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11 ~ Will<br />
Delva was up to her neck in the water. <strong>An</strong>glana was communicating with her.<br />
"Never fear. He will arrive."<br />
"I can see his face in my mind but I don't feel his presence."<br />
"Look into his eyes."<br />
Delva fell into Verluin's eyes in her mind and immediately felt him close. Felt him touch her on<br />
the head. Felt his lips on hers.<br />
"It feels so real!"<br />
"It is real, Delva."<br />
"Real in my mind which is making my body respond."<br />
The presence of Verluin vanished. His face remained in Delva's mind and smiled the way she<br />
knew meant he was momentarily sad but hopeful.<br />
"He has left you for now."<br />
"You claim it wasn't just my mind affecting my body..."<br />
"You are a woman of strong mind. Would that your heart could take on that strength."<br />
Delva felt tears flowing down her cheeks. She withdrew <strong>from</strong> the water and sat on the shore,<br />
wondering.<br />
"Delva, you must repeat this many times to come to certitude of its reality."<br />
"I don't want to convince myself that my wishes are reality when they're not."<br />
"Strong mind..."<br />
"Weak heart..."<br />
~~~<br />
The Aklans had been in the village for a few days, getting to know the people and helping them<br />
implement some simple technology that could give them more control over their efforts to raise<br />
crops. The area they were in was mostly rocky with large swaths of sand. There was only a small<br />
stream coming <strong>from</strong> the large hill that dominated the landscape. Within that hill was a supply of<br />
water that wept its way out and down, often drying before it reached the huts.<br />
The Aklans didn't even think of suggesting the group of fifty adults and children move<br />
elsewhere. They were led by a very old woman who had known the priests of the Lord's Army and<br />
tried her best to instill what wisdom she had to her group. The Lord's Army and Faith of Eternity<br />
had few followers now, though the Disciples of Faith still flourished. This group had kept the<br />
spirit of the Lord's Army alive for eighty years. They were all related but perilous times had<br />
confused the exact genetic lines. Still, these folk were, in all ways, an extended family.<br />
The Aklans were doing what Aklans did—meeting people right where they were and offering,<br />
without judgement, whatever help they could.<br />
The old woman said: "God willing, we can use this device to induce the hill to give us its Gift<br />
more abundantly."<br />
The oldest of the five Aklans responded: "Be sure to only use it when the stream is dry. If you<br />
keep it on all the time the hill could completely dry up."<br />
The Aklans had also given the group a bag of seed—a strain of edible grass that was extremely<br />
wholesome and grew with little attention.<br />
"Plant the seeds in the pattern we showed you and only snip half the buds that appear so the<br />
plants can feed you for a full season."<br />
"Yes. We have my son's talent in making clay urns to store the buds for times of scarcity. We<br />
will dig a cave in the hill for the storage."<br />
"God willing, you can set yourselves free of the harsh labor of the city and live here in peace."<br />
"You must return some day and tell me more of Akla."<br />
"We will and—"<br />
A small transport was heard <strong>from</strong> beyond the hill. It swerved into view and came to a stop.<br />
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