1.6 Ancient Books

    "Mental illness?" Mina was struggling, she didn't understand the concept. "In what way? Do they have a headache?"

         Halios explained the illness in layman's terms "They're just not thinking healthy!"

         "Oh..." Mina understood that perhaps the slaves were suffering in psychological ways, she knew first hand that they could be distressed or listless from their toxic environment, she knew how bad things could get in the Atlan Empire but to suggest an illness like Halios was describing was as if some sort of virus was spreading amongst them. If it was a virus, given the recent migration of refugees, it was curious then that the virus hadn't spread to Lemuria.

         "Apparently it's very serious" Orius explained, assuring he had bought into it all. "They're losing control of their minds, they're getting lost and failing to comply, they can't remember who they are or what they are supposed to be doing. Some of them are even having wild delusions, accusing others of trying to do them harm."

         "Are they getting regular exercise?" Mina queried.

         "Of course they are!" Halios was quick to point out the facts. "They work for twelve hours a day! That's plenty of exercise!"

         "They work twelve hours a day?" Mina shook her head. "Perhaps therein lies the problem?"

         "That's ridiculous" Halios snorted. "You just asked if they get enough exercise, you're tripping over your own theories!" He could only ward off her venomous suggestions as best he could, there was a reason Atalon called her a witch.

         Although she was concerned by the god's suspicious and unusual request, Mina obliged them on a quick botanical lesson. She led them into the school library, through a labyrinth of cedar scented bookshelves laden with Ancient Knowledge, welcoming to any soul seeking wisdoms of their past. She led them to the far wall where the heavier shelves were stacked with larger, finely carved chests that kept books of ancient origins safe from damaging elements.

         Vikkar helped Mina lift one of the chests onto the table and she opened the tarnished silver clasp to reveal a very old and ornately bound book. The cover was elegantly engraved with a symbol of three spirals, beautifully embedded with tiny crystals and colored jewels that sparkled in the candlelight of the library.

         "This is the Book of Life" she explained as she lifted the manuscript out of it's case. "All the healing plants and minerals are listed in here." She placed the book on the table and began leafing through the pages. "Let me see..." 

         Curiosities piqued as the goddess flashed the glossy gold-foil pages by their eyes, rich and colorfully illuminated, penned by talents that had been lost in the Gen development. 

         "Are they suffering from a general sadness?"

         "No!" Halios snapped, irritated. "They're suffering from disobedience, they don't follow orders properly." He was growing doubtful of her book as the images flipped by.

         "Why don't you take a look?" Sensing his irritation she turned the book toward him. "Perhaps you will recognize some of the listed symptoms better that I?"

         Trying hard to conceal his inner turmoil, Halios turned the heavy pages one by one. The book was incredible, the pages themselves shimmered in the light... Flowers... Leaves... Geometric seeds... Each image was an incredible story told. And he couldn't read a word of it. He studied the script below each image, symbolic glyphs of the ancient tribes were a language that had been disposed of for a reason. He could pick out the odd word but only the Oracles would be able to decipher the entire text. 

         "I'm sorry" he closed the book. "It looks very interesting, but your language is foreign, it is of no use to us. Why not just give us some samples of your medicinal herbs for Doctor Seton to try?"

         "I can do that." Mina put the book back inside the chest and gestured towards the door. "Come, let me show you the garden, I will give you some herbs that are safe to experiment with, herbs that generally promote a healthy mind."

         "Doctor Seton may be interested in doing business with you if this turns out to be a success" Halios offered as he followed her out, keen to establish new trade connections with Lemuria. It would make any future colonization so much easier.

         Orius could feel Mina cringe at the idea, his sensitivity only made the situation more awkward, he couldn't help but feel there was some kind of alternate motive for the field trip to Anur, now he was garnering an idea. But as he followed the tour out of the library, a dark being darted behind him, he spun around but there was nothing there…

         Spooked, he followed the group out of the old library. This trip was having some kind of a psychological effect on his mind, he could feel himself malfunctioning, badly. 

         "Ugh!" Halios slipped on a slippery patch of something as he stepped outside. 

         To an uneducated eye, the garden was a random collage of unorganized and random organics, bizarre irrigation structures and repurposed building materials, it was difficult to navigate, a rmicrocosm of the town itself. 

         "My god, Mina, how can you possibly work like this?" Coming from a clean and sterile environment, getting muddy wasn't something Halios had prepared for.

         "This is a vey good herb for relaxing the mind" Mina ignored his complaints and picked a few samples, placing them in a basket. "Come this way." She crossed the garden to a mushroom mound, shaded under the heavy cover of an ancient and majestic oak tree. "These are very good too" she picked a few plump specimens and crossed over to a planter box, picked a few seed pods and placed them in the basket, soon brimming with aromatic and colorful plants. 

         "Here" she handed the basket to Orius. "Tell Doctor Seton that they can all be administered as a tea, or he can dry them and grind them into food. I hope they can help."

         "On behalf of Doctor Seton" Orius bowed his head, "I insist you accept our sincerest gratitude!"

         "Let's go!" Now Vikkar was the one in a hurry. "Long ride back to Kergal and we still need to set up camp." He scanned the garden. "Where did Halki go?"

         "Right behind you..." Halki casually emerged from the school library on cue, still ensconced in his map-making project, scribbling sketches as efficiently as he could, it was a rare opportunity to map the mysterious town. "Is there time to sketch the garden?"

         "No!" Vikkar was already on his horse, Orius close behind. "The sun's going down already."

         Eager to leave the mud and mayhem, Halios turned to Mina with an outstretched hand. "Thank you my friend, you are most gracious." He kissed the back of her hand, a bold gesture that caught the goddess off guard. 

         "Promise me you will at least think about the business proposal?"

         To Mina's relief, the gods left quickly, without any more ado. Something didn't feel right about the very short and unusual visit from Atlan, but then why would it? Mental illness?

         Still pondering the incredible book and hidden talents of the Lunar tribe, Halios's mind was full of things to think about as they made their way back along the road through town. Once again his attention was drawn to the crystal pyramid as they rode by, Nulu no longer obscured the doorway… 

         He paused his horse to look inside through the open door. Bathed in a dim light he could see the sculpture of an enormous stone egg resting on a granite altar beneath the window. His heart sank although in his gut he had known all along it wasn't true. That the Lunies worshipped a Golden Egg was an ancient myth, a half-truth, obviously it was the gold part that wasn't true. 

           He clicked the horse into gear. In some ways it was a relief, perhaps Atalon was right after all, perhaps the entire Phoenix fable was also just an ancient myth. A half-truth. Untrue.

         The visitors hadn't gone unnoticed. From the opening of a rocky mountain cave, Aquilla watched them ride down the valley trail that wove through the forest towards Kergal.

        Halki could feel the sensation of preying eyes upon him, he knew the dangers they faced by travelling across the unprotected lands of Lemuria. He scanned the mountainside, dark in the shadow of the setting sun. "How much farther is the camp?"

         "We're almost there" Vikkar assured. "I can see the lake already."

         It was now too dark to see the predator should he decide to investigate their presence. The idea of camping out in Aquilla territory was bothering Halios too, even more so in the darkness of the forest. The protection of Vikkar's sword wasn't enough to convince him of their safety, he was having a change of heart. 

         "I think we should just keep riding, we don't need to waste time camping overnight."