[Prologue]
[Chapter 1]
[Chapter 2]
[Chapter 3]
[Chapter 4]
[Chapter 5]
PROLOGUE
The coolness of the room's inner sanctuary settled
around her. Tara remained silent when the Supreme One's
presence left. The Supreme told her she could watch, not
interfere. The statement was not a request, it was an
order. Leaving the cool dark stone chamber, the matriarch
returned to her work area. As it had been for several
cycles, the tables remained cluttered with several
unfinished projects. She scanned the work area until seeing
the fire bowls. The Arch User moved the parchments and
viles from a small table careful not to disturb their mystic
properties. Forcing all thought from her mind, she carried
one of the bowls to the table. When the liquid in the bowl
quieted she began whispering. After several graceful hand
gestures she focused her eyes on the liquid fire the copper
bowl held.
The Arch User watched the Dream Master become a gray
fog. Beside the Dream Master a watery mist materialized.
The Dream Master and the watery mist, Tara knew to be Chonkí
past through her domain. Curious, the woman dressed in pale
blue robes trimmed in silver watched in silence. Though
matriarch of Quasta, and Guardian to the Gateway to the
Seventh Land, she didn't know what was about to happen. She
suspected the Supreme One was returning something long
forgotten to the world of mortal kind. Disturbed, she
doubted if those of mortal kind were capable of accepting
ancient creatures. Creatures who might again soar the skys
above their world.
Bringing a manicured finger to her mouth, she fought
the urge to speak. She watched in silence as the fog and
mist floated through the provinces of Eastern Auxnurs. The
unseen entities paused at an ancient monolith. The monolith
momentarily glowed green in a new dawn light. Continuing
their journey, the Dream Master and Chonlí floated through
the gates of Folista.
* * * *
A light misty fog gathered outside the lattice framed
window of the royal courtyard. Seeping through the wooden
slats, it floated through the corridors. Nearly invisible,
it paused at the entrance to the bedchamber before creeping
through the cracks of the gold inlaid carved doors.
Uniformed guards, standing their posts were unaware of
the intruders. Or what was about to take place beyond their
sight. The fog and mist separated. The fog began
reshaping. Now dark gray, it allowed a faint breeze to lift
it. In silence it hovered above the bronze framed bed.
Surmi, on the verge of sleep, like the guards, was
unaware of the fog's presence. Instead he felt the gentle
swaying that often occurs before the onset of sleep.
He groaned as the fog touched him and a dream began to
reveal itself. A muffled scream escaped his lips as a low
moan. His personal Teller of Dreams, Meki, tried to warned
him of his master's visit during the cycle council of
affairs. The teller warned him, even heads of state were
not immune to the Dream Master's visit. Surmi ignored the
warning. Soon the warning was dismissed and forgotten.
The sleeping man felt unseen hands softly caress him.
Cloud-like hand gently lifted his essence from his mortal
form. Seconds later it placed his essence in a corner near
an oak wardrobe. His essence watched the cloud-like hands
dissolve. The mist reformed into a black fog. An ominous
cloud began taking shape above the man's sleeping body. The
fog began to swirl. Slowly an eagle-like head, chest and
talons took shape. Wings large enough to support the
massive form materialized. The mist-like form sharpened,
revealing a mystic beast all but forgotten by mortal kind.
This was a creature of legend. The body from the shoulders
back was that of a lion. The two hind legs ended with four
twenty-five centimeter claws on each paw. Its body ended
with a lion's tail. The tail whipped through the air.
Surmi's essence cowered next to the wardrobe. He watched in
horror as Chonkí, the Protector came to life.
Chonkí extended her wings, hovering she remain
stationary. From tip to tip the wing spread measured over
four meters. Centimeters above the bronze framed bed,
Chonkí used her talons to carefully pull back the down
filled cover. On the bare chest of the sleeping man, the
dragon tattooed emblem of the House of Folista was fully
exposed. Bird-like eyes widened with recognition. Enraged,
Chonkí raised her head and roared a challenge.
Responding to the challenge, thread-like vapors rose
from Surmi's chest. Once airborne, threads of vapor
gathered mass. Newly formed yellow eyes glared in anger
from being woke from three millennia of sleep. Pale gray,
bat shaped, wings kept the transforming threads airborne.
Nimble, claw-like hands grew from the second joint of the
wings. Slowly a lizard-like head formed. A serpentine
body, powerful hind legs, and tail quickly took shape. The
winged serpent grew in size till it was twice the size of
its nemesis.
Drawing its head back, Folis the Defender filled its
lungs with air and spat sulfuric acid. From the corner, the
essence of Surmi watched as drops of acid burned everything
it touched including the essence of the sleeping man.
In protection, Chonkí brought her wings forward.
Folding them, her wings covered her head and chest. Chonkí
slashed out at the flying serpent with her front talons in
retaliation.
Below the sleeping man began thrashing. His violent
movements forced his essence to be pulled back to his body.
A horrifying scream escaped him. The flying serpent
dissolved quickly retreated. Once more it was no more than
the royal tattoo on the man's chest. Trembling, Surmi woke.
The frightened man's eyes darted around the room. Both the
Dream Master and Chonkí had disappeared. Surmi fought to
control his fears. He knew all too well the dream's
meaning.
The guards, hearing Surmi's cries, forced the doors
open. As the guards stood in the splintered doorway, Surmi
bellowed, "Bring me Meki. Then find the where-abouts of my
eldest son and his bride. It is time I discovered more
about this woman. How it is that she can put my house in
danger. What power does she hold to bewitch my son?"
[Prologue]
[Chapter 1]
[Chapter 2]
[Chapter 3]
[Chapter 4]
[Chapter 5]
