Trees are only silent to those who will not hear.
I got up out the chair to follow Sol and Benin out of the door. Anything, even Sol, had to be better than being in the same room with that woman.
"Pendra," Mistress Vega said. "I'd like a moment alone with you, please."
It didn't sound like a request. The panel shut behind Sol and Benin with a relieved sigh. I gritted my teeth and turned to face her. "Yes, Mistress Vega?"
"I've been able to speak with Benin since you held yourself up in your room. I don't expect we'll have any more delays such as that again. I must insist that you focus on your training. There's not much time."
I put my hand on my hip. "Not much time before what?"
"Before the destruction of the human race."
"What?" That sounded ominous and dramatic.
"I've spoken with Ajala and her electromagnetic field has been disrupted by the capture of Earth Singers."
"You can speak to Ajala?"
"Hm, that's what you took away from what I said?" Her manicured eyebrow went up. "Yes, I can speak to Ajala and no I'm not an Earth Singer and neither is Sol. You have a lot more important things to learn aside from who we are. We are here to teach and protect you and Benin from Sirius."
I opened my mouth for another question, but she held up her hand before I could speak. "Hold your questions. Everything will be revealed in time."
Did she expect me not to speak?
"For now I expect you to listen and work hard. There will be a time for questions after you've conquered the basics."
"How much time do we have before the end of the human race?"
"One maybe two months." Her eyes were serious and penetrating.
My heart dropped.
"So now you see how important every day is. We'll do our best to provide you with the information you need, but your cooperation and trust are necessary for us to succeed."
Speechless, I nodded.
"Good," she said standing. "I'll show you the training field and library."
She moved with dangerous grace and I followed at a comfortable distance. My mind reeled with questions. How was Benin, and I supposed to prevent the end of the world?
The Beauty Bar was much larger than I imagined. We walked for a while before exiting a door that led outside. We passed under an overhang with several sets of tables and chairs, and through a small garden with exotic plants.
A small building lay to the left of the garden. "That's the mud pool," Mistress Vega said like I was supposed to know what that was. I tried to take in everything when we passed a gate of bushes and entered a large open field, about an acre long, cut into a large rectangle. The rectangle was filled with square holes that housed earth; the other part seemed made of concrete. It was an earth and concrete obstacle course.
My mouth gaped as I examined the large mound of packed earth in one corner of the training field. Another corner held a wall at least twenty feet tall. I gazed down at my skinny arms and dreaded what Mistress Vega had in store. I considered myself more of a scholar than an athlete.
"You'll learn to control and strengthen your abilities," Mistress Vega said from some distance away. I scurried over to where she stood at the edge of the field. "The goal is to reach the top of the wall first." I squinted at the distant wall. "There are three challenges marked by the poles." She pointed at each side of the rectangular training ground marked by poles equal distances apart. "The winner of each challenge will gain twenty points and the first person to the top of the wall gains forty."
She turned her penetrating eyes on me. "Quick action and reaction is the key to winning each challenge. It also helps to have physical strength." She scanned my thin physique. "You should practice in your spare time."
I nodded, too overwhelmed for words.
"You'll spend half your day on the training grounds, and the other half in the library." She spun and marched toward the entrance. "Sol and I will take turns training you and Benin the first week, and then you and Benin will train together the rest of the time." We passed by the garden and mud pool again.
"What's the mud pool for?"
She glanced over at the building. "You and Benin will learn how to heal yourselves when you're injured."
"Injured?"
"Yes," was her only reply.
I frowned and moved faster to keep up with her brisk pace. How can she move so fast and still have so much grace?
The door panel opened; she glided through and led me to the library. The door to the library was like all the others except instead of cream it was a dark brown similar to that of a tree trunk.
"You'll learn just as much, if not more, behind this door as you will on the training field. Stay alerted and pay attention." She said in what sounded like a condescending tone. The entrance comprised a thin hall of bookshelves on each side. The books started on the floor and reached all the way to the ceiling about fifteen feet above my head.
"Wow," I said. "Where did all these books come from?" I ran my fingers across the spines as we walked deeper into the hall of books. Lights shined underneath each shelf, brightening and dimming as we passed. I was too enthralled to care that my question went unanswered. Some of the books appeared ancient. I paused when my hand brushed a book which resonated with me so I could read the title. Songs of Healing - that sounded interesting.
I grabbed the medium sized book from the shelf and breathed it in. The earthy herbal smell wafted through my lungs. Paperback books weren't common; most books were in digital form, even at the library. It felt right in my hand. I licked my lips in anticipation.
