Balance of the 12 Page 5

  On the one hand, Shasta wanted to jump in and get this whole thing over with, but she knew if she failed, everything she ever hoped for might be lost. She was aware she wasn’t just unstable, but there was something very wrong about her. Her nightmares, or daydreams weren’t meaningful. And that handsome man called Dwade she constantly saw in them all was not even from her race. But his glowing blue eyes always made her feel close to him in a way she couldn’t understand. That was not love, that was not admiration, that was not trust, just a warm emotion that made her feel like he was her other half. Beyond the feeling he created, she didn’t recognize the places, people, and things happening in her dreams. She wished she could get over all these by being transferred to the Dark Reader tribe. It took everything Shasta had to open the door.

  Within the room, the Vice Chancellor of Taman hab anes, teachers of the sun tribe, was waiting for her and gave her a friendly smile. She waved Shasta in, and the door promptly closed behind her. Shasta was beyond thankful to see Vice Chancellor Ivy Anes. Even though Ivy looked deceivingly young, she had been Shasta’s instructor when she was a girl, and she had become a close friend over the years. After serving as a teacher for many years, Ivy was eventually chosen to join the administration.

  Ivy advanced from her desk with soft steps and held Shasta’s hands as they sat on the couch together. Although Readers didn’t usually touch each other, this was a customary greeting between Readers and governors. In Atlantis, holding hands was a symbol of trust, a show of goodwill. For holding the hand of a Reader meant opening one’s self for decoding. It was the politest way of saying, “I have nothing to hide from you.”

  “Welcome, Shasta. How are you?” Ivy asked with her soft and gentle voice.

  “I’m well, thank you. I hope the Balance is with you,” Shasta answered.

  “It is, my dear. Please, lie down for our Balance Evaluator.”

  Shasta was getting more and more sweaty as her nerves threatened to overwhelm her. She wondered if Ivy could already tell that something was off. As she moved to the examination bed, it was like someone had tied two bricks to her feet. This isn’t going to end well. Ivy watched her without saying a word. But Shasta understood from the woman’s looks that she suspected something wasn’t quite right.

  This was Shasta’s eighteenth examination, and she knew the procedure well. She had to strip down to her undergarments, and the examiner attached cables to her head and all over her body. It was no different this time.

  “Shall we start?” Ivy asked once Shasta was ready.

  Shasta only blinked in response. She looked at the clock in front of her and let the doctor inject her with the familiar sedative. It took only a moment until her eyes closed, and a peaceful emptiness embraced her. It was the first time she had a sense of relief in the last ten days, when her dreams had first started, and she relished the quiet, undisturbed sleep.

  When her eyes opened again, Shasta wanted to beg them to return her to the emptiness. She couldn’t bear to hear the results. Ivy was still sitting next to her and smiling. That’s a good sign, right? She lifted herself off the bed, and her eyes glanced at the clock.

  Twenty-five minutes! Shasta sat paralyzed on the bed. The examination should’ve only taken a few minutes; twenty-five was unheard of. She immediately blushed and wondered how bad her condition really was. Now that Shasta looked at Ivy again, she saw the concern in her eyes, and the examiner was speaking to a computer screen in a hushed tone.

  Ivy kindly placed a hand on Shasta’s shoulder and whispered, “There’s no need to worry or fear anymore. You are a grand discovery. Chancellor Amel is thrilled we’ve found you. You are special, Shasta. You always have been.” She looked toward the examiner and he nodded. “She wants to see you now. Do you feel well enough to meet the Chancellor?”

  Shasta gaped in surprise. Knowing she wasn’t in trouble was a relief, but why did the Chancellor want to see her? Why was she so special? What was going on? So many questions flew through her head. One minute she thought she was going to be rebalanced, and the next she was some long-lost gem the Chancellor had been searching for.

  All Shasta could do was nod and accept the invitation. No one ever refused the Chancellor. Once Shasta dressed, Ivy gently held Shasta’s hand and led the way while the examiner glared at her suspiciously.

