Word count: 22444 | Completed:Yes | Style: Serious...For once.

Swooping through an endless expanse of sky, a beautiful figure swam effortlessly through the air. The bird’s black feathers glinted in the bright sun as it caught updrafts and soared higher still. The fluffy white clouds that blanketed the space beneath it soon melted into the clear sky and the bird could see for miles.
In the distance, it saw a collection of buildings. Flapping its wings gracefully, it dived lower and, skimming a dense forest, set off for the town. As the forest dissolved into a long plain of stones, the bird was forced to climb higher because of the heat the backed grey sentinels threw into the sky. A Sugerplant plantation offered some rest and the bird clung to an obligingly tall stalk for a time before continuing its flight.

* * *

Through the crowded streets of argopolis, a tall hooded figure strode to the bakery. The long, thick staff at her side did not help navigation and she was forced to hold it close to her body. Practically grabbing the baker’s doorframe, she hauled herself out of the fast moving current of bodies, only to be almost knocked over by a large black bird that fluttered in behind her, landing on the floor and scuttling under the nearest shelf.
A weather-beaten man looked up from cleaning the display glass. “’Ello Aegis!” he greeted, waving the polishing cloth in a friendly salute. “Hello, Sergoth,” she replied, pulling back the hood to scrutinize the bread before her. Sleek black hair tumbled down past her hips and waved in the slight breeze from the open door. Leaning her staff against the counter, she crouched down to inspect the bread with glittering purple eyes. “Two sesame loaves and a sugerplant bun, please,” she called from her lowered position.

“Righto,” the kindly man replied, pulling the appropriate food from the counter and pushing them into a paper bag with care. “That’ll be four umaks thanks.” Rising gracefully, Aegis handed over the money and lifted the bag. The bird promptly waddled forward and sat on her foot. Looking down, she saw its species and laughed. “You seem to have attracted another one, Sergoth” she remarked to the man who, after setting down his cloth, walked around to the other side of the counter. “I wonder where they all come from,” he mused, attempting to scoop up the bird and failed as it flapped up to a high shelf. Aegis dipped her hand into her bag and offered it her bun. Tentatively, the bird glided down to snatch at the food. Aegis grabbed it and bid Sergoth open the back door. He did so and she shoved the protesting animal to join many of its kind in the small lot behind the bakery.

“I don’t know what I would do without you, Aegis.” The baker smiled, shutting the door. “Oh…” said Aegis “you haven’t heard, then?” Sergoth’s expression of utter bewilderment answered her. “I am to face the choosing.” His face cleared yet fell slightly. “I am going next cycle.” Sergoth seemed to shrivel at the news. “So this is goodbye, then. I’ll have to manage without your bird-catching services.” Picking up his cloth to hide the look of sadness, he called “Good luck. May your flame eternally burn.” “And yours, Sergoth.” With that, she collected her staff and readied herself for the journey home.
Conversations such as this had been reoccurring every time she had talked to someone. She was very much liked in this village, though some found her quiet manner irritating, and it saddened people to see her have to leave, even for a short while.

Hands full, she pushed the tough wooden door of her family hut open. Bustling into the hall, a small dumpy woman with short black hair relieved Aegis of both cloak and bread. “What took you so long?” she asked kindly. “I was getting worried.” “Sorry, Mother,” Aegis replied, leaning her staff on the coat-rack “The crowds were terrible.” Strolling into the kitchen, she grabbed a bread knife and helped her mother slice the new loaves.
“What do you expect? The choosing is next cycle, only four days. Everyone will be there.” The older woman’s voice was simultaneously proud and sad. At the mention of the trials, Aegis stopped cutting the bread. “I am a bit nervous.” “You have no need to be. You are mage material.” She said with a smile. Blushing at the complement, Aegis resumed her cutting.
“All of this hype is terrible – I blame the gossip,” Nagani muttered disconsolately. “If not for the gossip, I wouldn’t have known to go to the tests. I wouldn’t have even heard of the choosing.” Aegis replied, selecting a piece of bread to munch on. “The authorities could have sent a proper notice. They should run it all official-like.” At that she rushed out, calling “Finish that, would you? I have to run an errand for Gudrin.”

* * *

The cycle dragged by slowly. Despite her longing for the day of the choosing, time obstinately continued to slow. When the night before the trial arrived, Aegis’s sleep was filled with thoughts of the ritual she had to remember; the honour and the test. She wondered which form of magic she would be chosen for. It seemed she had only just drifted off when her mother was calling her.

After a short breakfast, Aegis dressed in her best robes and polished the dark wood of her staff. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she strode toward the door. Her mother rushed over, smiling and crying all at once. “I’ll be there to watch. Good luck!” After holding Aegis in an embrace that rendered her rather short of breath, Aegis stepped on to the street. Unlike the previous day, the main thoroughfare was clear but the sidewalks were a mass of seething people. The only thing that kept the crowd from bubbling onto the road was strong green cords, spun from sugarplant husk, tied onto poles that had been embedded into the ground the night before, to contain the crowd.

The moment she stepped out of the hut, the crowd erupted into loud cheers; they flung flowers at her, calling encouragement. Pushing down her nerves, Aegis smiled and waved. Soon another, a short male youth with dusty blonde hair and blue eyes wide with a mixture of nerves and excitement, joined her from a small, non-descript hut. By the end of the street there were three of them. Aegis, the youth and another girl, with brown hair and an arrogant expression, who had joined them a few houses before. The trio, despite their obvious physical and less obvious personality differences, had one thing in common: They were to become mages – powerful beings that guarded the land from evil. Every hundred years three more were appointed to continue the guard. As there were three guardians, so there were three areas of magic: Guardian of people, Guardian of nature and Guardian of time. Gossip spreads the news when it is time to chose the new guardians and all the villages send five of their people, aged between fifteen and twenty, to the hill of choosing.

On arriving they rest a day, eating only the berries that grew on the bushes at the foot of the hill. The next morning at dawn, they sit in a circle about a small stone at the hill’s peak. As the sun hits the stone, it will bounce into three beams of light. The light will only touch the three who are to become guardians. They then return to the principal village-Aegis’s village in secret until one week before the final choosing, so naturally the whole village knows. Only then will the guardians come and assign each their task. Arriving at the platform of initiation, now covering most of the Town Square, the three people kneeled.
Three shimmering forms glided slowly from the clouds above the hushed crowd. One, the Guardian of the people, was clothed in flowing robes of orange. Aegis, peering closely at the guardian’s garments, could see faces and artifacts of ancient swords and tapestries, scenes of merriment and games, all flickering evasively across the bewitched thread.

The Guardian of time wore a glittering white dress that sparkled like the falling sand in an hourglass. Tiny clocks shimmered in her hair, all of them small with silver hands. The Guardian of nature wore what at fist glance was a green tunic, but was in reality closely woven, living vines. They swished in the breeze, letting off a soft scent of flowers. Small blossoms made up the collar and hems. Her eyes seemed of the sea, changing colours like the rolling waves, dark blue, light blue, white. Dark blue, light blue, white. It was said that at night they followed the colour of the sunset and at dawn, followed patterns of sunrise. Despite all their beauty, all of the guardians appeared mournful, as though there was a great weight on their shoulders.

Landing in unison near the back of the stage to the crowd’s hushed delight, they turned to the three who kneeled before them.
Stepping forward, the Guardian of people spoke in a voice that of many. “I give the task of people to Ashrak of Karraban.” The terrified youth stood and was engulfed with orange light. The Guardian was dissolving slowly, his life force twisting into a column of light that now surrounded Ashrak to the excited gasps of the crowd. When the glow subsided, Ashrak wore an orange tunic, signifying the chosen magic. Not only did his clothes change. He found new knowledge tucked away in his brain, including his task. No longer nervous, he turned to the crowd. He spoke confidentially, after all - this was his calling.

“My task of initiation is to travel to the distant land of Yeroshimen and to turn the conflicted native people to a peaceful civilisation. I have precisely five cycles to complete this task.” He stepped back to stand where the Guardian of people been just moments before. Now, the Guardian of time glided nearer. Mind racing, Aegis wondered if she was to be chosen, but, the Guardian turned to the mousey girl. “I give the task of time to Nerithea of Jhorbok.” Dissolving into a glittering white spectre, the Guardian of time dissolved about Nerithea. When the final traces of shimmering white had faded, Nerithea was wearing a tunic of white. Small silver clocks, all showing the same time, floated across the shining thread. Looking toward the crowd, she spoke. “My task is to find and recover the timepiece of the ancients. I have five point three cycles to complete this task.”

