Bent World: Chapter 25 The Midas Touch

Chapter 25

The Midas Touch

Even before I drew near to the monolith, I could feel the energy crackling and rising from within. A sharp pressure began to build up as golden images began to appear and flow around the left-handed stone slab. The slab that was meant for a Pathfinder to place their hand and receive a marking.

Fresch scent of ozone.

There was a crisp clean smell that I couldn’t quite place at first, at least not until I got closer and could all but see sparks of energy lunging out from the Monolith. Pulsating arcs of energy cascaded down and away creating a seeming natural barrier that all but forced me to move forward and claim my spot.

Badump, badump, badump.

Just getting closer to the slab, I could feel a rich tingling sensation pulsing through my body. It was the same sensation one would expect to feel when crossing over millions of volts of electricity that were being skillfully channeled just underneath your feet.

Fwoosh!

When I placed my hand on the slab, I felt an instant suction to the slab as if my entire hand was being pulled tightly to the monolith. Then I was held in place as a gentle jolt of electricity firmly held my body still. During this time, golden rays of lightning energy coursed through me. For a moment I could swear that my eyes glowed with surges of lightning.

My mouth opened reflexively, but no sound escaped as my lungs were constricted tight. Yet, despite all these physical changes that were happening to my body all outside my control, I felt no pain. For a moment it felt as if my spirit was momentarily removed from my body, during this time, I could both see far distances and not at all.

What I meant by not at all was the area directly around me suddenly became blurry, while a few distances far away grabbed and held my attention like a burning beacon in the night. Shifting my gaze to the burning beacon, I could feel my eyes pulled to a dark pillar that still glowed off in the distance. At first the sight seemed off, then with the clarity that only comes in such out of body states, I instantly recognized the location for what it was, another monolith. But not just any monolith, but the monolith that I had previously connected to, the first one.

Looking out over the distance, I could feel a mental map showing the exact distance and terrain features unfold in my mind like a three-dimensional map. A three-dimensional map that effectively composed a line segment, two points or monoliths that were connected by a straight line.

Tired.

There was a surge of power being drained from me. Mentally, I could tell that something was going on around me, but it was far away and muted. I could somehow tell that people were being filtered through the right-handed Wayfarer’s side that was far off to my right. Each time someone placed their hand on the slab a bit of energy was pulled from me. But that didn’t matter, what mattered was the fact that the longer I stayed in this state, the more I could see the tears and scars that seemed to line our world.

I could see dark pulsing scar lines, lines where I just knew that Rifts would form naturally. While there were tools and instruments that had been developed to spot when rifts actually appeared, I felt like I was being shown the cheat sheet. As I could almost see where areas were slowly being worn down between worlds and creating perfect breeding grounds for new rifts to appear.

Then my blood ran cold as I saw a few glowing stones being used not a few hundred meters away to form a miniature rift. As the rift was being forced open, I could see how the rift didn’t seem to stop with the immediate area, and instead had a cascading effect outwards, causing more loose layers of distortion to form as well, making secondary and tertiary tears in space possible.

Just as quickly as it all became visible to me, it stopped as the glowing energy of the world began to resend backwards. The pulsing energy that held my body in place finally let up, as I was finally able to collapse.

Gentle hands.

Upon my collapse I felt strong but still somehow gentle hands grabbed me and picked up my small frame. Well small in comparison to the tall monster that now held me. My head instantly rested against giant cushions that felt oddly familiar.

Slow lingering burn.

My left hand felt like it was on fire. Somehow, I knew things were happening just underneath the glove on my left hand. In my mind, I could almost feel a compass type of effect forming within my mind, where a faint golden arc was forming just above my upper case ‘P’ that was still there. Instinctively, I felt the burn and felt the inexplicable need to cradle the burning appendage under my right arm.

Movement.