  Does he think I’m someone important, or does he see me as a freak? Shasta wondered how many others would give her that same look.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Ivy walked ahead and led the way. It was clear they would not be entering through the main entrance. When they arrived at the rear entrance of the pyramid, Ivy motioned for Shasta to enter the private lift. Ivy scanned her Kama, and the lift moved swiftly upward, making Shasta’s stomach flip uncomfortably. It was her first time riding the lift to the highest floor of the Glass Pyramid, and her heart beat rapidly as she looked through the glass. Those below appeared so tiny from way up here. The lift stopped at the one hundred-and-fifth level, and Shasta exited the lift hesitantly, attempting not to look down at the floor, which was also made of glass.

  The thought of falling from this height made her nauseous.

  A huge room with a domed ceiling lay outside the lift. It was empty except for a couple of armchairs, a coffee table, and a simple bed. One side of the room was taken up by a large window where they were able to see the entire city and the vast ocean beyond. The other walls were covered with mirrors. As Shasta stared at her reflection, one of the mirrors slid aside, and a woman from the Anes tribe entered the room, her white gown trailing behind her. Ivy smiled and saluted her. From Ivy’s respect and unusual silence, Shasta immediately understood that this woman was the Chancellor.

  “Welcome, Ivy. Shasta, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Chancellor Amel said in greeting. Her moves were faster than a regular Reader. She was like the wind, fast, simple, but impressive. Shasta was surprised when Amel embraced her. She hadn’t expected her to be so open and welcoming. “Let’s have a seat.”

  Amel was a tall, very beautiful woman with hair so red Shasta wondered how it could ever be natural. She was utterly charming, and Shasta was instantly taken by her and stared at her in wonder. On Amel’s command, a tray of food was brought in along with drinks poured into golden goblets, and silverware engraved with the emblem of Atlantis. Shasta thought the whole setup was a bit elaborate for such an informal occasion. Neither gold nor silver had importance in Atlantis, in contrast with the rest of the world. Amel should have been using them only in the ceremonies that were set up in honor of the other races’ leaders.

  “Please, help yourselves, or tell me if there’s anything you would like in particular.” She addressed Shasta specifically, making her drop her eyes uncomfortably.

  “This is fine, Chancellor. Thank you,” Shasta answered.

  There was a strange absence of something while she observed the room. Then it dawned on her that there were no flowers or plants here. Strange. She wondered why but did not ask. There were other things she was more curious about, like what in the world she was doing in the Chancellor’s private quarters.

  “Are you uncomfortable, Shasta?” Amel asked. Shasta nodded with uncertain eyes. She couldn’t tell where this conversation was leading, and she wanted to get on with it. “I think you’re nervous. Although we don’t usually feel such emotions, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Don’t worry, it is a part of nature. It doesn’t indicate a deficiency. On the contrary, it is because of the strength of your decoding abilities.”

  Shasta was relieved but even more confused now. She listened intently to Amel’s words.

  “I was informed about your dreams, visions and all, even before your examination today. Don’t ask how, this is a duty of our government to be sure every member of our society is in the healthiest state of mind and balance. First, the visions you’re having are not dreams but foresight. As you know, the Anes tribe is known to produce clairvoyants. Those who possess the ability to predict the future are sent t
o work for the planning team. Your situation is a little different. According to our data, your foresight is the master copy, and if you give us permission, all other visions will be compared to yours.”

  Shasta’s eyes widened in surprise. “And how will my visions be compared?” she asked uneasily.

  “That’s the thing.” Amel hesitated. “We would need to decode you, with your permission of course.”

  “Can’t I just tell you my dreams?” Shasta asked hopefully. It was obvious Amel abstained from telling her something. The idea of letting everyone know she had been dreaming about a man from another race wasn’t the ideal image of herself she wanted to create in their minds. Her time for having a baby was close, and she already had a Reader man in mind to have a baby with.

  “We need to evaluate your visions first-hand. By simply describing your visions you may miss some pertinent detail. You are not knowledgeable enough to know what we are seeking.”

  Shasta tried not to take that as an insult as Amel awaited her reaction along with Ivy, who sat on the edge of her seat. Shasta was confused at the request and unintentionally let the next words slip out, “But we do not decode each other.”