Realising what was coming, Aegis began to feel an unusual mixture of apprehension and excitement. As the Guardian stepped toward her, the whole world seemed to blend into insignificant soup of sight and sound. The only thing in focus was the kind brown face and its owner as it glided toward her. Aegis distantly noticed that small flowers were growing in the Guardians wake. “I give the task of nature to Aegis of Argopolis.” As the Guardian began to melt into a bright light of green and blue, Aegis felt a great wave of sorrow. Why should such a beautiful being be destroyed? Was she doing the right thing? But as the guardian’s soft consciousness began to meld with her own, she felt an overwhelming wave of calm. The knowledge of what her task was slid into her mind, forming as slowly as the vines that grew from her shoulders.

All she could see was green, like a forest, then blue, like the sky. Slowly the soft vision faded. Aegis wanted desperately to call it back, to live forever gazing at the beautiful sight, but she knew she could not. It had been the lush forest of Kadavern, before an unknown hand wasted it. Raising her face to look at the crowd, she spoke. “My task is to travel to the dead land of Kadavern. I must restore the life that it has lost. I have five cycles to complete my task.”
Stepping back, she searched the crowd for her mother. There she was, laughing and crying once again. She wished her sister still lived to see her triumph, but that could not be. Casting the delicate net of her thoughts to the task ahead, she began to plan her route to Kadavern. She would begin in the sugerplant plantations, then cross the Rocklands. It would be a small matter of then trekking through the forest and she would have arrived at her destination.
The touch of a kind hand pulled her from her thoughts. Smiling at her, Ashrak showed her to the steps at the side of the raised area. “Come, you must rest. Your task will be trying.” “As will yours,” she replied wearily. After she had wound her way through the crowded streets to her hut, she began to gather food and water for the journey ahead
The farewell procession was far grander then she had ever imagined. Shopfronts had been festooned with paper lanterns, waving flags of wonderful colours and all manners of strange and beautiful objects that fluttered in the slight breeze, the sidewalk a seething mass of cheery faces.

As she strode along, she was showered with petals and wishes of good luck. Yet she felt slightly distant from these people, as if they had little relevance to her. Her mind drifted to the fair hills of Nadrak in distant Karithian and the sweeping lakes of Godril. She felt a longing for wide, open spaces where nature ruled, quiet and thoughtful unlike the bustle of humans.

As the vision swam before her, the bird she had met a cycle before stirred in the yard. Gaining height, it left its fellows and made its way to the Sugerplant fields.
At first the vine tunic had been uncomfortable, but she walked it became warm and snug. Her staff had also changed. A thick vine grew up the shaft and ended in a sight curl at the tip. It and looked a lot more impressive than it had when it was only a plain black rod; yet she had yet to learn and utilize the full extent of its power.

Soon the streets became dirt tracks, then finished altogether. The crowd thinned until the people were few and far between. Now it was quiet, the trio were able to strike up a conversation. “That was amazing!” Nerithia enthused. “Yes,” Ashrak agreed. “The human capacity to celebrate is wonderful, yet so often overlooked.” Aegis, feeling rather distant, nodded in agreement and continued along silently. Nerithia and Ashrak continued to talk about many varied subjects until, finally, their paths separated. “Good luck!” Nerithia beamed. Aegis, pulling her mind from the task ahead for a few seconds returned the sentiment, waved and turned back to her first destination – the Sugerplant field.

The stalks of sugerplant rustling pleasantly overhead, Aegis ambled along the genghal track. Large creatures, genghals plowed through the fields and ate the leaves of the Sugerplant. Though first thought of as pests, they were now welcome and often domesticated by the farmers when it was discovered that, in eating the leaves, they promoted the growth of the actual plants.

She thought of how convenient it would be if she could catch up with the herbivore and befriend and quickened her steps. Not only would it be convenient transport, but also on the giant creatures back she could reach the nourishing sugerfruit.
Stumbling, she looked down to see what had caused her foot to slip. A thin trail of red liquid began and disappeared around a bend. As she continued, the blood thickened. Knowing that the genghal must be hurt, Aegis tightened hr grip on her staff and rushed forward. As she turned the corner, she stopped abruptly. Lying before her, soft blue fur waving in the breeze lay the massive beast.

A soft pitiful wail emanated from its bleeding mouth. Kneeling down, she saw that a sugerplant stalk, toughened by the hot sun, had embedded itself in the genghal’s lip. Muttering comfort to the suffering animal, Aegis gently pulled the stalk away. The poor genghal twitched with the pain, but stayed still. Bringing the tip of her staff to the wound, she chanted a healing spell:

Yedisckaurm gnikeah drakku mostrel umbeguide

The pain gone, the genghal rose to its feet, puzzled.
It’s slow mind recognized that this small creature with a patch of long black fur had stopped the pain. Nuzzling its new friend, the genghal lowered itself to its knees. Aegis smiled and lithely jumped up onto her mount. After years of riding genghal in her youth, she soon had the obliging herbivore under her control. At the thought of her younger days, an image of her sister flashed into her mind. Ignoring the pang of sadness, she forced the memory away.

As the sky darkened, Aegis called the genghal to a halt. They were in the middle of a clearing, large enough to hold at least three sleeping elephants. Her cloak, now converted to a makeshift bag as her other smaller one was full, was bulging with sugerfruit and she had filled her leather canteen with their nourishing juice. Dismounting with ease, she sang softly to the genghal. Listening to her sweet lullaby, it soon fell into a deep slumber. After eating a few of the golden cobs of Sugerfruit she curled up by her pet’s soft, blue flank and was soon dreaming.
Nearby, the bird also settled on a tall stalk to rest. It had followed Aegis the entire day and would continue to do so for some time. It was not hungry- there were plenty of insects buzzing about, eating the plentiful sugerfruit cobs. Days later, it was still the same.

Again sleeping in a clearing, the genghal was awoken by a blast of cold air. Opening a large hazel eye, she surveyed the small clearing. Through the suffocating blackness it could see no threat. Slowly getting to her feet, it peered into the sky. Silhouetted against the white pinpricked deep blue backdrop of the night, a shape was fluttering. It was only a draf, a bird-like lizard that hunted for small rodents during the night. Drafs usually hunted near genghals, needing the warmth that the mammal could provide. Returning to its slumber, the genghal snored quietly.

A small furry body darted for the cover of the genghal’s shadow. Diving down with startling accuracy, the draf soon had a night’s meal. It could sense much needed warmth somewhere nearby but could not locate the source. As it sat on its haunches to devour its food, it heard a loud snort to it’s left. Finally noticing the two creatures that shared the clearing, it gulped down the last of the meat and waddled over. Curling up next to the smaller creature, it too relaxed into a deep sleep.

Feeling the movement at her side, Aegis opened her eyes sleepily. In the darkness she could see nothing, but the texture of the creature’s skin told her she had acquired another new friend, a draf. Upon waking, Aegis realised her luck; the still sleeping draf had remained by her side. Gently rising and moving the lizard into the genghal’s fur, she set about making a cord from the sugerplant’s thin, strong leaves. When the cord was complete, she tied it to one of the draf’s legs, just above the three talons. She would train it to hunt for her, because, as unpleasant rodent flesh was, she could not survive on sugerplant alone.

A short time later, the genghal, blinking sleepily, rose to its feet and the surprised draf was shaken awake. It was further shocked to find itself bound by a thin rope to a creature that now appeared to be eating. Cawing angrily, it tried to gnaw through the cord, though to no avail. Aegis, seeing her charges had woken, pulled the draf gently to her and stroked its head soothingly. Forgetting his fear, the draf allowed itself to be scratched under the chin. It felt suddenly safe-trust seemed to flow from her fingertips. The cord had served its purpose – Aegis had been able to work the magic, albeit subconsciously.
She had realised by now that her sudden way with animals was because of the tunic. She had never been able to properly befriend animals before but the magic had changed all of that. Though she had half been expecting this, it still shocked her to see how a simple touch could change the behavior of a wild animal.

That day they had made great progress. When Aegis stood upright on the genghal, she could see the beginnings of a large rocky plain. The draf, now released from its cord, swooped down every so often and picked up a rodent. Dropping it in Aegis’s now very stretched cloak it paused in front of her for another scratch. It was glad it was off the rope yet it didn’t want to leave its friend. Whenever she saw a ripe sugerfruit, Aegis plucked it from the stalk and added this to her stash.

By the end of the third day they were at the edge of the field. Knowing that she would have to leave her friends as she would be progressing onto the rockfields, Aegis sadly curled up for one last night. When morning came, she bid farewell to them and walked through the last clump of sugerfruit. Both the animals stood watching the clump for several minutes, waiting for her return. When she did not come, they ambled away, remembering the kind creature that had changed them, hoping that she would return soon.

