A Gleaming Path

by Jeffrey Pawlak

  Raissa could not entirely fathom what power she would need to remove Scourge from the Aesur kingdom, but the many unknowns did little to weigh on her spirits. She was grateful enough to have Elisstriss and the Aesur soldiers journeying alongside her.

  As Joth led them through what he deemed to be the last leg of their march to the Azure Sands Outpost, Raissa and Elisstriss shared a number of stories and accounts with one another. Raissa spoke at length about the recent events that brought such chaos to the surface world—how Baldaron’s attack swept over the region and how she and her companions were forced to travel the continent in search of the Radia. She provided every detail of their journey up to that point, particularly about Alamor, Tridian, and the others, who they would hopefully reunite with, soon enough.

  Elisstriss did not have as much to say about her journey. After descending to the continent floor along Wind’s Way, she and her soldiers made their way through the Tower Mountains, originally intent to reach Heaven’s Bay, until she detected Raissa’s magic and changed their course.

  For her part, Elisstriss explained more about her magic that allowed her to manipulate the air around her. She explained that, unlike Raissa’s magic, it could not be used to supersede the physical laws and limits of their world, such as how Raissa called out to the others with her own magic, or how Tiroku and Alamor could infuse their weapons with Serenity.

  Instead, Elisstriss’s magic needed to be fully joined with a physical property to be fully realized, and the air around her, already so vast and so malleable, proved to be the ideal component. By combining her magic with it, Elisstriss could alter and even create her own air flows of differing strength—from something as slight as a steady breeze that allowed her kind to glide, or as mighty as an unstoppable cyclone that could pull a tree straight out of the ground.

  Elisstriss also told Raissa much about the Aesurs’ perception of the surface world since Raissa’s father and Dayneth began their initiative to bring greater unity between the races.

  As Elisstriss spoke of the growing respect that her people held for the world and people below, it was only then that Raissa realized that Dayneth had not said a word to her younger sister since they resumed their trek. Raissa’s sworn guardian walked by herself that entire time, never offering her own thoughts to the conversation, and appearing to pay no mind to Elisstriss, at all. Just the same, Elisstriss never made an attempt to speak to Dayneth, either.

  This puzzled Raissa; the two sisters had said only a few words to one another in their reunion, their first time seeing each other in many years, and yet they seemed perfectly content to stay distanced from each other. Although Raissa rarely heard Dayneth speak of her family, Raissa would have assumed that her guardian would be more joyous to see Elisstriss again. As it was, the reunion between the two appeared to be purely perfunctory.

  Raissa finally relegated the curiosity to the back of her mind when Joth alerted their group to his sighting of the Azure Sands Outpost. It lay in the middle of the otherwise empty countryside, the only semblance of civilization for miles throughout the barren region.

  As they approached it, Raissa was able to make out details of the isolated fort. A thick wall of brown stone encircled the settlement, its surface gritty and coarse, like sandstone. Clusters of palm trees rose about the exterior, some standing so high that they came just feet from the top of the walls.

  Several buildings rose behind the walls. They were perfect cubes of smooth, ivory-colored stone, while their flat rooftops were made of wood. A number of vibrant pennants and banners hung from their sides, some displaying the royal family emblem of the sitting Plains Panther surrounded by four diamonds, and others only showcasing bright colors that were in stark contrast to anything else in the forlorn desert for many leagues.

  As Raissa and the others neared the Azure Sands Outpost and the iron portcullis that served as the primary entrance, she saw several guards standing atop the ramparts. Like Joth, they all wore cloaks the color of sand, with chainmail underneath. Most of the lightweight armor was steel-grey, although a few of the guards were outfitted by brownish chainmail that looked like bronze.

  Once Raissa’s group had been noticed, more soldiers appeared on the ramparts. They watched her party approach the wall with unmistakable apprehension on their faces, most likely due to their uncertainty of the Aesur, Raissa guessed.

