The shimmering, crystalline brilliance that was Guardian Mountain engulfed Fal, pulling him into a vortex of energy that was irresistible, and with him, his Contracted, Tim.
​
It dragged him deep within the light of Guardian Mountain on the Pathways. Yet, at the same time, he was aware of Guardian Cavern all around. He looked down at himself and saw the sheerest reflection of his body, a transparent wavering ghost of a Guardian, like looking at himself through a smoke-filled haze. It was like nothing he had ever experienced.

He did not want to be in Guardian Cavern. Almost, he thought himself right out of there, when a tingling shivered through him, gradually increasing in intensity. It held him there, bound him with ecstasy.

His Contracted, Tim, stood beside him. Etheric eyes large against his shadowed face, as he stared about himself. Fal felt a mixture of terror and awe assaulting him. It came from his boy, and from his own heart.  

Fal looked up to see that he and Tim stood in the center of a circle of Guardian’s and Contracted. He saw Ell, her neck curved about her Contracted’s shoulders. She was staring at him with golden eyes opened wide, mirrored by the same startled look in the eyes of her Contracted. He was relieved to see that Ell looked strong, completely healed.

He saw his dame, Gran Bryl and her Contracted, Bryllint, standing beside Ell. His heart filled with love the like of which he hadn’t felt since he was a hatchling, but treading upon the tail of that love was terrible shame. He saw the other Guardians and Contracted looking up, looking at him.

The shimmering walls of the cavern behind them resolved into myriad flyer folk, as a loud, rhythmic clattering began. Then a deep humming filled the cavern with the energy of joy. The Guardians were toning, singing in harmony. He heard a sweet voice rising above, and looked to see Ell’s Contracted, eyes closed now, her face lifted, a beautiful descant rising from her throat. Then the voices of the other Contracted joined. The toning intensified, the energy swirling about him, lifting him, forcing him.

Fal wasn’t ready for that beauty, but he could not help but join in. The song of the Ritual of the One flowed into him, and then it ripped and tore out of him. The sound he made was anything but beautiful. It growled through him straight from his gut, shredding the frozen places inside where his grief and shame burrowed. It burned through him with its heat, shattering his heart, scorching his soul. And it continued, on and on. He thought that surely, he would die, he was dying. He was fragmented into so many pieces that he could never be pulled back together. 

Then he heard his Contracted, his boy, Tim. His mellow, soothing voice, cooling Fal. Fal leaned his shattered self into that voice. It flowed around him, easing him, cooling the terrible, scorching heat. The dulcet tones of his Contracted pulled the shattered pieces of Fal’s heart together and bound them with his steady love.

Fal felt himself then within Tim’s mind. No, Faltim’s mind. The words of the Ritual flowed into Fal and he knew that they, he and his Contracted, were One. He was whole at last.

He saw his other self step forward and say, “I am Faltim, Voice and Hands. We are One.”

Faltim’s hazy figure grew suddenly opaque. No longer was his form etheric and ghostly. Faltim stood solidly beside him.
As Fal realized this he was assaulted by the moist, cool air of the cavern and the familiar metallic scent of greystone, the spice and flowers of the Guardians all around him, even his own weight bearing him down into the rough gravel of the cavern floor. It was almost too much for him to take in all at once, but a minute passed and he adjusted.

He looked down and saw himself solidly present there in Guardian Cavern. He looked around at the Guardians and Contracted who surrounded him and felt all parts of himself there with them in Guardian Cavern. He realized then, that he was fully committed in service to the One.

A renewed burning sensation began deep in his gut. Yet this time, it filled him with excitement, joy and terrible longing. It flowed, hot lava up through his throat and out between his jaws. The flames roared up out of him, reaching up, all the way to the ceiling of Guardian Cavern high above them.

He felt rather than saw Ell lift her own jaws to the ceiling and roar out an accompanying flame. Then it cascaded around the circle, one Guardian after another lifting jaws high and flaming. Their Contracteds stood before them, spreading arms wide, faces lifted in ecstasy, singing, roaring out a tumultuous song of triumph and victory.

Fal, closed his jaws, the flames receding back into his body though the power was in him still. He felt it burst out through his skin, white hot light outlining every ridge and scale. It was searingly hot without any sensation of burning. As he looked about the circle, he saw Guardian jaws still lifted to the ceiling, but no longer enflamed. Brilliant light shone from each Guardian’s body, their Contracteds surrounded in a nimbus of their own bright light. The shining intensity cascaded upward, filling the cavern with incandescent brilliance.

He watched, entranced as the golden-white light formed into strands which gradually became a great web overlaying the cavern. Fal realized that these were the Pathways of the One, formed from their own inner light. He felt each of the other Guardians and their Contracted, and knew that they too felt him. Then he felt so much more, all of the humans, the creatures, the trees and the very stones of the planet. The awareness expanded ever outward, encompassing All.

So astounded was he that he was almost unaware of the deep answering thrum of the Mother Planet, vibrating through the great web. He felt her then, Gaea. He felt her pleasure at his awareness and her acceptance of his service, as if she stood before him, arms open wide. He felt her shake off the dark shroud, like a Guardian sheds its first skin. Then Fal, still reeling from his shattered and mended heart, allowed himself to accept her immense gratitude and love as it surrounded and enfolded him.

Deep within the primordial fires at the heart of Gaea, the Mother Planet knew the expansive relaxation that signaled the Balance, and Gaea finally rested.

Lisle moved to stand in front of where Ell settled her backside to the cavern floor, curling her twitching tail about her. Feeling anxious, Lisle stood as she saw the other Contracted doing, standing straight, shoulders back and arms at her sides. She felt Ell’s head just above her own, and had the incongruous thought of wearing her Guardian like some glorious hat and cape. A nervous giggle escaped her and she took a tiny step back to feel Ell’s warm solidity behind her. Lisle felt Ell’s chest rise and fall, and with each breath her comforting floral spice scent surrounded her tightly strung Contracted.

Lisle looked around the circle. Deloren and her Guardian, Loren were on one side of them with Bryllint and Gran Bryl on the other side. Ranged about the circle were all the others.

Lisle knew each of the Guardians from her time here in Guardian Mountain, but not all the Contracted. They must have been out in the world and returned for this special day. The thought caused Lisle’s roiling stomach to flip-flop like a landed swimmer.

She heard Ell gulping in what sounded like an uncomfortable swallow and realized that Ell was nervous too. Somehow, she felt better knowing that Ell shared her anxiety, and she leaned back a bit more, allowing one hand to reach behind to pat Ell’s leg. 

The circle was silent but for the almost rhythmic clatter made by the multitude of flyer folk wings as they clung to the walls of the cavern. The circle of Guardians and Contracted, standing and sitting, straight and still,  gazed at Lisle and Ell. Lisle had the panicky thought that they were waiting for her to do something. But what was she supposed to do? She had no idea. She cleared her throat, tense, and heard a similar rumble from behind her and felt Ell shift her weight  from one foreleg to another.

Lisle prepared herself to say something, anything, just to end the agony, when Bryllint stepped forward, and in a loud, firm voice said, “I am Bryllint, Voice and Hands.”

Lisle relaxed, exhaling breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Then the Contracted on the other side of Bryllint took a step forward and stated, “I am Holan, Voice and Hands.”

It continued around the circle as each of the Contracted stepped forward in turn, till finally Deloren, standing on the other side of Lisle, stepped forward and stated, “I am Deloren, Voice and Hands.”

