Crándactar

Zul has been teaching me about the planet I never knew existed, home. He showed me the map of Crándactar and many pictures of it. I have memorized the map already, after drawing it almost every day. The Farrix Tribe live in a cold area, North West of the planet and shares borders with the Desert and the Meadow. 

Zul and Tolug say the Meadow is a beautiful safe place where the weather feels like Spring all the time. The territory does not belong to any tribe, therefore is the spot where most trades and meetings between the tribes' leaders and the King happen. 

The swamps, rivers, hot springs and lakes, basically any body of water except the ocean (there is only one ocean) are common grounds for everyone. The swamps are located by the Meadow and the Forest, although the Desert and the Kandreo Tribe have borders with the swamps too. The Meadow shares borders with the Forest. 

Tolug says the Forest is his home and that it is mesmerizing, and Zul agrees, but he assures me it is super dangerous. Tolug laughed when Zul told me that, adding, "Indeed, especially to your kind and the other tribes". From what I understand, it seems to be a place where wild beasts and all kinds of hazardous plants and bugs live, not to mention the land itself is dangerous.

The weather in the Forest is like the one of a rain forest. The temperatures range from 70's to 80's Fahrenheit, but it gets cold at night and in the mornings. It has plenty of rivers and it rains regularly. The Forest shares a border with the swamps, a big lake and the Kandreo Tribe. 

The Kandreo territory has lots of mountains, rivers, and a whole area of hot springs. It rains a lot there, but the sun always comes back and their soil is fertile... but never like before. The Kandreo have to put double the effort to work their fields. Kandreo territory is also surrounded by volcanic land and a lake... And the Zatra Tribe shares a tiny border with the Kandreo.

The Zatra Tribe borders consist of the big lake they share with the Kandreo and the desert, other than that, they are surrounded by the ocean. Crándactar has only one island and it's a big island. No one goes there. That land is reserved for the priests. People call it Holy Island.

So far, I have been educated about my planet and our people by Zul and Tolug, but I want to know more about my parents. Tolug promised to tell me about them in time, and it seems we have plenty of that. We have been traveling for a month now, and history and geography are not the only thing I have been learning. Zul has been teaching me how to fight, so I can protect myself once we arrive home. 

He teaches me the Farrix fighting skills, which is basically done by utilizing swords and advanced weapons. His lessons are just self defense strategies, for now. I enjoy learning from him. Zul is pretty cool. I must say I like him. I consider him a friend. Now I know what it is like to have one, a real one. Actually, I have two, Tolug and Zul. I feel kind of bad for Toran, even though she deceived me. Despite the fact that she lied to me, I am still curious to hear her side of the story. 

Is it terrible that I feel pity for her? That's what Tolug and Zul think. They can't comprehend my obsession to establish small talk with Toran every time I drop off her food in the cell's compartment for her to get. But I keep myself positive, because I think I am making progress… Especially today, she seems less hostile towards me today.

"Toran", I call out as I insert the box of food in a compartment that will slide it down to the other side of her cell. I look at her through the small glass window as she gets what I sent to her. She looks at me and says thank you. I don't want to push her. I can count her simple thank you as a sign of victory, or at least the beginning of a truce.

As I start walking away Toran speaks. "You should know I wasn't trying to kill you", she says. I stop walking immediately and stay still. "I mean, at first I thought I would be able to, even if that vicious pet of yours hurt me... but I just couldn't do it, so I settled to steal that precious book of yours." I walk back to the small glass window to see her. 

"Is that so?" I ask, curiously, still not trusting her words. "I have no more reasons to deceive you", Toran confesses. "Who knows what that traitor General would decide to do with me when we get home... I just wanted to tell you the truth. I don't know why you are such a good person, but because you are, I felt guilty hurting you."

"Toran, why did you agree to that mission in the first place?" She comes closer to stand in front of the glass, so we can see each other better while we talk. "My boyfriend and his group of rebel soldiers are being kept as prisoners; slaves, in a region north of the desert, by General Mosk. See, unlike the new leaders of the Kandreo Tribe, the rebels know there will never be an union, we will never be part of the Alliance between the tribes, so they fight for our people's rights, the old fashion way, you know... actually fighting." 

"My boyfriend and his rebel friends got captured, and now the Farrix have them in a secret building in the desert, experimenting, having them cultivate plants in a fake environment they created, so they can supply food for the entire Kingdom. The group of rebels are getting sick. They need to be returned home, to our environment. That's why I made that stupid deal with the general."

