The Beginning

by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

  Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede went to get their horses and started towards home. That night, Jahrra planned to stay at Gieaun’s and Scede’s, telling Hroombra, Kaihmen and Nuhra that they were going to go camping that weekend at the lake. Jahrra cringed at the thought of how easily their plans could be discovered, but as they rode through the farmlands and over the Aldehr River bridge, Jahrra tried to clear away her negative thoughts. It’ll work out, it must work out! she told herself confidently.

  Before making their way towards Wood’s End Ranch, the trio stopped off at the Castle Guard Ruin for Jahrra to pick up some extra clothes and to say goodbye to Hroombra.

  “Don’t let the lake monster get you,” he said teasingly.

  The three children all froze in horror. Could he know!? Jahrra thought in a panic.

  The dragon seemed deterred from their reactions. “I was only kidding, you know. The monster left that lake long ago.”

  He smiled teasingly and went back into the Ruin. Jahrra couldn’t help but let out a relieved laugh, giving very little thought to Hroombra’s insinuation that the lake actually held a monster at one time. Soon all three were racing their horses up the sloping fields, tossing the colorful spring flowers all around them.

  They arrived at the ranch a few hours before sunset, and after a good meal and a tantalizing story from Kaihmen, the three were soon fast asleep, dreaming about the full moon spilling its light down onto the silvery waters of Lake Ossar.

  ***

  “Jahrra, time to get up!” Gieaun hissed. “We need to get to the lake early just in case Eydeth gets the same idea.”

  Jahrra grumbled and Gieaun shook her head. She had been having such a wonderful dream: her lake monster had come to life, and it was a water dragon that guarded the lake. It kept out the twins and their friends, snapping viciously at Eydeth’s heels and lifting Ellysian by her ridiculous skirts and dangling her over the water. The monster allowed only those whom Jahrra approved into its territory.

  “Huh?” Jahrra moaned, eyes still shut.

  “We need to get to the lake!”

  Gieaun sounded overly dramatic.

  Suddenly, Jahrra realized that tonight they would be trying to pull off the greatest prank of their lives. She quickly sat up and started dazedly gathering her things.

  “What time is it?” she asked, stifling a yawn.

  “Just before sunup, it’s early, but . . .” Scede whispered somewhere next to her, the darkness of the room still hiding his face.

  “I know,” Jahrra said, cutting him off, “the sooner we get there, the better chance we have at succeeding.”

  The three friends dressed and ate as quickly as they could, and before the sun even crested the eastern hills they were on their way down the road leading south towards the lakes. The morning air was cool, but held the promise of a warm spring day. The birds were singing tirelessly, and the world was waking up all around them. Before they knew it, the group was leading their horses down the lane that opened up onto the boardwalk of Lake Ossar. To their delight, the lake was completely deserted.

  “Where are we going to tie up the horses?” Jahrra asked, almost panicking for not thinking of that major detail beforehand.

  “Down the beach a ways,” Scede said. “I thought of that last week. When I was out collecting seaweed I spotted a grove of trees about a half-mile down the beach. They’ll be safe from harm there and the distance and the rumble of the ocean will cover up any sound they might make.”

  Jahrra smiled at her friend, the deep relief she felt spilling out onto her face.

  “Then we can walk back to them tonight. The full moon will make it very easy to see,” Scede continued.

  Jahrra was a little reluctant about tying Phrym and the other horses up so far away, but even the small bears that lived among the dunes avoided domesticated horses. They knew that saddled horses often meant hunters.

  “I think we should unload all of our supplies onto our island first and then take the horses out.” Gieaun nodded toward the hiding place for their canoe.

  Scede freed the small boat from the reeds and the girls piled in their sleeping gear and food. It only took one trip to get everything to the island, and once there, Scede tested the lake monster once again.

  “Perfect!” he said with glee as the great head rose above the water, dripping and gurgling eerily.

  “In the moonlight that will look absolutely frightful!” Gieaun added.

