Two Worlds Between Stars: the Seer

They walked and walked and walked. Adilah was going extra slow too, to help Aamir and his broken body. The night sky was studded with a million tiny diamonds. The trees had settled down for the night but the occasional owl broke the silence. They walked until about 9:00 p.m.

Eventually, they came to a clearing by a lake. The beach was covered in many tiny shells and the lake itself seemed brighter than the moon. They decided to camp here so they took out tents while the centaurs gathered sticks, leaves, and anything else they could find for a fire. In about 15 minutes they had a nice campout. Yakir was sitting on a rock telling stories his Ma used to say and the centaurs had listened.

Adilah though, was by the lake with Aamir. She helped him out of his shirt and he jumped into the lake to clean the cut.

It had stopped bleeding but Adilah needed to wash the shirts. Aamir resurfaced, “Thanks,” as Adilah handed a clean shirt to him. “You can thank me by avoiding any more life threats and cuts by angry centaurs,” said Adilah.

“Well, I can’t make any promises,” Aamir said. He sat down beside her.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Well at the moment cleaning your blood-soaked shirts and thinking how the heck am I going to do this.” Aamir laughed. “I mean it, Aamir. What am I going to do and you better not say we’ll figure it out together because now we have a deadline. Flame decided to save us and now it may be my head, I don’t want to mess things up for them, but I will if I don’t figure this out. He said not to make any enemies with the Remara but I made a whole group of centaurs against me.” Aamir cut her off, “you’re right you’re not doing a great job and his banishment will be our fault.”

“You know most friends say something reassuring,” stated Adilah.

“Well one, I am not most friends, two, I am not going to sugarcoat anything and three, I have lost a lot of blood so I am not sure how I am supposed to sit without losing another gallon.” Adilah finally got a good look at Aamir. His brown hair was tossed and caked with mud. His eyes were more distant and his skin was paler. He slouched more and he didn’t look as healthy as he had when they left. Adilah shook her head as a bunch of nightmarish thoughts filled her head.

Aamir stood up and reached out his hand, Adilah took it and they walked to the campsite. Yakir scooted over so Aamir and Adilah could sit. Dari was curled up in the nook of Flame’s legs. “Dari seems to like Flame,” said Adilah.

Flame whispered, “I like her too.” Adilah laughed and then Aamir spoke, “I have been trying to make you laugh and that is all you need to hear!” He threw his arms up dramatically. “Damn.” Adilah side-bumped his shoulder and he did the same back. Soon they were all laughing, breaking the silence of the quiet forests. This was the first time she wasn’t worried about Papa and she felt a bit happy that she had a ton of friends helping her. Around 10:49 pm things died down and everyone went to sleep. Yakir was sleeping in the tent with Aamir and Adilah would be with Ivy. Ivy’s power was she could change how she looked but only for 2 hours so she wasn’t a full shapeshifter and had to use a lockenlock potion to stay human for up to 12 plus the two she had. She became a human girl so she would fit in the tent.

They stayed up late as the nightmares started to creep in. Ivy became a fast friend and Adilah had many questions for her. “How did you and Flame meet?” asked Adilah. “Well, it is quite interesting actually. I was looking for food and he pounced on it so I shot him by accident. It was in the leg and he still has the scar. Anyway, we were bonding over thousands of things and soon enough we started hanging out. When my dad, Chief, found out he made Flame an outcast and by association, Spark. Spark slowly won the trust back from my father but Flame has always been on his list of “accidents″. But still, we’ve been best friends ever since and still meet in the same field.” Adilah was in shock by the time Ivy ended her story. “My turn. How did you and Aamir meet and are you...” Adilah cut her off, “no, no, no it isn’t like that we are just friends. We met in school. And I wasn’t exactly popular, let me tell you it's not fun having the basketball team pummel and make fun of you all the time. Anyway, Aamir was on the team and while he normally stayed back, he actually stepped in. And when the team caused me enough trouble Aamir got into a fight with Adnane, the captain, and he got kicked from the team and a 2-week suspension. But either way,...” Adilah cleared her throat, “...we’ve been best friends ever since.” Ivy was smiling by the end of the story, “What?” asked Adilah. “You’re blushing,” pointed out Ivy. Adilah changed the subject quickly, “we should get to bed, we have a long walk ahead of us.” suspiciously Ivy said, “Mhm.” and they settled down for the night.

