Butterfly's Dream - Overture 3 (fragment)

“I’ve come to this place to make sure you’re taking the proper path,” says in the end the stranger in the dark-orange robe, breaking the silence. “Your journey is going to begin here, right in front of this work of art. Don’t strain yourself too hard to understand everything at once. Understanding will come eventually, gradually, in time.”

“Who are you, really?” I ask, turning my head towards him. I plan to follow up with a few more questions, but the monk is gone. He has simply vanished into the air. Startled by his surprising disappearance, I turn my eyes back to the strangely distorted landscape from the frame in front of me. And, suddenly, I am again the man inside the print, looking at the print. Space is curling around me, wrapping my body like a dark veil. When I turn my head once more towards the hall, I feel I’m both inside and outside the frame. It is a most unusual sensation, and it makes me dizzy.

I think I’m going to faint and prepare to meet the unfriendly, hard marble floor in my fall. Yet, my knees manage somehow to stay steady. Instead, the whole room is dissolving. A few seconds later, I suddenly get comfortable, lying in a bed placed under a domed ceiling. The room is bathed in a pleasant, diffuse blue light.

“Let the story begin!” commands a man’s voice.

I fail to see its owner. The room looks empty.

“Let it begin! Bon voyage, mon ami!” replies an invisible chorus. A flash of light envelops me for a split-second. Then I seem to materialize in a different location.

The bed and the empty room are gone. For a moment, I’m aware of floating inside a giant liquid bubble, but my eyes are immediately closing by themselves with overwhelming strength. Powerless to react in any way, I’m falling into a deep dormant state. Still, I can hear voices speaking loud and clear inside my brain.

Black! I think he is sufficiently relaxed.

Gray! His body and mind are adjusting to the intermediary environment.

Red! Increase gradually the output up to half.

Orange! The readings of his body parameters are normal.

Yellow! Open the gate towards the new environment.

Green! Continue to increase the output all the way to the maximum.

Blue! The gate towards the new environment is active.

Purple! Disconnect the primary environment.

Crimson! Separate him from the intermediary environment.

Violet! Stand by for ignition.

White! Ignition and lift off! He has already crossed to the other side!

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:

BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU

TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/pinacoteca-di-brera-3529230/

Butterfly's Dream - Overture 2 (fragment)

My memory still has big gaps. I can’t recall clearly the past few days or, as a matter of fact, anything preceding this moment. I still don’t remember how I’ve got into this room and in front of this print. Perhaps this stranger has come to help me figure out what’s going on.

“You’re right,” says the monk. “Escher has caught brilliantly the fact that the ego is an illusion, that what’s inside our head cannot be fully separated from what’s outside our skin. Not that he was the first to do so. However, he was one of the best artists to show it in an intuitive and easy to understand manner.”

I feel like in a classroom where I’m a student and he is the teacher. As soon as the stranger finishes talking, a revelation begins to germinate at the back of my brain. It looks like the whole scene is happening in a dream, like I have dreamed of it before. The whole situation and the whole dialog seem somewhat rehearsed, artificial, as if we were two mediocre actors playing their roles on an invisible stage. I say:

“My memory is kind of blurred. I can’t remember clearly what’s happened to me recently. I’ve got the impression you aren’t here by chance. Have you come to help me, to guide me somewhere?”

The monk stares straight into my eyes with a serious expression. He nods in silence. Time seems to flow slower now. The air has become somewhat viscous and heavy.

I breathe deeply a few times to calm my mind, then turn my head back towards the artwork. It’s still there, as it was when I stopped in front of it. Yet, something else, hard to define, is different now. I don’t know where my past is rooted, but I’m somehow aware where my future lies. As if everything has suddenly begun to flow in the opposite direction, from the future towards the past. Without being aware of how this information has filled my thoughts, I know there’s a path in front of me, a path onto which I have to step soon. Very soon, probably in less than a minute.

We both continue to look at the print like we’re holding a vigil in front of it. I feel as if Maurits Cornelis Escher himself is standing now behind us, gazing intently at his own creation. However, why am I going through this strange scenario? What are these preparations for? What kind of trip is waiting for me? Or, perhaps, it has already begun?

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-1283009/

Butterfly's Dream - Overture 1 (fragment)

The mild, pleasant rays of the autumnal Sun are sieving in through the circular window buried in the blue-painted ceiling, like drops from a delicate celestial waterfall. They fill the room with a golden, relaxing light. Prints of buildings, landscapes, or portraits, all placed neatly in thin frames, cover the gray-plastered walls everywhere I look. Sounds of steps and conversations in low tones resonate and combine in frequencies that are overlapping around my stiff, standing body. People are coming in or moving out towards the other rooms of the art gallery. An incessant, continuous flow of costumes, dresses, and voices.

Why am I here? What am I doing in this place? Where is this place located, anyway? I feel as if I have been suddenly planted, like a sapling, at the edge of this hall, as if I have just materialized on this spot out of the void.

Seconds later, fuzzy memories come back, slapping my brain with a vigorous gentleness. I remember the announcement about the exhibition. I have read it in a newspaper, the other day. It was about a rare and extensive Escher collection, almost all his masterpieces in one place, open to the public from my city for a full month. And here I am, in front of this lithograph from 1956, named “Print Gallery”.

The flow of people continues unabated left and right, forward and backward. It’s a never-ending swirl of footsteps and voices. Visitors pause for a few moments in front of a framed image, then move, almost in haste, to the next. I keep looking at “Print Gallery”, hypnotized by its unusual composition. My eyes remain glued to the man displayed there. The man is gazing at the works filling a long passageway. Through an insane twist of space, the framed image in front of him expands, enclosing the room, the building, the whole Universe. Unperturbed, he stares at the print of which he has become a part himself. And now I am that man, and I’m looking at the print from the print, and I have become part of this print myself.

“What do you think of this work? It looks intriguing, doesn’t it?” strikes a voice at my right.

Pulled out of my dazzling vision, I turn my head slowly and find standing next to me a slender, middle-aged man of medium height, dressed in a dark-orange robe. His head is neatly shaved, and he’s got a peaceful smile on his face. A Buddhist monk. Well, why wouldn’t a monk be interested in art, too? However, my instinct tells me he isn’t here by chance. His question sounds more than casual, it must have a deeper meaning. So, I do my best to articulate my thoughts as clearly as I can:

“I have to agree, I’m fascinated by it,” I murmur in a low tone. “The image seems to blur the distinction between what’s inside and what’s outside someone’s body.”

His gray eyes look at me intensely, as if they could drill through my skull and read my thoughts. Yet, there is a peace and a friendliness in them that could only come from someone who has reached a high spiritual level. The monk is someone who apparently wants to help me with something. But with what? And why?

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

#novel #scifi #fantasy #fiction #sciencefiction #adventure #romance #exploration #art #indie #writing #prose #literature #timetravel #historical #sciencefiction #imagination #creativity #world #planet #firstcontact

Image: "Print Gallery" by Maurits Cornelis Escher (1958)

Aquatika - beta version - Part 16 - Chapter 2: Lucero

Not long after dinner, I go to the medical section for a checkup. In ten minutes, they conclude that all my vitals are OK, and I don’t need further supervision. My superficial wounds and scratches are quickly examined and treated. Then I drag my feet to the room they have given me for the duration of my staying here and collapse on the bed, exhausted.
The forty-one days in the wilderness took a toll on my body, as expected. I will remain in Lucero until the test ends and perhaps one or two weeks after that. I was kind of surprised to find out I’m the first person to become a master this year. Well, nine more days are left, and there are still eight people competing. Solis and Lila are out there, fighting against the Wilderness, trying to go beyond their own weaknesses. I hope they are doing well. It would be wonderful if we all ended up as masters after this test.
The fatigue hammers me down and out. My brain switches off immediately, and I fall asleep.