"It's been awhile since anyone linked to that book," Mistress Vega said startling me. I'd assumed she would keep walking, and I'd catch up to her later.
"What do you mean linked?" I asked staring at the golden vines on the cover of the book. They moved as if blown by a soft wind. Though I didn't understand the term, I could feel the charge coming from the book like it only lived to be put into my hands.
"Come on," she said turning. "And bring the book."
I clutched the book to my chest with no intention of letting it out of my sight until I found out more about it.
My thoughts churned when I examined all the books. Were these books linked to The Book of Entry? The similar mystical properties had me wondering again who Mistress Vega was. Could she know about the ancient race of Stars that created us? Did I believe again? Was there a way for me to talk face to face with Ajala about the reason we had our powers?
We came to an opening in the maze of books with several large tables and chairs. Benin sat at a table with a stack of books in front of him and Sol sat there and watched him with his finger tapping the side of his face. Sol rose from his chair when he saw us. "Mistress Vega and Pendra." He gave us a sweeping bow.
I rolled my eyes.
One of Mistress Vega's eyebrows went up which seemed to be her only show of emotion. "She linked to Songs of Healing," she said sitting in a high-backed chair that appeared to be from the middle ages.
Sol's eyes met mine. "She's full of surprises." He smiled. "I guess that makes you an expert healer."
"What?" I said plopping down into a seat next to Benin. I ran my hand over the cover of the book again.
"The book will tell you everything you need to know," Mistress Vega said. "For now, this book," she took out a thin green book, "will be your main study."
Benin and I both breathed in when we saw the book. The melodious vibrations filled the small area as she placed the book on the table. "I wanted both of you to be present when I presented the book."
Silver letters glistened across the green surface, Entrance to the Song, spelled out on the cover and spine.
"It's beautiful," I said reaching out to touch it at the same time as Benin. When our hands met the strength of the emotion was tempered by the beautiful song from the book.
"Welcome to the song Earth Singers," said a voice from the book.
I wanted to snatch my hand away upon realizing the book was speaking but my earth sense wouldn't let me. "I'm here to guide you through the basics."
I nodded, hoping it would understand. Glancing up at Benin, I saw his eyes enlarged in surprise.
"The essence of Ajala rest within you and it is our job to ensure that it is used for her benefit, and the benefit of her children – humankind."
"How will you help us do that?" Benin asked.
"By instructing you on how to use your abilities," the book replied.
"Wow, now this is awesome." I had a wide grin on my face and my mind reeled with excitement. "A talking book. Are you intelligent or just programmed to say certain things?" I ran my fingers over the cover, itching to flip through the pages, but Benin's hand was still on the book.
"Hm, I don't see how that question serves in your instruction." The book buzzed.
"Neither do I," Benin said.
I frowned at him.
"What?" he said.
I shook my head and glared. "Do we have to be touching you to hear you?"
"Not anymore, the connection has been established."
"Good." I shook Benin's hand off the book and opened it. There were pictures of people surrounded by Earth and pictures of other things that seemed too foreign to guess what they were. "Where are the words?"
"That's what I'm here for," the book said. "Words would only make me too big to fit into anyone tomb."
"Well thought out," Benin said. "Who are these people with earth surrounding them? Are they Earth Singers too?"
"Good observation, Master Benin. They are the ones who came before you. Mother Ajala always calls Earth Singers in a time of great need to the earth or humankind. In order for you to understand the impending disaster, you must first understand your connection with the earth. So my question for you to research and consider for homework is: what is the connection between Ajala and the Earth Singers?"
I scrunched my nose. "How are we supposed to know?"
"Research and observation," Mistress Vega said. I'd almost forgotten her and Sol were there. "You must learn to make connections on your own. You will have a week to research and come up with an answer." She rose from her seat. "The hour is late; we will begin again early tomorrow morning. Pendra, you will train on the field with Sol in the morning and Benin you'll be here with me. You are dismissed."
She walked off without even waiting to see if we followed. I turned to Sol who had an ever-present grin on his face. He bowed. "May I escort you out my lady?"
"No, thank you."
He shrugged after winking at me. "Benin?"
"Sure, I'll never find my way out of this maze otherwise." Benin avoided looking at me though I knew the statement was for my benefit.
Oh, I hadn't considered the twists and turns of the halls of books. I held my head up high but scooted out of my seat to follow them out of the library. Sol laughed outright when he saw–his deep voice resonated through the library.
"Humph," I said raising my chin even higher. Though I was embarrassed I didn't have to let him see.
I clutched Songs of Healing to my chest and wondered if it could speak too.