  Scede double-checked to make sure his horn worked as well, blasting out a deep bellow that reverberated across the lake, frightening a flock of water fowl into the air. Convinced that their trap was set and ready to go, the three friends raced their horses down the beach toward the small willow grove. The copse was no more than half a mile away, just as Scede had said, and it grew next to a tiny stream that made up part of the Oorn River delta. Once Jahrra had tied Phrym securely to a thick branch, she made sure there was plenty of fresh grass and water nearby for him to enjoy.

  “I’ll be gone until late tonight, but you’ll have to stay put and look after Bhun and Aimhe.” Jahrra tugged on his smoky mane. “We’ll be back later, I promise.”

  Phrym whickered his agreement, nudging her roughly with his soft nose.

  Jahrra smiled warmly, but as she pushed the horse hair out of his eyes, she became aware of a peculiar feeling. She stopped brushing aside Phrym’s mane and instead rested her hand on his forehead as she slowly looked around, her smile fading fast. The hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end, and she got the strangest feeling that she was being watched.

  “Jahrra, what is it?”

  Gieaun had noticed Jahrra’s change in demeanor, and started to follow her gaze.

  “Nothing,” Jahrra said blankly, still looking off toward the wilderness of the dunes. “Just thought I–”

  Jahrra cut her sentence short, as if she were suddenly caught up in some kind of a trance. After a few moments of staring blankly into the rolling dunes, however, she snapped out of whatever had taken hold of her. “Oh well,” she breathed uneasily, “must be nerves, that’s all.”

  She shook off the last dregs of the odd sensation and she, Gieaun and Scede began the trek back towards the lake. As they walked, the trio laughed at how Eydeth might react when he saw their dreadful beast.

  Jahrra, with tears of mirth streaming down her cheeks, proclaimed, “I bet he faints! He’ll wake up in the morning in his boat in the middle of the lake, and we’ll be there, laughing!”

  She stopped walking through the deep sand and bent over in hysterics.

  Scede copied his friend. “Yeah, then we can ask him what happened. We’ll tell him that we decided to show up the next morning to see if he survived or not!”

  “Oh, I can’t wait until tonight!” Gieaun added, barely able to breathe.

  Once the three had regained their composure a little, they continued on up the sweeping beach, the roaring ocean to their left and the pale, stacking dunes to their right. Finally, they reached the boardwalk and soon the lake itself came into view.

  “It’s about three hours from mid-day,” said Jahrra, shading her eyes and checking the location of the sun. “Do you think Eydeth will show up before then?”

  “My guess is he’ll show up just before sunset to make camp,” Scede said boorishly as he brushed his dark hair out of his eyes. “We’d better not take any chances, though. Let’s just try to get some rest before they come.”

  The three paddled out onto their island and pulled their boat in after them to hide it. After about an hour of waiting, they grew tired and decided to lie down for a nap.

  “Don’t worry,” said Scede, “we couldn’t possibly sleep until moonrise, and the only thing that matters is that we are awake by then.”

  Jahrra and Gieaun nodded, and they were all soon lulled to sleep by the gentle lapping of the water and the rhythmic rustling of the reeds.

  ***

  In the distance, the gentle ocean breeze collected the fine grains from the
top of a sand dune and tossed them over its razor-thin peak like tiny flecks of gold. Sitting beneath the ridge on the eastern slope was a figure wrapped in a stained cloak, here among these sandy hills for one purpose, and one purpose only. This odd creature had been sent, some time ago, to spy on the old dragon that haunted this province like a dormant plague, to watch his every move, to memorize his every action. The Korli dragon had led a very dull life for years, leaving his rubble pile seldom and receiving letters with little meaning behind them.

  Fourteen years ago, however, something extraordinary happened. A younger dragon of the Tanaan kruel arrived bringing with it a tiny Nesnan infant. From that moment on the crouching figure now seeking solace behind the shifting sand dune had been intrigued. It no longer kept its eye focused primarily on the dragon, but allowed itself to watch the girl as well, sometimes following her and leaving the Korli behind.

