Activity

oooh things just got interesting. lol … @denali-christianson , forgive me if I’m wrong, but Mori wouldn’t hesitate to try to stab Halmar…. right?  hehe

and…

haha. this made me laugh for some reason. Poor Halmar, doesn’t know Abirami’s ability yet… lol.

But great job writing! It took me by surprise. Didn’t expect that…

Ku’Aya

I walked into the room of mirrors and immediately lost my equilibrium.

What kind of joke was this? There were no mirrors. Only darkness. Darkness so thick it made me wonder if my eyes were truly open.

Lifting my hand, it came into focus, but beyond it I could see nothing. Not even the floor.

Spinning around, I searched for Abirami, but he was gone. Panic set in.

“No.” No way could I be alone.

I stretched out my essence, seeking for some living creature. Surely, I would find one. Even as a street urchin, I was never really alone. Every square inch of earth housed millions of friends I could have as companions.

Falling down on my knees, I searched the strange, cold ground I was on. If felt like glass, but it was as hard as metal. I couldn’t actually see it, but I could feel it.

The panic worsened. Not a single insect? How was that even possible.

Where was everyone? Where was I? What was I supposed to do? Where should I go? Could I go anywhere?

Hyperventilating, I hugged my knees and fell over into the fetal position. Every fiber in my body rebelling against my solitude.

Abandoned. Unwanted. Worthless. Unloved. Why was I even born?

Tears streaming down, I cradled myself, unable to move. Unable to speak. Unable to think.

(Poor Ku. Sadly, this isn’t even her worst fear. Being left in the dark is just one side of it, and she will struggle to get past even that. She hasn’t even faced herself yet… Okay… a small bit for Abirami now…)

The man May had been practically hanging on stepped in between us.

“Kindly put that away, both of you,” he said with a cheerful edge to his voice.

The man smelled of the sea, and his arm muscles were too big for his shirt. A seafarer, my guess, but the guy must have had quite a bit of confidence to step in front of that man.

I kept the knife in my periphery as I stared into the eyes of the stranger. Somehow I could hear his voice in my head, and he seemed to be trying to speak to my essence. It was strangely invasive and unpleasant. At least address me if you’re going to talk to me mentally. Still, who was this that had such power? He didn’t look like a neulahdian.

Still, I was glad Ulhas taught me something of protecting my mind from people like him. I restricted my mind, emptying it of all but what lay before me. Still, the voice continued, resorting to strange baying and howling, as if a more feral attempt to communicate with my essence would merit a different response.

Enydd walked up and pleaded with us to listen to the seaman, but I didn’t hear her exactly. I was too focused upon the telepathic psychopath. One move, buddy. Make one move, I dare you.

I didn’t blink. Neither did the telepath, and time stretching, making seconds seem like ages. Then the grin on the telepaths face grew ever so slowly.

With a reflex as quick as lightning, the telepath used the angles of his wrist and elbow to break the seaman’s hold of his arm in one fluid motion.

At the same time, I reacted just as succinctly, augmenting the bear’s strength, I grabbed the seaman by the forearm and pulled him back behind me and out of the reach of the shiny metal dagger that barely missed.

This telepath wasn’t just a strange walking ability, he knew what he was doing. Had I not moved him, that knife would have come down on the guy’s neck, angled sharply in.

Bringing the blowgun to bear once more, I inhaled deeply, aiming between the telepaths eyes.

His grimace nearly gave me pause, but then the telepath wavered, his eyes drooping. The room was finally taking an effect. Exhaling in a concentrated, short burst, I shot the dart at him, helping him find sleep all the faster.

The telepath’s hand shot up to his neck, pulling the barb out, but it was too late. He fell to the ground like a sack of grain.

“No!” Enydd cried.

The seaman spun me around and pushed me back. “What’s the matter with you?” he hollered angrily. He grabbed me by the cuffs of my robe and lifted, getting up into my face.

“It’s fine,” I said, dropping the blow pipe and holding my empty hands up. “I just put him to sleep.”

The seaman wasn’t convinced. He pushed against me, shaking me with his grip, but then Enydd placed a staying hand on his forearm. “Wait, Abirami did save you from the man’s knife. I saw it.”

“I coulda’ handled him,” he scoffed.

“He’s too dangerous. We should tie him up,” I said, “and keep him sedated.”

“Sedated?” asked Enydd. “But what if he’s just confused? Like you were, Abirami. Remember, you attacked us when you first arrived too.”

I looked at her, puzzled by her reaction. Could she really be so naive? “Did you not hear him? He found pleasure in the thought of tormenting us.”

“Hear him?” asked the sailor.

“Abirami,” said Enydd. “he… didn’t say anything.”

I looked between the two. So they really didn’t hear him?

“He’s a telepath.”

The sailor scoffed, laughing as he turned and walked toward the prone telepath. “This guy? Come off it.”

Shrugging, I picked up the blow pipe and headed back toward Ku’Aya. “Do what you will, then. Just don’t take him lightly. In my world, telepaths once ruled the world, then nearly destroyed it. A cautionary tale.

Sitting next to Ku, I waited. Enydd and the seaman spoke in length, but I was no longer concerned. The telepath wouldn’t wake up for at least another 5-6 hours. Unless he had the metabolism of a horse.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound filled my ears, and I backed away as insects swarmed around Ku, blanketing her from sight.

I recognized the sound of that buzz. Her hive was on the defensive. Even I would be attacked should I approach too closely.

Backing up, the commotion brought the others.

“What’s going on?

“Stay back!” I yelled. Ku’s hive was not to be trifled with. There was plenty of poison in that mix.

“Is it the girl?”

“Who?”

“The green one, with the funky ears.”

“She’s still unconscious,” I yelled, coming to her defense. It wouldn’t do for them to blame her. “She can’t help it. The hive is acting on its own. Something’s not right.”

“What’s not right?” asked Enydd.

I looked around at all the faces. Some amazed, some scared, some disgusted…

My gaze finally came to Enydd. “I don’t know.”