Astronomy

 

All through the next day the cloud remained, covering the summit township in a light gray veil. Moisture collected on the extensive rock slabs, making travel between the outer homes and the central fort slightly treacherous, especially in the morning hours. Ayleah's business was inside in any case. Hearing nothing about Telon the previous night, she planned to visit the scholarly offices herself while the others in the group took care of the supply distribution and affairs with the Premir.

The few researchers dwelling at Abrahim who were officially credentialed held offices in an upper level of the central fort. Somewhat contentious and reserved, they presided over an astronomical observatory set high in the large rock wall. Theoretically it was a public service for the greater community of knowledge-seekers. While others could reserve times (for a fee) to use the observatory, it was an uncommon occurrence. Many of the outsider researchers prided themselves on not needing the fancy instruments of the “academy fellows”, and frosty attitudes prevailed.

Ayleah found the observatory scholars like-able enough, though they shared the same reserve she had found among some at the Sanctuary. She often found that those who held knowledge were easily corrupted by the power of deciding who else gets to have that knowledge. The astronomers told her that Telon had scheduled a meeting with them over a moon-cycle ago, but never kept the appointment. Though they had initially met the blue-cloaked scholar when he first arrived at the village.

“He was in need of food and rest, so we told him he would be welcome back to speak with us once he had gotten those things. He seemed on a mission of great importance though. And he seemed an honorable scholar, I would have liked to know what he wanted to talk about.”

Ayleah pressed the point, “Has anything been going on astronomically that he might have wanted your input on? There was a reason he was sent up here, of all places, for his research. If I could find anything out about what that was, maybe it would give me a clue to where he went.”

The scholar looked at the other two, then back to Ayleah. When he spoke it was with a measured tone. “We know there is a change occurring. We do not know the consequences yet, or the exact cause. There is something altering the perspective of our world, and we have yet to pinpoint the source. We know this source is something, perhaps in our Solia System, that was not present before, but again, we don't know what this presence is yet. That is to say, we have observed changes, but not observed anything new in the celestial equation. For certain there is no cause for concern at this time.”

Ayleah felt a sort of buzzing deep in her spine somewhere. “Telon must have had some information to share with you about your findings. Maybe your observations were going to complete some theory of his. The scholars at the Sanctuary must have noticed something too and talked about this among themselves.”

“Undoubtedly true. I wonder what they found out there in the valley.” the astronomer replied, almost wistfully, “I wish we could be of more help to you, but we have not seen your mentor since that morning. Our meeting was supposed to be at midday, but he never appeared in our offices. We looked around to see where he had gone, but it seemed he left the village by mid-afternoon. There are only two roads out of town, but we haven't heard of any sightings.”

Ayleah left the office with just as many questions as she had had upon entering, though now they were different ones. She was just organizing her thoughts when a younger-looking scholar beckoned her from around a corner in the hallway. Curious, she followed and the scholar spoke to her in a low voice.

“I may know something about what happened to your friend, but I have to be quick. Some of the others don't like mentioning all they really know.” They glanced around briefly before continuing. “There's been a strange Mystic woman around the village lately. She dresses in all white and doesn't seem to say much, but everyone gets a bit of a weird feeling around her. I don't know anything for sure, the whole thing might be accidental. Anyway, I and a couple of the others saw her meet with a man in a blue cloak near the edge of the village. He sure looked like the person you described; definitely a scholar of some sort. They were walking toward the north side of town, near where the meadows begin. Maybe she's still hanging around somewhere and would have more information for you.”

Ayleah thanked the young scholar wholeheartedly, and walked outside with purpose. The cloud cover had brightened, and some of the stones were not so wet as earlier in the day. She left the central square and ventured out to the northwest side of town, where the rock ledges of the village softened into long sloping meadows of scrub that slanted precipitously downhill.

The suburban hermit meadows here provided no additional leads however, and she became distracted by the unique flora of this alpine place. Jaen found her returning slowly along the open rock-ways having found no trace of the woman in white. He was interested to hear of her visit to the astronomers, but echoed her disappointment in not finding more of a lead. They ate from the picnic lunch Jaen had brought with him, and spent a fun afternoon exploring the open ledges and the soft ethereal alpine meadows. The cloud never fully lifted, but Ayleah felt the day was light enough.

