ROTU: Chapter Twenty-One

Jalena hurriedly packed a small bag as coffee brewed. She had slept into the afternoon and knew she needed to get to the facility fast. She had no knowledge of how to mask her appearance now that the suppression amulet was gone. Although she had become skilled at naturally suppressing her light energy, there was a pulsing new energy within her that threatened to burst through at any moment. Without a shield, she knew that it was powerful enough to lead Drasúl directly to her.

"Come on, Haku," she said as she opened the door to her SUV minutes later. "We've got work to do." Haku jumped into the vehicle, and Jalena drove the old familiar path that led deeper into the mountains.

Hours later, the sun had long set as she pulled up to headquarters—her first home on Earth. Her headlights lit up the front of the facility. Leaves and vines had grown to cover the large metal door leading into the mountain home.

Lyons has really let the place go, she thought as she steered to the garage. She got out of the SUV and held her palm up to the side of the building. The scanner turned green as it outlined her hand.

"Welcome, Master," Kana's electronic voice projected through the speakers above the door. "I will report to Sir Lyons that you have finally returned."

"Sir Lyons?"

"He has programmed me to address him in that manner."

Jalena smiled and shook her head. The door to the garage unlatched and slid into the ground. She parked and rushed inside.

"The heat has turned on now," Kana said as lights flickered along the hallway in the facility.

"Thank you," replied Jalena as she rushed to her old room.

***

Miles away, in upstate New York, a loud consecutive beep coming from inside the drawer of a nightstand broke through Lyons's snores.

He sat up in a panic, ripped open the drawer, and grabbed the watch.

"Sir Lyons, Master Jalena has returned to the facility," Kana's voice projected from the watch.

"Shhhh!" Lyons hissed as he tried to smother the watch's face with his palm.

"I am programmed to contact you should any of the warriors return," Kana replied, her voice muffled.

Lyons glanced back at his wife, who stirred in her sleep beside him. "Yes, Kana, I understand," he whispered. "I will contact you in a moment." He sighed and stared at the watch, which went silent once more. "Fuck, Jalena—took you long enough."

He sleepily rubbed his unshaven face. His hair, still long and wild as it was years ago, stood on end.

"What is it, Lyons?" his wife asked, her eyes closed.

"Just work, Amber," he replied.

"Now?"

"Yes, now? I know it's late, but I have to head out of town early today."

"It's not even midnight." She paused as Lyons stretched. "Are you having an affair?"

"Not yet."

From where she lay, Amber smiled. "Good. Just remember who is stronger and who would win in a fight if you were."

His face was suddenly inches from hers. "Is that so?"

Amber laughed loudly as Lyons yanked her to him across the bed.

***

Back at headquarters, Jalena searched through drawers in her old room as Haku sniffed around.

"Where is it?" she whispered as she turned on the light in her closet and rummaged through the dust-covered cardboard boxes along the shelves. She paused when she felt the softness of her master cloak.

She placed it on the bed, grabbed her old training gear that was stored beneath it, and quickly changed her clothes. The pulsing energy had heightened dramatically within her as she hurriedly fastened her boots.

She removed the last small box from the top corner and brought it to the floor. Inside rested the small chest she was looking for. As she placed her palm over the Lumsigne on the top, it and the tribal markings around the case lit up with a blue glow. The locks on the chest unlatched to reveal the blue stone that once sat at the tip of Malik's staff.

Jalena grabbed the stone and entered the simulation room. "Kana, the Tran Ceiabré, please—an evening setting." The grid ignited around her and displayed the three waterfalls cascading down a cliff into their shared large pool.

Jalena plopped to the ground before the falls, overcome with nostalgia, relief, and sorrow all at once. How could I ever forget such beauty? The familiar sounds of the forest ignited around her as Haku playfully chased a glowing bug nearby. Her heart warmed with a feeling from deep within.

"Kana, I have to risk using the stone to contact Malik, so make sure the shields are at their maximum."

"When you were away, Sir Lyons upgraded the system to account for the power of the stone. The shield should be strong enough now to mask the signal."

Jalena looked at the stone in her hand and searched her memory for the spell. What was it?

Irritation rose within her as she realized that by allowing her emotions to bury her sense of duty, she had shown disrespect to all that Malik had granted her through his teachings. She dismissed her irritation and focused on Malik's instructions until a childhood memory surfaced within her.