Then all were silent once again, waiting.

Lisle’s stomach clenched hard and she heard Ell drag in a huge breath and hold it. Now what? It seemed obvious that Lisle was to step forward and make that same statement. She knew she couldn’t do it without grinding her way through in fits and starts. It would be horrendous. They’d probably laugh at her or worse, pity her. She’d have to sing it. She could only hope that would be correct.

She lifted her foot to take that fateful step when she was halted by a deep rumbling coming from all around the circle. The clattering of flyer folk wings picked up in intensity then, the rhythm speeding up. Lisle listened closely and realized the Guardians were humming. Some were toning so deeply as to be almost inaudible, some higher, all flowing in harmony, each with the other.

Startled, she heard Ell join in from behind her, a beautiful sound that she hadn’t known that Ell could make. It was almost flute-like and yet far deeper than any flute she had known. It flowed into the harmonies of the other Guardians with a beauty that brought tears to her eyes. She forgot her fears and gave herself up to it, allowing herself to be carried on the wings of that wondrous sound.

The toning grew in intensity, filling Lisle with energy, tingling up her legs and arms, filling her chest full and moving up into her throat. She couldn’t stop herself and opened her mouth to join in the harmony. The song flowed out of her, high and light. An etheric descant that poured from her mouth, lifting to the very top of the cavern and cascading down again. Weaving in and out through the bass tones coming now only from directly behind her. Coming from Ell.

It was just she and Ell singing now. Lisle was so caught up in the song that it didn’t matter. Their harmony was perfect, low and high, weaving up and down and around each other. She didn’t have to think about it, she simply knew which note to sing to blend perfectly with Ell’s tones. It poured from her heart and out through her mouth and she felt as though her spirit filled all of the cavern around them. She flowed on this great river of sound until gradually, so gradually, the song wound down and drained away like water into the stone.

Lisle felt utterly emptied and deeply satisfied. She rested into the gentle swells of energy that moved through her and all around her, as Ell breathed quietly behind her. Then all was silent. Even the flyer folk held still.

Once again, the Guardians and their Contracted looked steadily at Lisle and Ell, waiting, expectant.

Lisle could not react. Ell was there in her mind and Lisle was captivated. She felt Ell’s warmth and her fathomless love. It filled her to overflowing, spilling out and around her, then filling her again and again. She gazed about the circle and realized that it no longer mattered what the others thought. They could laugh or pity her and it made no difference. She and Ell were One.  

The words were there then in Lisle’s mind, pushing onto her tongue. She felt she might burst from the pressure of them. Almost without conscious volition, Lisle took a firm step forward and said, “I am Ellisle.” There was no hesitation, no stumbling. Then, clear and strong, “I am Ellisle, Voice and Hands. We are One.”

As she did so, she felt Ell’s head close to her own, graceful neck curving lovingly about her shoulders. Ellisle reached her hands up, one arm cradling Ell’s head, the other holding the long, sinuous neck that embraced her.

They held each other, lost in Oneness.

Each of the other Guardians and their Contracted remembered their own ritual, eyes closed now, their hearts meltingly one, unaware of the time which passed.

Deep within Ell’s embrace, Ellisle’s eyes drifted into the circle. There in the center of all the Guardians and Contracted, she saw something so startling as to shock her out of her dream-like state. Ellisle struggled up, pushing Ell’s head so that she too would look into the circle and see what Ellisle saw.

Standing in the center of the cavern were the translucent, ghostly figures of Fal and his Contracted, Tim, who looked about himself, eyes wide in surprise.  
 

Lisle trod behind Ell who led the way to Guardian Cavern. Lisle’s stomach felt jumpy. The little of the morning meal she had been able to force down sat uneasily within. Her earlier excitement had drained away and now she had the desperate thought that maybe they could wait a few more days. She wasn’t ready. How could she be all that Ell would need her to be, Voice and Hands? She was just a younger. The other Contracted were older, at least the ones she had met. They knew more. She didn’t know enough. She didn’t know anything. She was just here because she stumbled on Ell’s egg in the woods. She didn’t belong here. Lisle almost turned around and ran back down the hallway. But Ell moved steadily ahead and Lisle, taking a deep, shuddering breath continued to follow her.

Lisle was nervous, maybe more nervous than she had ever been. But still she felt amusement as she looked ahead and saw the misty steam rising from Ell’s back in the cool air of the tunnel, remnants of her recent preparatory bath. The scent of the delicate floral oil Lisle had used to shine and polish Ell’s scales wafted back to her, calming her.

Looking at her Guardian as they moved along, she was surprised to realize that Ell had grown since their arrival here at the mountain. She now moved with an ease that hadn’t been there before. The awkwardness of the young dragon was gone, replaced with the grace of an adult Guardian. Even from the back, Lisle could see her head and neck held high, bobbing gently with each step. Her wings arching up, and powerful hindquarters swaying from side to side. The young Guardian’s legs had lengthened and now held her considerable bulk well up off the tunnel floor, moving with an easy, measured pace. She held her tail just off the floor, the end curving up and around, forming almost a circle at the tip.

Her scales and ridges shone in the light as they passed each of the many torch sconces placed along the walls. The olive green was deeper than it had been, with touches of buttery yellow showing close in to her body as she moved, an echo of the warm yellow on her belly. The crimson edges of each scale on her sides and back, and the ridges on spine and neck, glittered, gem-like. Lisle spared a glance down at her own finery, proud to remember that she too wore Ell’s beautiful colors. At least this she could enjoy today.

Lisle felt a sharp expansion within her chest and inhaled deeply, the better to take in the overwhelming love that suddenly filled her. It tingled up through her legs and arms and cascaded up her spine as her breath carried it though her body. The sensation was so intense that she had to stop walking and just feel.

She saw Ell stop just ahead of her, and curve that long neck back and around so that she could look at her Contracted. Ell’s jaw dropped open slightly in a Guardian approximation of a grin. An expression that might look alarming to any but the Guardian’s Contracted, but Lisle understood. Her own mouth split in an echoing grin.

Ell moved onward then, slowing as she approached the entrance to Guardian Cavern. She stepped through the greystone archway with Lisle following closely behind. Ell stopped and her tail dropped unexpectedly to the floor. Lisle had to make a fast adjustment in her forward pace and do a little hop to avoid stepping squarely on that vulnerable tip. As it was, she had to catch herself with hands outstretched on Ell’s hindquarters. Ell didn’t seem to notice. She stood perfectly still.

Lisle moved to the side so she could peer out and around Ell to see what had halted their forward progress.

Her jaw dropped in awe. Ten enormous Guardians lined the circumference of the cavern in a large circle. Each sat in the same upright pose with deepest green-blue and olive-green heads erect on curved necks. Forearms on the ground before them, claws neatly curled under. Long tails gracefully wrapped about their bodies reaching across in front of them and then around the other side, huge wings lay in folds upon their backs. Each one turned golden eyes to stare at Ell and Lisle.

Ten Contracted stood in formal pose in front of the Guardians. Heads up, shoulders back, arms to the side. Each wearing the colors of their Guardian they stared at Ell and Lisle, eyes calm and faces relaxed.

On the ledge at the far side of the Cavern, Lisle saw Terris, a huge smile spread over his face. He lifted one hand, palm out, wiggling his fingers at her in greeting. His greying hair was plastered to his scalp, and it looked as though he’d attempted to shave most of the scraggly beard that usually resided on his face. Just a short tuft was left dangling from his chin, and a bit on his upper lip. Beside him sat Gareth, straight, serious and handsome. He nodded to her and she saw the corners of his lips curve upward.