Suspicion

 

It was after they had eaten, and lights about the lodging had dimmed for the evening. Flor confronted her alone in the corridor outside their rooms. The inn being one of the constructions tunneled directly into the greater wall, floor to ceiling was all of the same dark glinting stone. From the corner by his doorway he caught her attention. “Curious, aren't you?” he said. Ayleah gave a little start, and turned to face the shadowed technician.

He hadn't said it as an accusation of her behavior, but rather with the tone of one defining a rare specimen. She was somewhat taken aback by the question.

“What?” Ayleah said, pausing in the corridor.

Flor stepped closer. “I've been watching you. You're not...you don't, feel like anyone else I know, certainly not the others in the group, and we're all not too alike anyway. No, there's something different about you.” His eyes examined her shrewdly. “What are you really doing here?”

Ayleah felt the urge to step back slightly, but held her ground. “I'm trying-” and her words caught as she remembered her conversation with Kaeri. “-trying to find out what's going on.” and then, feeling a little defensive, “Same as you it seems.”

“I thought you had come with us to find your mentor. Wasn't he missing up here somewhere, or don't you remember your quest?”

“I do, and he is!” She didn't know why he was pressing her. “It's just...things seem more complicated now.” she was not upset, but rather becoming annoyed with his presumption. “You shouldn't be so quick to judge others Flor. Did you think I was some sort of evil agent that had infiltrated this community? I may be different than other people, but that's the nature of the world! There is no true normal when you look at things closely, the comparison of each thing to its ideal shows that there is no standard that exists. Whatever I am, I am on your side, and that is what is important.”

A look of concerned horror threatened to creep onto Flor's face. “what do you mean “whatever I am?” what do you think you are?”

Ayleah gave a soft laugh. “Human, Flor, human as far as I know. I think I just sense parts of the world more strongly than others do, and sometimes behave a little differently because of it. It looks like you do as well, since you were able to feel that about me.”

Flor relaxed his stance. “Well, I guess that's reassuring,” he said. “but I still don't trust these other parts of the world that seem to be coming out of the seams more often lately.” his voice lowered slightly, “To be honest I don't trust our hitchhiker. Have you noticed that every time Kaeri is nearby time seems to move differently? I have memories from the past couple days that feel like I was drugged at the time. That's not right, but that's not the only thing. During the whole business with the cliff and afterwards, I don't remember seeing them with us at all. Yet, here they are, walking around in the summit meadows.”

He paused, now accusatory again. “I saw you two from the apothecary window. You went over and talked with them for a while it seemed. You looked awfully friendly with them, what do you two talk about? How do you know this strange person?”

Ayleah paused, trying to stay confident. “Kaeri isn't...they're not- you don't need to worry about Kaeri. They're only trying to help me.” She had been about to finish that first sentence with 'not dangerous', but there was a part of her mind that knew it would've been a lie. Truthfully, Ayleah was a little scared of Kaeri, who seemed to represent boundless power.

Flor looked at her shrewdly again, but now with a touch of empathy. “It's obvious you're hiding things from all of us Ayleah, maybe even from yourself. I don't think you're an 'agent of evil' though. Just know now that you don't have to go this alone, the group supports you. For my part, you can trust me.”

“Thank you Flor, I appreciate that.”

With that they said their good-nights, and she continued on to her own room.