Before I could think too much or had much time to truly take in what was happening, we were moving. Or rather Sarina, the person I now knew to be carrying me was moving, while we were flanked on all sides by the protective detail that came. My mother was to my right, while others all flanked over and around me. Yet, despite being done relatively quickly, I could all but feel the gazes of dozens of eyes upon me as we made our way to a tentlike structure, and then as soon as we were in, I could feel the intense pressure of so many eyes relent with their pressure.

“Let me see,” Auntie’s voice called out. Only now did I realize she had been the one to lead our procession away from the monolith. A monolith that instantly deactivated once I left the area. Somehow, I could sense that too, the fact that the monolith was somehow able to both sense my presence and turn itself into an energy preservation mode when I was away. Had I not had the experiences of my last life, with a world that focused on similar energy conservation features, I might not have been able to define what exactly the monolith was doing.

Cool, green healing energy.

Auntie grabbed my hand and instantly began channeling her amazing healing energy into my hand. Just like a few years ago, when she used this same healing energy to heal my hand, I began to feel better almost instantly.

Rip.

There was a mild burning sensation as I could feel my ornate glove peeling away from my skin. Then a moment of reprieve as the open wound was slowly healed before my eyes, revealing what I already knew to be there.

Looking at the back of my hand, I saw a new smaller node appear, along with a glowing yellow arc of lightning at the top. Now I have two markings around my upper case ‘P’ the black dot to the northeastern corner, and now the glowing yellow spark with five tiny arcing streams to the north.

“Did you get it too?” Auntie asked, turning her head to the right to ask my mother directly.

“No,” mother answered while shaking her head. “I just got the Wayfarer’s mark.”

With that admission, she pulled off her own glove on her right hand to reveal a lower case ‘w’ etched in stylized script on her hand. Then realizing she might be missing something, she asked, “you?”

Hearing that Auntie nodded and helped slide back on my glove that felt oddly moist with what I could only expect to be my own drying blood now resting against a closed wound. Then with the glove back on, Auntie pulled off her own glove to reveal a now matching golden arc at the top of her lowercase Wayfarer’s symbol.

Mother paused as she looked at the marking, then seemed to come to realize something else. “Any word on what happened to the other houses?”

At that Auntie paused but finally shook her head. “No word yet, but I’d have to assume it would be the same. The former team members unlocked the Lightning attribute.”

“Lightning?” Mother parroted, a note disbelief in her voice.

“Yes, lightning. That is what the new symbol indicates,” Auntie confirmed. Hearing her state so confidently the result made me feel better. I thought this to be the case, but having the event clarified by Auntie made me trust my instincts related to this whole ordeal more.

Pausing, I tried to think back and if I focused, I swore I could feel how close I was to both monoliths that I had already interacted with, and I could even find the path between the two. Mentally, I understood this to be my purpose as a pathfinder, that I could somehow find these landmarks, despite the distance. Not certain why this type of ability would be important, but it made sense why me and my kind were apparently referred to as Pathfinders. As I could now without a doubt find a path to at least these two monoliths.

Whoosh!

While our time to recover and analyze the changes we had all gone through was happening inside this tent, the Pathfinder games were still going on outside. Even now I could feel a minor disturbance of a rift being forcefully ripped open. Yet, I also knew that this would be one of the easiest to close, and that it would likely seal itself shut tighter than before. How I knew these things were based on odd pressure build ups, on the pulsing of energy around me I did not know.

“Everything okay?” Auntie asks with a note of concern in her voice. Only after a second do I realize she is directing her concern towards me. Apparently, I was not too subtle with my own tense feelings of evaluating rift energy, that our many years of working together had somehow given Auntie insight into my body language.

Realizing there was nothing to do but tell the truth, I used our own version of sign language to express my thoughts, “new rift appeared, manmade, can be closed to be stronger.”

“Stronger what?” Auntie asked.

With that I shrugged and realized we had never come up with a term to describe the area between realms. “The barrier between worlds,” that was the best I was able to reply with.

At that Auntie’s analytical mind began analyzing. I could almost feel a magnetic pull as her mind seemed to focus on details that she had read about and studied before, but had never been able to enact until now.