***

Anh dropped me in front of my home around eight-thirty. I was the last one to get off the car, as I lived a bit closer to Akonit than Lila and Solis.
“I’ll see you this evening,” the supreme master said. A few seconds later, he was already out of my sight.
I half-opened the door and squeezed inside the house, trying to make as little noise as possible. Alas, as soon as I stepped in, I almost bumped into my mother. She was supposed to be at work, but perhaps she had taken a day off, still trying to find out what had happened to me.
“I’m home,” I murmured in a feeble voice.
“Where have you been?” my mother asked in a stern tone.
I had no more energy to talk, no strength to explain what had happened. So I took the letter from Anh from my pocket and gave it to her.
“What is this?” she demanded, her eyebrows descending in a frown.
“Please read it,” I pleaded. “It explains everything.”
My mother opened the envelope and pulled out a thin sheet of paper. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the Aquatika seal at the bottom.
“Go and change your clothes, then come to the living room,” she said, sighing lightly.
Five minutes later, we were both seated on the couch, looking at each other in silence. A few tears trickled down my mother’s cheeks. My mother wiped her eyes with the back of her right hand and soon regained her composed expression.
“I suppose what master Anh suggests is the best course of action. In the meantime, I have called the police and told them all three of you are back home safe and sound. Perhaps the parents of your friends have done that, too. The police have stopped the search for you as missing persons. I will immediately call your father at work and ask him to come home at noon. Your sister will receive the news when she gets back from school.”
The hours flowed slowly. Then I finally saw from the front window my father getting off the bus. As soon as he stepped inside the house, he hugged me, then picked up the letter from Anh and read it carefully. My younger sister arrived about thirty minutes later. She also read the letter and began crying as soon as she finished it.
There were good things and bad things about my new situation. The best thing was that I was that they offered me an opportunity few teenagers ever got: to become an Aquatika master. However, the opportunity did not guarantee my success. I might fail again and again, and, in the end, I would have had to embrace a different career.
Perhaps I could be an engineer, like my father. Or a teacher, like my mother. Or I might even join the army. I realized I was already in high school, and yet I had never thought about what I wanted to do for a living.
Unlike me, Silvana, my younger sister, was ambitious and knew what she wanted. She had already set up her mind to become an airship pilot. Her grades were excellent, and she was working hard to achieve her goal.
As for me, I was a slacker and a procrastinator. This didn’t mean my grades were poor, but I was not exactly a top student in my class. Instead of spending the evenings studying hard, as Silvana did, I preferred to go swimming or read novels. I guess these habits were going to change for me, too, from now on.
“Well,” my father said. “This is a good opportunity for you to achieve something great in life. What pains us is just the fact that you have to leave on such short notice. On the other hand, it’s not like you can’t call us or write letters from Diana. And it’s not like we can’t visit you there. Sure, Sirenia is not exactly next-door, but we can save enough money to see you once a year.”
“Really?” Silvana asked, her face brightening. “Then I suppose we’ll manage somehow.”
We spent the afternoon together, making plans, thinking about how our lives were going to be years and years in the future after I’ve got my master badge. However, we all knew these were only dreams. Of course, I expected Anh to take special care of my training, given the circumstances.
Nevertheless, less than one percent of those admitted into the full Aquatika program managed to graduate as masters. About one in ten became instructors and stayed at this level for the rest of their lives, in most cases teaching the basics to the new generations of students. Those who failed to become instructors in five years were sent home. Which category was I going to be? And what about Solis and Lila? We were going to find out in a few years.
Perhaps Anh would send us back home in five years, as failed students. And maybe things would be quiet here by then.
At sunset, the phone rang, as expected. My father picked it up and only said:
“Yes. We’ll be ready in a minute.”
I gave a warm hug to my parents and sister. Then I left the house carrying my suitcase. The car was already waiting in front of the gate, with Anh behind the wheel. Lila and Solis were sitting on the backbench.

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/car-1492333/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 15 - Chapter 2: Lucero

Once inside the Aquatika building, a hot bath tube is waiting for me, then comes a shave, a clean uniform, and a nutritious dinner. I’ve only been twice here before, accompanying Anh in some of his teaching trips. I sparred with many students from the city, winning most fights and losing a few. The change from my life in the Wilderness is so brisk that everything feels like a dream. Or perhaps like an abrupt waking from a deep slumber. The colors look more vivid. The sounds ring louder. Everything around me tends to send my senses into overdrive. The reception desk hall is full of people who came to witness my arrival, but they keep some distance, giving me enough space to breathe freely and feel comfortable.
A doctor shows up and gives me a quick check on the spot. The wounds I’ve got in the first half of the test have mostly healed. The newer light cuts and bruises don’t seem to need immediate attention. The doctor decides I’m in a reasonably good shape given the circumstances but tells me to come to the medical wing after dinner, for a more detailed checkup.
“How are Lila and Solis doing?” I ask Anh. “They didn’t come to see me tonight.”
“They’re still in the Wilderness. However, we lost contact with them eight days ago. Lila was ahead of you, but a bit more to the east. We expected to see her emerge from the mountains the day before yesterday. However, she didn’t show up. The surveillance team can’t find her anywhere.”
Anh is worried, but he tries to hide it. His suppressed emotions expand and pour into me, stirring my heart beats with cold fear.
“Perhaps I should go with one of the rescue teams,” I say.
“You need to rest. Even if they allowed it, you’d only be a burden in your current state. Don’t waste time with useless thoughts. Go, take a bath, put on the new uniform, and join me for dinner in forty-five minutes.”
Anh is right. I should rest. The masters will do everything in their power to ensure the casualties on the test are as low as possible. And so, I drag myself to the baths. Before I leave, Anh adds:
“You know, Kolin, you are the first one to pass the test this year.”
***
Forty minutes later, clean, freshly shaved, wearing new clothes and new shoes, I come to the cafeteria. I’m glad the press isn’t allowed in here. I can spend a quiet evening and rest until tomorrow when I’ll have to let myself interviewed whether I like it or not.
The cafeteria is a large hall with a ceiling painted in the color of the serene sky. It has a row of tall windows on the back wall, flanked by red velvet curtains. Paintings and bass reliefs depicting fighting scenes cover the side walls. They make the place look almost like an art gallery. Dozens of chairs and black oval tables, neatly aligned, fill most of the space.  Several loudspeakers mounted on the ceiling broadcast famous pieces of classical music in the background. The room is about three-quarters full with students, instructors, and masters, all having dinner.
When I step in, I hear my name said out loud on the speakers:
“Let’s give a warm welcome to Kolin Inigo, the newest Aquatika master!”
Everybody stands up and executes three powerful claps in unison. The message is short, but the impression it leaves is tremendous. Their appreciation and respect for my achievement move me to tears. I stop, bow briefly, then proceed towards the counter to get my meal. The line is short and advances quickly. One minute later, with six plates full of delicious food are squeezed on my tray, I’m moving towards the tables. I still haven’t spotted Anh, so my eyes are combing the hall, looking for his presence.
I finally see him at a table near a window. I know less than a quarter of the people here, for I had been living and training in Diana all these years. Anh is having dinner with a group of local students I haven’t seen before and with Sabienne, a beautiful red-haired master who has passed the test two years ago. The last time when I saw her was last year when Anh came here to teach for a week and took me, Lila, and Solis with him. I did a few sparring rounds with Sabienne and lost badly every single one of them. She is one year younger than me. However, unlike in my case, she began treading the path of Aquatika at an early age. Her head start made Sabienne one of the youngest masters in our organization.
Anh and Sabienne see me coming and wave a friendly salute.  A seat next to Sabienne is free, and I take it.
“Welcome, master Kolin,” Anh says. “Welcome, my son!”
Sabienne and the three students clap again their hands three times. However, now they do it lightly and without standing up.
Still embarrassed by so much attention, I take my seat without saying anything. The six bowls of food on my tray look so enticing that I could gobble all of them down in less than a minute. And then, obviously, I’d get sick. I certainly need to restrain my impulses for both my health and the sake of good manners.
Sabienne must know what’s going through my mind. She gives me an intent look, then she says:
“Congratulations, Kolin! I’m happy you’ve made it this time!”
“I was so close to failing this morning… If that dry log didn’t happen to be around, I would have failed miserably. Only luck saved me.”
“What makes you think it was luck?” Anh retorts. “Let’s say there was no log there. What would you have done?”
“I would have run a little longer. Then I would have jumped in the water, trying to reach the other bank. However, I think the patrol would have caught me without any problem. In my state of fatigue, I was no match for them.”
“How many masters could graduate each year if the patrols guarded with utmost care the whole Wilderness?” Sabienne asks.
Taken by surprise, I look at her, then at Anh. Why have I never thought about it?
“Probably one at most. None in some years. Perhaps one every two-three years or so,” Anh responds. “You see, the patrol’s job is to make the test difficult enough, but not to make it impossible. When they set up traps, they also offer ways out of them. The only real issues are the wild beasts, the terrain, and the weather. Those cannot be controlled. Our standards are high, but we don’t want them to be impossible to achieve. If we did, there would be too few masters of Aquatika in the world, and the art would wither and die within a few generations. ”
So, it seems the log had been set there by the patrol, to give me a chance in case I saw it in time… Anh is right. If the patrol masters had really tried their best, I would have failed. I, and everybody else taking this test.
“You’re right,” I say after a few long moments. “The standards have to be high, but not impossible to achieve.”
“You’re right,” I say after a few long moments. “The standards have to be high, but not impossible to achieve.”
“Your journey is just beginning,” Anh continues. “You’ve got the basics well and can teach them to anyone, but still have to learn the more advanced techniques. In a week or so, I will begin teaching you the higher levels of Aquatika.”
“It’s going to be way more interesting,” Sabienne confirms. “And much tougher,” she adds after a short pause, with a wink.
I was so focused on the conversation that I forgot about the food. The sudden loud grumbling of my stomach reminds me of it. I pick up the chopsticks from the tray and plunge them into the delicious stew of quinoa and fish from the first bowl. I chew slowly, giving myself time to savor the contents. It will take a few days until I get used again to eating normally. And some weeks until I regain the lost weight. Once in a while, I feel the need to glance at the left side of my chest. No, it's not a dream. The badge is still there, warming my heart.

