Seven Planets

Now it was Zàira who was in danger and the distance between them and the top of the hill seemed infinite. A white dome stood out against the landscape. It looked like a beehive covered in hexagonal mirrors that would reflect the blinding sunlight.

The closer they were getting to the monastery, the more peaceful they were feeling deep in their hearts.

Xam, who was utterly worn out by the weight of his friend, kept walking until they found themselves in front of an arch that led inside the temple.

As soon as they got inside, Zàira's body began floating away from Xam's arms, who did not oppose that force as he knew there was no danger.

She was being carried towards a long corridor until she disappeared.

Hundreds of thin columns were sustaining an immense transparent vault that was overlooking the entire Universe, as if the monastery were floating in the space. Ulica and Xam noticed a weird-shaped creature at the back of the aisle.

The cylindrical, grey-purple body was composed of a head and four other sections, each with two legs. What looked like a nose was shaped like a trumpet and took at least half of the face. It almost looked as if something and someone had pushed it outward. Finally, the creases on its skin were revealing the eyes and the mouth of the creature. The body was not taller than a bag full of flour.

"I can feel a positive energy. I apologise for dragging you in here, but what your companion did surprised me."

"What our companion did not surprise us. We are conscious of her generosity. We should have not involved those harmless creatures. We have wasted too much time wandering in the jungle, which allowed Mastigo to realise where we were headed. So, he led his guards to that mild and peaceful place. Such an unforgivable mistake of us." explained Ulica.

"It would have been impossible for the Tetramirs to get this far without dragging those poor creatures in a battle."

"How do you know who we are?"

Ulica Tried asking, but Xam stopped her abruptly as he instinctively reached for her forearm:

"Where is Zàira?" he asked to the monk, although he could feel that nothing bad was happening to his friend in that place.

"Do not worry. She's safe. She's recovering. She'll be reunited with us very soon."

That reply was vague, but he could still feel that feeling of peacefulness and well-being.

"How do you know who we are?" Ulica asked again, who wanted to understand who they were dealing with.

"My name is Rimei." uttered the creature, without even addressing the girl's question. "I'm here on a meditative retreat. Your souls and actions, even the beauty of the Eumenide whose name I don't recall." it looked as if it was chuckling being satisfied with its mischief. "have all have caught my attention, even after 300 years."

"Ulica." her sweet and delicate face was unimpressed with that compliment.

She was thin and tiny and was conscious of her looks and she did not hide it. The ethnicity to which she belonged was not inclined to courting, but they would not hide their opinions and emotions. They would reproduce like butterflies in a cocoon that carried the colour of the unborn child. Eumenides were in different colour, all in pastel shades.

Ulica belonged to one of the latest generations: they all been created genetically. On the planet an odd occurrence during that last big war had caused a change in the axis of the planet which resulted in environmental and magnetic imbalances, causing the extinction of the male population. Even the most expert geologist in the world could not find the reason behind this occurrence.

In order to avoid the extinction of the whole species, the Eumenides resorted to the multiplication in vitro of the male genes to be used for artificial fertilisation.

They would genetically create only the female embryos in order to prevent other males to born and therefore die. They were not willing to accept a defeat. They were searching in their DNA for the same gene that allowed them to survive and implant it in the male DNA. In this way it would be invulnerable to the new environmental traits.

"You have not told me yet how come you know who we are." insisted Ulica.

"Because I see many things. I have been waiting for your questions for a long time."

"What questions?" asked Xam, who looked confused as he was caressing his thick, black, curly beard.

"Your questions on the Kirvir." Ulica anticipated him. "What were you talking about before?" she asked to the monk. "What can you see?"

"I can see all that is happening on the planets, but unfortunately sometimes the information stays in me for a short amount of time.

"Define short."

"It depends. Sometimes they linger forever, some others fade away after a day or a couple of hours."

"What can you tell us about the Kirvir?" asked Xam.

"The Kirvir is everything: it surrounds us, it puts us together and sets us apart. If it is triggered, it turns into something else. It looks like it can be governed but the truth is that it is fleeing. It can be wise or extremely dangerous."

"You are not saying anything new to us." commented Ulica.

"There is nothing new to know. Everything is already surrounding us." replied the monk. "All you have to do is letting it carry you in the right direction."

"If you can actually see everything, then you already know our aim. Help us control it. It would restore the balance." stated Xam.

"It's obvious that it wants to help." underlined Ulica. "Or it would not have led us here. The issue here is how."

"Do not be hasty, dear. I have waited such a long time for this moment. It's been three hundred years since I talked to someone. Do not take this privilege away from me. Time is a dimension for all those creatures that do not belong to the Kirvir. After all, I gave this a lot of thought."

"But we live our time and we have a responsibility for those like us. The war is coming." claimed Xam.

"You will stay up here as long as it is necessary, if you do want answers to your questions. It is not up to me. It will be the Kirvir to assess how much time it needs to show you the way."

After a few minutes, or at least that is what the Tetramirs felt, they spotted Zàira appear from a long, illuminated corridor.

Xam quickly walked toward her, trying to hide his emotions.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"What happened?" asked Zàira.

"You've been hurt. Don't you remember?" said Xam, giving her his arm as a support.

"I'm fine. Do not worry." assured the Orian, accepting his help. "Yes, I do remember. But where are we?"

"We're inside the monastery. On the floating island."

"How did we get up here?"

"Your gesture impressed the monk, who brought us here in a whirl."

"Then, Xam carried you up to the monastery." added Ulica.

"Thank you." replied Zàira staring right into Xam's eyes, who awkwardly looked away. "It seems as if it's been months since I got shot in my back."

"Exactly." Rimei intervened boldly. "You were fixed and cured in the time chamber so that we could accelerate the healing process. You will only feel a few months older than you actually you are."