-

When Adilah woke up, Ivy wasn’t there. It looked like it was about 6:00 a.m. but she didn’t know. The birds were chirping and she knew she was never going to be able to go back to sleep so she grabbed a change of clothes and walked out of the tent. Dari was playing with Ivy- who was a centaur again. “Good morning!” said Ivy happily. Adilah yawned, “morning!” She stretched her arms out and then found the nearest bush in a thicket to change. When she came back out she was in a summer tank top with ripped jeans, her hair tied back in a messy braid. Aamir and Flame were still sleeping but Ivy was already packing up the campsite. Yakir had kicked the fire out last night when they bedded down but there were still embers hot from the fire. After packing everything Adilah grabbed the compass. Aamir was the first out of the tent, then Yakir, and then Flame who came from behind the tent looking antsy. Aamir gave him a guilty look then walked over to Adilah, “he’s upset he couldn’t sleep in the tent.” Adilah chuckled and said, “Hey Flame don’t feel bad Aamir here snores like a hog.”

“I do not,” said Aamir, defensively. Yakir butted in, “actually yes, yes you do.” Aamir blushed and Adilah smiled and continued packing. Dari stopped playing and came over to greet Adilah and Aamir then ran off to Flame. “I think that is everything.” Aamir decided to ask, “Can Flame and I rinse off in the lake? We don’t smell great.” Flame nodded to back him up. Adilah rolled her eyes and sighed, “okay fine, but be quick.” She caught herself, “when did I start sounding like a mother,” she threw her hands up in the air. Ivy pranced over, “I was thinking, do you think we could travel faster if Aamir, Dari, Yakir and you rode on Flame and me?” Adilah nodded, “yes but I don’t want to do that to you.”

“No, no it is fine. Dari doesn’t move around much and I figured Aamir could be with Yakir on Flame and you and Dari on me. It would just be easier that is all.” Adilah nodded. It would be faster plus Dari seemed to sit still on Flame so Ivy shouldn’t be any different. “Yeah okay.”

“Great, I will tell Flame and Aamir,” Ivy said with a smile. The birds were chirping and singing even louder now. Aamir had thrown on one of the clean shirts Adilah had washed last night but still had a red tint to it. He looked back to normal, still skinny but well-rested at least. Flame had made him a new crutch letting his power of making things come to use. Aamir winced now and then but the cut had scabbed over a bit during the night so all he did was complain about how itchy it was. Ivy had made a cream out of some things she had foraged for in the forest. Adilah decided to put it on him now so he stopped complaining about it. “Come here you big crybaby,” she said playfully. Aamir walked over and pulled his shirt up so Adilah could examine the cut. “It seems to look better when there isn’t blood pouring out of it,” she said. Adilah patted the cream on the cut. Aamir hissed, “I wonder how I should explain this to Grammy. Her hard candy will surely come to use,” Adilah shook her head and laughed, “only you could make a joke out of almost dying.” “Well,” he started, “it is one of my specialties. he sighed, “Wow that feels so much better.” Adilah was glad, she didn’t want to listen to him whining the whole way to the Elems. But she knew it was genuinely hurting so she didn’t say anything. Ivy was walking over, “Flame agreed to do it as long as we have breakfast first.” Aamir laughed. Yakir came prancing out of the forest with an assortment of berries, leaves, and apples with golden red pigment. As soon as Adilah saw the food she realized how hungry she was. They all sat around the wood circle that used to be the fire and Dari was munching on a treat that Adilah had grabbed from the bag. They sat in silence eating blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries with apples and some mint leave for taste. Overall it was a pretty good breakfast. After they ate they packed the tent that the boys used and made sure the beach was the same as when they came --- Adilah double-checked everything worrying that Spark might be following them. Flame had made saddles for Ivy and him so they mounted the centaurs and they started the trek. They decided on stopping near the borders of the Mountain trail but had to be careful when they crossed it the next day since it was where the Ice lari; dragons, foxes, goats, nymphs, and Ice Larki (Giants made of ice and snow) lived.

