The Elements of Zion: The Vine, The Branch, and The Thorn

Chapter 5

We ascended higher and higher into the heavens, the magnificent and sacred city of Zion expanding and coming into full view below us. Beneath me, the tension left his body as Trose flapped his wings with deliberate intent, suspending us in midair for a breathtaking moment. His head tipped up and he let out a deep breath as though he understood the significance of the sight before me, and he wanted me to absorb the beauty and grandeur of Zion in all its hallowed glory.

From our aerial vantage point, legions of guardians swarmed beneath the canopy of the great tree at the heart of the city. It was as if the courtyard itself pulsed with divine energy, its very essence now resonating with the roar of the guardians as they signaled our departure. Their calls stirred the winds to rise, gusting through every silken feather of Trose's magnificent wings, his every majestic movement infused with the essence of this gathering. "I need ye to hold on tighter than ever before," he said.

As I began contemplating how it was even possible to hold on any tighter, I couldn't help but think of the seemingly Herculean effort I had expended thus far. I quickly adjusted my ball cap, turning it backward, and instinctively burrowed in deeper. Hands trembling, I tightened my grip on the hollow shafts of his feathers and clenched my eyes shut.

"Send it." I said.

The experience of riding atop Trose was undoubtedly exhilarating, reminiscent of being in the cockpit of an FA-18 fighter jet as it looped upward and descended dramatically. With my heart pounding and lodged in my throat, I found myself acutely aware of the incredible force exerted upon me, emphasizing the sensations of negative G-force. Then, as if diving headlong into another world, we plummeted down the mountain and punched through the thick, enveloping clouds. Upon breaching the veil, turbulence rocked us with jarring dips, threatening to wrench me from Trose's back. As we descended to meet the clouds' ceiling, our visibility increased — a world unlike any I had ever known stretched out before us.

A faint, mysterious glow suffused the landscape, casting spectral colors in every direction, igniting the realm with splendor. Undulating across the horizon, the light reflected off a diverse array of terrains: from ice-encrusted tundras to expansive plains and lush subtropical forests.

At that very moment I observed something truly remarkable. Seemingly out of nowhere, peculiar traces, resembling paths, emerged and intertwined with one another across the alien landscape. Initially, they appeared fragmented, almost haphazard in their existence. But as we ventured forth into the unknown, an incredible phenomenon unfolded. The fragmented paths coalesced, knitting together like threads in an ancient tapestry, forming an astonishing labyrinth of extraordinary complexity. Intricate and deliberate patterns wove through the bewildering maze, ultimately converging upon a single path at its heart, one that was undeniably more grand and imposing than all the others. A profound curiosity drew my weary eyes toward the distant horizon, where the outline of a colossal structure awaited us. Flying closer, the details of this enigmatic edifice gradually revealed themselves, sharpening my sense of anticipation.

As we neared, before us stood an awe-inspiring, towering gate, forged from solid gold and emblazoned with the emblem of the great tree upon its face. This resplendent wall of the labyrinth was nestled into the very heart of a perilous mountain range, with jagged peaks and sheer cliffs steadfastly guarding it on either side. And like serpentine protectors, these formidable ranges stretched out from both sides of the gate, their dark forms dominating the horizon.

We landed at its base, and I quickly slid off Trose's back. I turned around to find him gone. "Trose?"

"Zion's Edge," he said from behind me.

I jumped. "You have to stop doing that!"

He appeared in minor form once more. "They've been placed here to prevent The Thorn King and his forces from progressin' further."