The Fire and The Storm - The Nexus of Kellaran #2 novel Chapter 7

Part 2

Soon the locations and exterior appearances of one hundred and seventy-three buildings had been decided. The homes were scattered throughout the site, with a greater concentration around the community center, and in a strip close to the beach. A mill was planned beside the biggest stream where it emerged from the surrounding rock slope north-west of the village center, a marina of boat sheds was planned next to the docks, and Nek and Reen proposed a pub at the end of a short dead-end canyon near the docks, where the surrounding rock walls would insure that the village was never disturbed by any late-night revelry there. Finally, following Nine Valleys tradition, an area was set aside beside the beach near the docks for an open market, and two small restaurants were planned in a great tree near there; at over nine meters thick it was the stoutest on the island. Sana’s Kitchen would be built in the base and specialize in quick and hearty human fare, and Elven Delights would provide fine dining in the tradition of The People of Life, in a five story facility built in the trunk and on the branches between eighteen and thirty-four meters from the ground.

They spent a few minutes gazing with satisfaction at the completed model, then Mark spoke again.

“All right, we might as well go there now. It’s early morning at Hiliani right now, seeing as how it’s almost directly on the other side of the world from here, so it’s a good time to plan interior rooms and get started on building. We’ll be bringing food and drink, so don’t worry about that. Talia and I will take care of everyone’s Translocation.

“Is everyone ready? Yes? Okay, here we go!”

It took Mark and Talia a moment to gather the power and prepare for such a mighty Translocation, then there was a flash and a brief moment of cold, and all five hundred and two of them appeared on the beach beside the settlement site at Hiliani.

It was a bit cooler here, which took a moment to get used to, but the light was about the same; the sun was rising at Hiliani just as it was setting at Hilia.

“This is so beautiful, my love!” Talia enthused as she slowly turned around, enjoying the entire panorama, as did most of the rest.

“It is, isn’t it?” Mark chuckled as he caressed her between her shoulder blades.

“That was a remarkable Translocation!” Theramin commented as he realized what they’d done. “That was the most I’ve seen moved in a single casting, and the distance could not have been farther!”

“Thanks.” Talia nodded with a smile. “It took both of us to do it, but we’ll be ready for work in a couple of minutes.”

“Excellent.” Theramin nodded in return as he re-cast the model Illusion on the beach beside them. “All right, I’m assigning at least one person who can cast a good Illusion to every planned building. The building’s proprietors will work with them to finalize their interior designs, while we of the construction teams will start on the gathering hall. By the time we’re done with that, everyone on the construction teams should be steady with the spells, and we can divide into ten building teams to hurry the work along.”

With that he set out for the site of the hall, his Illusion moving along the ground beside him. The dragons and many of the elves took to the air while the unicorns ran ahead, and everyone else strolled along in a big loose group.

They gathered around the circle of fourteen great trees that would become the gathering hall.

“All right,” Theramin called, “Quewanak has compiled a list of those of you who are qualified to cast this spell, and he will now call you within these trees where we will form a circle.”

Mark and Talia ‘heard’ Quewanak psionicly call their names, and stepped forward with the rest. Only nine humans including Mark were called, but all the elves except twelve stepped up. The unicorns and dragons took part except Karzog, the infant black dragon that Povon and Kragorram had adopted. And interestingly, Quewanak.