Chapter 52
It was night and Maya arrived at The Academia. She slowly opened the door and entered the library. She peeked outside to see if anyone was watching and closed the door as soundless as she could. She walked past the many books and reached at the end where Searcher Red was still at his desk beside the blackboard. With a candle on the edge, writing down something in his notebook.
Maya stood in front of the desk. "Searcher Red."
"Blue." He glanced and stopped his writing flow. "So how is your Naraane training? Good?"
"Searcher Kharkov decided to make it lighter than usual. About Thundalya…"
"What about her?"
"Uh we talked about it, right? Remember-"
"Oh I don't know what you are talking about. As far as I know, you should be in your bed and go to sleep." Red rested his two arms on his desk and leaned forward. "But, if you want to stay here and read a few books, then go ahead. Just make sure it doesn't bother your training tomorrow."
Searcher Red packed all his things and stood up. "I'll be off to sleep then. Got a lot of work to do, taking out some useless books." He pointed at the second floor of the Academia. "Piled up and ready to be burned eventually. Who knows what stuff in the books."
Maya glanced and she saw a desk that had a pile of books already set.
"Alright, I don't think there is nothing else to say." Red walked to his room and pointed at the candle. "Make sure you use that, don't want to be four eyed just to read."
He arrived at the door of his room and just as he turned the door knob.
"Goodnight Red." Maya smiled.
The blank face remained and Red nodded to her. "You too Blue. Don't miss breakfast."
Red entered his room and Maya was all alone in the library. It was not long that she could feel the loneliness hugging around her.
She took the candle by holding it on a small metal plate. She went and climbed the ladder to the second floor of the Academia. Walked past the many books that she will never have the time to even read. When she arrived at the table, she put down the candle and looked at the books covered in thin dust. No titles, all the same look with paper aged smell to it.
"Where the hell am I supposed to start?" She looked at the books.
She sat down for a moment and took her time to see the challenge that she was in. Taking a deep breath to control herself, letting out a sigh to feel the weight of the challenge that she was in.
"Alright Maya." She took one book and blew the dust away. "What's the difference between the books and the time in The Abbey right? At least this one I will get something out of it."
She opened the book and read the first page.
Depending on the day, Maya would be tested under Kharkov, Red or Akari. Some longer than the others. But no matter what, Maya made sure she visited the Academia to research about Thundalya. She may be exhausted by the end of the day but her curiosity pushed her even further, sometimes even at the edge of dawn.
She put another candle on the candle plate, lighting it up with the existing candle which was already shortened. Blowing the fire away from the short candle, she sat on the chair and viewed her notes.
When she read the books, a lot of names and details were smudged. She had to go through the details over and over again to make sense of the things she was reading. If every book that had redacted names was Alesia, then it doesn't make sense as some Sirens were aged up to 150 years. Alesia was a Siren nevertheless, thus she still aged the same as humans would.
"So it's possible that Alesia has six kids? Wait, that can't be true because she's a Majoris." She crossed a detail from one of the many scribbled papers that she wrote. "So that means this book..." She grabbed a book across her notes and looked at it. "Is talking about a Siren that is not Alesia."
She threw the book away, it landed among the many other books that Maya had decided to be useless. So there were two parts in her study space. The books on top of her desk were the useful one while the books on the floor were rejected.
Maya grabbed hold of another book. "Now this book says that Alesia might govern over a Siren enclave of Sirenos Segmentum. Hmmm that is possible but The Host never mentioned any Siren colonies outside of the Sirenos Segmentum. Now that is one tricky fact."
"Even The Host doesn't even know about Athenas…" She threw the book away and crossed out another detail. "That might be another story book."
"Maya my friend" The thick accented voice said.
Maya sat straight and looked back. "Yes, Searcher Kharkov?"
"Enough studying. Go back to your room and go to sleep."
"Give me five minutes."
"My friend, if you don't rest, tomorrow would be a whole lot harder for you. Come on down."
Maya closed her eyes and sighed. Kharkov was a persistent Searcher and she cannot deny him. Maya collected all her notes and put them into her notebook which snuggled nicely between the pages. She stood up from her chair and blew the candle dead. Walked quickly to the ladder and slid down like a firefighter. She joined Kharkov and Red at his desk beside the blackboard where the two were having a small chat.
"Here I am Searcher Kharkov, I'm already about to go to my room." Maya said.
The two Searchers looked at Maya and Kharkov spoke. "Oh you think I'm going to let you by? I will make sure you go to sleep my friend. Come now, I will accompany you back to your room."
"Haigh… if you say so." Her shoulder slumped down slightly.
"I know you're busy with your study but don't forget, you're a prophet in the making." Kharkov patted her back, moving his head to the door. "Let's go now, tomorrow I will test your Naraane so I need you to get enough sleep."
Maya nodded and turned to Searcher Red. "Goodnight Red."
"Goodnight Blue." He leaned his bottom to his desk and sipped his tea that he held in his right hand. "Don't forget to give your essay tomorrow morning."
"Already in my room." Maya walked with Kharkov to the exit. "See you at breakfast as usual.