After what seemed hours of trudging dejectedly through the rocky foothills, Aegis was near exhaustion. The cloak full of food banged painfully against her leg every step and she missed her friends. She had abandoned her smaller bag as it had torn on the sharp ground. Her canteen was empty and her reserve had sprung a leak. When she had finally emerged from the densely cropped sugerfields under a cheery blue sky, the distant forest had seemed much closer. Her usually silent footsteps caused loud cascades of pebbles that echoed hollowly in the fast diminishing light. Even though the sky turned to a rose pink, the stones around her stayed stubbornly stark and grey, as though absorbing the comforting glow the sky gave off. She had hoped to cross the rough terrain and enter the forest by nightfall, but was beginning to realize she would have to sleep in the open.

Determined to make as much progress as she could, she ignored the impending darkness and steadied herself into a strong rhythm. It was only when she stumbled on a concealed pothole that she realized the sky was a deep purple. reproaching herself for not noticing sooner, she cast around for a suitable resting-place only then did she see the shape.

Silhouetted against a darkening backdrop of sky and rock was a large figure. At first glance she thought it was just another rock, but when it moved she thought otherwise. Fingering her staff nervously she stepped back. The thing stepped forward. “Light” she muttered, slashing the foreboding silence that had settled like dust. A small fire erupted from her staff’s tip, giving off a small circle of brightness in the now almost pitch darkness, illuminating Aegis’s drawn face and tired eyes. The unseen creature shuffled clumsily toward her, noticing Aegis was near collapse. Leaning on the staff for support, Aegis steadied herself in case of a sudden attack.

Entering the small pool of yellow light, the creature growled. Two clawed feet supported a thickly set torso. Six thin and sensitive tentacles swished through the air next to two scythe-like arms, muscle straining under taught stony skin. Small spines that could be mistaken for sharp pebbles lined the creature’s back and a thick tail pounded the ground angrily. Though lacking Aegis’s grace and agility, it more then compensated with brute strength and instinct. It’s sunken head boasted two dull eyes that were almost blind but this was of no consequence. It was a hunter of the night and sensed its prey with tiny hairs on its tentacles that it held close to it’s body when at rest.

On seeing the creature, Aegis’s brain raced. Straining through years of experience, she finally remembered what this creature was: a rockhound. They sucked up the heat of the day and during the night slowly cooled off. The colder they got, the slower they move. Stupid and aggressive, rockhounds hunted by night, their prey usually being small rodents and reptiles. This bizarre habit had confused many people – surely the rockhound would be more efficient during the day, having heat readily available. Still many people debate on the nocturnal habits of a rockhound, some joking that it’s only purpose was to give them something to wonder about. On finding a larger animal, it would either run away or, more commonly, attack. By the look of its stance, Aegis knew it had chosen the latter option. Mustering the last vestiges of her strength, she raised the staff and, unsteadily, began to chant an ancient spell.

Gethre mygratum mehide sokar tsune…

Her voice, weak and rough from lack of water, was merely a whisper in the darkness. She did not have the strength to complete it and, one word short, she fell to her knees. The rockhound, however, was in full fighting form. It charged forward, missing Aegis by a hand-span as she managed to throw herself out of the way. Now lying on her stomach, she let her head drop. She felt the crushing weight of the rockhound as it stepped on her back, its rank breath as it opened its wide maw to snap at her spine. As it met its mark, Aegis felt the strength of the blow and, crying out, arched her back to find that she was not attached to a hungry animal. The rockhound backed away slowly, wondering what had happened. Its tiny brain was convinced that this creature should be dead. Dragging herself up to a sitting position, Aegis did not see the vine tunic settle. It had protected her from the rockhound’s sharp teeth, saving her from certain death. Fingers loosely gripping the staff, she raised a shuddering arm to begin a new spell. Her lips formed the sounds silently, her tortured lungs offering no support. As she continued, she felt strength returning. The rockhound, seeing its prey was beginning to recover, began to circle about her, deciding which would be the best angle to attack again. As she continued, she felt all of the pain from her body rushing out her fingers and away down her staff.

The rockhound, reeling backward for the second time, clumsily shielded its eyes from the green light that emanated from the crumpled form. Becoming less collapsed by the second, Aegis’s voice slowly began to come from its previous whisper. As she chanted, her body raised from the ground on a bubble of green light, hair flying in a sudden breeze. Now standing, her voice boomed off the rocks until it sounded like they had joined in.

Dirchrre petim metirr aknigh medinna osap

Feet now well above the ground, Aegis gripped the staff with both hands. Sparking now and then with energy, it took her quite some time to move the staff down to point at the rockhound. The beast, confused by the noise, thrashed about, unsure where to turn. Now ready, Aegis continued her previous spell, now with more energy then she had thought possible.

Gethre mygratum mehide sokar tsune TVEKSHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

Spitting the word, Aegis concentrated on the thrashing form before her. All of the glow sped onto the ground and dispersed. Aegis too landed on the ground, the wind subsiding. The rockhound, mind cleared, threw caution to the sky and charged. At the moment it touched Aegis a swell of green light sparked up from the ground and swirled up the rockhound’s legs. It promptly disappeared. Smiling in triumph, Aegis toppled down to the ground. By the time her head hit the rock, she was already unconscious.

***

In the morning, a harsh cry awoke Aegis. Looking around in alarm, she discovered the rockhound was nowhere to be seen but a large bird was perched on a nearby pinnacle of rock. Wondering what it would be doing in such a place, she looked at it. After a glance straight back at her, it leaped into the air and was gone, gliding quickly into the sky.
Legs protesting, she dragged herself to her feet. The landscape was the same as the previous day, only now the ground emanated heat. With a shock of thought, Aegis realized her folly. By noon the whole landscape would be as hot as an oven. With some difficulty, she set out at a fast stride for the distant green of the forest. Her food bag, now considerably lighter, contained one more meal.

The craggy rock pass soon gave way to a dense forest full of umbrella like bushes and towering autumnal trees. Knowing that once she entered the forest there would be no more food left, she made a trap from nearby twigs and the cord she had made earlier, hid some of her food in a cavity nearby and waited behind a spike of stone. She sat back and found thoughts of her mother and missed friends sliding into her mind. She wished they could know that she was safe, that she could end their tortuous wait for her return.

The sharp ‘snap’ of the makeshift snare and squeal of a snarglok ended her thoughts abruptly. Picking up a large rock, she stunned the animal and loosened the trap’s hold on its leg. She would not eat this one, but use it to find food in the forest. The snarglok’s acute sense of smell would lead her to hidden roots and mushrooms. She realized what a fine animal she had caught. Although small, the snarglok boasted a sleek coat of shiny black hair that did not have any thinning or bear patches and its eyes were remarkably clear. Hoping that it was not already owned, she looked around for an angry figure. Nobody came.

Fashioning a rudimentary collar and lead from some nearby rockweed, she stood back and waited for the animal to regain conciseness. Looking up at her with its big brown eyes it slowly got to its feet. Wincing at the memory of her now lost friends, she held out some of limited food, hoping to gain the animal’s trust. It timidly poked its nose up to her hand, not looking away from her face for a second.

The snarglok, noticing the sudden lack of food in Aegis’s hand, poked its nose in her now stretched but empty cloak in the hope of more tasty morsels. Finding none, it looked up at her with a I-want-more-food-now look. “If you want more, you will have to find it.” Not understanding her exact words but comprehending the direction of her command, it sniffed the air. With a jerk, it led her to the food she had hidden earlier. Donning her cloak and noticing its new stretched length, she began towards the forest’s beginning scrub.

Wondering what was going on, the slightly unstable snarglok followed. Tired after her many days trekking, Aegis felt in no shape to make shelter. As the dusky sky boasted not a wisp of cloud, she decided to sleep under a tree. Looking around for a source of fresh water, she heard the sweet bubbling of a forest stream ambling through the trees to her left. Stumbling toward the sound, until she was satisfied that she was near enough, she folded herself onto a pile of soft leaves and began to sleep, the snarglok replacing the position once held by the draf. snarglok replacing draf.
The silky fingers of dawn crept through the trees and played across Aegis’s relaxed face, waking her from her deep slumber. The shrill call of dawn birds broke the night’s silence with a sweet chorus of song. Standing up and stretching, Aegis brushed the leaves off her cloak and looked around for the stream she had heard last night. The snarglok stirred too. It walked straight to the water, pulling Aegis behind it. Cupping her hands, she drank deeply.
The cool water cascaded down her parched throat, ending the pain that breathing had begun to cause. Looking up, she saw the black bird again. It was perched on a branch a few metres away, scrutinizing her in a most alarming manner. She stared back, and, after a time, she turned away. Wondering why it had been following her, she gently stroked the snarglok. After asking her friend to find food, she leant on a tree and watched it scamper around, sniffing for roots. This is where she liked to be: the sugerplant field had seemed so artificial and the rocky pass was almost devoid of life, but this, this is what nature truly meant.

