My vessel continued at an accelerated pace toward the coast of Tarmon as the mist slowly dissipated. The first thing I noticed was the prolific greenery that coated the hills rising dramatically above the sandy beach. Everywhere I looked, in each direction of the land mass, the profusion of plant life astounded me. Never had I seen such signs of life anywhere in Dwarkaa’s Domain.
The next thing that registered was the clear blue water beneath my vessel and the way it grew substantially lighter in hue near the coast. I’d never considered water beautiful before but the combination of rich green hills with the brightest blue sea I’d ever seen shocked me. The waves that moved me forward were remarkably calm and gentle. I’d never been in such quiet seas before.
I then noticed the quality of air filling my body. Although I still coughed, the residual of dust in my lungs, my breaths came easier, more oxygen filling my chest than I’d ever experienced. I instantly felt stronger and lighter.
There was an extreme absence of wind in the atmosphere and I grew suddenly terrified. The only time wind ever stopped was when the Tonrar and Casimer’s men made an appearance. I glanced around nervously, expecting a heavy oppression to close in, the Tonrar to appear or that I’d spot one of Casimer’s ships. Though I waited and watched, none of those things happened.
The sharpness in the colors about me was astounding. Everything looked so crisp and bright. I thought I had known what clear vision was. I was wrong. I’d once been on a farrin, sneaking through a barren valley before we waged war, and the wind became uncannily quiet, so still that everything had seemed to become crystal clear. But I realized that it wasn’t clear at all, not compared to this.
My vessel closed the distance to the shore quickly and soon I heard the sound of sand scratching the bottom of my boat. Cautiously, I stepped into the shallow water, pulled my vessel farther onto the beach and inspected the area. The sandy shore was small and deserted with rock walls to either side, cutting off any chance of traveling on level ground.
Disappointment assailed me. I was sure the mist-man who summoned me would be here to greet me when I arrived. His absence made my presence on Tarmon feel more of a risk. What was I expected to do? Where was I to go?
After some analyzing, I realized that the only path led straight in front of me, a trail that wound up the steep, grass-infested rise. I’d never seen so much grass in one place before and it made me nervous. I thought of the poisonous snakes on Heath Farrin, another land mass that is virtually forsaken. The last time I was there I didn’t see a living soul and the warriors of our farrin that visited took great precaution against the snakes.
I looked at my leather boots. They hugged my legs and stopped just beneath my knees. A snake would have a hard time penetrating through to the skin. I retrieved my bow and quiver of arrows from my vessel, grabbed my bag of food and canteen of water, which was almost empty. I’d have to find a fresh water supply soon.
I checked my waistband where I’d stashed a few throwing knives and a small handgun at my back. The bag of bullets that I’d placed in my pocket bulged beneath my thick leather coat. Ngangi had given me permission to take whatever weapons I wanted. I double-checked to make sure I had all the throwing knives I’d hidden on my body before departing my farrin. There were enough knives on me to kill off any threat quickly.
Taking a deep, calming breath, I started toward the incline and set my foot on the grassy path that was slightly more indented than the tall grass that grew beside it. The soft feel beneath my leather boots was strange. Keeping my eyes peeled on my surroundings, I took one arrow from my quiver, loaded my bow and began to climb.
Strange sounds began to drift toward me and I stopped to listen. Although the source was unknown, the absence of violent wind made the echo around me soft and calming. The sound was much different than the noises Ngangi’s sheep made. I pushed away the temptation to let my guard down and tightened the arrow against the bow. Not knowing what would greet me on the other side of the rise kept my muscles taut and ready. I kept climbing.
A loud huffing and snorting noise drifted down to me as I reached three-quarters of the way up. The sound was bizarre and I couldn’t place what could be producing it. I stopped and debated whether I should continue. The resonance brought on visions of creatures I’d seen in my mother’s journals. While she lived, and when I still believed her, she told me about the different creatures she drew. As I grew older and began to doubt her, she swore that they existed. As I cautiously continued to the top of the rise, my fear increased at the memories.
When I reached the pinnacle, more greenery met my eyes in the padded path that led further on between rock walls. I carefully traversed the trail, watching for any movement. The pathway turned sharply to the right. I followed it.
