Wings of Arian (3 page)

I have never known any different
, he answered simply.

Looking down, the thick wooden areas of the forest were disappearing and were replaced with lone trees, grass, and rolling hills. A river wound its way back and forth looking like a snake wiggling through the valley. In front of her, the mountains pushed themselves up from the ground stretching into the clouds.

The mountain range that surrounded the land gave it a rugged beauty that she had always treasured. There was just one dark spot in that mountain range; it was a source of continual visions for her. As well as a constant reminder that she was indeed, different. Just to the right stood a section where two giant peaks flowed down to meet each other almost at the valley floor.

You have visions about those peaks?
Arturo asked.

Kiora started, and then covered it with a laugh. “Sorry I am still not used to the fact that you hear everything I think.”

What did you see?

“I always see a gate in between the two mountains, there.” she pointed. “It’s huge, the metal swirls and moves in a way I’ve never seen metal worked before. Anyway, they are affixed to the mountain blocking the pass, and locked in the middle. Sometimes in my visions, I would grab at it and rattle it, trying to open it.”

And could you? Open it?

Kiora paused; there was anxiousness to Arturo’s tone that was different. “No, there is always a man, with dark hair.” Even recounting the vision, she felt dark and cold inside. “He laughs and then he always says the same thing, ‘I shut it, but I could not have locked it without her help.’ I don’t know who ‘she’ is, and it feels like it’s important, but I can’t make any sense out of it.”

Arturo was silent for a moment.
Sometimes visions don’t always make sense at first.
“Yes.” she took a deep breath, she did not want to let the past ruin this amazing ride.
No more thoughts of visions, of wings or of evil
, she told herself.

Throwing her arms out, she laughed. “This is amazing!” she shouted into the wind. This type of experience was exactly what had allowed her to throw herself headlong into being the Solus. She looked out over the world, from Meros in the south, to the Sea of Garian in the east. Her world was edged with a barren rocky land that butted up to the magnificent mountains. In stark contrast to the mountains lay her valley; there was a forest of magnificent pines, grassy hills, small lakes and winding rivers. She could see the castle turrets poking up at the edge of the forest, glittering in the sun and marking where Meros began.

On they flew, coming closer and closer to the mountain range. In fact, Arturo seemed to be flying straight at the face of the mountain without the slightest indication of deviating. Kiora’s heart thudded.

“Where are we going?” Kiora yelled.

Arturo did not alter his course, nor did he justify the question with an answer, but continued to fly straight at the face the mountain looming over the top of them, threatening them for their boldness. Kiora’s heart pounded faster as they were enveloped in its shadow. Arturo swooped in at the last second, pulling his wings back to slow them and landed neatly on a large boulder jutting out of the side of the mountain. He knelt for her to slide off.

She sat there for a moment, her sweaty hands clenched firmly around his mane staring at the ledge.

Don’t be silly Kiora. We just flew all the way here and much higher than we are now.

“I know, but I trust you.”

More than you trust your own feet?

“At this height, yes.”

Arturo snorted and stayed as he was, waiting for her to dismount. She slid down slowly, placing her feet carefully and wiping her hands on her pants.

“What are we doing here?” she asked, turning her eyes away from the ledge.

I cannot help you with this.
Arturo said settling himself onto the rock ledge. Clearly he expected them to be here awhile.

Placing her hand on her hip she scanned where they were. They were surrounded by rock on three sides; the fourth side was just a lip of stone that stuck out over the cliff. The view was magnificent, although nothing of any magical importance struck her eye. Leaning against the rock wall, she crossed her arms and stared out into the world, wondering what the point of it all was.

“Why does everything with magic always have to be cryptic and horrible?” she pouted.

You don’t believe that, you have been thrilled with your magic
, he corrected.

“I was, before the wings.”

People may do whatever they wish with magic Kiora, that is what makes it horrible, not magic itself. You know that, you can feel that. And much of what you saw in the wings had little to do with magic and everything to do with evil.

