Outside Ascension

by Amy Proebstel

  Jasmine Medin, MD – / med in / – Doctor at Cannon Memorial Asylum under Dr. Stephen Gascon.

  Jehoban – / juh ho ban / – Means ‘of all the people’ who is the creator of everything. Earth equivalent: God.

  Jena – / jen uh / – Born Iyar 22, 3443, in Kirma. Daughter of Amanda. Twin sister of Juila.

  Jenny – / jen ee / – A dance team member from Amanda’s high school.

  Jern – / jurn / – A trusted friend of Bryon’s.

  Jesisca – / jes is kuh / – The name given to Amanda from Petre.

  Jessica Taivas – / jes i kuh tay vuhs / – Wife of Nealand Taivas Sr. Mother of Nealand Taivas Jr.

  Jose – / hohz ey / – Mexican man who found Amanda on the beach in Cancun.

  Juila – / joo ee luh / – Born Iyar 22, 3443, in Kirma. Daughter of Amanda. Twin sister of Jena.

  Justan – / juhs tan / – Surname: Kesh. Son of Bryon and Alena. Betrothed to Andera. Brother of Kyelon.

  Kenen – / ken un / – Manager of the telepod crystal quarry in Beewa.

  Kiya – / kahy uh / – A wise-woman in training with Alena.

  Kyelon – / kahyl on / – Surname: Kesh. Son of Bryon and Alena. Brother of Justan.

  Lucinden – / loo sin den / – One of the original angels of Jehoban. He confronted Jehoban for rule of the people and Jehoban banned him and his followers to Tuala.

  Nealand Taivas – / neel uh nd tay vuhs / – Son of Nealand Taivas Sr. and Jessica Taivas. Fiancé of Amanda. Also known as Neal.

  Nealand Taivas Sr. – / neel uh nd tay vuhs / – Husband of Jessica. Father of Nealand Jr.

  Nurse Bota – / boht uh / – The nurse who took care of Amanda in the hospital in Cancun.

  Petre – / pee ter / – Surname: MacVeen. Formerly known as Petren, lost social status and forced to lose the honorific ‘n’ at the end of his name. Wears a black onyx ring showing his status as a Master Deceptor. First person on Tuala to encounter Amanda.

  Rasa – / rah sah / – Born Tishri 5, 3423, in Port of Cresdon. Daughter of Ahn and Barla. Sister of Gravin. Student of Jehoban.

  Riccan – / rik an / – Chief engineer at the Telepod Engineering Company. Popular racer of telepods.

  Saul – / sawl / – Born in Wisconsin. Brother of Barla and Diane.

  Sherry – / sher ee / – Amanda’s best friend from high school.

  Stephen Gascon, MD – / gas cuhn / – Director at Cannon Memorial Asylum.

  Sydney – / sid nee / – Father of Barla, Saul, and Diane. Surname: Silnack.

  Tana – / tan uh / – Next-door-neighbor of Bryon and Alena in Kirma. Caretaker of Justan, Andera, and Kyelon.

  Zeka – / zee kah / – Daughter of Bryon’s father’s business partner. Mother of Andera.

  Places

  Acaim – / uh kām / – Island where Jehoban lives. Earth equivalent: Jamaica.

  Ascension Gate – / ə sen SHən ɡāt / – A link between the levels of reality, most of the Gates are set between Earth and Tuala. Where the ley lines intersect, the elemental energy is the strongest, creating a vortex of plasma power where a person can control movement between Tuala and Earth.

  Beewa – / be wuh / – Location where telepod crystals are mined. Earth equivalent: Merida, Mexico.

  Cannon Memorial Asylum – Located in North Carolina. Built in 1962 and shut down in 1999.

  Cerid – / sair id / – Location of creditors issuing a death and dismemberment order against Petre. Earth equivalent: Corpus Christi, Texas.

  City of Thulen – Major city in the heart of Thulen. A place where Petre has many illegal business transactions. Earth equivalent: Mexico City, Mexico.

  Durseni – / durs en ee / – Location of the Telepod Engineering Company. Earth equivalent: Cozumel, Mexico.

  Elder Isle – Location of Elder Debbon’s seat of power. Earth equivalent: Isla de la Juventud, south of Cuba.

