The Darkness Steals The Light - The Elim Chronicles

Birds and Beasts

I could never even dream of such beauty in a place so desolate. A vast ocean of sand extended as far as my eyes could see, from which towering ribcages of ancient beasts burst from the timeless swells of sand. The grandeur of these giant skeletons evoked both wonder and fear within me. I realized, as we traversed the towering dunes, that my knowledge of the world is but a grain of sand, and the world itself remains either indifferent or ignorant to my existence.

Danan. The Third Great Age. 3031.

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The sun dips, casting a dark orange glow that blankets the vast ocean of desert. Silhouetted against the desert's horizon, the procession of camels strides, their forms etched in the fading light. They descend the steep dunes and enter a small, flat sandy basin where the towering ribcages of ancient behemoths pierce through the sand.

"This was once the primordial sea," Lord Varesh calls back over his shoulder, his camel swaying beneath him. "The ancient beasts of this sea now rest on the once-ocean floor."

At an oasis where enormous ribcages of extinct leviathans protrude from the sand, the camel convoy comes to a groaning halt. Scattered palm trees and a pool of crystal-clear water sit amid a circle of white hide tents. Small fires dance like orange orbs in the approaching night.

The camels kneel, causing Jain to tumble from one side with a mouthful of sand. "Damn these cursed beasts," he says, brushing the sand from his body and cupping his groin.

"Come," the tall, wiry man gestures for them to follow. "My sisters await you."

Danan marvels at the star-studded sky, where the stars shine brighter than any he has ever seen.

"I must leave you here, Elim, for I am forbidden to dwell within my sister's presence." The man with the owl tattoo lowers his gaze as he swings open the door to a white hide tent. Lord Varesh nods, and they step into the mystical light.

"By The One!" Jain releases his grip on his sore bollocks while performing a practiced, flourishing bow and flashing his most endearing grin. "Ladies, allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Jain Adair of the Kingdom of Thiel." His bulging eyes sweep across the room, struggling to keep pace with the sight of the mostly naked women.

"Great Elim, welcome to the home of Anut," a soft voice sings in the Thielian tongue. A babe suckles from her breast as she cups it, urging the child to feed. The woman's breasts bear an owl tattoo, with the nipples as the owl's pupils.

"You speak the Thielian tongue with fluency," Lord Varesh remarks with a slight bow.

"Anut guides us, Great Elim. We all speak the common tongue." The woman licks her razor-sharp, filed teeth and gestures for them to take seats on cushions at a low table beside an open campfire in the center of the tent. Fire-lit lanterns hang from the vast tent's overhead poles, casting dancing shadows on the hide walls.

Jain eagerly takes a seat beside Lord Varesh, his ogling eyes roaming around the tent.

"Are you hungry?" Her eyes, adorned with an owl tattoo, dance as she examines Jain from head to toe.

"Famished, good lady," Jain reveals a nauseating smile of bright white teeth, his gaze drawn to her child.

"Would you like to hold her?" The woman offers the babe to Jain.

To Danan's surprise, Jain rises, his eyes widening with joy as he cradles the infant, embracing it as though it were his own.

"What's her name?" Jain strokes the baby's soft cheeks, making puerile noises and foolish faces.