Lisle’s eyes trailed above her companions and she was astounded to see what must have been a thousand flyer folk clinging to a wall of the cavern, slowly fanning their wings in the sunlight pouring through the crater far above. The light shone off their iridescent wings reflecting tiny rainbows into the cavern. Together with the sparkling of the light off the crystal embedded in the greystone of the walls, the effect was mesmerizing.

Lisle looked for Moss, hoping to catch a glimpse of her friend, and somehow discovered her amidst the myriad folk. Green hair formed a nimbus about her tiny face and her wings beat a more rapid pulse than any of the others.

Tearing her eyes away, Lisle saw the largest of the Guardians, Gran Bryl, elegantly dip her chin toward a space in the circle of Guardians just next to her. Ell, hesitated a moment more, then picked up her tail and paced across the circle to Gran Bryl. Lisle closed the mouth that she realized had hung open throughout her awestruck survey of the scene before her, and nervously picked her way across the cavern behind her Guardian. Whatever was about to happen, there was no turning back now.
 
 

Lisle looked over her shoulder longingly in the direction she knew would lead to her Guardian. She would have to wait to tell Ell of her experience on the mountainside. Resolutely, she turned her head forward even as her feet continued to follow Bryllint. Gran Bryl’s Contracted had accosted Lisle in the tunnelway on her way to find Ell. Her abrupt, “Follow me,” allowed no possibility of argument from Lisle. It was well past midday and their accustomed time for teaching, so Lisle shrugged and followed her to the teaching room.

Once settled in her usual seat, Lisle was quickly caught up in listening to Bryllint’s resonant voice as it filled the room. She enjoyed watching Bryllint draw in the air with her hands as she illustrated her teaching.  Bryllint’s energy was such that she paced the greystone floor from one side of the teaching space to the other, her enthusiasm spilling over into Lisle.

Lisle wondered that she could keep up that level of energy, as old as she must be. She didn’t know how old, but the lines on Bryllint’s face told of many changes lived. The soft grey of the hair framing her face, confirmed it. Even so, when Bryllint taught she practically bounced around the room.

Lisle focused her wandering thoughts and listened to Bryllint. She was talking about a Guardian and her Contracted, saying they were two aspects of the same soul. Lisle blinked her eyes. She was astounded by this idea. How could she possibly be good enough to share a soul with Ell? Lisle wanted to object, and yet a tiny voice inside said, wait. So, Lisle held her mind still for a moment as Bryllint explained further.

She said that Guardian’s hold the high-level energy needed to balance light and dark for their Mother world, Gaea. Lisle’s mind hared off again, musing on the fact that she had always thought of their home as Mother. That was what was taught in the Book of One. It was the way Ma-Marn had spoken of their world, sitting at her loom before the fire during the cold of winter, with Mina and Lisle curled up in blankets on the floor beside her, listening. But Ma-Marn had never spoken the name, Gaea. Nor had she taught that Mother home was a being, just as Lisle herself was. Yet that was what Bryllint was saying right now. Well, maybe not a person like Lisle, but so much more than grey rock, trees and dirt. Gaea was alive.

Lisle felt excitement surge through her at this thought. She knew deep within that it was true. Hadn’t she felt that aliveness all around her? Hadn’t Gaea’s music comforted her when she wept? Lisle could hear that music even now. She knew Gaea, though she had never known her name.

“Lisle?”

Lisle snapped her eyes back to Bryllint, who gazed at her with amusement as she stood before her, hands on her hips. Then her hands leapt up to gesture again and she continued. “As I was saying, Guardian’s hold the balance of light and dark for our Mother, Gaea. There must be at least twelve Guardians to hold the balance, never less. In the past there were many more. But the Guardian wars….”

Bryllint’s voice ran down, bright, black-brown eyes dimmed, and her face fell as she suddenly looked old, cheeks sagging downward. She sank down on the floor in front of Lisle and looked down at her hands. Her voice hushed and she spoke in a whisper, the words almost too terrible to say aloud.  “Guardian killing Guardian.”

Lisle’s brow furrowed. “Wh…Why?”

Bryllint heaved a deep breath in and sighed it out. She lifted her head, her eyes shining and wet. “The Others.”

Lisle studied Bryllint’s face as if she could read the answer there in the wrinkles at the corners of her mouth and eyes, the gleam of light on tear-filled eyes.

Bryllint continued, her voice low, seemingly reluctant to say the words. “They hide in the dark of the Pathways, insatiable in their desire for power and control. They have no bodies in which to live in this world. They are powerless, so they insinuate themselves into the thoughts of humans and even Guardians. Worst is that their words sound like our own thoughts, thoughts of fear, hatred, anger, greed and jealousy.”

Lisle was struck with understanding. “Th..The Dark G…G…Guardian?”

“Yes. There's no doubt he is a victim of their manipulations.”

Uncharacteristically, Bryllint was silent after that, looking again at her hands, studying work worn palms.

Lisle waited. She could feel Bryllint’s need to work through what she needed to say.

Bryllint took a deep breath,  still staring at her hands, then held them out towards Lisle. “I carried his egg in my hands, just as I did Ell’s.” She swallowed with a gulping sound, and the tears fell now, running down into the furrows of Bryllint’s cheeks. She made no move to brush them away. Her hands dropped into her lap. “He was Bryll’s own, even as Ell is.”

Lisle was shocked, horrified. Her breath came in short gasps. It was too terrible to absorb.

“He tried to k…kill his own f…family?”

Bryllint took a deep breath and nodded as she exhaled. “He didn’t know that the thoughts which goaded him into such a crime were not his own. He didn’t understand that he served their dark purpose.”

“How could he?” Lisle leapt to her feet and ran from the room. She felt like she might explode with rage if she stayed, her anger bubbling up and spewing out like the fire mountains in the Book of One. Her feet flew unerringly down the tunnelway, carrying her straight to Ell. 

Ell threw up her head, watching the enormous Guardian diving at her. Her jaws opened defensively, then it slammed into her. She felt the thudding impact as a tremendous weight bore her body to the ground. Huge claws stabbed and ripped agonizingly into her sides, grabbing at her neck and pinning her head to the stony earth.

She looked upward into a gaping, toothed maw, nostrils filling with the rotted flesh scent of heated breath as it came at her. Her mind filled with the horrific vision of this enormous Guardian crushing her skull in it’s jaws, like the shell of an egg.

“Git offa her you, you…!”

Terris never finished his demand as he leapt at her attacker. Out of the corner of her eye, Ell saw Terris fly through the air, thrown wide by an enormous, whipping tail. She felt a stab of fear for him, knowing Terris had already been injured even as he leapt upon her foe.

Ell prayed. One, protect these precious humans who have given so much to protect me.

She felt her heart expand and was suddenly aware of all that took place from a vantage point above, observing.

She knew this Guardian. This was Fal, the dark light.

She felt the loving presence of the One fill her to overflowing. It tingled throughout her body, easing the terrible weight crushing her into the ground, and the burning pain of the claws that ripped at her.

Her fear melted away and she was oddly curious to see what would happen next.

She knew with certainty that it was all perfect, whatever happened, and she was filled with a deep sense of peace. Then sadness welled up in her heart as she felt the agony, fear and rage which consumed Fal and her heart reached out to him.

