Sentari: ICE (18 page)

Te’oma held his hands over the fireplace, warming them. He looked down and noticed that he was wearing brand new clothes. Incredibly soft silk clothing wrapped his body, the kind of thing you’d imagine royalty wearing. Sparkling gold wreaths ran down the side of the sleeves and the legs. They were spun into a script that was an ancient version of Intari. The clothes were thin and light, yet they kept Te’oma incredibly warm. Te’oma looked down at his friends and noticed that they were still wearing their old clothes.

“Good. You are awake,” came a strong voice from the dark. Te’oma looked around, but he could not see anybody.

“Who said that?” asked Te’oma.

“I did,” said the voice. Te’oma looked behind him to see a bright blue pair of eyes beaming from the darkness.

“Who are you?” asked Te’oma nervously. The eyes slowly moved backwards into the darkness, then a red hot light came from the distance. It grew brighter, until it suddenly bursts into flame. The flame roared towards the wall and its light illuminated Drake, the last free dragon.

The flame touched the walls of the cave and lit up several torches in its wake. Suddenly, all the other torches in the cave burst into flames and the enormity of the cave came into view. The fireplace was in the centre of the room, set in a sunken hearth space a foot below ground level. Four stone pillars surrounded the hearth, towering up to the roof.

Te’oma stepped up from the crushed red rock of the lowered hearth and onto a dark grey marble that lined the floor of the rest of the cave. The floor shimmered in the light. The cave was rectangular in shape and each wall had a door leading in a different direction. Above each door was more Intari writing.

Drake sat in the corner of the room, looking at Te’oma. He was bigger than the other dragons, his head almost touching the top of the roof. His scales glistened in the light. They were lined with a thin layer of silver. He walked towards Te’oma. Te’oma stepped back nervously. “Are you afraid, young man?” asked Drake, in a deep, yet calming voice.

“Yes,” replied Te’oma.

“Honesty. I enjoy honesty,” said Drake.

“Where are we? How did we get here?” asked Te’oma.

“I found you and your friends lying on the ground outside. This is my home. This is Talisenta, the first great temple of the Intari,” said Drake.

Te’oma looked down at his clothes. “Why am I wearing these clothes?” asked Te’oma.

“Because you are special, Te’oma,” said Drake. Te’oma looked back at him surprised, but completely ignoring the fact that Drake knew who he was. “Or maybe I only had one set of clothes,” said Drake.

“Are they ok?” asked Te’oma, looking back at his friends.

“They are fine, but they still need to sleep. They are not as strong as you,” said Drake.

Te’oma walked around the room, looking at the doors. “Why have you searched me out?” asked Drake.

“My father was trying to find you. He said you were our last hope. He said you have answers,” said Te’oma.

“Let me ask you, did your father ever tell you the story of Talisenta?” asked Drake.

“No, he didn’t,” replied Te’oma.

“It’s a shame how much knowledge can be lost with the passing of time. Talisenta, where you stand now, was one of the most sacred places to an ancient people called the Intari. A man would come here and sit by that very fireplace for days at a time. He would meditate on a single choice – which door to take. You see, these doors are special. This place is connected to the whole world. The Intari believed that if you were honest and pure and you choose wisely, you could open a door and find yourself where your heart desired. However, many men have been lost behind these doors, never to be seen again,” said Drake.

Te’oma ran his hand across the doors. The wood was exceptional, soft to the touch, yet strong. “What does this have to do with me?” asked Te’oma.

“You want answers?” Drake enquired.

“Yes,” said Te’oma. All he really wanted was to make his father proud.

“If you choose wisely, you will find the answers you seek. But, be warned, sometimes it can be hard to leave what you find in there. The choice is yours, but choose soon, for there is not much time,” said Drake.

“Why are you telling me this? Why help me?” asked Te’oma.

“Because even the most frightened of people can change the world, Te’oma. Fear is not a weakness, it is a challenge you can grow from,” said Drake.

Te’oma stared at the doors that were before him. He walked slowly towards a door. As he did, the door opened by itself. He tried to look inside, but all he could see was darkness. He took one last look back at Drake and his friends.

“We will all be here waiting for you when you choose to return,” said Drake.

Te’oma gathered himself, then walked through the door into the darkness.

“A life lived without a leap of faith is a life not worth living.”

A Vision of Paradise

“It hasn’t always been this way, Te’oma. Sentari wasn’t always a cold place. In fact, it was quite the opposite,” whispered Drake.

Te’oma’s mind wandered through space and time; it drifted around like a leaf on rolling ocean waves. Patterns of colours passed through his eyes as he drifted through a place of nowhere.

He awoke to find himself surrounded by soft, green grass. The sun above was bright and beamed down into his eyes. As he struggled to focus, the sun was blocked by a mighty dragon flying overhead. It glided through the sky with its wings stretched out fully. Te’oma got to his feet and looked out at the world around him.

The ground was covered by rich, green grass. Trees sprinkled the landscape, gathering together by the edge of the most crystal clear, blue river he had ever seen. The river stretched on for miles into the distance, surrounded by towering snow-capped mountains that stretched up high around the valley, cocooning the river below, creating a majestic safe haven.

