Bellion trotted along the dirt path while Zephyr sang aloud. “Oh! The wonderful things to find, in the great beyond. With food, girls, and wine! Oh, into the great beyond.” Zephyr’s singing voice was quite pretty but at the moment, he just sang obnoxiously. Emilia stood on top of Zephyr’s head and thumped her paws to the song he sang while Bellion moved her head with the song. “It’s just me, Emi, and Bell on this lovely journey to find! Lost things in the wind. On this journey so sublime! Oh, into the great beyond.”
Emilia called her paws and Bellion whinnied happily when Zephyr ended his song, Zephyr bowed to the sides and smiled. When he sat up he could see something in the distance. He squinted, trying to make out what he was staring at. Is that...a wall? He kept staring until he came to the conclusion that it is indeed a wall. Of course, Phen mentioned a border, by that he must mean a wall. Zephyr became giddy, “Hold on tight Emilia, we’re about to go fast.” Emilia wrapped herself around Zephyr’s neck and before Zephyr could give the command, Bellion shot off like a bullet. Zephyr quickly adjusted to the speed Bellion sprinted, he got lower to the mare and arched his back.
The wall got bigger and bigger as Zephyr rode closer. That’s...one big freakin wall. He noticed that there were towers in the wall with people inside. Oh great, guards, what am I gonna do about them? Bellion began slowing down and eventually coming to a stop a few feet to the wall. Zephyr jumped off and began scaling the wall with his eyes. There was a door built into the wall with people guarding it. Bellion followed Zephyr as he slowly approached the guarded door. One of the guards stared at him from under his helmet, “Halt! Who goes there and what is your business in Tirugin.”
Zephyr stopped dead in his tracks. What am I supposed to tell them? I woke up in what was once the fairy kingdom with no memory and I’m trying to find out who I am and where I come from? Zephyr thought for a while until the voice of the other guard pulled him back to reality. “We don’t have all day, boy.” Zephyr looked at both of them. “I’m just an orphan boy who seeks wisdom.” Zephyr waited for the guards to respond, they looked at each other than at him with humble smiles. “Of course young lad, you may pass through the gates.” Zephyr felt the ground rumble then the large doors began to open. He hopped back onto Bellion and rode through the doors while thanking the guards.
Upon entry, he noticed all the people and stands with many exotic smelling items. His mouth watered as he sniffed the air filling his nose with wonder. Every stand was labeled from fortune tellers and jewelry makers, to wine sellers and cheese makers. Zephyr knew that he would have to save his money so he tried to logic out his best option. I still have some food from Phen so I should find someone who can give me some information. As Zephyr rode through the bazaar heads turned to stare at him. He tried to ignore it but he could feel the wandering eyes of others.
Suddenly, Bellion decided to stop in her tracks. Zephyr jolted forward slightly and rubbed Bellion’s head wondering what made her stop. Something in his peripheral vision caught his eye, he looked to the left and stared deep into a crystal ball. A pair of hands were set on the crystal ball, one lifted to beckon him inside. He hopped off of Bellion, told Emi to stay, and walked into the stand. Everything was covered in thick cloth that didn't let light in and candle wax from dozens of lit candles. The air smelt like a mix of spices drowned in magic and mystery. In the middle, there was a small table and a small pillow for Zephyr to sit.
On the other side was the frame of a woman, she was covered in exotic cloth and her face was veiled. Her slightly revealing dress gave way to her beautiful caramelized skin. The crystal ball that she only touched with her long talon-like nails lay in front of her. She was covered in various gems and jewelry of varying shapes, sizes and colors. She beckoned him to sit and he did.
Zephyr stared at her covered face where only her blood-red lips and a pair of bright tangerine-colored eyes stared back at him. Her smooth, creamy voice entranced Zephyr and almost hypnotized him. ”I am the Oracle, seer of past, present, and future. Tell me, boy, what do you seek?” she spoke in a sweet whisper that not only captured his ears but also spoke to his soul. ”I seek the truth, to find out who I am and where I come from.” The Oracle delicately lifted a hand and extended it towards Zephyr. ”The truth is something that not everyone wants, are you sure that know what you want boy?” Zephyr placed his hand inside the Oracle's. ”I am certain.” The Oracle’s lips quirked up into a mischievous smile. ”Then let us begin…”
Another cloth covered the entrance and a mysterious wind blew out the flames of every candle. The crystal ball began glowing all sorts of colors that Zephyr never even knew existed. The Oracle's began to speak in a sharp tone that echoed in Zephyr's head.
