7A large room with many windows and large silhouetted pillars held up a thin wooden ceiling. The cold air of the night filled the room, and the only sources of light were moonlight coming in from a large circular hole in the ceiling that outlined a platform at the center of the room of the same shape and from the rooms many windows. A man sat in the center of this platform, meditating to the sound of the night air lightly blowing air and the scurrying footsteps of those in the lower floors.
There was a whisper in this man's ear. It seemed to be a women's voice, warm and soothing like a breath of warm air on a cold night such as this.
"He is going to fall off the bed. She will stub her toe, ouch. Ronel will take two steps back. Loren is getting mad. She will parry to the left. He will jump back. Loren will strike him in the head. That man is banging his head into the wall. They will run into each other. Kain will trip over that child. The door will open. The rock will break your nose."
The man looked forward but saw nothing. He heard the rock and turned to catch it, an instant before breaking his nose. The man stood and turned to face the rock thrower.
"Thought you were sleeping." said the man at the doorway. "Well Velius, The Lady told me you were coming at least an hour ago. Had a chat with Melinda did you?" said the man on the platform. "Indeed!" laughed Velius. "She was going to stub her toe, Rame." "Of course." said Rame. "What were you doing?" asked Velius. "Trying to answer her. Have you tried recently?" said Rame. "No, for me, the fact that we two maybe the only ones who can hear her is enough." said Velius.
What they are referring to is Zuma, the ability to sense something a second before it happens. The Lady Zuma whispers these things in those gifted few people's ears. Generally, one can only sense something closely around them. However, by way of mediation you can hear what will happen sometimes for a mile around. It used to be a quite common ability before the Great Lake Colfax dried and all life around it died. The Lady Zuma only talks now to a select few now. No one, except those close to them, knows of their ability.
"Why would you feel the need to meditate? Does she not speak as loudly to you now?" said Velius approaching the platform. "No, she doesn't." said Rame. "Get some sleep then. Don't fear your dreams," said Velius. "There is much to fear," said Rame. "You have to sleep eventually," said Velius. "That drug you take shall not keep you awake for ever. How many days has it been since you last slept?" "Seven," said Rame quickly. "But my skills remain the same." "Prove it," said Velius. "A challenge?" asked Rame. "Indeed," said Velius. He walked over to one of the pillars by the platform and picked out two short smooth polished wooden sticks. He threw one to Rame. Velius laughed. They approached each other quickly and swinging in very smooth and practiced motions. Swinging and parrying so fast that the shadows the sticks made must have been a sight to see. The lady both telling them the other's next move. Rame would strike and Velius' head, Velius parried and struck for Rame's chest. Rame caught the stick and performed a kick flip against Velius, effectively knocking him against the ground. "Nice," said Velius striking at Rame's feet. Rame did a series of back flips to the edge of the platform. Velius charged at him unleashing a series of kicks and punches. Rame blocked them best he could, and was hit several times in the head by Velius' stick. The Lady's voice was growing quieter, Rame had to rely on his other senses which were dulled by his lack of sleep. Velius knocked Rame down and pointed his stick at Rame's throat. "Get some sleep," said Velius, helping Rame up. "Be strong," "Right then," said Rame. The door will open. Both Rame and Velius turned their heads to the door. A tiny man carrying a torch stood there. "Hello!" said the man. "I was told you were in here." "What is it?" said Rame approaching the man. "Ahh, Rame sir! Well you see sir that well, uh." said the man, quivering. "Calm down," Rame laughed quietly. "Lord Sibley requests your company." said the man. "Alright then. Wouldn't happen to have the time would you?" asked Rame. "It is one o'clock in the a.m. sir." said the man. "Right, Velius isn't invited is he?" asked Rame. "Oh sorry. Really sorry. I did not recognize you Velius." the man said. "Simple mistake," said Velius. "Thought, I mean thought I well I..." said the man now with giant beads of sweat dripping down his face. "It is fine, I shall not chop your head off." laughed Velius. It was with this remark that the man began to wet him self. He had heard many tales of what Rame and Velius had done and from that he greatly admired them. He would listen intently to old men tell tales of them over several bottles of ale. The fact still remained that Rame and Velius were relatively young. "I heard that Velius killed three hundred men with his bare hands," said one. "Nay, he killed seven hundred men!" said another. Velius, more so than Rame was made out to be a vicious killer who enjoyed killing hundreds of creatures. His skills as a warrior were not exaggerated, but his pleasure of killing was. "Please...please, just follow me to Sibley. I mean Lord Sibley." said the man again. So Rame and Velius followed him threw the doorway into the narrow wooden hallways