Peak

 

They reached the summit village, feeling grateful for the sight. The vans passed a large sign next to a gatehouse that was so covered in lichen that it looked nearly as old as the forest behind it. The rocks of the road began to level off and they found themselves entering a large clearing among the tiny stunted spruce. To the left there were no trees, and the expanse of rocky ground sloped downward in placid but steepening folds. Straight across there and beyond was only sky, filled with the murky gray of a cloud. The road diverged though, and they turned onto the right-hand lane. Here at the summit a sizable rock wall had been erected, and the road split to pass it on both sides. Windows poked from the holes high in the wall, and sigils were painted here and there to signify the varying dominions of trade guilds and religious groups. Rounding the next corner, Ayleah saw that the wall was really a circle, fortifying a small space on the summit of the mountain. Within lay a sheltered square, ringed with important-looking offices and various mystical businesses. Peak Abrahim was a flagship among the mountain communities, sprawling along the open west ledges and furrowing into the krummholz wherever it could. What had begun as a loose collection of spiritual seekers and mountain hermits had over time solidified into an open sky city of sorts, hugging the mountain's highest point. Other fledgling rural towns in the region looked to the success Abrahim had enjoyed, even considering its naturally harsh conditions. Only three peaks in the whole range were higher than Abrahim's summit, and few communities endured such exposure to the elements. The circle-wall was essential to the stability of the village, and the offices which remained established within had reached a very stately and respectable status.

The township square was quiet today, dampened by the weather. Under a blanket of gray and surrounded by the cold stones, Ayleah's mind drifted from any sort of goal. Leaving the others to distribute cargo and do business with the town's Premir, she wandered through a small park on the side of the square. Places for sitting had been constructed around a circular area of the ground-rock that was strangely gold-colored. As Ayleah stepped onto it, she realized it was actually a large disc of metal set into the rock long ago. On its surface were scientific-looking markings and carved letters with the name of the peak and its elevation relative to the zero-point. The quaint public space marked the highest point on the mountain, but was immediately overshadowed by the constructed wall of rock next to it.

A set of stairs led from the park up to the top of the wall, and Ayleah climbed them, knowing the views would be limited anyway due to the clouds. Reaching the summit to find it languishing in the middle of a cloud had been somewhat disappointing; Ayleah reckoned the views on clear days down towards the river valleys must be spectacular. She was practicing the virtue of patience though, something she had learned in the meditation class back at the Sanctuary. In that class she found that experiences can happen on may different levels, all of which are a part of reality. Though the outside perception be clouded, the views of things nearer to oneself may be panoramic.

Blank gray and clinging mist where there should be a soaring and open reward for climbing is also a kind of zen lesson. The journey up the mountain had been enjoyable in its own ways, and so should not be dampened by one missed experience at the top. Each moment is its own moment, and two moments need not affect each other in a qualitative way. Just like in our three dimensions of space, we can learn more control over how points of time relate to each other.

In the moment of not seeing a view from the mountaintop, Ayleah knew she had a choice to re-examine the situation for its beautiful aspects. Oftentimes a person, place, or thing will have glorious and magical attributes which are not readily apparent from the natural casual perspective. If we cannot see the beautiful things of the world, we must engage in the act of shedding our perspectives and seeing those things with fresh eyes. The blankness of the cloud made her appreciate the meadows and tufty bushes on the rolling alpine terrain. Where gentle plants did not grow, there were sometimes sparkling puddles dispensed from the cloud. The village was all soft rocky hills and pleasant sandy lanes. It felt almost cozy, as if it were safe for once from the open sky.

The wind was a reminder though, of where she really was. Looking up, she could see streams of cloud moving fast over the mountain. Unseen, the wet air passed through town constantly with a rawness undimmed by any canopy of trees. Trees here cowered away from the wind, barely reaching the edge of the peak. Some that braved the ledges lay flat and grew mostly sideways all their life- all that the elements allowed. Ayleah shivered and tightened her coat. There was a rough staircase leading down the other side of the wall, and she began to descend thinking she would just walk back around on the outside street to re-enter the village center.

At the bottom of the stairs was what looked like another park. This one was less well-kept, but bore signs of use and appreciation nonetheless. It centered around a similar metal-paved area, and Ayleah looked for what it said, curious there should be another one so near. Its surface was older, with more marks of wear. Most of the numbers and engravings were the same, but where the other shinier one proclaimed “Abrahim”, this one named the summit “Pocock Hill”. Ayleah wondered if there was some significance to this, perhaps a local rift or change in government. When the old names of a place are removed, often they are forgotten entirely, only dredged up by some studious historian many decades later. If the new name has a narrower significance, or one shallower to meaning, that is a loss for the place. Here Ayleah noted the preservation of an old name, though it had been relegated to a space outside the walls of the central village.

