Epic of Aravinda 1: The Truth Beyond the Sky Read Free Page A

everything.
    Zahn braced for the oncoming conversational onslaught as they both sat down. It was a shame since it was otherwise a quiet lunch cycle. The dining area was only half full today, and the conversations were hushed. Tak came prepared though, holding a reading pad in his right hand, presumably to give him an excuse not to get mired in an inevitably longwinded conversation.
    “Did you hear about the quake that happened up at NearSky base?” Vina said.
    “No,” Zahn said. “Is everyone okay?”
    “No fatalities if that’s what you’re wondering. Some injuries, though. Strangest thing was, the quake didn’t happen over a fault line. I looked into it.”
    “Strange.” Zahn tried to get some chewing in despite the conversational whirlpool that was already forming.
    “It really is!” Vina leaned in toward Zahn and whispered. “I’m not sure how much you’ve been paying attention to the reports, but there’s been a lot of weird stuff happening lately. Just looking at the tectonic data alone… Have you seen it?”
    Vina was right in front of his face now. Her eyes were wide, and her wavy hair filled his vision.
    “No. I’m an observer, not a geologist.” Zahn looked at her directly in the eyes for a few seconds. “Do you always have conversations inside of someone else’s bubble?”
    They stared at each other for a few seconds until Vina’s enthusiasm faded, and to Zahn’s relief, she leaned back again.
    “Anyway,” she continued, “signs of the times, I say. Quakes, droughts. It’s a nightmare. Oh, that reminds me! Tak had this wild dream. Darling, tell Zahn about your nightmare!”
    Tak seemed completely invested in what he was reading and didn’t respond.
    “Darling?” Vina repeated.
    “Yes, Vina?” Tak jolted his head up.
    “Why don’t you tell Zahn about the nightmare you had last night? It was just wild. I know you already told me, but I think Zahn would find it interesting.”
    “You think so? Well, I was driving my airboat through the emergency passage. You know, the one behind the waterfall?”
    “I’m familiar with it,” Zahn said, still trying to suppress the memory of his own nightmare the night before.
    “Well, in the dream—”
    “Nightmare,” Vina corrected him.
    “Right. In the nightmare, I go through the tunnel, and suddenly the guiding lights go out.”
    “Totally black! Just wild,” Vina added.
    “And then this eerie green glow appears in the corridor. Next thing I know, my ship is being sucked into the ground, like the ground itself is swallowing me up! Pretty unsettling. Ever have a dream like that, Zahn?”
    “Not quite.”
    “Tak says it’s because he’s been feeling overwhelmed lately. Some changes going on around here as you’ve probably noticed. He says it’s an unconscious symptom of the stress manifesting through dreams. Right, darling?”
    Tak didn’t answer for a moment. His eyes had drifted back to his reading pad.
    “Yeah, something like that, sweetie,” Tak said.
    “Hey, by the way,” Vina continued. “I hope you don’t get embarrassed, but I overheard last week that you’ve been having nightmares, too. Have those been getting any better?”
    Zahn felt a wave of surprise and suspicion sweep over him, but he let it pass.
    “Yeah…” he said.
    “Any idea what’s causing them?”
    “I’d rather not talk about it.”
    “Oh. That serious, huh? Have you seen an advisor?”
    Zahn had to make a focused mental effort to avoid groaning at the question.
    “Yes, I have, Vina. But I’d rather talk about something else.”
    “Ah.” She looked slightly surprised at his reaction. “I guess it didn’t work so well, then. You know, Zahn, maybe you just haven’t found the right solution. You’ve got to hunt for what you want in life, you know.”
    “That so?” Zahn took another bite.
    “Oh yeah, it’s just like what my aunt always says. She always says that solutions never just land on your front yard, Zahn. You have to