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/scotland-1893644/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 14 - Chapter 1: The Wilderness

I’m standing on top of the final ridge. From the rocky peak, I can glimpse the dark blue of the Sudia Ocean. Towards the east, perhaps no more than fifteen kilometers away, the slender, white towers of Lucero are reflecting the Sun. Even though it’s still possible to encounter a patrol, I’ve never heard of anyone getting caught so close to the destination.
For about fifteen minutes, I rode the log along the river, then stirred it towards the other bank. The patrol was left behind, unable to catch up with me. Once I’d stepped onto the other bank, I squeezed as much water as I could from my garments, then I walked briskly to keep my body warm until they would dry on my body.  Soon, I found a pass going east. One hour later, I was climbing the final ridge. And here I am, in the late afternoon, with Lucero in my sight. There is a narrow path leading into the valley, all the way to an asphalt road that follows the Sirenian southern coast to the edge of the Wilderness.
“Venko!” I shout, raising my right fist towards the sky in the traditional salute of victory. The echo repeats my word several times, approving it with enthusiasm. Then I begin my descent along the rocky trail.

***

The sun has set. I’m already walking along the streets of Lucero, surrounded by tall buildings and bright lights. My coarse attire and the wrapped-up sword tied on my back are silent witnesses of my success. The people who see me know it. They can easily recognize someone who has just passed the test. I suppose my unshaven beard and wild hair add to the picturesque of my unusual appearance. All the successful candidates look more or less like this when they arrive in the city. I don’t care anymore. I only need to walk a kilometer or so until I reach the local headquarters of Aquatika. What follows after that, the ceremony, the dinner, and the rest, all are going to be pleasant experiences.
Men and women look at me with respect, some even smile and bow in my direction when I pass in front of them. I smile back and nod curtly. Becoming a master is an important milestone, but it's only a stage in the never-ending journey towards enlightenment taken by all the Aquatika practitioners. New obstacles will soon stand in my way. When this happens, I'll do my best to keep going, as I've always done. However, for the next few days, I just want to relax and enjoy being an Aquatika master.
Icarus is just rising into the night sky when I glimpse the Aquatika headquarters ahead. It is an imposing castle, surrounded by a deep moat and placed in the middle of a circular park full of blue pines. Its outer wall is made of granite and shaped like the base of a large pyramid with each side about one hundred meters long. Four imposing towers mark the corners of the defense perimeter. Above, a smaller, white pyramid with dozens of triangular windows shines against the dark sky. The streets are full of people in this area, and I know they have come to see me, to see the end of my test. Aquatika students and instructors keep open a narrow path, so I can walk unimpeded to the finish line.
My tired body has found new energy. My joints and muscles still feel the pain of the long journey, but it doesn’t matter anymore. The ordeal is going to be over soon. All around me, the crowd is cheering loudly. Purified by the faint starlight from above, I keep going until I’m finally in front of the Aquatika building.
Before I have the chance to step onto the bridge leading towards the castle, the front gate opens, and twenty masters come to meet me. Solemn trumpet music can be heard from the speakers mounted on the walls, augmenting the solemnity of my arrival. The cheers and claps fade down. The crowd is almost silent now. Thousands of eyes are gazing at me intently, full of admiration and respect. The ceremony of investing a new Aquatika master takes place only a few times a year. It’s always an important event, broadcast on radio and television in Lucero and all Sirenia.
Of course, they knew I was coming to Lucero. Their cameras must have seen me since I was descending the mountain slope. It’s good the intercepting patrols play by the same rules as us, without the help of modern technology. Otherwise, nobody would ever pass this test. The whole survival adventure is a big hit on television, not only in Sirenia, but also across the Blue Federation. Even many people abroad follow it.
The twenty masters, dressed in the traditional blue uniforms, make a straight line in front of the castle. Then they bow slowly in front of me, accepting me as one of them. I do the same, presenting my respect for their past achievements. A few moments later, a familiar figure emerges from behind the gate, also wearing an Aquatika uniform. His badge is visible on the left side of his chest: the badge of a supreme master.  The man passes the row of masters, stops in front of me, and says:
“Congratulations, Kolin! In the name of Aquatika, I am honored to offer you the title of Master!”
I reply:
“Thank you, Supreme Master Anh! I am deeply humbled by this achievement. I will continue to work hard to maintain and improve our long tradition!”
Anh comes closer. His hand sticks a circular badge to the left side of my chest. The image of a black bird with yellow eyes and a yellow beak shines on it. We bow to each other; then we bow to the group of twenty masters. The crowd’s cheer is filling the night again. I can see several television cameras focusing on me from the sidewalk. Dozens of reporters describe the live event a little farther. The ceremony is over.
I step towards Anh and give him a long hug. I stay close to him for a few long seconds. I stay close to the man I’ve got to see after all these years as my second father. In the loud cheers and applause of the crowd, I finally let him go. Together, we step onto the alley that leads to the castle. The masters follow us a few steps behind. As soon as we are all behind the fence, the gates close.
I whisper close to Anh’s ear:
“I was so close to failing…”
“I know, he says. But you’ve found a way out. That’s why you are now a master.”