They rode for miles of silence and then finally stopped at the end of the forests for Flame and Ivy to take a break. Adilah applied a bit more cream on Aamir’s cut and they ate a few more apples for lunch. Adilah fed Dari real dog food and she was happier after she gulped it down. They talked very little until they were about a mile from the Mountain Trail. Aamir was the first to speak, “So we’re not going to die by the mouth of a dragon right?” Adilah rolled her eyes but she was secretly terrified, “way to be positive Aamir.”

“Hey, all I am saying is I have almost died like 3 times. I don’t want to literally die.” Adilah shook her head in concern. Then they came to an abrupt stop. They looked even more jagged in person.

The small mountains she saw in the distance in the Mandra village were now a huge, snowy frontier ready to churn them up and spit them out. Adilah had a surge of regret and misery wash over her. Aamir got down from Flame and helped the small Mandra down as well. They started setting up the tents and Yakir and Ivy went to a creek nearby to get some water and fish. When they came back they had 5 trout fish and 1 salmon along with some berries they saved. Yakir started the fire and they all finally talked. Aamir started, “Flame? Your name is Flame, how come you can’t start a fire?” Adilah couldn’t stop herself; she broke out laughing. Yakir held his breath but let out a little chuckle. Flame blushed, “I never learned. Anyway, how’s your cut?” Aamir answered, “fine, I have been better. But I would, no offense, really like to punch that smirk off Spark’s face.” Adilah felt a bit better; she didn’t know why she was jealous of Spark. Flame cut off her train of thought, “no offense taken. I’m sorry she cut you.” Aamir tried to make him feel better, “Well I guess I am just that irresistible,” said Aamir. Ivy started throwing her apple into the air a couple of times before taking a bite. Flame smiled, “Ivy what is with you and always playing with your food?” he asked. “I’ma do what I want with my apple okay Flame and if you try and take it, I will shoot the other leg,” she said. Flame placed his hands in the air for surrender. They laughed. “Oh yeah! Flame can we see the scar?” Adilah asked. “What scar?” Aamir and Yakir said simultaneously, even Dari cocked her head. “Ivy shot Flame because he tried to steal her food. It’s how they met.” Adilah explained. The boys suddenly got excited as Flame turned his foot to show a long jagged scar with a star shape in the middle. He pointed to it, “That’s where the arrow hit, and then I kept moving so it tore up my leg. I couldn’t walk for a week.” He laughed. They talked for 3 hours until the last light was the glow of the moon and the fire. They settled down but they were in for a treat in the morning.

