Windstorm: Part Five

The Rise of a Warrior

When we got back to the apartment, it was dusk. It was obvious that we weren't going to Frey's field tonight. Dayne and I invited Terzin and Alysoun to stay the night. They agreed, and we put a pair of sleeping bags out on the living room floor for them.

      As I lay in bed, looked over at the Windscythe, which was leaning against the wall. I had a deep feeling that Alysoun and Terzin weren't telling me everything. I had a million questions. What exactly were the Roads? How had I been able to find the sword? Why was it "reserved" especially for me? Had Frey ordered it to be forged before her death? Why did I need it? It was all very confusing. Only two days ago my life had been as ordinary as you can get, and now I was a prophesied legend.

      I was determined to question my two new companions about it tomorrow, but right now, I needed sleep more than anything.

      The dream had come again - I had half-expected it to, anyway. I was back on the plain.

      The first thing I noticed was that the strength of the winds had increased considerably. It was funny that I could feel the breezes ruffle my fur even in a dream.

      Suddenly, the earth under my feet began to rumble. What was going on? An earthquake?

      Before me, Sirocco was quivering, and then shot up a few meters into the air. It hovered, and then the ground below it exploded. The white light that was now beginning to become familiar began to shine. Frey's voice came again. "My Foreseen…"

      There was a sound like a sharp intake of breath, and -

     - I was awake.

     I rubbed my eyes, getting used to the feeling of being in my bedroom once more.

     Before I had a chance to even think, a stench hit me like a tidal wave. It reeked like a gallon of nail polish.

     …And nail polish was a grooming supply.

     Dayne.

     I trudged out of my room, holding my nose. Once in the living room, I saw the lumpy forms of Terzin and Alysoun taking shelter within their sleeping bags. Yes, the smell was that bad.

     I found Dayne sitting on the bathroom floor, with everything you'd ever need for the ultimate manicure. She looked up at me and giggled. "Care to join me?"

     "Uh, no," I replied. "That's more of a girl's thing, and it smells."

     "What do you mean?" Dayne asked, confused.

     "The apartment reeks of the stuff."

     "Huh?"

     "I guess you can get used to it if you're constantly inhaling it," I muttered.

     "What smell?"

     I rolled my eyes. "Never mind. Just put it away and get some potpourri out as soon as possible."

     As I staggered away, dizzy with the fumes, I heard Dayne state cluelessly to herself, "It smells?"

      After Dayne had completely cleaned up, her nails now sparkling blue and the house declared free of the unbearable stench, I made breakfast.

      "First priority," said Alysoun, chewing a chunk of spongy waffle. "We leave for the field today, right after we eat!"

      "Fine," I replied. I wasn't relishing the thought of bringing Frey back to life - the whole idea was still beyond me and completely unreal, but I figured I'd have to come to grips with it sooner or later. The quicker it was done and over with, the better.

      "The Roads?" I inquired.

      "The Roads," she confirmed.

     *

      We were back at the hollow tree as soon as our food had been digested. Dayne had insisted on following us again, although I had no idea why she wanted to tag along; epic prophecies weren't really her thing.

      Traveling through the winding tunnels, we finally reached the crossroads.

      "Now," said Terzin, "This time we're all going together. I suggest we all hold paws and allow Aly and I to navigate the currents. Sisslio, yesterday you were transported to a sort of dream dimension or something, correct?"

      "Uh…correct," I answered.

      "Well this time we're traveling to a physical world that is otherwise inaccessible to Neopians. Hold tight and follow."

      We each grabbed the paw of our companions and stepped forward into the winds.

      I lost my sense of direction immediately. It was like bouncing around in the eye of a hurricane - where "up" and "down" were was a total mystery. I looked around, but I couldn't see my friends anywhere, yet I still felt a bond with them - I must have been subconsciously holding their paws, then.

      I looked ahead of me and saw swirling light taking the form of a tunnel ahead of me. As I drifted along this tunnel, I felt strange. It was as if my mind, my soul, my spirit - everything that made me Sisslio - was bigger than the physical form of a Cloud Zafara that housed it. It was all a rush, like I finally understood the meaning of life or something.

      Suddenly, there was grass between my toes and the feeling of Dayne and Alysoun's fingers laced with my own.

      The four of us stood on a cliff, which overlooked a wide valley and a small cluster of houses - a village. We made our way down the bluff, Alysoun and Terzin leading.

      "I don't get it," I said. "Where's the field?"

      "We're going to my house first," Alysoun told me. "I've been wearing this cloak and tunic for weeks. Come on."

      As we strolled through the village, several pets greeted the yellow Lupe and Striped Zafara cheerfully, but their expressions swiftly changed from joyful to shocked at the sight of the Windscythe, which I'd secured at my side with a makeshift belt. Alysoun and Terzin noticed the villagers' reaction and quickened their pace. Dayne and I stayed close behind them.

      Finally, we reached Alysoun's house. It was a simple wood cottage that smelled of a newly felled tree and pine tar. A shuttered window was open, and a cool breeze flowed through it, feeling very comfortable as it ruffled and caressed my fur.

      The three of us waited in the front room while Alysoun went to change clothes. When she returned, she was clad in an azure tunic, surmounted by a pale grey cloak, made out of a thinner material than her previous purple one.