Reflecting, she let her eyes wander over the rolling expansive landscape. From here the peak could be any height; just a bit of land among the rest. The fact that it was raised up so high, isolated and special, was a very complicated act of luck. Those who lived here seemed noticeably proud of their accomplishment, and each dwelling tucked under rock or moss or bush looked quainter and nicer than the last. Some were very basic, and the lifestyle here was certainly rustic, but the community was quiet and friendly to each other; everyone had their own reasons for being there, and could fairly easily choose their neighbors.

To the east, the trees closed in a bit more, forming small groves that hid meadows of lichen. Off in one of these meadows some distance from the wall Ayleah saw the orange-red eyes again. Kaeri must have also skipped the meeting with the Premir, and had gone for a stroll as well. They waved, and Ayleah walked over.

Rocks

 

Flor had never been up this high before either. He, Ayleah, and Atkins had bonded somewhat as the youngest members of the party, though among them Atkins had more experience in the mountains. She never held it over them, but she knew more about the clefts and crags of these rocky woods than most people of comparable age. She was also a capable scout, but had decided on this excursion to stick with the job of navigator. Raik was more than happy to tag along with his hover-bike and be their lookout.

Taking advantage of the break and good spirits at the top of the cliff, Atkins went over some charts with Jaen and Sutton, while Bellinda and the others checked over the vehicles again.

Ayleah and Flor wandered to the edge of the road and looked through the thin fence of spruce. They were now on a real outcrop of the mountain, and the land dropped precipitously beyond the line of trees. Blue sky showed through the lower branches. It was cooler up here too, with a raw wind penetrating the thin tree cover. It whipped and whistled around the steep rocky slopes. They both felt a thrill to think of how far they must be above the river valleys. All those verdant green lands were somewhere below; out there in that blue. From a low rounded boulder they could see only the edge of the slope. Some tips of trees fell away into a vast open expanse. Any other sight was still shrouded by the tangled lower branches of the evergreens.

The road here was narrow, with barely enough room for vehicles to pull off to the side. The group figured they should keep going while they were still making good time to the summit.

Flor hung back momentarily when Ayleah returned to the vans. There was something about her. Something he couldn't put words to, but it was there. She seemed special in some way, almost like when one enters a clearing in the woods and wonders why no one seems to know about it. The clearing is such a perfect spot for whatever leisure led you to the woods, but there is no sign labeling it as a feature, or marking of it on a map. It was not attraction he felt for this girl, but rather a worried curiosity. There could be something about her that was affecting their journey. Flor, being a technically-minded sort, looked for the influences of things and the mechanics of their activity. He saw Ayleah as a potential for chaos; uncontrollability in the system. That in itself was fine, but his worry was that there was something else, dark and sinister, behind her mechanics. He kept his eye on Ayleah when they got back in the vans. She seemed engrossed in her journal, writing a new entry. The more Flor studied her, the more she seemed like just a normal young woman with a sense of curiosity and adventure, no more.

The vehicles thumped softly up the road away from the dark chasm of the switchback ledge, but the mountain did not relent. Though none of the remaining ledges seemed quite as dangerous, the drivers were nevertheless given challenge enough. They ascended the sides of massive boulders and long tumbled fields of smaller ones flanked by incredibly steep woodland slopes. The dwellings were fewer now, true hermit shelters built into mossy cliffsides. A narrow band of sky above their path grew wider and wider as the trees became stunted and twisted from the constant winds. The rocks began to dominate more than anything else though, vast surfaces cleaned of dirt and moss by weather. They were light gray and banded through with bits of silver or whole stripes that would sparkle in the sun. Sometimes the group would pass near a whole side of a cliff gleaming as the sunlight pierced through clear pristine quartz. All along the giant rocks were dotted and colonized with hardy lichens, giving greenish hues to the rugged granite. Where repulsars or wheels had crushed the surface, the path sparkled with mica and crystal. It was hard, even for the older members of the party, to take the beauty of the high mountains for granted.

