Swept

The Salmoon was very welcoming when the Milana was near.

It also began anchoring itself to its spot. Fine chains of black metal and silver silky fabric began weaving together and descended into the hill below. They wove into intricate patterns and infused with the alter there and continued deep into the abyss.

Directly below the Salmoon these chains combined with purple pliable wood and wove around the top and bottom of the alter at the top of the hill. They formed intricate knots around the top and base of the ancient stone.

"Can you help me understand these alters as well sister?"

"I do have some memories but they are so ancient and non-threatening I will have to sift through them to fully understand them. Give me a bit of time and I will have a seeking dream for you." She thought for a moment. "Let me correct that statement. I know about the alter above ground. The one below…" She shook her head. "I have not found memories of that one yet."

Mis' eyes went wide in excitement. For him this meant that the alter was not dangerous and older than any of them imagined. His smile faded.

"That could mean it's not of much importance." He looked up at the Salmoon. "If that is the case why has the Salmoon actually anchored itself here?"

"I sense it has importance. When I look at it I recognize it but the memories are too deep to see. I think nothing dangerous happened here, but something significant did. I can not have all Milana memories at hand like that. There have been close to two thousand Milana and all have been at least one hundred years old."

She shook her head in frustration. "Even when a Milana changes if the previous one still lives I get their memories after they were Milana as well. Because of this sometimes even important memories can be pushed down into the depths of my subconscious."

Mis listened attentively. He absorbed everything Rachel said. Information about the Milana was very valuable and many wanted a new record created. He was not only one who wanted this he also wanted to be the one to create it.

"It seems the Salmoom is a very important portal Milana."

Rachel nodded as she looked at Ambruce. "You, Smral, and I will go through, but not now. We are not strong enough."

"You mean Ambruce and I are not strong enough."

Rachel shrugged. "Same thing. Mis I think you need to tour the abyss for a while. I think the Salmoon has been here for eons, moving from location to location, and… fertilizing the abyss. For a lack of a better word."

"Really?!?"

"But call Breccor. You need him or someone from the library forces. If they are not available get some Azmin guard to go with you. We don't know enough about the abyss for you to wonder around alone."

"Okay. I will get Breccor to send me some Alsyn to guard me."

"Good. Start here below the hill then move out. I would say use the bridges just so you understand them thoroughly but mostly travel by foot." Rachel paused. "Maybe you should wait till after the wedding. You will be too distracted and may forget Anis' wedding."

Mis looked up at her shocked but then a look of understanding and admittance settled on his face. "You're right." He looked out into the darkness of the abyss with longing in his eyes.

"Calm down Mis. Call the Alsyn to you. Direct them to remind you of your obligations. Also bring a few librarians with you. They can help you with the work and maybe even continue while you are away for the wedding."

Mis sighed. "How am I the keeper of knowledge? I am hardly ever calm enough to truly process the information I gain."

"But aren't we here to help each other? Calm down. Don't be so hard on yourself.

"Call the Alsyn to you. We can go with you until they arrive."

Mis bowed. "Thank you Milana."

The Alsyn were tethered to the Alvian just like the Antrunie to the Milana, and they could go to the Alvian no matter where they were.

Mis decided to call on six librarians and ten Alysn. The library had been without a Alvian for so long that he was overruled and twenty Alsyn went to him with the six librarians.

By the time they arrived Mis, Rachel, and the Antrunie had almost finished exploring the hill below the Salmoon.

Struns had not joined them, deciding to "guard" their tents, his mood was sullen. None of the others said anythingand allowed him to so as he needed.

The hill was actually a vast network of caves with the hill being the dome of the largest cavern. Rachel felt intense deja vue as she explored the caves. She knew it was about the memories she had not yet retrieved.

She would have a seeking dream soon but because of the nature of such a dream she would need to wait till she finished other things such as her sister's wedding and the great council meeting.

Seeking dreams could take years. It depended on what was sought and what depth of understanding you wanted to obtain. The person would be in a catatonic state until they found what they sought or they gave up on the search.

She knew it would not take a year to seek what she needed but she had a feeling it would take at least a week, maybe even a month.

Right when the librarians and Alsyns arrived Rachel found a deep cave. The cave called to her soul in colors of purple and yellow. She looked at the cave wondering what she should do. As it called her it began to pull her as well. Mis stood next to her and he knew that something was happening but he remained quiet and observed.

"Mis you can not follow me in there. Give me a strand of your mental magics. I will allow you to see what you can see."

Without question he did as she said. Almost instantly they shared a mental connection. He saw mental pictures of his current surroundings from an aerial view. Then it was disconnected as if it never existed.

