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Leoplorian grasslands
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My mammoth trudged through the diminishing snow. Tufts of  grass could already be visible and with the fog cleared the sun’s warm rays could finally make contact with the ground. I was nearing my destination. Leoplorians always lived in the hot grasslands. Selpians always lived in the snowy tundra. That’s the way it had always been for centuries. We always thought of them as primitive barbarians but they were hardly ever thought of, considering they hardly ever made contact with Selpia. Lately this was not the case.

I tied my coat around my neck. The giant assortment of hare skins were drowning me in sweat. Ice on my boots melted as we entered the rising temperatures of the Leoplorian land. I felt my mammoth’s back muscles tense in the hot climate. My pants stuck to his sides as he began to sweat. The grasses and trees grew taller and pools of ice water evaporated the farther we went until ultimately we were the only signs there was ever a cold to be warmed against. The heat felt comforting against my numb face.

The sun was sinking and I decided this was where I would leave the mammoth. He seemed a bit perplexed when I untied the knot on his collar and slid down his side. He took a few steps back as if testing the bond and realizing it was gone he relaxed. I think he got the idea since he was heading back to Selpia, or it could have been his fondness of the Selpian climate. Either way I continued, knowing I had more reason to worry about what was up ahead than what I’d left behind. The sun had disappeared by the time he was gone and I lay in the tall grasses. It was a long cold trip and it was nice to lay in something warm for a change.  I can’t say I missed the Selpian snow after laying in its numbing frozen surface for what seemed like months now. I’d lost track of time since I last left Selpia but I knew at the very least a month had passed.

Sundown approached as the sun hid behind a random assortment of tall trees. My thoughts finally narrowed on the hunger I‘d ignored since waking this morning.  I searched the grassland for a sign of life. No birds flew from the trees, no animals scurried through the grasses. I searched the ground but only managed to collect a handful of insects, mostly common beetles, for dinner. I never liked insects much and they tasted far worse uncooked. But I managed, besides I didn’t want to risk being caught in a rushing grassland inferno, something I didn’t have to think about in Selpia. The silence in the grasses was both relaxing and frightening. There was no whistling numbing pain into my ears. No rodents scampered through the tall grasses. No bird sang or cried or flew about. It was as if the entire world had…vanished. Had the same vanishings occurred here that were occurring in Selpia? A chill bounced from my empty stomach and up my spine. I shook the feeling and thought off. Imagining an empty Selpia in my return was too much to bare on my shoulders.

As the sun fell behind the horizon the air grew cold. It was almost like walking back into Selpia. Dew drops covered the tall grasses. I collapsed against a tree with its branches low and spread out. With my hare-skin pouch as a pillow and my coat as a blanket I slept nestled between the roots of the tree. Even with the tall grasses hiding me, I had the uneasy feeling that there was something watching me. The most perturbing part was that there was a high probability this was true. The Leoplorians hunted for their sacrifices at night. Let mercy come to the Reaper of the night, for the poor creature that falls prey to the grotesque beast-God they served. Sleep came slowly and spastic movements woke me at random in the dark. I don’t quite remember sleep coming at all but it did, eventually.

When the dark sky was finally tinted by the bright yellow of the sun, my eyelids felt heavy from a sleepless night and my body hesitated with the thought of movement. I stood and hugged my coat, the air had not yet warmed. Although no birds sang and not a leaf rustled the ambiance felt a little less hostile. I listened closely wanting to hear something other than my breathing.

Did my ears deceive me? I heard a distant sound that was something in between a snort and a laugh. The worst came to mind. They were Leoplorians. Upon instinct I hid behind the tree I slept beneath but panic struck me as I heard heavy footsteps running towards me. I sank lower into the field of grass. The footsteps became closer and hit the ground even harder and even faster. My heart pumped hard and my body shivered. They had seen me, I was sure of it. My hand was already on the hilt of my sword. Air rushed past me as they ran. The two of them were apparently running in the same direction. Each ran past me on either side of my sanctuary tree. It was morning so I guessed they weren’t too interested in hunting. I peered out of the tall grasses and it was obvious they had not seen me. Their gape was like that of madmen; clumsy and seemingly purposeless. They yelled, hooted and waved their spears up in the air. Black and red paint was smeared all over their naked bodies, save a small area that was covered with a cloth. It really is impossible to name a more grotesque sight than that of their countenances.

