Fear of the Wild

 
Cruelty and Purpose
The emperor calls me in to see him.
“Congratulations, Neyima.”
“Disu has made incredible progress in his fighting skills, and he told me that he has agreed to the Madar val.”

“Yes, great father.”

“I have a few questions for you.”
“I want to understand the training that you’ve been giving him.”
“My staff has been analyzing the sims that you use.”
“Acting?”
“Practicing silence?”
“Being insulted?”
“These seem like a complete waste of time, and totally different from what the other tutors did.”

“May I speak freely?”

“Of course.”

“The other tutors accomplished nothing with … Read more

Far From Home

 
Ancient Wars
Months have gone by.
When I left the Veezal, I went back to the star where the captured probe was last seen.
Since then, I’ve searched through many of the inhabited worlds along this arm of the galaxy.
The worlds here are unsophisticated technologically, and know little of energy ways.
Many have stories or ruins of an older civilization.
The ruins I’ve found are contaminated with radiation.
There was a devastating war here, a long time ago.

At least I have a name for the enemy: Kizak.
It’s the word that Dilasa heard in her last vision, … Read more

Dark Pathways

 
Fear of Travelers
The day of the tests is here.
Shazira and I dance the greeting early, finishing by first light.

“I need to feel the sky,” I tell her.
“Then, we’ll spend the morning together.”

I rise high in the sky, close my physical eyes, and open all of myself to the world of energy.
I see the energy web sparkle all around me, as the sun’s light grows stronger and stronger, and I hear the ebb and flow of the web as it greets the sun.
The web dances its own greeting to the new day.… Read more

Blue Lightning, Black Stones

 
Doubt
The rain surrounds me as I fly, but doesn’t touch me.
I reach Balshown before first light, and we dance the greeting together.

“The guild will waste my morning,” he says, as he prepares breakfast.
“Come back for a few hours in the late afternoon.”

“What do they want with you?”

He turns and looks in my eyes.
Balshown hides little from me.
“They want to hear about your training.”

“What will you say?”

“I’ll tell them what they expect to hear, that I’ve been following their orders.”
“They told me to teach you little, sabotage your efforts, … Read more