Chapter 26
Pandora again, it was time for their bodies to be refreshed and renourished. Maya had been in training for almost 70 days with The Host. 70 long days in Tretho and in Pandora, just a month had passed. It was an amazing phenomena and also to be mentioned, Maya had learned more in those 70 days than she had learned by herself. Maya had never felt more grateful than in her entire life. Her life purpose was finally met and now she was growing an even better Siren by the day.
Not far from The Gate or cave that they were in, they set up base for a feast. Kharkov was off hunting Skags, Red was busy setting up the fire, while Maya sat idle at a rock. A notebook on top of her lap, she wrote her thoughts in it.
A month in the cave and her body was like in Tretho, well built and healthier than ever. Aside from the constant rumbling of the stomach, her body was better. Not only Maya, Kharkov and Red were also in the same state as they were in Tretho. In reality, their bodies were sleeping at a cave. Maya was trying her best to make some sense of what was happening. It seemed magical but in the real world, there's no such things as magic. There's always an explanation to everything and Maya wanted one.
Maya turned away from her journal and looked at Red who was at the campfire. "Hey Red, can I ask you something?"
Red turned back and looked. "Yeah sure, what's up?"
"The Null, I just don't understand? Are we travelling to another planet or another dimension? Why is it that we have been sleeping, so to speak, for almost a month and here we are healthy? I mean, I'm in the best shape of my life." She questioned.
"Hurmm…." Red looked at the fire. "I don't understand it fully but I call it Eridian Magic."
"Eridian Magic? Red, we're not in some kind of fairy tale. Isn't there an explanation to it?"
There was a metal teapot hanging above the fire and Red checked the content, it was ready. "I think Kharkov knows it better than me. In fact, when it comes to The Null, Kharkov knows how to go to the right place."
"Somebody mention my name?" Kharkov arrived at camp with a Skag Alpha on his shoulder. "I want to know the latest gossip too."
"Hey Kharkov, Blue's asked about The Gate and The Null stuff. Mind filling her in?" Red poured the tea to a big mug and went to the jeep where the creamer was stored.
"Yeah, no problem my friend. Where do you want to put this Skag?"
"Mehh put it at the tree stump over there, beside the freshly cut onions and all." Red put the creamer in his mug, he tasted the tea and nodded. "Now that's some good tea."
Kharkov went to the tree stump and put the dead Skag. He took a mug not far from where he stood, filled it with tea and asked the creamer from Red. Red passed it up to him and walked towards the tree stump to cook the food. Kharkov does what he does to make his drink then walks to Maya to sit beside her. Maya moved away a few inches to give some space for Kharkov. Kharkov thanked her and sipped his tea.
Kharkov swallowed the drink. "So you were asking?"
"The Null, how do you understand it?"
"You don't." Kharkov shrugged.
"I told you Blue, Eridian Magic." Red interrupted.
"I mean come on Kharkov, isn't there any explanation to it?" Maya hoped Kharkov would quench her curiosity.
"I mean, Red explanation is as good as mine." Kharkov giggled. "Alright, alright. Here's what I know.
Kharkov sipped his tea. "The Null is a realm of inbetween. Null meaning nothingness. You saw it yourself, The Null is dark. This is what I understand. If you really master all three subjects, you are able to communicate with Sirens and Humans without even meeting them. So let's say Lilith, you red Siren friend, is at Pandora and you're at Pandora too but at the other end. You both can communicate if your powers are strong enough. No technology, no nothing, you are capable of communicating if you focus hard enough.
"But what if Lilith is on another planet? Let's say another sector of the galaxy, how can you communicate? That's where The Gate comes in our life." Kharkov pointed at the cave. "Eridians are mysteriously powerful and one of the many things it has is this cave. These types of caves are scattered around the galaxy. You can feel Eridium energy right?"
"Yeah, this place feels different." Maya agreed.
"That's why the trees around the cave are dead, they might stand but they don't flourish like it used to. That's the proof of high presence of Eridium, those corporations would make a mine if they found out this Gate." Kharkov sipped his tea. "Your soul is made out of light and there's nothing faster than light, that's why you have to die first to access the Gate."
"To separate the soul and the body…" Maya said.
"Now you get it. Some call The Null as The Dream Realm, others call it the Eridian Highway. Regardless what it is called, we, that means Red and I, not a lot of Searchers these days." Kharkov laughed again. "Agree that is also the road to the afterlife, where the soul roams to one place to the other. The only difference is that we decide to be on that road and capable of exiting it whenever we please. Unlike the dead..."
"That is very scary when you say it." Maya shivered as she said it.
"So, to summarise, The Gate, that cave you've been sleeping, is the entrance to the other side. The Eridians have mastered it, we Searchers and Sirens take advantage of it." Kharkov ended.
"So does that mean Akari is on another planet?" Maya asked.
"So many questions Maya, have you ever taken a rest?" Kharkov glanced at Red. "How is she during your classes my friend? She must be so annoying!"
"Tell me about it." Red finished cutting the skag. "Blue just couldn't stop asking."