  But as soon as Joth waved to them and called out a greeting, that uncertainty disappeared. One by one, each guard’s face was split by a wide smile, and they replied with their own hollers to welcome their returning captain. It was like they had suddenly forgotten all about the unusual company that Joth shared.

  “Great to see all of you boys and girls, again!” Joth shouted to them. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important by dropping in at this time!”

  “Even if you were, it wouldn’t matter to us, Captain!” one guard exclaimed with a laugh.

  “Watching you stroll this way is the best sight we’ve seen in weeks!” another guard added.

  “Well, I appreciate the hospitality more than ever, but do me a favor and get that gate open so we can finally step out of the sand,” Joth said, still as jolly as could be even while he issued orders. “And if you don’t mind, one of you go find Aydri and Maro for me; I can’t wait any longer to see the two of them.”

  One sentry flashed Joth a salute and hurried down the rampart as he answered. “I’ll get right on that, Captain! I’m pretty sure they’re out by one of the gardens. It won’t take me long to let them know!” The rest of the eager guards all rushed to the center of the wall, where they began drawing the huge levers that raised the portcullis.

  As the door of long, iron spikes slowly lifted from the desert floor, Joth looked back at Raissa. “Aydri is my wife and Maro is my son. I think they’re both going to take quite a liking to you, your Highness.”

  When the portcullis was fully raised, Joth led Raissa and the Aesur into the Azure Sands Outpost.

  Raissa was surprised by what lay within. Outside of the walls was what felt like an ocean of sand, but there was very little of it sitting in the interior grounds. Rather, the Azure Sands Outpost’s dirt floor was sturdy beneath Raissa’s feet. The open grounds ran off for perhaps thirty yards from each wall, rivaling the length of the lawns out in front of Tordale Castle.

  Although the grounds here were not even remotely as lush, they sported more flora than Raissa expected from a settlement in the middle of the desert. Patches of short grass occasionally sprung from the dirt. Sizable bushes dotted the grounds with some regularity. There were more of the tall palm trees standing inside the Parched Outpost. Huge, bright green leaves dangled from their crowns.

  Raissa and the others crossed the lawns and started on a pathway that was carved out of white stone. It took them to the built-up center of the Azure Sands Outpost, where the houses and other buildings were tightly packed together. Their alleyways were so narrow that it seemed only a single person could fit through them at a time.

  Eventually, even the streets offered less space to move, but that was because of the numerous stalls and tents that had been set up. Joining them in the road were several dozen other people, maybe as many as a hundred. While there were plenty of soldiers intermixed within the crowds, there were just as many—maybe more—women, children, elders, and other men whose occupation was clearly something other than a warrior. Raissa identified what she believed were merchants, artisans, and scribes walking the streets that afternoon.

  She recognized those people whose lineages were tied to the region. The people who hailed from the Arid Reaches had the same rich, tawny complexion like Joth had; those people who migrated to the desert from the south, likely with the military, were only tanned by the sun’s rays. The crowds of people seemed to be an even mix of the two origins.

  It was also easy for Raissa to discern who were the residents that called the Azure Sands Outpost home, and who were visitors. The visitors, unsurprisingly, continued to star
e at her group with confusion and uncertainty in their eyes as they passed by. The normal residents initially did the same, but like the guards at the top of the walls, their expressions immediately lit up when they recognized Joth.

  “Daddy!” a youthful voice rang out.

  Joth stopped and looked in the direction where the cry came from. A young boy who seemed to be no older than six years old dashed through the crowd toward Joth, his tawny face beaming.

  As Raissa watched him, she could not help but feel like she was looking at a little soldier of the Azure Sands Outpost. His short hair was black, closely cropped without a lock out of place. He even wore a cloak that was just like what Joth and the other soldiers donned, although his garments beneath were a simple tunic and leggings, not chainmail. Raissa realized right away that it could only be Joth’s son, Maro, when the two came together in an embrace.

