In her mind’s eye, Stroth observed a tangled web of distant thoughts. As long as she remained focused on El-Q’rokar’s nearby presence, the scope of the Metanation would not overwhelm her.
Even Ele minds are inherently chaotic, El-Q’rokar explained, but we can use sense memories to filter thoughts and navigate towards the familiar. Try to focus on your memories of El-Kera.
Stroth pictured the rust-red sands, the rich mint scent of the nere trees, the gentle warmth. With each new memory she saw strands of thought intensifying. As shared memories became concrete, she felt herself being pulled, almost physically, towards El-Kera.
Good, El-Q’rokar encouraged, you’re a quick study. As you approach home, consider personal experiences: Someone you met, something in your rooms, the view from your window. These will establish a clearer settling place.
Stroth recalled her first night on El-Kera. Even standard-issue bedsheets had felt soft and welcoming after months on the road. Her neighbours had invited her to dinner: hearty food and drink she’d never imagined before, and the company of El-Jevier the painter, El-Sondur and her young children, El-Ineol the former lawyer.
Each name thudded into place in Stroth’s mind, like steppingstones across a gulf she once thought impassable. As visions of her life on El-Kera solidified around her, she suddenly felt as though she could reach out and touch the olive-green wood of her apartment door. She could practically feel the grain with her fingertips.
Stroth opened her eyes, and the door still stood before her.
Kommentarer