I stay quiet, staring at her, not knowing what to think of all this information. Could it be true? She has lied before, using a different boyfriend story. Toran puts her hand on the glass, and I just stare at her carefully. "Place your hand over mine, I will show you something", Toran says to me eagerly. I hesitate, because I don't know what her intentions might be, but then, I realize she can't hurt me. She is secured in her cell and I am here. My instincts tell me to trust her, so I place my hand over the glass, aligning it with hers. 

All of the sudden I feel a strange warm sensation on my hand and a current flowing through my arm. My heart swells with emotions and I can't understand what is happening! Am I experiencing Toran's feelings? I don't understand this! Somehow I am able to read her emotions, even if I can't read her mind, I feel what she is thinking or feeling! She's not lying! I can feel so much sadness, regret, loneliness and something else... perhaps kindness.

I step away from her and let my hand fall from the glass, feeling scared. Toran's eyes search for mine, looking at me with sympathy. Perhaps she felt my feelings too. I stand in front of her not knowing what to think, do, or say, so I slowly start walking away from Toran until I get to Tolug's room, which is right next to mine. I find him sleeping, but he senses me and opens his eyes. 

"Are you alright?" He asks, using his voice inside my head. "I need to tell you something", I say, still trembling from what I experienced. I explain what just happened, what Toran said, and what she made me feel. After telling Tolug everything, I am still baffled! But Tolug nods, and even though he appears to be in deep thoughts, he doesn't seem surprised by the events I described. "This is true", is all he responds. He says I was able to feel what she wanted me to know she feels. 

"Your father had the same gift. All Kandreo people have it, from what I understand... Some are more skilled than others, of course. Still, be careful, don't trust her yet", he adds. All of the sudden the floor and walls start shaking tremendously! Sirens go off and all kinds of lights begin to flash. Tolug tells me to get down and to cover my head. He leads me to a corner of the room while he goes off running to look for Zul.

"Safety procedure initiating", a robotic female voice announces through the speakers. "Take shelter and wait for your captain for further instructions", the voice keeps repeating along the sirens and flashing lights. I am nervous, but I must do as Tolug said and remain here, even though I want to run and find the others. Tolug runs back to me and tells me to walk carefully to the control room. 

He leaves in a rush and I struggle to walk through the corridors. I hold on to the trembling walls as I walk through the shaky floor with my heart racing. What is happening? Are we being attacked? We are not prepared to fight back, well at least I am not. Please, God, don't let anyone invade this ship, at least not until we can land, I pray.

I make it to the control room and sit down, strapping myself with the seat belts and wait. The voice in the speaker is louder here! I glance at the screens and I can't see anything. They are blurry. Tolug and Zul arrive carrying suits, well, Tolug holds his with his teeth. Zul also brings helmets with him. "Here", Zul says in a hurry. "Put this on", handing me a suit and a helmet.

I unbuckle my seat belt, get up and do as he instructs me. "A little help, please!" Tolug says, spitting his suit from his mouth. Zul helps me first and then he helps Tolug put on his curious, special suit. After helping both of us, Zul puts on his suit. 

"Sit down and fasten your seat belts!" Zul commands nervously, and I can hear him clearly through the helmet. I help Tolug with his seat belt, and just as I am about to take my seat, I wonder about Toran and her safety. "What about Toran?" I ask, realizing the danger she is facing, all alone and unprotected in her cell. "She will be fine!" Zul says, dismissing my concern quickly. "Really? Will she?" I ask, skeptically. 

"Zul", I say, "we are here wearing suits and helmets, meanwhile, Toran is just fine locked in her cell without any kind of protection." He sighs and Tolug looks at me worried. "I'm going to check on her!" I challenge him. "No!" They both say, screaming at me. "Then, do something about it!" I yell at Zul. "I am preoccupied with more important things at the moment!" He says from his chair, struggling to control the ship. 

"Give me the keys, so I can get her out!" I yell. Tolug looks at me with sympathy and speaks in my head, revealing to me where the keys are. "Be careful, make sure not to trust her, and take a weapon with you", he says. I nod at him in agreement and get up, quickly. Zul doesn't notice what I am doing, because he has his back towards me. I run to the cabinet where Tolug signals me the keys are and I open it. Once I find the keys, I run out of the control room.