01 Taxilas Children

TAXILA'S CHILDREN
The single star in the centre of the lantern opening drew him. He had the impression of
expansion, so that his physical form assumed the dimensions of the image beneath him.
When he had assumed that size, he was drawn upward. He looked down an saw the puny,
small, physical self still resting on the clear floor. Taxila smiled and revelled in his freedom.
He was drawn out of the chamber, through the sky opening and turned to face the brightness
of the lone star. He moved towards it, but it remained ever distant. Around him, the stars
flowed like water glittering in the light of a million suns. They intensified in number and
almost brushed against him. There came a moment of turbulence, when the flow surged and
faltered and then reversed direction, so that they preceded him to a well known destination.
He felt the tug of forces which dragged him onward. He didn't try to resist, even when matter
became energy and the shimmering cascade of light became something beyond description.
The momentum slowed and energy became matter once more and the stars flowed on
towards their ultimate destination. He moved amongst the stars and exalted in the release
from the puny physical form within which he had been imprisoned. He looked back in the
direction from which he had come, not expecting to see the Lynxe star or its family of
planets, but rather, expecting to see his Companion of the Image. Taxila smiled, Danyk would
have a further disturbance to his dreams and from that disturbance would come the
restlessness which would urge him to seek out Steve Holt.
Danyk emerged from the star flow and indeed, he did look like the gothic warrior imagined
by the earthling. His hair was unrestricted and flowed over his shoulders. His body and limbs
gleamed in the star glow and he walked amidst the stars. Taxila smiled at him in genuine
affection and held out a hand of greeting. They touched, and Danyk was swept back once
more towards the distant planet which was his birthworld.
Taxila turned away and sought the brittle cinder upon which he dwelt as the Keeper. It
stood, suspended on the threshold of the Abyss. He looked beyond it, into its dark maw and
tuned the senses which would converse with those who dwelt within it.
"Your progress is slow, Keeper!"
"It is sure, Harma!"
"You must accelerate the process."
"To do so will jeopardise the outcome."
"It is your place to obey, Keeper!"
"I do not dispute your authority, Zayez!"
"It would be unwise to even consider such an action."
"It was your collective choice to leave me as the Keeper when you entered the Abyss,
Hella!"
"You will obey!"
"I will be the judge, Harma. Remember, I am your equal! I am the Keeper of the Threshold
of the Abyss. I have chosen to remain! I will fulfil my part - you must trust me!"
There was a long silence.
"We trust your judgement, Keeper - but hurry!"
Taxila turned and faced the star swarm out of which he had come. This time, the flow was
against him, towards the Abyss. His way back was strenuous until he reached the point where
all forces were neutral and the flow slowly turned to accelerate his progress towards the
Lynxe star. He placed it behind him and sought the City of Taxila and its temple and the
recumbent form which was spread-eagled within.
Taxila submerged himself within the subconscious mind and allowed some of the
memories to flow, so that Steve Holt would remember much of what had happened. He
suppressed the memory of the discussion with Zayez, Hella and Harma. It was the first time
that they had been in dispute and he was not sure what it meant. He was also not sure what
implications might arise, if they decided to intervene in the conduct of the search. It was a
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