The Circle Of Ten

Distinctions

     Ceraon allowed his ethereal form to drift up and away from his corporeal body.   He felt anxious yet excited, spirit travel is always exhilarating but to do so in a new and unexplored world is a rarity and something to treasure. He moved due west floating just above the trees swaying to and fro dipping in and out of the tree line brushing against the leaves causing them to rustle as he passed by.

    Soon he was over the settlement itself and was able to view the buildings, activities, and affairs that made up the routine of human culture. He opened his mind to sense their collective thoughts and was puzzled by the muddled assemblage of mundane feelings and gloomy perceptions he felt.  He slowly drifted down among them careful not to come into direct contact with any single individual but close enough to peer into their minds and obtain bits and pieces of their lives for his research.

     Ceraon felt confident that none of the humans possessed any significant telepathic abilities and had no clue there was alien spirit drifting in and out of their homes, watching them work, eat and interact with one another. It was some time before he noticed one peculiar aspect of the settlement and that was the absence of young children. He had familiarized himself with the human breeding process and was looking forward to interacting with their young.

     Suddenly he had the oddest sensation, it felt as if he was being observed. He pulled up and opened his senses probing for his fellow researchers but Melete and Aphaea were not close enough and what he was feeling was very strong and near. He followed the sensation traveling further into the settlement until he saw a structure of much different design than the drab dwellings of the humans.

     The shrine was tall, circular in design and made of smooth polished stone. It sat upon a hill above the human settlement and was definitely the source of this strange sensation. He cautiously approached the structure until he could make out a being sitting placidly within the shrine. She was garbed in a bright blue robe, her face and hands were a pale white but around her eyes, her lips and hair there were a hint of blue shading. She sat very serenely, her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply and steadily.

     Ceraon thought that for a human she was incredibly beautiful and forgot about the strange feeling of being watched. He had this inexplicable desire to be near her and floated so close that he could feel the movement of air as she exhaled through her nostrils. He became waif-like as he was slowly drawn into her physical body, he felt her flesh, her muscles, the blood flowing through her veins, the air moving in and out of her lungs. Her warm living body felt much different than the cool, translucent one that waited his return.

    Suddenly he no longer had control of his spirit, strangely her form now seemed to encompass his and was pulling him deeper into her. It was when he tried to move out of her body that he realized he was trapped, the presence he had sensed watching him was now all around him, pushing him down within her.

"Who are you!" She demanded.

Startled, he panicked and tried once against to leave her body but her psychic bond held him fast. "Please, he begged, let me go."

"My name is Sativia, Spirit Priestess to the Goddess Fayala and I ask you again, who are you?"

     Ceraon felt like he was being squeezed in a fist, his spirit form was compressed to a point that he felt a throbbing discomfort, not pain but there was a feeling of impending dissolution if he did not do something, "My name is Ceraon," He answered meekly, "Please you are ... frightening me."

"I know," Sativia answered tersely, "You have violated my body and my consciousness. Surely you realize that I am much stronger than you and can crush you into oblivion should I desire."

     Ceraon had never felt fear in his life, this being that held him fast was terrifyingly strong and he was helpless in her psychic grasp. "Please," he pleaded, "I am sorry, I meant no harm, you are so much different from the humans and I just wanted to see ... who you are."

"Well now you have seen and ... felt me,"  Sativia sensed honesty in his disclosure, besides she had become curious about who this being was and what he had to offer, she relaxed her psychic grip, "I will release you on one condition ... you must agree to return and visit me again, under more respectful circumstances."

     Ceraon felt her hold on him relax and as he warily slid out of the priestesses physical body he felt her spiritually caress his consciousness. When he had completely exited her body he saw that she was looking directly at him even though he should have been completely invisible to her physical sight. Reluctantly he drifted away from her, the intimate sensation of being with her, in her, feeling her warmth and strength was still with him.  He saw her lips part as she spoke but her verbal language evaded his understanding. Her eyes never left him as he moved off and headed back to the shuttle.

"He thought I was beautiful," she said.

______________________

     Melete had followed Ceraon as he traveled towards the human settlement. He was relatively young by Miorpean standards and inexperienced in dealing with alien species. She had scanned the humans and saw nothing that could be of a threat to him. Feeling confident that he would be able to handle any issue the humans might pose psychically, she passed on and moved swiftly towards a large structure located near a mountain.

     She saw that it was a vast sprawling complex of old and new construction and thought it interesting that there was severe damage to a large section of the structure. Other parts were very old and yet there was recent construction ongoing and a marvelous valley beyond that was resplendent with beautiful shrines and temples.

     There were thousands of workers in the valley causing Melete to wonder about the relationship between these lowly human laborers and the beings in whose honor these temples were being constructed. Melete cautiously approached a  large temple then moved towards a shrine located beyond that was the source of the psychic pulse their equipment picked up during landing.

     Melete was chosen for this particular assignment because of her advanced abilities. She is able to hide her own signature making her psychically, as well as physically invisible. Her shield was up as she drifted down to the shrine and what appeared to be two humans and a ... Miorpean! She stopped her approach and examined the gigantic blue skinned female. Yes, there were obvious Miorpean qualities in her but she also possessed human traits as well. There was a small female who possessed a spirit that seemed Miorpean yet in the body of a human. Then there was a third female who was definitely human yet exhibited substantial telekinetic abilities equal to any Miorpean.

     Melete hovered near the shrine trying to make sense out of this unique gathering of beings. They  possessed distinctive and differing internal and external characteristics that set them apart and seemingly above the common humans. She saw that several humans of the lower cast stood apart in apparent readiness to serve them. Did these three intentionally enslave these humans she wondered, or because of their prowess where perceived as gods and worshiped by the primitives.

     Suddenly the three within the shrine stood and looked directly at her, lost in her thoughts Melete had let her guard down but for moment and they had sensed her presence. While appearing apprehensive they displayed no signs of aggression. Melete decided to unmask completely and find out exactly who these beings were.