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Cassie followed Morgan through the window into Agrestis.
She was overwhelmed with the rush of feelings and familiarity that flooded over
her as she looked out over the land from her dreams.
"Mr... Tra… I mean Morgan, why did you call
me Caesius? I've heard that name in my dream, but I don't know what it means."
"Caesius is the name of the one who would come
and rescue Agrestis from the darkness. The name means Eyes of the Storm," Morgan
replied. "You have the eyes, and I think your dreams were Agrestis's way of
calling you home. Besides, Cassie and Caesius aren't that different. You're
the one we've been waiting for."
"I think you must have the wrong person. I just
started having these dreams a few months ago. My real name is Cassandra and
I'm nothing more important than a silver Zafara who lives a boring unexciting
life."
"Exactly four months ago, an evil found its
way into Agrestis and began poisoning the land with its cruelty. I think I'm
right in assuming that your dreams started four months ago."
"Well, you're right, but it could just be a
coincidence," Cassie answered more than a little unnerved.
"It's no coincidence. You have to be the one,"
Morgan said."Cassie, you're the one that this world has been desperately hoping
for ever since the evil came. The legend we've all heard since we were children
says that the eye of the storm will come and defeat that which has come to destroy.
You came, you had those dreams, the name, and you even have eyes the color of
storm clouds."
Cassie looked at Morgan and then back to the
sea of grass and trees spread out underneath her. "I'll try Morgan, but I can't
promise that I'll be able to do anything." "I think you'll do just fine."
Cassie followed Morgan down a steep trail to
the base of the mesa. They talked as they walked, and Cassie learned more about
the world she was supposed to save. It was inhabited by pets just like those
in her own world. They lived in small villages and were relatively peaceful.
Until now that is.
Apparently, a black Uni known as Pravus was
the cause of the evil that had started taking over Agrestis. And, Cassie suspected,
the source of the dark laughter that haunted her dreams.
Cassie also learned about the legend that she
was supposed to be fulfilling. Legend has it that the eye of the storm would
come from another world to save the one that they had originally come from.
This person would be called from their world into Agrestis and rescue it from
the danger that would try to over come it. The eye of the storm, or Caesius,
was said to be very skilled in battle, and to have great powers.
"I don't have any great powers," said Cassie.
"I can't fight either. I've never used any kind of weapon before."
"You had those dreams; that shows great power.
And if you've never used a weapon before, how do you know that you won't be
skilled at it?" Morgan said with a glint in his eye.
"Okay, you got me there," Cassie laughed back
at him. "But there's one thing I want to ask you. Where do you fit in all this?"
"I am the one who was supposed to take you back
here and help you start off where you left off," Morgan replied proudly. "I'm
kinda like your tour guide."
***
They walked on in silence for a while, and soon came to a small village. Well,
almost a village. It was closer to a few haystacks surrounded by a wooden fence
than a village Cassie thought as she followed Morgan to a break in the fence.
"Welcome to the booming metropolis of Quievi,"
said Morgan with a grin.
"I'm glad we arrived. I can't wait to find my
suite. After I'm all settled in, can you give me directions to the nearest message
parlor?" Cassie replied impishly.
Morgan laughed, but before he could come up
with a witty comeback, a wizened old morthog came up to meet them.
He grinned toothily, and said, "So Caesius has
returned at last. Welcome to Quievi, Storm Eyes." At these words, the entire
population of Quievi, four families in all, came out to see if what the morthog
said was true. When they saw her, A quiet murmur ran through them and they began
to make their way closer.
"Caesius has returned."
"I can't believe it! It's really true!"
"Welcome home m'dear."
Cassie didn't know what to make of all this.
She hadn't really believed that what Morgan had told her was true until now.
A village full of strangers was crowding around her because they all recognized
she was the one that they had all been hoping for.
"I told you they'd know you," Morgan said. "They
recognize you as the one they've been waiting for. What other proof do you need?"
