UNSHEATHED

Chapter Thirty

A week later, the first 200 recruits would be arriving. The formidably organized Baldassare assisted Elena with arrangements. He suggested a space for their camp just outside the fortress walls on the beach under the shelter of an overhanging cliff and ordered the area cleared of bracken. In addition he suggested digging a pit for latrines and providing barrels of fresh water for washing. The kitchens would provide meals in the main hall, and to accommodate the extra people, he ordered additional tables and benches brought in. The infirmary had to be enlarged into a second room across the hall with additional beds and staff. Finally, several sections along the length of beach to the east of the fortress and camping area were identified as ideal for a number of practise areas and coloured flag were posted to identify them.

When she could spare a moment, Ergin was there to teach her. They met on the beach and walked along the water's edge. At first he did very odd things that had nothing to do with maru at all, but he claimed they exercised the mind's intuitive abilities. He talked a lot about many things; most especially what he hated about Kalad when he lived there, and what he loved about Castillon. Then he threw a ball at her when she wasn't expecting it. She reached out and caught it without really thinking.

"You see, my dear, while your mind is hard at work listening to me chatter on, another part of it is watching what is going on around you, so you won't trip when you walk. The mind is very skilled in ways we simply take for granted. Adina explained it to me once as the conscious and subconscious, one we are aware of, and one we are not."

Elena thought of sword fighting and how, with practise, her pupils learned to respond without thinking exactly as she had taught them. When she fought, she instinctively began the correct counter move as soon as she identified the move her opponent was in the process of making. Oftentimes it felt as if she even anticipated it. Was it something about her opponent's stance that gave advanced warning of the next move? Ergin chattered on.

"Well, I think you get the basic idea. Let's try something now. You need to become aware of your maru if you ever have any hope of tapping into it for any purpose."

They came to a place where the beach narrowed as the high cliffs curved out toward the water. Around the corner, where the cliffs turned back inland to continue along at their regular distance, there was a dark hollow in the rock wall, a shallow cave that sheltered them from the wind. It was full of humps of stone rising up from the floor which made good seats, and they found a wide one which they could both sit on.

"I want you to close your eyes and focus on your breathing as you learned to do when practising the forms."

Elena followed his instructions and breathed deep and fully, drawing air into the bottom of her lungs until her stomach extended a little, then slowly releasing it through slightly opened lips. In four breaths she felt a meditative calm come over her as it usually did. She sense Ergin's gaze burrowing into her even through her closed eyes.

She felt a tingle in the skin of her palm as he took her hand in his. His skin was cool and dry. She felt strange for a moment. An image of herself sitting in that very spot, eyes closed, popped into her mind for a brief second, and then disappeared. Ergin slowed his chatter to explain.

It's only a moment of disorientation when two minds first make contact. Stay calm and keep your eyes closed.

It took a moment for Elena to realize that the voice was inside her mind. The surprise ruffled her concentration. She struggled to maintain her focus, narrowing in on her breathing even more. She knew this kind of discipline well after ten years of study, and would not let her surprise shatter her meditation. She breathed another long, deep breath and deepened her focus.

Very well, you are ready now. I want you to search with your mind for your maru. It should feel like a prickling sensation all over your skin, and a pulsing in the centre of your body. Focus on whichever you notice first.

Ergin's voice steadied her. Time stretched on as she tried to do his bidding. Elena meditated but didn't feel anything happening. After what felt like hours, Elena began to worry she couldn't do it.

I'm not feeling anything. Warmth spread through her limbs as if a giant had breathed on her. She felt a rustling in her mind like wings fluttering. Ergin appeared in her thoughts, transparent like a spirit, and took her hand. She felt herself too, spirit-like, inside her own mind, holding his hand as he led her through hallways, or walled gardens, she couldn't quite say what things were there as they shifted with every moment.

They travelled inward, or at least it felt like they wandered toward her core. Her heart beats became louder until they deafened her with a throbbing drumbeat.

Look! Ergin commanded.

Elena saw. A deep golden glow as bright as if she looked into the sun, white hot in the centre. She felt its warmth too, like the hottest summer day when the sun beats down and bakes skin to a golden brown. She breathed in sharply in surprise. Her concentration broke, her inner vision blurred, and she spiralled away from the centre, falling, falling away, until she came back to herself, sitting on a rock, hand in hand with Ergin, the ocean waves rolling in with the wind, then out again.

Elena opened her eyes to see Ergin looking at her. He smiled.

"You needed a little help this time, but you did it. The next time you will know where to go and what to look for."

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I hope you enjoyed this instalment of Unsheathed. If you did, please consider voting so that it has a chance to receive some more attention by rising up the ranks in the Fantasy category. I also enjoy comments, so please feel free to let me know what you thought.

Cheers!

Rebecca