Chapters: Introduction - One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven - Eight - Nine - Ten - Eleven - Twelve - Thirteen - Fourteen - Fifteen - Sixteen
Characters: Archun - Bright Promise - Pyyon
The sun set along the borders of the land while Archun sat lost in his memories. He decided that he would name the little Bishel 'Merik' after his brother-in-law, well, Elaria's late older brother and his late brother-in-law. The darkness of the sky fell upon the edges of Rhul and crept along the boundaries of the orchard hill and finally up to Bright Promise's door step. She probably won't be home until late.
Archun felt his hearthan body tremble from exhaustion. Of course, he could transform into his spiritual essence- which was basically what he was sans the magical powers- however the thought never crossed his mind. Instead, he stood up on the wooden step and clasped his hand around one of the many wooden posts on the porch that surrounded and barricaded the facade of the house.
He sighed slightly, watching the solemn stars fade into brightness over the dark portion of the sky and glitter down to the earth below, though very far away from him indeed. He saw this world grow from the very seeds that borne them, yet felt this strange distance from the land because of his lack of a real 'body' apart from his spiritual form. This hearthan body was just a disguise, though it did resemble his past life's body quite well.
Inside he went with his heavy and tired body. He could not think of a proper place to sleep, so he rummaged through an old chest that Bright kept by the window seat. It had been a long time since he looked inside it. It was made of old cherry wood, a dark red pigment made up the innards of the trunk of the trees and made for fine furniture, thus this chest showed a slight object of wealth in hearthan society. A dull green metal outlined the edge of the wood and tightened in the front to a broken lock that once held a beautiful keyhole and name plate. He remembered seeing it when Bright was a young child, before...
He opened the chest without much effort, even though it was slightly rusty around the hinges. Inside lay a large woven blanket of a light yellow yarn, enough for such a night to keep relatively warm. Nearby in the other room was a couch that he could nap on until Bright could return, hopefully with good news from the Kailan. He reached into the chest and pulled the blanket from its holdings. As he moved it out over the chest, he noticed a last object tucked away in a corner of the box. In the dim light of the moon through a window he could make out the delicate remnants of rose petals.
"She kept it?"
Leaning closer, he laid the blanket on the floor as he reached into the chest and pulled the long dried rose from the corner. Long has it been since he last saw it, and last presented it to its owner. It was a gift to Bright Promise when she was still young, before he really got to know her.
She sat alone by the plants of the park while other children played in the dimming hours of the day. Sitting still, she noticed the light blue cat that had been fixated on her that crouched behind a bush. Archun slunk back when he realized that Bright had caught attention to him, and quickly diverted his gaze repeating the mantra, "I am just a scared little kitten, don't mind me."
On her hands and knees, Bright crawled under the bush and pulled up the little kitten, she wasn't afraid of wild animals. "And who are you little one?" She pushed her nose up against the kitten's snout and stared into his slender diamond eyes. At that instant, Archun drowned in the darkness of Bright's pupils and saw deep into her uncharted soul.
There, he caught a glimpse of all that her spirit had ever encountered, ever dreamed, and ever held close to her heart, including him. In a flash of stabbing memories, he knew that this was the new body that housed Elaria. For relief pawned his emotions, her wandering spirit did not fall to a plant's roots nor to an evil creature to inhabit. For thousands of years he searched, knowing that Aille had brought her spirit stone along with him on the long journey from their old land to Rhul, as this was how Archun was able to be reborn in his spirit form.
Bright put the kitten down again, knowingly recounting the same emotions Archun had just felt, but did not understand how to interpret these feelings yet. Archun scurried away as Bright sat still, staring back at the bush in where he came from. Frantically searching for a token to give to Bright, Archun brushed up against some roses that had just flown into full bloom. Bypassing the thorns as best as his small kitten mouth could do, he broke the stem and retreated back to Ms. Promise, still astounded.
Her arms laid open in her lap as she kneeled on the ground while Archun laid the token on her open hands. She clasped the end of the stem and brought the rose petals up to her nose. Slowly closing her eyes, she took in the sweet aroma of the Bloom months and all that associated themselves with this feeling. She opened her eyes again and placed her fingertips along the crest of the silk petals.
"Thank you..."
She sat with Archun until the sun set, then treaded back to her home, unknowing of the small blue cat that followed her and kept watch of her all night.