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB 

Aquatika - beta version - Part 13 - Chapter 1: The Wilderness

My body aches from the extended effort. I’m hungry and thirsty, but my fighting spirit is still there. It pushes me to keep going. Keep going! Keep going!
I reach a brook and stop by its stream to quench my thirst. Soon, I will reach the valley below, and then I’ll start to climb what I hope to be the final ridge. I can’t pinpoint my coordinates with high accuracy, but I have memorized the part of Wilderness stretching between Diana and Lucero. So far I was correct in estimating my location, and this has helped me advance faster through the difficult terrain.
I’m walking cautiously, ready to fight or flee if something attacks me unexpectedly. The Sun is already up. Most of the snow has melted. The sky has cleared up, displaying a deep, enchanting, blue color. The temperature is rising, becoming almost pleasant to bear for my battered skin. Suddenly, I see a pale shadow stirring in a thick pine ahead, on a high branch above the path I’m following. It might be a furry snake. And not a small one. I turn right and go around it, at a distance of more than twenty meters. That is a snake, all right. I see it clearly now. I could have turned into an easy meal for it, had I walked underneath that pine.
The ground is not so much covered by boulders and stones in this area. Walking is almost comfortable now, a blessing for my battered feet. About five minutes later, I reach the valley. A foamy river flows along it, crossing my path. This must be Tano. It’s wider than I thought. Wading to the other side through the cold stream is going to be dangerous. The water flows fast; the rocks underneath look slippery. I’m walking along its bank, against its stream, moving east, until I reach a point where the valley is becoming even narrower. Perhaps I’ll be able to find soon a spot where I could traverse to the other side.
About one kilometer later, I glimpse a tall spruce tree fallen across it. The thick trunk reaches all the way to the other bank. Its branches won’t make for an easy crossing, but it can be used as a bridge. I’ll be able to keep going. Then I stop. I feel a cold shiver climbing along my spine. All this looks a bit too o convenient, pretty much like a perfect trap set by an intercepting patrol. I sense danger. Better go in the opposite direction and try a different path to get across the stream.
A few moments after I begin walking the other way, I glimpse three black uniforms appearing from behind a bush near the fallen tree. I was right. It was a trap. They saw me and plan to cut off my hopes of becoming a master this year. Speed and endurance are now the only qualities that can save my skin. And my dream. I’m so close to succeeding, yet everything could be ruined in just a few minutes.
I start running west along the bank, moving now in the same direction with the river flow. The patrol officers have seen my intention and are rushing in my footsteps. I’m forbidden to raise my sword against a patrol, and they will never use weapons against me. Ultimately, they’re Aquatika masters. They are my kin and my friends. However, they would not hesitate during the test to overpower and immobilize me. Then they would deliver me back, as a failed candidate, to the closest local headquarters. They could also shoot me with tranquilizing darts if I refused to surrender peacefully.
Damn it! Well, I can damn all I want, this won’t change the mess surrounding me. Better focus on what to do next. I’m scared I’m going to fail, and the fear prevents me from thinking clearly. Let’s try a different approach. For a moment, consider you’ve already failed. Relax. It’s over, yet it’s not the end of the world. I’ve failed, but I’d like to play this game a bit longer and won’t end it without putting up a good fight. Next year, I’ll become a master. Next year.  But next year sounds so far away…
I keep running on the uneven ground. My pursuers are now perhaps one hundred meters behind. One option is to wade the watercourse. It is probably about waist deep. I’m likely to slip and fall, and then I’d be dragged by the ice-cold current, with my leather garments drenched and heavy, unable to quickly get out of the stream and at immediate risk of hypothermia.
Would they follow me? I bet they would. They are rested and well-fed. Perhaps even a bit bored by the long wait and happy for the opportunity of some action. They can swim faster, better, and longer than me. Should I try to climb back the mountain and eventually scale a rock until I’m out of their reach on a platform where I could use the advantage of height to defend against them? They’d surround it and call for reinforcements. After a standoff of a few hours, I’d have to surrender.
My pursuers are getting closer. Now, they’re only about fifty or sixty meters behind. Tired and hungry, I’m no match for them in empty-hand combat. Nevertheless, I’ll keep running until I either collapse from exhaustion or they catch me. And then I see something ahead. It’s a big piece of wood, right next to the bank. An idea is blooming inside my brain. I only need to avoid getting caught for these thirty meters: the distance that separates me from the log…
I’m beyond pain, panting and ready to collapse when I reach it. The wood is partly rotten on one side, but the log should still be able to float. With my last drops of energy, I push the tree trunk into the fast current, then jump on top of it. The freezing water surrounds my thighs and waist immediately. My blood vessels shrink abruptly. Thousands of painful needles pierce my muscles. I feel paralyzed, barely able to maintain my balance on top of the improvised raft. However, my speed is reasonably high, and I’m moving away from the bank. At least I can stay relatively dry from the waist up.
My pursuers arrive at the spot where the log stood only seconds earlier, panting and with sweat running on their faces, but they can’t reach me. I’m carried by the stream, moving away with a speed of about ten kilometers per hour. The watercourse here is relatively free of boulders, and they don’t have another log or a boat to stay close. I’m stirring the improvised craft with my hands and legs towards the other bank, only ten meters away. When I reach the middle, my speed increases to perhaps twelve kilometers per hour. On this uneven ground, the patrol can’t outrun me on the shore. They can’t even keep up with me. I turn towards my pursuers, smiling, and wave them a friendly goodbye. Then I shout:
“Thank you for coming by! I’ll see you later in Lucero, as a fellow master!”
Their disappointed looks say everything. They were so close to catching me, yet, they failed.

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/creek-593146/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 12 - Chapter 1: The Wilderness

The Sun is just rising above the blue mountain peaks. What will be waiting for me at the end of my journey? Will it be failure? Will it be success?
I stretch my arms and legs and begin massaging them, to set the blood in motion. I’m fortunate to wear these leather clothes, or I would have frozen to death overnight, despite the sturdy shelter of pine branches I have built for myself before going to sleep. Starting a fire here is not an option. I have to be as inconspicuous as possible. So far, I have managed to avoid all the intercepting patrols. It would be really the worst possible bad luck to be caught right before reaching Lucero. Diana, the departure city, is now more than a thousand kilometers behind me.
It has snowed again during the night. A thin white layer covers the ground. Snow can keep you warmer in your shelter, but it is also going to reveal your tracks. So, I’ll meditate and wait for another hour, until it melts.
There’s little to eat at this altitude. For the last week, my diet consisted mostly of pine seeds and occasional mushrooms. Of course, I could risk hunting, but hunting would generate tracks. Many master candidates were caught like this and then had to wait for another year to try again. Anh cautioned me about this before the start of the test, more than five weeks ago. It feels like a lifetime has passed since then.
I do some light stretching, trying to ignore my hunger, then begin the Three Circle Meditation, focusing on gathering energy in my weakened limbs. My palms are heating up first. Then the wave of warmth extends to the rest of my body. At the same time, my perception expands, filling the forest around me. Everything is quiet for the time being. That’s good. I might have a chance to continue along the same path. Lucero can’t be too far away.
Once finished with the meditation, I take my backpack and my sword, preparing for another day of trekking. It’s getting warmer, and most of the snow has already melted. If I tread on with care, I won’t leave any visible tracks. Yet, because this is probably my final day in the Wilderness, I have to be extra careful.
I dismantle my shelter with care, hiding the used branches among a bunch of thick bushes. Anyone showing up in an hour or two should see this place as pristine as it was before I came by. Then I begin moving along a large circle. Initially, I walk away from the path that goes to my destination, circumventing a group of rocks and descending on the other side of the mountain. This detour delays my progress by about half an hour, but it’s a tactic used to confuse any potential interceptor who might still glimpse my tracks.
I continue to walk cautiously. Besides tracking patrols, the Wilderness never lacks dangers. Bears, wolves, tigers, khorals, furry snakes, green wasps, or harpagons can send you quickly out of this world if you don’t pay full attention to your surroundings. My sense of empathy has developed tremendously during the last few years, and I can sense many dangers in advance. However, I’m far from most Aquatika masters. That’s why becoming a master is so difficult.
The whole process takes a lot of stamina, endurance, and, more than anything else, mental power. Those who want to become masters need to pasts this final test. Their journey begins in Diana and goes southwards across Sirenia until they arrive in Lucero. The examination starts in the fall, always on the same date.
The candidates have fifty days to complete their mission. They need to walk the whole distance unaided and without any tools. The only thing they are allowed to carry is their sword. Even their shoes and clothing are of poor quality and wear out in a week. The contenders need to make their clothes and shoes from what the Wilderness has to offer. In the rare cases when two contender paths intersect, they are expected to part ways as soon as possible and continue their trek individually. In the meantime, intercepting patrols comb the whole area, catching those who can’t conceal their tracks well enough and sometimes saving the unlucky candidates who are in danger.
Some of the contestants who leave Diana are never seen again. Tracking devices destroyed, their bones find their final rest inside the Wilderness. From those who survive, most are caught by the intercepting patrols and taken to either Diana or Lucero, whichever is closer. They can try again in the following year. Roughly, about one in ten pass the test and become masters. Yet, nobody has ever done it from the first try. Not in the last fifty years.
This is my second attempt. If God really wants to help me, it could also be the last. Focus! Stay focused! It’s not over until you either set step in Lucero or if an intercepting patrol has caught you. Or if you’re dead.
The forest is relatively quiet, except for a few laughing birds that are faintly audible in the north. I am descending now on the eastern side of the cliff, towards the next ridge. From the top, I might even be able to glimpse the sea. Perhaps Lucero is not far, either. I keep repeating to myself that If I’m lucky, this could be my last day in the Wilderness. I had to use all my skills to go this far. I had fights with wild beasts, hunted when needed, and stayed hidden when I had to, surviving periods of hunger, thirst, cold, and sleep deprivation.
I’ve made the shoes I’m wearing from thick bear skin. My pants and shirt are from deer skin. They’re not great, but reasonably warm and comfortable for this climate. So far, I had to avoid the intercepting patrols three times. Last year I was caught on the second encounter, midway into my trip. Using my previous experience, I’ve done a better job this time. Just one more day, and everything could be over.