  Joth chuckled as he stood and held his son tightly. “Somehow, I think you’ve gotten bigger and stronger in the short time I’ve been gone!” He took the boy by his chin so that they looked at one another. “Have you looked after your mother, like I asked you to?”

  “He has done more than a fine job of that,” a nearby voice answered for the boy. A woman made her way over to Joth and his son. She was beautiful, with rich, brown skin like that of all people who originated from the Arid Reaches. She was somewhere in her early forties, Raissa assumed. Her hair was just as black as Maro’s, and was tied into a long braid behind her neck. She wore a tight-fitting dress that was pale blue, with a maroon sash over her chest. The sash was marked by the royal family emblem in gold.

  When the woman joined Joth by his side, she affectionately stroked Maro’s arm. It was evident to Raissa that this must have been Aydri, Joth’s wife. “He’s also done all of his chores, often without me even asking him to,” she said.

  Joth’s warm expression showed that he was impressed with what he heard. “Is that true, Maro?”

  Maro nodded proudly. “Yep! I promise!”

  Joth smiled at the boy. “Well, it’s great to know that our home is in such capable hands when I’m not around.”

  Aydri approached him and laid a loving hand on his shoulder. “It is still much better when it’s your hands, though,” she said, and gently kissed Joth on the cheek. “We’ve missed you quite a bit the last few weeks. Where have you been?”

  Maro was excited, not upset, when he echoed his mother’s sentiment. “Yeah, daddy, what kind of adventure did you go on this time?”

  Joth laughed. “The strangest one I’ve ever been on. I could keep you up for an entire night telling you the stories about where I’ve gone and what’s happened.”

  “Be careful suggesting that,” Aydri interjected, failing to hide her grin as she looked at their son. “He’ll probably want you to actually do it.”

  Maro’s eyes glowed up at his father. “Can you, daddy? Please?”

  “We’ll make time for that, I promise,” Joth replied as he patted his son on the thigh, and then turned to yet another person who approached their group. This time is was a middle-aged man with a welcoming smile over his brown face. He was bald, and without even a fleck of facial hair to be found on his features. He was well-dressed, sporting a pristinely-white tunic that parted near his chest, and had golden buttons lodged into his collar and cuffs. His pants were charcoal-grey, and ran down to a pair of black shoes that appeared freshly polished.

  Joth strode over to him and extended his hand. As the two men exchanged a firm handshake, Joth made another comment to his son. “But before I tell you any of my wild stories, Maro, I think Mayor Barlov deserves an explanation out of me.”

  Raissa remembered Joth telling her about the mayor of the Azure Sands Outpost during one of their days marching across the desert. Although the Azure Sands Outpost’s primary purpose was a fort, it also contained a fair-sized town that was home to a number of people who had no role in the military. As Captain, Joth handled the military operations, while Mayor Barlov oversaw the domestic affairs.

  Judging by the way they greeted one another, Raissa could see that Barlov and Joth had developed a very close friendship after their many years of managing the Azure Sands Outpost together. “You owe me no explanation at all, Captain,” Barlov said. “I am just glad to see you finally return to us safely.”

  “How has everything been here since I left?” Joth asked.

  “We have been well, I’m pleased to say,” Barlov answered. He looked away from Joth and surveyed the man’s many companions. “I see that you did not arrive alone, either.”

  Joth chuckled. “Yes, I hope you don’t mind that I brought some company along with me.”

  “I don’t mind in the least,” Barlov said, his gaze moving along the Aesur ranks. He was clearly amazed by their presence. “I just never would have expected this kind of company to ever step foot in our little town.”

  Maro was also intrigued by the Aesur. “Yeah, daddy, who are all of those people?” the boy asked. “And why do they have such funny-colored skin?”

