Eventually the human colonists learned that the mysterious UrSkeks found Aughra on the mountaintop, burned by the light of their arrival. They healed her burns and restored sight to one of her eyes. She exchanged knowledge with them— of Thra, and in return they gave her knowledge of the stars. The UrSkeks built the Castle of the Crystal, and TekTih built Aughra an Observatory and Orrery for her to study the stars for signs of the next Great Conjunction. In the days of their first coming the UrSkeks exhibited vigor and the will to change/build what was around them.

They brought culture, knowledge and enlightenment to the gelflings. As Aughra turned her attention upwards to the heavens, the gelfling race turned theirs to the world around them, spreading throughout the realm: Valley, mountain, desert and sea. They created a high civilization of seven great tribes, centered around a palace and a matriarch. A single queen was known as arbitrator and ritual guardian of all Gelfling clans.

Later Raunip, Aughra's son, discovered that the UrSkeks, exiled from their home, had a Crystal on their home world, and thus they had traveled through to the Crystal. Although, he was a friend to all the races of Thra, he viewed the arrival of the UrSkeks with suspicion and to some extent, the humans.

The next Great conjunction was several days away, an extraordinary gathering was to commence. A caravan of humans arrived by sea for this historical event. Among them was King Gawain, his only daughter the Princess Irene and Curdie, a dear friend of theirs.

Four years has gone by, since they and their people fought off the goblins. They've traveled to Thra to see this mysterious land for themselves, before joining the human settlers in building an extension of their dwindling kingdom.

Now in these days, Gyr, a gelfling traveler and a minstrel, wandered through Thra, roaming from tribe to tribe, learning their songs and sharing his own. While he was one of the most skilled musicians of his time, one song whose source he had discovered haunted him.

On this day, Gyr was the first to spot the royal ship arriving in the silver sea harbor. The Sifa clan bid the newcomers a warm welcome. With the royals the gelfling shared their extraordinary gift of dream-fasting. The ability to share one's mind and memories with another, however it was something only the gelflings can do on their own, so that the humans could experience it, a manual link was to be formed four different hands each.

Raunip, son of Aughra was next to arrive in the fishing village… Kel, daughter of Vedev the Elder, one of the great gelfling clan mothers, had taken to riding at his side… his greeting to the humans was rather stiff but respectful.

Soon the small royal caravan would embark with Raunip and the Lady Kel to the Bah-Lem Valley en route to the famed castle of the crystal. Gyr had intended to remain in port, but was graciously invited to join them, hoping that he would record the departure of the urSkeks from Thra through song. Although the gelfling refused to break his vow, he joined them nonetheless. The humans rode on horseback while Raunip and the two gelflings on landstriders; their rest stop for the night was at the podling village of Noy.

It sat at the foot of the mountain before recorded memory, but since Aughra's stellar observations, it had grown to become the largest podling habitat on Thra. The little people welcomed them candidly, while the clan mother Hakmeena greeted Raunip as one would an old friend, for she was but a child when they'd last spoken.

"Gelflings, humans, you will leave your troubles in our care while Raunip is on his journey."

"I've told them many times none throw a party like podlings."

"Then we must not disappoint."

That evening were was a celebration on the part of the podlings, while Raunip climbed upwards to pay his mother Aughra a visit. Yet upon entering her Orrery, he found her conversing with the UrSkek TekTih, much to his disdain.

Here she tells him of her following the star's paths to predict the coming of the Great Conjunction and of the Urskek's plan to use it a means of returning to their home world.

The next morning, the humans mingled among the pod people (they were both curious and fascinated with the horses) with Princess Irene and Curdie joining Gyr and Kel for a friendly race across the plains on horseback and landstrider alike. The gelfling lady and song-teller forming a romantic bond.

Before they would venture onwards, Hakmeena introduced Raunip and King Gawain to her only child Kotha.

"Soon others will turn to him for leadership. It is my wish that he see more of Thra before heavy decisions fall upon his shoulders. I would be most honored if you would grant him a place in your party, he will be no burden, I promise."

"Of course, Hakmeena, the honor is ours."

So the Gelfling delegation included Lady Kel, daughter of one of the great clan mothers, and song-teller Gyr, the Podlings were represented by Kotha, son of Noy village's clan mother Hakmeena, while King Gawain, Princess Irene and Curdie would be representing the humans. Raunip saw the occasion as an opportunity to demand answers from the urSkeks regarding their past.

They'd best make haste for change was upon the land again, and this time, Raunip wanted to know for certain what to expect.

_

T'was not long before the travelers arrived to the Bah-Lem valley. And there, shining like a jewel in the distance was the Castle of the Crystal. And was it a sight to behold.

"What is this?" Gyr questioned, having noticed a gelfling settlement on the outskirts of the castle borders.