When they woke around 5:00 a.m. they packed, ate, and immediately got moving. Adilah was surprised when they got on the mountain trail because the forests were covered in mists and fog immediately and snow started to fall, hard. Adilah worried because she couldn’t see her hands in front of her face but the problem was she didn’t know if Flame and Ivy were having the same issue. Adilah could hear Aamir as a faint whisper but she didn’t know where it was coming from. The snow sped up and the wind whipped even harder. Flame shouted over everything that he saw a cave and Ivy sped up. Dari was barking at this point and was burying into Adilah’s arms. When they got in the cave, Flame made a boulder and blocked the entrance then he made a light that lit the whole room only to find they were face to face with a giant Ice dragon. Dari whimpered and everyone else froze. The stories for the Ice dragons were they destroyed villages with their icy breath and they blended in with the snow. They could also call upon a snowstorm which sometimes led to devastating consequences. Flamed seemed to get the idea because he made a crossbow for Aamir, a dagger for Adilah, and two bows and sheaths of arrows for him and Ivy. They made the exchange carefully but the wind whipping and howling outside made the dragon stir. Flame kept the light low but it seemed to have no effect. A soft growl erupted from the dragon and its eyes moved back and forth under its enormous eyelids. A rumble came from its mouth and Adilah soon knew what it was doing, “look out!” Everyone jumped out of the way just before the massive sleet of ice erupted from the dragon’s fanged mouth. This time the dragon’s eyes opened. It blinked, up and down, left to right. Adilah was sure it would spot them then she remembered it couldn’t see well! But it could sense heat signatures, they were doomed. The dragon roared as the whole cave crystallized with ice. The ice climbed the walls making the room colder than it was. Dari was shivering against the cold and was huddled between Adilah’s legs. The dragon walked around the cave and roared again. They covered their ears. The screech seemed so high-pitched that she was ready to collapse. Then its eyes swept the room sending a chill down Adilah’s spine, even colder than the cave itself. It stopped on Aamir, Flame, and Yakir and they ducked behind a rock just before the second blast of ice erupted from the dragon’s mouth. There were dark red splotches leading to the rock and Adilah knew it was Aamir’s cut that was bleeding again. There was movement by the boys’ rock and before she could say anything they charged the dragon but Aamir wasn’t in the group. Adilah took the chance to run to the rock and find him. He was there lying against the stone. Flame had made a bandage for the slash but it was already bleeding through. “Are you okay to walk? We have to get out of here?” Aamir shifted a bit, “I am fine, it hurts a bit but not bad. What are we going to do about the giant stone ball guarding the exit? Even if we could get out we don’t know which way to go, the storm is too heavy.” Adilah knew she hadn’t thought that through. What would they do even if they got out of here? Take their chances in the storm? Ivy galloped over and in a blink of an eye turned into another dragon. Aamir rubbed his eyes in shock. Adilah rolled her eyes. Ivy walked over to the other dragon who was now creating a light snowfall in the dim cave. Adilah made sure Aamir was alright and then said, “I will be right back.” As she got up to leave, Aamir grabbed her wrist, “I am coming too.” Adilah helped him up and then pulled the dagger out of its sheath. She tried to remember the weak spot of an Ice dragon from the stories. Aamir knew what she was getting at as he responded, “It is on the back of it. Right behind the head. I would go up there but I don’t know how stable I would be. So I will help to distract the dragon and you try to climb up there from the tail.” Adilah nodded. Her heart was pounding in her chest but she gripped the dagger tighter, “yeah shouldn’t be too hard I will try not to die, promise.” Aamir laughed a bit, “that would be the ideal thing to do.”

He ran out there with the crossbow and joined the fight. They were all distracting the dragon and jumping back and forth to make sure they didn’t get hit by the icy breath. Adilah made her way to the back of the ginormous beast. The snowfall had now become a small blizzard and ice and snow covered the ground. She held the sheath and then put the dagger back in. Since she had no place to clip it to she put the sheathed dagger gripped between her teeth. Then she got a running start and lunged onto the dragon’s tail. The dagger still gripped between her teeth she used her arms and legs to hoist herself up the tail. Once she was on its slippery, spiky back she stood up and used the spikes as a guide. The dragon shifted and maneuvered and she got closer and closer to falling off. Her foot slipped. “Shit,” she cursed and slid down the side of the dragon’s slick body. Clawing, she caught the bone of the dragon’s wing and used all her strength to pull herself up. She was steady again, this time staying more toward the middle. In a matter of seconds, Adilah was upon the weak spot. “Now!” Aamir shouted over the roaring and thundering of the dragon’s clawed feet. Adilah reached her arms over her head, holding the now unsheathed dagger, and jammed it right into the weak spot. The dragon roared and swayed back and forth, banging into the cave walls and making small rocks fall from the roof before it toppled onto the ground. Its eyes slowly closed and it looked to be asleep. Had she killed the dragon? Adilah wanted to make sure. Adilah made her way to the chest of the dragon on the other side. She leaned her head against the scales and listened to the three heartbeats die out, one. by. one. In a matter of moments, the dragon lay still, dead, on the icy floor, its face now streaked with blue blood.