White, fluffy clouds were scattered over the blue sky above. The sunlight warmed him, thawing out his aching bones.

A soft, gentle wind caressed his skin. He had never felt a breeze so lovely. Down below, a family sat at the water’s edge, drinking the pure river water. Two young children splashed and played in the water while their parents sat and watched on, smiling and holding hands. Further up the river, dozens of other families enjoyed the sunshine; it was just another perfect day in paradise.

Animals of all types – lions, tigers, dogs, birds, horses – roamed the grassy fields, some drinking from the water, some lazily sleeping in the sun. All these creatures lived in absolute harmony. Their hearts and minds were pure; there was no violence in this place.

Drake sat atop the mountains, watching over the creatures of the valley. He was the most noble of all. He looked down and saw Te’oma standing in the field. He stretched his wings out wide, leaned forward and gracefully glided off his peak. He effortlessly soared down across the valley and swept above the fields, causing the grass to flutter in his wake. He flapped his wings forward and landed only inches in front of Te’oma. “You are not of this land,” said Drake.

Te’oma looked at him, confused. ‘Does he not recognise me?’ thought Te’oma. “I do not know where I am,” he said.

“You are in the land of Sentari, a haven for all creatures,” said Drake. As he spoke, the other six dragons all flew above them, very close to the ground. Te’oma recognised Antastus and reeled back in fear. Antastus looked back at Te’oma, but thought nothing of it. Drake noticed his fear. “Who sent you here young boy, and for what purpose?” snapped Drake impatiently.

“You sent me here. For what purpose I do not know,” replied Te’oma.

“Come. You look hungry,” said Drake. The two walked along the grassy fields for many miles, following the winding river. A small town sat on the opposite side of the river at its end. The town was made of small wooden huts, with many people busily going about their lives. The river was fed by a waterfall, above which Te’oma could not see.

Drake walked through the river. The water moved quickly and Te’oma hesitated. “It’s ok,” said Drake. Te’oma reluctantly walked out into the water holding onto Drake tightly. The water was surprisingly warm. The current was strong, but not strong enough to knock Te’oma off balance. Hundreds of small fish swum about his feet as he walked across the smooth pebbles of the river bed.

“This small village has been set up for strangers. You are welcome to stay here as long as you desire. Now I must leave,” said Drake.

“Wait, where are you going?” asked Te’oma.

“We all have our role to play, young boy. Mine requires that I leave. You will be well looked after here,” said Drake, as he leapt into the sky, spraying water all over Te’oma.

Te’oma wiped the water from his face and watched Drake fly into the distance. He looked across at the village. All the people had stopped and were looking at him. A gentle old man with kind eyes, approached Te’oma.

“Don’t mind them,” he said. “They just haven’t seen a new face in a very long time. I am Hendrid. What is your name?”

“Te’oma,” said Te’oma nervously.

Hendrid puts his arm around Te’oma’s shoulders. “Nice to meet you, Te’oma. Come, let me show you around.”

The village was an amazing place. Every person there had their own hut, each with soft warm beds and a fireplace. They shared a communal kitchen in which they got together and created dishes that Te’oma had never dreamed of. Food was abundant; the river provided an endless stream of fish and the meadows made great farming lands, yielding every kind of fruit or vegetable anyone could desire.

The villagers quickly built Te’oma his own hut and they asked for nothing in return. It did not take long until Te’oma was completely lost in the everyday life of the little village. He was put to work, fishing the river by day, a task he greatly enjoyed. At night, he spent his time in the meadows, staring up at the starry skies.

Every so often Drake and the other dragons would fly above, but they would disappear as quickly as they came. Before Te’oma knew it, he had lived in the village for three months. He was so content with the life he was living that, while he had not forgotten about Ariana, Julius and Sky, he could not find the desire to try and return to them.

One day, Te’oma washed in the river like he did most other days but, this time, something was different. It was unusually hot, so hot in fact that he decided that he was happy enough with his catch for the day, and went for a swim. The water was perfect and he swum on his back staring at the sky, with not a care in the world. Up above, a small figure flew in the sky. Te’oma wondered what it was. It was too small to be a dragon, but it was too big to be a bird. As the creature flew past Te’oma, the world began to slow. The river flow slowed down, all the plants leaned towards it, as if it was somehow pulling at them.

“What was that?” asked Te’oma.

“That was the Phoenix,” said Hendrid, as he approached the water’s edge. “You must come from a very distant land to not have heard of the Phoenix.” Te’oma swam to the shore, climbed out of the water and sat on the grass. Hendrid sat down next to him. “Not much is known about the Phoenix, but it is said that it was he who made the dragons the guardians of this land. Are there not dragons where you are from?” asked Hendrid.

“There are, but they do not watch over us like they do here, not all of them anyway,” replied Te’oma.

“That’s a shame. You don’t often speak of your home. What was it like there?” asked Hendrid.

“You wouldn’t like it. It’s very cold, not nearly as lovely as this place,” said Te’oma.

