Under a Starless Sky

Chapter 86

They came out of the last gate. They were unable to see the mountain because they were on the

mountain. There was a wall which was the mountain, and there was a terrace that offered a view of the

Isle of Sinter. But he didn’t see the terrain, all he saw was Loxy, standing on the edge of the terrace,

singing. The sun set colored her a strange aura, when the light of day was gone, her silhouette was

framed by the many lights of Sinter below. It was like looking down on the stars, like the most famous

lookout point, Holy Wood below- only this was not Holy Wood or Disney- it was the Milky Way.

“Where’s Loxy?” Jerica said.

“Not Here,” Shen said.

“I don’t understand,” Jerica said.

“Their kind are not allowed on hallowed ground. They cannot pass through the gates,” Indigo Guardian

said. “The prisoner will remove his clothing, and surrender all jewelry.”

Shen was reluctant to surrender is rings. To take the one off his finger, he had to open his palm, and

that revealed the last updated image of his companion in his grasp. “Please.”

“Surrender it,” Indigo said. “If you survive all will be restored to you.”

“You can’t restore Loxy,” Shen said.

“We cannot return that which never was,” Indigo said.

“Do you really think she was nothing? Do you really think you’re something?” Shen asked.

“Strip,” Indigo said.

Shen complied. All was taken from him. At that point, he was shaved, magically. A breeze took the hair

away. He was provided a hemp gown. The party then walked up the stairs to the very top of the

mountain, and then out across a bridge. They came to a station where again they passed through a

stone gate and arrived directly center of the Tri Mountains. A single sleeping tree stretching from earth

to sky provided the canopy for the platform, which was likely anchored into the tree, there was a gap

between the platform and tree. Glowworms illuminated the underneath of the canopy of leaves. For a

moment, he actually thought the stars had returned- but he saw through his own illusion fast enough.

Jerica, Neva, and Tell were instructed to hold at a boundary. Shen was brought forwards and

positioned into a circle. A feint wall of light locked him into place. It was almost invisible. He couldn’t This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

resist touching it; it sparked brightly and painfully. He respected the wall. He had enough space to sit

down. He could lay down if he curled himself. A group of women approached and counseled with

Lanore and Tama. They were out of earshot. Shen wasn’t even interested in trying to read lips. He was

more interested in Loxy.

“Are you really still with me, or are you a memory?”

Loxy spoke-sang the lyrics to ‘You Got to Be,’ by Des'ree. He listened to her voice. The message was

Loxy, but it didn’t provide clarity on if it was her or memories of her. Could he be so stressed that he

was experiencing psychosis? Did it matter if it was comforting?

“I don’t think that message was for me,” he told her.

‘It doesn’t mean you can’t own it,’ Loxy said.

“Excuse me,” one of the Elders interrupted. “Are we interrupting you?” It was clearly meant to be

sarcastic.

Shen eyes shifted focus and he acknowledged the woman speaking. Her hair seemed prematurely

silver. He entertained asking her what had frightened her so, but he knew enough not to ask. Just

wondering added to a delay in response and her impatience drove her to speak again.

“Hello? Anyone home?” she asked. She turned to her friends, communicating smugness, while her

voice was intended for Lanore: “This is the great warrior everyone is afraid of?”

“I request Mother participate in this,” Tama said.

“You are not recognized,” an Elder said, blocking with a hand gesture. “You have not been approved.”

“She was raised by Masters,” Lanore said.

“It takes three Masters to raise a priestess,” an elder said. “Your triad is not recognized. You’re just as

off as this one, bringing in foreigners to adulterate our ways.”

If Lanore was angry, she hid it well.

One of the younger ones questioned Shen: “They say you can bring back the dead?”

“The dead are dead,” Tama said. “No one brings the dead back.”

“I was speaking to him…”

The silvered hair one asked: “Are you calling your own mother a liar?”

“I am saying she misunderstood. A woman feinted can be awakened. A sleeping person can be

awakened. Shen did not bring back the dead,” Tama said.

“She was drowned,” Lanore said.

“She was. And Shen got to her before she was dead. He revived her, that is all,” Tama said.

“They say you speak to trees. Is this true?” one of them asked. All gave the gesture to Tama to be

silent.

Tama silently fumed.

“Not so much,” Shen said.

“Shen, speak truthfully here,” Tama said. “Or I can’t help you.”

There was condescending laughter from the group. “As if…”

“On the whole, the conversations seemed to be one sided,” Shen said. “Talking to trees and

communicating are two different things.”

“You lie!”

“Wake Mother. She will discern the truth of it,” Tama said.

“They say you can do magic. Show us something.”

“No,” Shen said.

“So, you’re magic was an illusion. Tech driven?”

“I incorporate both magic and tech,” Shen said. “I find it plausible they’re one and the same.”

“I think he’s all talk. I see nothing special in him.”

“There are witnesses to him doing magic,” Lanore said. “He is male. He should be put to death. The

law is clear on this.”

“He sees ghosts,” one of them said. “Maybe his whole experience was delusion. Ghost driven drama to

keep him occupied in the dark.”

Shen nearly bit at that, but Loxy touched his shoulder. His eyes went to her.

“Is someone with you?”

“We would all see it. He’s hallucinating.”

“I see her,” Tama said.

“Your report is rejected. You are influenced. You’re telepathically bonded to the insane.”

If it had been guess or speculative, Tama’s blushing validated the statement. She heard Lanore say:

“This is true.”

“How long have known?” Tama asked.

“Since you were born,” Lanore said.

“What kind of Master are you that you didn’t break this early?”

“I consulted. There was consensus,” Lanore said.

“You didn’t consult us.”

“Not everything rises to the top,” Lanore said. “I don’t see any need to continue this conversation.

There is enough here to warrant his death. Just the declaration of war with him gives you the authority

to end this. Why the delay?”

“He is allowed a fair trial. He is allowed a voice. He is allowed an audience with Mother,” Tama said.

“Who do you think you are, making such demands?”

One of the Elders came forwards to focus on Shen. She was plump, but likely in better physical

strength than he. “State your name.”

“I am Captain Jon Harister…”

The woman touched the shield and it collapsed in on and around Shen like Ceram wrap, dropping him

to his knees in pain, simultaneously suffocating him. It returned to its cylindrical shape. He recovered in

measure, shallow breathing became deeper. He looked at the floor. Even in this state, he was ashamed

to be confronted with libido and resisted seeing them. The floor was polished black, and even looking

down filled his eyes. Loxy remained with him. He tried to focus on her.