  Gulf of Thulen – / thoo lun / – Large body of water north and east of Thulen. Earth equivalent: Gulf of Mexico.

  Ishal – / ish uh l / – Coastal town where Petre conducts illegal trade. Earth equivalent: Tampico, Mexico.

  Isla Mivua – / iz law mih voo uh / – Location where the storm transported Amanda to Tuala. Earth equivalent: Cook Island inside the Bermuda Triangle.

  Kirma – / kurm a / – Hometown of Bryon and Alena Kesh. Location of Kirma Shipping and Receiving. Earth equivalent: Campeche, Mexico.

  Matza – / maht za / – Small town where Bryon seeks healer assistance when Amanda breaks her wrist and is bitten by a beetlesnatch. Earth equivalent: La Isla located south of Cancun, Mexico.

  Mavuno – / mah vun oh / – Location where telepod crystals are mined. Earth equivalent: Villahermosa, Mexico.

  Pantano – / pahn tahn oh / – Location where Neal and Amanda started their journey. Earth equivalent: Boca Raton, Florida.

  Port of Cresdon – / krez dun / – Main shipping port in Thulen. Home of Ahn and Barla. Earth equivalent: Cancun, Mexico.

  Reesun – / ree suhn / – The large land mass north of the Elder Isle. Earth equivalent: Cuba.

  Thulen – / thoo lun / – Country where Port of Cresdon is located. Earth equivalent: Mexico.

  Tuala – / to͞o a-lə / – Planet where Jehoban lives. Alternate realm of Earth.

  Time

  Minggu – / min gew / – Sunday – First day of the week.

  Senin – / sen in / – Monday.

  Selasa – / say law suh / – Tuesday.

  Rabu – / raw boo / – Wednesday.

  Kamis – / kam us / – Thursday.

  Jumat – / joo mawt / – Friday.

  Sabtu – / sab too / – Saturday.

  Nisan – / nee sahn / – January.

  Iyar – / ee yahr / – February.

  Sivan – / see vahn / – March.

  Tammuz – / tah mooz / – April.

  Ab – / ahb / – May.

  Elul – / e lool / – June.

  Tishri – / tish ree / – July.

  Heshvan – / hesh vahn / – August.

  Kislev – / kis luh v / – September.

  Tebet – / te vet / – October.

  Shebat – / shuh baht / – November.

  Adar – / uh dahr / – December.

  Mesan – / may san / – Month.

  Declan – / dek lun / – Decade.

  Anon – / ann un / – Year. There are 365 days and 252 working days in an anon.

  Tuala Anon 3402 = Earth Year 1950 A.D.

  Definitions

  Aquaponics – / ah kwuh pon iks / – A process for growing food floating on water where the water contains nutrients supplied by live fish. The plants filter the water for the fish to survive. Since nutrients are readily available, the produce grows faster and in less space than traditional gardening.

  Beetlesnatch – / beet-l snach / – Black beetle 3-4 inches long, migrates by flying, poisonous bite, lethal to humans and animals.

  Betrothal – A formal union giving children even higher status in the community, approved and blessed by the Elders through a betrothal petition stating each family’s different abilities and what color of crystal each child bears. Only approved if it is a superior union for the good of the society commemorated with a betrothal ceremony along with a pair of matching bracelets or rings with a precious stone. Once the age of majority is reached by both participants, they get married.

  Birth Crystal – A circular pendant containing gem stones arranged as the leaves of a tree assigned to each citizen of Tuala within 24-hours of birth at a crystal ceremony, worn on an ornate chain around their neck. Once in place, the necklace cannot be removed until they reach the age of eighteen. The color of the stone can change with age, friends, or activities. Parents can both see and hear what their children are doing.

  Bruskin – / broos kin / – An alcoholic beverage served cold similar to beer.

  Clotted Cream – Sour cream.

  Deckhopper – Earth equivalent: a pirate.

  Elders – Individuals selected and traine
d by Jehoban in Acaim. Primary role to help/guide the people. Secondary role to protect the Ascension Gates.

  Elemental Energy – The magnetic energy found in the earth used by the people of Tuala through their birth crystal to create. Slang: Elemy.

  Elemy – / el eh mee / – Slang term for elemental energy.

