Exile: The Book of Ever

27: A Compass

Later, she would recognize the similarities between the images Lia showed her then and the dream she had the morning of the first Marmack attack on Bountiful, but as the information rolled before her eyes, she could think of little beyond the overwhelming rush of pure knowledge that seemed to flow into her mind like water into a cup.

The orb's surface was the same gray as everything else, with strange, minute designs seemingly scribed onto its surface; she was surprised to find it warm to the touch. The effect was instantaneous: one moment she was standing before the pedestal in the inner chamber, the next she was somewhere else. It was similar to the feeling of passing Lia's silver circle, but she was alone, and she could still feel the ball beneath her hand.

"The message was designed to be understood even if advanced verbal communication had been lost," she heard Lia saying, her voice omnipresent. "Your forebears could not predict how long it would take for a compatible mutation to emerge. Therefore, they prepared for the worst."

The gray void faded away and Ever found herself outside, atop Lia's dais. She was stationary for only a moment before rising. She gasped, looking down frantically as her feet left the ground. She was floating—flying. But she could still feel the ball beneath her hand. Another illusion, then. She was able to relax a little. Lia's voice accompanied her, narrating as she flew into the sky, Mount Tripyramid falling below her, the broad blue expanse of the earth's dome unbroken by a single cloud.

"This is a primer," Lia explained, though the word meant little to Ever. "An introduction, if you prefer. The device you hold is called Ora, and this information is stored in its memory. You will be able to access it at will. A copy of this iteration of my personality construct is also included, to serve as a guide until you reach my central node."

Ever remained silent, focusing on the exotic—and unexpectedly thrilling—feeling of soaring above the world like a bird on the wing. The air felt cool around her, and it rushed gently as they moved north from the mountain over the beautiful green carpet of the forest.

"You have reached the first milestone in a longer journey, Ever Oaks," said Lia. The rolling mountains below began to move by faster, an increasingly rapid stream of conifers reeling beneath her feet as Lia brought them North, and forward. "The Ora will serve as your compass. Keep it with you at all times."

"A compass to lead me where?"

"To safety."

"But safety where?"

"This simulation was designed to present information at a pace designed for easy consumption," said Lia, a chiding note in her tone. "Your questions will be answered in due time. Please cooperate with the—"

The rest of Lia's sentence was lost in a sudden rush of blood to Ever's head. She had had enough of this. She would not be treated like a child by a...a damned specter! Though on some level she realized that her anger was cumulative—the compounded result of weeks of turmoil and fear—and that Lia was not its cause, she couldn't have controlled herself if she'd wanted to. She lost it.

"Stop," she commanded. She stopped moving. "Enough. I'm done being led by the nose. I'm not a bull." The orb felt warm beneath her hand, which was comforting; she wasn't really floating above the mountains, she reminded herself, she was safe in a bunker, with her friends surrounding her. She didn't know if they could hear her voice or not. She hoped they could, but it didn't matter. If she was supposed to be so important, then people could start damn well paying attention to what she thought and wanted, instead of treating her like a frightened child.