  The wind ceased and the mysterious being shuddered and shook, attempting to remove the sand that had piled on top of it. It turned its hooded eyes back onto the lake, a blue mirror several yards below about a half mile distant. The creature didn’t often come out in broad daylight like this, but the young girl and her companions had been coming to this place so often of late, and tonight would be the culmination of whatever it was they had been planning.

  After watching the children settle down on their island of reeds, the cloaked figure stood, stooping a bit from some pain it experienced. It blinked gratingly at the bright noon-time sun, then slinked over the top of the dune, leaving an avalanche of pale powder in its wake. Trudging through the sand proved awkward, but the walk was downhill, and once it reached the bank of the small water channel below, movement became easier. The shrouded figure welcomed the shade of the small trees growing beside the stream, and before long it heard the puffing and snickering sounds of nervous horses.

  The creature grinned, moving cautiously towards the three beasts tied to the oldest creek willow up ahead. The semequin, a very fine animal with a generous amount of unicorn blood flowing in his veins, detected the approaching stranger immediately.

  Yes, the creature thought, you would notice me wouldn’t you? The stranger released a low, animal-like chuckle. The horses immediately became agitated, stepping uneasily, snorting loudly as they tossed their heads and rolled their eyes. They pulled at the ropes that held them, but the children had secured them well.

  “Do not worry noble ones,” the spy hissed quietly, “it is not you that I am after.”

  The creature withdrew its unfamiliar arm from Phrym’s neck and gazed northward across the white sands and gleaming waters.

  Not now, and not tonight, but later. It is too soon, and he’ll not approve of a mistake. The being slinked back into the shifting sands of the dunes and began to make its way towards the eastern woods, its low, odd laughter becoming caught and scattered by the wind.

  -Chapter Five-

  Full Moons and Fierce Monsters

  “I don’t even know why you agreed to do this, we don’t have to prove anything!” a hissy voice said.

  “I already told you. You don’t have to do anything Ellysian, so stop whining!” replied a second, harsher voice.

  “Well!” exclaimed the girl that sounded very much like Ellysian. “I just think you’re an idiot to let that Nesnan talk you into this, Eydeth. You’re supposed to be smarter than her.”

  Jahrra couldn’t hear the response that Eydeth gave, but she knew it must have been a nasty one. She smiled at the dream she was having; Eydeth and Ellysian bent on fighting with each other because she had finally tricked them into accepting a dare from her.

  The warm breeze rustled the reeds overhead and Jahrra jerked awake. Oh no! she thought in a panic, blinking her eyes dazedly against the brilliance of the deep blue sky above. What time is it?! Until that moment, she had completely forgotten where she was and why she was there. Scede snorted next to her and rolled over onto his side. He too must have been disturbed by the voices coming from the boardwalk.

  “Gieaun, stop talking in your–” he began groggily, but Jahrra quickly clasped a hand over his mouth, muffling any other words he might have been trying to say.

  “Shhh!” she hissed as quietly as she could.

  Gieaun began to stir next to them, and Jahrra quickly used her free arm to motion to her friend to keep quiet.

  Scede pried Jahrra’s hand off his mouth and worded silently, “What is it?”

  Jahrra returned the silent gesture. “They’re here!”

  Gieaun’s and Scede’s eyes widened and their mouths fell open.

  “What time is it?” Gieaun asked, just below a whisper.

  Jahrra looked up along with Scede. “I would say a few hours from sunset.”

  “We slept that long?!” Gieaun whispered in disbelief.

  “I guess so. At least we don’t have to worry about being tired tonight,” Scede remarked.

  Ellysian’s voice cut through the silence once again, “Why don’t you just do what you had planned? No one will know the difference.” Her tone was a growl and she sounded more annoyed than ever.

  “I already told you, I can’t do that!” Eydeth snapped back. “Too many of our classmates are here! The word will get back to that stupid Nesnan and then how will I look?”

  Jahrra wondered exactly what Eydeth had been planning, but she didn’t have to wonder about it much longer.