The roots were a little bitter, but taste does not matter in these circumstances. Due to the lack of visibility, Aegis could not navigate without climbing a tree every now and then. She was surprised to note that after the tree had been climbed, it seemed healthier, the bark thicker and leaves a more vibrant green. Remembering her position, she realised it was not so surprising. The moss-covered ground was kind to her boots; the earlier rocks had almost worn the soles clean through and walking had been painful.

Whenever her steps slowed, she reminded herself that she had already used two cycles. When she had reached Kadavern, she would need at least one cycle to work her magic. Stopping with horror, realisation slapped her in the face. She did not know what magic she should use! Surely the small amount she had learned would be useless. Fingering the hem of her tunic, her mind cleared. She would cross that bridge when she came to it, in a manner of speaking.

Throughout the day she strolled amongst the ancient trees, enjoying a slight breeze that wafted from the east. It smelled of the bell-like flowers that grew in dainty clumps here and there, their yellow adding a nice contrast with the browns and greens of the forest. She had sighted the bird many times, sometimes perched on a branch, others gliding overhead. The snorglok had become more nervous, scuttling in her shadow at the slightest rustle. The air was becoming less pleasant and a new, dank and sour scent pervaded her nostrils. As the trees began to thin, the snorglok sat down and refused to budge. After spending quite some time coaxing it to continue, she gave up and bade it farewell after a short stroke. It looked up at her then turned and scampered back into the forest.

Walking was becoming difficult. Mud was sucking at her boots and roots, hidden underneath the greyish muck, tripped her up. The trees were almost all thin, tough mangrove dwellers but what sustained them was a mystery to Aegis. The mud was just dust and water, churned together by centuries of minute movements. As the sun lowered in the sky, the stench intensified. Noticing it was almost dark, Aegis began to wonder where she would sleep. The mud that now caked her boots and lower staff had definitely abolished all thoughts of making the ground her bed, so the only solution seemed to be the trees. When she had been a child, she had always dreamt of sleeping in a tree, yet now the novelty seemed gone. Curled up uncomfortably in a fork, staff jammed in beneath her, she found sleep rather elusive. The next day was much like its predecessor: smelly and tiring. Now that her food was gone, Aegis had constant pains from her belly. Her water, too, was dwindling. Wondering what food there was to be had, Aegis maintained her squelchy march. She stumbled quite often due to hidden roots and stones, always managing to right herself.

Tripping for the umpteenth time, she finally toppled over. As Aegis tried to wipe her cloak clean, she noticed the tunic remained mud free. Cursing under her breath, she tried to step forward. It was then she felt something tighten around her ankle. Irritably shaking her foot to dislodge the root, she tried again. The loop tightened.

Reaching down with her hand, she felt the things large form, with many tentacles stretching in all directions. One of them, it seemed, had found her. She had foolishly stumbled into an Andoin parathor, masters of ambush. Their tentacle like fingers grabbed anything within reach and held it until the creature had need of food, when it would slowly scrape away at the prey until only bones remained. She could feel sweat breaking out on her brow. Gently, she levered her staff in minute gap between her leg and the tentacle and began the onerous task of freeing herself. As she worked, she thought about how her life had changed so drastically. Though she now felt more confident about herself, she could feel a small corner of discomfort niggling about in her mind. It had grown every cycle, and she wondered if it would eventually banish her hopeful thoughts about the future.

Finally, she was free. Luckily for her this one had eaten something recently – she could not think what – and it did not put up a fight. No longer did she walk straight ahead, but prodded the path before her with the staff. At last the mud thinned, then was completely replaced by a powdery, lifeless soil. The trees stopped abruptly, as though a fence was keeping them from colonizing any further. She found herself on a ledge with a view of the most desolate landscapes she had ever seen.
She had reached Kadavern. The air stank of rotting putrid matter and the wind was strong. The skeletons of wrecked buildings still stood, obstinately refusing to be pushed over by the fetid gusts. Festering, stagnant pools seemed to radiate an ugly green light that made the landscape all the more unpleasant. The clouds were thick and unmoving, brown smog rather then water. The ground was constantly damp as it rained most of the time. The rain, however, was not of water but dubious origin and fed the pools. It was thicker and hit the ground with a splat like congealed milk. The sun seemed to shy away, letting the land fall into a dusk, lit mainly by the revolting patches of water.

As she looked upon this dead blemish on the earth’s surface, she sighed and took a determined breath. Suddenly, she felt her heart fail. A fog seemed to encompass her brain, blotting out all her thoughts save one. It grew and took shape in an inexorable wave and dragged her to the ground…
She had almost caught him. Just one more step – yes! “Tag, you’re the chaser,” she called to her friend. Turning, she ducked across the playground, far ahead of her laughing friend. Just as he was about to catch her, the clang of the bell echoed from the schoolhouse. As Aegis lined up, she saw her sister and waved. Niyah smiled and waved back as they filed in to their respective classes. A pang of discomfort caused her to stop, but she was jostled along through the doorway. Something was not right, but what could it be?

It was just another ordinary school day. Her mother had walked her and her sister to school; they had their lunches…they? Wasn’t her sister dead? As panic took her, a roar sounded in her ears and her vision blurred.
Blackness. Shapes brushed across her legs and arms, wrapping around her face and tangling in her hair. Their very touch sent a shiver of dread through her, dread and something else. Some brought her tears rushing, others spelt a terrible emptiness. Batting them away she screamed- the sound sucked up by the blackness before it left her lips. They were emotions – all of the emotions she had pushed aside during her life. Shutting her eyes against the blackness, she curled up, feeling the invasive swimming forms swishing past. Her mind was slowly escaping her.
She could not tell how long she had hung there. She could not tell who she was. She felt the shapes gliding by, more numerous now. The rest of her self had seeped out to join all of the discarded emotions. There were other shapes too, shapes that weren’t hers. The thoughts of others who had apparently been lost here too. Wait, she wasn’t lost, she was all here. Perhaps in many fleeting pieces, but she remained. Her empty form was only one of those pieces. The form that she was now rushing to.

Blinking, she opened her eyes to find herself not in pieces but lying in mud. Her hand rose instinctively to her tunic. She felt soft tendrils of the vine creeping up her neck, encompassing her jaw. Indeed, her whole head was covered. Scared she was going to choke, she clawed at the vine but it would not budge. She looked around for a stick – anything to pry off the vine.
Stopping, she raised her hands to her eyes. She felt the silken threads of vine covering them and yet, she could see. Experimentally, she drew breath. The air was sweet and cool, revitalizing her lungs in seconds. She felt her cloak tightening around her, the material transforming into vine. It had wrapped around her hands and toes until all that showed of her was her hair. It fluttered in the breeze and caught the light. It did not shine its usual purple hue, but a deep green.
The vine on her hands and feet shifted and became thick bark in a flash of light. Raising herself to her feet, she looked at her staff. The tip had a residual glow of green, slowly dissipating. Soon it had faded completely. She was aware of every nerve in her body, every bone, every muscle. Looking at herself, she saw the bark that made up her gloves and boots. She was all there and them some. Disjointed memories of stark grey rooms and large shapes jostled at her consciousness, all wanting to be heard. Suppressing them, she began to walk forward.

After taking a few steps, she observed that tiny patches of grass and flowers, dripping with dew, had followed her footsteps, forming a soft column of life. Setting her eyes straight ahead, she began to walk.
Emerging from the horizon, the black bird flew swift. It followed the thin green line until it saw the small figure of Aegis, dwarfed by the very size of the tortured land. It cawed loudly and flew down by her side.
Turning, she saw the black bird and noticed that the clouds had parted. The bird stayed hovering exactly where it was, defying the law of gravity. It perched, as if on a branch and looked at her. She took a step toward it, but it floated just out of reach. Puzzled, she continued onwards, to the middle of Kadavern.

When she had reached her destination, she stopped. The bird was still there, cawing now and then to remind her of its presence. On an impulse, she reached out with her staff and hooked the bird toward her. It did not struggle, but sat calmly. As soon as her hand touched it, feathers flew. Amongst the whirl of black quills, Aegis could make out the birds shape shrinking until she held but a chick in her hand. The feathers gathered behind her, as if held by an invisible force. Several suddenly harpooned into her back, straight through the vine. She cried out in surprise and pain, but the sting was suddenly gone. Instead, she could feel a crunching of muscle and bone. The feathers swirled behind her and, with a final jolt, settled mid air.
Aegis was aware that something had happened. Still carefully holding the chick in one hand, her staff in the other, she turned. No feathers were in sight, not a blemish on the land for miles save the pools of putrid water and dilapidated buildings. Swinging around again, she felt some resistance. The chick cawed softly, fuzzy black down softening its hard bony frame. Then, in the corner of her vision, Aegis saw a feather.