“There is a legend among our people that refers to a connection between all living creatures. It is said that we all influence the world we live in, some more that others, but we can all make a difference,” said Hendrid.

Hendrid took the bucket of fish that Te’oma had caught and started to walk back towards the village. Te’oma looked down at the river running below. The water was back to its usual flow. He stared into the water, looking deeper and deeper. Something in his mind had changed. ‘I don’t belong here,’ he thought to himself. He needed to find his way home. “Hendrid,” called Te’oma. Hendrid turned around, smiling at Te’oma. “How does one go about leaving this valley?” asked Te’oma.

“Why would you want to do that?” asked Hendrid.

“I need to find my friends,” said Te’oma.

“Come with me. I’ll show you in the morning,” said Hendrid.

The village had its usual banquet of food, along with singing and dancing by a roaring fire in the middle of town but, for some reason, Te’oma could not enjoy the festivities. Ever since he saw the Phoenix he had changed. As perfect as this place was, it was not home without his friends.

The warm morning sun rose into a crystal clear sky, like it did most days. Te’oma and Hendrid were up and about early. Hendrid led Te’oma to the waterfall that fed the river. “If you climb the waterfall to the top, there is a small platform with a round pole in the middle. Many people go there to pray. If there was a way to leave this place, that is where you would find the answer,” said Hendrid.

Te’oma immediately started climbing the waterfall. “Thank you,” he said, with a glance back over his shoulder at the kind old man.

“I hope we will see you again one day. I have enjoyed your company,” said Hendrid, before he continued about his day. It was almost as if nothing that happened could bother the villagers. Te’oma found it very strange.

The rocks were sharp and slippery. Te’oma was extremely careful not to slip. He had not realised from below how high the waterfall actually was. He dared not look back; his fear of heights well and truly kicking in. The closer he got to the top, the harder it was to climb. Down below, all the people of the village had gathered to watch him. He reached out for a rock that quickly dislodged itself from the waterfall. He started to fall before quickly grabbing on to another rock. The villagers below gasped. He summoned all his strength and climbed up to the top of the waterfall. As he peered over the edge, the platform came into view. It sat atop a small hill, a few hundred metres away, surrounded by grassy fields.

Te’oma looked back down at his new friends. He waved goodbye and then headed for the platform. The platform was the same as the ones he had encountered throughout the lands. He stepped onto the platform and held the pole in the middle, but nothing happened. He let go and grabbed it again, but still nothing happened. He was confused.

Drake swooped down from the sky above and landed next to Te’oma on the platform.

“I knew there was something different about you from the very moment I saw you,” said Drake.

“I need to get home. I was told this was the way,” said Te’oma.

“The platforms were built by the Phoenix himself. They are unpredictable,” said Drake.

“It’s a chance I’m willing to take,” said Te’oma.

“Ok, but you’re going to need some help. Stand back,” said Drake.

Drake stood up on his hind legs and took in a deep breath. Smoke flowed out of his nostrils. He opened his mouth and flames roared out. The flame slammed into the pole in the middle of the platform. The pole absorbed the heat like it was nothing. Drake continued to breathe fire until the pole glowed red hot, then he stopped. “Step up and place your hand upon the pole,” said Drake.

“It will burn my hand,” said Te’oma.

“It is the only way,” said Drake.

“Before I go, I need to know why I was brought here,” said Te’oma.

“I cannot answer that question for you. The answers you seek are all around you. You have only to open your heart,” replied Drake.

Te’oma stepped onto the platform. “Good luck,” said Drake, as he leapt into the air and flew away. Te’oma reached out his hand to touch the platform, the heat radiating from the pole causing sweat to pour down Te’oma’s forehead. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on the pole. The pole shook. It was not hot to touch, but Te’oma could not let it go. A force shield created a dome over the platform, as water suddenly appeared at his feet. The water rushed in faster and faster, but Te’oma still could not let go. Before he knew it, the water was up to his waist.

The water filled the dome-shaped shield even faster. It went past his neck and rose towards his mouth. He gargled as the water filled up past his head until he was completely submerged. The water continued to rise until it reached all the way to the top of the shield.

Te’oma could not let go of the pole but, strangely, his lungs did not crave the taste of oxygen. Time outside of the platform appeared to speed up; days and nights seemed to pass in minutes.

The Phoenix appeared in the night sky above the platform. The seven dragons all flew in formation next to the Phoenix. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Phoenix disappeared and the seven dragons all flew off in different directions.

Time moved even faster. Te’oma looked out as the grassy fields withered and died. The river that fed the waterfall ahead slowly froze over. Dark clouds rolled in and the land was covered in its very first snow fall.

Time moved so fast that days were but an instant. The lands had turned to a familiar sight for Te’oma. Thick layers of snow covered the ground. The mountains were shrouded in clouds. Not another living soul could be seen.

The water in the shield started to recede. As the water washed away, Te’oma’s grip on the pole loosened. As he let go, he fell to the ground in slow motion. ‘The whole world is connected,’ echoed throughout Te’oma’s mind as he closed his eyes.

“Every creature, no matter how small, can make a difference.”