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Lilia and Doona had joined Xugan, Cxan and Coleja for a meal? it had been a pleasant evening, enjoying not just their company, but the refreshments. “So you switched with Ocasa to move in with those three.“ Doona nodded. “Ocasa didn’t seem to mind moving out.” He omitted to add, it was Ocasa’s dislike for Coleja.
He had tried, in fairness tried really hard, but no! Ocasa resented being anywhere near her and the fact that his brother had taken an immense liking to this Jogarth? Headed beyond friendship towards a possible future union. Was too much! When Doona had suggested changing places, re the domiciles, it was jumped at!
If Coleja disagreed with a lot of the tricks her kith and kin, got up to, especially where Anora was concerned, she was not adverse to letting them have their moments.
Whilst they were engaged on activities against her?
Coleja would be safe from their interests. A little selfish on her part but she had reasons for that. Cxan would be furious and take it upon himself to hand out some punishment to them. Not wise at all. It would mean they both, would have to spend the rest of their time, watching each others back. Revenge. No, she wanted both of them to remain impartial.
Lilia had been taken under Cxan and Coleja’s wing, determined to put an end to the verbal abuse and threatened physical taunts that she received from those of a similar disposition to Ocasa. Bullying? If they had tried, Doona had been quick to make it clear, even given his size that you should rethink your intentions! He’d protect her, look after her. Some of that abuse was aimed at the way she dressed?
Even Seocia sometimes turned her nose up at her, but was not unkind to her. The time in the mines, when things had gone wrong her skills had earned her some respect from some, who saw a different side to her.
As far as they were concerned, she was no different to a lot of them, good bad and indifferent, cept with Lilia, her temperament was often, as could be where Anora was concerned, naively sweet.
Becci had had to listen to Ocasa’s views on Lilia. “What” He had asked. “Does Doona ever see in her!” Cistera had cut him short. Angry at her brothers constant barracking of those he deemed did not meet his standards?
“Maybe he looks beyond the image, below the skin to where the heart is? You know, the thing that keeps YOU alive.“
She smirked, glancing at Becci.
“IF YOU’ve got one of those. Try letting others, see you’ve got one!“ Ocasa had done his usual scowl. Sauntered off, with Xugan and Edram, muttering to them this time, on one of his other favorite topics, the female of the species.
Joined by Colfra Ah yes, the female of the species and how they were just out of control! Approaching them, Elanna had stopped in front of them.
Colfra smiled as she looks at Ocasa before moving to take his shelde off him. They see her run her hand across it.
A message appears on the screen, as she hands back the shelde and turns, to leave them.
“Wow!“ Ocasa had glanced at it. “Its from Seocia! She’s invited you to join her for the evening.” Xugan stared at it, not believing his eyes. Seocia NEVER looked twice at any of them.
“Must have been the way you scored so high in the Strat the other day. You must have impressed her. You know how she loves winners.“ He grinned as Ocasa nodded.
“I saw her the other evening looking at you, then talking to her friends. Looked to me like YOU, were the main topic of the conversation!” THE topic of conversation might have continued amongst them on the merits of ‘that invitation’, but not for long.
What happened later that night, was to cause ripples through the Akademy and it all started, in the early hours of the morning!
The screams were the first thing they heard, as Doona sat up, his ears picked up the noise coming from Lilia’s room?
Coleja and Cxan had been cuddled together, they woke to hear the piercing screams?
It was Doona who got to her hatch first, his fingers pressing the button to open it and the light that flooded out past him, almost blinded him. His arms went up, to shield his eyes as the light died back and faded to nothing.
Lilia was on the recline, her head raised, her eyes fixed ahead of her, her eyelids flared wide, her little lips trembling. A look of sheer terror on her face. Others had heard the resulting commotion!
Having moved Lillia to the main 'Ovir' relax area, they could sort some refreshments, and decide what to do next? Watching as Doona helped Lilia to sit down, she was still shaking.
