Crosspoint

Where are your horses?

Gavril said, We travel light.

While at the same time Avril answered, They slow us down.

Lokee mouthed the latter answer while looking from one man to the other with eyebrows raised in confusion. She was about to ask something more but thought better of it. Closing her mouth like a trap, she turned and studied hard the ground just beyond her moving feet.

Avril smiled behind her back but Gavril couldnt help goading her a little further, As soon as we reach the split I the road, Ill take a look at your hand. Healing takes a lot out of me and I want to be fully recovered by the time we start jumping.

At the last word, Lokees footsteps lost their rhythm and she nearly tripped. Recovering, she simply dropped her head and increased her pace.. Gavril, who was barely holding in his laughter did not notice the dark look Avril shot him. The next few minutes passed in silence as they made their way beyond Slobodsky. Lokee jumped when Gavril put a hand on her shoulder.

Its time.

When Lokee turned around there was a look of pure horror on her face.

Youll barely feel it. It wont kill you. Avril said.

She gripped his sleeve and looked at the young man with pleading in her eyes.

But it will.

Lokee closed her eyes and held up her bandaged right hand. Seeing her there, even Gavril was moved with compassion as he gently removed the bandana and took her tiny hand in both of his. When he said, PURIFY, Lokee felt a slight burning begin at her fingertips that worked slowly up the arm and nearly reach all the way up to her shoulder. When she opened her eyes the scab was still there but there was no trace of infection.

The girl did not look up but simply turned and started walking down the left fork in the road. After a moment Avril picked up her pack along with his own and started to follow. Both men noticed that she looked smaller than before. She looked wilted. She looked less alive.

For the remainder of the day Lokee was like a walking dead. When food was put in her hand she would eat it, but if it was put before her she would simply stare at it. She said nothing. She showed no emotion. Even when they made their first jump, there was not the slightest hint of fear, or surprise, or wonder. There was nothing.

That evening Gavril built a small lean-to while Avril gathered leaves for a bedding and helped Lokee take off her boots. Gavril spoke a fire into existence and the two of them sat listening. There was no sign for them to know if and when she fell asleep.

Finally Avril asked, What happened to her?

She has experienced too much. Her mind has shut down.

How long will she be like this?

I dont know. I have heard of this happening only once before and the man died in his sleep four days later. He just did not have the will to live any longer.

So she might die?

Though I do not wish it, I expect it.

Why? Did your healing go wrong? What caused this?

For a long moment Gavril paused, wondering where to begin.

Being sent to get someone of the Zingari is one of the hardest things a person in the Society can do. Ive shown you my Finder, right? When Avril nodded, Gavril continued, Each Finder is first set to a particular person at the Table. Youll learn more about the Table when we get there, but for now, just know that it is a large map of the world that shows the location of everyone who has the spark. So we know in the Society when someone uses magik for the first time when a new mark appears on the Table.

As a result, we generally have a pretty good idea of the culture and nationality of the person we need to get and we work as best as we can to send someone to that young person who would culturally be the best match. This also gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect when we arrive. In some cultures becoming a member of the Society is a great honor. In others, the person might be completely ignorant to what they are doing. The worst case is generally the Roma. If the person with the spark is wealthy enough they can be sent into exile and we meet them on their way to Centralia. The poor and the slaves are not so fortunate. The poor kid is locked up in a dungeon until we come to get them.

So some are glad, some are hesitant, some are ignorant, but everyone comes with us. The Zingari are the exception to the rule in more ways than one. For one thing, as far back as the records go, there has never been a Zingari who was part of the Society. For another, they have no land of their own. Their only home is the wagon they live in and the group of a hundred or so that they travel with. The Zingari are everywhere. There has apparently recently been a team that passed near Slobodsky, but there are others wandering through every land and country in all four corners of the world.

What that means to a person of the Society is that they have no warning. For example, if I were not sent to get you I probably would have been the one who was sent to Slobodsky thinking I was coming to meet with a young Russi. I would spend weeks on the journey only to have at end in sorrow at some tree. When a young Zingari learns that they can speak magik, they hang themselves. For the thousands of years the only exception is that another method of suicide might occasionally be used. Every. Single. Time.

Avril had the obvious next question on his lips when Gavril rolled on, To understand why is to know a bit about Zingari mythology. Now, this is not something I would consider myself particularly knowledgeable about, but from what I have gathered, the Zingari believe that in addition to the Creator and the Evil One, there are many spirits that they call the Jinn. They believe that at one time all the Jinn, including the Evil One were good and existed together with the Creator in heaven. The Evil One, whom they call the Fallen, led a rebellion against the Creator that failed and was sent to earth in exile.

Here on earth the Evil One and his minions intermarried with the newly created human race. The children born from this union were people who were able to wield unimaginable power. The Creator destroyed this abomination and reshaped the world so that no Jinn would ever again be able to take physical form. However, the Evil One can still sometimes manage to get a grip on someones mind and the product of this control is the ability to speak magik.

So for the Zingari, magik is the worst form of evil that is known on earth. Those who speak magik, namely the Society, are servants of the Evil One. It has been recorded that one Zingari about eight hundred years said, For a Zingari tainted with this curse, to kill oneself and thus deny the Fallen Ones power is a supreme act of devotion to the Creator.