“Everything okay?” Mother asked, only now did I realize her concern as she likely only got Auntie’s side of the conversation. Auntie for her part just held up a finger to buy more time to process, then finally she nodded to herself and replied.

“Yes, though I think we should check out the rift nearby, and partake in closing the rift as is tradition,” Auntie noted.

“Closing a minor rift like the ones here? But isn’t that only for the lower houses? For the lower houses to prove their worth and show off the fact that they deserve a chance at the Pathfinder’s party?” Mother asked as a note of disdain in her voice, apparently, she thought these minor rifts were a waste of time.

“I think these rifts are generated here for a reason, first I think they somehow recharge the monoliths, which is a good thing particularly with how much energy it just used.” Auntie began. Hearing her words, mother could only nod her head in agreement before conceding that point to Auntie. Then once that part was accepted Auntie continued, “I also think that there is a certain recharge capability that is needed for a Pathfinder.”

“Recharge?” Mother pressed.

“Yes, like the old scriptures used to state,” then before I even knew what was happening, Auntie began to sing in a deep melodious voice in a language that I had never heard before.

Melodious song lyrics that filled the soul.

I wonder if this is what people in my old world thought of when hearing Ave Maria or other songs, without having any context to the words, other than the power and inflection used by the performers. Of course, I had been brought up to know the old tongue, and could understand the melody for what it was, just as apparently Auntie could understand what this limerick meant while singing. Auntie even pointed with her fingers as she went over verses and passages that she thought were most important to her thoughts. Then all too quickly, the impromptu concert ended.

Silence.

Everyone in the tent was silent, as we all had our own thoughts. Sarina and the other guards were quiet as that was their expected role at this time, while I remained quiet as I had my own thoughts of my past life bubbling up.

Tingle.

Then just as quickly as our moment of introspection began, I felt an odd sensation as I felt a strong pull towards the front of the tent.

Knock knock.

Before I could even understand the reason for the strong pull, the sound of quick but precise wraps of feet against loud floorboards could be heard, alerting us to people at the front of the tent.

At that, a wild look came to Mother’s face as she gestured for us all to stand up. Auntie put on her glove, as did everyone else. I even found myself straightening out and readjusting my gloves as a nearly nervous gesture.  Auntie then gave us all a once over, nodded, then turned to the front of the tent that had a breezeway tunnel set up. Seeing that we were all ready, she called out, “coming.”

As she left, I could see everyone else getting into position. During this time I too felt Sarina’s strong hands reach out and womanhandle me into position. Is it odd that I have now been here long enough that I think of it in the terms of this word? I think about that for a moment, but then dismiss the thought, as there is apparently movement at the front of the tent.

Stomp clomp.

Upon the arrival, Mother is the first to recognize the person and their entourage, as she drops to a bow. A gesture that the rest of us all follow, I even manage to do so before Sarina has a chance to forcefully correct my posture.

“Rise up,” the voice of a powerful matron filled the tent. But before she spoke, I already knew the person by the voice, and apparently by the fact that this person was now also part of my team. While the command seemed like it was for everyone, it really only apparently applied to Mother, for everyone else remained kneeling, which I did as well.

“Head Lady Jaupry, you grace us with your presence,” Mother began rising to her feet to fully greet the house leader of the Jaupry clan and who was slated to be the third member to be added to my team today. Mentally I tried to reach out for Sarina, but she was not part of my team. This meant she either was far down the totem pole to receive such a boon, or we just ran out of spots. Given that no other people around me felt like they were part of my team, I assumed this to be the latter.

“No, it is I who should be thanking you, for fulfilling your contracts and oaths to house Jaupry,” The warrior maiden with a half mask showing only part of her face began, indicating that she was the actual sword and leader of house Jaupry. Even seeing half of her face, I could tell she was beautiful, short cropped golden hair and a piercingly blue eye set to a powerful and commanding face showed this person to be someone of immense power. The warrior lady first gave a nod of appreciation towards mother, but then actually turned and gave a full ceremonial bow to Auntie. The gesture was clear, as it was a sign that Auntie held true household power, and that she was the mastermind behind this whole operation.

