Vardaesia

by Lynette Noni

  Saefii stood and offered her now familiar greeting, after which the Gates rose, spun, revealed their words, spun some more, and then lowered to rest in the cloud gap beside the dais.

  Alex wasn’t thrilled by their three options that day—the Gate of Courage, the Gate of Shame and the Gate of Temptation— but after sharing a resigned look with her friends, she picked an arch and strode purposefully towards it, leaping across the gap and through the fiery gateway.

  When she tumbled out the other side, she had to blink, then blink again, just to process what she was seeing.

  “Well… this looks like it’ll be interesting.”

  Jordan’s words upon his arrival couldn’t have been more accurate.

  “Let me guess, Gate of Courage?” Declan asked dryly from Alex’s side, to which she mutely nodded, while D.C. swore a most un-princess-like word under her breath.

  Alex nearly did the same, given what was before them.

  She and her friends had been transported to the drop-off edge of the clouded land that held Vardaesia aloft. Barely a few feet from where they stood, the clouds vanished from underfoot, giving way to an emptiness so vast that it was impossible to see how far beneath them lay the ground. If there even was a ground. Alex presumed the desert was down there somewhere, but all she could see was how the suns and shooting stars above shone into the empty air, their light changing as the atmospheric colours steadily merged from light to dark to nothing but unfathomable blackness. It was just like looking into the deepest, darkest ocean.

  But that wasn’t the reason for D.C.’s strong reaction. Because while the view looking down inspired heart palpitations, the view upwards was perhaps worse, given all that it implied.

  “No. No, no, no, no-no-no-no-no,” D.C. whispered, shaking her head over and over. The mountain climbing task had forced her to face her fear of heights, but this went way, way beyond that.

  Beginning just a few feet out from the drop-off edge were hundreds of small, cottony platforms floating in the empty space, like miniature bursts of clouds, each barely as wide as a single person. Spread short distances apart from each other, they rose up and up and up like some kind of otherworldly stairway to heaven, continuing high over their heads and into a new stretch of clouded land far—far—above them.

  “Oh, boy,” Bear whispered, not saying any more. Partly because there was nothing he could say, but also because he became distracted when, with a bright flash of light, six other people joined them.

  The group of Tia Aurans included five males and one female, none of whom Alex recognised, each wearing similar dark leathery outfits. They didn’t explain their presence—indeed, they said nothing at all. Instead, they looked curiously out into the void, unfazed by the clouded stairs of death—unlike Alex and her friends.

  “Today, your courage shall be tested,” Saefii’s voice echoed all around them. “To pass this Gate, you must compete in a race. Unlike your tasks so far, this one will be counted on an individual basis. There shall be only one winner—if that winner hails from Medora, then as a group, you will pass. If, however, a Tia Auran prevails, you will fail.”

  Six against six. Not terrible odds, had they been on even ground. Literally and figuratively. Because ignoring the concerning presumption about the floating cloud-steps, there was something else to consider as well—something more biological. While Alex had yet to see evidence of the otherworldly race’s true capabilities, aside from their flash-transportation abilities, she was certain they had other immortal talents up their sleeves. After all, there was no way they would have been able to banish the Meyarins if they hadn’t matched them in strength, speed and skill.

  “Forgive me for saying this,” Alex called out, “but I can’t help questioning the fairness of pitting our two vastly different races against each other, not when one has some distinct… advantages.”

  Saefii’s reply held a hint of amusement as she said, “You entered the Gate of Courage, Alexandra. Not the Gate of Fairness.”

  That wasn’t one of our options, Alex grumbled internally.

  “But to show we can be reasonable, those whom you are racing have already agreed not to parron.”

  The foreign word translated to Alex as a mixture between ‘flash’ and ‘move’—making it easy for her to figure out that it was the name the Tia Aurans used for flash-teleporting.

  “While grateful for that… allowance…” Alex said slowly, “I was referring to your other physical abilities.” Or what she presumed of them.