“Elllll...!” Lisle screamed high and long, from the mountain path above. Ell saw Lisle hurtle recklessly down the mountainside, slipping sideways on the graveled surface, face contorted with anger. She charged at the Fallen, beating at him with her fists.

Another arrived at that same moment, the boy Ell had seen from the air, the one she recognized as Tim. Long legs and arms pumping furiously, he raced to Fal, pulling at him, trying to get him off of her back.

She was grateful for their efforts, even knowing they were futile.

The thought came to her, I am of the One and of the One I remain. She knew this to be her deepest truth, despite what was happening to her physical body.

Then, as her body struggled for breath beneath that terrible weight, she mind-spoke, Fal, we are ONE.

The light of the One flooded outward through the back of her heart. She felt the warm energy and an intense tingling sensation which dampened the burning pain in her back and neck from where his claws tore through her scaled hide. She felt love, huge and encompassing, engulfing her and the one who rent and tore at her.

Distantly, she felt the pain intensify in her back as his claws clenched spasmodically, powerfully, and then suddenly released.

With a shrieking roar the Fallen lifted into the air and flapped away in the direction from which he had come. She turned her head to watch him and saw that his movements were awkward. Long, dark tail wheeling, trying for balance, he pitched drunkenly in the air with none of the accustomed grace of a Guardian in flight.

Ell heaved desperate breath into her lungs, and her consciousness fell back into her body as its arching defensiveness collapsed. She felt the intense burning pain of her wounds return and groaned. A sound that vibrated from her gut and all along her neck, exacerbating the agony, and which she quickly cut short.

Lisle and Tim stood on either side of her, staring at her.

She heard the boy whisper, “I’m so sorry.” Then his feet pounded off in the direction the Fallen had taken. She didn’t lift her head to watch him go.

“Ell, you’re bl…bleeding!” She felt Lisle’s gentle hands on her back, and heard her catching intake of breath. “Oh, Ell.” Lisle quickly removed her over-tunic. She tried without success to rip it in pieces as she started to sob. Then she gave up and used the whole tunic to mop at Ell’s back and neck. 

“One bless you, Ell, yer a bit tore up,” said Terris through gritted teeth. He limped over to her, pressing his hand hard against his side. 

“There now, Younger, Ell ‘ll be alright.” Terris sounded out of breath as he moved over beside her and Ell felt another hand upon her back. “It looks a mess, but nothin’ as won’t heal up.” He paused to drag in another breath, still pressing his hand against his side. “You keep doin’ what you’re doin.’ It’ll stop the bleedin.’” Lisle snuffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve, and reached to mop Ell’s neck where it dripped crimson. Terris sank down on the ground beside Ell, breathing hard. Then his eyes rolled back, his head canted to the side, and he slowly toppled over.

 Lisle stood next to Ma-Marn’s trunk in the cottage, face serious, pack on her back. Mina stood beside her. Sunlight streamed in through the window, lighting elongated squares on the worn, woven rug of indeterminate color, covering the floor.
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“I want you to have this,” Mina said, lifting the lid of Ma-Marn’s trunk and carefully removing the fabric covered Book of One.

“Buh…buh…but…”

“No arguments. You take it. You might have need of it.”

Lisle reverently took the book and unshouldering her pack, placed the book carefully within.

“Th…th…” Lisle swiped at her eyes, as tears started to run down her cheeks.

“I know. Hush now, or you’ll have me crying like a younger.” Mina put her arms around Lisle.  “I’m going to miss you little sister.”

“Mm..mm...me t…too.” Lisle hugged her sister hard and let the tears flow.

Wiping her eyes, Mina insisted on accompanying Lisle to the Guardian’s clearing. Having already weighed down Lisle’s pack with provisions to the very limit of Lisle’s ability to carry it, Mina wanted to bring still more to Gareth.

Calming, Lisle looked at Mina’s preparations questioningly. “H…he’s a huh…huh…hunter, you know.” Lisle said, as if that explained everything. Then she stared as pink rose up in Mina’s neck and traveled up into her cheeks. Lisle rolled her eyes.

“He’ll need more than just meat, you know,” Mina replied, fussing with a piece of red fabric covering the huge basket she intended to bring, and not looking at Lisle.

“F…fine,” said Lisle, smiling at the still blushing Mina.

They started out on the long walk that would take them to the Guardian’s new location. Fortunately, it was early. Early enough that the air was warm but not too warm for an enjoyable excursion. A gentle breeze played in the top branches of the trees as the path they trod twisted through the woods.

“I can hardly believe that Jessamin and Farn gave you permission to go,” said Mina as they walked.

Lisle looked at her sister and nodded. “M…me too.”

“They must really trust the Guardian.”

Lisle nodded again, “A…a…and Guh…Guh…Gareth.”

“Yes, Gareth,” Mina smiled and sighed.

“Yuh…you a…and Guh…Gareth huh?”

Mina looked at Lisle, startled. “Well… not yet… but what would be so wrong with that?” She finished in a rush. Mina’s face turned pink again. She hefted the basket and marched ahead.

Lisle smiled and shook her head, following along in her wake.

A morning of walking brought them to the Guardian’s clearing.

Ell was trotting about, flapping her wings. Gareth was carefully packing his scant possessions. He looked up as the girls entered the clearing, his gaze immediately drawn to Mina. Smiling he put down his pack. He sauntered over to them, or tried to as he barely missed a root that stuck up from the ground in front of him. He did a fast, awkward hop over the root, arms flailing. Recovering his balance and his dignity, he approached Mina.

“Day of the One, Mina.” Then it was as if words failed him. He just looked at her, lips twitching upward.

“Day of the One, Gareth.” Mina, cheeks pink, looked up at him.

Lisle stood next to Mina, looking back and forth between them. She made a disgusted noise and walked over to greet Ell, who had stopped running about and was watching the proceedings.

Lisle hugged Ell about the neck and turned to the pair seemingly locked in place, “L…let’s g…g…go.”

Mina, as if remembering herself, blinked and shoved the large basket toward Gareth.

“I thought you might need some travel food.”

Gareth grasped the basket by the handle and then quickly put his other hand underneath to support the bottom, as the weight of the basket almost dropped from his grasp.

“Thank you, Mina.”

He looked at the basket in his hands and then at Mina. Haltingly, he said, “I’d…I’d…” Then he blurted out in a rush, “I’d like to come back and see you after I get the Guardian and Lisle safely to Guardian Mountain.”

Mina’s face lit up, blue eyes wide, staring up at him. ”I’d like that very much.”

Gareth’s whole face beamed, eyes crinkling, mouth grinning, and cheeks turning rosy.

They looked at each other for what seemed like forever to Lisle.

“Well, shine it, we’d better get going,” said Gareth.

Mina held out her hand to him and he put the basket down and took it in both of his.

“Will you wait?” He asked, his face serious now.

Mina’s stared into his eyes. “Yes.”

Gareth nodded, grinning again, released her hand and bent to lift the basket and walk back to where his pack lay on the ground. Then he stood, looking perplexed as he studied the basket and then his pack, and then the basket again.

“I’ll do that,” said Mina, and she bustled over and made quick work of stuffing his pack full.

Gareth just gazed at her, his lips curved upward, eyes soft.

Finished packing, Mina stepped over to Lisle and Ell, nodded her head respectfully to the Guardian and gave Lisle another hug.

“Stay safe, Lisle. Come back as soon as you can.”