They were climbing one of the massive banded rocks, one where the vans had little choice of route but straight up the steep rough surface. As they slowly ascended, the gap of sky above them won its battle with the trees, the stunted spruce retreating to crevices in between the cliffs. It would have allowed the fullness of sun onto the wide granite surface, if there had been sun in the sky. Though it was a clear enough day, they had climbed now right into a dry cool fog. Clouds often lingered about the mountain peaks, Ayleah remembered now, wondering again at where she was.

Just above their way and to the left stood a round boulder at least sixty foot high from its base. It was natural and rough, but looked almost round enough to have been carved, and was comprised of pure white marble. Sutton turned to Jaen in the front of the first van. “Almost there.” he said with a grin.

The Ledge

 

At the trailhead clearing, he hadn't been aware enough. There had been violence and confusion so suddenly, and he had had to scramble his focus onto Ayleah and her safety. Bellinda and Sutton both had privately reassured him that Craig's death held no reflection of his ability as their captain. Both had done so fervently enough that Jaen felt somewhat bolstered, but was still shaken from the experience. It was his first command in the mountains, and success was the only path forward in his mind after the debacle at Norton Brook. It was not just a personal shame: throughout his life at the falls it had been a quiet undercurrent. Unspoken among his household was an expectation of him to continue the family's return to glory. He sometimes doubted the legitimacy of that glory, and fell to using his own achievements as a test of its truth.

One load of goods had stayed behind at the Battell village. The driver now rode in the other small van with one of their hired warrior-rangers. The three of them in that van were longtime friends and mountain veterans, so Jaen was able to trust them mostly to their own devices. They followed behind the two larger carriers, driven by himself and Bellinda. Raik was the party's forerunner, out ahead on the scout craft. He was a good man, even when his methods seemed unconventional. A foreigner, though from where no-one seemed to know. His eyes were always serious, but he had a jovial attitude and his skills as a ranger were undeniable.

The vans thumped softly uphill through beautiful old forests of moss and spruce. Jaen was proud of how he had handled his vehicle so far, flowing with the uneven terrain and careful not to jostle the supplies he carried or his passengers. More often now the ledges they had ascended were wholly sheets of rough sloping granite, and Jaen had felt his focus tighten as they followed thin furrows in the massive rocks. At the top of the first real ledge of this kind, they had stopped for a break. A painted woodland church towered over a quaint rocky square overlooking the cliff. The land here generally sloped down on both sides, this hamlet being one of the first quasi-summits on the mountain's south ridge. In previous days, they had felt only the steady climb of the mountain-side, but now it appeared clear that the road was leading them up a narrow spine. There was an air of excitement and the group had shared some supplies and conversation with the locals. The small community was lively and welcoming, curious about each expedition that came their way. This was the southern edge of the Mount Abrahim township, and thought of itself as a gateway village. Jaen's party found that they were well on track to make the summit by late afternoon, though the road ahead was steep and rough. Jaen had met with the other drivers before they left to discuss attack strategies for any rock ledges they might come across. With the blessings of the mountainside villagers, they continued on their way.

--

The immensity of the rock in front of him stirred his mind from its reflections. A smooth wall of gray lurched itself directly out of the roadway, which was forced sharply to the right. It carved a large switchback up the face, edging toward the scruffy roots of forest where it could. On the subsequent upper traverse, great scoops of rock had been carved away to give vehicles some sort of chance on the grade. It was larger and steeper than any of the other cliffs they had braved, but Jaen thought it didn't seem too difficult. Going carefully and steadily, they would easily make it, provided they also didn't look down from that traverse.

The party had slowed to a halt at the foot of the ledge, and Jaen got out and spoke to the others briefly. Sutton left the first van too, looking Jaen in the eyes during their conference.

“You're sure you're ready for this?” 

“Yes” Jaen answered, his eyes set. “We need eyes on the roadway up there so we don't stray an inch. That cliff is rounded, and if one repulsar leaves the grade the whole van could lose traction. I know if I can do it with you guiding.”