Kel responded, "The gelfling that have gathered in worship of the Urskek. Their camp grows daily."

They then tensed up because the other gelflings gathered there had begun shouting.

"Look! It is Raunip the heretic!"

"Raunip who attacked the holy UrSkek!"

"Raunip who ignores the true celestial gods of Thra!"

"He'll be the death of all!"

The cries of the furious crowd were halted when a bright gold light stopped them and a single voice spoke.

"Calm yourselves."

The humans briefly shielded their eyes, then when it became more tolerable, they got their first glimpse of the eminent Urskek. They gazed in near speechless wonder almost afraid to breathe.

"These are invited guests of the Crystal palace." The Urskek instructed, "Raunip, we beg you forgive the insult of those who have gathered in our name. We did not ask for their adoration."

"As long as you control the crystal you will be a divisive force among us, Urskek." Raunip answered caustically.

"We understand the complications of our presence all too well, I assure you. Come. The palace awaits."

King Gawain bowed his head once in respect. "Thank you, you are most hospitable."

The travelers advanced with the Urskek leading the way.

"So the Urskeks were the ones who created this fine palace?" Princess Irene asked, admiring the view.

Raunip grunted coolly, "Yes, they manipulated the materials found in the heart of Thra and built this citadel… where they keep the crystal hidden from its own children… for reasons that they never made clear."

"It's unlike anything I could've imagined." Kel remarked.

"The palace is modeled after our Homeworld… which was born from a crystal much like Thra's." The UrSkek told them.

"Was it nice there?" Irene asked innocently, attempting to make conversation with the luminescent being.

"There is nowhere else like it…" the Urskek responded nostalgically closing its eyes briefly, "Anywhere at all." He then turned to the guests as they began to dismount. "There are many crystals scattered across the universe and all are connected. It would be good of Raunip to recognize that we are all children of the crystal."

They were lead inside where a sumptuous banquet awaited.

"Now that my friends, is a welcome sight." Gyr commented.

"It rivals the podlings feast!" Kel gasped.

"Etrushka bourskara." Kotha spoke in his native tongue.

"With this much you can feed an entire kingdom!" Curdie grinned.

King Gawain took a goblet and raised it to the Urskeks, "Good lords, we drink to you."

After an exchange of gifts, they established a formal treaty of peace. Ensuring that neither gelfling, podling, nor humans would bring harm to the other, that each would send allies to make peaceful negotiations with human kingdoms, and that they would come to each other's aid in a time of war. Raunip didn't like the implications behind the latter.

"The food is appreciated, but I did not come to dine… it's time the truth be made clear to the others." Raunip sneered to the Urskeks, "Will you admit to all here that you are exiles? Criminals on your world?"

"Yes, Raunip."

The humans present sucked in their breath; they wanted to know where this lead.

"As the conjunction approaches, we feel it important to be as honest as we can." The first Urskek elaborated.

"We eighteen represent the only dissenting voices in our ageless culture. When we became too disruptive, we were severed from the grace of our world." explained the second.

However, the Urskeks were not evil, nor were they entirely neutral. They harbored conflicting natures; both peaceful and aggressive, creative and destructive. Because of this, they were seen as outcasts amongst their own and exiled to Thra.

"Cast into the crystal, where one links to all and all links to one." The other Urskek continued, "We were stranded here. Left to ponder our natures. To find in ourselves that which is good in all Urskek…so that we may rejoin our civilization when the time is right."

Neither gelflings, nor podling said nothing. However, King Gawain exchanged thoughtful glances with his daughter and with the miner's son made envoy. Curdie felt slightly wary, Irene regarded the Urskeks with pity, finding herself thinking how awful it must be to be away from home and with no possible means of returning.

"Your paradise sound likes oppression." Raunip accused.

"It is not. We were wrong. We understand that now." The first Urskek replied, raising its palms.

"Why is my home your prison? You come here, you impact our culture, you are worshipped… you take possession of the object we hold most dear… but you remain aloof. You are either dangerous or arrogant or both. The Thra-born do not need overlords."

"As you say Raunip. Tomorrow is the Great Conjunction there is much to prepare… we must take our leave. Please make the palace your home. It yours just as it is ours."

_

While the King conversed animatedly with Kotha and Kel, Irene went off exploring as did Gyr while Curdie confronts Raunip on his behavior.

"Why do you treat us and them – The UrSkeks- with so much suspicion? What have they done to deserve your scorn?

"Why have you truly come here? Tell me the truth." Raunip demanded, staring Curdie straight in the eye.

"For one thing, I wanted to see this world and everything that lives here for myself – The King and Irene wanted so too after hearing the reports from the scouts."

"And yet so many of your kind have come here by the shores and into the land to build settlements, for what reason?"

