INSIGNIAS: THE REGALIS

The hundreds of rows and columns of emeralds glittered under the bright noon day sun, spawned curving on the yellow of the dessert, enchanting and hipnotizing than any diamonds and pearls and gems, perfectly smooth like glass. Some laid beneath a thin layer of the dust. A pair of dark purple orbs of the deep ocean was perched at one end of the long lines of emeralds. From a far, she saw a wide and long garden of green gems which took her breath away. They spoke to her, inviting her to pick some or lay on its glassy surface forever. A part of her mind wondered if it’s mirage like the river, houses and trees they saw earlier. But her whole body shuddered. At first, she couldn’t understand why.

Tessa realized when the emeralds neared. The two purple orbs rose several feet from the ground, dragging the emeralds up. They stared unblinking at her standing frozen in front of it. She noticed that the green of each emerald scale had different hue. Some darker than the rest, some lighter than the color of the desert. What she saw took her breath away again. But this time, she shuddered because of immense fear.

“Tessa!” Faz’s voice registered between the loud beatings of her heart in her ears.

How did we find ourselves in front of a large snake?

When the Seven, the Eclipse and Alyssa reached the Slithering Mountains, it was their fourth day of travelling together. Tessa thought it was going to be full of fights because of Faz and Ciar but she was surprised to find them working together with Skhy. There were a few disagreements, a few shouts and curses, but nothing immature or something Skhy couldn’t handle.

“Thanks for lending us these,” Tessa said when they settled in the forest for the night. Everyone was fixing their tents and sleeping bags lent by Ciar. One large tent for Tessa, Lei, Aria and Alyssa; one for Faz, Skhy and Clyne; one for Kol, Kage and Raven; and one small tent for Ciar. When confronted by Faz, Ciar simply replied that he likes sleeping alone. Tessa couldn’t help but remember the time when Skhy’s group and Nate’s group travelled together for the first time and spent days in the forests. Despite Storm’s independent demeanor, he preferred being close to Nate and Hanne. She glanced at Nate who also looked conflicted by Ciar’s answer but remained silent.

“Don’t mention it.” Ciar entered his small tent. When Aria, Clyne, Faz, Raven and Kage returned from picking fruits, everyone settled around the fire.

“I will guard tonight,” Kage announced.

“Clyne and I will too.” Faz’s silver orbs found Tessa’s eyes. She felt warmth spread from her stomach.

“I hope you’re not planning on keeping eyes on me every night.” Alyssa sighed after she said this. The girl looked more different from Eloise each day. Maybe because we already spent weeks with her. Alyssa rarely spoke, speaking only when needed; she was always inside her bubble, so it was a surprise when she asked to leave the group to return to the Elders’ Chamber. She said this when the group neared the border of the Canopy, the Slitething Mountains in view. The Eclipse immediately refused to let her go.

“If it’s to stop you from escaping, yes,” Kage replied and bit his apple. Alyssa’s unbothered gaze focused on the Eclipse.

“I’m not a prisoner,” she stated, “so there won’t be any escaping.”

“If you go, what do you plan to do? What do you plan to tell the Chamber?” Nate asked, frowning at her. Tessa noticed Nate’s growing curiousity about Alyssa. More about what she knows than about her.

“I won’t be much help in combat.” She pealed a banana. “I can alert the Chamber’s Knights for you. Find out about what the Concordians are doing, then alert you.”

“Alert us how?” Aria asked. Alyssa glanced at Kol who was stuffing his mouth with two bananas.

“The Eclipse,” she answered simply.

“We don’t trust you.” Kage stood up, his eyes on Alyssa. “How do we know that you won’t flee and side with the enemies?”

“Kage, enough.” Ciar motioned for Kage to sit down and he did unwillingly.

“Track me.” Alyssa’s unblinking eyes settled on Kage who visibly flinched. The dancing red fire reflected in her clear blue eyes looked more dangerous than the fire itself. Tessa frowned, confused.

“How?” Aria asked.

“They’ll figure it out.” Alyssa shrugged and returned her attention to her banana.

Tessa suddently remembered what Nate said before about Alyssa. A Discoverer. A person who can identify the elemental, weapon, power, and quality of another even just by seeing the person, or touching a person.

The conversation ended because Alyssa turned in for the night, leaving the others.

“I think we should let her go,” Nate suggested after Alyssa left. “She was only supposed to accompany us to meet the Eclipse.”

“I agree,” Lei added.

“She said you can communicate to and track her.” Tessa directed her statement at the Eclipse. “We need news about the Chamber’s Knights.”

“And other important news,” Lei interposed. Kage sighed, feeling cornered.

“Kol and Kage can,” Ciar replied. “She’s right, she’s a liability here than an asset.”

