Chapter Twelve

To trust is to lose

His eyes, what were their colours? I couldn't tell; he is a mystery and saved my life. Am I meant to owe him? We've never been taught that I have no imagination if such applies to my nature. But what do I feel when I am with him? I can't explain nor tell Nyla, for she'll think I'm incompetent and delusional. I can't tell my sisters; some despise me, and others respect me; I am confused and wish to speak to someone. 

Did they find out I was assisted? She swallowed hard. I think not, for I would have been severely punished and sent on a more dreadful mission. Maybe I will see flying monsters.

Wait, can he hear me now? Can he read my thoughts? I see the way he looks at me with compassion for a sica and anger the next. It hurts to see him switch like that, but he is a stranger, and I shall or might never see him ever. But I do want to see him. He understands me and watches me in danger.

My safe arrival at the Dome was because of him; I am not worthy of my sisters' praises or admiration. It felt terrible when Nyla took me in her arms, asked how I was, and checked if I was hurt. I stayed so many vura in the infirmary, and there were the odd looks of the scientist like something was wrong with me. I wish I could read their minds like he could.

When I returned, they didn't find a scratch, and there was a mental and physiological evaluation. What did the infirmary do again that had me waiting here for almost a Zaiya?

There were hushed tones, and the scientists looked over their shoulders and behind their backs, watching me. Something must be wrong.

"Tell us everything that happened?" 

"Was it fascinating?"

"Were you alone?"

"What did you see?"

"We want to know."

As I sat in the middle, the many sisters gathered around me; even Sula was eager to hear my tale. 

"Just like every story you told, you were assisted, but I wasn't." Shyva looked around, holding the gazes of her sisters, who gasped at her truth.

"You were all alone?" 

"Not quite; when I landed, I was alone. In that world, there were scattered rocks on the earth. They were of many sizes, small, medium and large. It felt empty, and then these creatures appeared. We have never practised such within Master Chynevorachlina simulation class. These were as real as life. They looked like Fuccana. Many legs are like crawlers and cries that frighten you; you freeze. They cry like the gardeners" Shyva frighteningly moved her fingers and depicted the sound of the creatures that tended to the plants around the Dome under the supervision of Master Chi.

"Then it got worse as I ran into a cave with all the strength and fright that coursed through me. In the cave, I thought they would follow me in, but they stopped and looked more frightened."

"That must be bad."

Shyva was exhausted just by introducing the story. She had to get quick with it, or she would run out of the room. The thoughts of her masked saviour caused her to be lost in thought.

Can you hear me? Do you know I am thinking about you? I appreciate you saving me, and I do not know if you understand gratitude. Whoaaaa, those eyes, do they show mercy when you fight, or do you slash with a blow and walk over the corpse.

"Shyva!!!" that was the loudest the sisters shouted to grab her attention. Shyva ducked her neck and fluttered her lashes, returning to the people around her. 

"The cave was cold but had beautiful walls. Walking deeper inside the cave until I reached the mouth of another cavern. 

There it was, the beautiful orb of many colours. I went towards it and grabbed it. That was the moment it became intense. The cave trembled, and slithering-looking worms fell from the holes in the wall. They were disgusting and slow at first; you needed to see them when I killed their queen. Their queen, the largest of them all, grabbed me, appearing beneath the ground. It was humongous, speaking about the necessity of the orb, and I got bored. All I thought about was coming home. We fought; it lashed its tail, and I flipped over it more than I could count, stabbing it, but it healed fast. The last trick up my sleeve was injecting into her system the poison in my mouth."

"Didn't you die?" Sula asked, smirking, but Shyva gave her a hard stare.

"I was affected and almost gave up, but my body recuperated slowly. I watched the queen swell and burst into pieces, flying over the ero."

"That must have been something to watch."

"Yes, I was proud of myself until her army moved in numbers, I was powerless and their meal to devour."

He saved me, and I gave him credit. It is my secret.

"Huh, I got my strength and raced out, throwing away my laser grenade."

"Wowwww." Went the voices of the sisters, "Admirable."

Shyva wasn't proud, she was a disgrace to herself.

In another class, they were taught mind construction, a subject on the development of the mind and how to compel it to your will. Shyva wasn't interested in the class. As she looked out the window, drops of ojoroc formed lines on the transparent glass. She wanted to see his face like the first time she met him; she felt the urge to touch his face and trace his lips. His nose, his skin, his hair and his eye bags. What was he hiding? She wished he would stare back at her, but he didn't; she just watched the traces of water run down, watching part of her reflected face.

It had been cresce since she was back to the dome, and all she thought about was Vakiyv.

"Shyva, I do not like it when you are absent-minded in my class, which is more important than your thoughts." The male tutor screamed in the class, halting Shyva's thoughts.

"It's terrible how you think of my class this way; I wish I could have you in detention, compelling the humanoids that plant around the premises to be tutors for a few vura."

Shyva blinked and opened her mouth to apologize, but Master Pvche and the whole class glared at her, daring her to speak.

Shyva swallowed hard.

Shyva walked into Nyla's office proud and part disgraced. Proud of being back at the dome and almost dying. Disgraced for completing her task halfway and would have been dead hadn't it been Mr. Mysterious' help. 

"Come sit with me." Nyla swung both her hands, inviting Nyla to sit beside her on the comfortable white stuffed chair.

Shyva was happy to be with her mentor, who listened and helped her live a better life. She lowered herself to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Nyla.

"I saw what happened to you during your assignment." 

Shyva's eyes widened; she was watched.

What if she saw him?

"That was an arduous virtue you showed up there. We lost you for some moments, but we got you right in time to send assistance. I thought I almost lost you." Nyla rubbed Shyva's shoulder with pride. "But I believe so much in you."

Shyva sighed and gave her best smile.

"It was frightening, Nyla, I… uh… uh…" Shyva stuttered, scared she might say the wrong words and give away her aid.

"But I overcame it, and here we are now, aren't we?"

 "We are, dear. Besides, how have your classes been? I heard you've been absent-minded these days. It's been fourteen passing days, but I do not blame you, dear." She twirled Shyva's dark ponytail. Nyla observed her mistake. She clapped her hands together and rubbed her palms.

Nyla walked over to her drink furniture, pouring herself a cup of brown spirit with her back turned towards Shyva.

"You know I can't give you this." She turned to face Shyva, "It's above protocol, and you can only take this when you are grown like me."

"Master Chi makes us taste and smell natural fermented and processed alcohol. I can tell that it is made from imported rye, fermented for a year, and processed in a week with a mixture of Sidalous natural flavouring. The taste is sharp, intoxicating after twenty seeps, and smells like Acyth.

Nyla smiled at her lucky soldier and sipped. 

Shyva does not have the littlest ideas; she is one of the best. I only have to groom her and watch her bloom from afar so she can develop by imparting others' ideas.

"Would you like to go on another adventure, Shyva?"