Just then Moss buzzed into the clearing and landed upon the Guardian’s back. A tiny bag hung across her chest. She looked from Lisle, to Mina and then Gareth and nodded.

“Would you look at that,” said Gareth. “Moss is coming with us. Usually, flier folk stay close to home.” He moved closer to where she sat now upon a gleaming ruby ridge on Ell’s back.  “We are honored to have you join us, Moss.” Moss bowed her head in acknowledgment. She lifted into the air, wings whirring and looked back and forth between Gareth and Lisle.

“Ready to go?” Asked Gareth.

Moss nodded once and started off to the North, toward Guardian Mountain. Ell turned and with a running leap and a downward sweep of her wings, took to the air. Lisle started off after them, then turned to wave to Mina. Gareth gathered up his pack and smiled back at Mina. “One keep you,” he said.

“One keep you all,” said Mina, tears in her eyes as she waved her hand.

Lisle was distraught. For the first time in over a moon since she first started hunting for the Guardian, no creature offered itself. She had searched for hours and had only one, small tree climber to show for it.

Even that had been a struggle. The tree climber had sighted her first, and sat upon its branch chattering at her, flicking its bushy gray tail back and forth in agitation. When she looked up and moved toward the tree, it raced up the side of the great oak away from her, clearly an unwilling meal for the Guardian. In desperation, Lisle had brought it down with her stoneshot anyway, hoping her prayer of gratitude was enough. Now the creature was a small, dead weight at the bottom of the bag over her shoulder.

To make matters worse she had woken feeling itchy all over and irritable with it. She hardly touched the bread and tea Mina  offered her before she left. She was just too uncomfortable. But that wasn’t important now.  My Guardian must be starving by now, she thought, though strangely she wasn’t feeling the gnawing torment of hunger from the hatchling that she usually felt. Better get this back to her anyway.   

Resigned, irritably trying to scratch a spot on her back she could just barely reach, Lisle turned in the direction of the Guardian’s clearing to present her tiny offering.

As she walked, she tried to cheer herself with thoughts of the amazing changes in her life.

Her mind drifted back over Jessamin’s strange reaction to the Guardian. In the days following, Jessamin had been unusually quiet, softer somehow. Even the times when she unconsciously started in with an imperious demand, she seemed to collect herself and softened it with a quiet, “Please.” She had even stopped picking at Lisle, and instead supported her efforts to care for the Guardian. It was astonishing to Lisle.

Even more astonishing was that every so often, Lisle would see Jessamin enter just at the edge of the Guardian’s clearing. There she would kneel down, staring at the Guardian with a child-like openness on her face. Makes me wonder if I can believe my own eyes, thought Lisle, shaking her head.

She looked around her now as she entered a field not far from the Guardian’s clearing, and took a calming breath of the sweet, spring air. The Mother was putting on quite a display of floral grandeur this year, purple globe flowers played seek and find among the taller, smiling, yellow-faced flowers that spread over the field. Trees standing around the edges of the field competed, clothing themselves in multi-hued shades of brightest green. The sun shone down warmly, and a gentle breeze lifted the edges of her tunic.

As Lisle stepped between the flowers wending her way across the field, she thought of how delighted she was by the Guardian’s rapid growth. The hatchling was filling out, her neck getting longer. Though she did not yet have the grace of a grown Guardian, she was developing more of a sense of where all her various body parts were and how they worked together. She moved with ease about her clearing now and spent more and more time trotting about, flapping wings that increased in size and strength with each passing day. Lisle chuckled as she thought of Moss, always flying beside the hatchling, celebrating each new accomplishment with aerial flips and somersaults.

Lisle knew that Gareth would be at the clearing waiting for her. His strong, undemanding presence was a comfort to her. He would have watched throughout the night, and now would take a few hours to do his own hunting and then return to the clearing and his shelter for rest. Lisle was thrilled that her days were now spent with the Guardian. She only had to go back to the cottage at end-day, do her chores and sleep for the night.

That cursed spot on her back itched ferociously. Irritated, Lisle strained her arm over her shoulder to reach it. The bag with it's small weight didn't help and she shifted it to the other shoulder. The paltry meal for the Guardian once again on her mind, Lisle’s thoughts circled back to hunting and the animals that offered themselves for the Guardian’s sustenance. They had been getting larger and ever more numerous by the day. Except for today. The thought weighed her down and she trudged on, feeling the slight weight of her offering hanging like lead on her shoulder.

Shortly, Lisle entered the Guardian's clearing and to her consternation Moss greeted her in fluttering agitation, pulling at the fabric on her shoulder and flying beside her.

Not seeing the hatchling in her usual place on the sunning rock, Lisle went straight to her cave, where she saw Gareth standing, looking in.

He looked up at her as she came to stand beside him. She looked into the shadows of the cave for the Guardian. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her.” His eyebrows knitted in concern. “She doesn’t get up and come out. She won’t look at me. She shivers every time Moss here, tries to land on her.”

Lisle sucked in a sudden breath as she stared at the Guardian. She felt her chest contract painfully and charged into the cave to kneel beside the hatchling.

The Guardian was lying on her side, eyes closed, stretched out upon the cool dirt of the cave floor.

“Wuh…wuh…w…what’s wrong?” Lisle asked softly, all thought of irritation gone. She placed a tentative hand on the hatchling’s shoulder. Her scales had a papery feel to them that was worrisome. The Guardian shuddered as Lisle touched her, but did not open her eyes. Lisle quickly withdrew her hand.

Looking closely at her, in the shadowy light of the cave, Lisle could see a sort of milky gray film covering the whole of the Guardian’s body. She saw pale, translucent strips of skin dangling from her wings. Lisle was horrified. She must be sick, terribly sick. What do I do?

Moss flew into the cave, chittering softly, numbers of other fliers joined her, their multi-colored, translucent wings whirring as they hovered over the Guardian. Then they each grasped at the grayish skin hanging off her wings and began to slowly pull it off. The Guardian shivered as they pulled.

“Wh…what are you doing? Stop that!” Lisle tried to brush them away.

Moss dropped the piece of skin she held and flew up in front of Lisle’s face. She patted Lisle’s cheek with a tiny hand and smiled at her. Then pointed back at the supine Guardian as she brushed her hand down her own tiny arm. Moss then flew back and grasped at another piece of wing skin and pulled, wings beating furiously. The skin came away in a great strip.

Frightened, not understanding, not knowing what to do, Lisle knew only that she trusted Moss. She stood up and moved back away from the Guardian, watching.

The hatchling began to shiver all over, great shudders rolling up and down her body.

The flier folk abandoned the wing they were working on and moved to the Guardian’s head. There they grasped at her muzzle and began to peel the grayish film back off her jaw, pushing it back over the ridges on her head and pulling it down over her neck in one large increasing ring. It looked like a huge, whitish scarf wrapped around the Guardian’s neck. The flier folk kept pulling at it, grasping with many tiny hands, backs arched by furiously beating wings. When they came to the wing and leg joints, they split into small groups each peeling the translucent skin off the various body parts. The Guardian shuddered in waves rolling up and down her body as the flier folk worked.

Lisle was stunned by the transformation occurring before her eyes.

“By the One!” said Gareth.

