The Rainlands: Grand Delusion

Chapter 1: Stranger Before the Festival

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Levi stared over the big hill where the craftsmen were working on the steel gaskets and paper lanterns. Big buckets of dye and huge casks of oil slowly emptied as the day wore on, the preparation for the Wishing Festival was in full swing. Soon the whole town would light lanterns and send their desires and hopes for the new year to the Raingods. His thoughts turned inwards though his eyes continued to stare blankly at the sky, imagining the horizon tomorrow filled with colorful lights. He followed the clouds down the curving blue to the shining ocean below and remembered what he'd rather not. Though the water at the island's borders were empty and clear today, in Levi's memories, he could see the Island Guardian rise up, it's great serpentine lengths looping coil after coil over the waves, the whiskered dragon's head staring with hungry violet eyes at his sister. After the sacrifice that fateful day, the practice had been discontinued, lost in time. But even still, he could not forget...no, he would not forget.

"I wish I could have gone with you." He half-whispered, half-thought in his head. The memories poured back, and he found himself hesitating, wishing to move, to twitch his hand and leave the rock he sat upon so that he might escape the past. He was so distracted that he didn't even notice for a long time that there was color on the other shore across the river. When he did, it startled him. Straining his eyes, he made it out, there was a carriage on the beach! It's gleaming axles and colorful blue canvas stood out starkly amidst the tan sand and a man hopped off the driver's seat. He turned around to the back of the wagon and took out a wooden frame. Even from across the shore, Levi knew what it was. Oh no...they're going to try to cross the river! What are they thinking!

"Gotta find Elder Shisshon!" Levi scrambled up from the rock, the memory of his sister forgotten as he ran down the hillside. He raced against the man on the other shore who was dragging a skin over the wooden frame, forming a barrier against the water for the boat he was assembling. Levi began screaming though he knew it was probably useless from the hilltop. There was no way the man could hear from across the river.

"Stop! STOP! Don't go in the water!" He cried out until his voice was hoarse but he was too far, his voice unable to carry across land, air, and water to the other side. His lungs burned, and he cursed his legs which were faltering and catching on the rocky steps. Comeon, comeon!

"Where are you going!" Townspeople called out as Levi hurtled past. He didn't have the breath to gasp a sorry to each one of them so he simply ran faster, vaulting over oil casks and trying to avoid catching the fragile paper lantern covers which everyone was painting with their wishes. Somehow, magically, he managed to make it past the main square without colliding with anyone and he sprinted up a slight incline to Elder Shisshion's house. The sight of the ancient pagoda-like roof gave new speed to his legs and the fire of hope propelled him the last few steps. Breathing heavily, he banged on the door while shouting through his hoarse throat.

"Elder Shisshon! Someone's trying to cross the river! Come quick!" He yelled. Levi heard a flurry of noise from inside before banging steps overtook his knocks and then someone flung open the door. An older man, past his prime stood in the doorway, his white beard was colorless, but his blue eyes still seemed alive. Elder Shisshion's hands trembled as he finished buttoning on his robes.

"Levi? Is that you? Someone's trying to cross? Who?! Why?" He yelled in Levi's face, hurting his ears, but then lowered his volume. "We need to stop them...NOW!"

Levi replied,

"He was assembling a boat on the far shore. But he's probably almost done by now! "What do we do?" Elder Shisshion's face scrunched up at his words.