Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 86

They came out of the last gate. They were unable to see the mountain because they were on the mountain. There was a wall which was the mountain, and there was a terrace that offered a view of the Isle of Sinter. But he didn’t see the terrain, all he saw was Loxy, standing on the edge of the terrace, singing. The sun set colored her a strange aura, when the light of day was gone, her silhouette was framed by the many lights of Sinter below. It was like looking down on the stars, like the most famous lookout point, Holy Wood below- only this was not Holy Wood or Disney- it was the Milky Way.

“Where’s Loxy?” Jerica said.

“Not Here,” Shen said.

“I don’t understand,” Jerica said.

“Their kind are not allowed on hallowed ground. They cannot pass through the gates,” Indigo Guardian said. “The prisoner will remove his clothing, and surrender all jewelry.”

Shen was reluctant to surrender is rings. To take the one off his finger, he had to open his palm, and that revealed the last updated image of his companion in his grasp. “Please.”

“Surrender it,” Indigo said. “If you survive all will be restored to you.”

“You can’t restore Loxy,” Shen said.

“We cannot return that which never was,” Indigo said.

“Do you really think she was nothing? Do you really think you’re something?” Shen asked.

“Strip,” Indigo said.

Shen complied. All was taken from him. At that point, he was shaved, magically. A breeze took the hair away. He was provided a hemp gown. The party then walked up the stairs to the very top of the mountain, and then out across a bridge. They came to a station where again they passed through a stone gate and arrived directly center of the Tri Mountains. A single sleeping tree stretching from earth to sky provided the canopy for the platform, which was likely anchored into the tree, there was a gap between the platform and tree. Glowworms illuminated the underneath of the canopy of leaves. For a moment, he actually thought the stars had returned- but he saw through his own illusion fast enough.

Jerica, Neva, and Tell were instructed to hold at a boundary. Shen was brought forwards and positioned into a circle. A feint wall of light locked him into place. It was almost invisible. He couldn’t resist touching it; it sparked brightly and painfully. He respected the wall. He had enough space to sit down. He could lay down if he curled himself. A group of women approached and counseled with Lanore and Tama. They were out of earshot. Shen wasn’t even interested in trying to read lips. He was more interested in Loxy.

“Are you really still with me, or are you a memory?”

Loxy spoke-sang the lyrics to ‘You Got to Be,’ by Des'ree. He listened to her voice. The message was Loxy, but it didn’t provide clarity on if it was her or memories of her. Could he be so stressed that he was experiencing psychosis? Did it matter if it was comforting?

“I don’t think that message was for me,” he told her.

‘It doesn’t mean you can’t own it,’ Loxy said.

“Excuse me,” one of the Elders interrupted. “Are we interrupting you?” It was clearly meant to be sarcastic.

Shen eyes shifted focus and he acknowledged the woman speaking. Her hair seemed prematurely silver. He entertained asking her what had frightened her so, but he knew enough not to ask. Just wondering added to a delay in response and her impatience drove her to speak again.

“Hello? Anyone home?” she asked. She turned to her friends, communicating smugness, while her voice was intended for Lanore: “This is the great warrior everyone is afraid of?”

“I request Mother participate in this,” Tama said.

“You are not recognized,” an Elder said, blocking with a hand gesture. “You have not been approved.”

“She was raised by Masters,” Lanore said.

“It takes three Masters to raise a priestess,” an elder said. “Your triad is not recognized. You’re just as off as this one, bringing in foreigners to adulterate our ways.”

If Lanore was angry, she hid it well.

One of the younger ones questioned Shen: “They say you can bring back the dead?”

“The dead are dead,” Tama said. “No one brings the dead back.”

“I was speaking to him…”

The silvered hair one asked: “Are you calling your own mother a liar?”

“I am saying she misunderstood. A woman feinted can be awakened. A sleeping person can be awakened. Shen did not bring back the dead,” Tama said.

“She was drowned,” Lanore said.

“She was. And Shen got to her before she was dead. He revived her, that is all,” Tama said.