The Guardian lay upon her belly now, quiet. The flier folk had pulled the last of the translucent skin from her body and it lay in great heaps about her. Sunlight poured in from the triangular opening of the cave where Gareth still stood. It flooded over the head of the Guardian and gleamed off garnet-bright ridges lining both sides of her head which shone with deep, olive-green scales. Gone was any sign of the brown and green mottling of the hatchling Guardian. Garnet red brow ridges hooded each eye, shading to a dark, rusty orange over her muzzle. The head ridges merging and flowing down her neck, back and tail, dazzled in deepest red, set off against the olive-green scales on her flanks and tail. Her wings shone green outlined in carmine.  Where her chest rose up as she rested on gleaming forearms,  rich, yellow belly plates were just visible.

Moss, smiling, gave the Guardian's shoulder a satisfied pat, and then flitted over to hover before Lisle’s eyes. She gestured at the Guardian, then crossed her arms, puffed up her chest and nodded with finality, wings whirring.

“You’d think Moss did it all by herself the way she’s acting,” said Gareth, chuckling and shaking his head. “That Guardian sure is beautiful.”

“Sh…sh…she’s buh…buh…beautiful,” said Lisle, all thought of the tension of the morning gone. She stared at the Guardian whose head slowly drooped to rest upon her chest, breath deepening in sleep.

Then Lisle focused upon Moss still hovering before her, and held out her hand. Moss alighted on the offered palm and looked up at Lisle, still smiling. Lisle smiled back at her and nodded her head. Well done, Moss, she thought, well done.
 
*****
​
A half-day’s travel from Greystone, Wufn stopped to consider the sun’s placement in the sky. He cursed himself as he realized he had spent the last hour meandering off in the wrong direction. He was tired and his joints ached.  It had been a long journey from Guardian Mountain. He wasn't at all sure he wanted to do what his Guardian demanded.  But most of all he wanted to get this over and done.
 

© Holly Hildreth 2019 

Lisle arrived back at the cottage, humming a cheerful tune under her breath. The early spring-green leaves on the trees surrounding the cottage were lit as if from within by the late afternoon sun slanting through them. She looked across the yard and noticed with dismay, that the puller, John, was there within the fence, chewing his way noisily through a pile of hay.

Farn and Jessamin are back. She thought, a sinking feeling in her gut.

She opened the door to the cottage and stepped inside. The familiar, homey scent of wood smoke surrounded her. There was Farn sitting by the hearth, a pipe in his mouth, fragrant smoke encircling his head. Long strands of greying hair were futilely plastered over his bald crown in an unsuccessful bid for youth. He looked over and nodded at Lisle as she came quietly in. “Lisle,” he said. Then looked tiredly back at the fire where he had left his thoughts.

Lisle nodded back, “F…Farn,” she answered, though he was already far away.

Mina stood at the table, hands deep in a mass of brownish dough, her thick hair wrapped in a white head scarf. She signaled to Lisle with her eyes and a flick of her head toward the back of the cottage.

Jessamin tossed back the curtain and entered the room. She looked beautiful in a deep red town dress, with long trailing sleeves and matching necklace at her throat.

Her dark eyes, flashed. “Lisle, where have you been?” She demanded.

“H…Huh…Hunting.”

“And nothing to show for it I see,” said Jessamin. “I suppose you were feeding that Guardian you supposedly found.”

Lisle’s stomach clenched. Her mind wailed. No! She remembered!

“Well, you’d better get to your chores, that shed won’t clean itself you know!”

Then Jessamin turned to Farn and stood looking at him, an annoyed expression on her face. “Jonas! A chair if you will?”

Farn sighed and stood, his wrinkled trousers and baggy jacket falling down over his rangy frame. He took a fortifying puff of his pipe and put it down on the rough wood mantle over the fire.

“I’m waiting Jonas.”

 “Yes, yes.”

Jonas, having repeated this ritual numbers of times, crossed the room, picked up a chair and her sewing basket and placed the chair beside his own at the fire.

Jessamin sat, spreading her skirt about her.

He handed her the sewing basket. She nodded at him, and took up her sewing by the light of the fire.

Lisle looked back at Mina’s sympathetic face and took a deep breath, silently sharing her misery with her sister. Then she rolled her eyes, shrugged her shoulders, and slipped quietly back out the door to do her chores.

After a tense end-day meal all crowded together at the small table, as Jessamin always insisted was proper,  Farn and Jessamin retreated to their bed.

The girls lay on their pallets in the darkened loft, the smell of woodsmoke stronger here than elsewhere in the cottage. Lisle found no solace in it's familiar comfort.

Mina whispered to Lisle. “She’s going to find the Guardian you know. She’s going to use the Guardian to build herself up with those in town. It will come to no good for you or that hatchling. What are we going to do?”

“D….duh….don’t know,” said Lisle miserably, and turned away to face the wall.

Lisle was up early the next morning, hoping to escape before the rest of the family awoke. Slinging hunting pouch over her shoulder, she climbed quietly down from the loft only to discover that Jessamin was already up and for once dressed as befitted a cottage in the woods, rather than an elegant town home. She wore a brown, thickly woven skirt with a knitted shawl covering a lighter-toned over blouse and tucked into a belt wrapped about her waist. Farn was up too, none too happy about it, and looking even more rumpled than usual.

“Day of the One, Lisle,” said Jessamin with a smile. “Hunting this morning?”

Lisle, alarmed by this unaccustomed cheerfulness, nodded cautiously.

“Well, you get along now. Farn and I have things to do.”

Lisle nodded again, ducked her head and rapidly collected leftover bread and cheese from last night’s end-day meal. Tucking it away in her pouch, she quickly left the cottage.

A rain-washed morning greeted her, the air fresh and moist, cool with the new dawn. The grass was wet under her feet, and she thought with gratitude of the dry cave Gareth had found for her Guardian. My Guardian, she thought, unfamiliar pride warming her.

She looked back over her shoulder at the cottage and her stomach clenched. There was Jessamin, face framed in the rough, wood silled window, watching her.

She’s going to follow me, thought Lisle with certainty.

She continued onto the path and as she rounded a corner, out of sight of the cottage, she stepped back behind a large tree and waited.

Shortly she spied Jessamin picking her way along the path with a disgruntled Farn in tow. Lisle was about to step out onto the path behind them when Mina appeared on the path.

“Lisle,” Mina said in a startled whisper. “You scared me!”

Lisle signaled for silence and the two of them followed Jessamin and Farn.

As they got closer to the Guardian’s clearing Lisle gestured to Mina to hurry up. She did not want Jessamin and Farn to reach the Guardian without her, though she had no idea what she was going to do if they did.

Hurrying along, they came around a curve in the path to see Gareth confronting Jessamin and Farn, bow in hand, blocking the trail.

“Turn around and go back where you came from. This place is not for you,” said Gareth.

“How dare you! Do you know who I am?” Asked Jessamin.

Jessamin glanced back at Farn hoping for support. He had his head bent forward and was attempting to smooth the long strands of hair that should have been covering his bald pate, back into place. Farn looked up then and studied the tall, strong young man, in front of him, looked at the bow in his hands, and shrugged his shoulders.

Finding no help there, Jessamin pulled herself up to her full height, almost as tall as Gareth, then brushed Gareth aside with an imperious gesture of her arm, and bulled her way through.

Gareth, a startled look on his face, hurried to catch up with her, Farn following along behind.

Lisle and Mina caught up to them and all five of them burst out of the woods into the Guardian’s clearing.

Lisle ran to the Guardian falling to her knees and putting her arms about the hatchling’s neck, as the Guardian lifted her head to look at who had arrived in her clearing, the ridges on either side of her head lifting, alert.

