Pla'cean

As I linked to my personal Island of La'mou, I felt the slight dizziness I always felt when I linked. My world dissolved, blackness enveloping me. I tried to resist, and as soon as I surrendered, I was on La'mou. Directly in front of me was my Mountain that I had written onto this island, snow-capped and fairly steep. I turned around and started to walk through the forest that covered almost all of this Island.

I counted my steps as I walked. When I reached 150, I turned to my right and made my way for 50 more paces. Then I turned left and kept walking until I reached the lake that dominated the south side of this Island. I had arrived on a wide strip of golden sand. About 20 feet to my right was a dock, with several boats tied to it. As I walked towards it, I passed my Main Linking Dome(MLD), about 100 feet above me on a small platform that also held my cabin. Granite steps led to the platform.

I reached the Dock and started to walk down it. I passed a fishing boat, a yatch, and a rowboat. At the end was a sailboat. I walked over and got inside this. As I untied the ropes that held her to the dock, I felt her start to pull away from the shore. As soon as she was free, I turned her about and put up the sail. She caught the wind and sailed towards a small Island in the center of the lake. This Island was fairly dome shaped, about 100 feet across. It had a Dock that led towards a Sandy beach like the one I had just left, but this one was white. I tied her to the Dock, and stepped out to the pleasant scent of nutritional fruit. I pulled down a small, pearshaped fruit that I had named Je'meks. It was light brown in color and was ripe all year long except for winter. I bit into it and walked to a Triangular building. This was my Lodge. I walked inside and made my way over to a rack with several types of hunting guns. Earlier that week I had run out of fresh meat. I chose my best Rifle and walked out again. I whistled, first high, then low, and finally high again. Hearing me, a wolf that I had tamed to live on its own but also obey me appeared. He saw the gun and ran over to knock me down. He started to lick my face happily. He knew it was time to hunt, and he was glad to see me. I got up and walked into the woods, my Guild cloak blending in perfectly with the emerald green trunks. Suddenly, my wolf, which I had named Ase(pronounced Ace), after the French word for peace, stopped dead and started to bear his teeth. Seeing him, I crouched, Rifle in hand, and looked around. To my right, a male buck stood drinking beside a spring. I never shot a doe, in case she had fawns. Taking careful aim, I fired. The shot was very loud, causing some leafs to fall, but The explosive fire marble did it work. The buck was killed instantly.

I strapped the Rifle to my back, took out my hunting knife, and made my way over to the buck. Every scrap of the deer was used, right down to the bones, which were the basic compound needed to create my pens. The organs, which I could not eat, were fed to Ase, and he got much energy from them. The skin is used to cover my store house, and after that is finished, to create my Books of Commentary, and my Journal. The fat is made into oil for my lamps, and the meat is for me to eat. I cut some vines that were near me, and I tied the buck's feet together with them. I lifted the buck onto my shoulders and walked to the Lodge in high spirits. The sun was starting to get low in the sky, but I still had a few hours left. I laid the buck on my table and skinned it. Before continuing, I put the skin into an oak tub outside that was filled with water. Walking back in, I noticed that it was getting cold. Realizing that I would not be able to get back to my cabin and MLD tonight, I finished with my buck, stored the fat in a large jay, fed Ase his dinner, laid the bones outside, and stored the meat.

Since it was now very cold, I decided to make a Fire. Ase followed me into my visitation cabin. Straight ahead was the fireplace. Ahead and to my left was my bed and nightstand, along with a bookcase, filled with my Journals. To my immediate left and right were two bookcases, one filled with ages, the other with their Books of Commentary. Ahead and to my right was my desk, and a rack with two shelves. One shelf had the special Ink pots that were used in The Art, and the other shelf had normal Ink. Several blank books used in writing ages lay on the desk, with a cup full of pens. I had already eaten, but I did start a fire and put on a bit water. While that heated up I took out my most recent Journal. I dipped my pen in the ink and started to write my entry:

22 November, I arrived on La'mou earlier this morning. I am glad to see Ase again, and the sun is making a spectacular sunset. My water is on the fire right now, and I am waiting for it to heat up so I can add my special blend of tea. I shot a buck today. Tomorrow I will take the Yatch to Mother's Island of Fore'bea. But tonight I will sit back with Ase and watch the stars come up. Ah, my tea is ready. I may start to write an Age, La' makea...

