn’t enough strength to focus the thought outward.” She had one idea, “We could try an experiment.”
Ni-Cio lifted himself from his chair and stretched. “What are you thinking?”
“The only thought that comes to mind is a focus point. Something like, I don’t know, a mirror?” She frowned, “Never mind, that even sounds crazy to me.”
Aris gaped at Ni-Cio and his excitement propelled him from the pillows, “Crazy no, brilliant yes! Remember the ancient healers? Some of them used crystals to help focus their energy!” Everyone but Daria seemed to understand what he was talking about.
Marik stood, and with renewed energy, clapped Aris soundly on the back. “By the gods, he is right!” He looked at Daria, “A crystal would not only help focus a healer’s energy, in many cases, it magnified their efforts.”
Mer-An sprang from her seat and vaulted toward the door. Her thoughts raced through the others, “Do not go anywhere…I have crystals…”
They didn’t have long to wait. Mer-An reentered the room with a black case. Once she opened it, everyone could see that it had been crammed with different shapes and sizes of quartz crystals. She dumped all of them into a glistening heap on the floor and pointed at the pile. “Would one of these work?”
Everyone gathered around and waited as Daria poked through the selection. She sifted through the gleaming minerals and carefully studied the glacial clarity of some of the single pieces. Then, all at once, she began thrusting the crystals that had formed into beautiful families to one side and rifled quickly through the single minerals. As she moved to discard one of the clusters, the fingertips of her right hand inadvertently brushed against a small, insignificant looking piece of quartz. A faint sensation tingled through her palm as though someone had drawn a thread up and out of the pads of her fingers.
Her hand trembled. She grasped the milky crystal and raised the unassuming piece of quartz to her eyes. An impeccable sliver of ice-clear transparency shimmered back at her. Barely the width of a strand of hair, the thin line spanned the length of the crystal.
She handed the cloudy mineral to Kyla and whispered, “This one. Try this one.”
Kyla looked at the small crystal, then looked a question at Daria. “Just as I showed you. Let your thoughts flow inward, only this time, direct the flow through that piece of quartz. When you are ready, release the energy back out through the crystal.”
Kyla half-joked as she pointed the crystal at the door, “Maybe everyone ought to get behind me.”
There was no argument. Everyone crowded behind Kyla and waited for her to begin. Daria watched Kyla’s eyes close as she held the piece of quartz firmly in her hand. They did not have long to wait. A stupendous physical blaze leapt from the crystal and ignited the darkened room with jagged streams of light. An incredible shock wave of energy slammed into the door, and with one jarring crack, all that remained of the door was a wisp of black smoke and some charred cinders.
Kyla’s eyes were huge, “That just might do it.”
Daria could hardly catch her breath, “Oh, my God! Is everyone all right?”
All at once, she was surrounded. Ni-Cio swung her into his arms and danced around the room, throwing her into the air. The exultant cheers and accolades deafened her. The room came alive and everyone hugged and shouted and jumped with excitement. Daria couldn’t keep the grin from her face and she laughed as Ni-Cio twirled her in a circle.
Suddenly, Mer-An’s clear voice penetrated the exultant noise, “Daria, look!”
Ni-Cio slowed his mad celebration. All eyes turned to Mer-An. Gesturing wildly, she shouted, “Kyla did not collapse! Her energy is still with her!”
Ni-Cio’s thoughts transferred to Evan as he completed his recitation of the prevailing events, “With enough crystals, we will have the ability to defend against Travlor’s invasion and we will suffer none of the backlash of the intense energy drain…”
Evan still maintained misgivings, “I hope you can find the supply of crystals that you need…the army that Travlor has under his command grows in strength and cunning with each passing day…” Ni-Cio’s return surprised him.
“There is concern regarding your safety…”
Idly, Evan wondered who had expressed such worries. He stood alone on the rocky beach where his friends had left him. He bent to pick up one of the water smoothed stones. Hefting its weight, he reared back and launched. The rock sailed over the incoming waves. Sk
ipping across the water, it barely made a splash upon entry. He considered his reply.