  “You’re right, we don’t. We don’t want to decode you, only your visions. Our aim is to see everything clearly and review the images. It is already prohibited by law to decode a citizen, as it is a violation of privacy, but decoding visions is something the planning team often does.” Amel huffed quietly, still not getting the reaction she wanted, and she ground her teeth slightly. “To make you feel at ease, I will personally carry out the decoding, and leave you with no doubts that I am interested only in your visions,” she said, emphasizing the last words.

  Shasta didn’t have anything to say against that. What could she have possibly said anyway? Most would have been beyond honored to serve Atlantis as she was about to.

  The Chancellor wouldn’t insist so much if it wasn’t for the sake of Readers.

  She desperately nodded her head in approval and gulped.

  Amel gleefully stood, clapping her hands like an excited child. “All right then. Let’s get ready. It’s best we do not lose any time.”

  Shasta and Ivy followed Amel back to the lift. This time, Amel proved her identity by placing her palm on a panel which activated a retina scan. The planning room had a higher level of security. Once her identity had been verified, she pressed a flashing minus button that appeared on the panel.

  Shasta watched dumbfounded. When they were previously in the lift with Ivy, there was no such panel. She wondered what other secrets the pyramid held. Maybe it wasn’t as transparent as she once thought.

  The lift plunged downward before Shasta had the opportunity to think about what the minus button could mean. She held onto the railing to steady herself, but just as quickly, the lift slowed, and the door opened to a place she had never seen before.

  They arrived in what appeared to be a white emptiness. She hesitated to step out for a second, her eyes adjusting to the bright lights of the room which temporarily blinded her. Before them was a long, white hallway that seemed to go on with no end. Amel stepped out of the lift, her heels clicking on the hard floor. Shasta and Ivy followed close behind as she touched a segment of the wall. A red grid of light appeared and scanned her hand. She stepped back as steel bolts unlocking echoed around them, and then the white walls swung outwards.

  Shasta stepped into a forbidden world only a select few of the administration could visit. People wearing white coats scurried around the room. They handled pieces of advanced technology Shasta knew didn’t even exist in the rest of Atlantis. Many planners were isolated in glass cubicles where they appeared to be asleep and were suspended in the air as their visions were transferred to screens high above their heads. Alarms sounded when multiple visions matched and were then transmitted to a larger screen where a crowd of planners held tablets and watched to record anything of importance.

  When the planners saw the Chancellor, they bowed then returned to their work. There was little known about them in the outside world. They were a very secretive section of the administration. If one were to ask a planner for his or her job description, they would only say that they worked in administration. Even the utopian society of Atlantis had its secrets, and since decoding anyone was strictly forbidden, it didn’t surprise Shasta this place was kept hidden from the rest of the population.

  Amel continued to lead them through the planning room until they reached a door marked ‘CHANCELLOR’. At their approach, the door opened automatically. Ivy waited outside as she motioned for Shasta to follow the other woman. Shasta stepped through the doorway and found the office just as white as the planning room. There were a few armchairs and a table, but what caught Shasta’s eye were all the many different Kamas hanging on the wall. There must have been hundreds of them.

  “The Kamas of the previous chancellors and leaders,” Amel explained. “I am the only one allowed access to this room. You can be comfortable knowing your visions will be safe. The room has been designed entirely to serve the chancellor of Atlantis. No one else will ever be able to enter till the next chancellor. These walls and tools are as confidential as I am. Your every vision, every secret will be safe here with me.” She gave a slight chuckle and took a seat in one of the armchairs.

  Shasta knew she needed to trust the Chancellor, but there was something about her that frightened her. Maybe it was the amount of power she held, and she also wasn’t comfortable with this whole idea of being decoded. She had no idea what it felt like, and she started to feel guilty for every living creature she decoded in the past. For the first time in her life, she realized she had never put herself into someone else’s shoes. Actually, that wasn’t true. Readers always had a strong capacity for empathy; at least they had been told so, but now she had second thoughts about that as a Reader who had no idea about how decoding really made someone feel. She should feel fortunate the Chancellor herself would perform the decoding since she was the most powerful and knowledgeable of the Readers. She assured herself she was in good hands.