After I had gotten a good nights rest, I woke up refreshed. I made my way outside to the storehouse and got some flour. When I added that to some water from my well, I mixed it fairly well and put it on a fire I had stoked up.

Since that would take about an hour to cook, I decided to hunt for beetles. After getting my collection bag and net, I walked out into the woods and started to hunt for them. It wasn't long-- half an hour to be exact-- before I had my bag full. The Beetles would supply ink that would last me for the next few weeks.

I made my way towards my cabin and started to feel hungry. The smell of fresh pancakes overwhelmed me. I walked in, picked up my plate and syrup, and served myself some pancakes. They weren't the best I ever tasted, but they weren't the worst either. I didn't eat much, because I knew that Mother would be expecting me, and cook up a large breakfast. Ase wasn't going to eat anything here either. He liked Mother's cooking better than mine. I don't blame him.

After the pancakes were gone, Ase and I got into the Sailboat, which I had named The Kormea(pronounced Kor[as in "corn"]mea[as in "May"]), and we set sail for the dock. Arriving shortly thereafter, we tied her up, and got into the Yatch, named The Mutter. We headed toward the channel that led to sea, the two large engines pumping hard, but quietly. As soon as we were out to sea, I turned the power to just below full, and we headed around La'mou.

When I reached the north side of the Island, I turned The Mutter Northwest. From there We went about 100 feet, then slowed down to half power for the last 50 feet. As my mother's Island slowly grew nearer, I could Just make out two figures on the dock. In a few minutes I could tell that It was Mother and J'am(pronounced Jame), her wolf. Ase and J'am Liked each other, although they wouldn't show it in public. As I docked The Mutter I heard Mother say, "Oh, I am so glad you arrived. I have a huge breakfast made just for you." As I stepped out, she huged me and led my down the dock towards shore. She had specificly asked me to write a large, golden beach all around he Island. Her house was really a small mansion, but she treated others like it was theirs.

Now that I had arrived and was safley in the house, She set out all the food herself dispite my offers to help. Before she sat down, She fed Ase and J'am. They ate quietly and then left the room to be alone. Mother sat down and we said the blessing. We ate without talking. When it was time for me to go back, I said that I would return next week. I made my way over to The Mutter and sailed towards my Island.

I reached La'mou and went for a swim in the freshwater lake. After that, I was ready to return to D'ni. But, as always, I couldn't leave Ase where he could not get food. So I took the Sailboat back over to the Island, and returned Ase to his natural habitat. I said goodbye to him and left yet again to the dock. When I arrived, I tied the Boat, , and decided that I would build an underwater transport system when I returned. However, I did not know when I would get enough time off work. I would have to see. Maybe Guild Master Korvankis would give me a week or two. Maybe...

I walked onto the beach and headed for the granite steps that led to my Main Linking Dome. I entered the coded sequence of numbers--9,2,7,3,6--and the Dome opened for a five second period. Before that period was up, I stepped inside onto a small circle. When the Dome closed, A smaller dome appeared, and it opened as well. There was a small round pedistal, made of white marble, with a silver base and a gold trim. The linking book lay open on this pedistal, emmiting a slight golden glow. I stepped foward and placed my hand upon the Linking Panel, and my world dissolved, accompinied by the slight dizziness I felt when Linking.

When I had returned to D'ni, I headed towards my workstation. By the end of the D'ni day, I was tired. But I did not forget about my request for a week or two off. Since I had just gotten off for the weekend, I decided not to ask just yet. I chose to ask the next day. I headed home, where I ate supper and went to bed. I woke up, ate breakfast, and headed out the door.