You are a child born from a covenant of ardor
A progeny of one that bonds with loam
And one that tries to forge on past it
One in kin with the debauched one
With fate unknown
And memories like a dandelion in the wind
Your future lies with a common bird in wood
But your fate is still on thin thread
There is strength in numbers
Trust in sheep, swan, dragon, and crab
For they will lead you to what you seek
Zephyr stared into the tangerine-colored eyes of the Oracle, glowing brightly in my dim little stand. Zephyr mind was blank and all he could hear was the Oracle's riddle echoing in his mind. His eyes began to droop and he became sleep. He knew his eyes were closing but he couldn't control it, it was like his mind and body were under the Oracle's spell. Once his eyes were fully closed he began to hear a voice in his head that didn't belong to the Oracle. ”... Where are you?... Save her… please…”Suddenly white light began to fill his vision under his lids.
Zephyr slowly opened his eyes, he felt drowsy and confused. His brain was still fuzzy but there was one important thing he noticed, he was back outside next to Bellion with Emilia sniffing on his shoulder. He looked around spastic and confused. How did I get back outside? I was just with the Oracle. He looked towards where the Oracle's stand was but it wasn't there anymore, there was just a small empty space. How… It was just here… What happened? Zephyr noticed people around his staring and whispering suspiciously. ”Okay, Emi, Bell, I believe we've overstayed our welcome in this area. Let's find a place to rest for the night.”
Zephyr hopped back onto Bellion back and began riding again trying not to think about the interesting experience he just had. Lucky for him, he managed to find a two-story inn that seemed pretty comfortable. He rounded the inn to the stables behind it and let Bellion stay there. She whinnied happily and began grazing on a mix of fruit and hay. Zephyr smiled and walked back to the front and inside with Emilia sitting on his shoulder.
Once inside he walked to the front and rang the bell at the front desk. A dwarf room popped her head up and climbed up some steps to face Zephyr. Her round chubby face, curly hair, and stubby fingers and body were the mark of a true dwarf. A radiating smile was plastered on her freckled face, ”Hello there! Do’s ya need a room hun?” she said brightly. Zephyr nodded with a happy smile on his face. ”Okay! Elton get this lovely boy a room!” she yelled to her right.
Another dwarf, a male this time, came out from a room wearing an apron. ”Ay woman! I'd throw you to the curb if I didn't adore ya.” he said blandly making Zephyr smile. He walked past Zephyr and beckoned him to follow which he did. He was led to the end of the hall on the first floor, Elton opened the door for Zephyr and smiled before starting to walk away. While walking away he said, ”When ya hungry just tell me wife and she’ll take ya to the dining room, okay?” Zephyr nodded and began to settle into his room, the whole time he was talking Emilia was hiding in his pocket. He chuckled and put Emilia back on his shoulder and put his stuff on the bed.
He felt a bit peckish so he walked back out to the dwarf woman at the counter. He spotted him then Emilia and gasped. ”A pine marten? I thought those went extinct when I was a little girl I always wanted one.” Zephyr smiled and Emilia squeaked happily. ”Excuse me ma'am but can you take me to the dining hall?” Zephyr said sweetly adding a lot of charm into his words. The dwarf woman's face flushed slightly red. ”Oh...please call me Dorothy. It's this way hun.” she hops off her stairs and opened the door that Elton came out of the first time. Tables and chairs were littered around and there were even other people inside. Zephyr counted about seven people, nine included the ogre chef and Elton serving food.
Dorothy smiled, ”That’s an interesting necklace, never seen anything like it.” she said before walking away. Zephyr looked shocked, he wasn't wearing a necklace but as he looked down he saw that he was. It looked familiar to him but it took him a while to think about why it was familiar to him. Wait, is it the crystal ball that the Oracle had? The marble-sized ball looked exactly like the Oracle's crystal ball but it wasn't glowing. He suddenly became engulfed in sweat. He quickly grabbed some food and sat at one of the tables.
Zephyr began to remember the riddle that the Oracle told him trying to decipher what it meant. A child born from a covenant of ardor? Bonds with loam and forges past it? The debauched one? What does that even mean? He began eating but finds that he's too doesn't feel like it anymore so Emilia ate for him. Fate unknown, that makes sense but why is it unknown? Memories like a dandelion in the wind. Zephyr knew what she meant but didn't like the meaning. My future like with a common bird in wood? What the hell does that mean! My fate is on a thin thread, I better be careful then. Strength in numbers and trust sheep, swan, dragon, and crab? So trust animals? Probably not, riddles never mean what they say. But I better figure it out because they'll lead me to what I seek….
Zephyr ate some berries and listen to other people's conversations until one particular one caught his attention. Two women behind him were talking about a special school. ”Of course! I want to send my son but he doesn't want to.” she one of the women. ”Why not? Wrenwood Academy has to be one of the best schools in Tirugen.” said the other. Wrenwood? A wren is the symbol of Tirugen, I’m certain I saw it on the flags and I've seen them everywhere in this place, they're extremely common here. That's it, a common bird in wood, a wren is a common bird and wood just refers to the last part of the name. That means… my fate lies in Wrenwood Academy.
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