The Leoplorians were the most ugliest creatures you could ever see. Repulsive in sight and smell. Their misshapen faces would be enough to scare any creature. They had jagged teeth that were randomly placed in their mouths and were of completely different sizes and shapes. Their eyes were wild and stuck out of giant tumors from their massive heads. Tufts of hair grew on only a few areas of their heads. Two v-shaped slits were cut in the middle of their heads. The only “normal” thing about Leoplorians that categorized them as humanoid were their massive bodies that had no apparent scarring or mutations.

Slinging the sack I carried over my shoulder, I stalked the quick bastards, hiding behind trees as I went. After only a few minutes I realized they were heading towards a forested area in the grassland. A trail of smoke left the forested area. Fire? Then it hit me where they were headed to. I kept on trailing them until I arrived at the Leoplorians’ camp. I instantly smelled burnt wood and a strong, stale waste-like stench all around me. The horrific smell was nauseating and suffocated me in its density. I breathed through a scarf around my neck, and all the while wondered how the Leoplorians could stand such a stench. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked on.

I had always heard of these savage ceremonies, but there was always one small detail that intrigued me: who or what was this beast God they served. Stories that I had heard always varied in the description of the beast. Some have said it to be just as repugnant as the Leoplorians. Some describe the beast as a blood-thirsty demon that created the Leoplorians to serve and satisfy his ravenous obsession with flesh and blood. The truth is that nobody has ever really seen it.

Silence pervaded through the crowd of Leoplorians and their heads turned towards the mouth of the dark cave. A cloud of smoke began to fade from the cave into the thick air. From the back of the crowd came a rustling that split the crowd. A Leoplorian was carrying a long branch and too my mortification a Selpian peasant bound to it! Trepidation grasped my heart and indented my stomach as I realized what was happening. The head of the poor Selpian hung limp on her bosom as if it were a limb. Her skin was pallid and her blonde hair, partially torn out of her skull, grew from a lump of dried blood on a flap of her scalp.

Cold sweat budded on my skin and a shiver erected the hair on my body as the Leoplorian neared the mouth of the cave. Only a few feet from the dark shadow of the cave, the Leoplorian stopped abruptly. With an echoing grunt, he threw the branch (corpse and all) into the darkness of the cave, and stumbled backwards into the crowd. Instead of a thud, a splash reverberated throughout the cave. The cloud of smoke grew more dense and in puffs instead of an ongoing stream. Heavy breathing and a few more splashes echoed. Again, all fell silent.

The crowd of Leoplorians slowly dispersed further into the forest and some back into the grasslands. I crept closer to the mouth of the cave, seeing that none of them could abandon fear of it. What to do? I could start the long journey back to Selpia. Or I could investigate just a little further. Thoughts of home were tempting, but lurking beyond them was the itching curiosity of what truth lay in the myths of my childhood. With a deep sigh, I walked towards the mouth of the cave and stood before the large hole in the large rock formation. I heard a few gasps behind me but knew the remaining Leoplorians would not gather the courage to step any closer to their beast god  than I had. Walking along the left cavern wall I entered the cave. Darkness pervaded as I crept deeper into the humid and warm cavern.

Another step and the rock ground suddenly crumbled. I quickly held onto a stalagmite and felt scrapes burning all around my body. I heard the rocks continue to tumble below and it was quite a while before they made the familiar splash.  It was a long way down and I didn’t want to risk falling into a foot deep puddle. The stalagmite began to crack. My feet searched for anything that could serve as a foothold but the rock was worn to a smooth and wet luster. I kicked the wall, hoping the metallic toe cap on my boots was enough to crack the wall. After a few painful kicks the rock cracked. I loosened the grip on the stalagmite and worked on making more footholds. Eventually I reached a ledge in the rock.

Only now did I notice the overpowering smell of smoke. I could see nothing and decided it was about time I lit up something. I reached into my rucksack  and scavenged for some spark-dust and a torch stick from my sack. My heart leapt to my throat as a grumble echoed from within the darkness. I let a handful of spark-dust fall to the branch and waved the now lit torch around. As far as I could see I was on a trail cut out of the rock formation. A pang of guilt, fear and helplessness rang in my stomach. I looked up and wondered just how long it would take to see my brother again. What was this cowardice I showed? I could not abandon my journey now. I was so close to seeing the beast-god. Gulping down fear, I continued on the sloping path.