Eight-year-old Jalena sat with her arms crossed before the falls, a sour look on her face.

"What is it, Apreidus Jalena?" Malik said as he approached her.

"I'm upset that I can't remember all the spells you use."

"You are eight."

"Sir Malik, you said my soul was much older than eight."

Malik laughed. "I see you remember some things."

Jalena's eyes brightened and she smiled.

"Your soul is very old indeed, but you still have to train your mind to remember in this lifetime. That's why you start as an apreidus in the Order. What you have learned will never go away, but you can't find what you are looking for in the same state as you found the problem. Sooth your emotions and then what you have learned will return to the surface of your thoughts." He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "In the meantime, try not to be so hard on your old soul memory."

Jalena giggled and took his hand. "Okay."

Jalena smiled at the memory and set the Stone of Echoes on the ground before her. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her eyes closed as she entered a meditative state.

After several minutes, her eyes opened, and light spilled from her gaze. "Enye gan sun fae," she said aloud.

The stone began to spin and then lifted into the air before her. Blue-white light projected from each of the stone's points and fanned out, flooding the area with brilliant light.

Jalena stood as a holographic image of Malik appeared within the light while the stone hovered beneath him.

He smiled and exhaled. "Finally," he said gently. "This old wizard feared you had forgotten him."

Jalena inhaled sharply as his deep voice pierced her heart and her tears spilled freely. "You're not old anymore," she choked out as she noted his lack of wrinkles, smooth tribal markings, and gleaming white hair.

"Malik—" she breathed as heartache overcame her. She put her hands on her head. "I have entirely—" her breath caught "—messed this…up." Grief swallowed her words and stole her breath. The pain of all that had transpired throughout her past threatened to consume her.

"I forbid another word about what you have or have not done," he said softly. "Do not disrespect yourself with such harsh judgment. I will not allow it. To even take on the task that you have and then forego it alone for this long was an enormous burden. And yet, the heart of a master warrior still reigns within." His eyes brightened as he raised his eyebrows. "You have brought yourself back."

Jalena lowered her gaze and sniffed as she took deep breaths and tried to compose herself. She nodded, tears still dripping from her nose. "I might have had a little help," she replied, thinking of Shakou's friendship and Kaelon's eyes. "How long have I been here in total—including the years I forgot who I was? I know the estimate but—"

"Time is different beyond the 3rd dimension, Jalena."

"How long, Malik?"

"Earth time…over twenty years."

Her eyes widened as she placed a hand on her chest. She spoke in a whisper. "Twenty…?"

"On Elsaria it would equate to a little over two."

She swallowed, attempting to dismiss another debilitating wave of disappointment that threatened to rise within her. "The time on Earth has not aged me. Nadia noticed." She closed her eyes. "Lunara was wrong. The Spell of Illuse is just as strong as the one on Elsaria."

"It wasn't the spell within the atmosphere that made you forget, Jalena, although it certainly contributed."

"Then what happened? What of Shamira? I assumed she would at least try to contact me, but she never did, and then she just faded from my mind along with the rest of my life."

"She had planned to return after a month, but the Cinak found her when she became accustomed to frequently lifting her suppression to help people in trouble. They followed her trail."

Jalena closed her eyes as a sense of dread filled her. "Explains why I couldn't get her out of my mind. Please tell me—"

"She is alive," Malik assured quickly. "She is living as a human in Costa Rica. She began to use her abilities carelessly. She longed for them to surface, which is a normal response when you hide who you are, for it is natural for all to want to live freely.

"Fluxes in energy are normal across the Earth, but Ralian and his men sent the Cinak after her when they detected her patterns in energy. The Cinak knew they could not defeat her without causing unwanted attention, so they've been suppressing her power through drugs. As a result, she does not remember who she is. They've been watching her ever since, but do not consider her a threat now because of her inactive state."

"So, Drasúl knows we are here."

"Yes, but he is unsure of where you are. The only reason he has left her alive, Jalena, is because he is hoping to bait you with her. He has searched for you, assuming that you would have accompanied her to Earth, but could never find a lead. He mistakenly is looking for traces of warrior magic rather than logic or he would have likely found you through the trail of your paintings reflecting your life on Elsaria. He believes you to be in the Inner Realms with the Lumaña as of now. So, in a sense, your own memory loss has served to protect you."

"But, my memory—the Cinak did not drug me."

"No, they did not."