Gavril spat into the fire as though trying to get a disgusting taste out of his mouth. So you see that there is no love lost between the Zingari and the Society. You can also see what Lokee being with us can mean. The harshness I used when meeting her was partly because of this animosity and partly out of shock at actually seeing a living Zingari with the spark. I fully expected her not to live through the night and believe the only reason she has not tried to kill herself along the way is that she knows I have burned our rope. I am amazed that she was able to fight against thousands of years of tradition, to fight so strongly who she is right to her bones as long as she was.

For a long moment there was silence as the two men sat across from each other around the fire. The only sound was the crackling of the slowly shrinking fire and the cicadas in the woods creaking their nighttime lullaby. Gavril watched the light from the fire dance across Avrils motionless face as the young man struggled to digest all that he had heard. A the fire popped shooting an array of sparks into the air. The older mans right foot began tingling from a lack of circulation and he adjusted his seat. At the motion Avril looked up and the two locked eyes.

Avril, you must keep in mind, it might be better for all if we allowed Lokee a quick death rather than this long drawn out one.

Avrils face screwed up in disgust, What, would that be a supreme act of devotion too?

The younger man stood and walked away from the fire leaving Gavril alone with the night.

The next day went started out much the same as the previous one had gone. It almost seemed that Lokees lifelessness was catching. It was as though there was a dark cloud that hovered over the three as they jumped and then walked and then jumped again. It wasnt as though Avril was angry just at what Gavril had said. He knew the other mans motives enough to believe that they were well intentioned. He simply did not agree. Gavril, on the other hand, considered the younger mans anger as the idealism of youth. He figured that Avril would stew around for a day or two and then things would be fine. Both did all they could to care for Lokee who was compliant with their efforts, but otherwise unresponsive. She took as little note of the emotional byplay around her as she did the rest of the world.

Jump to jump they moved forward at a ground eating pace. This continued through the day until just after dusk when they finally crossed Boroton River that they had been keeping to their north and then west. This put them just south of the town of Neconpyrsk. Gavril turned to the younger man and spoke the extended string of words that had been heard all day.

Follow the river south until it joins up with another river, the Sepifbenk. There is a small creek right near where you can first see the joining below you. Make camp somewhere on the far side of that creek and Ill meet up with you there in a few hours.

Where will you be?

We just jumped beyond a town. I know you cant really tell in this forest, but its there. Im going to make my way up to it for some fresh supplies and to get some information.

Will you be sending word back of her?

Gavril chose his words carefully. It would do no good. We are moving as fast as a pigeon can fly. At the very slowest, if we make it all the way to Centralia with her, they will have word maybe a day before we arrive. More likely, we will have outrun our news.

Avril shrugged at this news and took Lokees hand to lead her south. Gavril was about to leave when he gave one last instruction.

Stay out of sight. A stranger with an invalid Zingari would raise questions we cannot answer. And remember, youre not at home anymore. There is no mist to hide you here. Use distance and magik.

With that, Gavril muttered, repezi and disappeared from sight. Avril turned and began walking south through the woods with the river just out of sight to his left. It was not far that they had to go, but is was very slow going. Lokee would only move forward when holding his hand. If for any reason he had to let go, immediately she would stop. Avril did his best to speak to her as they went along, but it is difficult to maintain an exclusively one way conversation for very long. This is especially true when the other person gives no acknowledgement that they even hear you. Not a secret or a joke or even a string of curses would get any response. Even sudden noise or movement would cause anything more than a blink.

What was worse was the fact that Lokee made no action to protect or help herself in any way. This makes travel through a thick forest very difficult as Avril not only had to be aware of himself but also any bushes or branches that would otherwise scrape up his traveling partner. She gave no thought to where she placed her feet and any time her footing was bad or something tripped her because she did not lift high enough, she would start to fall. Avril became quite practiced at anticipating these moments and catching her, but if he did not she would nothing to catch herself. As hard as he tried, she was still growing an assortment of tears and cuts and bruises.

Just as they saw the creek before them, she had one of these falls. Avril again looked her over to make sure there was no new cuts that needed cleaning. He had enough and let out a shout of frustration. For a moment the forest was quiet and listened. Avril stood and put his hands on both of Lokees shoulders. He bent his knees so that the two were looking eye to eye although Lokee appeared to be looking through him as the young man looked at her.

I am right here. Do you see me?

There was no response from the girl. Behind her the creek bubbled its continuous melody as water ran over stone. Somewhere down on its bank a couple frogs sang in a deep baritone accompaniment. To Avrils right and high above a couple songbirds twittered and chirruped an autumn duet. Far beyond them and nearly out of the range of hearing, a woodpecker provided the forests rhythm. But right before Avril there was only an occasional blink and the barely noticeable rising and falling of Lokees breathing.

I am here. As long as it takes, I will be here. Im not leaving you and I will not let you leave me.

As Avrils vision grew misty he felt something that pulled his gave to his right hand on Lokees shoulder. Although there her facial expression was still blank, she had slowly raised her left hand and was gently, steadily tapping his. It wasnt much, but it was a beat of hope.