Lincoln Shand

Evton wasn’t finished. “On another axis of reality, another version of you is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with another version of me. That other you has already witnessed what you have missed, and has thus acted.” His eyes twinkled as he teased her, as he often did.

What am I missing? Timia briefly smiled at the familiar quip. If only—“Wait… still no new growth,” she said in realization as she looked up at the ura tree. Finally grasping the answer that her teacher was looking for, she added, “Or at least very little.” 

The ura tree, with its yellow or green leaves, had very few newly grown branches to indicate it was thriving. With startled awareness, Timia realized that none of the trees or plants around her had reached any notable level of thickening that season, and it was already late spring. 

Having fulfilled Evton’s instruction to see first with her eyes, she doubted he would admonish her from using magic now. Still… 

“Hmm. Evton?” Her question lingered momentarily between them until Evton nodded permission. 

Igniting her staff, Timia sent her keen senses downwards to observe the roots of the ura tree. She made the same discovery with the iroal tree and the jurallo bushes—all growth had occurred at the bases. It was as if the trees, bushes, and plants had focused all their energy during the growing season on expanding their root structure, as if preparing for some catastrophic event that would blow them over if their bases weren’t strong enough.

“Now, you do see.” Evton nodded. “The realities have merged, and that smarter version of you and who you are now are back on the same path.” A wistful smile accompanied his words. 

“What we’re seeing…” Timia said cautiously. “It’s a definite omen—the kind our ancestors and teachers had spoken about.” 

Nodding in agreement, Evton continued. “What could they be preparing for?” he asked rhetorically. 

She didn’t have to think too long about the cause. The plant life around her was in retrograde, and the culprit was right before them.

“The Prime Conjunction,” Timia answered, saying aloud what her teacher would have been thinking.