It was true, evil threads did feel distinctly different.

“Fine, but it’s always been cryptic. Aleric always left me nearly without any instructions when we were at the castle.”

The pegasus smiled to himself.
Because if we showed you everything, you would learn nothing.

“Come on,” she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. “You fly me up the side of the mountain, strand me here with nothing and then tell me to figure it out?”

Kiora, have I ever told you how exhausting it is to project into a humans mind?

“No. It is?”

No answer, just a look.

“Fine,” she huffed, pushing herself back up. “You know, I could still learn if things were explained. For example,” she said walking back and forth along the face looking for anything that might justify their trip here, “you could have just explained threads without having me traipse through the forest all day.”

But you learned.
Arturo pointed out.

“Yes, but I could have learned faster if you would have explained what I was feeling.” She had stood there forever looking into the forest with no idea where to go. But then she had felt it, the thread. Something poked its way through her heart vibrating like a guitar string that had been plucked.

Perhaps, but what will you do when there is no one to help you and you must rely on your own feelings?

“So, I am looking for a feeling?” Kiora pressed.

Arturo looked at her with an almost parental glance of disapproval before he fell silent again.

“Alright, alright.” She nervously tip-toed closer to the edge of the rock, she laid down gingerly, pulling herself the final few inches to peer over the edge. The loose rocks dug into her thighs and stomach, but she was not going to look over this edge standing. At this height, even lying down made her dizzy. She closed her eyes to clear her head and took a deep breath. Opening her eyes again she scanned the valley below. It was breathtaking: the river crawling around the base of the mountain, the trees spotting the countryside going on for miles. However, beside the obvious beauty, she could see nothing else. Not one sign of civilization, magical or otherwise.

I must be missing something, she thought. She was slowly learning that in magical lessons the answer was never obvious. She stared intently, except for the breeze rustling the trees below she saw nothing. Not even a bird soaring above the treetops. She finally rolled over and looked at Arturo. Who appeared to, once again, be smiling at her.

“What’s so funny?” she asked sitting up to brush the rock bits off her palms.

He just shook his head and turned to look at the back side of the rock face.

Kiora stood up and walked over to where Arturo was looking. “I don’t know what you want me to do, Arturo. There is nothing here!”

She walked back and forth looking for anything unusual.

“It would be really helpful if you would just talk to me and let me know what it is that you want me to see.” Her voice trailed off as she felt a low hum coming from the side of the mountain. “What was that?”A gust of wind blew her hair into her face, nearly obscuring her view, she pawed it out of the way wishing she had braided it.

She walked back and forth again in front of the rock face. As she passed by the middle she felt it again, the same low hum, similar to Arturo’s but without his pulsing. “Is that magic?” She looked at Arturo.

He nodded his head again towards the area she was looking at.

“I know. I feel it. I still don’t know what to do though, it’s just rock.” She turned to look at it again with her hands on her hip. Cocking her head to the side she noticed something. Squinting, she looked closer. Some sections of the rock were not as crisp looking as the rock surrounding it. They looked... fuzzy around the edges. She frowned as she slid one hand across the rock face, it all felt like stone.

“Arturo! What is it?” She slammed her hands against the rock in frustration. As soon as both her palms hit the wall, it evaporated before her eyes. Then she was falling into a large stone room slamming her hands and elbows into the floor.

Kiora moaned in pain, pushing herself back to her feet.

Arturo trotted by her into the cavern as if to say, it’s about time!

“Thanks, Arturo, glad you’re concerned.” She brushed off her pants, tucked her now tangled hair behind her ear, and looked around. It was bare with the exception of a very old looking wooden table in the center of the room. On the table sat a large book, candlestick, an inkbottle and a quill.

She gingerly brushed off the dust and cobwebs that encased the book. Placing one finger under the cover she carefully opened it. It smelled of dust and old paper. Inside, set on top of the bound pages was a loose piece of parchment with very small precise handwriting. She pulled the piece out and squinted trying to make out the words.