"Okay, Morgan. I believe you. What do you want
me to do?"
They stayed the night in a hut that had been
set up as a makeshift "guest house" complete with two small straw mattresses,
a fire pit, and a small hole out back that served as a restroom. It was a lot
more comfortable that Cassie had thought it would be, and she ended up sleeping
very well.
That night though, she still dreamt of the storm
cloud, but it was different this time. She was still standing on the mesa above
the plains. Below her, she could see the small grouping of huts that she now
knew as Quievi. Voice from the cloud spoke in its thunderous voice and said,
"Welcome home Caesius. There is much for you to do my child. Go to the forest
and find Emrallis. There you will find assistance." The voice faded, and Cassie
sat there staring into the heart of the storm. Once again she saw her own eyes
staring back at her. "The eye of the storm," she whispered to herself, "Caesius."
***
The next morning, the entire village was up ready to feed them and see them
on their way. It was hard to leave the homey little tribe, but Cassie knew that
there was much she had to do. A small Kyrii came forward.
"Our shaman told us you might need a local to
assist you on your journey. My name is Lana and I will come with you if you
want my help."
Morgan and Cassie exchanged a look. Morgan knew
how valuable local help could be so he replied, "Lana, we would love to have
you come with us. As you can probably see, we need all the help we can get."
He threw a mischievous smile at Cassie, and then had to jump out of the way
of her swinging fist.
***
As they waved good bye to the villagers, Cassie told Morgan and Lana about
the dream.
"Emrallis," Morgan mused, "I have no idea what
that means. I guess we'll have to find that out when we get there." Lana looked
pensive, but admitted that she did not know of any such thing in the forest
either.
The day was hot and they became tired quickly.
They soon decided to stop and cool off in the shade of a hawthorn tree.
Cassie sat looking out across the dry expanse
of grass and asked, "What special powers am I supposed to have Morgan? Besides
dreaming that is."
"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure,"
Morgan said sheepishly. "That was never included in any of the legends that
I was ever told."
"This is just getting better and better," Cassie
said exasperatedly. "I've been thrown into a world I've never heard of, I'm
supposed to be a skilled warrior with powers I don't know about, and I don't
even know what my real name is anymore!"
Morgan laughed as she silently fumed, "Don't
worry your royal storminess, you figure everything out. I," but he was cut short
as Cassie launched herself at him and hit him squarely in the chest.
"If you ever call me 'your royal storminess'
again, I swear when I become skilled with weapons you will be my first victim."
Morgan and Lana glanced at each other and burst
out laughing. Cassie laughed too as Morgan struggled out from underneath her.
"Don't take that threat too lightly you two.
Just wait till I get my hands on a weapon. You just might want to be a little
nicer to me," Cassie said with a wink and a grin.
The day wore on and it wasn't until mid afternoon
that the forest came into view. It was a brilliant viridian streak on the horizon
of the pale yellow-brown plain of grass.
"We should be there around dusk," said Lana
knowingly, "I think we should camp just outside it and explore tomorrow morning."
There was no argument from the others and the two Zafaras and Kyrii kept plodding
on towards the forest.
True to Lana's word, they reached the edge of
the forest as the sun was sinking over the horizon. They set up camp, and prepared
some of the food that the Quievians had provided for them. After they finished
eating, Morgan stretched out next to the fire to sleep.
"You two might want to get some sleep. We don't
know what were going to find tomorrow. It would probably be a good idea to be
rested." Lana and Cassie agreed, and soon all three of them were sleeping soundly.
Because of this, none of them noticed the shadowed
Uni sneak into their camp. He stole quietly over to look at the sleeping silver
Zafara. A mirthless chuckle escaped his lips as he watched her sleep.
"So you have finally come to stop me Caesius.
I'm afraid I can't allow this to happen," he said coolly drawing a dagger, "I
won't be stopped."
To be continued…
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