  “So what!” Ellysian whined. “Let them tell her you didn’t wait until the full moon came out. Just tell her they lied, she isn’t here, so what proof could she have? It would be your word against hers, and besides, there aren’t that many people here!”

  Ellysian sounded quite determined to convince her brother to back out of the dare. After hearing this, Jahrra turned chartreuse.

  “That little coward!” she fumed as loudly as she dared. “I should’ve shown up with the rest of our classmates and let you guys go on with the prank. Then he’d have no choice but to follow through!”

  Gieaun shook her head. “No, he would have wondered where we were. Besides, it’s better this way.”

  “Oh, how’s that?” Jahrra asked, suddenly in a bad mood.

  “We have a much clearer view from here. Isn’t that better than watching from the shore? And besides,” she added, “you can’t very well paddle to shore now, can you?”

  Jahrra furrowed her brow, but nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

  Gieaun crossed her arms and shook her head slowly. “I’m always right.”

  Scede and Jahrra suppressed a laugh.

  “Now what?” Jahrra sighed, shedding some of her irritation. “The moon won’t even rise until after sunset, and it won’t be directly overhead for hours.”

  “I dunno,” Scede said, shrugging his shoulders. “We’ll just have to wait and see what they do I guess.”

  And so they waited, listening to the crowd gathering on the shore and catching glimpses of their movements from between the gently shifting reeds.

  “We made camp back up the road, just in case the monster decides to climb out of the lake tonight!” one of Eydeth’s friends shouted from the far end of the boardwalk.

  “I already told you! There isn’t going to be a lake monster!!!” Eydeth screamed, sounding even more agitated than before.

  Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede sniggered. The banter between the twins and their classmates carried on for quite some time, and before they knew it the sun was setting and the sky was changing from golden orange to violet and indigo. They pulled out their blankets and jackets and hunkered down, grateful it was late spring and not winter.

  “Too bad we can’t light a fire,” Gieaun complained, shivering slightly.

  “Don’t worry,” Scede added. “When we’re done scaring the pants off the twins and their friends, we can return to the horses and light a fire there.”

  The hours between the time of sunset and the time the full moon reached the crest of the sky crawled by very slowly. Gieaun, Scede and Jahrra listened attentively to th
e sounds of ghost stories being recited around a great campfire somewhere beyond the shore. Every now and then, the group would let out a scream or a gasp that was loud enough to carry to the minuscule island.

  “Too bad we can’t be over there,” Jahrra grumbled.

  “Too bad they wouldn’t let us be over there,” Gieaun corrected.

  Another hour passed, and when the moon finally reached the center of the sky, the three friends heard a large group approaching the shore.

  “So it begins,” Jahrra said darkly, throwing down her blanket and creeping closer to the edge of the island to get a better look.

  A group of about twenty of their classmates had clambered around a small rowboat. Even though the moonlight made the lake almost as bright as day, a few of them held torches that flickered off the black, rippling water, looking like several angry, yellow eyes.

  “All you have to do is paddle out to the middle and then back,” someone said with a wavering voice, “then we can tell that Nesnan that her lake monster is as imaginary as the hag of the Black Swamp.”

  The comment, made by Eydeth’s friend Criyd, caused a healthy amount of amusement that made its way around the crowd in the form of light laughter. Jahrra glowered as the great, hulking boy helped his friend into the boat. She was certain he had been the goblin who’d taunted her at the Fall Festival in Lensterans.

  “I think if I just stay on shore that would be fine,” Eydeth said rather nervously, casting his hand over the murky water as if he were sprinkling seeds over a field. “We can see from here if the thing surfaces.”

  “You aren’t afraid, are you Eydeth!” someone commented. “Ha! What if Jahrra found out? You would be a laughing stock!”

  A light titter passed over the crowd and Jahrra imagined Eydeth giving his sister a rather knowing glare.

  “Alright, fine!” he growled. “I’ll paddle out to the middle, it just seems like a waste of time is all.”

  Eydeth dragged the small oar through the black lake surface, the splashing of the water the only sound on this bright night.