"Then that doesn't explain why I forgot—"

"Your desire drives reality, Jalena. It's part of the reason you wanted to leave Elsaria in the first place."

She dropped her gaze as more tears fell.

"You already know what I am to say. Your heart sank after Shamira left, compiling the pain that you refused to release from Gyan's death. Your training in Japan and the company of Shakou helped to alleviate some of your burden but living without your own kind over time is not an easy matter for the heart, even for one of the most powerful light warriors in existence."

"I should not have let Shamira go." She wiped her eyes. "I should not have let Shamira go." She wiped her eyes. "When she left, I knew where she had gone, but I also knew she wouldn't return with me right away, so I willed myself to forget."

"Your hesitation is what has saved you from more problems than not. Synchronicity is always in play, including during a mission within a different galaxy. Emotions, even anger or despair, are a part of that synchronicity. They motivate us to take action as well as motivate us to retreat when it is time to focus on internal states of being, which you have done very effectively during these past years. Your memory loss also served to bring you directly in alignment with people you were meant to meet—those who have led you back to who you are so that you may complete the mission now."

"Like Kaelon?"

Malik smiled. "More than just him, but all things will be revealed at the times they are meant to."

"You sound like the Priestesses."

Malik gave her a light scowl. "Never! I just want you to focus on what you need to know now, which is that Drasúl has succeeded in gathering an alliance with not only the Cinak but is also close to opening the Hidden Realm to other species, such as the Drakéis. They are powerful dark creatures designed to create illusions meant to evoke depression and fear, which the Cinak feed off. Currently, Drasúl is in the process of searching for portals to open so the Earth will flood with lower energy beings.

"Since humans are susceptible to emotional-triggering influences, they will be even easier to control if he succeeds. Therefore, your awakening has come at the perfect time.

"But, there is more. After the Cinak found Shamira, the Vorclán was also discovered by the Avehkal."

"So, the station—Anethian—has been infiltrated?"

Malik shook his head. "No, the crews' capture occurred when the Vorclán journeyed out to meet members of the Federation for more station supplies. Those on the ship were the only ones who were taken captive. They are still alive—" he reassured, "rescued by another rogue ship belonging to a species known as the Andu. They are not harmed as of now but are still being held for ransom."

"Sade," Jalena whispered. "Can the Federation not interfere?"

"They are waiting for the right time. Too soon would be detrimental to the whole mission, including your part."

"As soon as we are able, we must call for the team."

He smiled. "It will be done, but first you must find and train the Earth Conduits."

"It feels to be an impossible task. There was only one lead during the years I searched the world."

"Things will move quickly now that you have remembered who you are. The heightened energy gathered by the suppression of your power will serve you in finding them. Not only have your abilities improved even from your time on Elsaria, your light now serves as a greater beacon as with all repressed light once it is freed."

"What do you mean by improvement in my abilities?"

Remember, all things trapped desire to be free—"

"—even the light that we trap within ourselves," Jalena finished with him, recalling his prior lessons."

"I will add that anything withheld from its natural state alters its current state so the energy can be sustained within the carrier. It is one reason that those on Galinia, including yourself, are able to forget your true nature without completely losing who you are. Adaptability is essential to ensure your survival. The energy of the planet itself is designed to consistently adapt to new circumstances. You have held most of your energy in a dormant state since you arrived. However, just because your state is altered does not mean you have lost power. It simply means that the energy waits, gathering power in a controlled fashion and growing in adaptability to new conditions until the desire to release it becomes heightened. Thus, any ability derived from a dormant state of energy will be even greater than before when you unleash it in full effect."

Jalena smiled as a rush of adrenaline shot through her. She nodded in understanding.

"Use this time to familiarize yourself with your new momentum, so that it balances within you. Your boost in power will stir a heightened pressure for awakening within the Conduits that wasn't there before, even from within the facility because the energy calls to them from deep within their conscious. They can no longer ignore your presence for it is reflected and will surface within their own hearts. Clues to finding them will be readily provided by those of assistance also."

"More of those components involved in synchronistic timing?"

"Yes."

"Elder Master Nyhra. Is she still in the Inner Realms?"

"She has left and has been watching over Master Shamira."

"The Cinak have not discovered her?"

"No. It has not been easy for her, but she has refrained from using most of her power and has lived as the humans, even though she still remembers who she is."

"All this time, she remembered Elsaria—everyone?" Jalena asked, impressed by Nyhra's resilience.