Distracted by the thoughts of home it took a while for me to notice that the grumbles and splashes had ceased. When I did take note of it two things happened: the ledge ended abruptly and below I saw water. I jumped the few feet into its shallow depths and held the torch high. My heart pumped with all it’s might and the childhood myths of the beast-god raced my mind. Only a few feet from where I stood, lay the greatest creature I’d seen to this day. It’s size scared the reason out of me but it’s beauty was what kept me standing for so long. The beast’s head alone was the size of at least five mammoths piled up. It was covered entirely in white damp fur save for the large curved horns that protruded from it’s massive head. I was at once deceived by it’s innocent sleep but only until I made note of the various corpses and bones that were scattered in the mucky water.

It was as if there was an aura around the beast that truly made it a deity. Or was there truly a light behind it? I slowly walked through the dead bodies (some of which I recognized as Selpians but most of them didn’t seem human at all) and around the beautiful beast. The light was in fact coming from behind the creature. I could faintly see another opening out of the cave.

I was beginning to think I wouldn’t make it, for the beast was just now stirring from its serene state. I began to smell the smoke from behind my scarf again. Menacingly the water formed waves as the hill of fur rose up. Up higher and higher went the beast. It’s fur dripped a waterfall of mucky water over me and extinguished my torch. Out of fear I broke into a sprint. It was a panicked reaction I must admit but victory was as simple as reaching the opening. The opening was small enough to save me from the jaws of the beast and that was reason enough to run. Adrenaline pumped through my blood. I breathed deeper the stench of smoke. Coughing and wheezing I ran for dear life counting only on the camouflage of the dark cave and the speed of my legs when pumped heavily with fear. The beast-god finally took notice of me and searched the choppy waters for the escapee. The darn thing must’ve had eyes built for the dark because once my torch went out the cave was as dark as before, even with the small light coming from the opening.

The instant it saw me with it’s pale eyes it pounced cat-mouse style right on me. The impact knocked me smack down into the shallow water. One would never even wonder how a person could drown in a foot of water. I took a breathe in (bad idea) the water rushed into my lungs. I tried to cough it out but there wasn’t any air around for the breathing! Light-headed and lungs bursting with that nasty water I was drowning. Though the darkness didn’t change I felt my conscious leave my body and come back, as if trying to make up its mind whether to leave me dead or attempt to live for a measly minute more.

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Selpia
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I should have listened to her. Maybe if I hadn’t been so stubborn and stupid she would be here. I paced Evelyn’s bedroom. Heat built in my nerves as blood rushed in torrents from my heart. It was either that or guilt that did so furiously pour forth from my undeserving heart. It had been the first time in my life I did not know the whereabouts of my sister. One would think an empress is not someone easily lost. Evelyn, how could you vanish---No! She did not vanish, she was merely kidnapped. I really did wish I could convince myself it was only at the cost of a ransom I could see my sweet sister. Deep inside I knew it was much more difficult than that. Deep from the source of my brotherly guilt , I knew she had vanished like the many Selpians I had so foolishly convinced her to ignore before. She was always concerned about the villagers. She warned me that a time would come when we could no longer ignore the fact that our people were disappearing.

I gazed out of the grand window In her room. Every morning I found her looking out this very window. Her eyes would follow the passerby villagers and she would smile when she caught my glance at the door. Every morning save this one. When Evelyn was left to carry the burden of Selpia, I knew she would make a worthy empress. Her love and generosity always extended farther than her grab. Sometimes it would reach too far. That’s where I come in. I’m her guardian half-brother. The one that knocks common sense into her when she forgets she is in fact the empress. Since her rule, peace in Selpia has been opulent and no apparent problem has risen. That is, none ‘till a month or two ago. We had heard several complaints of peasants that had vanished overnight. The disappearances had no pattern other than their location (they were all happening on the western edge of Selpia). There were more and more as time passed and not much could be done. Since the source was not evident, it was difficult to take any action.  Evelyn sent watchmen to guard the villages at night, but even they disappeared. Nobody saw anything and there was no trace of blood or a struggle. It was as if they had been literally plucked from Selpia.