"Awhh please Searcher Kharkov, when I was at Athenas, I never had proper teachers." Maya argued like a spoiled child.
"Alright, alright, last question and then we relax alright?" Kharkov pointed at Maya.
"Promise!" Maya said.
"Alright, we don't know." Kharkov answered. "We Searchers never met The Host, we only met her at Tretho by accident. Me and Red become a bit adventurous at The Null, this was the time before we became Searchers, and founded Tretho. After that, we took our oaths and became Searchers.
"We know The Host but she seems to be very secretive of her current location. Chances are Terra Hewina or maybe some unknown planet with a Gate. No matter, as long as Sirens get to meet her, I understand her actions. Maybe for safety reasons."
"Interesting…" Maya nodded.
"That would be all." Kharkov pat Maya's back. "I think you can help with his cooking, you might learn something or maybe his recipe my friend."
"Well Red banned me from cooking." Maya grinned with narrow eyes.
"She almost cut her fingers when she was peeling onions." Red interrupted. "You want fingers in your food Kharkov?!?!"
"Hahaha!" Kharkov closed his eyes and shook his head.
"I'm sorry Red!" Maya exclaimed.
As usual, the cook of the team delivered as usual, Maya continued to be surprised by Searcher Red, his constant reinvention of what he has and creating a meal was astonishing. Before this, a Skag was merely roadkill, now it could be considered a respectable cuisine if done right.
"Eat until you almost want to puke, we're going to go back in, this time longer." Kharkov told. The man went on to refill his cup with water. "We'll go in two hours from now."
"Got it." Maya nodded.
The three of them were free to do whatever they please, as long as it was not far from The Gate. But the main purpose was to feed the body, nothing more. She put her food to the side and put her book notebook on her lap. With a pen on her left hand, she opened her notebook and wrote her thoughts. She never really liked writing her thoughts but on Red's insistence, she did. Red told her that it will help her to calm down her mind. To make the thoughts clearer and free for interpretation. And she never expected to be a habit of her so quickly.
So she wrote...
It has been two months… or maybe one month in Pandora… I don't know and it doesn't matter.
Years I have commited to get to know about my race, the Siren Race and here I am under mentorship of The Host…. Who would have thought! After all the years of lost, trying to find a decent source, all of that led to this day… I'm now a Learned Siren slowly going up the ranks. I learned more about my ancestors. I'm in my best shape. I don't know how I can top this off?
I feel like a total BADASS!
"This is AE9, reporting." Maya heard. She stopped writing and glanced at Red.
The man was at the Jeep, using his eyepiece and contacting someone that wasn't in Maya's knowing. With how serious Red was, it was probably his employer. He entered inside the jeep and opened his laptop, quickly typing and configuring it.
"Yes Boss, me and AE6 might have to extend our leave." Maya heard. "I will make a report and AE6 can fill you up with anything that you want to know Boss." Red touched his eyepiece and peered out the Jeep window. "AE6! Boss wants you in the conversation!"
"Roger that!" Kharkov quickly jogged into the jeep and went inside.
The Jeep then muffled their voice and the conversation was no longer there to be heard. Maya looked down and continued writing.
When I was starting this so-called mentorship, I was kinda worried that I won't measure up. Now it's all history thanks to the two Searchers. Kharkov and Red, these two guys, I never expect I would be so close to them. The amount of trust I build with them, I never thought it would work. Yeah, The Host is kinda like an instant trust thing but the two guys, I'm just like woahh, who are these guys?
Kharkov has been so helpful, he's sweet, always motivating me and telling me to never give up. Despite the odds, he's always upbeat and never serious. Everything seems to be alright whenever I'm with him. Even though I'm almost dead whenever I trained with Kharkov, never once I felt that it would turn sour.
As for Red, well he sort of the opposite of Kharkov, I like him but he's serious like always. He often gives me this sort of glare, that cunning eyes of doubt. At first, I kinda hated him deep down and Red knew it too. But the longer I study under him and spend time with him, I realized that it was never personal. Red wanted the best of me to come up and he was willing to go the extra mile for it. He may be strict with high standards, but he was always there to sacrifice sleep to help me achieve it.
The Host was always silent, meditating endlessly at the temple. Yet, whenever I needed someone to listen, she was always there. Maybe it's because of the Nonua thing and she can sense it, I can't really tell. But having a senior Siren to guide you, it's really different. I don't know how to say it, but… I'm finally convinced that things will be alright. But I sensed some friction when I tried to be closer to her. Maybe it's me, maybe I'm wrong.
This journey that I'm in, it has been a lot of up and down. I missed my friends at Overlook and I hope that they're okay. I know that they're okay, Axton made sure of that. But I have to say, learning under Akari, Kharkov and Red… I finally feel what home feels like. I never felt so welcome and so belonged. I miss Zero, Lilith, Gaige, Sal, Krieg, Axton, everybody… but Tretho is different. I don't have words for it…
When I finish with my training, I'd be happy to go back to my friends. But I don't know how sad I would be leaving The Host and The Searchers… Maybe I should enjoy the moment at the fullest.
I should take lessons from Kharkov on that.