Ark - Survivors Lost In Time Book 2- Time of Thieves

Day Seven

It has been a week since we all arrived on this new Ark, still no sign of Cradix. Our main complex had been complete for a few days, we had flyers. I would patrol the island during the day, often allowing my 'stubborn' argy to fly where she wanted to go, often all the way as far west as the Secluded Islands to the south of Jungles South.

Squirrel would scold me every evening when I returned, and threatened that if I could not handle my bird she would be taken away. Even though he knew it had nothing to do with my argy and everything to do with my private search for Cradix. I did not let my search effect my duties to the tribe, I still came home with a new tame every trip, I still set up trade alliances with the three factions or at least I would have I been able to locate Mejo. The Divine were even more elusive now that he had taken over, Puffy had sent me searching the floating island promising that his old boss had set up camp somewhere on the floating rock. The problem was The Center was a massive island, riddled with an extensive network of caves. This would be day three of searching for the protector tribe of the Divine Knights.

"You know I could tell you exactly where to find them." Cradix's voice whispered in my ear. I had declined to believe my dream the other night had been real, I had been telling myself for days that I had fallen asleep and dreamt he had come to me, I wanted to be able to explain what had happened to me, and where he was, that is all it was, his voice in my ear was nothing but a memory, a very knowledgeable and haunting memory, but of course he would be, if he was in my head he would know everything I felt of knew, that is how he always knew what to say and how to say it. "Oh is that so," He asked, I mumbled under my breath as I climbed into the saddle of my argy that I had named Firewing after my previous Argentavis, she looked like her, dark red feathers with black primaries. My stories of her being stubborn were not exactly a lie, she was a brat at times, but she was a loyal brat.

It was early morning as she climbed into the sky to head toward the Center. "Why won't you let me tell you where Mejo is hiding," Cradix asked. "This is my Ark now, I know everything that goes on,"

"You are just a figment of my fragmented mind," I voiced, a chuckle filled my head.

"You know that I am not, I know that you know we have that night under the green obelisk,"

"A dream," I growled, "You are nothing but my memories of you, my heart ache of not having you around has broken my mind and created you."

Firewing pulled up short as Cradix's ethereal form coalesced in front of her. "No," I growled, "you aren't here," I snapped, "I stopped her to make my own hallucinations seem real." I screamed.

"Fang," He whispered, his scent was surrounding me. "This is real,"

"No," I screamed, I grabbed the sides of my head and shook my head back and forth. "I'm losing my mind, you're dead, I saw you die," I yelled to the open air.

"Open your eyes," He whispered to me, a warm hand brushed my neck, the scent of leather and sandalwood faded.

I opened my eyes, a quetz was flying just a few hundred yards away, a large platform on its back. "Mejo?" I whispered.

"Your welcome," He whispered, I felt his presence withdraw.

I spurred Firewing over to the quetz, "Mejo?" I called, the quetz pulled up to a hover, and a man appeared at the railing.

"Firefang?" Ruin called down to me. I could see his steel blue eyes from where my argy hovered, so like his brothers, Cradix. He waved me up, I circled Firewing around to land on the platform, and the quetz was urged forward again.

I climbed out of the saddle and landed firmly on the wooden platform, Ruin and Mejo stood before me, Paul was flying the quetz. "How are you Fang?" Mejo laughed, taking me in a bear hug, his large hands crushing the wind from my lungs.