  “So, what should I do?” Shasta asked innocently.

  Amel smiled and said, “Nothing. Just sit on the sofa and hold out your hand.”

  Shasta did as she was told, and her blood pressure fell when the Chancellor sat next to her and took her hand. Her eyes had already started quivering under her eyelids. Her face became taut as she explored Shasta’s dreams. Shasta could still breathe, but she felt like her blood boiled in her veins. It was not excruciatingly painful though. Like small ant-men walked inside her body, and after a few seconds, her consciousness and body were paralyzed. She barely saw the room around her, and the Chancellor’s face seemed like it was melting and regaining its shape again and again. When it was over, she opened her eyes and sat frozen. Then everything suddenly stopped for Shasta. All the feelings went away, she was numb. Her eyes were open, but she was too tired to speak. She held her breath, waiting for an answer from the Chancellor, but she had yet to move. It was obvious whatever she saw shocked her.

  Amel quickly modified her expression, smiled, and stood suddenly. “Thank you, Shasta. Ivy will now take you to your chamber. Take one or two days off from teaching and get some rest. There is nothing to worry about. As I predicted, these are visions, not dreams. I must consult with the planners before we can take further action. I will be in touch. May Creation be with you to protect the Balance.” She hurried from the room before Shasta could form a response.

  Shasta frowned a bit annoyed. It was her right to know what the visions signified, but it didn’t seem like she would receive any answers today, no matter what she wanted.

  Outside the room, Ivy waited at the door as the Chancellor passed her, and the women exchanged similar looks of concern.

  “Make sure to keep an eye on her,” Amel whispered as she continued toward a separate section of the planning room.

  Ivy nodded and waited for Shasta to leave the room.

  Inside, Sh
asta worked at finding the strength to move again. She remembered what the Chancellor told her about the room, and she did her best to gather her strength and walk through the door since Ivy couldn’t come and assist her out. She was dizzy and wobbled on her legs but managed to reach the door. Ivy extended her hand, catching Shasta’s arm. She quickly pulled the young woman out of the Chancellor’s office and toward the lift. Shasta’s mind was a blur. She saw everything one moment and her vision was fuzzy the next. She looked up in surprise when she and Ivy somehow made it back to the door of her bedchamber.

  I must have been lost in thought.

  Although she was slightly perturbed knowing she hadn’t been included in the Chancellor’s findings, a sense of pride overwhelmed her. She had become a core visionary; there couldn’t be a greater honor in all of Atlantis. No matter what the result, Shasta was content with her fate, and as she got in bed and closed her eyes, the thought of nightmares no longer frightened her. She suppressed her concerns, fears, and suspicions with the help of that meaningless honor absurdity.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Not far from Atlantis, there was the main continent, Utsuhapok, on which ten races lived together. Having them all on one continent made everything difficult for them, no place to run or be free from the influence of another. There was no way of getting along well as they all had their own cultures. However, all the races were afraid of losing the Balance as they knew the myth of Creation. They had no fear of God, no fear of nature, only fear of the collapse of existence. They were doomed to a life stuck between dealing with each other and the deep blue sea.

  On the hinterland, the situation was no different than the rest of the world. The humans, or Elesan as the other races called them, mostly lived in small villages scattered randomly about. They were ruled by the king of the Olym race since they had no leader to call their own. This king spread fear in their hearts. Yet their biggest trouble was the race called the Kree. They were cross-breeds. It wouldn’t be wrong to say their appearances were similar to humans, but due to the nature of their existence, they had distinct differences. They were born just like human babies, but they were raised by animals to become one of the same. They behaved like the beasts who raised them. Their main reason for being troublesome was basic in nature. They fought over the same food sources as the humans, hunted the same forests, but did not farm as the humans did. It caused problems during the winter months when humans were able to stockpile food, but the Kree never used such methods. If they ran out of food, they simply attacked the villages, raiding them for their food stores. It wasn’t as if the humans were truly capable of retaliating. They were too scattered to do much good.