HARANYA part 1: Harani (eng) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1: Arcum Iris

Haranya, about two thousand years after the fall of Auroria, in the arid region of Arcum Iris. On this hot spring morning, the peaceful village of Hatora awakens. In a small round house made of clay and mud with a domed roof, along the city wall surrounding the town, the girl who used to sleep on the thick woven carpet opens her eyes before yawning and stretching. She got up and opened the door to take a look outside, the maisonette having no windows, to see the sun and get an idea of the day's progress. She quickly put on a beige tunic and short brown shorts, clearly showing her thin thighs. She tied her long hair with jet black roots and blood red tips into a high ponytail. She took and bit into an apple before quickly putting on her sandals and went out into the village. The air was stifling for those who were not born in this arid region but it was far from the suffocating, summer heat. The young girl went to look for her parents in the fields outside the town, tending the meagre plantations that could be grown on the nutrient-poor soil.

"Father! Mother! I'm leaving for Parchsun's farm, my leomorph is ready for his baptism!"

She turned her heels without even waiting for an answer. However, her mother called her back.

"Mynthiao, wait! Please take this card" she said, handing her a small piece of cardboard. Use it to go to Parchsun by stagecoach. There are rumours that criminals have been roaming the wastelands in recent days, it would be unwise for you to walk alone.

- "Very well, mother, thank you!" Mynthiao replied.

Mynthiao took the road to the east gate of Hatora and walked to the stagecoach stop. She was greeted by a daru who told her that the next coach would arrive in five minutes. She sat down on the bench to wait, and got into the vehicle when it arrived. She arrived at Parchsun about ten minutes later and ran across to the public farm. She greeted the stablehand on arrival.

"There you are at last!" he said to her, "Your leomorph is impatient to see you!"

The man opened the stable door, and the blue-headed white beast sprang out of it roaring with happiness, pouncing on its young owner. She laughed and stroked the animal's hair.

"Hayo Leonidas!" she laughed. How are you this morning?"

The beast roared, visibly happy.

"Well, it's time to get down to business" said the stablehand. "You're going to cross the wild ostrich field to the mountain opposite, then return to Parchsun, running around town and ending back here."

- "Understood!" exclaimed Mynthiao, climbing on the back of his leomorph.

- "Good luck!" the stablehand shouted back.

Mynthiao climbed on Leonidas' back, grabbed the animal's collar and squeezed her legs to tell him to move forward. The beast began to run on its hind legs towards the plain where the wild ostriches graze. These animals are generally not aggressive... unless you enter their territory. Mynthiao therefore showed cunning and intelligence to guide her mount quickly and well enough to cross the field to the mountains, since they had begun to chase them. Once in front of the mountain, she made her animal take a short break to give him time to breathe, having shown the ostriches she and Leonidas were much faster than them. Then, once the leomorph had recovered sufficiently, they set off again towards Parchsun and went around it before returning to the public farm. The stablehand was cleaning the manure when he saw them arrive, widening his eyes.

"Already?" he said, surpised, unable to believe that they got back only an hour and a half later. "The ostriches were exterminated during the night or..?"

- "No, absolutely not!" Mynthiao chuckled. "We were chased by several of them, but we managed to lose them!"

- "Good, perfect... how did Leonidas react?"