They left the Academia and walked the same pathway that Maya accustomed only this time she went to bed earlier. The moon still shone in the City of Stone, where the empty buildings that Maya rarely cared inhabited by only one person. Herself. It was not long until they arrived at Maya's room. The window still opened so that the wind could pass easily through her room.
Kharkov, the gentleman that he was, stopped right in front of the door. Maya signalled Kharkov with her palm, saying that it was fine for him to enter. She wanted to talk to him before getting some shut eye.
"It's already late Maya, you should get to sleep." Kharkov entered the room and observed that it was not organised like the days before. "You really made yourself occupied."
"I'm sorry but my time is really packed with training and research." Maya put down her book at her desk and organised whatever she could to make space for Kharkov. "I really want your opinion on a few things."
"Really?" Kharkov raised one brow.
Maya glanced at him and gave a nervous smile. "Just another random Siren, totally not the Siren that you said that you cannot talk about."
Kharkov shook his head and slowly exhaled. "Alright Maya, then you go to sleep."
"Nice." Maya gave her book to Kharkov and sat at the edge of her bed.
Kharkov opened the book and took the notes that she wrote upon; sat down at Maya's chair. "You really did a lot of studying."
"Uhuh." Maya nodded. "This random Siren is not as special as I thought."
"You think so, you might have read the wrong source." Kharkov put her book on Maya's desk while reading her notes.
"Well from all the things I read, she's only special because she has the Nairi blood."
"And don't forget that she was…"
"The youngest Aldari of her time." Maya pointed her finger. "But she's not dangerous. Unless every book was fictional, then Ale-
Kharkov gave a look to Maya.
"I mean this random Siren…"
Kharkov nodded and continued to read her notes.
"She did a lot for the Siren Society. She climbed to the ranks at a young age, travelled between planets and was close to the Nia of her time. I still don't know why she was excommunicated but she was a top Siren of her time."
"You do realize that she tried to kill you and your friends Maya." Kharkov mentioned.
"I know. But hear me out."
Kharkov put aside the notes and gave attention to Maya.
"What I want to say is that I can't learn about her. There are so many things that I learned from my study, whether or not it is true is another case. I just want to know why is everyone hiding about her? She's not Nyriad."
"Why are you curious about Maya?"
She did not expect a question from Kharkov. Maya had to take her time to answer.
She looked to the side and gave some thought then answered Kharkov with sured eyes. "I just want to know why a strong Siren like Alesia needs to be censored."
Kharkov did not respond immediately. He seemed to be hesitant about what to say. He glared over the notes and touched the papers with his fingertips. Maya could only look at the man as he took his time to say what he wanted to say.
Or what he can say.
"Your notes are wrong my friend." Kharkov slid her notes on the end of the table. "A lot of it is quite misinformed."
Maya was taken aback. "Wait, are you serious?"
Kharkov gave a slow nod. "I think you need to review it back." Kharkov looked at The Blue Siren. "I'm sorry to tell you this but even I don't know why you can't know about her. This particular Siren, not at all Alesia by the way, is certainly remarkable."
Wait, Kharkov going to talk about Alesia Maya thought.
"She was different than any other Siren that Red and I met. We met out of chance when we were hired, we never thought that she could be the Siren that the Host disliked. Honestly, all the things that you need to learn to be a leader, you can learn from her."
"Are you serious? Then why can't I learn about her? Why must the Host forbid me?"
"I don't know." Kharkov felt guilty through his voice. "Sometimes you need to give trust, this one as much as I disagree, I have to follow. I don't know why but there should be a good reason behind it. It could involve our safety Maya."
"She's dead, Kharkov. Ugh…" One could hear the frustration on her throat. "She's the only Siren with the Nairi blood and I can't know about it?!? I hate when people try to hide something because they feel they know better."
"Why so?"
"Ugh… just my past life in Athenas." Maya made a fist out of her hand. "Say this and that for the better of me while making sure I'm not getting any stronger. While making people slaves for their own benefit."
Kharkov put his hand on her fist. "I understand but this is not Athenas my friend. This is Tretho."
"Why does it feel the same…." Maya released a slow breath.
"You are already getting stronger my friend, one less Siren to learn-"
"Doesn't make a difference, I know." Her hand turned to a palm. "But… but… Thundalya… I don't know. I just got a feeling."
"It's alright Maya, take your time. But remember, as great as she may be, she's dangerous for another reason." He said. "Don't forget about that Maya."
"Then why do you still care about her?"
"She may be excommunicated but she is still a Siren. I stand for that reason but I'm always careful."
Maya shook her head and said nothing. Looking at her notes at the desk, no longer valid as Kharkov stated. She needed to restart again and it was taxing her spirit.
Kharkov patted her thigh and stood up from her chair. "There there, it's already late. Whatever work you need to do, let it be tomorrow alright?"
Maya looked back at Kharkov and sighed. "Alright. Tomorrow after the test."
"Good, now go to bed and think about the good things." Kharkov pushed the chair under the desk and faced the exit.
"Like what… more training?"
"I don't know?" Kharkov glanced then a gleeful smile appeared. "What about your new motivation?"
"My new motivation?"
"Awhh you forgot? Axton, your future husband."
"Kharkov!" Maya blushed red.