Not thinking, she pulled it towards her. It obligingly neared her left hand. The hand she had her staff in. The chick shuffled in her other. How did it…? Stepping to a nearby pool of repulsive water, she looked at her reflection. Not only did she see a thin form wrapped completely in vine, but two large black wings protruding from its…no…her back. The chick wriggled again and crawled up her arm on strong feet. It came to rest on her shoulder, just above the beginning of her wing.

Straightening, she experimentally tried to move them. Fluidly her new muscles responded, flexing. She felt every slight vibration in the air; few sound there were here. Flapping them proved to be as easy as walking. Soon, she was joyfully soaring though the air, chick holding on stubbornly. Flight had always been a dream, imagined when she was cramped indoors for long periods of time when it rained. When her joy had slowly faded, she remembered her purpose.

Stopping mid-air, she shifted her hands on her staff. Turning her head, she came eye-to-eye with the chick. It looked steadily back at her, blinking rapidly. Aegis stared back, mesmerized in the bird’s hollow yet filled eyes. It felt as if a fog had raised from her brain. New knowledge pored in, filling every crack of her consciousness. She raised her staff.

Ropes of vine snaked off her form faster than the eye could see. They formed an intricate web of life, absorbing the pools of putrid water and covering the buildings. Aegis remained still, arms outstretched and staff floating serenely before her. Within minutes, the entire land was carpeted in green. The overhead sun poured down, no longer held at bay by dark clouds.
The vines now receded from Aegis’s face. Her eyes had become blue, like the sea on a fine day. Fine swirling white spray glided across the blue and, if an observer stared long enough, you would see a whale’s silhouette gliding deep within. Throwing her head back, she called to the sun in an ancient language, indiscernible to human ears. A great column of green light poured from her form, piercing the blue cloudless expanse. It was visible for miles. Many people stopped their business and gathered on hills to witness the beautiful spectacle, wondering what was causing it.

The light slowly grew until it swept the seething vine with a wave of energy. After the first pulse, more continued until a regular beat was established. Every wave brought a shadowy form that slowly solidified with passing energy. A ghostly landscape of trees and bushes, lakes and animals was slowly coming to be. Within one cycle, it was unrecognisable. A final pulse sucked the column with it and all of the quiet sounds of nature began filling the air. The soft trickle of water over rocks, the rustle of a bird chasing an insect. Kadavern was now a utopia, beautiful and untouched.

Aegis slowly lowered to the ground. The vine now was thin and woven into a shiny fabric that swirled serenely in the breeze. Her hair was peppered with leaves and flowers, her face slightly glowing. The chick had re-grown its feathers, yet now some blue glittered like flame amongst the black. It was smaller than it had been, a mere cubit wingspan, but long blue feathers hung from its tail and wingtips, insubstantial like fire. It cawed to Aegis, who had sat down suddenly. She looked at it and smiled. The land around her seemed to smile too, and it soon echoed her sweet laughter.
In the air, Aegis thought the return journey home should take less then a cycle now that she had wings. The little bird fluttered by her side, barely matching her speed as she sped onward. The forest seemed a mere carpet of green. At a whim, she swooped down to the treetops and skimmed the leafy canopy.

A sharp squeal stopped caused her to pause, hovering next to a very tall oak. It came again and, with a rustling of leaves, a small nose appeared. The nose’s owner scrabbled onto an open branch and sniffed at her. Raising its head, it purred softly. Without thinking, Aegis reached out and scratched its chin. It felt familiar…
A quick glance told her that this was the snarglok that had helped her on her way. She spent what seemed like seconds patting it and cooing softly while the bird sat on the branch, preening itself. It was only when the sky grew dark that she realized she must press on. She was surprised to find that she was not even the slightest tired, more awake then ever. Turning in the air, she beckoned to the bird and turned to go. The snarglok wailed pitifully and stretched out into the air towards her.

“I can’t take you,” she said, turning again. It looked at her pleadingly but she took no heed. It was after only a few metres that something made her turn back. The snarglok launched itself from the branch toward her and, its momentum running out, plummeted to the ground. Before thinking, she had caught the furry bundle and swooped back up to the tree.
Replacing it on its branch, she backed away slowly. The snarglok readied itself to jump again. “Oh, all right!” she gave in. Plucking the snarglok from it’s perch, she continued towards home.

The steady residual heat from the day warmed the air above the rocky plain and Aegis soon found herself rather higher then was necessary. Shifting the snarglok into one hand, she hugged her staff to herself and plucked the tired bird from the air. Turning toward the distant sugerplant fields, she pulled into a sharp dive.
The sweet perfume of the sugerplant hung in the warm air that currently buffeted Aegis’ face. Despite the two rather nervous animals that she clutched, she whooped with joy. Never had she experienced such a rush – the speed, the wind, the pure excitement! The guardian of nature that had given her the task had looked so sad. How could she be? What could depress you when you could do something like this?

Noticing the ground was rather close, she flapped upwards and was soon gliding over the sugerplant fields. The loud flapping of wings and a sudden weight on her back, between her wings interrupted her thoughts. A leathery head popped into her vision, comically upside-down. “Not you too!” she groaned to the draf, who had now made itself comfortable on her back, holding on with its talons and the spikes on its wings. It cawed happily and began to – if it could be described – purr.
When she was about halfway across the field, the moonlight gave way to sunrise. Aegis’s now orange eyes observed the spectacle with interest. The animals she had been holding had crawled onto her back too, the bird curled up beneath the draf’s beak and the snarglok had wrapped around her shoulders like a scarf. Surprisingly, she did not feel the extra weight but almost lighter. The draf suddenly cawed loudly in her ear and snapped its head down. Looking below, Aegis saw that a genghal was below her, ploughing through the sugerplant. Rolling her eyes, she swooped down and landed on it’s back.
Despite the available space on the genghal’s back, the draf, snarglok and bird refused to leave Aegis’s. The genghal seemed very happy to have her back and walked at quite a pace toward the city. Aegis, finally feeling tired, settled down on her steed’s soft fur with a living blanket and slept.

The intricate pattern of the sugerplant’s shadow striped the unusual party, camouflaging them very well. All that was awake was the happy genghal, and it too was only half so. It was only when it stumbled across a clearing that it fully woke. Amongst a mass of broken stalks, a very large rockhound lay. Its eyes were glazed over and it’s foul breathing was even. The genghal had never seen a rockhound before as they usually kept to the rocky plains yet it sensed that it could be a danger. Gently shaking its charges awake, it stepped back into the sugerplant shadow. Opening it’s eyes, the draf blinked sleepily. Since it had befriended the genghal, it had found it’s sleeping patterns altered. Now, it loved the sunlight and welcomed the taste of sugerplant.

Taking care not to wake its friends, it peeped into the clearing. Stifling a squawk of alarm it placed a wing over Aegis’s mouth and shook her awake. As it predicted, she groaned before opening her eyes. Luckily, its wing had stifled the noise.
All thoughts of sleep dissolving from her mind; she gently removed the wing and sat up. The draf had actually looked concerned…but draf shouldn’t show expressions, they don’t have the intelligence… She looked again. It looked squarely at her and gestured to an opening in the sugerplant.

Wondering what was going on, she slipped down the still genghal’s back and pulled her staff with her. Circling around, she looked at its face. It too seemed…well…scared. Mind whirling she saw it look at her and to the opening. It repeated this until she nodded and began to walk to the broken stalks. Suddenly a large furry leg blocked her way. Turning, she saw the genghal shake it’s shaggy head and the draf look like it was having a silent fit. It then put it’s leg silently down.
Experimentally she took a few silent steps. The draf recovered and sat happily on the nodding genghal’s head. Creeping to the opening she saw what her friends were so scared about. The rockhound was large yet very thin. It must be starving, poor thing, so far from it’s home and usual prey.

Wondering what she could do, she fingered her staff. The answer swam into her mind. Stepping cautiously forward she extended her staff until it rested on the rockhound’s back. She muttered a spell and her staff fell to the ground. Where it had been there was now a small female snarglok. At the sound it looked up at her and growled like rockhound. Baring its now blunt teeth it stood up. Wondering why it wasn’t so tall, it advanced. Aegis scooped it up in one hand and smiled at it. The poor ex-rockhound was very confused so it hung there like a rag doll.

The genghal with the draf, the snarglok and bird strolled out of the shadows. It was positively grinning and the draf was dancing a rather bizarre jig on its head, falling off repeatedly and flying back up. The bird watched disapprovingly and the snarglok stared at the ex-rockhound. It stared back and began to struggle from Aegis’s grasp.
Smiling to herself, she released it and watched the snarglok sniff each other. Just before they disappeared into the sugerplant, they turned and looked at her. Realizing she had kick-started the snarglok colonization of the plantation, she laughed and re-mounted the genghal, watching the draf looking comically swoony and the bird rolling it’s eyes. The genghal grunted happily and set off.

