World Of Fire (Arula: Five)

Chapter 8

Karma barely got a wink of sleep that night after the nightmare she had. And it showed. She couldn't keep her eyes open and Mika had asked if she able to ride out today. "I'll be fine." Karma told her. "I just had a lot on my mind, it kept me up." Which was half the truth. Karma didn't want to tell her friends about her dream. It was too horrible to describe. Mika gave Karma one last concerning look, nodded, and went ahead to meet up with Omar who was with Dagner and Jason in the center of town. They were helping a young man pack up the hormels for the journey across the desert.

As Karma and Mika approached, Omar stopped what he was doing and greeted them. "Thought you two would never show." He teased. "We're nearly done here."

"Sorry," Karma said. "The woman who housed us insisted that she make us breakfast before we left."

"We couldn't say no," Mika said walking up to Omar and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Have a nice night?" Omar shrugged.

"It was fine." He told Mika, returning her kiss. "Now come on, we're about ready to set off." He brought Karma and Mika over and introduced him to the young man helping them set up. "This Minse." Omar told them. "He will be our guide to Dragon Mountain." Minse, who looked to be in his twenties with long black hair and dark skin, bowed to Karma and Mika.

"It will be my honor to guide the great Creator to Dragon Mountain." Minse said. Karma bowed her head to the young man.

"The honor is all mine." Karma told him. With a smile, Minse motioned to the hormels.

"Then should I suggest that we start heading out? While we still have the cool morning air with us. Once it gets to mid-day, it will get much hotter." Karma agreed and together they hopped on the horse-camel creatures ready to head to the most mysterious and dangerous place in all of Arula... Dragon Mountain.

----

"You looked exhausted." Jason commented as they made their way through the desert. Dragon Mountain was about a two days journey out from Argo. The mountains could be seen very clearly and looked to be within a feet distances, but the more they went, the longer the distances seemed. Karma looked at Jason, who, looked just as tried at she was.

"I would say the same for you." Karma said with a cheeky smile. Jason snorted.

"You would if you had deal with a snoring dwarf the entire night." Karma laughed, only having to have heard Dagner snore and have too trouble falling asleep.

"Yeah, well you didn't have to deal with a nightmare that haunted you throughout the night." Jason raised an eyebrow this and Karma had no choice but to tell him about her dream. When she was finished, Jason stayed silent for a moment. "Sounds rough." He said adjusting the cloth hood he wore to protect him from the blazing sun. "Do you have these nightmares or visions often?"

"Sometimes, but maybe it's just my subconscious, you know? My brain just telling me my worst fears? Like dreams do sometimes." Jason nodded.

"Possibly." He said. "Dreams were always the subject for most psychologists. Always a weird and different thing... or maybe you are having a vision... of the future or something, I mean this is a place of magic, maybe that's having an effect on you due to the fact that you are the Creator." Karma thought for moment, also adjusting her cloth hood.

"It could be possible." She said. "I just hope it isn't true then."

----

Omar and Mika rode next to each other in the back of the group. Dagner was in the middle, Jason and Karma were ahead of him and their guide, Minse out in front. They watched as Karma and Jason were having their conversation talking about things that neither Omar nor Mika could make out. "It's great to see that she finally found someone." Mika said keeping her voice low so that her words did not travel to the others. "I thought I would never see her be close to another being." Omar looked at what Mika seeing and saw how Karma smiled or laughed when Jason said something.

"Yeah," Omar said with a smile. "It is." And he meant it. Karma was always a difficult case to deal with. But seeing that someone besides himself along with Mika and Dagner can deal with Karma and help her out as much as possible. "Don't forget that he is from the Otherworld as well. I think that helps." Omar commented after moment. "She can finally talk to someone who gets what she says." Mika nodded in agreement.

"He seems like a nice signore."*1 Mika said. "After knowing him for a little awhile, I do say he is the one." They both did a knowing grin. They two elf couple rode for a little while longer, watching as Dragon Mountain loamed closer and closer. "Lo scoprirà, sai."*2 Mika said, her tone turning serious. Omar frowned.

"I know." He said.

"Should we tell her? Before becomes too late?" Omar rode in silence for a moment longer thinking.

"C'est trop tard depuis trop longtemps."*3 He finally said. "We've guarded the secret for too long and with every opportunity to tell Karma the truth. Now we have to ride it out and deal with the consequences that will follow. That's all we can do." Mika sighed and shook her.

"Vorrei che fosse più facile."*4 She said.

"I wish it was too, but it isn't," Omar said. "And now he's here, ready to do what it takes make this world his... again." Mika looked worried.

"Do you think he's behind the raids?" She asked hoping it wasn't, but when Omar didn't say anything to dismiss the horrible idea, Mika sighed deeply and shook her head. She felt something crawl up her back and over her shoulders. Turning her head, she saw that Shari had woken up from his nap inside the saddle bag and had decided to join them. "And what about his little guy?" Mika said grabbing Shari and placing him on her lap. "The truth about him will be revealed as well." Omar nodded.

"It will," he said reaching over to scratch the ferret under its chin. "Just another thing we will have to deal with." He looked at Mika. "It may be too late for us to tell her, but there is still time for her to know the truth. And the truth is just over a day away." Mika sighed again and looked forward.

"J'espère juste que tu as raison"*5 She told him. Omar looked straight ahead over to where Karma and Jason rode side by side and said,

"Moi aussi."*6

••••
*1 "signore" ~ "gentlemen"
*2 "lo scoprira, sai" ~ "she's going to find, you know"
*3 "C'est trop tard depuis trop longtemps" ~ "it has been too late for too long"
*4 "vorrei Che fosse piu facile" ~ "I wish it was easier"
*5 "J'espere juste que tu as raison" ~ "I just hope you're right"
*6 "mon aussi" ~ "me too"