Peace and Destruction

 
Power
Filarin’s cave is hidden within the ring, a circle of mountains that once surrounded a lush plateau home to Taluk, the most beautiful city of the old kingdom.
When Botzar used the sword, it erased every trace of the city, leaving an unnaturally thick forest always covered by clouds.
Within the trees is the Breath of Life, the place where I first found the sword, and must soon return, to release its energy.

The cave is deep within a mountain and difficult to reach, but I find a PathFinder gate that takes us there quickly.
Can this be … Read more

Standoff

 
Safe Return
“They’re close!” shouts Niyta.

“Is Shazira there?” asks Dilasa, nervous.

“There are two dragons,” says Niyta, “probably Shazira and Ilaz, moving impossibly fast.”
“The rest of the group are still Jiku.”
“But I don’t understand how Shazira can pull the group, and move like that.”
“She isn’t even an energy weaver.”

“Maybe it’s one of the sisters who was rescued.”

“It might be, but the dragon’s energy is so strange.”

The sisters and others enter through the airlock, carrying the ones who are unconscious or too weak to walk.
The dragons transform and enter last.

“Shazira!” yells … Read more

Maze of Time

 
Danger
I wake Shazira and the children, hours before first sun, to begin the trip home.
The building is quiet, except for a few guards who greet us as we move through the halls.

Makish and Chiwan will stay here, for now, to watch over the sisters.

The outer doorway is sealed when we reach it.
“Open it,” I tell the guard.

“Tshuan is covered with a powerful storm,” he says.
“You’ll need to delay your journey.”

“Thanks for your concern,” I tell him, “but the storm won’t stop us.”

When the doorway opens, I surround us with a … Read more

Sword, Sheath, and Shield

 
Families
Makish and I land on the deck of the Watchtower outside the healing room.
As I walk through the door, Tzina hugs me tightly.

“I missed you so much, ina,” she says.

I smile at her.
“I was only gone for a day!”

“I know,” she says, “but I was lost in my head so long, before you saved me.”
“I want to be near you and oodah.”

“How is Berek?” I ask her.

“Calmer,” she says.
“He’s getting used to the idea that you’re his father.”

“How does he like having a sister?”

“Ina, he and I … Read more

Lessons and Betrayal

 
Twin Visions
The brief contact with the Jiku sphere of mirrors takes my strength.
I feel the smooth stone under my Jiku body, as my awareness returns to the marketplace, but only for a moment, just before I collapse.
I sleep, but without peace.
A vision comes and takes me.

I fly quickly through endless, empty silver skies — no worlds, no life.
In the vision I have no strength, but something carries me, keep me always in motion.
I see nothing, but I know that I’m not alone.

“Show yourself,” I shout to the empty world.
The world … Read more