Blame was dropped onto witches and neighboring empires but no evidence can support either. Evelyn sent spies and watchmen and even begged the elves to protect the villagers during the night but nothing was ever seen or heard and nothing helped. I advised Evelyn to stop worrying about it. My reasoning was that it was just some unknown ritual the church had not yet divulged. I was the dupe who told her to ignore the problem. I was the foolish---

“Sir?”

Looking about the bedroom coming out of my deep thoughts, I saw a servant at the door.

“Sir, there is a girl inquiring about the offer, the offer involving Empress Evelyn.”

A peasant girl was all my good heavenly lord could spare me? It would have to do for now. If she did have any news, it should be told to the family.

“Bring her to the common room and call the family. “

I hurried to out the door and through the empty halls. As I opened the large double doors to the common room I found Delphi and Titan already sitting at the large semicircular table. I took my place at one end of the curved portion of the table. Delphi, a powerful wizard, was the wiser of the two and the one to keep quiet. Titan, Evelyn’s cousin, was an idiot and being such he was the one who decided to break the awkward silence.

“Where do you think Evelyn is?” inquired Titan with his usual, genuine ignorance and deliberately deceptive innocence.

My eyes bore into his nosy beady eyes. The only reason he lived in the palace was because of his two-faced deceased mother and Evelyn‘s pity of him. Titan was one of the few people that could stuff their faces in the Dinning Hall and never repent or feel guilt when none was left for the villagers. It was hard to believe he was kin of an empress.  I’d always thought of Titan as a greedy brat that I would one day get rid of. I couldn’t contain myself at this point.

“Why would you give a thought? You didn’t even bloody know her. Did you ever even truly give a damn?”

Finally I let something more than a hypocritical smile and response out. All this time Evelyn had been stopping me from giving that moocher a piece of my mind, but that would change. A malicious grin formed on my face as Titan stared fearfully back. He would soon realize just how fortunate he was to have Evelyn as a cousin. The doors opened. Adele and Sr. Romar nodded, entered and sat silently only adding to the tense ambiance that had already settled throughout the common room.

Adele is part of the Elven Magisterium. Evelyn was wise to deal with the Elven clan. They trained elves for battle in their underground dwellings for thousands of years. They were Selpia’s ally only because Evelyn had the sense to give them land and separation from our imperial rule in exchange for their protection. The Elven Magisterium was a court as much as it was a ruling system. Elves were very unlike humans. Their immortality gave them wisdom beyond our comprehension. They were currently gathering minds to work on making a hybrid light being. The Light beings were impressive creatures. Elves claim them to be immune to disease, immortal, and were centuries beyond our wildest reveries.

Sr. Romar is the centaur that leads our knight force. His very presence was always menacing, even if he was on our side of the battlefield. Centaurs usually avoided contact with any creature other than their own kind. Unless of course, it served as a means of meat. Romar had some profound reason he concealed to all but Evelyn and a few others. Secretive as he was, I admired his valiance and his knowledge of the battlefield always positioned us in the victorious end of any wars we had to participate in.
Everybody looked once more to the grand double doors as Knata and a girl entered. She seemed a bit flushed and hurried over to the seat next to Delphi. Knata was Delphi’s apprentice. Delphi had chosen to be mortal, as many wizards had before him.

“I apologize, Sr. Fafnir, for the wait. I’m afraid Cinna and Alias will not make it in time. I am informed the meeting is to be continued without their presence.”

Knata motioned the girl to sit next to her. She was wearing seemingly clean but tattered clothes that were two sizes too big. Her dirty blonde hair was neatly combed and her bright blue eyes stood out from her tanned skin. They glanced around the room nervously. As she sat, I stood, sighed and commenced the meeting.

“As we’ve all heard by now, Evelyn has… been missing and we intend to find her.”

My eyes looked over the girl. She didn’t seem like a promising witness but none-the-less she was all I had at the moment.

“This child claims to have news of Evelyn. Introduce yourself and tell us all you know, child. “

I sat and everybody’s gaze and attention returned to the child. The girl stood from her seat and seemed to at the moment release her fear and grasped from an unknown source confidence.

