Forgotten Ones

Forgotten Ones Chapter 3

Misham watched as Enoch pulled the lamp closer.  The day had come to an end bringing darkness through the window.  The glowing crystal in the lamp would last the entire night. The people of Tarvos who grew the crystals were master craftsmen who lived in the part of Gliese where the sun didn't shine for months at a time.  The glowing crystals helped them to see in the dark and helped to give them a sense of day and night.  But Misham knew that neither he nor Enoch could continue the length of time that the crystal would last.  They'd spent the entire day researching the great books that had been written since the beginning of the Historians.

Misham looked around at the large library.  There were small tables vying for space among the floor to ceiling bookshelves.  All the books held the memories of visions the Historians had experienced since record keeping began. Several Historians had dedicated their lives to writing down the past, present and future.   Somewhere in one of these tombs had to be a hint to where the forgotten ones were.  Fear was growing inside Misham that they wouldn't find the right book before it was time from him and his Dom to leave.  Time was running out for the ones left on earth.

Stifling a yawn, Misham spoke in a low voice, "Enoch, we will continue in the morning.  The sun has set and we must eat and rest."

"No." Enoch's voice held the grief of all the inhabitants of the dead earth.

Sorrow and devastation flowed through Misham, doubling him over in pain.

Misham was the son of a Historian and a woman warrior of Tarvos.  While Historians had visions that told all, the people of Tarvos had a special bond with their mates.  The bond was referred to as the "link".  The link enabled the warriors of Tarvos to share all their senses and emotions with their mate.

As a child of the two races, Misham had inherited stronger Historian genes.  The link that his mother's genetics had contributed had morphed into an empathy.  He couldn't connect to another like the people of Tarvos, but when anyone around him had strong emotions, he felt them as well.   He had worked with his dominant, Elden, on trying to find a way to block the feelings that flowed like a whisper through the air, but they hadn't had any success.  Misham felt every emotion of the people around him. As scholars, Elden and Misham spent the better part of their day in one of the small rooms that connected to the library, limiting his exposure.

But today he'd spent the entire day with Enoch.  Enoch's despair had taken its toll on him.  He could feel the heavy weight pressing down on him.   Squeezing him until he could barely breathe.  The thought of stopping the search for the night had renewed Enoch's grief.  Misham exhaustion gave him no defensive against the onslaught.

"Misham."

The voice full of authority was like water that swept debris down the river.  Elden's strong voice pushed the emotions that Misham was feeling from Enoch away.  Looking toward the door, Misham stood up.

"We were finishing up," he told his dominant.

"Come to me now."

Misham had no doubt that his dominant had seen the exhaustion on his face.  Nothing brought out the dominance in Elden like the thought of his submissive in pain.  Misham walked quickly to him.

"To our home.  I will escort Enoch to his own dominants, then return to take care of you," Elden stated.

Misham didn't have the strength nor the desire to argue with him.  He simply nodded his head and walked out the door.  Stepping into the dark night, Misham felt comforted.  The fresh air was in contrast to the stale air of the library.  Breathing in deeply, Misham could feel the sorrow leave his body.

Suddenly he was engulfed with a mix of emotions.  Anger and concern warred within someone.  Peering into the darkness, Misham saw Enoch's two dominants walking down the path.