When they came to the edge of the plantation, Aegis felt rather depressed. She could not take her friends with her. The town was no place for wild animals. Dismounting she walked down the dusty lane. She was aware she was being followed and turned.
“you cant come home with me,” she whispered sadly to them. The genghal pawed the ground and looked distraught. The bird too curled up into a sad little ball. The draf, however, looked rather happy. It fluttered down to the road and began to dance again. Chuckling sadly, Aegis watched it.
After a time, it stopped and waddled to Aegis and tugged at the hem of her robe. Stumbling forward, she gasped. The draf had drawn a picture! A crude stick figure of a rockhound, then a line, then a snarglok. Below that a draf, a bird and a genghal then three humans. Her mind ran over the facts and it took the draf half an hour of gesturing and dancing before it clicked into place. “You want me to turn you into humans?” She asked at the now exhausted draf. It nodded excitedly and fell over in a puff of dust.

The bird and the genghal looked up and cheered…well, squawked and grunted, but Aegis took that a cheering. “Well, I could try…who first?” The bird fluttered behind the genghal courteously. The genghal looked at the draf, who now lay sprawled and panting on the road. Stepping forward to Aegis, it tilted its head. “Okay then,”
Reaching out and gently laying her staff on the large animal’s head, she chanted softly. The first noticeable change was the genghal’s fur. It receded until it only remained on its feet, hands and head. It’s skin paled slightly to become a dark tan and it’s legs and back began to shrink. Looking away from this disturbing spectacle, the bird flew down to the draf and helped it to a sitting position. The draf cawed appreciatively and stood. After falling over several times, it managed to remain upright.
The soft thud of Aegis’s staff on the ground heralded the transformation’s completion. Though there was no wind, a large cloud of dust obscured any view of the ex-genghal. As the dust receded, Aegis smiled. Tall and thick-set, the girl looked about 10 years of age. Soft genghal fur still edged her wrists and ankles, waving gently in the breeze. Short thick hair burst forth from her head and framed her soft, round face. Her eyes were a soft cow-brown and looked around with interest. She tried to say something but all that came out was a bizarre grunting noise. Aegis removed her cloak and threw it over to her small figure and it emerged, tightly wrapped in the soft vine like cloth.

Supporting the wobbly draf, the bird hobbled to Aegis. “Come on, you go first,” Aegis called to it and it shook it’s head. “No?” It shook its head again. Realizing that the bird wanted to stay a bird, she lay her staff on the draf’s wingtip. Transformation complete, the draf fell over again, surprised at its sudden height. Sitting up in the dust, he looked around. He was about Aegis’ age and very thin. His tough skin was a light tan and two leathery wings, now much larger, protruded from his back. His face was thin and pointed, his large eyes a startling grey. Wiry muscled strained as he stood slowly and took an exploratory step. His hair was a dark brown and extended past his shoulders. Looking at Aegis, he pointed to the tall girl who was now smelling a flower with delight.

Aegis looked around and, with sudden inspiration, gripped her staff. A vine trailed across the ground and soon the wobbly figure wore a fetching vine tunic and pants. Aegis did the same to the genghal/ woman and retrieved her cloak.
“Umm… could you please – oh, this is useless! You need names.” The draf curiously copied the sound. “Na-me,” The woman toddled over to Aegis and handed her the flower. Smiling and taking it, inspiration struck. “How about Alia?” She asked the smiling girl. She curiously tilted her head, a gesture that had not worn off from her genghal days. “That’s the name of this flower,” Aegis informed her. The girl smiled and nodded happily. The ex-draf’s approving voice called from behind Aegis. “Al-llia”.

The ex-draf was now right behind aegis and was comparing his hair to hers curiously. He reached out and took Alia’s wrist and added that hair to the comparison. Puzzled, it stared at the brown, green and soft blue and blinked. Aegis smiled and reclaimed her hair. “My, you are a smart thing. How about,” She paused to think “Cudra?” The ex-draf looked a little nervous and shook his head timidly. He bent down, fell over and sat up. Then, scratched a picture in the dust. “Na-me.” He proudly proclaimed.

Aegis helped him up and looked at the dust. A small stick figure draf looked back up at her. “Draf?” she mused. He became most excited and began to dance. Steadying him to avoid another fall, Aegis smiled. “Na-me?” he asked. “Ok, you are officially called Draf.” Draf smiled, not understanding every word but knowing that his ‘na-me’ was now Draf. “You na-me?” Alia asked over Aegis’s shoulder. “Aegis.” After a time of striding toward her home, Aegis was quite breathless. Alia and Draf, however, were full of energy and were running about like children – well, Alia was walking about and Draf running and falling over. The bird sat in a dignified manner on Aegis’s shoulder and cawed every time Draf fell over.
As the sky darkened, Aegis looked about for a shelter. After miming and repeating the word shelter to Alia and Draf, they too began to search. “Shel-ta” Alia called and waited for her companions to get there. A small distance from the road a large stone and a thick bush circled a small area, enclosing it from the grass. Looking up at the sky then back to the shelter, Draf scuttled off towards a large tree.

Wondering what he was up to, the rest of the group watched as Draf peeled a very large section of back of the tree. After falling over twice trying to lift it, Aegis and Alia joined him and together they manhandled it across to the shelter. Heaving it upwards they settled over the top of the rock and bush to form a roof.
Draf, looking proud, sat down in the cozy hole and grinned up at them. Alia ambled over to a clump of flowers and scattered them near the front then lowered herself next to Draf, leaving a space between them for Aegis to sit. When she had done so, bird on head, they all got as comfortable as they could in the cramped space and slept. It was a rather comical sight as Aegis and Draf’s wings stuck out on strange angles, giving the appearance of one great clumsy butterfly.

The next day Aegis woke refreshed but her back ached terribly. He staff had poked her all night and she had unfortunately discovered that birds could snore. They had set off again when Draf saw her pained face and clumsily mimed ‘what’s wrong?’ She mimed back ‘my back hurts’. Alia, noticing the exchange, stepped up behind Aegis and, gently pushing her hair over her shoulder, began to massage. Surprised, Aegis spread her wings to reveal more back and felt her muscles relaxing. Draf too looked shocked. “Al-llia?” Alia smiled softly and continued until Aegis felt no pain at all.

The closer they got to the town, the sooner Aegis wanted to arrive. Her wings itched, if only she could fly. Surely it would double their current speed. An idea sluggishly formed in her mind. If Draf could still fly, they could hold Alia between them. Catching Draf’s arm, she flapped he wings. Puzzled, he stopped and, flapped his slowly.
Leaping a few feet off the ground, Aegis hovered for a second and came back down. Alia looked amazed and clapped her hands excitedly, a gesture Aegis had inadvertently taught her. Draf, his hair across his face from the sudden burst of wind, blinked and wobbled slightly. Grabbing his shoulder to prevent his fall, Aegis freed his face of hair and stepped back. “Th-unk yoo” he smiled and flapped his wings again. This time he too hovered a few feet of the ground and, looking surprised, landed clumsily on his backside.

Alia giggled softly and twisted to look at her own back. Seeing no wings, she frowned and looked back at Aegis’ beautiful feathery ones and Draf’s tan leathery pair. Aegis led Draf to Alia and placed his hands around her shoulders. Getting the idea, Draf gripped them gently and flapped hard. The extra weight tugged him down but he set his face and pulled harder. Alia looked very excited and clapped her hands. Once she was off the ground, Aegis took her ankles and Draf looked relieved. The bird settled down on Alia’s stomach and, Aegis leading, they set off at quite a pace.

It was a farmer that first saw the blob in the sky. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he could make out two figures and one with a large bump in its middle slung between them. A loud clapping sound issued from the apparition. He could see that the leading figure was Aegis yet she had wings, large majestic graceful ones at that. A little girl with a bird on her tummy was clapping and, holding her shoulders, a strange man with leathery wings and a tan complexion looked rather excited.
As they passed, Aegis bid him good day and the other two both happily proclaimed called “Goo-d dae!” Although realizing his hat had been blown off, the farmer stood stock-still and cursed his recent expenditure at the local tavern on cheap rum.

***

As they reached the first few streets, a few people looked out of their windows and called excitedly. Draf and Alia were having a great time; yelling ‘Goo-d dae’ to everyone they saw. News spread faster than their flight and soon the streets looked just as full as the leaving ceremony. Even some leftover confetti found its way into the air, fluttering down on curious Alia. The bird also looked mildly happy but kept its dignified air. Draf, looking around happily, caught some confetti on his tongue and grimaced. He was hoping for some food as he hadn’t eaten since he was human. Eventually they reached the central stage and stepped up. Aegis noticed that the guardian of time and people were absent, probably still completing their trials.
Glad to rest his tired wings, Draf gently set Alia down and the three stood, facing the swelling crowd. They were all chattering excitedly, congratulating Aegis, asking who her companions were and all manner of questions. Raising her hands for quiet, Aegis stepped in front of her friends. After the chattering had died down, she began to speak.