When I arrived at work, I did not go to my post immediatly, but headed for Guild Master Korvankis's office instead. Since I had not missed any work for the past month, the last three for that matter, I asked him if I could have the next week off, in order to commense construction on one of my Ages. In reply, he thought for a moment, and then said, "If you don't miss work for the four months after that, you may have two weeks off. Deal?" Well, I hardly ever got sick, and I usually never missed work, so agreed. But I still had to work the rest of the week. Time passed slowly. It seemed as if I would never get the chance to work on the underwater transportation unit I had devised in my spare time. But the next week eventully came, and I was off to Pla'cean and La'mou.

I opened the Linking Book to the first page, where the Panel shimmered goldenly. The window showed a bird's-eye veiw of three Islands, arranged in a triangle. The lower right one was La'mou, The top was Fore'bea, and the lower left was Lakk'ase. The veiw swooped down onto La'mou, coming onto the island's south side. As it curved and twisted through the trees, a lake could be faintly seen. Suddenly, the veiw was on the lake, then on the island, spinning around the lodge. It then flew off the Island and into the air, above the Mountain. It centered on the Main Linking Dome, then changed the veiw to the beech. This Linking Book Linked directly to the beech, so as I would not have to drag the heavy equipment I needed. Finally, the veiw swooped down onto the beech and rested there for a split moment, where it launched itself into the sky and made it's way back to where it started.

Holding a piece of equipment, I let it touch the Linking Panel and let go of it as soon as the sparkling yellow dots were about to reach my hand. The piece of equipment dissapeared, and all but one piece left this way. This piece was a ground drill, one that weighed over 100 pounds. Putting my arm around this, I place my hand on the Panel, and again felt a slight dizziness.

After arriving on La'mou, I was surrounded by equipment. I set up my machinery and set to work. I first mapped out what I was going to do. I was first going to construct a glass tube that would stretch from shore to shore. This tube would lead from buildings built on the shores, where there would be a transportation device. The transportation device would be called Yek'mevee. It would be completely black and would have sleek style. The first thing I would have to do would be to construct the Stations. Along with Ase, I walked through the forest. Unfortunately, I could not find any oak trees. However, there were many Chestnut trees in the forest And I decided to use these, I cut these down with A machine I had brought, and with the help of Ase, I pulled some to shore. With the help of yet another machine, I put these, one by one, in, and they came out perfectly cut into boards. By the end of the day, I had a pile that would be big enough to build both of the Stations. Tired, I headed towards My cabin. At times like these, I wished that I had not buit so many stairs leading up to it. I took out my journal and started to write:

30 November, I have decided to create an underwater transportation. Today I collected the wood I needed. Tommorrow I will start to build the buildings that I will need. While I am doing that, I will also put the sand into the Glass Maker, where it has been programed to make tubes. After I have enough glass and I have made the Stations, I will use the Torch to weld the glass together. I will then put two pieces of welded glass at a time into the water, where they will be welded together underwater. Hopefully, I will finish that within the week.

I woke up the next morning refreshed, and ready to work. I fed Ase and ate breakfast, eager to get out and work. As I walked outside, the weather suprised me. The clouds were black and the sky was dark. Flashes of lightning flew across the skyy before long the storm would be here. Mother would have already seen the storm comming and would already be in her shelter. Though the weather was usually nice and calm on Pla'cean, storms occasionly happened. Since the did not happen often, the were almost always violent and long. Knowing I did not have much time, I quickly got the ropes and tied down every piece of equipment and wood that I could. Running, with the Ase at my heels, I headed towards the mountain. The wind started to blow violently. In about 10 minutes the wind would be strong enough to blow a grown man across a platform and into the sea, where the waves would cause him to drown. I know. That is what happened to Father. 5 minutes. I was almost at the door to the shelter now. I ran as fast as I could. I opened the door and pushed Ase in. I tied him to the back of the room and headed for the door. All of a sudden, a blast of air came in and blew me towards the door. In a frantic motion, I was able to Hold on to the inside handle. But my hands were slipping. One hand was now off the handle. The other was almost off. I felt that this was the end. Suddenly , I felt myself Being pulled slowly inside. I looked inside and saw that Ase was holding my shirt The rope had held him in place, and he was now pullig me in. When he finally succeded, I quickly heaved the door shut and locked all five bolts. For that, he would get more than a treat. To him, I owed my life.