Becci and Ameryst had arrived, to see the crowd of Kets gathering. Little Lillia so traumatized? Might have been amusing to some of the Kets who were now facing Ameryst.
Those that were not welcome, were sent back to their domiciles! Ameryst was not so gentle, as she ordered them out and those resenting her, pushing them out were reminded of her physical strength and abilities. Did they want a smack? If they objected or refused, apparently that was an option she might relish exploring further. They left.
"I don't know what she saw that could make her so frightened." Murmurs Doona. He went onto explain how, he had almost been blinded, by the flash of light and swore, that he had seen an image within the light leaning over Lillia, a blade in its hands?
Before the light died back and whatever it might have been, vanished.
"Well she needs checking over." Becci raised her hand, stroked the band on the wrist. “Medsen code x4p8 attend.“
There was a flicker, as a Medisent appeared. “Mistress?” “Check Ket Lillia over and report on her condition," It checked Lilia scanning her, then stopped as Becci hissed. “Report.“
“Medisent detects trauma to neural pathways, appears an energy wave of some form but of unknown origins, insufficient data. There is damage to meta neurone path 4 and 3 hypersenses.
Not permanent, but requiring immediate treatment.“ “Medsen code x4p8 administer treatment.“ The Medisent moved, from it, an aura of energy appeared, pausing to hang over Lilia’s head, before vanishing.
“Treatment completed mistress, scanning for results.“ Lilia to their relief, had stopped shaking. “Treatment successful, damaged repaired.“ “Medsen code x4p8 record dismissed.“
The data was being transmitted from the Medisent to the main systems now recording, what had happened, the extent of the trauma and the treatment logged along with Becci’s personal ident code, x4p8 to show it had been her, that had summoned it.
Lillia sipped her drink, started to remember what had happened? “It was.“ Lilia looked at Doona, as he moved closer to her, she grabbed his hand squeezed it. “Telling me that something terrible, was going to happen.” She paused, her eyes flitted skittishly.
“To the Akademy and everyone in it!“ Coleja looked at her “Looks like you had a premonition.“ Lilia nodded.
“Whatever delivered the message wanted me to know how serious the warning was. It had a blade in its hand, as it moved towards me I was unable to move.“ She started to shake again.
“I think we should let her rest!” Doona was comforting her but insisting that she should not be asked any more questions! Lilia chose to ignore him. “It was the flash of light across the blade, the slight quiver of it distorting the light.“ She sipped her drink.
They stared at her waiting, impatiently for her to continue? “It used the blade, to convince me, it was a warning, to take seriously. Something is wrong, badly wrong or is going to happen. This is not the first time I have these premonitions, bad or good dreams but this was the first time, I actually felt fear."
It was an hour later. Lilia sedated and fast asleep. They, were sat drinking and talking. “I’d have believed she had dreamed it, if I hadn’t seen the flare of light engulf me before it died back and that figure, just as she described it."
Doona did not need to sound convincing, they knew he never lied. If he told them he had seen what he had seen, then it was good enough for them.
"The Medisent reported, that it had sensed the presence of an unknown energy.” Their eyes were on Becci. “All entities, leave behind residual trace elements. Even in my domicile, I sensed the intense energy from its presence. My gems had started to react. When they died back, I knew it wasn’t hostile.
IF Lillia had had premonitions before, it obviously knew, she could be used as a vessel for its energy. Able to use her, to pass on its message to us. Kind of freaky I know, to some of you, but no different to storing energy and releasing it from a cell.
In most of us our biocells store energy, in one form or another. It charged her up and then she replayed back the contents.
Why the energy in the end died back to nothing. The fact that it was a warning and I am definitely, inclined to believe it was, means we could all be under threat?
From now on we’re going to be on our guard, for anything out of the normal.“
In the temple. The priestess slumped back to open her eyes, whispered to herself. “I hope, whoever got the message, won’t ignore it. They must be on their guard.
Something, SOMETHING EVIL, this way comes."
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