"The thing is many of them are seeking their fortune here in Thra, others are hoping to make a better life for them and their families. Once they start building there'll be roads, farms and bridges over the rivers and buildings as tall as trees."

"The homes which gelfling and podlings have are just fine." Raunip replied snippily.

"I know they are, there's so much we can teach you, and you can teach us too." Curdie said earnestly.

"Then there is this agreement on aiding one another during wars – if such a thing were to ever occur. Why bring them into such foul matters such as war?"

"It sounds awful. I know there's no such thing as a good war, and you probably don't want anyone here to experience it."

Raunip looked at Curdie silently for a moment before saying solemnly, "I don't think you do."

_

Gyr had been exploring the palace, gazing around and bumped backs with Irene by mistake. "My apologies!"

"It is nothing, I was distracted by all this."

"I can see why." Irene nodded, looking at the crystal architecture, "It's all simply marvelous…"

"These reflections… I can't see where I end and the mirror images begin-"

"Hello, Gelfling Gyr, Human Princess Irene."

They looked round at the voice greeting them and saw one of the Urskeks floating a few meters above them.

"Oh, we didn't see you there."

"Good evening, sir." Irene curtsied.

"You're not with the Lady Kel? Nor you with your friend Curdie? I sense that you each share a connection with them."

"Oh, I last saw him walking into the halls."
"She was speaking to Kotha and the King, but I couldn't bring myself to leave this room then bumped into the Princess here."

"You have found my favorite place on Thra. The Hall of reflection. It makes art of our perceptions and is ever-changing, even when we are still."

"It's hard to express how beautiful it is." Gyr said reaching out a hand to the reflections.

Irene nodded. "Yes, I don't think even the finest artists of my kingdom can come close to painting this wonder."

"And yet still… it is but an echo of the beauty of my home world." The Urskek said sadly then directed a question to Gyr, "I noticed your bone flute. You are a musician?"

"I was…yes."

"I too am a musician."

"You are?" Irene asked curiously.

The Urskek nodded once. "Yes, though my song has been silent for some time."

"How strange we have that in common," Gyr remarks, "Actually, it was an UrSkek song that-"

"You know an Urskek song? Incredible!" His voice was full of hope, "You must play it for me!"

Gyr held his bone flute, his eyes downcast, "Forgive me, I cannot."

"What? But why?" Irene was stunned.

"But it would please me greatly to hear our music interpreted by another kind."

"It...it is hard to explain, but…"

"Gyr, you and I, we have something in common that no other gelfling and UrSkek in all of creation have." The Urskek's light which had been pale gold had considerably turned a dull copper with longing, "Please… I beg of you…"

Perhaps some dark, suffering part of Gyr had truly wanted to play the song ever since those long nights at sea… when he was seemingly as alone and far from home as the Urskek were now. Or maybe he felt there was some mystery to the melody only the Urskek could unlock. Perhaps he simply wanted to connect with this strange, beautiful being before him. Perhaps he couldn't even say why this moment was the proper time to play again after all these years… he only knew, in his heart that it was. Of course the problem with the heart is that it is sometimes wrong.

That song was like no gelfling or human tune ever heard. It brought some tears to Irene's eyes the moment she heard the first few notes.

Above them the Urskek's eye widened. Each note wrenching him like a wild animal caught in a poacher's trap. "Stop! Please…stop!"

Both gelfling and human paused in alarm and looked around, the walls were vibrating. That was when they noticed something strange. The soft gold light that made up the Urskek had become corrupted by a single point of darkness at the pith of him.

"That…that is my song!" It cried.

Gyr stared in surprise. "Yours? Then you are the one I saw all those moons ago!"

"The song is a call to our kind. It has gone unanswered for a thousand years. This is why the simple notes have taken on some great weight."

Gyr looked greatly apologetic, seeing the emotional distress of the Urskek. "I'm sorry. You said to-"

The UrSkek buried his face in his hands, fighting grief, hiding tears. "Never again! That song is NOT for gelfling nor human ears!"

Irene's expression softened with compassion for the being. "Wait! What is your name?"

"…SilSol." The UrSkek lamented.

Nearby a corner something lurked.

"Raunip? How long have you been there?" SilSol questioned, his voice strained with misery.

"I wandered in just in time it seems."

SilSol's aura had now turned a stormy grey. "Do not speak to me trickster. I cannot bear your tongue now."

"I see the darkness in you UrSkek. I have always seen your darkness! Now it is clear as day!" Raunip said triumphantly, "I knew there was a reason for you being here, song-teller!"

Gyr only dropped his gaze uncertainly. Irene scowled at Raunip, feeling that his cutting words were uncalled for.

How could they have known it was all but the spark of a flame that would soon change the lives of everyone in Thra as they know it?

To be continued…