  Epeny – / ep eh nee / – Drug causing drowsiness and pain relief, an anti-inflammatory. Addictive when used too long.

  Facultas – / fak uh l tus / – Meaning ‘ability’. A book explaining the Tualan people’s abilities used daily such as: teleportation, telekinesis, translation, deception, healing, amplification. Anything the mind can think of, the power can create, without any limitations.

  First-daughter – A girl who is betrothed to a son and brought into the son’s family and raised as a daughter of the family.

  Foxl – / fox-l / – Mammal with fur five inches long, straight when dry, curly when wet, head like a sheep, body size and shape like a cow, herbivore.

  Gania – / gah nee uh / – A measure of distance equivalent to an Earth mile.

  Genero – / gen air oh / – Meaning ‘to create’ or ‘creation’. A book covering the creation of the worlds, Jehoban and his wayward student named Lucinden, and the beginning of the Elders.

  Glawlet – / glaw let / – A common breakfast consisting of a fresh warm roll filled with a poached egg covered in a sausage gravy.

  Golden Jesisca – 60-foot yacht owned by Nealand.

  Invisibility Shield – A plasma field around an object rendering it undetectable from viewing outside of the field.

  Java – A stimulating beverage served hot or cold similar to coffee.

  Kittilee – / kit-l ee / – A miniature feline similar to a common house cat.

  Krumpli – / krump lee / – Edible tuber similar to a potato.

  Ley Lines – / lay / – Concentrated lines of magnetic energy in the land. Ascension gates are located where multiple lines intersect. Healers use the ley lines and crystals to assist with their talents to treat their patients.

  Life-line – The non-physical core of every living thing which ties into the elemental energy of the earth. Wise-women access a person’s life-line to accelerate healing.

  Lottery Pool – The two lottery pools are called the short list and the long list. Draw from short list if person declines post-study education. Short list retirement times range from nothing to one declan. Long list used for post-study graduates separated into two lists: one for general arts students’ retirement times range from ten to fifteen anons; the other for declared major students’ retirement times range from fifteen to thirty anons.

  Master Deceptor – A person who has mastered the skill of making people believe a lie augmented by the use of elemental energy.

  Old Soul – A Tualan name for a person from Earth.

  Old Soul Engineering Facility – A place where they study objects from Earth and reverse engineer them for their own use in Tuala.

  Patil – / pah til / – An electronic device used for storing/accessing information, making video calls, and scanning/printing documents similar to a computer.

  Pika Juice – / pahyk ah / – A fruity beverage similar to orange juice.

  Porino’s Café – A popular restaurant located at the southern port of Cresdon.

  Post-Study – Advanced education similar to college.

  Retirement – The amount of time immediately following formal education where the people are paid by the Elders to not work until their allotted time.

  Shill – Smaller denomination of money, a silver metal coin with ribbons of leaves curling around the edges. Ten shills equal one taj.

  Sportsman Class – The middle racing class of telepods, with a mid-sized body and crystal drive, achieving decent speed and noise. Sometimes operated with sponsors.

  Steena Tea – / stee na / – Sweet flavor with a minty finish, settles the stomach, refreshing.

  Stock Class – The beginning level for racing telepods, with the smallest body, generally slower because of smaller crystal drives. Some of these racers use expensive technology to enhance the power causing contention among other stock racers. Almost exclusively privately funded by the drivers.

  Supplemental Teaching Guide – Book of instruction inspired by Jehoban to help the Elders understand the way Jehoban wants the world to be maintained.

  Swimmers – Anyone found swimming in need of rescue.

  Taj – Highest denomination of money, a gold metal coin with a rose on the front. The average wage per anon is 350 taj.

  Telepod – / tel uh pod / – A wingless aircraft providing a means of air transportation, powered by a large crystal drive where the color and clarity determined the speed and reliability, operated by mind control, transferred from one location to another telekinetically.

  Telepod Engineering Company – / tel uh pod / – Creator and manufacturing facility for telepods. Located in Durseni.

  Tocolas – / tow koh luhs / – A red, corn-based chip colored and flavored by tomato juice, lime juice, and salt.

  Top Sportsman Class – The highest racing class of telepods. The largest telepod body and crystal drive, achieving faster speed and noise. Almost always operated with sponsors.

