Book V Chapter 15: Noblewind
Heaven's Pillar Ruins, Aensdoun
The Court swept meticulously over the Heaven's Pillar ruins, leaving no stone unturned, no corner unchecked.
They moved as one entity, each pair of hands working in unison to collect, clean, sort, and chart each artifact and tablet the expedition uncovered.
No one said a word, for no one needed to; this was the perfection of the Erosions' connected minds. No need for time wasted sending away correspondence, shipping new pieces of information, or waiting for further instructions.
The Silent Rose only wished they possessed such innate efficiency.
Silently, they studied their finds and considered the implications.
Across the ruins, several Courtesans cleared the dust away from an old panel, carved with dancing figures of various dragons and animals below them.
Centered beneath the scene, three stood side by side; a crocodilian, a bear, and an eagle with its wings spread wide.
The Courtesans knelt down, opening their journals to painstakingly copy the mysterious runes carved below the panel.
Dilndrou crawled out onto the beach, paying little mind to the odd white zeppelin settled nearby.
The ocean water had stung at his wounds mercilessly; with no way to safely return to the woods around Lassenbhurg to gather herbs to heal them, he was left with no choice but to swim back for Aensdoun as swiftly as he could.
On the brighter side of things, the bloodied water caught the attention of several sharks before long, which he ate gratefully before continuing on his way, saving him the trouble of hunting while wounded.
Now, however, there was the matter of the Sacred Grove and Voghn's mutts to handle.
Could they have crossed the sea already-- or was there still time to warn Sasha?
With a pained growl, he rose to his feet again and made his way into the wood. His bogs weren't far from here; once Sasha knew of the danger, he could return to his laboratory and rest.
As he trotted over the solid earth, the jewel-blue sky caught Dilndrou's attention, and he sighed heavily.
The last time the wolves had ever proven a threat, they were part of the Aen'och Trior-- three avatars with three powerful tribes at their service.
Now, only he and Sasha remained; the Trior destroyed, his own silisks and basilisks dispersed across the world.
And Aqk...
Dilndrou stopped in his tracks, lifting his great head to bellow so thunderously that the nearby Anshe tribes looked in confusion at the clear skies in search of rainclouds.
No one would dare interrupt his sorrowful cries-- and the winds grew calm and still, as though to mourn with him.
He watched with dark eyes as the tiny faeries danced and celebrated within their villages, reveling in the light of the suns and the gentle breezes that whipped their hair about and tickled their faces.
High overhead, an enormous bird spun and wheeled about through the air, laughing melodiously as she shared the joy of her people restricted to the earth below. Her golden feathers glittered in the sunlight as she beat her wings, calling out again and again to the winds to carry her aloft-- to lift the hearts and spirits of the Aen'och Trior to fly with her.
Dilndrou did not wish to fly; as the first alchemist, he could craft magic potions and spells to grant him wings, or even his sister's graceful form, if he so wished it.
But his place was within the brackish water and soft mud of the earth; he honored and respected the winds as they respected him, but they truly belonged only to Aqk.
And so he was content to watch, and allow her to enjoy her time in the sunlight.
The three avatar-siblings shared many things, and joy was the greatest of all; a precious and vital stuff as free and shining as Aqk herself.
Next Chapter: Book V Chapter XVI
Category: Book V | Story