Standing directly in my way, blocking off all hope of escape, was an enormous apparition that stood at least twelve feet high. My flesh broke out in goose bumps. I’d never seen anything like it before. The beast had a massive head, two horns protruding from it at odd angles, a hideous look in its black eyes, razor sharp teeth that glistened in the daylight, a spiked row of gnarled flesh along the ridge of its back, a long tail ending in a deadly point, reddish-brown scales covering its sleek body and sharp claws at the end of its muscled legs digging through the grass layer and into the terra firma of the clay earth. The sight was enough to make the strongest warrior run, screaming in terror.
But I’d been summoned here. The dreams were my proof. But what power did dreams have to protect me from the fury of a terrifying beast? I suddenly felt completely foolish for placing my trust in something I didn’t understand.
My friends’ fears became my own and I fully realized that I might not make it off of Tarmon Farrin alive. That was the first time I actually considered my death.
I then become conscious that the beast hadn’t yet noticed me. The creature was occupied with something in the grass. Looking more closely, I saw that it was feasting on some type of fruit from a tree that protruded from the rocky soil next to the pathway. The tree had shed most of its fruit, which was lying in the thick grass at the base.
Looking up at the massive creature before me, I wondered how I must look to it. If it would look my way, I was sure I’d appear merely like a bug waiting for a chance to crawl beneath his massive scaled belly. Perhaps I could make a run for it while the beast was occupied.
I took a few steps toward it and the creature turned its massive head in my direction. Snorting loudly as though I had frightened it, juice from the fruit sprayed down upon my head. Huffing ferociously, it backed up a step, its hind parts brushing the rock wall behind it. Turning toward me, its eyes were hard to read and its nostrils flared threateningly. That was all the warning I needed. Not wasting another moment, I ran at the beast, yelling at the top of my lungs and waving my arms frantically. I instinctively knew that my arrow would do nothing to stop this creature, nothing more than a splinter in the finger, and would only aggravate and infuriate the animal.
Rearing up on its hind legs, the beast inhaled, lifted his head high and was about to bring it down with lethal intent. I didn’t wait to see what his motive was. I took off running, ducking beneath his belly, through his hind legs and on to the path that turned sharply to the left up ahead.
I took the turn at high speed, my leather boots slipping on the sudden shale topcoat of the path. My shoulder hit the rock boulder hard, knocking the breath out of me for an instant. The leather jacket I wore took the brunt of the rocks, but I would sport a bruise for my misstep. I hoped the beast couldn’t make that turn, the pathway too narrow to navigate.
Righting myself, I hurried on and soon found myself leaving the rocky abutment behind and stepping out into a wide plain, green grass for as far as my eyes could see. Trees, tall and full, littered the plain. Somewhere off in the distance I could hear water running and my lips felt more parched than ever. But the visual feast for my eyes distracted me in that moment. I wasn’t watchful enough and the sound alerted me of danger before I could act.
The same noise wrapped around me like a cloak of fear. The identical snort of surprise, rattling of flared nostrils and intake of breath. I turned quickly and saw another creature standing above me on a slight incline, similar to the other but smaller in stature. The beast had lifted his bulk to his hind legs and was posed to strike; at least that’s what it looked like.
I was about to run when I noticed the other beast coming through the pass I’d just come from. Now I’d have two to deal with. My odds of survival were dwindling. My only chance of staying alive was to get away quickly. I could run fast but had no idea what speed or strength these beasts had. Backing up, I kept my eyes on them. The smaller one up on his hind legs released a strange sound deep in his throat, let his front legs fall, his head coming down like a sling shot toward me and I took off at a full run.
Heat warmed my legs and I glanced back to see flames shooting from the beasts jaws and licking at my heels. I ran faster. I barely eluded the creature’s fury and I was sure my thick leather pants had spared me from burns. Glancing back, I noticed the other larger beast walking toward me, his nostrils flaring threateningly.
A boulder, ten feet tall, stood a stone’s throw away. I raced to it and skirted to the back side, hoping for a better plan to come to me than simply running for my life. I wasn’t a coward. I never ran from danger.
That’s when I faintly heard a woman’s voice calling in the distance. “Ebony, Bionda, come here!”
Looking from behind the boulder, I noticed both creatures stop their forward motion. They turned to the woman’s voice and released a beckoning sound as though they were pleased at the sound of her command.