He had left the compound because of a desire for privacy. However, he had discovered a part of himself that had just wanted to keep walking. He envied the waves their freedom. Evan rubbed his neck, feeling the first twinges of a headache. “I have yet to feel anything suspicious…preparations escalate and I am still kept apprised of the planning…there is no cause for alarm…” He tried to keep the despondency out of his thoughts, but the choices he faced seemed as though they would conquer him.
“Evan…this is not your fight, and there would be no blame if you chose to explore another path…”
Evan suddenly felt very old, “I have only one way open to me…the time has come and gone when other options could be taken…”
He sighed and the gentle expulsion of breath was yanked from his mouth and carried away on the impudent laughter of sea wind. “I will do what I can, but watch your exits…they are the key…Travlor will destroy all but the one…do what you must to prevent that from occurring…”
“I will inform the High Council and the exit guards will be doubled…we do not have the ability to fight in the entrance tunnels, so we will have to let Travlor’s men plant their devices…once they have retreated, we can move the explosives outside Atlantis…if we are granted the time…”
Evan knew the Atlantean was ready to break contact, “Ni-Cio, if I had known Daria was safe, I would never have aided Travlor…” His remorse weighed upon him like a thousand-year-old curse. He turned to make his way up the rocky path when he heard Ni-Cio’s reply.
“Everyone follows their own destiny…had you not been the avenue of Travlor’s freedom, he would have found other means…no matter the alternative, there was a high probability that Daria would not have survived…”
Because of the truth in Ni-Cio’s calm reply, Evan found partial absolution from his deep sense of guilt, “Thank you for that…”
“You honor us with your help…as my sister indicated, yours is a difficult and complicated entanglement…look to your safety…Travlor is not above killing his own son should he become aware of just where your loyalties lie…”
Evan picked up one more stone and hurled it with all his might. It seemed to soar forever before it curved into the sea. He hoped one day it would find its way to Atlantis. “Understood…I will keep you informed…”
“And I will give Kyla your regards…”
Evan couldn’t help himself. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he ended communications and started his ascent back to the compound.
Daria had stolen a few rare moments of privacy and had come to her chambers for a much needed rest. On her bed, one arm thrown haphazardly over closed eyes, she tried to let the musical tones of the waterwall soothe her to sleep. But she couldn’t concentrate. Her thoughts circled in a turbulent loop.
Her first students had progressed to the point where they could instruct others, and she knew that as each Atlantean learned to harness their telekinetic abilities, the teaching would spread exponentially. Within the next two days, all of Atlantis would receive the pivotal education. However, it was apparent that not everyone could obtain the same level of success. Abilities varied to an unbelievable degree.
It was truly a godsend when Ni-Cio and Aris discovered that those with lesser talents could combine efforts to produce the same caliber of energy as those with more explosive abilities. They also determined that there was a finite limit to the forces that could be combined. Those with a high degree of thought transference, when joined by an equal or greater ability, simply canceled each other out. The result was the obliteration of any power.
She was heartened to see the vast enhancement of such latent powers. But with each passing day, she wished she could do more to help with the defense. She was terrified that no matter how fast everyone developed their abilities, it wouldn’t be enough to stand against Travlor.
The odds of finding the specific quartz crystals that contained the necessary glacial striation were against them. And even though the speed with which the Atlanteans mined was inspirational, so far they had only unearthed one hundred stones. More! They needed to do so much more!
Her endless inner dialog was interrupted when a chime sounded. She didn’t feel like getting up. She removed her arm from her eyes and watched listlessly as the door dematerialized and Ni-Cio entered. He seemed to fill the room and her heart leapt. Again that sublime feeling of coming home.
His voice, low and tender, was filled with concern, “You have found no rest. Your thoughts run ceaselessly.”
She propped herself on an elbow and held out her hand. She had dimmed the ambient light, yet as Ni-Cio walked toward her, his skin rippled a golden bronze that played over him like a lover’s hands, her hands. The fluid symmetry of his movements thrilled her and reminded her of a tiger shark, beautiful, unpredictable and inordinately dangerous. Underneath his bioskin, lean muscles pulsed with magnificent power. His violet gaze held her captive.
