We all trek back out the long tunnel where the animals are settling for night and some are just waking. A spark of happiness and joy lights in me at seeing the caribou and Swift Foxes have remained to await us and the Foxes leap too at the sight of Dagwood, the caribou rise gracefully when Aegis emerges, the one that carried me returns to greet me gently, Genesis eyes it suspiciously.
"Over here, the animals can follow," Heath ushers us over the start of a spiraling ramp.
The walk is slow and long, but I must admit it feels kinda cool to be followed by a bunch of cute foxes and a herd of caribou up a freakishly enormous tree. I am somehow comforted by the slow clunk of hooves and the tender pattering of paws following us. Phoenix walks beside me so the Phoenix rubs its beak into my head and Genesis on my other side very protective of me.
During our walk, round and round stars peak out cautiously one by one. From time to time I drag my fingertips along the thick, rough, bark, gazing high up in a full awe but still my mind is weighed down with memory and I have a very difficult time expressing my happiness with a smile. I am riddled with excitement for seeing the wizard and witch at the top.
There are multiple wide platforms on our way up all handmade just like at the Luzumi camp we first came across. It takes not much longer until we reach the lowest branches spanning out as an elongated arm with thickets of needles hanging off but the needles are not an irregular size simply clumped and piled in their beautiful green hangings.
"AH! I was wondering when you were going to at last come to us!" I hear Heath's deep voice up ahead in front of Blaze and Dagwood. Curious yet cautious I peek around trying to see anything or anyone.
"Don't be such a worry whale!" A similar voice jokes somewhat ironically I would assume since whales seem quite calm and collected.
"Let's go to the next branch before we meet and greet," Heath suggests and our pace increases a great deal.
Once at the next platform level with three spanning branches with differing destinations, we form a circle and the animals lay down or trot about happily in their own business. A new person has arrived, one I would assume to be the twin of Heath with the same dark green eyes, though he carries more hair, wispy or not. Their faces are startlingly similar except the new one seems to wear many layers of red similar to some monks I have seen with thin sandals on, his smile is a perfect match, the calm but daring heir.
"Hello, nice to meet you all! AEGIS! PHOENIX! BLAZE! DAGWOOD! It's been far too long my friends, far, far too long!" The man shouts loudly and rambunctiously greets them all with wide and tight hugs. "And who might you two be?" the man puts a hand on mine and Rin's shoulder.
"Nice to meet you too, I am Claire and this is Genesis," I introduce myself and my other piece.
"Rin," she states curtly, still not smiling an inch, much unlike Aegis I must add.
"Well aren't you a good girl!" he coos over Genesis, patting her and hugging her, I watch her tail fly back and forth immediately. "Oh my! I've gone and forgotten to introduce myself, haven't I? Well, I am Ralph, Heath's twin if you couldn't tell," Ralph chuckles, confidently going back up to the front to lead the way on. "Eve isn't too much further ahead, by the way, she will be overjoyed you know; but she is also working on new spells and medicines so...you know.." everyone but me and Rin seem to understand the implications.
All the caribou, birds, and swift foxes refuse to leave our heels and follow on as the sun disappears, giving in to the inevitable moon and stars. Again the next platform is reached and is level with two branches, glancing down I find we are unbelievably high already, above the main canopy of the forest around.
"Hey Eve-" Heath and Ralph begins but she sternly shushes them both with a swung out hand, I can only see her back from where I am. Heath taps Ralph on the shoulder and hands him the Key, they talk in broken sentences only the two of them can fill in and understand but appear quite excited over it.
Aegis goes to the woman's side but keeps a modest distance to watch in seeming admiration. Were I to guess, I would assume she is attempting a task requiring delicate hands or some small maneuver. It takes a few minutes of inner debate to decide whether or not I should join the watching of the going ons until I decide to instead wait respectfully with the caribou who has stayed at my heels leading her group on.
The lady shushes us all again and this time even the animals breath lighter. A puff of flame flowers up into the air in front of her but she gives a thoughtful noise seemingly wanting to continue with her work, yet she drags herself away. With deep lilac eyes stirred with magenta, she inspects our group waiting on her, long Luzumi-like hair draping down her back thick and wavey.
"So I see you've finally returned, you have both been long-awaited here you know," Eve guilts them.
"It's hard to find time as the Luzumi leader especially once I was first chosen or whatever, plus I might remind you we did return here many times over the decades but each time you were gone and we lost the resources and time to keep coming all this way to check." Phoenix elaborates feeling a bit salty.
"Relax I was only joking, well! Would you look at this mysterious beauty!" the witch admires the Phoenix playfully. Again, I watch the greeting routine of Aegis, Blaze, and Dagwood, old friends with admiration and respect.
"Hey there you two, I'm Eve, thank you for coming," Eve grins warmly and seems pretty casual overall, more so than Heath anyways.
"Hi, I'm Claire," I again introduce myself.
"Rin," and again, the curt statement.
"Oh yes, I know a thing or two about you Claire. Now, mind telling me, why do you have the name you do?" Eve pries in with deep 'seeing eyes' that startle me to an extent where I lose the words I had, she has opened the floodgate I had once again shut since I hadn't time to be so burdened.
No one seems to ever have enough time. I think a lot of the time we take it for granted and use it as an excuse to get out of things.
YOU ARE READING
Tyranny: Onwards
FantasyThis is Part 2 of the book Tyranny (The Key). They have yet to find Blaze and Dagwood, to reach the other Wizards, and get to the Sword of Siron. But this is just the beginning of what they must do and what they will end up attempting. Cover Picture...