  “A test without challenge would require little courage,” came Saefii’s only reply. “Now prepare yourselves, humans. And listen closely. While only one of you must win the race, in order to qualify, you must all make it to Lendasa Marna. Whether or not you continue from there is up to you, but if you are to have any chance of success, at least one of you must travel a full circuit after reaching that as your starting point. The first challenger who sets foot back on Lendasa Marna after completing the circuit will be declared the victor.”

  Little of what Saefii had said made sense, but the translation of Lendasa Marna echoed around Alex’s mind, causing her brow to furrow at its familiarity. She didn’t have time to ask any further questions, however, because without any other warning, the empress called out, “You may begin.”

  With a burst of impossible speed, all six of the Tia Aurans took off, their steps unfaltering as they leapt from the edge of the clouded land. Each of them bounded without pause between the separated stairs of death on their treacherous upward mission, making it look like little more than an inclined game of hopscotch.

  “Holy mother of—”

  “Go, Alex!” Kaiden cried to interrupt Declan, knowing she was the only one who could keep up with the speed the Tia Aurans exhibited. “We’ll meet you up there!”

  Not wanting to leave her friends but also aware that if they failed this task, they doomed their entire world, Alex blurred off with Meyarin speed in the direction of the Tia Aurans, not sparing a moment to second-guess herself as she jumped over the ledge and onto the nearest puff of cloud. The instant she landed she understood why the others were moving so swiftly—they had to, since the floating platforms weren’t stable underfoot. As soon as her weight rested on the cloud, it began tipping, prompting her to windmill her arms. It was as if she were standing atop a kayak floating in water, desperately trying to keep her balance. But instead of soft liquid beneath her, there was an impossibly vast abyss—one that she could not afford to fall into.

  Praying that her friends would be smart enough to help each other climb slowly and safely—and also hoping Kaiden had some kind of handy gift like levitation that would help them all reach their destination in one piece—Alex shoved her concerns aside and focused on her own arduous journey.

  Up and up she jumped from cloud burst to cloud burst, blurring through the sky until she was so high that she could no longer see her friends beneath her. She was taking dangerous risks, some of her leaps being without the care or calculation they needed, especially as she rose higher and the jumps became more treacherous. But her risks were paying off, because while the Tia Aurans had been first off the mark, she was starting to catch up. They were fast, but so was she. And when she overtook the first of them—a male with hair long enough to tie at his nape—she did her best to ignore his furious snarl and livid eyes as she sailed by on the clouds to his left.

  Making a note to steer well clear of him, Alex continued upwards, panting heavily but not ceasing her efforts—nor lessening the risks she took. In the back of her mind, she was aware that she felt weaker than normal; that the effect of her ring was making the already difficult task even more challenging. Sweat was beading on her skin and she felt light-headed, but at the same time, adrenaline was pumping through her veins, enabling her to continue leaping from cloud to cloud in her desperate attempt to win the race.

  She passed three more Tia Aurans, each of whom looked at her with almost as much shock and fury as the first, but she paid
them no mind and remained focused on her goal, knowing that her friends—and her world—were relying on her.

  Everything was going well until she caught up to the leading Tia Auran. One second she was drawing even with him, enough to see his startled expression, and the next she was hit by a bout of lightheadedness so severe that, as she leapt dizzily towards her next cloud, she instinctively knew she wasn’t going to make it.

  Fear overwhelmed her as she undershot her mark, her feet missing the small platform but her upper body slamming into it. With her arms clinging to the solid vapour mass, she scrambled to heave herself back up, but gravity was against her and the cloud began turning from her weight, rotating around towards her.

  Uttering a panicked sound, Alex tried to rebalance the platform, but it was no use. Inch by painful inch it flipped up and over until her fingers began slipping.

  And then, when she could hold on no more, a scream left her mouth as her grip failed entirely and she fell.