"Being part Avehkal helps. Although they reside in the Inner Realms, she is being watched over by them. But, Tau denied her contact with the Inner Realms because she defied the instruction of the Priestesses when Affera told her to leave Master Shamira alone."

"Sounds like her," Jalena said with a smile.

"She knew you had your own guardian."

"Which I will learn of soon?"

Malik smiled and nodded. "One you will learn of soon. One—you already know of…"

"Ryu," Jalena guessed. "He was channeling your energy, wasn't he? It was why I felt so much anxiety when he left Japan. I did not want to see him go because he reminded me so much of you."

"There were times that he allowed me to blend my energy with his so that his words would resonate with you more powerfully. You were never alone, Jalena, even though I know it must have felt that way. I keep my promises regardless of the realm I am in."

Jalena took a deep breath and nodded.

"I know you are eager to reconnect with Elder Master Nyhra and Master Shamira, but there is another task the Federation wishes you to address before you retrieve everyone. With the gathering of dark energy, you will need the assistance of the Glisayas."

Jalena's gaze widened. "They are here…on Earth?"

"They migrated to the Hidden Realms during the Elsarian wars and have served as guards to the other Elementals because of their advanced abilities. They prefer to remain hidden and neutral in the affairs of humans because of the large amount of disrespect humans have projected toward other species and the land. However, given the rise in dark power, it would be in our best interest if you could convince them to help. You will understand more when you meet one of your Conduits, for she carries Glisayan blood."

"The Glisayas have mixed their race with humans?"

"After Nemerus destroyed Tinsea Glen, the Priestesses allowed the surviving Glisayas access to the Hidden Realms. They traveled to Earth to start over in exchange for the task of caring for the Elementals. The Priestesses warned them about involving themselves with the affairs of humans.

"However, as you know, love is no force that can be controlled, and the queen of the Glisayas, Trinsia, grew fond of a human. Their affair resulted in several children. The human betrayed her in the end, killing her when he learned what she was. She refused to use her magic to save her life at the time. Her oldest son, Elindrel, killed the man in heartbreaking retaliation. He took the half-human children to care for but wiped their memories and released them back to the surface when they grew old enough to care for themselves.

"Elindrel now leads the Glisayas. He has very strict rules about any Glisaya interacting with surface dwellers. If any in the race choose to have a relationship with humans and are discovered, their magic is stripped and their memory of their realm wiped, leaving them no choice but to live life as a human. As a result of all this, Glisayan blood has spread through the human race." He sighed. "Jalena, Elindrel is the one you must convince to help in our quest."

"And yet, he carries hatred for humans."

"Yes, but he cannot help but hold care for those connected to the Glisayas. Reminding him of this may be the only way to gain his alliance. As you move forward in gathering support from your new allies, also remember that external appearance never reflects the power within."

Jalena peered at Malik curiously. "I'm not sure if your additional information provides more clarity or confusion."

Malik winked. "Just like the Priestesses."

"I don't suppose you can just tell me where the Conduits are?"

"I cannot. It must occur in a natural—"

"—synchronized time." Jalena sighed. "I understand." She held the wizard's gaze. "I have missed your wisdom and care, Malik—most of all, your voice," she finished in a whisper as her eyes teared up again.

He smiled. "How can you miss something that never truly leaves?"

Her breath caught as warmth spread through her. She nodded, remembering the first moment he had said the same words just before his departure on Elsaria.

He raised his eyebrows. "And now, Master Queen, it is time for you to get back to work. Do not make this mission more difficult than it is and isolate yourself again. Reach out to those around who will follow you. And know that I am right beside you."

The wizard disappeared in a burst of light, and the stone, which became still once more, dropped into Jalena's grasp.

Jalena surveyed her Elsarian surroundings. "After I stretch at the falls, Kana, place the simulation on a random sequence—the most difficult settings, please. I want to maneuver through the entire simulation." She dropped into her stance and began the sequences of Chiséi, pausing only to incorporate moves that Shakou had taught her long ago.

Shakou.

"Kana," Jalena said as she straightened. "Can you make an international call to Japan for me? There is someone I need to speak with."

"I have been wondering when you would make the call," Shakou voiced as soon as he picked up on the other end.

"It happened last night—everything Ryu-san said—"

"I know, Okami-chan."

"I do not want to burden you, but I need your insight—"

"Just got off the plane. I am already here."