“I need light,” she mumbled. And with that, the candlestick ignited. Kiora shrieked and jumped back, nearly dropping the paper.

She looked at Arturo with wide eyes. “Did I do that?” she motioned at the flame flickering away at the top of the candlestick.

Read.

“Right. Sorry.” She walked closer to the candle and held the parchment up:

Solus,

This book is a collection of instructions; it contains everything that you will need to know in order to keep evil at bay. It is valuable both to you and also to Dralazar. He will do all he can to obtain the book. You must be vigilant in preventing this. He is already very powerful, and to add more to his arsenal would be foolishness.

Kiora stopped reading. “Dralazar?” she asked Arturo.

Evil’s master
.

“Why haven’t I heard his name before?”

There is much you have not heard Kiora, when we return to the Hollow I am sure we can show you who he is but for now please focus on the task at hand.

Kiora continued reading.

This book has been enchanted by the Ancient One to be used as a tool of training. It possesses things that are both powerful and dangerous to the untrained. It will only show you what you need to know and nothing more. This allows you to learn at a safe pace within the realm of your capabilities. Keep it safe, and it will keep you safe.

Evil has spent centuries trying to gain a foothold in our land. We have now been fighting the evil for five years and I am not sure how much longer this battle will continue. Many lives have been lost, more than I dare count, for I fear the number will be more than I can bear.

I have seen your day and I fear for you and your people. I have seen visions that I do not understand and I worry that the gate may be falling. I do not know if this is a good thing, but I pray that the battle will be short lived. Whatever may come, know that you are capable of whatever you are called to do, you would not have been called otherwise.

God be with you Solus. Fulfill your destiny, follow your path and find those who are placed in your path to help you on your journey. The key to victory is finding what evil does not possess.

Arian

Kiora sat down slowly on the ground her hands shaking. “Five years. He said he had been fighting the evil for five years,” she moaned. Putting her head in her hands, she cried.

On the flight home she struggled with her emotions and chose to deal with it, again, by not dealing with it at all. Instead, she clutched the book in her hand and stared. The sky seemed a little less blue with numbness as her new companion

Kiora, stop it
, Arturo demanded.
There is much to do and not enough time for self
-
pity.

“I am not pitying myself.,” she said aloud.

Kiora assumed they were headed for the Hollow, the home of the Guardians. But they flew right over the section of forest that Kiora was reasonably sure it was hidden in.

Blinking she looked around before asking, “Where are we going?”

The Wings of Arian.

“What!” she shrieked, nearly dropping the book. “Arturo, no! Put me down, I won’t go back there. I can’t go back there, especially not now.” The thought of five years worth of fighting was still tumbling around in the back of her mind where she had tried to hide it.

They are waiting for us Kiora.

“I don’t care.” She stopped, “who’s waiting for us?”

Eleana, Aleric and Emane
.

She nearly fell off his back. “Emane! What is he doing here?” she demanded.

That is why we are going
. T
o figure that out.

Chapter Two

THE PRINCE

WHEN THEY LANDED IN the meadow where the wings stood, Kiora could see a familiar shock of blond hair splashed against one of the trees. She clenched her teeth. Prince Emane. She found herself wrapping Arturo’s mane tighter around her fingers.

Relax.

Kiora tried to relax, but even the way Emane stood drove her crazy. He casually leaned against the trunk of the tree with his arms crossed in front of him, one leg swung over the other, announcing to everyone that he was supremely sure of himself. It was nearly the exact pose he had pulled right before she had aimed that levitating rock at his head. Her cheeks flushed. Although annoying, it was less annoying than the hysterics he fell into after the rock smacked her forehead instead. There was no denying he was handsome, she had tried, but— he was. His eyes were a stunning shade of blue that pulled you in and threatened to never let you out. He was tall with a lean muscular figure and blonde hair that always fell over his forehead. Everything about him was perfection, his high cheekbones, strong nose, and feathered hair. Perhaps it was his knowledge of his own perfection that made her crazy and not the perfection itself.