“I’m Eileen. Uh-well, yesterday night Papa told me to come inside because I was playing outside and it was getting dark and he didn’t want the Night-nabbers to nab me. But I wanted to see the stars, so I told Papa I’d come inside in a sec-- so I climbed this tree and waited awhile, when all of a sudden I heard some footsteps. I thought it was the Night-nabbers so I tried to keep quiet, I was real scared. But when I looked down I saw somebody running. I didn’t see her face but I know it was Evelyn. I saw her long white braided hair, that’s how I know.  She had a lot a furs on too. I tried to climb down and follow her but by the time I got down she was already running into the field. I ran real fast but when I couldn’t see her I ran back and told Papa. Papa didn’t believe me because he said Evelyn wouldn’t be running around at night, especially with the Night-nabbers. But when it was morning and everybody was looking for Evelyn I knew it was her I saw last night!”

The girl’s voice became more urgent as she got to the end of her story. Everyone looked at me and I stared back at them dumbfounded. If this little girl had really seen her last night, what did it mean? Was Evelyn running from something? Was she running to something?

“Could it be she was running away from something?”

I looked around for the lady that had spoken.

“I mean she couldn’t have run away…is that even plausible?”

It had been Knata, who’d heard the story before us, and had time to digest it. Everybody chipped in an idea of why but neither seemed to make much sense. Adele suggested Evelyn took it in her own hands, this business of the “Night-nabbers” as the girl had called them.  It would be like Evelyn to go out and do the dirty work, but then she must’ve known something we didn’t because where would she begin looking for them. Plus, that still didn’t explain the running. Or perhaps she just didn’t want us to stop her. Romar asked the girl if she’d seen anything running behind Evelyn. The girl denied having seen anything chasing her. The trouble was, even if she did just run off to look for these “creatures” or whatever it is they were, wouldn’t she be back before we’d notice?

If this girl had done anything in the past minutes, it was confuse the situation even more than it was. Knata led her out of the room and we all sat in deep thought. Adele looked at Delphi and questioned his thoughts. Delphi hadn’t said a word since I’d entered the room. Truthfully, I’d always thought he knew more than he told. One would fear maybe even hate a person like him. Knowing he was an oracle and wizard, I guessed and hoped his reasons for keeping to himself were more to protect us than to plan against us. Every once in a while I wondered if I could ever get more out of him but Evelyn warned me to respect the old man’s reasons, none of which he ever did give anyhow.

Delphi’s pale eyes looked wearily at Adele and then turned to me. I felt his cold, knowing gaze pass the very membrane of my skull. If he did attempt to skim my mind he would find nothing more than genuine sorrow and guilt. Feelings that would situate themselves in me until Evelyn was found. Worry gnawed at the walls of my stomach. As if on cue, Delphi spoke.

“Do not fret Fafnir. Evelyn is safe, now. She is currently safer than any of us, though far from home. “

He knew where she was and he wasn’t even going to tell us. How do I even know this old fool didn’t nab her himself? He was after all on the list of suspects and could be “Night-nabber”! My nostrils flared, and that was the only sign I gave off to the rest of them of the burning anger that raged within me. It was as if the guilt had now a blame to feel anger for.

“Relax Fafnir. Yes, I know where she is, but I cannot tell any of you. It is not time for it.  Trust me. Have I led you to chaos yet?” he rhetorically questioned all of us.

I stood and wanted to argue but realized he’d told more than he usually does anyways. I decided to take the time in asking him about Evelyn’s whereabouts and the situation.

“Can you at least tell us what is going on? Was she taken? Did she escape? What’s happening old man that you aren’t telling us?”

Delphi showed no emotion. How could he not have any emotion? I’ve heard before that those who have seen the past and future see so much and pass through so much emotion they eventually lose it (either on purpose, to cease the pain or as a form of nature’s own healing). I looked into his eyes more solemnly and pleaded to have that power and open his mind.

“I can tell you Fafnir that she went with her own will. I can tell you she went for a greater good, as you might expect. I cannot tell you where she is, because it is not your place to stop her, to follow her or to be with her right now. One day I will tell you. A day too far from now to count. Be patient and have faith in your sister and my words.”