A tiny, green flier, flew up off the back of the hatchling and hovered in the air just above her, minute arms gesturing, making frantic shooing motions at the intruders. Gareth walked over to the Guardian and took up a wary stance to the side.

“You know these people?” 

Lisle nodded, “M…my f…f…family.”

Gareth looked grim as he stared first at Jessamin, then at Farn, and finally over at Mina.

When his eyes landed on Mina his face changed, softened for a moment. Then as if remembering what he was here for, he looked back at Jessamin and Farn and took a firmer stance, hand now on his knife sheath.

“You don’t belong here,” he stated to Farn.

Farn just looked at him and shrugged his shoulders, rolling red-rimmed eyes over at Jessamin.

Gareth turned, opened his mouth to repeat his statement to Jessamin, and shut it, his eyebrows lifted in surprise.

Jessamin was staring, open-mouthed at the Guardian.

The Guardian was looking directly at Jessamin. Jessamin, her face slack with shock, looked fixedly back for what seemed an interminable length of time to those watching.

Jessamin’s cheeks went pale, her eyes wide. Then slowly, slowly, she crumpled to her knees, a towering tree brought down by the relentless chopping of the axe.  Covering her face with her hands, she took in a deep, ragged breath and huge sobs racked her body.

Standing on either side of her, Farn and Mina watched Jessamin, dumbfounded. No one moved, except for the green flier who settled once again to the hatchling’s back, seemingly content with the proceedings.

The only sound to be heard was that of Jessamin’s keening sobs, as she rocked on her knees, grabbing at her chest like her heart was ripping open.

The Guardian focused on her steadily.

Finally, Jessamin wound down, exhausted. A lone, spring singer could be heard now, chirping in the branches at the side of the clearing. The sun shone down through the cool, morning mist, illuminating where Jessamin sat upon the ground, staring at the damp earth around her, unseeing.

Farn moved closer and touched her shoulder with a tentative hand. She looked up at him, an unaccustomed expression of vulnerability written on her reddened and tear-streaked face. Her lips curved in the suggestion of a smile and she reached her hand upward toward him in mute request for support. Farn took her hand and gently helped her to her feet.

Putting his arm around her and pulling her close to his side, she leaned her head down on his broad, wrinkled shoulder, and they turned and slowly left the clearing, following the path back to the cottage.

Lisle watched Jessamin and Farn leaving, feeling wonderment and a relief she was almost afraid to allow. Then she looked up at Gareth, still standing beside the Guardian. Gareth was gazing at Mina, a soft smile on his lips. Mina, nut brown tendrils escaping her white head scarf, was staring at the Guardian.
 
 © Holly Hildreth 2019

Fal, known to those unlucky few as, the Fallen, rested easily on the rocky ledge in his cave hidden deep within the foothills of Guardian Mountain. His crystalline cave was a small version of Gran Bryl’s own. He had chosen it for this reason, to focus him upon his goal.

His long neck arched gracefully, shining emerald and sapphire as he moved in the fingers of sun stretching into the cave, and relaxed his powerful jaws on his chest.
 
He had just eaten, a fine, grass-fattened cud-chewer, he hunted that morning.

The foolish beast ran, he thought, as if it had a chance. It did not willingly give itself as is my due. He had enjoyed the chase though, prolonging it a bit. After all that was really the point wasn’t it?

It wasn’t as if he needed to consume meat. Though he was still young, the crystal frequency, even at the base of Guardian Mountain, was enough to sustain him. Still, he did enjoy a good chase, and the kill.

He wrapped his elegant, gleamingly scaled tail around massive foreclaws, licked clean of any sign of his morning’s entertainment. Then he settled himself upright on haunches, such a deep green they were almost black.

Closing golden, round pupiled eyes he sank deep into the blackness behind his eyelids, searching. He wouldn’t be here long. The voices were too strong here.

Opening his mental eyes, he noted that he no longer saw the accursed light of the web. That One-blasted Unity, he thought. He had left that behind when he chose to pursue his own plans. His thoughts scattered back to well-worn pathways.  I will never bind myself to the web of the One like those weakling Guardians. I will never undergo the Ritual of the One, nor will my Contracted. I will create my own Ritual of Power when I am Elder!

And the voices began.

By what right does Gran Bryl continue to be Eldress? She wastes her power. You have the blood! You are of the Chosen! But we forget, you are only a pathetic worm, a cowardly lizard. There is no power in you, only weakness. We waste our time.

Anger surged through him. Great claws ripped at the rocky ground beneath him. The grating of claw on stone jolted him to full wakefulness.

I will be Elder, he promised, and this world will know my power!

The Fallen vented his anger with a series of loud, grating roars, head thrown back, teeth bared, black-edged wings lifting, mantling. The flapping lifted him backwards, out of the sunlight, back into the thick darkness in the depth of his cave.

The power of the display was most satisfying.

He settled himself once more, shaking out his wings and folding them to his sides, and willed himself back down into the inky depths to find the one he sought.

He allowed himself to sink deeper and deeper into the void. Pathetic worm. Cowardly lizard. He ignored the voices.

A slash of brilliant light to his left momentarily blinded him. He knew this was Guardian Mountain, and that accursed Gran Eldress, and turned his attention quickly away from it.

Other lights sparkled in the darkness. He bypassed them, floating onward until he was distracted by one particular, small light. A light he had been keeping track of for several changes now. The light was turning a satisfactory shade of grey, muddy at the edges, but still a clear aqua toward the center. This small one will be of use to me, he thought with satisfaction.

We’ll meet soon boy, he promised.

Again, the voices. No power, only weakness, weakness… He shrugged them off, and cast his mind’s eye out looking further.

Finally, drifting further into the darkness, he found that which he sought, a cobalt-blue blaze of light. Ah, the Guardian, Ell. She awakens to her Self, but she is a mere hatchling. My Wufn, will have her by the time she grows to her second skin.

He felt that familiar sense of possessiveness and delicious control that came to him whenever he thought of his Contracted now. Not like it used to be, he thought, back when I was a weak hatchling, so dependent upon his unthinking cruelty.

The anger that thought engendered brought him fully alert. He never lasted long in the void, too many distracting thoughts. Too many feelings. And then there were the voices. The voices that whispered to him constantly, but especially here in this dark place.

Enough! He thought and returned to more satisfying musings. Wufn taught me well, but now he is the learner. Now he knows what fear is. He felt the spines raising along the ridges at the crest of his head, his wings lifting and spreading as the desire for power filled him.

I will have Ell. I will have the control! There will be no coming together into some One blasted Unity, he thought with satisfaction. All will know the strength of my will, my power!

The Fallen roared with the intensity of emotion and gave his wings a flapping surge of strength, hind claws squeezing, crushing the rubble beneath him.

​Then, pleased with himself, he relaxed and mind-thought, Wufn, I have need of you.

Lisle stepped into the clearing, long, brown braid swinging down her back, holding a burrower by the hind legs. She smiled to see the Guardian, lying in the warm sun on the rock where she'd left her.  Shimmers of light danced about the hatchling. The flier folk are busy today, Lisle thought with amusement.

The Guardian was looking intently at the other side of the clearing. Lisle turned to see what she was looking at and saw two men standing, side by side. The wind came up then as if aimed, blowing through the leaves about the men, casting pale undersides upward, and lifting the dark hair of the tallest man away from his face. Lisle saw a scruffy, earth-toned beard dangling from his chin, and a bow held down by the side of his much worn and stained leggings. His head was cocked to the side as he studied the Guardian, a frown line between graphite dark eyebrows, and uncertainty written on his face. The other man, shorter, stockier, held a crossbow aimed directly at the Guardian, clear intent in his small, puffy eyes.

