World Of Light (Arula: Two)

Chapter 8

The ryder wolves ran faster than any horse in Arula. They were light on their feet, hardly touching the ground below them. Moving effortlessly through the Unra Valley, the companions took less breaks than what they normally would have on a horse. The valley floor turned from hilly to smooth within a day and a half. Soon the Umber Forest's border came into view on the second day. Ahead of Karma, Dagner slowed to a trot and motioned them to do the same. Karma squeezed her wolf, Samson, sides with her legs. A small trick that Dagner showed her hours ago. Samson feeling the squeeze, slowed into trot, and stopped beside Hanley. The wolves breathed lightly, like the full days of running had no effect on them, which, it didn't.

"We'll rest here tonight," Dagner said. "And in two days' time we should reach Yunalla." Everyone agreed and set up camp.

The stars glowed less brightly that night and Karma couldn't help but notice it. It had also seemed that there were less stars in the sky. She leaned against Samson, her head sinking into his thick fur. "What's on ye mind, Lass?" Dagner asked, poking the blazing the fire with a stick.

"Mm, nothing," she said. "It's just... just... how can so many things happen like this? I just don't want to believe it, everything falling apart right before my eyes." The dwarf sat back and glanced at Omar, who shrugged. Training his eyes back on Karma, he said,

"Bad things happen, Lass, and sometimes you can't stop 'em. You couldn't have predicted Termis' betrayal and you definitely couldn't have predicted this." Karma let her soft green eyes rest on the dwarf. She smiled when he produced a flask filled with ale. He took a swig of it then offered some to Karma. Her inner self told her not to drink it, but she took it anyway. Taking a big gulp, she handed it back to Dagner.

"Thanks," she said. The rest of night was filled with silence as they ate their share of dried meat and nuts, they've packed for the trip. Though, Nector, their new sprite companion did not eat the meat. He was stuck eating the nuts and some fruit they had also packed.

"I must apologize," he said. "But it's sprite tradition. We don't eat meat upon the arrival of the Festival of Light. Freyr will be disappointed with me if I did such thing." Karma had told him it was nothing to be sorry for and the camp once again fell silent. It broke again when Nector spoke. "I still wonder if Yunalla is there. I can't wait to return to my home." Omar showed his sympathy and leaned back on his wolf, Grandal. A name he has chosen for his wolf, a name meaning "strong legs" in elvish. Nector looked at his torn wings in sadness, wishing they were healed.

"I'm sorry your wings are damaged." Karma said, tossing the last of her dried meat to Samson.

"It is nothing." The sprite said. "The healers at Yunalla are good, so I've heard. They are specialized in healing, even better than your she-elf Mika," then looking at Omar he said, "no offence." Omar laughed and shook his head.

"None taken." He said. Karma and Dagner joined in as well and when the silence grew back, Nector said,

"There is an old wise tale about a sprite who gained his wings. Do you wish to hear it?" The other three companions nodded their heads. Smiling, Nector spoke, "in the olden days, when the sprites where no more than fairies without wings, a young sprite, who went by the name of Gallen, roamed the world in search of his purpose. He knew that his purpose in life was not to become a wheat farmer like his father, but something more. For he was different than any sprite in his clan. He was magical. Gallen could bright the darkest of places the sun's light. Others feared him for this, but he did not care. Gallen was so feared that he was exiled, and so, Gallen went and decided to search far and wide for his purpose, he failed to find it and had nearly given up.

"Then on a starry night, when all seemed lost, a light shined down on him and an angel came to him, this angel was known as Asteria. She told him that his courage to find who he is was not all wasted, for he indeed had a purpose. His purpose, she said, is to bring light to those who see darkness, to those who walk among the shadows. And this, he gained his wings, and became the great Freyr himself, bringing light to those who see darkness, and to those who walk among the shadows."

After Nector finished his tale, he felt shy and embarrassed of the look Karma gave him. Omar and Dagner looked less entranced by the tale, for they had also heard this wondrous story once before. "That was amazing," Karma said. "Is that how your god came to be?" Nector nodded. "And that's why you celebrate the Festival of Light?" Again, Nector nodded.

"Yes," he said. "Our god gives us his light so that way we never fall into darkness. It is truly an amazing day. I do hope you're able to stay long enough to see it."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Karma said and Nector smiled.

The fire was long dead by the time everyone had settled ready for sleep. Karma pulled her thin blanket closer to her as she turned on her side. Facing Samson's guarded face, Karma couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. The wolf's gaze shifted every five seconds and when they no longer shifted, he laid his head down, but he did not close his eyes. "Good night, Samson." Muttered Karma just before her eyes shut and fell into a deep sleep.

----

The sky was an orange and yellow, the air was musty and dry. Karma gasped as her eyes flew open. Looking around her, she was alone. Not a sign of life anywhere. The plains around her was dried and brown, the Umber Forest nothing more than blacken sticks stretching toward the amber sky. "Omar!" she called. "Dagner!" Karma gasped in the dry air. "Anyone..."  The word whispered through the air like a ghost searching for Heaven herself. A warm breeze pushed by Karma as she walked among the ruins. There was no sign of life for what seemed like miles, and those miles stretched onwards. Karma feel to her knees as a gust of wind blew around her body like a tornado draining her oxygen. She gasped for air and called for help, but her words were only drowned by the howling wind.

A flicker of light flashed through the plains. The fire soon spread like wild wolves on a hunt. It spread around Karma's helpless body as she struggled to stand and run. Fear flicked in her green eyes as she screamed for help. She coughed and gasped as the smoke entered her lungs. Falling down on her hands her eyes blurred. The fire blazed higher and higher until it became a wall that surrounded her. Karma cried out and hot tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving a red line on either side of her face.

A slim figure suddenly emerged from the wall of flames. He stalked over to Karma and looked down at her with an emotionless face. "Help..." Karma whispered to the figure. The figure only stared. Then drawing out a silver sword, the figure raised it above his head and swung downwards....

Karma woke up screaming. Her breathes short and fast. Omar and Dagner were by her side trying to calm her down. "Karma! Karma!" Omar said. "relax, relax, it's okay you're safe, you're safe." He spoke to her in elvish after that, offering her comforting words. When Karma's breathing settled and her heart slowed, she began to weep and tremble. "It's okay," Omar said, as he drew her into his arms. Speaking in elvish again, he calmed her down. "Now what happened?" Leaving Omar's arms, she began to tell them her dream, the plains, the loneliness, the wind, the fire, and the figure that killed her. No one had the words to comfort their friend, they couldn't even help explain her dream.

But when all was said and done, and everyone went back to sleep, Karma stayed up the rest of the night, afraid to fall back to sleep, afraid of was going to happen next, because in Karma's world, you never knew.