Isle of Giants

Chapter Five (2)

   Water Forest of Chiiele, Rai'lun

    Oana

    The clouds had parted finally and allowed the strong cogent rays of the Red Sun to persuade Oana to finally open her eyes. Dusk had long since past and her rest had left her feeling renewed and rejuvenated, ready to take on her journey unto the new world and isle of giants. Sitting up Oana stretched her arms as high above her head as she could. Beside her she noticed that Eon and the griffon were ignoring the awakening tugs of the light and realised that they weren't just resting, both had fallen asleep once again.

    On the other side of the shell was Iancu, he had his face to the wind as he leaned over the rocky lip to watch the blue put asunder in the arkileons' presence. He seemed a lot more comfortable than before, allowing his mind to wander into his thoughts. Pulling herself away from the bed of water weeds and grass Oana moved to the opposite side of the shell, looking out at their surroundings.

    The arkileons had moved out and away from the forest completely, being too big and bulky to constantly maneuver and shift between the trees, but they hadn't wandered too far from the green. Oana could see the forest's edge clearly and in the bright of the reddening light Oana couldn't spot a single crystal formation, or flowing veins within the trees. Instead there were the dashing beams of busy devas, tending to flowers and upholding their sworn duties of care, with all kinds of creatures playing and bathing within the warmth of the sun.

    "We're not in Caelia anymore," Oana whispered with a small sigh.

    The bloom of energy from before had withered and died suddenly at the frightening notion. She had left her home behind her, with new unknown lands laid out before her. Her heart swelled painfully. Now it was real. She had left Caelia sooner than she had expected, and soon she would leave Rai'lun too. The far horizon looked bleak, like a deathly, dark, rising wave threatening to wash all that she had ever known away for eternity.

    "How do you know?" Iancu asked. Oana tore her gaze away to look at him. "You said we've left Caelia. How can you tell?"

    "The devas," Oana replied and pointed towards the pale fuchsia streams of dust circling the trunks and drifting across the waters. So bright and vibrant like blossoms catching a ride upon the ever changing winds. "Look at the colour of their glow. We're in Chiiele now."

    As if she had heard Oana, Eon woke up and shook the haze of sleep from her mind and wings before she leapt up into the air and saw the dancing devas, whizzing and racing. Oana laughed under her breath at the bundle of excitement. Temptation soon became too much to bare and Eon flew across the water to introduce herself.

    With the security of both Eon and Oana gone the young griffon had no other choice but to wake up as well and scurried with clumsy paws over to the comforting presence of Oana. He copied the oreiad as he too watched Eon interacting with her neighboring kind whimpering a little as he longed to join her and play.

    Oana had been to Chiiele before to visit the land village known as Shrilen Fiu to the indigenous, and roughly translates to Roots of the Land in the common tongue. She had accompanied one of her brothers there for trade.Their realm was similar to Caelia except for their trees which were tall and seemed to touch the skies, with branches so high up that it would be a real challenge for any oreiad to try and climb, and so were forced to walk upon the ground. It was safe since prowlers very rarely left Caelia and crossed the borders. But it was a fond memory of Oana's and it was a shame that her most recent visit was from afar on the blue instead of walking through those very tall forests.

    Both Oana and the griffon continued to watch the show as the golden deva, rarely ever seen within Chiiele, attracted all the attention of the other fuchsia devas. For a few long moments they indulged their curiosity and flew over to greet Eon, a brave adventurer from Caelia. Oana could tell that Eon was loving every moment of it, as she lit up brighter than Oana had ever seen before.