  Thirteen

  Time slowed down in the moment her fingers held nothing but air, enough for Alex to know this was it for her; this was how she would die. She’d been so eager to overtake the lead Tia Auran that she’d taken undue risks in her weakened state, and now she was going to pay for it with her life.

  Except… that wasn’t what happened.

  Because one second she was falling, and the next a body slammed into hers. Two arms wrapped tightly around her, carrying her like a bride through the air until her rescuer landed on the next cloud-platform over.

  “Gotcha,” said the Tia Auran male—the one who had been in the lead.

  Alex could only gape at him as he continued leaping with her in his arms, having no idea why he’d saved her life—and in doing so, given up the advantage he’d had. Three of the others had already overtaken them since he was now laboured by her weight, with the final two closing in.

  “See up there? Four jumps ahead?” he asked in the common tongue, still carrying her as he leapt through the air. “It’s close enough to the one next to it for me to drop you off when I land—think you can manage?”

  Seeing where he meant, she nodded mutely, still shocked by his rescue, especially since all of the others had showed her nothing but animosity. “Yes,” she gasped out.

  “Then get ready,” he said after another leap. “In three”—he jumped—“two”—he jumped again—“one!” And with his final jump, as soon as he landed, he lowered his arms, transferring her across to the next cloud over.

  Instantly, she was on the move, knowing that if she dallied, the platform would only overbalance and she’d need rescuing all over again. She didn’t have time to thank her saviour—that would come later, she’d make sure of it. But until then, she still had a race to win.

  Side by side, she and the Tia Auran continued upwards. She had a feeling he could have pulled ahead of her again, but for some reason, he was holding back, almost like he was looking out for her, while also spurring her on at the same time.

  “Keep up, mortal! Any slower and you’ll be going backwards!”

  A surprised laugh bubbled from her at his teasing, and she flicked a glance over at him to see an amused, if challenging grin on his face.

  “Backwards is still faster than you!” she returned. “Catch me if you can!”

  And with a renewed burst of speed, she blurred forward, careful with her leaps but confident as well—much more so now that her lightheadedness had vanished, her brush with death having delivered a surge of energy to combat the ring’s effect, at least for the moment.

  Up and up they continued, regaining their lead as they flew by the others until finally the end was in sight; the small platforms finishing with an impossible leap up to a clouded landmass.

  Alex felt her hopes plummet when she noted the space between the final platforms and their destination, knowing there was no way she could make that distance. But as she watched, her Tia Auran companion pulled ahead and, once he reached the end, pushed off with a mighty jump that had him sailing upwards through the air. His leap was so powerful that he had to roll upon landing atop the solid cloud mass, but he hurried back to the edge just as Alex was nearing the final steps—only two leaps away now.

  “Jump!” he ordered, leaning down with his arms out. “I’ll catch you!”

  Alex had a split second to decide whether to place her life in his hands, or to accept defeat and turn around. But there was no choice—not if she wanted to stay in the race.

  With one final leap onto the last platform, Alex pushed off with as much force as she could, flying through the air with her arm outstretched and her mind screaming please-please-please-please-please in a desperate litany. But she needn’t have doubted her rescuer, because as soon as she rose high enough, his hand latched around her wrist, heaving her upwards until she tumbled onto the safe, solid ground beside him.

  Panting as she lay there, dazed, Alex didn’t get the chance to recover.

  “Up, mortal!” the Tia Auran urged. “You haven’t finished yet!”

  If Saefii’s words were anything to go by, Alex knew her race had barely begun. She now had to complete whatever ‘circuit’ was ahead that would only conclude once she returned to where she now was—Lendasa Marna.

  The ‘Sky Kingdom’.

  There was a reason the name had been familiar. Alex had heard it before, during her time in the past. The translation was a phrase the Meyarins had sometimes used when referring to Draekora and, when Alex pushed herself to her feet and spun around, it was clear that Saefii had used it for similar reasons.

  Unable to stifle her gasp, Alex stared in awe as she looked out at the Tia Auran equivalent of Draekora—a much, much larger version of the floating islands she had come to know.

