64. Ell-rom

64

ELL-ROM

T he dining table was covered with an array of dishes, fragrant and colorful, and as long as Ell-rom didn't know what they were made from, he didn't get nauseous. Perhaps the aversion to animal products was not physiological but psychological, and it was so deeply rooted that even the loss of his memory could not erase it.

Nevertheless, he was grateful for the bespoke meal, which was a carefully prepared blend of nutrients designed to help him regain his strength. It looked bland in comparison to what the others were eating, but he didn't mind. It was tasty and didn't make him feel sick.

As everyone settled in and began to serve themselves, the conversation flowed easily. Jasmine kept a watchful eye on him, ready to jump in if he seemed uncomfortable, but he was holding his own.

"So, Ell-rom," Frankie said between bites, "What do you think of Earth so far?"

"I like the people." He turned to Jasmine. "Human and immortal." He shifted his gaze back to Frankie. "I saw the blue sky today, and I wondered how it compared to the sky over Anumati. It's frustrating not to have even the most basic memories."

"The sky over Anumati has a reddish hue," Aru said. "It's much darker, even in the middle of the day, because our sun is dimmer but much larger than Earth's, and the planet itself is much larger than Earth as well. We have two moons, and that's cool to see at night. But the planet is hot and humid in most locations. It is also quite windy, which is actually helpful as it counteracts the heat and humidity to some extent. The gods prefer to live in underground cities, protected from the wind and the heat, but the Kra-ell are a hardier lot, and they revere nature and its bounty, not technology and its conveniences."

Ell-rom nodded. "What about transportation? Do they use private vehicles?"

"The gods use hovercrafts," Dagor said. "That's a much more efficient mode of transportation because there is no need to pave roads. Instead, the underground cities are connected by large tunnels, and gods can either traverse those in their private crafts or board a fast train."

"What about the Kra-ell?" Ell-rom asked.

Negal chuckled. "Believe it or not, most just walk or run. Their society is organized in semi-nomadic small tribes." He glanced at Aru. "You know how to explain that better than I do."

Aru nodded. "I often think that their diet is what shapes their entire culture. They don't need to grow anything, and they don't need to store food, which are the two main catalysts for societal organization, cooperation, and innovation. Wars are also a catalyst for those things, so the Kra-ell made some progress over time, but they prefer their traditional ways and are proud of them."

As the god described the Kra-ell, Ell-rom thought of Jade and how powerful and proud she'd seemed. She embodied her people.

Aru continued. "Throughout much of their history, tribal wars were a way of life, effectively regulating population growth, but when these were stopped many millennia ago by their then queen, the population exploded, and relying on hunting alone was not enough, especially after a disease killed many of the larger animals on Anumati. They had to come to the gods for help. The gods produced synthetic blood for the Kra-ell to consume." Aru smiled. "I could go on for hours, talking about how that event led to the conflict between the gods and the Kra-ell, but I don't want to bore you."

Ell-rom shook his head. "It's fascinating to me. I wonder how much of this I was told in the temple."

"Religion is also a catalyst," Jasmine said. "I mean for shaping a society in a certain way. I'm sure you were taught a lot about that."

The concept of religion as a societal catalyst intrigued Ell-rom, and he wondered about the teachings he'd received in the temple. Those memories remained frustratingly out of reach, and the one teaching he knew for sure he'd been given was celibacy, which he wasn't going to adhere to.

"You're right," he said to Jasmine. "I'm sure I was taught a great deal about the role of religion in our society. I just wish I could remember it."

On the other hand, maybe it was good that he didn't remember the teachings because he didn't want anything to stand in the way of the life he wanted with Jasmine.

Glancing at her, he took a long moment to admire the way her eyes lit up as she laughed at something Margo had said. She was beautiful and kind, and he felt incredibly lucky to have her in his life, but with that feeling came a sense of pressure.

What if he disappointed her?

What if his lack of experience and his still-recovering body made him inadequate for her?

That wasn't an if but rather a given. He was inadequate, and the real question was how much Jasmine was willing to compromise.