“Friends, I return after having completed my quest. Kadavern is now a beautiful utopia of plants and animals and I wish it to stay that way. Only in the greatest hardship should you journey there, and even then show the utmost care.” When she paused, a voice called, “Whom do you have with you?” Draf and Alia who, until now, had been looking around with interest smiled at the direction of the voice. Aegis too smiled. “My companions are the most loyal creatures as you could hope to meet.” She placed a hand on Alia’s shoulder. “Alia was once a genghal. Draf was once a…Draf. During the beginning of my voyage, they both assisted me willingly. They both sacrificed their simple animal lives to take human form and accompany me back to the village.” At this point the crowd let out a collective “Awww” and someone blew their nose.
After their initial speech, the village bard sang them a welcome song and the chief expressed his “Extreme Joy” at their return. The crowd slowly dispersed as the sun began to fade. When there were only two or three people left, still gawking at her wings, Aegis suddenly found herself in a crushing embrace. After releasing her, her mother smiled and verbally released all of her worry in a payload of sound.

Finally happy she had informed Aegis of all she needed to, she shook a perplexed Draf’s hand and smiled at Alia. Alia smiled back and offered her a flower she had plucked from underneath the stage. Accepting the flower, she bustled the three to their hut. Aegis, who was in no mood for sleep, gave her bed to Draf. Looking excited, he jumped in and completely dislodged the sheets. By the time he was comfortable, the bed was a tangled mass of linen and limbs. When she peeped through the door to see if he was all right, Aegis chuckled to herself and quietly crept through the doorway. Gently untangling the sheets was a hard job, but she managed to return them to order without waking Draf. He smiled in his sleep and turned over, wings flopping onto the floor.

Alia had fallen asleep in front of the fire, curled up on the rug like a cat. “Shouldn’t we make her more comfortable?” Aegis’s mother asked quietly. “No. She is quite comfortable,” Aegis replied, watching Alia’s peaceful breathing. After the preliminary night, Aegis bought another bed and a large cushion. Delighted at her now soft resting place, Alia curled up happily and slept although it was still early. Aegis and Draf shared a room and sometimes talked in the darkness. Though Alia still knew little English, Draf could speak almost fluently. His mind was as sharp as his face, learning came easily.

“What happens now?” he asked one night, a month or so after Aegis’s homecoming. “What do you mean?” She asked sleepily, turning over to peer through the inky darkness in his direction.
“Well, if you are the Gaddian…”
“Guardian.”
“Sorry, Guardian of nature, shouldn’t you be doing something or going somewhere?” Aegis’s silence told him she didn’t understand.
“Since your trial and homecoming, nothing has changed. You have gone back to your usual life, except for your ability to fly, that is. Shouldn’t the guardians be asked to…well, I don’t know.” He broke off, unsure of what to say next.
“Go on,” Aegis murmured, awake, but barely.
“Words seem to be inadequate to what I want to saee.”
“Say, Draf, say.”
“Sorry, say. I have been thinking for a while now. Shouldn’t you call up something…Oh, I just can’t express it properly” “Mmmmmm…” Aegis was fast sliding into sleep. Sighing softly, Draf curled up in his mussed sheets and he too was soon dreaming. Though she was tired when Draf had spoken to her, his word had sunk in. She too had begun to think that surely something should happen. She had passed her trial, come home and returned to her everyday life. In the past, stories told of the guardians being taken away on clouds or fiery chariots. She, however, was still here. Had she done something wrong? Was she not adequate after all?

It was the next morning she decided to do something about her troubles. After a wholesome breakfast of bacon and eggs, she set off for a walk. Draf and Alia followed closely and Aegis smiled. Still they refused to leave her side. When she went to the bakers, they too insisted on taking some of her money and buying something. Wondering if they would be a part of what she planned to do, she felt a tug on her sleeve. Alia’s upturned face was smiling and in her hand she held a little daffodil flower. Handing her the flower, Alia toddled off to give one to Draf. Reaching her destination, Aegis put the flower gently in her pocket and lent heavily on her staff. Hoping the right spell would come to her as it indeed had before, she sat. Alia and Draf, oblivious to their friend’s solemn mood, were playing tag behind her, laughing happily. Though she had at times experimented with her newfound powers, she found they were only effective when there was a need for them and they didn’t work on tasks of a whim.

Concentrating hard, Aegis scrunched up her eyes. The thought had become strong now. She must do something – but what? The answer came in a rush. When she reopened her eyes, they were a complete glowing green, eerily lighting up her face. Her staff too glowed slightly and with a jolt, the glow raced down her arms. With a soft cry, she fell to the ground. Draf and Alia, hearing the sound, stopped their game.

Aegis lay twitching on the grass, eyes now a blank white. Draf and Alia stood, stunned, staring at their unconscious friend. Aegis, however, was fully conscious in fact. More awake then Draf or Alia had ever been.
Eyes still closed, Aegis felt she was in a chair. Slowly opening them, the first thing she saw was herself. Not the new, Guardian self, but the old one with black hair and no wings. Gasping in surprise, she tried to move her arms and found she couldn’t. Her neck too seemed to be resistant to movement but by swivelling her eyes she could make out her surroundings.
She was seated on what seemed to be a grey leather couch. The walls were high and polished silver, reflecting her perplexed face. The floor was what seemed to be a white rug but it had no edge and appeared to dissolve right into the wall. She was wearing what appeared to be a one-piece white catsuit that felt like nothing against her skin. Suddenly a strange voice filled her head.

“There is no need to be afraid. Release all of your tension. You are perfectly safe.” It hummed in smooth, synthetic tones. “Where am I?” she asked, forcing what seemed to be a lead tongue to move. Her eyes searched the room for the source of the voice. Seeing no possible place it could be, the supposed it was behind her. “Why do my eyes hurt?” “You have never used them before,” came the calm reply. She heard a strange grating sound behind her and a hand came into view.
“Don’t worry,” came a different, more human voice. “There is nothing to be afraid of.” The owner of the hands stepped around the chair. Peering at her with hazel eyes, he stepped back. His face was thin and sallow, the complexion of one who has never seen the sun. Neat light brown hair in a severe web of gel sat straight back, following the shape of his head. He too wore a close fitting white catsuit and his feet seemed to blend with the floor.

Draf and Alia had managed to manhandle Aegis’s body back to her hut. Her mother was now wiping her face with a washer and muttering incoherently about something to do with chicken soup. She had ceased twitching and now had the appearance of one who was asleep, save her eyes were wide open. Alia was gently massaging her tense stomach and Draf perched on the bed, clutching her hand as one would clutch a handhold when rock climbing. They were all oblivious to what was happening in the other, more synthetic world.

A sudden sense of calm came over Aegis, the feeling that everything was as it should be. It was only there for a second, but helped to clear her thoughts. “Why can’t I move?” she asked slowly. The man just reached forward to just below her hand. She felt a ‘pop’ and suddenly her arms were movable. As soon as her legs had followed, she got to her feet quickly. Observing this, the man smiled. “I have made a good choice,” he murmured to himself. “I think I have some explaining to do” With that, he stepped forward and proffered his hand. Recognizing the gesture, Aegis immediately returned it without thinking. Where had that come from?
She could not remember doing that before. After a quick shake, he led her to a curios circle on the carpet. Suddenly a bright glow engulfed the two and, to her immense surprise, Aegis found herself in a different room. Beyond words, she looked at her new companion questioningly. “All in good time,” he proclaimed and led her to a chair. As the shock wore off, she looked about herself. It was basically the same as the one she had been in before, but one wall was completely taken up by a screen that showed blackness.

“My name is Tablek. I know yours is Aegis. Don’t ask how, just listen,” Tablek said, leaning comfortably on the wall before her. The screen lit up. The bird that had accompanied her appeared and opened its beak. “Good evening, Tablek,” it spoke in the voice she had earlier. “Evening, Myuo,” he answered. “I see that you have revived the girl. Do you want me to explain?” “Yes Myuo.” The bird fluttered to the edge of the screen and a scene appeared. It was of her room. Her mother was bustling about with soup and face cloths. Alia was massaging her stomach and an upset looking Draf was stroking her hand. “This is what you see to be reality,” the bird stated. “Your entire life has been in that reality, that false reality.”
The scene disappeared and the bird fluttered back to the centre of the screen. “Millions of years in the past, life was like that you have lived. The earth was the place humanity existed, clean and pure. As they advanced technologically, they began to travel in space. At first it was only short flights to the moon and back or orbiting the earth. Over many years, they soon became a very advanced race, able to teleport all types of matter to the far reaches of the solar system. It was then they became of interest to the vortexian union.

