Page 42 of Cerulean Truth
"Emma, are you feeling okay?" Stephen's voice was a lifeline in a sea of worry.
I attempted another smile, though it wavered through my nerves. "I'm trying my best," I admitted.
Stephen's eyes crinkled with understanding. "It's only natural to be apprehensive. This is a lot to take in, and it's perfectly okay to feel overwhelmed."
I sighed, my fingers tracing the intricate patterns on the car's upholstery. "I'm not sure I'm prepared for all of this," I confessed.
Stephen leaned closer, his tone reassuring. "Well, let's remedy that immediately, shall we? Let us talk about what to expect when arriving at Cyclos. Did James tell you anything about our world and the Metasphere?"
I shook my head in response.
"Then I'll explain as much as I can along the way," he assured me. I breathed a soft sigh of relief, not wishing to begin my training appearing like a "muggle," as Harry Potter would say.
"First of all, keep this close to you at all times," he instructed, handing me a small black package.
"What is it?" I asked, curiosity piqued.
"Everything you need to access your new life," he answered, a mysterious tone in his voice. I neatly tucked it into my purse.
"Now, do you know what sets our world apart from yours?" Stephen inquired. I shook my head, fully aware I was diving headfirst into a world of unknowns.
"We are actually not that different. We live on this planet, just like humans. We're Earthlings, and we depend on the same sun and rain for sustenance, as humans do."
He smiled. "But to coexist with magic and to remain hidden from humanity, we had to construct a unique shield over our Collectives."
"A shield?" I asked, rather intrigued by the notion.
"Yes," he replied. "It's like an additional layer of the atmosphere. Think of it as our own version of the Earth's atmospheric layers—the Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere. Well, we've added a layer below all of it. We call it the Metasphere. It's where we operate our magic, as you might say. A localized energy field created by the collective power of thousands of magi practicing translation daily."
I nodded thoughtfully, trying to absorb the concept, though still somewhat overwhelmed.
"So," I tried to reiterate, "the Metasphere is a shield, covering an entire Collective, created by the collective energy of magi,working together?"
Stephen smiled. "Yes, at least 10,000 magi are needed to create a Metasphere. Within the sphere, it’s easier for us to translate. It costs us less energy because we draw from the combined energy as a whole.”
"It's like this," Stephen elaborated. "Translation takes up energy. The larger the translation, the more energy it demands. And the more energy it demands, the greater the energy output required by the person translating. For instance, translating a bottle of water wouldn't require much energy. But attempting to summon rain would demand so much energy that it could exhaust you dangerously and might even prove fatal if undertaken without proper training. However, with adequate training, if you were to attempt such a feat within the Metasphere, you'd be safer because it harnesses the combined energy of ten thousand other magi. Tapping into that source of energy makes you virtually invincible."
I nodded, it started to make sense. "So, to remain hidden, you live with at least 9,999 other magi to create the Metasphere?"
"Exactly," Stephen confirmed. “And when they do, they form a Collective. The one we’re heading toward, Cyclos, holds all magi residing in the US. You won’t find a larger Collective anywhere."
He paused. “But what’s most important is that living within the Metasphere means untraceable translation. It’s pure logic really, we can see and track translation in the Human World because our energy is not made of the same substances, but within the Metasphere, it blends with the energy required to sustain the layer."
"Except for mine…" I muttered, annoyance creeping into my tone.
Stephen’s expression turned sympathetic. "Except for yours, yes, but don’t you worry. We will figure it out. However, Emma, until then?—"
"Yes, yes, I know. Don’t tell anyone about it aside from the Council." My irritation was clear, a mixture of confusion and exasperation.
Stephen nodded. "I know it’s difficult to understand, but it’s?—"
"Complicated,” I finished for him, the word echoing with the countless times James had used it, each instance intensifying my frustration.
Stephen gently grabbed my hand, his sympathy evident in the warmth of his touch.
"Whatever it all means, inside the sphere, you’ll be protected."
I leaned forward. "But magi can live outside the Metasphere?"