I saw what looked like bird’s wings extend from the beasts’ bodies, except they were black as night and massive. I’d never even noticed that the creatures possessed wings until then. Pushing their wings down mightily, over and over, they slowly lifted from the ground and sailed effortlessly off to a high ridge from the direction I’d come.
I strained to see what type of human could control such ferocious creatures. The woman was perched up high on the edge of a rock that jutted out over the plain where I stood. She looked brave and unfazed by the massive creatures flying toward her. She didn’t look like a warrior or like a coverling. I wasn’t sure what she was.
Her clothing resembled the delicacy of a butterfly’s wings, light and airy. The white fabric she wore floated about in the slight breeze. Her hair was unfettered and also blew gently in waves about her. The surreal vision reminded me of a drawing of my mother’s. She’d said it was her guardian mist Kaysan. I didn’t believe her. While she was alive, my mother always spoke of such ethereal things. My whole clan came to the assumption that my mother had lost her grasp on reality. This apparition before me made me wonder if my mother knew more than I ever comprehended. Sure I believed her when I was little, soaked in her stories like they were absolute truth. The older I became, the more I doubted her until cynicism overtook all hope.
What happened next will be forever engraved on my memory. The beasts landed on the ledge beside the woman, one on each side. I could faintly hear her speak to the creatures, softly and with a familiarity that astounded me. She stroked their scaly sides and they nuzzled their huge snouts against her. What she did next is what took my breath away. She walked to the large creature’s side and slapped his belly. The creature slowly lowered to the ground, allowing the woman to step up on his leg and hoist up to his back.
Sitting straddled across the creature’s back, she said, “Up.”
The beast stood. She said, “Away.”
Extending and flapping his wings furiously, he lifted off the ledge and flew; the woman holding firmly to the creature’s ridged back. The smaller beast also lifted from the rock projection and followed behind. The woman and beasts circled above me a few times and then descended. My body tensed with their approach and the ground shook slightly as they landed.
I braced myself and stepped away, fearing what the beast-rider wanted with me.
The beast lowered for her and she disembarked.
Stepping toward me, I was surprised how slight she was, a wisp of a woman. She smiled and said, “You’ve come a long way.”
I glared at her in suspicion. “Maybe.”
She laughed. It sounded strange to my ears. “My name is Suma. You must be Xiomara.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I was informed of your arrival. I came as quickly as I could.”
“You didn’t come quickly enough! I could have been killed.”
“Xiomara killed? The mighty warrior from Akoni Farrin cannot be defeated that easily, can she?”
I stared at Suma, wondering how she knew so much about me.
“You must be hungry, thirsty and tired.”
I ignored her assessment and pointed to the beasts beside her. “What are these?”
Reaching a hand up to stroke the largest one on the belly, she said, “We call them The Noble Ones, Dragons of the Mission and they have other names as well.”
“Why do they obey you?”
Surprise lit her face. Then understanding flooded her features. “There’ll be time for all your questions. But first I’ll take you to see my mother. She’s eager to meet you.”
I wanted to ask why but didn’t expect Suma to answer me. I wondered how she’d take me to her mother. Glancing at The Noble Ones, I wondered how I’d survive such a transport. In my mind’s eye, I saw myself clinging on to the beast’s spiked back, hanging on for dear life, falling, legs swinging loose to one side, losing my grip and plummeting to the ground far below. I didn’t want to die that way.
Suma smiled brightly, as though knowing my thoughts, and said, “We will walk.”
Suma turned to The Noble Ones and said, “Go. Back to the den.”
The creatures responded immediately, unfurled their massive wings and pushed off, lifting up into the air. With a mighty whoosh, they soared into the sky, flying toward the high rock ledges that jutted out from the granite walls on the edges of the plateau where we stood.
Suma said, “Follow me.” She headed farther onto the plain.
I did as she asked. She’d saved my life from the beasts. Suma had not shown any aggression or intent to harm. Trusting anyone felt risky but I had no other choice. I didn’t know what to expect from the clan here and didn’t know what waited for me in their village.
Excitement and trepidation both assailed me as I hurried to keep up. The slight woman, walking briskly ahead of me, appeared frail but I knew she must be strong to command such massive creatures.
Soon we reached the end of the plain. At the farthest edge, rock walls rose around us as Suma led us through a narrow passageway. As I stepped through to the other side, the sight before my eyes rendered me speechless and my legs failed to move.
