The Rainlands: Grand Delusion

Chapter 6: The Far Shore

The clouds boomed as Levi fled from the festival. He struggled to walk in the light of the bloody full moon. Every once a while, looking up at the other lanterns which were flickering wildly as the wind began to pick up, he felt a renewed pang of sadness and resentment. I hate this island! I hate Jonah. I hate the other boys. I hate not having a Reincarnation! I HATE MYSELF!

He stumbled as his foot hit something different, softer. It sucked him in and sent him sprawling into the ground. Thankfully, he landed in something soft. Sand?

"I'm made it to the beach?" Levi murmured as he got his hands under himself. He had run all the way from the town square to the beach without stopping once. Out in front of him, the Dragonboat from yesterday bobbed merrily. In all the excitement of the festival, Dan still hadn't had a chance to haul it back to the shed. Yesterday, I faced down the River Guardian out there. Today...I couldn't do anything. Levi was filled with self-loathing and his gut twisted remembering the humiliation of being held down, powerless against the strength of the other boys.

"I wish I wasn't here." Levi whispered. In that moment, he instinctively looked out across the water. I wonder where Anton's raft is? At first, he glanced around, just curious if he could find it, but then he realized he couldn't. "Huh? Where is it..."

Krang!

There was a loud clap of nearby lightning, the storm was close, and in that instant, Levi spotted the raft...and more. The whole of Anton's carriage was back across the river, on the other side. Why is it over there...unless...Anton's leaving! For some reason, the thought of Anton leaving, when he had just started to tell Levi stories and given him money for the festival, hurt so much more than it should have. So that's why he left early. He wanted to slip out during the festival. Hot tears welled up in Levi's eye's as he realized he had been left behind once more. Just like sister. Not again!

"I HATE THIS PLACE! I WANT TO LEAVE!" Levi exploded in that instant, he roared across the channel, and thunder exploded along with him, as if the storm too wished him to leave. However, he was stuck, no one could traverse the channel with the River Guardian. No one except...

"No. There's no way." Levi stared at the Dragonboat, bobbing in the waves. "He wouldn't have left it. He never leaves it." He tried to convince himself but the thought was inside him, gripping him, burning him with desire like fire itself. He didn't take it. He left the boat...and the Dragonstone. Levi almost didn't want to go near the boat. It's not mine. I shouldn't be doing this. But what if...

"Just a look can't hurt, right?" Levi talked softly like there was someone to hear him, but even if anyone was near, and there was no one, they would have heard nothing over the gusting wind. He crept closer and closer to the boat, his shoes scuffing the sand, leaving guilty tracks but he did not care. As he got closer, perhaps he was imagining it, but he swore he could see a faint pink glow from the hull. It's there. It has to be.

"Could it really be?" The boy's mind raced, his heart smashing around in his chest and throat. He could feel his temple throbbing, like it was filled with the unstoppable pull of destiny. The glow intensified with each timid step. He came up upon the hull. He was nigh sure of it now. It's here. It's HERE! Levi climbed aboard, the boat turning amidst the waves but he held on with an iron grip. He searched for it, and then there on the prow, he saw the holder and what was inside.

Dan left the Dragonstone!

"I'm leaving Eastrain." He confessed his desire to the storm and the storm seemed to agree, pulling the boat away from the shore. Levi looked at the thick mooring rope. The knot Dan had used was tight, but Levi had watched him tie it many times from the shore. He knew he could undo it. Shaky hands touched the rough rope and began to work. As he did, he glanced across the shore, his eyes searching for that strange foreign carriage. It was still there. Anton had not left yet. Will he take me with him?