  Trilli Deli – A restaurant located at the main Port of Cresdon. A favorite place for Captain Ahn to frequent.

  Tunic – / too nik / – An upper garment, either loose or close-fitting, and extending over the pants or skirt to the hips or below.

  Water craft – A smaller boat usually operated by one person.

  Wise-Woman – A healer formally trained by an Elder. Giver of birth crystals and officiant of the crystal ceremony.

  Sneak Peek at Book Two

  Inside Ascension

  Available Now

  Chapter One

  AMANDA DID NOT know where to start. Everyone in the room sat in stunned silence at her announcement of the birth of the twins. All at once, the full meaning hit everyone, and they spoke at the same time demanding answers. Finally, unable to hear anyone through the commotion, Amanda raised her hands in surrender, hissing as the sudden motion jarred her broken arm, and yelled, “Stop! Give me a second and I’ll tell you everything I remember.”

  Her parents were the first to stop talking while Nealand continued to sputter and demand answers. Her experiences in Tuala had changed Amanda more than she knew and she now looked on Nealand in a new light. What she had once thought of as classical features now just looked ordinary. The eyes she used to love gazing into appeared beady and too close together. She started to wonder what she had ever seen in this man who would not shut up. If he really cared about me, he would’ve hugged me at first sight. He would’ve been happy with the announcement of his daughters and then demanded to lead the charge to get them back.

  “First, Neal,” Amanda began by pointedly staring at Nealand to make him stay quiet while she spoke, “I was rescued by a merchant trader who then held me captive for five weeks before I jumped overboard and escaped. I got a job at the Port of Cresdon where I happened to meet my Aunt Barbara, who goes by the name of Barla there. Aunt Barbara and her husband, Captain Ahn, sent me to a safe house in the City of Kirma. It was in Kirma where I found out I was three months pregnant with your children.”

  “But I don’t remember us ever doing anything,” Nealand sputtered.

  “Well, explain this…Petre found me naked. Why would I be naked unless we did something?” She awkwardly folded her casted arm with the other arm and waited for him to deny it again. “Do the math, Nealand, you and I were alone on your yacht from June seventeenth through the twenty-fifth. I gave birth to Juila and Jena on February twenty-second. That’s just over thirty-five weeks, Nealand. That’s considered full-term for twins and they weren’t even that small when they were born.”

  “But we didn’t have sex,” Nealand insisted.

  “Whatever, Nealand! You don’t have to worry about claiming your own daughters; they aren’t even on Earth right now. If I can’
t figure out a way to get back to Tuala, you won’t ever have to set eyes on them.” She paused to let that sink into Nealand’s brain. She saw him starting to form a rebuttal and decided she did not want to hear it. She preempted his next comment by announcing, “You know what? Everything in our lives has changed. We are too different from one another. I think now that you know I’m alive and well, you can just go back to your new girlfriend and have your own life without me in it anymore! Just leave, Nealand.”

  All the vitality seemed to drain out of Amanda, and she wilted dejectedly into the chair behind her where she had been standing. Her chin came to rest on her chest. Just as her hands dropped into her lap, she saw the sparkle of her diamond engagement ring just beyond the edge of her cast. Tears welled up in her eyes, both from jarring her arm yet again as well as the lost future with the former love of her life. At that moment she was glad the cascade of her long hair hid her tears from Nealand. She did not want to deal with Nealand trying to be nice to her on the account that she was alive, and he did not have to feel guilty about causing her death. He could leave with a clean conscience and forget about her and her children that he obviously did not want anyway!

  Concerned to see his daughter so upset after all of her injuries, Chris stood up and gestured for Nealand to stand up, and said, “Come on, Nealand. Amanda’s a little too upset right now. I think it’d be for the best if you left now.”

  All too eager to leave behind Amanda and her outrageous story, he stood up, delivered one last disgusted look toward Amanda, and then followed Chris to the front door. He stopped on the threshold, turned toward Chris, and spoke in a confidential whisper, “I don’t know what really happened to Amanda, but I can assure you, if she really did have any children, they aren’t mine. My parents can get you the name of a good psychiatrist to help get her back on her feet. She’s obviously very confused. How does she expect us to believe she was on a different planet where she happened to run into her dead aunt? It’s all a crazy fantasy, Chris!”