Satisfied, and understanding his captain's intent, Sutton joined Raik on the scout craft. They ascended together to the traverse, then Sutton climbed to a position higher on the grade. From there he could give direction to help guide the vans across. Raik continued on to the landing above the cliff and kept at the ready, holding a landing space for the other vehicles.

Then the smaller van with the mountain-born driver climbed up. It was far from their first time and they had a lighter craft, so they handily made it up the switchback and across the traverse. Sutton saluted them as they passed.

Jaen's van was next. He gave a reassuring grin to his two passengers in the back. Atkins and Ayleah both tried to mirror his confidence, but they also both knew they should be ready for Sutton to turn from guide to rescuer. Jaen knew Sutton could probably save his living cargo, should something go wrong, but he really needed to not lose the van as well. In addition to the scolding he would get from Bellinda, the summit townships were counting on their supplies.

The first climb was not so bad. The cleft next to the rock was steep and narrow, but the rough granite and tree roots gave good traction for the repulsars. They made it easily enough to the switchback, and turned to face the route across the top of the cliff. Jaen was immediately grateful for the work of whoever had carved out those scoops of rock. It would have been tough to shape this hardened ledge at all, but near impossible for any vehicle to traverse in its natural state. Carefully he began his crossing, with Sutton ahead and above on the slope indicating directions.

They were three-quarters of the way across when Jaen felt the first slip. Strangely, his first thought was for his passengers; there was a millisecond of panic for Ayleah over any other cargo he had. The next moment, as he readied to power through and get to the other side, the corner of his eye noticed something that stood out strangely to his perception. There was a grappling hook in the tool rack behind the passenger seat, and an intuition seemed to move his right hand automatically to reach for it. The steering wheel firm steady in his other hand, he nevertheless felt the second slip as it happened. This one was more significant; one of the repulsars had hit an irregularity in the grade and bounced its corner of the van off toward the sharp downhill slope. As the van fishtailed off the ledge, Jaen held steady and calm. His hand had fired the grapple a mere instant before the slide. One end lodged around a medium-sized spruce trunk, he held the other in his fist and pointed the van back uphill.

The grapple strained and Jaen gave more power to the repulsars, aiming them torward the landing as best he could. As they regained the grade Sutton joined the action, running along the top of the rock. Seeing Jaen's forward momentum, he cut the grapple line so they could reach the safety of the upper road where Raik was waiting.

Once safely parked by the scout craft and the small van, Jaen got out to check his cargo and help Sutton guide the last van up the cliff. This time they set up a grappling system beforehand, and working together the ascent went smoothly. Spirits were high in the group, and Jaen felt he had perhaps proved some ability to the rest of them. More importantly, he felt he had proved it to himself.

Evergreen Magic

 

A new bright sunny morning found teams at the Battell clearing ready to go on their days. While most of the traffic packed up and headed down towards the road junction, Jaen's group pointed their vehicles at the route uphill and began to make their way out of the village. The dirt road wound up through dense pine woods filled with the soft twinkle of woodland houses. An undergrowth of moss came out to line the walls of the way, still composed of the same glittery shale. The pitch seemed somewhat gentler than the road up to the ridge had been, but eventually they came across patches where it would steepen, gaining ever more elevation. At these points the surface would cut in like giant stair-steps to aid in the repulsors effort uphill. Local wheeled traffic had more difficulty with the stepped stretches, taking narrow routes up on the sides, or switch-backing the whole flight.

More often, it seemed locals shunned the main road, preferring their own routes threading along the slopes. Numerous cart-tracks forked off into thick moss and spruce, leading to ledges and pockets on the hillside. The driveways were often well-hidden, and Ayleah was sure they led to paradisaical groves whose tenders desired to keep forever secret from visiting eyes. The only trespassers the hermits accepted in their secluded mountain glens were the animals, as those were closer to a part of the land anyway.