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/nature-3801537/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 11 - Iron Rock: Under Stars

It was a sunny day. He was swimming around Iron Rock, cutting the waves at high speed.
Where are Lila and Solis? I could easily beat them now! he thought, breathing in the salty fragrance of Zefiria.
A low humming sound coming from the island drew his attention. Next to the northern side of the stone platform, a vertical beam of light was stabbing the air, emerging from a spot deep underwater. Kolin wondered about its unusually high intensity. His eyes followed the luminous thread that seemed to connect the ocean with something above. As soon as his gaze reached it, he froze. A lenticular object that covered a big part of the sky was floating motionless in the wind.
“What is that?” the teenager gasped, with shivers of fear pouring along his spine, his body suddenly heavy and hard to keep above the water. Then he heard a voice from behind:
“This is what you get for messing with MY artifact!”
Kolin turned around and saw the burly leader of the thugs grinning in a dinghy boat. The ruffian picked up a laser pistol from his holster and shot at him. The beam hit Kolin in the abdomen. A burning sensation exploded in his stomach, and he woke up.
The cramps in his stomach had made him curl in a fetal position. He needed a few more seconds to remember where he was. The phosphorescent dial of his watch was showing 3:35.
Slowly and without switching on the light, Kolin stood up and left the bedroom. The corridor lit up when he stepped in, and he could see back in the chamber Lila and Solis deep asleep on the other two beds. Perhaps he should have listened to Anh and abstain from eating that canned food. Anyway, now it was too late for regrets. Barefoot and wearing only underwear and a t-shirt, he slowly opened the toilet door.
Ten minutes later, he was washing his hands above the sink, already feeling better. Fortunately, it had been just some mild indigestion. He’ll go back to sleep and get a good rest. The thugs will be gone by morning, and they’ll ahead back home safe and unharmed.
Kolin finished washing his hands, stepped out of the toilet, and froze. The corridor’s door towards the dome was half-open, and he could see a dark shape moving on the other side.
“They’ve got in!” he whispered. “We’re all as good as dead!”.
Without thinking, he rushed into the other dorm, where Anh and Rongo were sleeping, and shouted:
“We’ve been invaded! I don’t know how it happened, but they’re in the dome!”
Anh and Rongo jumped off their beds at once and rushed past Kolin towards the central chamber. They stopped at the end of the corridor, scanning the dome through the half-open door. One moment later, they both burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter and walked casually towards the so-called invaders.
“Kolin, come here,” Anh said, a wide grin spreading over his face. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. They’re just maintenance robots.”
***
They woke up at seven. After a quick shower, they had a light breakfast in the cafeteria. Making sure they’d left the place tidy, the group gathered under the dome at eight. The dome was brightly lit now, its ceiling displaying a daytime view of the sky. The Sun was already way above the horizon, and the sky looked clear.
“The thugs are most likely gone,” Anh said. “We will try to get back on top of Iron Rock in the same way we left it. It’s quite likely other masters of Two Waves and Aquatika are waiting for us on the shore or even on Iron Rock’s platform. However, before we head back, we need to talk about a few things.”
He looked intently at the three teenagers and went on:
“We are going to be all right for the moment, but the danger is still there. Members of this syndicate will keep following us. For a few days, we can expect peace, but there is a high chance they are going to strike later. We don’t know their identity, but these people are certainly part of a powerful organization. Not even the headquarters of Two Waves and Aquatika could stand a full-scale attack from hundreds of well-armed thugs. They seem to have the resources and determination to attempt it. Both Rongo and I will have to leave Centria for a while.
“Here’s my plan: You will go home for now, but will be picked up in the evening by an Aquatika master and will move to the local Aquatika headquarters for the night. From there, the four of us will leave for Sirenia tomorrow, taking the artifact with us. There, in Diana, you will train and learn this art to a level where you can be considered as full members of our organization and be able to take good care of yourselves for the rest of your lives. I have written these three letters to your parents, explaining the situation. Normally, being admitted to a full training program in Aquatika requires outstanding credentials. However, we’ll need to make an exception for you, given the present circumstances.”
The youngsters went pale.
“Can’t we just lie low for a few weeks, and then maybe they’ll leave us alone?” Lila inquired, a shadow of desperation mirrored in her eyes.
“No, you can’t. You’ll even put the lives of your families in danger if you stay. However, in a few years, after things got settled and we found out who is behind this, you'll be able to come back.”
“How about taking our families with us?” the girl insisted in a trembling voice.
“That's out of the question. It would be against Aquatika’s code of conduct. You are coming with us because your lives are in danger. And because you have already seen too much,” Anh said.
“What about master Rongo? Where will he go” Solis asked.
“He’ll move to Terminus for a while. The main headquarters of his style are there. Who knows, maybe he’ll visit us in Diana sometime later.”
Rongo nodded, then smiled, but didn’t say anything.
With care, Anh set the artifact on the floor and lowered his stance, preparing for the Three Circles Meditation.
“Now, let’s get ready to leave this place,” he announced.
With slumped shoulders, Kolin and Solis were gazing at their feet. Tears were flowing freely along Lila’s cheeks, in a silent cry. 

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/beach-1836377/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 10 - Iron Rock: Under Stars