Delphi held his staff and pulled his scrawny self up from his seat. He towered over us and seemed to float towards the double-doors. Knata opened them from the other side and stopped abruptly when she saw him.

“We shall now make our leave.” He nodded to everyone in the room, and lastly to me. “Keep your calm Fafnir. These next weeks won’t be easy but you must keep busy and take Evelyn’s place for the time being. She will come back sooner than the eternity it will seem to you.”

Knata looked at me solemnly. Even though she was young, I could see her eyes had aged much since I’d seen her a year ago when she was initiated as Delphi’s apprentice. She too knew more than she said, but she still had her emotion. I hated to see that such youth had already knowledge beyond what one her age should. Wizards and oracles sacrifices. They put general life before their own. I felt a sudden guilt for the heat I let out on Delphi. My chest was empty and I felt as though I was eroding from the inside out.

The rest left the table, said their farewells and filed out of the room. All except for Adele.

“You have nothing to feel guilty for. You heard Delphi, she’ll be back. “ she assured me, despite my incurable pain.

“I have a bad feeling about all of this. I mean look around. Her absence seems to tear apart everything. Father put her in charge for a reason.”

“And she put you in charge in the case of her absence for a reason too.”

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Yet another chapter…not in a any order
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I stood beside the filthy girl. Her face was so alien and yet there was some familiar air about her I couldn’t ignore. The Elder entered the small hut and searched around her pack. He found a pouch and looked inside it with eyes wide open.

“What is it?”, I asked knowing his reply might answer more than just that question.

“Sparkle-dust.”

“Sparkle-dust?” Well, that’s the last thing I expected and it didn’t much help in understanding the situation.

He suddenly smiled and rummaged the sack once more. This time more quickly than the first and pulled out …a branch?  Now, at times I knew the Elder acted in strange forms but I could always see reason in his actions. Yet here I was, left guessing and truly confused as to how some sparkles and a stick could light his face up so childishly. He grabbed a handful of azure powder from the pouch and sprinkled it over the stick. As soon as the particles hit the bark the branch lit up in a crackling blue flame!

The old man giggled, dropped the torch and ran over to the girl. I eyed the flame cautiously. What an incredulous sight it was to see both the flame and the insane Elder dancing around smiling and laughing. I couldn’t help laughing myself, partly with disbelief at what I was seeing. The Elder ran to the girl, still smiling toothlessly, as she stirred from her blackout.

Even with her literally dirty white braids falling about her tanned (or equally dirty) face, her eyes shone bright. They flashed brilliant blues, purples and reds as they wildly jumped about the hut in confusion. They stopped cold on my eyes. I returned a cold stare. Until I had reason to trust, she would remain the dirty girl that wandered foolishly into the cave.

The Elder scurried over to her and gave her a flask of rum, I presume, to drink and she looked at him curiously as he mumbled to himself some absurdity or other.

“I can’t believe this day finally came--You are Evelyn, aren’t you?--Hah! Who am I kidding? Of course you are!” The Elder kept on rambling but I saw he had gained her attention when he said what I guessed was her name.

“How did you know my name?”

The Elder suddenly stopped rambling and except for the crackling of the flame the hut was quiet once more. He kneeled down to her and started various sentences, without finishing any of them.

“The Elder knows all.” They both turned their attention towards me.

The Elder looked back at Evelyn and his eyes suddenly widened. He must have sensed something coming because in the following seconds he hurried to hide Evelyn under a stack of furs in the corner.

Sure enough, Severus’s knights came storming into our hut along with Titan the royal rat. The Elder sneered when he saw Titan and I felt just as disgusted.

“What do you want, Titan?” the Elder said in an irritated tone.

Titan laughed and grabbed the blue torch from the ground with his grubby fingers.

“And what’s this? Another little spell of yours. I think I should be the one asking what you are up to, don’t ya think, now? Master Severus won‘t be happy with this, now will he?” he retorted.

I immediately set in my mind a  wind spell and blew an Arctic wind from my exhaled breathe. Despite the spell the flame continued to feed on the bark. The Elder mumbled an unfamiliar spell under his breathe. I expected the flame to disappear but instead saw the flame’s limbs condense and implode into a plume of powder. The bark on the stick seemed to regenerate as the powder intensified… (to be continued)