The land was a wonder, even to those in the party who had been there before. Whole fuzzy green meadows stretched up and undulated into the distance under the spruce canopy. Moss completely dominated the stark mountain land, coating the surface of the forest floor and even reaching up some of the trees. Mushrooms made an appearance too; small glassy ones that poked gently from moss-laden cliffs and large towering toadstools with brightly-colored tops. Their frequency and placement was often influenced by the residents, accentuating homestead gardens. The signs of life about were many, as humble farms cut their little patches into the mossy glens. Rustic cart-tracks connected dwellings and small trading squares in a network of terraces along the slopes. All the time the mountain continued upward ahead of the travelers, steady and singular. The road wound back and forth but always in a northerly direction, ascending the slope of the peak.

Ayleah found she thought little of the others, or of recent events for a while, so enraptured was she in the sights of this mountain community. The land was not so harsh here, though somewhat isolated being a couple days travel from any city. Life seemed to thrive in a peaceful, contemplative way, taking good care of whatever it had available. The denizens looked to live a sparse life, but there was a glow of contentment nevertheless. Ayleah supposed it came from their security in undisturbed community up here on the mountain. That, and the clarity of the air here. Ayleah would sometimes stop what she was doing and just breathe the air, enjoying utterly the smells of the forest in all its blossoming and decay. She could take in with all senses at once the spruce needles and bark, the dirt, the bitter stone, the crisp air, and the undercurrent of animal musk. That out-breath was always a moment of complete peace.

Not one to give in easily though, the mountain revealed itself to them around a bend in the road. A small wayside and a more noticeable side-track proclaimed the first real rock ledge of their route. A whole sheet of stone, from their perspective nearly the size of a small city were it unearthed. It raised itself like the spine of some sea creature heaving up through the woods, shouldering aside the earth to expose and breathe the sky. The road ran in a direct line up to one side of the middle crest, bounded in a narrow crevice of the rock.

The group paused to check the vans; secure baggage and make sure the engines were at peak performance. Then one by one they began an ascent. The rock spine leveled off towards its summit, so the going was not so bad after an initial short effort. The crevice barely afforded space for any oncoming traffic though, so the drivers, especially Jaen and Bellinda, were grateful they did not encounter any. Once up the slope, the road left the crevice and crossed open rock between green woodland canopies. The spine continued up a bit more to the left, forming a miniature rocky peak among the pine glade. Here there was an inn and a more sizable collection of dwellings.

There had been a moment approaching the ledge that Ayleah had been apprehensive. This road had an intensity unknown to her previous woodland travels. She figured the others had been by this same exact ledge before, but it still felt dangerous and she was glad to reach the level spot below the pine knoll. She had been well-reassured by the casual skills of the driver of her van.

Heights

 

There was an air of soft excitement to the shelter camps. All around in the glow of numerous lights people plotted their adventures or told stories of nostalgia and love. At the edges of the lights others lulled to sleep by the quiet murmurs.

Ayleah stood at the edge of the shelter's opening, looking out into the night. The woodland glade which had been so lively during the day was quiet and empty. Here and there lights shone from the shrubby sides, either local dwellings or camps that shunned the enclosed community of the shelter. The spruce forest was a painting of shadows. The lights of homes dwindled as they climbed steep slopes beyond the market square. Thin trees supported a wiry canopy and sprouted from a moss-patched undulating carpet. Before she really had made the decision, she was down from the shelter and wandering along one of the forest lanes.

That whole afternoon had seemed a little dreamy actually. She had felt her spirit recover as they climbed the mountain, now over a full day's cycle past the incident at the trailhead. The magical scenery had been a good distraction, but she still had desired to slip away from the group by the time twilight came.

After dinner, she had gone to explore the shelter-village, ending up at the edge of the opening, looking out. It felt almost as if she had been drugged for the past few hours, only now waking up from that sort of dreamy state. There was no reason to think she had been, only that the encounter with and arrival of Kaeri in their group had been so odd and strangely notable to her. Ayleah reasoned that the compilation of all those thoughts, feelings, and perceptions were the reason behind her solo evening walk.