“I believe it served as an observation base and command post for space launches,” the supreme master said. “Perhaps it was also used as a closed-system designed to test long-duration space flights. It produces its electricity, recycles the air, and can store significant amounts of food. Using diving equipment, people would come through the underwater access point, spending here weeks or even months, isolated from the rest of the world. At some point, it seems they also began to use it as a data center, gathering all these books to preserve them for future generations.”
“Have they left any notes?”
“I haven’t found anything in the library so far. Right now, Rongo is exploring the console. However, as he’s not familiar with the Old Script, it may take him a while to find something useful.”
This was not a place they could explore in detail in just a few hours. A large team of people would need weeks to make sense of everything.  Kolin decided to change the topic of discussion:
“Do you think they kept any movies in the library?”
“There is a console behind a shelf over there. It might give you access to their digital data. I haven’t checked it yet.”
In the meantime, Lila and Solis also entered the room.
 “Are there any books we can read?” Solis asked.
“Check that shelf from the corner,” Anh replied without lifting his eyes from the book he was browsing, repeating what he had just said to Kolin.
“I’ve found the console!” Kolin cried from behind a shelf half-way from the entrance. “It seems they have a video database, too. However, as everything is written in the Old Script, I have no idea how to navigate through it.”
Pushed by curiosity, Solis and Lila joined him a few seconds later.
“Just chose whatever happens to be at hand, then we’ll see whether it’s worth watching or not,” the girl suggested.
“Good idea. So, let’s check this one then.”
The display was showing a view from space, with a planet in the center. However, it was not Atlantide but an unknown world, with more land and less water. A female voice began narrating in an unknown language. The planet became larger and larger, the view zooming in, crossing the atmosphere until it focused on a single building made mostly of glass and shaped like a cube. It seemed to be a science department. Inside, a man was teaching a class to a dozen of students seated in long benches. Complex equations filled the whiteboards behind him. Apparently, it was a physics lesson.
“There won’t be any fun watching this. We can’t understand anything, even if most of the math symbols look similar to what we use today,” Lila concluded.
Solis closed the video and tried to find something more entertaining, but all the files they managed to open were instructional materials.
“Perhaps they have a movie database somewhere, but until we can read the menu, it will take a long time to find it. Let’s better check the few books they’ve got in the Modern Script,” he decided.
The shelf mentioned by Anh had perhaps thirty books with recognizable symbols. Most of them were treaties of physics, math, or engineering; one was a novel, one a poetry anthology, and one a history textbook. The youngsters picked up the three non-technical tomes and left the library.
Solis checked his wristwatch. It was already past 20. He said:
“I think I’ll take a shower, then lie in bed and read until I fall asleep.”
“I’ll do the same,” Kolin agreed.
“I suppose there’s nothing better to do for me, either,” Lila concluded.
The three teenagers entered the shower room, each choosing a cabin. A cupboard was mounted on the wall near the entrance, filled with large, fluffy, white towels. The walls, floor, and ceiling were blue, reflecting the white light of three square lamps from the ceiling. The cabins, separated by thick, dark panels of stainless glass, contained shelves with soap and shampoo. And they also had faucets with cold and hot water mounted on top.
“The glass quality is top-notch!” Kolin exclaimed, examining the walls of his cabin while getting undressed. “You’d swear it came from the best factories in Vitria.
“I have to agree, all this place looks impressive,” Solis called from the neighboring cabin. “It would rival any good hotel.”
“I think the best hotels from Konkordo and Dianto have better soap and shampoo,” Lila laughed from the opposite direction.
Nevertheless, the soap and shampoo were more than OK to clean their bodies. The hot water felt wonderful on their skin.
“So, where does this artifact come from? What do you think?” Kolin asked.
“It must belong to the forbidden technology. Something made before the war,” Lila replied. “To think it’s been so long ago… I suppose the world back then looked so different from now….”
“Almost like another planet,” Solis added.
Their minds began wondering, trying to imagine that strange world. However, it was impossible to visualize those times. An era where people used to travel to other planets, and perhaps even to other stars.
“Why have we stopped going to space?” Lila asked, surprised by her question.
Kolin tried to say something but realized he couldn’t possibly find an answer. On the other side of the glass, Solis also stayed silent. Suddenly, the world had become a lot larger and way more mysterious.
They spent about twenty minutes under the hot stream, chatting happily through the thin cabin panels. Then, clean and refreshed, the teenagers left the shower room and headed towards the dome.
Here they found Anh and Rongo seated at the circular console. Rongo was talking in a low voice, showing Anh something on the touch-screens from the circular console.
“The showers work great!” Lila cried, waving towards the masters. “You should try them, too!”
“A bit later,” Rongo replied, keeping his eyes to the screen. “We were checking the map of this facility. There seems to be another level below, ampler and better equipped than this one.”
“Are you trying to access it, too?” Kolin inquired.
“It would be great if we could get there. This whole place is fascinating,” Anh responded, lifting his eyes from the displays and gazing at the youngsters.
“Can you reach it with the artifact?” Solis asked.
“I’ve tried, but it’s shielded against this type of connection,” Anh said.
“Please let us know if you need any help,” Solis added. “We’re going to the bedrooms.”
The masters smiled. Then, as the teenagers were leaving the dome, they turned back to the console and their secrets, only meant for the initiated. Inside the dome, the simulated stars continued their slow, uniform movement: a small sky of stone mirroring the night sky above.

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:

BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU

TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/bathroom-3346387/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 9 - Iron Rock: Under Stars

The last door opened into a long corridor that was descending in a mild slope towards a well connecting to the ocean.
“I suppose the only way in and out is with the diving equipment on,” Rongo said.
“Unless the access to the ocean is blocked,” the supreme master replied. “Anyway, I don’t think we should be worried about an invasion coming from here. So far, we’re doing fine: we have a working toilet, water to drink, and beds to sleep. The air feels fresh, and that means the ventilation system is fully functional. Nothing to worry about for the night.”
Then they heard Solis’ voice coming from under the dome:
“There is food here. They also have books. Many books!”
“Books?” Anh exclaimed and strode out towards the door from the other side of the dome.
The western corridor was somewhat similar to the first, with ten doors on its sides. However, it only had two dormitories. There was a shower room next to the toilet, with three bathing cabins inside.  Besides the storage rooms, two more chambers were present. One had food cans on counters, with tables and chairs for serving it spread around, obviously a cafeteria and a kitchen. The other was quite large, filled by long shelves with thousands and thousands of books. The books were written in the Old Script, which only Anh could read.
“Let’s check the food area first,” Kolin said. “I’m starving.”
“You think the food is still edible after so many centuries?” Rongo cautioned.
“That depends on how well it was preserved,” Lila added.
The food was stored in cans, with labels for the contents written in the same script and accompanied by suggestive illustrations. From the description, the contents inside the small metal containers  had been preserved all this time in vacuum. Most of the cans contained fish, some had vegetables, and a few held beef and lamb. On a separate shelf, there were even canned fruits.
“I urge caution with this stuff,” Anh said. “It might be quite different from our current diet and could generate intestinal trouble. If we all get sick, two toilets might not be enough…”
“I’ll try this one,” Kolin announced and picked up a can with the image of a tuna fish. He went to the kitchen side where a stove, a faucet, and a sink were present, and began looking around for a tool to open it. There was none. So he came back to the Aquatika supreme master:
“Master Anh, how do I open this?”
The master took the can and read the instructions on the lid. Then he replied:
“See this thin ring on the side? You need to pull it, and the lid should come off.”
“Thank you!” Kolin said and pulled the ring.
The lid came off with a hissing sound, revealing a delicious-looking cream with a savory fragrance.
“Wow!” the boy cried. “This smells great!”
Kolin rushed back to the kitchen stand, took a spoon and a bowl from a cupboard, poured the mixture in, took a seat at one of the tables, and began to eat from the can with delight. The others looked at him with mixed expressions.  Moments later, Solis and Lila also made up their minds. They went to the shelves, and each chose a can based on the image printed next to its label. Solis got some ham, and Lila picked a pineapple stew. They grabbed bowls and spoons and joined Kolin for dinner.
“What about us?” Rongo asked, turning to the supreme master. “Should we follow the kids’ example?”
“I’d rather wait for another two or three hours. You are also a master. Perhaps it won’t be a bad idea if you did the same. As I said, there are only two toilets in here.”
“You’re right, Master Anh,” Rongo agreed. “I’m not even that hungry.”
Anh turned to the teenagers and said:
“Kids, I’m going to the library. If you need me, I will be there.”
He left the cafeteria and disappeared behind the next door. Rongo went back to the central dome and began to study the console.
Kolin was the first to finish his meal. With a satisfied expression, he put the empty can in the trash bin next to the wall, washed the metal bowl and the spoon, and set them back on the kitchen shelf.
“How are you feeling?” Lila asked.
“So far, still fine,” the boy replied, laughing. “I’m going to the library, too. Who knows, maybe not all the books are in the Old Script. Perhaps I can find something nice to read.”
After the dome, the library was the largest room in the underground base. Despite being there for so many centuries, all the books looked new. Soon, Kolin found the cause of their excellent condition: the pages were not made of ordinary paper, but of a white material that looked much sturdier. Here and there, he took books from the shelves, browsed a few pages, then put them back. All were written in the Old Script.
A few armchairs and tables were visible at the far end of the room. Anh was there, reading from a book.
“What are you reading?” Kolin asked.
“Just checking some technical literature,” the supreme master replied.
“Are there any books here that I could read?”
“There are a few on the shelf there,” the supreme Anh said, pointing towards a corner of the room. “Most are about math and physics. I think one is about history, describing the colonization period.”
“That's great! So I can read something nice before I fall asleep,” the youngster said, rubbing his hands with satisfaction. Then, after a short pause, he asked:
“Master Anh, what is this place? What was its purpose?”