"I always wondered what she did with this," Archun whispered to no one in particular.
He placed the delicate rose back into the chest, closed it, grabbed the large blanket and snuck to the couch. He lay on the couch and softly fell asleep between breaths and sighs until a slam came from the front door.
"Archun! I know you are here! We need to go, now!"
The young man jumped in his sleep and landed on the hard wooden floor. It was now pitch dark, the clouds must have covered the moon. "Bright, what are you doing back, and so loud?"
Bright grabbed a candle from the front doorway bookshelf, pulled out a match she tucked away in one of the drawers and lit a tiny flame. "Archun, listen. I went to the Bishen Realm and they, I mean him, I mean the Kailan wants to meet with you! We need to go right away!"
"Tsk, tsk. It is black outside, we won't be able to travel in this darkness, I am surprised you even made you way back here without getting lost," Archun replied with a little teasing grin.
The girl pouted a bit, "But I think we shou-".
"I bet you need sleep just as much."
A slight frown of disappointment grew on her face, "Ok," she stood up with the candle still in hand, "but we are leaving early tomorrow morning! And now, I am going to bed." With that, she swiftly turned around and took leave to her bedroom. Archun instead, unhesitatingly plopped back on the couch and right back to sleep.
"Good morning spirited one!" Bright Promise's face enveloped the sun around her as Archun open his eyes to the morning.
"How can you be so cheerful, especially when you have had less sleep than I?" Comfortably, his right leg hung over the back of the couch while his other leg rested on the ground with his head propped up on one of the arms of the furniture and each arm strewn about.
"Well, from the looks of it, you survived through a tornado!" She smiled slightly and pulled the ruffled boy out of bed.
After a small breakfast, the couple prepared to walk to a transportation hub that Bright Promise had set up in order to reach destinations in a shorter time. "So where is this hub? How far do we have to walk and are you sure you remember how to get to it?"
"You'll see, not far and of course, I only traveled there yesterday." The two walked down the windy path from the hilltop, past the orchards and to the bottom where the shelter was. Bright unlocked the door to the building and walked in. "I'll just be a minute."
"Sure, you always take half a lifetim-"
"Ready!"
"Huh? Oh ok, we better get going if you think we-"
"Just walk into the doorway." Archun turned to where Bright Promise was standing. "C'mon, we must be prompt if you think we are going to be able to qualify to keep the egg." Inside the doorway was an obviously advanced piece of hardware that filled the entire area of the closet.
"Since when did you get this installed?"
Bright Promise grinned, "You mean you haven't noticed?"
After transportation to a forest, the two trembled through plant after plant. Luckily, the two did not run into any wild beasts. Finally they came upon the main complex of the Bishel Dragons.
"Isn't it pretty?"
Inside, dragon after dragon after wyrm scurried through conversing with one another. Bond mates also floated around with their respective dragon, discussing life with other bond mates and the like.
Up on a platform stood a large red dragon, noticeable older than all the others, overlooking his clan.
"These are members of the Machesri Clan, prominent in this Realm. They've been hatching clutches in order to spread the health of strong Bishen." Archun nodded. "You understand why this is important to me?"
Archun tilted his head and looked at Bright, "Of course I do, I always have, I always will, even when you don't even see that I am there."
Bright bent her head down. "Well, let's see the Kailan, shall we?"
The couple held hands and marched up to the platform.
Welcome Archun, and Bright Promise again of course. The red Kailan bowed his head in respect as Archun and Bright emulated the same. The Kailan turned his attention to Archun. I understand that you are interested in bonding to this egg I have asked Bright Promise to care for?
Archun looked into the Bishen's eyes, "Yes sir, I believe that I can offer this Bishel a good place to survive."
The Kailan replied with a stare, You have doubts, I understand.
"Of course sir, it will be the first time I have taken on such a responsibility."
Wise was the Kailan, for he looked deeper into Archun and understood his position and his past. I feel it wise to put you in place of such a task. Please, take good care of the egg and when it hatches, lead it to the ways of the Bishen and train it with respect and moral.
Bright Promise squealed with delight, "See, Archun I knew you'd be allowed to!" She hugged Archun tightly around his neck.
Bright Promise, I never once doubted your judgment, but I needed to see Archun in the flesh. Now I know Archun and can trust him. Please go in peace.
Page Last Modified on March 12 2012
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