Tessa noticed Nate grimanced.

“Fine,” Kage said, defeated.

“Ok.” Kol was eyeing an apple on the grass.

The next morning, the group planned vigously how to travel safely in the Slithering Mountains without facing the zombie-like individuals, Demons portal, and invisible creature that the Seven encountered before. The group was trudging in the second mountain when Faz gave the map to Clyne and made his way to Tessa.

Tessa was at the far back because her mind reminded her of her father again. She had a hard time focusing on what her companions were talking about. She was clenching her fists while Ciar, after returning to the fortress, was talking about the divided Immortal Court and Mortemians, to stop herself from asking about her father. She wondered if he sided with the Rosein Army or if he had been with them from the start.

“You ok?” he asked, walking beside her. She couldn’t help but blush. Pull yourself together, Tessa.

“Yes. It’s easier to listen to the waters when there’s no other noise.”

“The boat returned?” she heard Nate ask Skhy. Alyssa left early in the morning after Skhy, Ciar, Kol, and Kage talked to her, so Nate had no more person to direct his questions to about the other realms.

“What are you thinking about?” Faz asked, looking concerned.

“What we will encounter when we arrive in the Mort.” Her stubborn side refused to open up to Faz about her father because she didn’t want to be a bother.

The next few steps were steep so Faz offered his hand to pull her up. She gladly took it.

“No, you’re not.” His hand was rough and calloused. He didn’t push her but he didn’t let it go either.

“Just my father.” She gave up keeping it from him. She lowered her voice so the others won’t hear her. “I wonder whose side he’s on.”

“Whoseever side he’s on,” Faz said, his eyes on her, “We’re on your side.” Tessa smiled, he grinned. She was about to thank him, when she felt a presence. Faz felt it too because he stilled. Both of them turned toward its origin, on their left, toward the top of the mountain. She didn’t hear footsteps or any noise except her fast heartbeat but the the presence was fast approaching.

“Something is coming,” Lei said. Everyone felt it, stopping them in their tracks.

“Not just one,” Ciar said. “Go!”

“I can fight!” Faz glared at the direction of the enemy.

“There are too many of them!” Ciar roughly grabbed Faz’s right arm. They glared at each other.

“We will die here,” Ciar hissed.

Tessa ran and followed the others, with Skhy leading and Ciar and Faz behind everyone.

“Rosein Army?” she shouted as they follow Skhy down the mountain toward the river.

“Most likely,” Skhy shouted back. Tessa paused for a second at the edge of a steep drop before jumping down. Her left side crashed on the ground. Biting down a groan and keeping the pain to herself, she quickly stood up and ran.

“Where are we going?” Aria was running beside Skhy infront.

“We are not safe in the mountains,” Clyne pointed. Tessa panted as she continued running. Her feet and legs started to hurt.

“And we won’t be safe in the water,” Aria countered. Where are we going?

“The other side of the river!” she heard Faz shout from behind.

“Are you insane?” Ciar shouted back. Tessa felt lighter as they neared the river and she felt its strength and flow. Meanwhile, the dangerous presence was close behind.

“I can make a barrier.” Tessa called the water. She felt her insignia above her heart warm. “I will raise it as we cross the river.” Three voices cursed.

“I will help,” Lei added.

“Skhy, you take Aria, Kol and Raven. Kage, teleport with Aria, Ciar and Nate. I will bring Tessa and Lei.” Faz talked so fast that Tessa couldn’t understand what most of what he said.

When they reached the riverside, after a few steps, her body levitated.

“I got you,” Faz said when he noticed her panic. Lei, who was floating beside her, looked terrified. The others were also flying except for Kage, Aria, Ciar, and Nate who had disappeared. When they crossed the middle of the river, Tessa raised both her hands. The water rose until it reached the clouds, until its shadow swallowed Tessa and the others. Tree roots of different sizes rose with it, creating a vine-like pattern.

She flinched when she felt an arm around her so she turned around, finding Faz’s silver-coloured eyes. When her feet touch the ground, despite feeling drained and exhausted, she gathered more strength for the barrier to last.

“It’s fine now, Tessa,” Skhy said. Her eyes stayed on the towering water wall.

“Are you sure?” she asked, between deep breaths.

“Yes,” Faz firmly said. After breathing a sigh of relief, the wall slowly dropped in the river. Only then that she noticed the throbbing pain in her feet and legs.

“We should rest before moving,” Skhy said. Tessa followed his gaze and her eyes widened. The heat hit her. The dessert was the color of the blazing sun. There was nothing but sand and sandunes and the cloudless sky as far as the eye can see.

“How?” she asked. She only saw large black rocks and fog whenever she glanced at the other side of the river.

“Welcome to the South Edgeburn,” Clyne muttered, frowning.