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB
Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/lost-places-1574554/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 8 - Iron Rock: Under Stars

The crossing felt like diving into a pool with a vertical surface, and then they found themselves in an entirely different place. A spacious hemispherical room, perhaps twenty meters in diameter, surrounded now the group. Thousands of dots were shining over the dark surface of the dome above, generated by a spherical projector placed on a tall pole. It was an elaborate model of the night sky, reflecting the current position of the stars. Even Sen was in the right spot, freshly risen from the sea. The floor and the side-wall had a pleasant, soothing light-blue color. Oval lamps mounted at regular intervals along the cylindrical wall under the dome bathed the chamber in a discreet blue light.
The whole place looked clean and well-maintained. In the center, a white circular console was visible, surrounded by six blue rotating chairs. Two blue doors, perhaps made of metal, were visible on the western and the eastern sides of the wall.
The supreme master was still holding the artifact in his hands, but no more light radiated from it. The air was warmer than outside and also seemed somewhat denser. They could all feel its higher pressure in their ears.
“Where are we?” Kolin asked, breaking the uneasy silence.
“Inside the Iron Rock,” Anh replied. “Where else could we be?”
“That means we’re safe,” Rongo said. “We only need to stay here overnight. By tomorrow, the thugs will have to give up. Their presence would become way too conspicuous for any police patrol passing by.” Then, turning to Anh, he added:
“I suppose we can get out of here in the same way we came.”
“The artifact is in good shape. I can certainly use it to bring us back,” the supreme master confirmed.
“The thugs could still keep this place under observation tomorrow,” Solis said.
“Yes, but they can’t stop us from taking the artifact to a safer place,” Anh concluded.
“So, what are we going to do now?” Lila asked. “I don’t expect them to have food or phones in here, but I could certainly use a toilet.”
“Well, let’s take a look around,” the supreme master said, a smile blooming on his face.
The group stepped closer to the center of the dome. Dozens of luminous panels covered the console, with three screens displaying images from outside.
“Where does the electric power come from?” Kolin asked.
“Probably a nuclear reactor,” Rongo replied.
“The outside view doesn’t seem to be from Iron Rock,” Anh said.
They examined the displays. The apparent live feeds showed a deserted rocky shore similar to Iron Rock, but without the regular shape of the little island. The location didn’t seem far away, as the stars and Sen were in the same places in the sky.
“I have no idea where the feed comes from,”  Rongo admitted, shrugging. “Let’s see the rest of this place. ”
“Everything’s unusually clean for something abandoned centuries or even millennia ago,” Solis remarked as the moved on.
“There must be  some automatic machines that take care of it,” Anh decided.
The supreme master set the artifact on one of the chairs, then they all turned around and went towards the blue door from the east. Lila rotated the handle and opened it. A dimly lit corridor, flanked by doors on both sides, extended in front of her. Each door had something written on it in foreign characters, most of them with strangely rounded shapes.
“Oh, it's the Old Script!” Anh said. “Of course, it was quite popular during those days.”
“Does any of the doors have ‘toilet’ written on it?” the girl asked in a pleading voice.
“The third on the left,” the Aquatika master said. “Let’s check first if it still works”.
Anh opened the door. The lamp from the ceiling switched on as soon as he stepped in, flooding the room with white light. It had a toilet seat near the left wall and a sink for hand washing on the right. An elegant oval mirror with a golden frame covered the wall above the sink. The walls, floor, and ceiling were white, with the sink and seat colored in light-green. Everything looked clean and appeared to be functional. The supreme master checked the water flushing and the faucet. They were working fine.
“Well, I suppose we’ll be all right until tomorrow,” he said and went outside. With hurried steps, Lila entered the room and closed the door behind her.
“What else do they have here?” Rongo asked.
Anh replied, reading the inscriptions:
“Let’s see… We have nine doors. The first four, two on each side, are bedrooms. Third on the left is the toilet, as we have just seen. Then, on the same side, comes a medical cabinet. The two doors on the right are storage spaces. The one in front, at the end of the hallway, is supposed to lead outside.”
They checked the bedrooms. The chambers were clean, their floors covered by dark-blue carpets and walls painted in light-blue. Each had three beds made of lacquered Esperian wood, with dark-blue blankets and red pillows on top. A table and two chairs, also made of wood, were standing close to the back wall.
The walls of the medical cabinet were painted in light-red and had first-aid kits, boxes with pills, and instruments for health checks. One of the storage rooms was filled with diving equipment, the other contained tools for maintenance: from wrenches and screwdrivers to soldering irons and multimeters. Everywhere they entered, the rooms looked clean, and the lights would turn on and off automatically unless they switched them to manual by rotating a wall knob next to the door.

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/blur-1853957/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 7 - Iron Rock: Purple Sundown

You know, the legends say this island is hollow inside,” the supreme master stated.
“Even so, it doesn’t help us with anything, as there is no door to get access to its interior,” the younger fighter complained.
“What if we use the artifact to find out?”
Everybody’s eyes turned towards Anh, with stunned expressions.
“How?” Rongo asked.
“I’ll show you in a couple of minutes.”
“Don’t tell me…” the Two Waves master began.
“That’s the best plan I can think of,” the supreme master confirmed.
Anh set his feet shoulder-width, bent his knees slightly, and held his arms in front as if he was hugging a tree, with the palms turned inside. He was now doing the standard Three Circles Meditation, often used by the practitioners of Aquatika. The Two Waves master threw a glance towards the coast. A few pale lights were already moving along the narrow beach.
“They’re coming,” he whispered. “This is much sooner than I expected. We might still have five minutes of quiet, but not much longer. Perhaps the thugs who showed up earlier were only a decoy. I have the feeling this time we are going to face fighters who are both experienced and well-armed.”
“Maybe we should take the boats and try to row north, away from the shore,” Lila suggested.
“It will never work. Look there!” Rongo sighed, pointing with his left hand towards the ocean. Three dark shapes were slowly approaching the Iron Rock from that direction.
“It’s over!” Solis lamented. “They’ll reach the platform in less than three minutes!”
The teenagers could sense the fear growing inside their chests and pouring down their spines. It was slowly spreading, like a layer of melting ice, over the whole rocky platform. Even Rongo had now a preoccupied expression. His body, like that of a tiger, was ready to spring into action at any moment. The only person oblivious to the whole situation was Anh, who continued to meditate with his eyes half-closed, facing east.
The silvery rays coming from Sen seemed to get gradually entangled between his palms. When the teenagers took a closer look, they could see a blue sphere taking shape there. A sparkling yarn perhaps twenty centimeters in size made entirely of light.
Perhaps they were getting the boats ready. In the opposite direction, the three larger vessels were standing by motionless, only about fifty meters away from the platform’s edge. They were waiting for a signal to launch their attack. Time was running short.
The sphere between Anh’s hands was becoming brighter. Without moving, the master called:
“Rongo, please take the artifact and set it on the ground, about one meter in front of me.”
The Two Waves master obeyed quickly. Anh bent his knees deeper, then his palms pushed the sphere of energy towards the artifact. The sphere went in. Almost instantly, the box came to life. A halo of blue light emerged from it, slowly expanding. It reached a diameter of almost one meter in less than a minute.
The people on the coast and those from the boats must have seen it, too. The lights from the shore were gone, but five dark shapes were moving fast across the waves, towards the island. They were going to reach Iron Rock in less than two minutes. The three vessels from the open sea were also getting closer.  In one minute or less, they were going to reach the northern side of the platform. Time was running out.
“Jump in!” Anh commanded.
“Jump where?” Solis asked, caught by surprise.
“Into the sphere surrounding the artifact! Hurry!” the supreme master retorted.
Lila was the first who understood what he meant and rushed towards the halo that now had a diameter of almost one meter and a half. As soon as she reached its boundary, her image flickered, and she was gone. Solis, then Kolin, followed in short succession.
Rongo stayed behind  a little longer, turned towards Anh, and asked:
“What about you?”
“I’ll be the last one to go through.”
“And the artifact?”
“We’ll take it with us, of course.”
With a sigh of relief, the Two Waves master went in, followed by Anh. One moment later, the halo switched off, and the artifact vanished. The besiegers were already stepping onto Iron Rock’s cylindrical platform.

