Ancient Thought by Viola Grace (literature books to read txt) 📗

down, and her body was outlined by the appearance of her waist. She went in search of Mathla.

She found the avatar in her private garden and waited to be acknowledged.

“Good morning, Master Elizabeth. Did you sleep well?”

Libby approached and looked past the woman who was doing a nude sun salutation. “The master’s quarters are better. Thicker walls.”

“Good. You will need to be rested. You have begun to get invitations to visit. Do you know how to use the disk?”

Libby nodded. “I do. I am not fond of them, but I can use them.”

“Ancient Oshuan is expecting you for lunch. Your clothing is in your quarters, and don’t forget to bring your crystals. The coordinates are pre-set if you simply tell the disk who you want to see.”

“Right, so I leave now?”

“If you want to arrive on time, Master Libby.” Malthu turned and winked. “Bring back a memory if you can.”

“Yes, Your Eminence.” Libby bowed and left the private garden and the naked avatar.

She made her way back to her quarters and found the clothing in question. She removed her belt and robe, put on the skirt and the loose blouse that floated above her midriff. There were no sleeves. The tie for her hair turned it into a thick tail, and when she was decently covered, she put the robe on and smoothed it down. The fullness of the robe just let the hem of the skirt peep out.

She put the belt and pouch back on and headed for the disks. This was the part of the process that she was not looking forward to.

Most of the other novices liked to stand to ride the disks, but that wasn’t Libby’s style. She knelt comfortably, activated the disk, and said, “Ancient Oshuan.”

The disk rose and whisked her away to the north. She sat calmly with her palms on her thighs, and she was flown along the magnetic lines until the disk slowly lowered her to the ground on a designated landing site.

She rose to her feet and looked around, finding the small house and turning toward it. She walked up to the house and knocked on the door.

“Hello?” The voice from inside was low.

“Greetings, Ancient Oshuan. I am here to speak to you about donating a memory. I am Master Libby.”

The door was whisked open, and a very bright orange set of eyes looked up at her. “That isn’t the script.”

“I am not very good at repeating nonsense.”

The ancient looked at her, her shining golden scales lovely in the sunlight. She giggled, and there was hissing. “You are not as young as you look.”

“That is what being ancient gets you. Wisdom.” She smiled.

“Come in. I have prepared lunch.”

Libby followed her into the shadowed interior.

“You didn’t wear the clothing.” Oshuan pouted.

“I am wearing it. My robes are over it. I wanted to talk to you before you stumble into the time and place that you want to be reminded of. I have a request for a single memory before I remove the robe.”

“You are bargaining with me? That is definitely not in the monk’s rulebook.”

“Yes, but most of them don’t make this outfit look this good.”

Her host giggled and gestured for her to sit. The table was decorated with half a dozen bowls and plates. Each had a sautéed, baked, or fried insect in it.

“Please, Master Libby, take your fill.”

Libby inclined her head and picked up the eating sticks that were nearly dowels with flattened edges. She picked up a cricket and crunched into it. “Oh, that’s nice.”

She worked her way through the different types of bugs, only grimacing at the larger beetle. “Apologies. That one is bitter for my taste.”

Oshuan blinked, her mouth slightly open. “Your species eats bugs?”

“Not all of us, but it is a growing trend as a health food, and I have tried them on my home world before.”

Oshuan laughed. “Excellent. Well, they are not normally my entire diet, but I like to test the new ones that the monks send out here. Am I your first ancient?”

Libby paused while picking up another cricket. “The first one that has invited me. Ancient Yelfon retrieved me from my drop as the prior was trying to get me dumped in the north sea somewhere.”

“Oh ho. So, you weren’t his choice?”

“No. I was offered by my world, accepted by Luon, and transported by Zanicon. I have more experience with avatars and their worlds than I do with other beings.”

“Ah. This is explaining things. So, what memory do you want from me?”

“The first time you saw the sun.”

The scaled woman blinked. “That is it?”

“That is it. We sit outside, and you look up, and you remember the first time you saw the sun. That is it.” She smiled and extended one of the tidbits. “Cricket?”

The ancient nodded and took it with her fingers. “Thank you. This is a very surprising day.”

They sat and ate while the ancient asked Libby questions about Terra, and she answered what she could.

“What kind of species are there on Terra?”

“Sentient?”

“Yes, capable of conversation.”

“Just humans. Like me. Well, like me before I was altered. I am not quite sure what I am now, but it sure is shiny.” She held out her pearly hand. “Dang. I was supposed to be wearing gloves.”

Oshuan laughed. “I am glad to see that you have faults. You are right. The skin is very distinctive. I have seen the texture on it before but not the shade.”

“The shade is mine, one of the varieties on Terra. The pigment in our skin is enhanced by sun exposure, so my people came from an area that did not have a lot of sun, short seasons, and required a lot of clothing.” She chuckled. “According to genetic tracing, my people were in the same general vicinity for thousands of years, and then, we started moving.” She grinned. “We haven’t stopped since.”

“Ah, where was I two thousand years ago?” The ancient closed her eyes and then opened them. “The fountains of Akithan. Oh, they were pretty. Obsidian,