Crystal Scribe Hadrael inspected the wagons of tribute. Various ores, rare woods and magical sands. All specially-requested and to be ferried to Thul, then airshipped to the northern region of Atlantis near Dol Ethra. “70 obsidian marks,” the old toothless merchant said. “Order’s fulfilled. I’ll take my payment now.” “Of course,” Hadrael said. He reached for his satchel. It was light — he might be short — but if he was…...
Echo of Gesha III
Come, Divine Child. The two girls, one young, one ancient beyond time, walked on the smooth water which flowed endlessly from where the fading fog gate lent them arrival. I have a name. Oh? I am Gesha. What’s your name? Sahae. Who named you? A faerie. Curious. I miss her. I see. Do you know why… the elders didn’t give me a name? Sahae quietly smiled at the use of the word elder....
Echo of Gesha II
As a gift from the faerie, her name was now Gesha. She did not speak of her name as she thought this would upset the elders. The faerie would visit from time to time, and told Gesha of her adventures — mostly about meeting birds or spiders — but eventually the faerie failed to return, and Gesha wondered why. One day when the sun was setting and the moon could already be seen in the deep blue sky, Gesha was taken up higher into the mountains where steps were carved....
Echo of Gesha I
Gesha knew that she was different when she was old enough to want to play with the other children. She was not allowed to. She did not know her mother or father, as at a young age she was taken to the temple high above the village, where she lived with the elders at the base of a mountain. She grew up not knowing her name. The elders called her Divine Child....
Echo of Chal II
“No! I couldn’t… stop her… again…” Chal could barely hear the girl as she cried in frustration. His senses faded, and he passed to a realm of spirits. It was grey fog. Lights beamed in and out of sight. They flickered as they danced. He could see his own light around him. Where was his wife? His son? They were near. But then there was a violent red, and a return....
Echo of Chal I
Chal spit ash and poison. Swarms of speckled dots of abyss rained on him from above and scorched him in dark. “This is it, my end,” he thought. He was a knight of Lostria returning home, to his wife, to his son. Chal saw the city burn in pillars of churning shadows, its citizens turned to husks all around him. Every step he took closer to his home made the painful shadow winds more intense....
Echo of Avery
Avery clutched the briar’s soil in her small, worn hands. “This is special,” she said to herself in a hushed voice. The soil was speckled with blue and white glowing crystals. Somehow she knew it was a rarity, and carefully placed handfuls in her pouch. Avery looked up from where she had fallen. She was weak with hunger, and hurt from the fall, but still excited about her discovery. The sun was close to rising, and a morning-lit haze had already begun to heat the horizon, making the blue and purple sky seem to be mournful of its passing....