(to be continued...)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY'S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/sky-3335585/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 6 - Iron Rock: Purple Sundown

“I suppose that green car over there is yours,” Anh said, looking at the road.
“That’s right. It was the fastest way to travel along the coast the twelve kilometers to this location,” the Two Waves master replied. “And the blue car has to be yours.”
“Of course. My place is fifteen kilometers away, beyond Akonit.”
“There is just one road passing by the coast, mostly surrounded by forest. Few cars use it at night. They must have prepared roadblocks on each side.”
“It’s the most likely scenario.”
“Who knows, perhaps our cars have already been tampered with and won’t even start.”
“Should we check them now?”
“Let’s decide first if we’re going to use them.”
Both Rongo and Anh went silent, thinking of a way out.
To his surprise, Kolin heard himself breaking in:
“I live about five kilometers away, in Akonit’s suburbs. Perhaps I could put the artifact in my backpack and take it to my home for the night? I doubt the thugs would recognize me.“
The masters turned their heads and examined him for several long seconds.
“I don’t think this is going to work,” Rongo said. “They would be watching the road and anyone who leaves this place.”
“Let's think from the thugs’ perspective,” Anh replied. “They know who we are, they know we’re here, and they know we have the artifact. Those who tried to kill us on the Iron Rock have certainly sent signals to other people on the shore. The gang didn’t have enough men and weapons to stop us here, so they moved away from the beach for the time being. Or they didn’t want to start a fight in this spot, for fear of leaving too many tracks. These men would likely ambush us on our way out, somewhere farther away along the road. It would be easy to make it look like an accident. For the same reason, it’s quite likely they didn’t tamper with the cars. I think it’s a good idea to call our headquarters. Even so, the help must be discreet, or the police will soon find out what’s going on, and we’ll need to hand them over the artifact.”
“I’ll go to the payphone,” Rongo said and strode through the grove towards the road.
It was getting dark, but Sen was going to appear in the sky at any moment. The waiting was tense. Four or five minutes later, Rongo came back. His face, reflecting the pale light coming from Sen just rising from the sea, said everything.
“The payphone doesn’t work,” Anh said.
“As expected, they’ve made it inoperative,” Rongo confirmed. “I think the thugs have surrounded us and are slowly closing in.”
“Their reinforcement must have arrived. Too late to dash out. We should probably retreat to Iron Rock.”
“What about the kids?”
“I don’t think the thugs will let them pass. They know too much already. The safest course for them is to come with us.”
Rongo turned to the teenagers:
“Sorry for the mess, I think we should all go back to the Island. I know it's getting late, and your families are expecting you at home, but it’s too dangerous to leave you alone.”
"We're going to be in deep trouble when we get back," Lila mumbled.
“Don’t worry about that,” Rongo said, smiling. “We’ll talk to your parents.”
“Do your parents know you are here?” Anh asked.
The teenagers looked at each other for a few moments with guilty expressions.
“We told them we’re going to a concert downtown,” Solis said. “They don’t expect us at home before twenty-one.”
“So, no chance of them calling the police and sending a squad over here later,” Rongo concluded. “Well, even the police came by, they would be outmatched by the thugs. We’ll have to take care of ourselves. Perhaps it’s better this way. Let’s go!”
Without wasting any more time, the group jumped into the boats and rowed towards the Iron Rock. They only left the cars and bicycles behind. Kolin looked for a moment at the beautiful light-green disc of Sen, still touching the fuzzy horizon of Zephiria. Everything felt like a dream. Or perhaps like a nightmare. A chance discovery and an innocent contest had just turned into a deadly game.
The Iron Rock was isolated by the sea, but it was an exposed area. They were never going to survive an assault coming from dozens of well-armed attackers. Unless some of the legends were true, and they could hide INSIDE it…
The boats reached the stone steps, and the group climbed back onto the platform.
“It’s quite exposed,” Anh remarked, assessing the situation.
“The water might delay them by half an hour or so, but not much longer,” Rongo agreed.

(to be continued…)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:
BUTTERFLY’S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU
TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay – https://pixabay.com/photos/tide-569367/

Aquatika - beta version - Part 5 - Iron Rock: Purple Sundown

“Is it safe to touch it?” Solis asked.
“Yes, it’s fine now,” Anh replied. “The shock that pulled it out has deactivated its power connector. Now, let’s get out of here. Rongo! Take the box to the local headquarters of your style. I will come and take a more thorough look at it tomorrow. We need to be careful. I have a feeling the five thugs from earlier went for backups and might be soon waiting for us on the other side of the island.”
They began crossing the platform, leaving the coiled rope with the hook behind. Rongo was walking in front, carrying the artifact under his right arm. Soon, they reached the opposite edge, where the steps cut in stone allowed anyone easy access to the island. Two inflatable boats were floating nearby, one belonging to Rongo, the other to Anh. There was no trace of the thugs.
“Humm,” Anh said. “I kind of expected to see them back. The thugs were leaving when I stepped on the island. They glimpsed my badge and hasted towards the shore. No sign of them here, yet I think some of them can’t be far. We have to stay on guard. What do you think, Rongo?”
“I’m on the same wavelength,” the young master replied. Then, turning to Kolin, he added: “If we get involved in a difficult fight, I shall give you the artifact to hold until it ends. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes, sir!” Kolin cried, surprised by the master’s trust.
They halted at the platform’s edge, ready to climb down the stone stairs to the boats. The Sun had just set, and the night was slowly creeping in. Sen was supposed to appear on the sky soon, in her full phase, before it got dark.
“I’ll go on first,” Anh said and set foot onto the narrow path. A fraction of a second before the final step, he stopped abruptly. Immediately, two arrows flew in front of him and bounced off the platform’s rugged side-wall.
“They’re here, all right,” the supreme master whispered. He turned towards the other man and continued in a low voice:
 “Rongo, give the artifact to the kids and come here. I’ll take the right side, you take the left. Be careful about the arrows.”
Rongo passed the artifact into Kolin’s hands. The object felt cold and was rather heavy for its size. The masters rushed ahead and disappeared into the water. The actual fight took place beyond the platform’s edge, hidden from the teenager’s view. A couple of loud splashes, then everything calmed down. Some seconds later, water dripping from his wet shirt, Anh showed up from at the base of the stone stairs and motioned them to come. The night was falling, and the cold air made them shiver.
“Only two of them,” Anh said. “Sentinels armed with crossbows. The main force hasn’t arrived yet. Let’s go!”
Rongo was already waiting in his boat. Kolin handled him the artifact and stepped in. Anh’s boat was larger. A few seconds later, Lila and Solis also scrambled in it.
Almost without noise, Rongo began rowing towards the coast. Anh was following him closely.  Both masters cautioned the teenagers to lie down inside the boats so they won’t become a target in case other enemies armed with crossbows were waiting near the shore.
One minute later, they touched the soft sand of the beach. The whole area looked deserted, and an eerie silence was reigning in the air.
“It looks a bit too easy,” Rongo whispered.
“It certainly does. Yet, I don’t feel any human presence nearby,” Anh replied. “Let’s keep the boats near the sea until we know for sure they won’t attack us here.”
“They must be waiting somewhere along the way to Levand. Perhaps I shouldn’t go directly to the Two Waves building.”
“I bet they also guard the main road to Aquatika’s local headquarters from Akonit.”
“This looks quite bad. Some big criminal syndicates are probably hunting this object. Do you have any idea who would be so interested in the artifact?”
“I’m clueless. Those thugs certainly didn’t look like people related to our government. Or, as a matter of fact, to any other government. Any official would have presented an identification badge before requesting access to the object.”
“There is a payphone near the road. Should we call the police?”
“And let the politicians get the artifact? The Blue Federation certainly is a democracy, but every democracy has vulnerable spots. Someone is going to find a way to steal the artifact from a government building and abuse its powers.”
“Would the artifact be safe if it stayed in Aquatika’s building?”
“As safe as inside the Two Waves’ headquarters.”
In the meantime, the teenagers went to the place they had left their clothes and backpacks and got dressed. They picked up their bicycles and came back to the spot where the masters were talking.

(to be continued…)

Books by Marian C. Ghilea:

BUTTERFLY’S DREAM: https://bit.ly/2PM63uU

TIDES OF AMBER: https://bit.ly/2HfcHVB

Image source: Pixabay – https://pixabay.com/photos/rocks-1061540/