      At once, she began sorting through a large wooden chest in the front room, whipping bundles of clothes at my and Dayne's faces. In my bundle, a belt and standard-sized sword scabbard were included.

      "What are these for?" I mumbled through the wall of fabric in front of my face.

      "Pets around here will find those modern rags you're wearing odd," Alysoun replied. "Wear those and you'll blend in better. And that scabbard will just make hauling that blade around a lot easier. Now go get dressed. There's rooms you two can use further down the hall."

      As we made our way down the hall, I noted the scowl on Dayne's face. That was strange - usually she spent half the day trying on clothes just for the fun of it; I thought she'd enjoy this.

      "What's wrong?" I inquired.

      "She actually expects us to wear these trashy outfits?" hissed my roommate.

      "What's so trashy about them?"

      "They're old!"

      "Well…they are sort of medieval, but there's nothing wrong with that. Just pretend we're in Meridell."

      "Even Meridell is more civilized than this!" mumbled Dayne as she shut a door behind her.

      I chose the room across from Dayne's and surveyed my clothes after laying them out on the floor. I'd been given a tan-coloured shirt with long, slightly baggy sleeves, which ended loose and open rather than in a cuff. To go over top of this was a tabard of a roan sort of hue. The belt was black, made of leather. The scabbard was also leather, but was the colour of cinnamon, with silver trimmings.

      I came out of the room dressed and met with the others in front of the cottage. Dayne was clad in a pale green jerkin, which was slightly ragged. She was still scowling, and I could tell that she was mentally cursing Alysoun's fashion sense.

      "If everyone's ready," said Terzin, "Let's go."

      We traveled through the valley until we came to some rolling downs, which provided quite an obstacle, as we had to move over several large hills.

      In a matter of seconds into the venture Dayne had begun to complain about her feet hurting. "Okay, this was the worst idea ever! Whoever wanted to come out here in the first place should be kicked off a cliff! I am going to need a major pedicure after this!"

      I wasn't brave enough to point out that nobody had forced Dayne to come; she'd made the decision herself. It was when she asked me to give her a piggyback ride that I really snapped.

      "No!"

      "What?"

      "You heard me! You're such a prissy little lump of wasted space! You were the one who insisted on coming here! Now you deal with it! I'm not about to drag you up and down these hills - so live with it!"

      "Uh, Sisslio?" ventured Terzin.

      "What?" I asked, exasperated.

      "We're here."

      I gazed down the hill into a wide vale, stretching to the limits of my vision. The field of Frey. I suddenly felt a surge of responsibility and leadership take me over. This was my quest. "Come on," I commanded, tearing down the hill.

      As I ran, I could make out a tall shape in the distance, gleaming in the sunlight. It was Sirocco. I was approaching Frey's grave.

      I somehow knew what I had to do. Still sprinting, I drew the Windscythe from the scabbard at my side. As I neared Frey's curved war sword, I heard the wind rushing in my ears, blowing back the large tuft of hair that all Zafaras had. The intensity was building up. I had to achieve my goal.

      Finally, I was there. With all my strength I wielded the Windscythe, then plunged it into the earth, so my blade crossed Frey's.

      Then, it was as if my dream from last night had come true. The ground rumbled underfoot, but I still stood gripping the hilt of my sword. I felt beads of sweat forming on my brow, which was odd, as I hadn't exerted a large amount of energy, and it wasn't very hot outside. Then, as I'd expected, the earth below me exploded, tossing me and my sword clear of the gravesite. I looked around and saw Sirocco hovering in the air where the earth had spat it out and fear suddenly gripped me. What had I got myself involved in?

      Then there was the light, and Frey's voice. I bowed my head at the blinding glare of the light, and the sharp pain of Frey's message. Contrary to what I'd expected, her voice seared my mind rather than soothed me. "My Foreseen, you've finally arrived. I am free." Frey's tones at first echoed, but then became even sounds that were heard with the ear instead of the brain.

      I risked another glance around, and on my right saw Alysoun, Terzin, and Dayne jogging towards me. They first looked at me, but in a second, their eyes were locked on something above me.

      There, emanating white light like a prismatic angel, was Frey. She was a white Zafara, but unnaturally coloured. She was of the purest white, without the usual creamy underside and fins of a normal white Zafara, and she even lacked the black spots on her ears. Only her delicate nose of palest pink suggested any colour, and her eyes were closed.

      Sirocco was suddenly in one of her paws, and her fingers gripped it as if she'd never be parted from it again. Slowly, she rotated in midair until she was facing me. Her eyes snapped open, and they seemed to consist of only one large pupil without any trace of an iris. I squinted, and was able to pick out a shimmer of brown in her gaze, but only a shadowed trace.

      Finally, the light dimmed, and she was magically lowered to the ground. The second her toes made contact with earth, she had Sirocco brandished, threateningly directed at me. "So, my Windstorm," she said, speaking in a lilting, beautiful voice, "You've come for me at last. Now stand!"

      I hesitated. "Why?" I whispered nervously.

      "Meet me in combat, Windstorm. Test the ancient Windscythe against the power and purity of Sirocco!"

To be continued...