…
“GO! NOW!”
The final command from his father before everything went dark rang through him.
“RUN!”
Rael closed his dry mouth, doing his best to muster up enough spit to un-mummify his tongue. Between thirst and shock he was parched. His feet drew him forward while his eyes feasted on the majesty of the kingdom in the place of his home…
Aurora… He gasped at the thought. If this was different… did that mean, she…
How would he find her? How would he know where to start?
The questions sank their teeth in one by one. Suddenly, He stopped dead in his tracks. So fast it left heel imprints in the barely warn path from the forest through the valley.
Father…
What about Darius? He couldn’t just… leave him behind. Everything still felt like a blur. As if he’d been woken from a dream and rushed out before fully waking.
He squinted into the bedazzled distance. it felt as though he’d torn in two as he considered the two choices forming the current fork inside.
He’d reached a detour conveniently bypassing his original dilemma, a crossroad, and his hunting days had taught him well to consider options as they come. At that moment… he didn’t know which direction to choose. He turned to look back at the massive expanse of trees disappearing over a hill in the distance… Alone it could take a year to search…
He turned to face the sparkling city. In a deep squint, he took in the muted outlines but anytime he began gathering details to make sense of what he was looking at his eyes weakened and gave way and slipped under their lids. Taking cover to recover their ability.
“ah..” He sucked air through his teeth in a hiss.
He rubbed at them with his fists, helping along the process. This time he brought both of his hands in around each. Still squinting he looked at the blinding structure. His curiosity blazing just as hot.
At first, he couldn’t define the features… further convincing him he must be dreaming, because none of this made sense.
His conviction didn’t stop him from searching for answers. The radiant glow encased what appeared to be a reflective brassy wall. Different than anything he’d ever seen. But, then, he couldn’t be sure what he was seeing because the midday sun had him crying into the reflection. Like a moth to flame.
Yeah...
A new thought dawned. The young hunter closed his eyes toward the mercilessly brazen and magnificent… Fortress was the only word to come into his mind… it fit.
Be smart. He nodded consent toward the inkling.
Come back when the sun goes down, for now, use the light to your advantage. Here, you have no cover, but under the canopy, the light will be just right and act as a sundial so to speak. It’s you’re duty to protect your eyesight.
He nodded again toward the insight. Accepting the chastisement he whirled to face the looming beasts. His feet fell one after the other building speed toward the line of trees he’d split from. At that moment he decisively turned his back on half of his heart. He felt it pull with a final look over his shoulder.
He blew a kiss, and a well wish with the promise to return just before sundown. His heart fluttered full force in his chest, reluctantly falling into line with the present mission. He had to find the other half of his hunting party.
“Father!”
He leaped through the first layer of bushes lining the looming giants. Based on the suns current location… he had about seven hours…
To be continued…