  The late Draekoran matriarch, Zaronia, had once told Alex that the group of draekons who had followed the Meyarins to Medora had brought a fraction of their lands with them. But Alex had never considered just how small that fraction might be, since her current view was beyond the scope of her imagination.

  Scaling out further than her eyes could see were islands upon islands, each more magical than the next. And at the centre of them all was a massive, pillared fortress shining like silver Myrox in the overhead suns, a veritable draekon stronghold.

  Lendasa Marna—a kingdom in the sky.

  But more than that, it was an inhabited kingdom.

  Different coloured draekons flew overhead, their wings outstretched to catch the wind as they sailed through the air. Others were resting in the assorted habitats provided by the islands; some dozing under the heat of the suns, some sloshing around the tops of waterfalls, some close enough to be watching Alex and her companion with wary curiosity. From her limited vantage point, she could already tell there were more draekons than she had ever known existed.

  And none of them—not a single one—were familiar.

  Regardless, Alex felt hope rise in her heart as she thought of Xiraxus, wondering if perhaps her attempt to contact him a few days ago had failed because… because… she didn’t have a reason. But nevertheless, seeing evidence of his kin, she couldn’t help trying again to reach him.

  Xira? Can you hear me?

  Once more, she was met with silence, yet refused to allow dread to take a foothold in her mind. Just because he wasn’t answering, just because she couldn’t feel their bond, it didn’t mean anything other than that he wasn’t in Tia Auras. He could have gone to any world, could have led the Medoran draekons anywhere. He had to be alive—he had to be.

  Alex didn’t have a chance to feel the weight of her disappointment, nor did she have the chance to give into her rising fear and grief. Because, while she’d been busy taking in the scenery, the other Tia Aurans had caught up and were now on the clouded island with her and her saviour.

  “I can’t help you with this one, mortal—rules are rules,” her rescuer said, his tone apologetic. “You’ll have to find your own way if you want to stay in the race. If you’ve got any more surprises
up your sleeve, now is the time to use them.”

  And with that, he bounded away and took a running leap— right off the edge of the cloud mass.

  “No!” Alex cried, sprinting after him and skidding to a stop at the drop-off point. But as she cast her eyes downwards, certain that she would see him falling to his doom, a hulking draekon soared up from beneath the clouds, the Tia Auran seated at the base of its neck, gripping tightly to its silver-coloured scales. There was a beaming grin on his face as he winked at Alex, before taking to higher skies.

  Watching in shock, Alex could see that his skin was now glimmering gold, just like hers was from her vaeliana link, but his had only revealed itself upon contact with his draekon. The same was true for the other four Tia Aurans who had since enacted similar leaps of faith onto their draekons, their flesh now shining with the evidence of their bonds.

  Her breath hitching, Alex understood that if she wanted to continue the race, she could only do so by riding one of the majestic beasts. However, no one could summon a draekon without being bound to it. The empress had to have known that, along with all those watching invisibly in the audience. The task Alex and her friends had been given was a joke; it was a cruel test with only one outcome.

  “Looks like it’s the end of the line for you, mortal,” spat the one remaining Tia Auran—the first one she’d passed on the clouded stairs, the long-haired male who had snarled at her.

  His expression was still just as livid, making Alex wish she could take a step away, but she was standing too close to the edge.

  “Better luck next time,” he taunted in the common tongue, before turning away in preparation to make his own leap.

  With her tension easing once his attention left her, Alex looked back across the floating islands, using her enhanced sight and hoping, praying to see a familiar creature. She knew better than to search for Xira, certain he would have answered her mental call if he were anywhere in this world, but perhaps one of the other Medoran draekons had returned to Tia Auras. Perhaps one of them would see her, recognise her, help her. She’d met a few of them in the past—Kriidon, the aqua-eyed male; Vesaphina, the ruby-scaled female; and a host of others. All she needed was for one of them to be here, to lend their aid.