Chronicles of Han Storm, Preserving Creata Part 1, 2, 3

Chronicles of Han Storm, Book 1, Part 3, Chapter 22

The leader looked at the other articles on the ground. Panam's empty syringe, still sealed. Two needles, still sealed. A few plasters. A small roll of cotton-wool and bandages. Some antiseptic. Some ampoules of drugs I might need and a bottle of bitter-herbs.

He asked a question. A man pointed at Panam.

He asked Panam a question. Panam answered that he did not understand the language.

The man ignored the pieces of paper and Racewater's notebook. He picked up my crystal.

I struggled against the two men holding me.

I warned him in the ancient language. "Leave it. It does not serve you."

Everyone that heard me went quiet.

The leader stared at me. He quietly asked a question to someone in the crowd behind him.

He placed the crystal in the centre of his open palm.

I needed to understand what they said and asked silently for an instant download. I closed my eyes for a second, searching desperately for this language. I felt the slight drifting sensation and then one of saturation. It was done.

By the time I opened my eyes, comprehension was there. I was in time to catch the guarded answer from the person in the crowd.

"It may be that he is the one we have always been waiting for. The legends did say he would be the one to hold the keys to the old structures. Did they not come from out the tunnel leading there? Were you able to open the doors?"

The leader looked at one of the men. "Well, did you try to open the doors?"

"They could not be opened, sir."

The leader turned to me. He was looking at the oblong, one-inch crystal on his palm.

"It is said that these crystals cast a glow when the owner embraces them. It apparently lights up the whole hand."

He was speaking loud enough so that the people in the vicinity could also hear. He held the crystal in the air for all to see. "Let this be a test of ownership then."

Agreement came from every mouth that could hear him speak.

He held the crystal out to me. "Release him."

The men released me. I pulled myself to my full height, trying to look as regal as I thought I was supposed to. I stepped forward to the leader, carefully taking the crystal from his hand.

I brought it to my chest, cradling it in both hands, feeling the heat starting from the scar on my chest, working down my arms to my hands. I closed my eyes and felt the images rising to the surface.

I was not ready for this. I wanted to do this in private, not in front of a whole crowd of people. I knew that every scene I was about to see, would be relayed in hologram format by the crystal. Racewater, Panam and Hamish would also see this.

I tried to keep emotion out of it. It did not quite work out so well . . .

My beautiful wife rushed after me with my crystal, recording all the way.

I was a spitting image of my current body, right down to the shoulder length hair.

She followed me to the portal hall.

I saw myself repeating the scene I had lived through just hours ago.

I saw people falling everywhere.

I saw myself stepping through the portal.

My wife backed up to the entrance. The priests were not happy that she had the recording crystal there. They ordered her away from the hall.