For just a moment the body was in shadow, with only a pair of reddish eyes staring back at her from the darkened glade. Then the guest themself stepped forward, seeming to materialize on the path. Kaeri looked more masculine than they had earlier, wrapped in a short but substantial cloak of deepest green. Their face was hooded, but exuded only friendliness upon seeing Ayleah.

“Decided on a twilit walk as well Ms. Pine?”

This felt right, though she had come here to be on her own. “I've just had so much on my mind lately. I needed some time away from the others to put it all together.” she took a deep breath. “The air is really nice out here too.”

They stopped at a spot where deep blue sky could be seen past the falling slope to the south. Kaeri looked at her curiously. “Why did you come up here?”

Ayleah was somewhat startled by the question. This person surely was connected with the peripheral orange flashes she had been seeing for some time now. Was Kaeri simply a pawn for whatever energies were trying to help her? If they truly were some sort of aetheric being, then what was the purpose of this question? And how should she answer, especially given the time and place? She tried not to stall too long, but thought about the words as they came.

“I suppose, I felt I had to. My mentor, to whom I've pledged my service in education, has not been heard from in over a moon-cycle. He should have reported by now, and I'm concerned for his safety traveling on his own in the hills.”

“Are you really that concerned? Telon is a master scholar from the Queen Cities. I am sure he has traveled solo to the mountains before now and can take care of himself. If you respect him so much as a teacher, you should be aware of that much as well.”

Ayleah bit her lip, ultra-aware again of her surroundings. “I guess...you're kind of right. I know he's much more well-equipped for this sort of expedition than I am. But I still feel like I should be here, like I was drawn to this village by something. Curiosity, maybe, what else?”

“I don't doubt you crave adventure, as you should.” Kaeri said, grinning. “I certainly thrive on it and almost can't understand anyone who doesn't. Your curiosity is possibly your best trait Ayleah. Why did you get on the wrong LDT from the Sanctuary?”

Ayleah looked confused for a moment. “I got the schedules mixed up. Left at the wrong time, and didn't want to wait another week for a shuttle to the mountains.”

“That's not like you though, to mix up an important plan.” Kaeri returned.

“If I hadn't, if I had left on time-”

“You would never have met Jaen, or his fine companions.”

Kaeri let the silence fall; waited for Ayleah to speak next.

“Who are you?”

“Like I said, I give my name as Kae-ri. I can promise I will be a friend and an aid to you when I can. You, Ayleah, are one of the few humans that seems to be able to sense the connecting energies of things. Now, don't for a minute think you're special: any one of you should be able to sense that aspect of the world. I just find it fascinating when one of your kind takes the time to appreciate the world around them enough that it ceases to be invisible to them. Some might have malicious intent, but one who would be my friend? That is a real treasure, and one I would gladly fight for.”

“It really has always been you?” Ayleah turned to look fully at the other, only now appreciating the fact. “You keep talking about 'my kind'. What kind are you?”

Kaeri smiled again and looked away. “I am without that sort of distinction. I once was a frog who remembered they used to be a rock. My life changed dramatically from that moment. I have been many things, but I still enjoy being rocks from time to time.” they sounded half joking, half wistful.

Ayleah's mind was running with the things she had learned at the Sanctuary. “With Telon, and with the other scholars, I learned about the energy of places and objects. You're...like a magical place come to life!”

“Your scholars get some of that wrong. There is no place that has more energy than another. Perhaps one that is more polished, or harmonious, or suited for a certain activity. But the whole of reality is one pool of energy. That is why I can be anything, because I know that it's all the same.” the robe had been replaced at some point by a well-tailored dark red suit. “You are not special because you have a connection to the magical energies of the world. You are fortunate to have developed exceptional powers of perception towards them. It has given you a power of luck, and only led you astray once so far. You should be aware of how you cultivate your connection and which energies you connect with.” Kaeri looked Ayleah square in the face, their deep russet eyes betraying a playfulness behind the steadfast gaze. “Above all, enjoy this life! If there is one thing I have learned in my travels it is that life is a wondrous gift; an opportunity of working in this beautiful world. Don't let whatever destiny be a weight: let it sweep you, soaring, to the heights.”