Pandora Chronicles

7 - Open Your Mind

***Istoviir’s POV***

She bowed properly, and when she rose, she pulled her hood back and looked at me, her eyes hitting the ground instantly, hoping the king did not notice, and I smiled to myself. My brother’s mouth dropped open and he whispered to me, “Vel’uss zhah il? (Who is she?) He asked.

“Il zhah ussta Irithyn. (She is my student.)” I answered, casting my brother a grin.

Marchus spoke, “Valshar Olath’killian. (King Darksword.)” He began. “Xal Usstan am’iva, Wolf Faer. (May I present, Wolf Faer.)” He said as she bowed again.

“Ol zhah bwael ulu thalra dos. (It is good to meet you.)” The King said to her.

“Ol zhah bel’la ussta Valsharin. (It is an honor my lord.)” She replied perfectly, causing everyone to be surprised.

“Nindol zhah dossta bethryn, Valsharin Istoviir. (This is your teacher, Lord Istoviir.)” My father said.

“Ussta Valsharin. (My lord)” She said as she bowed slightly.

“Usstan oiln dos. (I missed you.)” I said, smiling casually as I skipped down the stairs. She grinned back, lowering her eyes, and my heart soared.

“Dos inbal temor p’los? (You have met before?)” My father asked, surprised.

“Xas Ilharn. (Yes Father)” I told him as he turned to her, offering no more explanation. “Are you ready Wolf?” I asked.

“Not yet, my lord.” She whispered as she turned to Wicksthorn. “Thank you master. I will see you in six months.”

“Good bye child.” He said. He patted her on the head. “Now, obey Lord Istoviir, and be the student I know you to be.”

“I will make you proud, master, I promise.” She said as she fought back the tears that welled up in her eyes.

“I am already proud, my dear girl.” He said, “Now you go on.”

I walked towards them, snapping my fingers for an attendant to bring my bag to me. Wolf threw her arms around her elder master. “I will see you shortly.” She said. She picked up her bag and cast it over her shoulder, then left the room with me and we went back to the book house, as Marchus stayed to enjoy the hospitality of the court.

My brother followed us quietly. We entered and I led her to the bookshelf, “I want you to read through the Tagnik’zur’el history.” I said as I lifted my hand and it came to me from off of the shelf.

“How did you do that?” She asked.

“You cannot do that?” I was rather amazed. She was so capable everywhere else I had seen.

She shook her head. “I have never been able to levitate objects, one of the only things I have struggled with.” She replied.

“Your first lesson.” I began. I touched her forehead with my thumb, and we were transported to a place of infinite blackness. She looked around confused. She could see nothing but me, standing in front of her. “Put us in a comfortable place for you. Surround us with...” Before I could finish, she snapped her fingers and we were in a field surrounded on all sides by waterfalls that surrounded us with a lake. “This is your problem.” I said, my eyes widening in surprise. "This is the block in your mind. You cannot have complete control when your safe place is trying to kill you." I told her as the water crept in closer to our feet. I walked behind her, and took her hand, whispering the directions in her ear. “Look on to the South.” I began. I stretched her arm in front of her and made her palm flat with her fingers towards the sky. “Remove this block in your mind by pushing the land apart to release the water around us.”

She concentrated, she tried, but nothing happened, she had failed. “Use the power from within you to release the water or it will kill us.” I whispered again. “Use your mind Wolf, make it happen, do not wish it to happen, there is nothing you cannot do. Build your power from here.” I said as I put my large hand on her solar plexus and pressed her firmly into me. She swallowed uncomfortably, but tried once more. She closed her eyes, and could feel my energy flowing through her and she was invigorated as I held her. The ground rumbled and moved beneath our feet. The south wall cracked and split the ground open, and then she forced the water out with a sweep of her arms in one large wave. “Bring us back now to the Book House Wolf.” I whispered gently in her ear as I smiled. She opened her eyes and we stood back beside the shelf. “Now, pick up your book.” I continued as I stepped away from her. She began to stoop and I caught her quickly by the shoulder of her cloak, “From here. You just moved a mountain; you can't pick up a book?”

She stuck her hand over the book and narrowed her eyes. It gently rose to her hand and she wrapped her fingers around the spine. She smiled as she walked to the table, and used her mind to pull out the chair before she sat down.

I leaned against the bookshelf grinning when I saw her pick up the book with her mind. She flipped quickly through the pages with her hands in her lap. Rikiir grabbed my shoulder and we disappeared to the underground forest. “Il zhah lil belaeryn dalhar. (She is the prophecy child.) Rikiir said quickly.

“Xas.” I replied, noticing my brother's starry expression. “You think she is beautiful?” I continued in our tongue.

“Yes, I do. Even for a pale flat walker, she is stunning.” Rikiir replied bluntly.

“You have no idea.” I mused, “We are leaving soon.”

“Where?” My brother asked.

“Tagnik’zur’el.” I answered.

“Let me go with you. You know I love that city.” Rikiir pleaded.

“Nau.” I said shortly, wanting to keep my swooning brother far from her. We appeared back in the book house, and Rikiir composed himself once more with a last snicker at me.

Wolf was just standing up from finishing the book. She returned it, (with her newfound magic) back to the bookshelf and then walked up to us. “I have finished master.” She said, and then she looked at Rikiir, “Good Afternoon Your Highness.” She said with such a perfect accent he was certain she'd been raised there.

I shook my head in disbelief at her speed, but continued, “Then it's time to leave.” I said as we left my jealous brother with his mouth agape and I led her out of the book house. We walked on through the city until we came to the Tir’Michul Roads, or the underground tunnels that led to the “friendly” cities. They were a mass of caverns and corridors that for the most part were quite secure, but there were many different races underground. Some tunneling or mining creatures had occasionally broken through the main tunnel wall, and created winding tunnels that allowed overgrown cave monsters and other races access, but I hoped to avoid anything like that.