She lost herself in the angular lines and planes of him as he walked to the bed. Sliding effortlessly under the silky sheets, he took her in his arms. An acute perception of the passage of time and the imminent possibility of the passing of life abruptly filled Daria’s heart. She clung to Ni-Cio with all her strength, “I cannot be without you…”
His lips found hers and the exquisite tenderness of his lovemaking enveloped her in a fragile cocoon of comfort and security. His breath traced a warm line down her neck. “You are my passion…my only love…worry not, for we will forever be alive through each other…”
Before her entry into Atlantis, the misty dream of a transcending love had sustained her during her young life. Now, no matter what happened, she knew that the reality of the blazing love she shared with Ni-Cio would sustain her for the remainder of her life. She closed her eyes, thoughts finally quiet, and gave herself fully to the clarity of the moment.
The tactical study group had left their assigned duties to meet at Marik’s behest. Seated around a small table, they listened as Ni-Cio stood before them, “Evan Gaddes has given me the plans for the initial assault.” He took a deep breath as everyone shifted in their seats, “It is not good.”
Marik looked at Ni-Cio, “Nothing about war is ever good. Just tell us what you know.”
Ni-Cio didn’t waste any more time on a preamble, “A squad of men will be dispatched to plant C4 explosives in all but one of our tunnels. Travlor plans to seal the exits in a timed detonation. Once our attention has been diverted, the invasion will proceed through the only existing tunnel. His men will be equipped with automatic rifles, flash grenades and advanced body armor. Travlor has stipulated nothing less than total annihilation. No one in Atlantis is to be left alive.”
Aris jumped to his feet. Variations of fire red twined with incandescent yellow, coloring his expressive face, “I will take responsibility for one of the tunnels. We will not be caught like rats in a trap!”
Rogert glowed a radiant bronze as he pushed from the table to stand next to Aris, “I will take a tunnel as well. The explosives will have to be moved.”
Chairs were jostled aside and everyone stood. There was no hesitation as every member of the group volunteered for the hazardous duty.
Marik was filled with pride. He eyed the courageous men and women standing next to each other. Touched and humbled by their offer, it was still not one he could accept. He gestured for everyone to take their seats, “I am sorry, but your willingness to sacrifice yourselves is more than Atlantis can bear. The chance of surviving the relocation of explosives is almost nonexistent and even with the speed of the biospheres it is unlikely that anyone will return. It is because of that awful probability that I overrule your offers. Understand that your leadership in the coming days will be indispensable. One of the sad consequences of war still applies, others must be placed in harm’s way to keep the leaders in a position to lead.”
Mer-An interrupted with a conce
rn they all shared, “How will you make the selection?”
Marik felt his strength diminish with the abhorrent task he had placed upon himself. He shuddered, “I will seek volunteers. Should the required number not come forward, a random drawing will finish the selection, though I do not foresee that becoming a necessity. I am certain that I will obtain more than enough offers. It is an odious task, one I never dreamed I would have to perform.”
A deep sadness ran through him and with great effort he stood and adjourned the meeting. The burden of his responsibility made him feel old. He signaled Ni-Cio to accompany him and the younger man followed as everyone else departed to other tasks.
They walked through the empty hallway in silence and Marik appreciated the time Ni-Cio gave him to collect his thoughts. Every now and then, minute shudders of different excavations could be felt underfoot. It was a dismal reminder of the changes that had befallen Atlantis, and a bleak projection of changes yet to come.
They reached an alcove and Marik stopped to watch the sparkling fall of water as it tumbled into a dark pond. Lost in thought, he took a moment before he settled onto one of the benches. When Ni-Cio joined him, Marik unburdened himself, “I do not want to waste anyone in the tunnels, but the problem presents a fundamental need for redundancy. Ni-Cio, should someone fail, is it imperative that a backup be present?” He studied the man who would follow him as Council Leader, then continued, “The questions then follow; how many men represent enough redundancy? Two, three, four? Must we guard every tunnel? And more importantly, what are the ramifications if we let Travlor’s men blow a chosen portion of our access routes without sacrificing our people?” Marik slumped over and rested his elbows on his knees. His body was tired.
Ni-Cio placed a hand on one of his shoulders, “I understand your hesitancy to send anyone into such a dire situation. But becoming part of a bomb detail does not necessarily equate to a sentence of death.”
Tides of Change (The Atlantis Chronicles Book 2) Page 23