Kala was born and raised on the Island of Evergreen. Most of her childhood was spent in laughter and merriment. It was during Kala’s 48th year at the Spring Festival that Thaenadir, The Honored One, stepped forward to choose his next Shaman apprentice. Stepping onto the dais, he raised his hands for silence before scanning through the crowd.
“To my surprise and amazement, the spirits have changed my mind from retirement to one last apprentice. I have been given the name of my next student. Even though they are as yet under the normal age to begin studies I have been told to proceed.” For a few seconds of eternity, everyone seemed to hold their breath waiting to see whom the spirits had chosen.
“Kala, daughter of Neecha and Paelon, you are called by the spirits to follow me and learn the ways of the Shaman. From this moment on you are Spiritess Kala, the seer of souls, the voice of those already gone, and the ears listening to the pleas of the dead in need. Your strength and wisdom will lead our people down the path chosen by Ilsidelius, Goddess of the Moon and Mother of the Elves.”
Nearly thirty years had passed when Thaenadir and Kala were speaking with the spirits and asking for guidance when a ‘soul’ entered their minds. Kala felt it searching through her thoughts as if looking for something special. Suddenly her trance was broken, something that had not happened since the beginning of her training. Determining that Thaenadir was in no danger, Kala patiently waited for Thaenadir to finish.
“The Spirit told me of a dark time to come. She said that the preparations needed to be set in motion.” Talking late into the night, they pondered how to search for the answer to a question that was not clear and train for a ritual that had never been done.
Within five years, a black wall edged across the water totally surrounding the island within days. The sailors were unable to successfully sail from the island totally cutting off the Elves from the rest of the world. Even the village of Poldatyn on the Tuusst Homeland disappeared from sight. Two days later, Myrikin, a ‘man’ made of metal fell from the sky. The Elders having never allowed non-elves past the city of Nar’thinae declared him as non-human allowing him to stay. Kala seemed to connect with him almost immediately. Myrikin overheard Kala and Thaenadir discussing their search for an answer and offered his help.
The last ninety years, Myrikin, Thaenadir, and Kala have diligently searched for the answer, developing the ritual Kala must make. Nearing 850 years old, Thaenadir has become more distant, helping less and less through the years. Kala feels torn knowing that Thaenadir should be allowed to retire and yet knowing he cannot until, at least, she completes the ritual to free her people. Several times during their studies, Myrikin would come up with ‘outlandish’ suggestions that nearly always proved helpful. Finally, the answer has been found and the ceremony ready. Now all she has to do is cross the walls, black and spiritual, to find a man named Ko Nor, the Son of Stars …