Rachel stepped forward. The cave was shrouded in a deep blackness. She used sorcery to see through it. The cave was enormous. It had runes quickly scrawled across the walls, ceiling, and floor. The runes were written by different hands. Some were shaky, others were written in pristine form, while still others looked to be written proficiently but were not elegant.

The different forms also had different levels of magics. Rachel felt the magic move about the room. As she allowed it to pass through her she allowed Mis to see. She felt his excitement move through her mind.

She moved further into the cave and felt what drew her into the cave in the first place. It was to the left and down, drawing her gaze to the cave floor.

She moved to the left and noticed that the runes began to vibrate. They seemed to wave and shimmer on the walls and ceiling in that area.

When she was directly over the spot all of the runes fluctuated and swiftly moved towards her. She quickly closed her connection to Mis and pushed him from her mind.

Her mind seared and her soul and spirit flushed freezing cold. She became overwhelmed with knowledge. It flooded her being and spilled over, moving directly to her magics. Her soul well wall thickened and expanded outward. It filled with soul water rising and spilling over the edges of the well wall.

Her usual rainbow eyes became red as blood and deep rainbow tears ran from her them. Runic patterns appeared on her body as her magics fought to regain control.

Her soul well wall cracked and shifted slightly, then suddenly moved from he soul body to her spirit body. She flew forward and crashed into a far wall. She threw up and her body shifted. Her spirit body and soul body stood and separated from her being.

The cave floor cracked beneath her spirit body as it's face rose to the ceiling in a low mournful scream. Her soul body contorted as well, a silent scream on its lips, as it continually changed colors.

Rachel's magics cooled her mind and she slowly began to regain her mental senses. The Milana spirit stepped from her spirit and instantly moved to her. She knew I was speaking to her but she didn't understand. First she thought it was because her mind was fuzzy then she realized it was speaking an ancient Trannisa language.

She focused her breathing as her soul and spirit began crying out again. She had to rely on Milana memories to understand what its spirit was trying to communicate to her.

She listened to her breathing and slowly the Milana spirit began making sense.

'Milana… hear. Hear me Milana. This is the dark soul well. Allow your sorcery to rise and take control. Constrict your soul well and do not allow more of the dark well soul water to enter until you have controlled what you have.

'Meditate. Calm your soul, appease your spirit with sorcery magics. Do you understand?'

Rachel didn't answer, she couldn't. She merely sat down and began following instructions.

'A dark soul well? What in Tarterous is that!? Focus Rachel. Save your damned self first! Then look for answers! Focus damn it!'

Rachel forgot the freezing pain ripping through her soul and spirit. She controlled her soul well and isolated it, causing it to stop moving, and started repairing the wall.

The spirit of the Milana continued talking to her, directing her, and then it quieted when it saw she was better.

'Learn the ancient tongues Milana. If you learn the light language you will know all others. You are the strongest of all Milana. Walk carefully. It is time for your true journey to begin'

'Why am I getting Milana nuggets of knowledge in the middle of this anguish? And why didn't I sense this danger?'

In that moment her spirit relaxed, her soul well moved back to her soul and her soul calmed and she understood some of what she was given.

This was a training room. One of the ancient training rooms of the Milana.

They currently have three Milana training rooms in the realm but neither one of them was one of the ancients. The current training rooms were sealed chambers that completely isolated the Milana and trained in one magic.

This cave trained all magics at once. But was powered by a black soul well. That didn't mean it was a well of black magic it just meant that the well was harsher than others. It went in directly and shoved magics into the Milana. It was not gentle at what it did or what it gave.

It gave all without prejudice or concern for the level of the Milana.

'Of course I wouldn't see it as dangerous. It would register as a necessity… A necessity I was not prepared for.'

Her mind calmed and she could feel her brother's apprehension. She could also sense that her Antrunie were concerned. 'I am fine now. Give me a moment.'

'Are you sure? You have been in there for a long time but your magic won't allow us to enter.'

Rebecca's voice was close to panicked.

'A long time? What is a long time?'

'You've been inside for almost two days Milana.'

Cramnal's voice was calm.

'Hmm… Okay. Give me some time to recuperate a bit. I will open a part of my perception to Mis in a moment.'

She sat back and breathed deeply. She allowed her nerves to settle and numb. With this her body opened up to the magics in the room. Her sorcery third eye opened and the green pupil began absorbing excess energies, not allowing her body to become overwhelmed again.

The excess moved through her eye and into the pocket dimension she created with Ambruce. It swirled about, filling the dimension, trees and plants grew, animals appeared, mountains rose or rose higher and river ways altered forming lakes, seas and oceans.

Within a moment her dimension grew ever so slightly. The magic transformed and nourished it and was then filtered and returned to Rachel.

Mis was given access to a small corner of the cave. He documented runes he did not recognize.

It took Rachel a few hours to rebalance and stabilize her body, mind, soul, and spirit.