  Joth nearly burst out laughing. He turned to look at the Aesur, his lips still quivering. He seemed relieved that none of them showed displeasure at Maro’s innocent remark; Dayneth and Elisstriss actually smiled in response. “They’re not funny looking at all, Maro, they’re just different from people like you and I,” Joth explained, managing a very earnest tone to get his message across. “They’re called the Aesur. They come from a land very high in the mountains called Skyscape, and they helped me escape from a couple of Kaivu that nearly got me on the ridges south of here.”

  A few whispers emerged from the crowd of people nearby. Raissa glanced around at them, noticing that most if not all of the townsfolk appeared stunned by the revelation that the fabled Aesur stood before them.

  Maro’s curiosity, however, had still not been satiated. He looked at Raissa, hardly even blinking as he studied her for a moment. “She looks more like you, though. She’s not an Aesur, is she?”

  Joth shook his head, still smiling from his son’s constant wonder. “No, she is a human, just like you, me, and your mother.” He lowered Maro to the ground and took a step back, out of the way between his son and Raissa. “Now, I want you to be a gentleman and do what I always taught you when you meet a very special lady. You see, this here is Raissa Hokara—the Princess of Tordale.”

  A collective gasp rose from the Azure Sands Outpost residents; they had been totally unaware that one of the last remaining members of the royal family had been in their presence that whole time. At once, the crowds of townsfolk dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in a show of reverence to their Princess and acting Queen of Tordale.

  Maro did the same, and although he probably did not understand her importance quite like the others, his courteous show of respect moved Raissa the most.

  “A pleasure to meet you, your Highness!” Maro exclaimed when he looked up at Raissa with a beaming expression, clearly remembering the conduct that his father had instilled in him.

  Raissa fell to one knee and returned a bright smile. “An even greater pleasure to meet you, Maro!” she replied enthusiastically to humor the boy, and extended her arms to him. He immediately obliged, throwing himself at Raissa as the two met with a hug.

  When they separated, Raissa noticed that the crowds of folk from the Azure Sands Outpost still knelt. She was almost embarrassed by their continued show of reverence. “Please, you all may stand,” she eventually said, her voice carrying across the streets.

  The townsfolk rose back to their feet, and when they did, each one no longer looked baffled, uncertain, or shocked, as they had before. Their faces now glowed, only revealing a portion of the joy they must have harbored in seeing their beloved princess standing before them.

  Aydri, however, was clearly overwhelmed. “Please forgive me, your Highness,” she said, hardly having the nerve to look into Raissa’s eyes. “If I had known that it was you before, we would have acknowledged you properly much sooner!” />
  Raissa suppressed a giggle. No matter how many times it happened in her life, she never quite managed to get used to hearing another adult so many years older than her speak to her with such humility. “You don’t have to apologize for anything,” she said, and spared a quick glance at her dusty, tattered attire. “I don’t exactly look the part of a princess right now, anyways.” Raissa was relieved to hear Aydri laugh at the remark.

  “Nonsense, you look just as beautiful as I imagined, your Highness,” Aydri said. “To do so after wandering the desert for as long as you have is a true feat!”

  Raissa had her turn to laugh now, with Joth, Dayneth, and several others joining in.

  When they finished, Mayor Barlov spoke up. “No doubt, though, it is amazing that you all have crossed the desert with what appears to be such meager supplies. What exactly prompted this visit, your Highness?”

  At once, the mirth slowly began to fade from the group, and Raissa’s expression leveled as she realized that the news of Baldaron’s attacks had not yet reached this remote part of the kingdom.

  Joth appeared to come to the same conclusion. “It’s not for the most uplifting reasons,” he said. “You see, a few weeks ago—”

  Raissa raised a dismissive hand. Joth immediately fell silent, realizing that Raissa felt the need to articulate the grim news this time. All eyes turned to her. She straightened where she stood, taking in a long, muted breath to compose herself. Although the subject still haunted her, she felt that it was her responsibility as acting Queen of Tordale to inform others about such happenings, and it was time that she was strong enough to live up to that task.