Shadowrun - Earthdawn - Lliferock by Jak Koke Read Free Book Online Page B

walked around the desk to meet him, palms out in greeting.
    Reid touched palms with him, surprised that he could feel their smoothness through the illusion. “I come to invite you to a Gathering,” he said.
    “When? With whom?”
    “Much of the Rewinthin Brotherhood, plus any others I can persuade. We will congregate at the Gathering Tree to share water, then decide on a month.”
    Hagnit smiled, his image wavering as Reid strained to This Book Belongs to: Andrew Tobin (black _ [email protected]) Liferock 
    43
    

Jak Koke
    keep his focus. “I will try to schedule some time away from my business,” he said. “But you know what energy-wasters are like; they don’t understand closing down for an entire month.”
    “Pabl?”
    There was a touch on his shoulder. The engravings on the temple wall faded into Pabl’s awareness, replacing the memory. He pulled his hand out of the merge with the petroglyphs.
    “Pabl?”
    He shook the image of Reid’s memory from his mind and turned to see Chaiel. Rivulets of water beaded on his green cloak and dripped on the tile. “Hello, brother.”
    “What have you decided to do?” Chaiel asked.
    “I am going to see Ohin Yeenar,” Pabl said. “He must know something about Reid.”
    “I am glad,” Chaiel said. “But first we should talk to Bintr.
    He was last to make the journey.”
    “Yes.”
    “When?”
    “Now is good,” Pabl said, then he ran his fingers over the petroglyphs as if trying to brush the vision out of his head.
    Reid, so alive and well. What could have happened to make you deaf to your own liferock?
    Pabl followed Chaiel out of the temple and into the rain.
    The main storm had passed and the air was chill with drizzle.
    They filled their water skins at the pool before heading across the Dance of Stones to see their brother.
    Bintr Aar lived on the south end of the tepuis in a small house which stood under an overhang of stone. The smell of mushroom and leek soup pervaded his abode as Pabl and Chaiel entered. Bintr looked up from the stew, his chocolate brown complexion dripping with condensed steam. “Greetings, brothers. You are just in time to help me eat.”
    Pabl held his palms forward in welcome and Bintr met This Book Belongs to: Andrew Tobin (black _ [email protected]) Liferock 
    44
    

Jak Koke
    them with his own. “We would love to share your meal, brother. We bring water from the riflev pool.”
    A broad smile stretched across Bintr’s face. “Thank you.”
    Pabl and Chaiel sat on the tile floor and accepted generous helpings of sweet wheat bread and soup. Pabl was excited; it had been years since he had tasted true obsidiman food, and Bintr was quite a chef.
    After the first course, Bintr produced a wedge of elven-made cheese, considered a delicacy among the members of the Garen Brotherhood. And when that was gone, a bowl of sweet rice and papaya. As the final touch to their meal, they shared water as was their custom. Pabl poured the crystalline liquid into a large pitcher, and each of them drank from it until the water had been completely drained.
    There was a long silence after the water sharing. Finally, Pabl spoke, “Your hospitality is beyond compare, Bintr. But that is not why we have come.”
    Bintr nodded.
    “We want you to join us on a journey to see Ohin Yeenar.”
    Bintr rubbed a ridge of his deep brown forehead. “Ohin is a frightening obsidiman. Unpredictable. I’m not sure it is wise to try and speak with him.”
    “Do you think he is Horror-touched?”
    Bintr pondered for minute before answering. “He made it impossible for me to approach him. But, no, I don’t think he is tainted; he carries too much pain of his own to be of use to any Horror.” Bintr bowed his head. “Still, it is possible,” he said. “Anything is possible when it comes to the cruelty of our world.”
    No one spoke for a minute.
    Then Pabl stood slowly. “When can you be ready to go?”
    he asked.
    Bintr looked up at him. “Is