Dak And Stell/The Travelers Trilogies

1.4 Troubling Tome

My mind exploded. Like a million stars exploding in every direction, I could feel my consciousness touch the farthest parts...of everywhere. It was like being in a different spot everywhere that ever could, has, or ever will be. My mind reeled at the ineffable experience, so many places and things all at the same time. The implications were staggering. What did this mean? Is this what happens to everyone when they receive their tome? That feeling that I had been having made sense now. It was not just a pull. It was a need. A need to learn more. More than this world or anyone the world could ever offer.

Then a searing pain ripped up my left forearm, and I let a groan out. With my teeth clenched, I could hear Stell let out a similar moan that rumbled from him. I looked down, and there was a feather glowing on the inside of my forearm inside my skin.

"Do you boys plan on staying curled up nursing your wounds all day?" A very irritated voice echoed in my mind.

"What!" Stell said with such surprise that he fell right over backward. A small cloud of dust billowed up and made me sneeze.

"You heard that too?" I asked him as I got my coughing fit under control. I reached down and gave my large friend a hand up. As I did, I noticed something. Just behind Stell, there was a white tome floating in the air when the voice spoke again.

"Dust yourselves off and pull yourselves together." as we got ourselves dusted off, Sister Glendra made a sound, and we both turned to her.

"Hear what? And are you boys, alright? I heard you two groan after the bright light, and then the tome was there. It never happened like that. The tome always appears in soft glowing light. This time was different, though." She rasped out. She was visibly shaken to her core. The poor old woman was shaking and wide-eyed.

"Do they all act like her?" The voice asked quizzically.

"What do you mean?" I asked out loud.

"I told you..." sister started again.

"Not you, Sister, there is a voice in my head, and I think Stell can hear it too." I looked over to Stell, and he nodded.

"It wants to know if all the females of our kind act the same way as Sister Glendra," Stell said to answer my question.

"That is a bit presumptuous coming from a book, I mean, you have only just met our good friend Sister Glendra, and she is a bit startled, that is all. Save your judgments book." I said with a bit of an edge.
"My name is not Book, you half-wit. How dare you think I am just some paper and glue" the voice boomed in outrage. That made both of us flinch.

"What's wrong?" Sister asked, coming over to us.

"I seem to have offended our new friend," I said with a smirk.

"I am surprised it took so long," Stell laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

"That is not fair Stell. You know I am not good with the pompous sor.." I never finished that sentence. I found myself lying on the ground against the wall under one of the windows. Every inch of me hurt like I had got hit with a house. I groaned, trying to get myself peeled off the cold marble floor.

"Would you like to trade more insults?" the voice asked coldly.

"Dak, I think you should pay a bit more respect to our new friend," Stell said, trying to suppress a laugh. Great now, we have a book that seems to be brought into existence. It also came with personality and a chip on its shoulder. Wait. Something was not right, and I do not mean the talking book.

"Sister, why is there only one book?" I asked as I finally got back on my feet.

"I do not know, this has never happened, and books do not talk, I mean." She paused, looking at me. "I thought that something had happened to your mind with the bright light, till Stell said he heard it too." She said, looking confused.