“Noooo…!” screamed Lisle.

She dropped the burrower and launched herself at the Guardian.

The tall man reached to knock his companion’s crossbow upward just as he released the bolt. It shot harmlessly into the air.
”What’d you do that for!” Demanded the shorter man, turning angrily, his brow beetling over squinting eyes.

“It’s no lizard for our dinner, it’s a Guardian, you fool. Can’t you see?” Said the tall man gesturing at the hatchling and not taking his eyes off her. He fell to his knees, unheeding of the dried twigs crackling beneath them, and dragged his companion down beside him. 

Lisle landed on top of the Guardian. Her speed knocking the Guardian over backward and forcing a growled "Umph," from the hatchling.  Lisle scrambled up and off her, patting and touching the Guardian all over.

“Are you unhurt? Are you safe?”

The Guardian righted herself on her sunning rock, pushing up onto her haunches, shaking out limp wings and wrapping her tail about her.  A rumbling purr sounded from her chest, as she glanced at Lisle. Then she lifted her head, haloed now as chittering flyer folk descended to surround her and stared the men.

Lisle leapt to her feet, pulled her sling from her belt, and ran at the kneeling men. She stopped just in front of them, trembling all over.

“What’s the matter with you? That’s a Guardian! A Guardian! Do you realize what you almost did? Would you have shot her? Are you crazy?”

The words poured out of her. She kicked at the man still holding the crossbow, who scrambled up and away from her, eyeing her like she was some avenging angel. She turned to kick at the other, who was getting to his feet and putting his hands in prayer position in front of his chest, staring at the Guardian a short distance away.

In a clear, carrying voice he addressed the Guardian directly. “We didn’t know. We were hungry. You looked like a big lizard…” He grimaced. “Forgive me. I mean we didn’t recognize you. Guardians are big and green and live in Guardian Mountain. How could we know you were here?” He fell back to his knees.

Refraining from kicking him, Lisle said, “Go on get out of here you st…stupid men.” She kept her eyes on them as she went to sit near the Guardian, putting her arm around her protectively. The Guardian was staring now at the man who had spoken. Lisle felt the deep rumble in the hatchling’s chest. How could she be purring? She questioned, incredulous. They just tried to shoot her!

The shorter man scooted backwards still on his knees trying for the cover of the trees.

 “I’m staying,” the tall man, said to his companion.

“What do ya’ want to do that for? We’re lucky that Guardian don’t eat us. I’m getting out of here and not coming back.” The shorter man answered.

“What if some other hunter makes the same mistake? I’ve got to stay and make sure that doesn’t happen. You’ll be alright on your own.”

The shorter man looked at his companion, “Aw, go on then. I’m not stayin’. You want to be that Guardian’s dinner, you go ahead. Jus’ don’t be thinkin’ I’ll be coming back for what’s left of you.”

He stood and trundled off into the woods, back the way they had come.

“One’s blessing go with you,” the tall man said to his companion’s retreating back and then turned to face the infant Guardian.

Lisle watched the shorter man retreat into the woods. He knew what he’d done. He wouldn’t be back. But the other one was still kneeling at the edge of the clearing.  Lisle grabbed up her sling and a stone and stood up. She stalked up to him, holding her sling ready.

“W…wh…what do you w…want?”

The man looked up. “One hear me, what if other hunters should make the same mistake? I will stay to protect the Guardian.” Then the man just looked at her, waiting.

Lisle watched his face, considering. It was kind of a nice face, if she looked past the dirt. He had a good straight nose, a full mouth just visible beneath the dark, straggly beard, and clear brown eyes that looked up at her.

 “Y…you think you c…c…can protect h…her better than mm…mm…me?” She stuttered, suddenly aware that she was talking to a grown man.

The man looked steadily up at her, then got to his feet. He stood a head and shoulders taller than she. Long, lean muscles were apparent under the hunter’s leggings and shirt. He shouldered his bow, straightened the belt holding a long, skinning knife.

“I know I can,” he said quietly and looked up at the sky where storm clouds were forming. “I’ll start by finding her some place safe and dry to stay.”

Lisle followed his gaze, looked surprised and said, “O…oh, g…good idea.”

The man looked at Lisle appraisingly for a moment. “Name’s Gareth.”

“Luh..Luh…Lisle,” she replied.

“Words don’t come easy to you do they Lisle? You didn’t do too bad back when you thought the Guardian might’ve got hurt.”

Lisle looked down at her toes.

“It don’t matter none. People talk way too much for my liking. I’ll take a look around.”
Gareth turned away from Lisle and headed back into the woods.

Lisle walked back across the clearing to the Guardian, the short, spring grasses under her feet, fragrant in the morning sun. The wind followed her, playful now, tickling the hairs at the back of her neck. The Guardian was nuzzling the dead burrower and looked up at Lisle beseechingly.

“I’m s…s…s…sorry. I’ll c…cut it.”

Lisle made short work of cutting up the burrower so the Guardian could eat.

She sat down on the hard, warm surface beside the hatchling as she ate, her mind a torrent of questions. Who is this man? This Gareth? Seems like he cared that his friend almost hurt the Guardian, but can we trust him?

Lisle looked at the Guardian as she ate hungrily. It was a messy business which might have turned some stomachs but mattered not at all to Lisle. She felt fierce love for the hatchling well up in her chest. I will take care of her. I will keep her safe. She had never felt anything so powerfully. Nothing will harm her!

Gareth returned to the clearing not long after he had left. Lisle watched him cautiously, fingering her sling. He knelt before the Guardian and waited with a hunter's patience for her to finish her meal and her fastidious ablutions afterward.

Then he addressed the Guardian directly, “There’s a small, dry cave not far from here. It’ll be shelter and protection. There’s a nice, flat rock out front where you can sun yourself. I’d be honored to show you the way there.”

Lisle watched, wondering, as the Guardian just looked at Gareth, a rumbling purr in her chest. He looked back at her, eyebrows lifted. The Guardian continued to stare at him. Lisle saw him sway on his knees toward her, a smile creeping up onto the edges of his mouth. He took in a deep breath as a tear slowly trickled down his cheek, seemingly unnoticed by him.

Lisle knew the love that made him smile like that, knew the emotion that triggered that tear, and she felt a twinge of jealousy.

Then the Guardian broke eye contact and rose awkwardly. Her brown mottled hind legs pushing up, forearms balancing. She shivered wings, increasingly olive-toned, into place at her sides. The smooth, dappled scales of her body rustled softly and she took several shaky steps using all four limbs to move. Lisle moved along beside her, hand on her back.

I guess we trust him, thought Lisle.

Shaking his head as though to clear it,  Gareth stood up, swiping quickly at his cheek, and led the trembly Guardian and Lisle to the cave he had found.

*****

Deep within Guardian Mountain. Gran Bryl walked the bright Pathways of the One and felt a surge of relief. For now, Ell’s safe. 

She noted with pleasure the sparkling bond cord stretching between Ell and her Contracted. Safe, but still so fragile. 

​Her thoughts shifted. She turned away and cast her awareness back out, following the web of light through the black void, searching for the other.

The other, who would harm Ell if he could, who wanted to harm them all.