Once again, I was left in awe of her masterful working and dealings. Noting how she managed to take on business dealings and make them all beneficial in some way. It was moments like these where I realized just how shrewd of a businesswoman Auntie was. Before I could get too caught up in these political dealings conducted by Auntie, I was thrown for a loop as things went seemingly sideways quickly.

“It is with that in mind, and that you are the first true Pathfinder for over a thousand years, that we felt it only fitting that you get a chance to meet the lord of these events,” Jaupry’s house leader began, and then gestured to a person who was behind two personal bodyguards.

What I saw next was a scene that took a moment for my mind to fully comprehend, as I saw a male dressed in what could otherwise be called flowing and frilly garments. Similar to what a male might have worn during medieval times in my past life, the only difference was that the colors were all wrong. Soft pastels, pinks, soft blues, and otherwise spring colors made up the colors that adorned the man’s clothing. Clothing that seemed to not match the color coordinated arms used by the guards and leadership of the Jaupry household. The clothing was just the first part, as the man, the person I now assumed to be the respected prince of these games, and the person that every warrior would be vying for the attention of had long flowing hair, a sign of how safe his life was. Seeing his long hair, I realized that after my profiling ceremony I too would be expected to grow my hair out long, and show how well kept I was as well.

For now, I could get away with being a Suegirl with my hair bobbed short and having the ability to actually breathe while on missions. Once I came of age, things would get drastically tougher for me. That was the thought going through my head, when I was blindsided by the Prince’s actions. He strode forward, his hair immaculately braided into an intricate design that flowed down his long golden locks and highlighted his otherwise frail body structure. Seeing him, I couldn’t help but feel that he looked rather fragile. That’s when he came forward, stopping a foot in front of me, that’s where he paused. For a moment I wondered what he was doing, only to see him tremble slightly, a sign that he was clearly as nervous as I was at this act. Then acting quickly, he thrust his arms forward, revealing an ornately adorned fountain pen.

Not going to lie, of all the things I thought he would hand out, a rose, a handkerchief, I was most confused by the gifting of a pen.

Shove.

I paused, completely caught off guard by the gesture, only a quick shove by Sarina let me know I was expected to take the pen. Still kneeling, I reached forward to grab the pen cupping my hands together so that I might receive the pen without dropping the obviously expensive item.

Place and hold.

The prince then used that moment to both place the pen in my hands, then proceed to curl my fingers around the pen, which he then held in place. Not wanting to cause an issue, I just stayed there for a moment, before waiting.

Nervous sweat.

It was clear that the prince was clearly nervous about this next part, a fact that was now making me feel anxious, particularly with the overly close hand holding gesture that he was now employing on my own hands. Fortunately, before it got too awkward, he finally continued with whatever it was he was trying to do here.

“Dear Pathfinder, while your travels and ordeals might take you far, know that I will be thinking of you. As a means to ensure your correspondence is seen, I am presenting to you this pen bearing the Jaupry house seal, so that you might write to me and tell me of your perils,” the Prince states suddenly nervous as he straightens his posture and bows once towards me.

I nod my head in acceptance and bring the pen to my chest. There is an awkward tension that seems to build up as the Prince clearly expects me to do something, while I have no clue what is expected of me. I had not expected to see the Prince, or at least not in this way.

“You must forgive the Pathfinder, for they have already sworn a vow of silence, as was requested of the old codes and traditions,” Auntie stated, her response quickly appeasing everyone as the tension that had been rising in the room from an apparent faux pas that I was missing was easily dismissed.

“Now if you will excuse us, we will show the world the way a real Pathfinder closes down a rift.”

And like that we were allowed to rise and follow Auntie out towards our next task, towards the manmade rifts that were apparently being generated for fun and profit.

“Step right up, close a rift and win a prize…”

Yes, the carnival theme was in full effect, but this was perfect as it gave me a chance to grow.