“The union consisted of four races, the Rokta, the Guumi, the Noinu and the Sraer. Each was as different as the last, each with their strengths and weaknesses. They decided that humanity should join their alliance, as it would benefit all. Humanity as a whole accepted but some rebel groups disapproved of the joining. They said the others just wanted to dominate them, to treat them as slaves.

“They destroyed earth with their ‘protests’ and their fellow humans were forced to migrate to the sraer planet as this was perfect for their needs. Unfortunately, they were so genetically similar to the sraer, both races soon were almost extinct. The human-sraer hybrids were perfect beings, the original weaknesses of their predecessors wiped out, but it was there weaknesses that had made them sraer and human. They took the planet as their own and became obsessed with universal domination.

“Their battle with the rest of the union is still happening at this very moment but it is of little importance to you. When humanity fled from earth, some rebels were left behind, choosing to stay on the wasteland they created. Oblivious to the other goings on in the Galaxy, they lived peacefully enough in underground refuges in small groups, scavenging from the war-torn land above.

“The deadly hybrids bred fast. Their population soon took up every meter of land on their planet and still increased. They decided to colonize earth. They could simply build over the dead land and there were few remaining life forms to resist them. Only twenty humans escaped, three alive and the rest in temporary stasis.
“Sustainable stasis was still impossible to humans and so the seventeen began to deteriorate. It is not that their bodies experienced any harm, they actually grew slowly younger, but their minds strained for thought. They slowly began to go insane, and the three conscious people became very worried. They wanted their crew to survive and they were getting old.

“ One of them, a brilliant computer jack-of-all-trades, after spending many weeks of thinking, finally came up with the solution. He boosted the computer’s power and fitted it a new function. Virtual reality. Another of the conscious three was a young girl of about five. Her mind was full of new thoughts, ideas that only a child’s mind harbours. Her mind was connected to the computer and a whole land was created. Every inch of it came from the girl’s head, every blade of grass, and every wisp of air.

“Growing old, the man directly connected the virtual world to each of the people in stasis’ minds. The girl too went into stasis and continued to create. After a time, the two conscious humans knew that they would die if they did no go into stasis. They revived three of their cargo and, ever since, three people have been revived every 50 years and traded around.” Finishing its speech, the bird began to preen itself. Mind whirring, Aegis chewed over the thoughts. Before she could understand it all, she had to ask Tablek just what galactic and computer meant.

“But why have the sraer hybrids not destroyed you all?” she asked. “Because they have no knowledge of us. Whenever they come near, we teleport away. Thus we have existed for quite some time.” “And where are the others?” Aegis asked. So far she had seen no sign of sleeping people. In her mind’s eye she pictured a stark, white room with dormant people in clouded glass tubes. When they teleported there, however, she could not have been more wrong. Sixteen people floated as if in water in the centre of green circles of light. The room itself was a large twenty sided space, its ceiling beyond the eye’s sight. Its walls and carpet were black and looked strangely organic. Nineteen white lines separated each person’s green light, intersecting at a plinth in the centre of the room. Tablek led her to this and she saw that it has twenty small buttons, glittering brightly like stars in a silken sky. “Why wasn’t I here when I woke up?” She asked, more to herself then Tablek. The crow appeared above the plinth, a thin beam of light connecting it to the unseen ceiling.

“When you are in stasis, your body moves almost continually. When withdrawing from the digital world, your mind needs complete stillness in order to adjust to the shock of reality. That is why we teleported you to the MRR – the Movement Restriction Room – before you woke.” Seemingly happy with itself, the bird disappeared in a flash. Many more times it came to explain the workings of what Aegis now knew as “The craft”. Though she could remember little scraps of information about her new surroundings, many memories had been obliterated by time and neglect.
She so wished she could remember it all, to understand what looked like magic as it happened all about her. The craft had six areas-the stasis room, the MRR, the sleeping quarters, the mess, the Bridge, the docking bay and a room that Tablek would not let her enter. She enjoyed synthesised food of all descriptions, tastes she had never before experienced. It was about one week after her arrival that she decided to ask Tablek some more questions. Finding him in the mess eating something that resembled snails, she plopped herself down and began to speak. “Where is the other member of the crew then? Aren’t there supposed to be three of us?” Finishing his mouthful, Tablek wiped his mouth and looked grave.

“There are actually two other crew members. I am an anomaly, one of a few that has occurred. I am the offspring of two crewmembers who were both awake. As there are only twenty MRR pods, I must live and die as a normal human would. I am always awake, but I may take someone’s place soon. “Our craft does not have an infinite supply of water. We derive everything from water – our air, our food – everything we need for sufficient nourishment.
Even our ship is fuelled by a treated version of it. Every hundred years, we must send two of the awoken to collect water from the nearest source. It is abundant on many planets, being of such simple structure, so it never is far away. Yet the two awoken that have been sent to collect it have not returned.

“That is why I woke you specifically in the fist place. The water collection units are called gymalefs and you, the computer files state, are an excellent pilot of one specific gymalef. There are three, each modelled on an old earth animal. The badger is the scout as it is small, durable and with small defensive capability. The rhino is large, and carries the water. It has little defensive capability and limited offensive capability against possible attackers. They are all very fuel efficient, needing only one cubic foot of water to power them for over a week of operation.
“It was foolish to send our two weakest without the defensive module, but supplies were very low and you were taking a while to waken. Your mind hung on to the virtual reality, thus you continued to exist longer then the others. Tomorrow, I will show you the third and final gymalef – your gymalef, and tell you what must be done.” With that he continued to eat his rather unappetising meal.

In the sleeping quarters, she wondered how her virtual life was getting on without her. She called up the bird and asked it and soon there was a hologram of her room in front of her eyes. Draf and Alia had not left her bedside and both looked weak from lack of sunlight and exercise. Her mother too, when she came in with soup for them, looked tired and tear-stained. Aegis sat, staring at her old home and suddenly had an idea. “Can you add to the program?” she asked the bird, perched above the hologram. “From this position, you can add text,” it replied in it’s unnerving manner. It gave Aegis great joy when, after finding a computer terminal and using the bird’s help, she managed to make letters appear above her virtual self. Draf, Alia and her mother were startled but read the message.

Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I cant explain what has happened to me but I am perfectly safe and well. Give my best wishes to everyone, Aegis.
Happy with her little message, she went back to bed and fell into a contented sleep.
The next morning she was awoken by a smiling Tablek. After groggily eating breakfast and donning her day-clothes, she was teleported into a large room. Nearest to her there was a large dent in the floor with several pipes sticking into it. The ceiling was very high – so high she could barely see it. Behind the impression in the floor there was another, then a third. A thick liquid filled the third that blacked all view of what it contained. Keeping well away from the possibly dangerous chasms in the floor, Tablek led her toward the liquid.

“Bring up gymalef three,” Tablek instructed the computer. A deep rumbling beneath Aegis’s feet caused her to start and she grabbed on to Tablek’s shoulder to avoid toppling into the thick liquid. At the very centre of the murk something began to surface. Slowly it rose until Aegis had a clear view. Large enough to hold about two humans, it looked like the head of a spider. Eight clear red domes sat like eyes on the black metal ‘head”, two larger then the rest.

A pair of lethal looing blades sprung from the bottom of it like jaws, each as long as Aegis’ arms. It was supported on a thick column of flexible metal, able to be tuned to all angles. Two broad “shoulders” emerged next and a thickset torso followed. Made in female shape, it was black save a splash of red down it’s centre. The shoulders shuddered and two long ‘arms’ emerged, each ending in a scythe-like blade, each almost larger then Aegis herself. The torso blended seamlessly into something resembling an abdomen and eight long supporting legs became visible. Now clutching onto Tablek to stay upright, Aegis shakily regarded the awesome black and red humanoid spider that stood before her. At least ten times her hight, she could practically smell the power of those legs, the sharpness of the multiple blades. “Protection module, gymalef three. Black widow is fully operational and ready for boarding,” the computer’s voice chimed.

“This is your gymalef, Aegis. You must find the two others and get them back home. Although the black widow has enormous destructive potential, you must use its power only in defence. Any offensive actions could lead to complete pandemonium; you could destroy a whole planet. The conditions within the pilot module will increase your adrenalin if any is produced, thus increasing your effectiveness in battle but, if you are unable to cope with it…” He let the sentence hang in the air. “Go now, you are needed.” With that Tablek gently removed Aegis’s hand from his shoulder and walked away, blending into the white concrete. Left alone with black widow, Aegis felt a strange pang of recognition and, before realising the words had passed her lips stated
“Computer, raise boarding scaffold.” Obligingly, a metal platform also rose from the dark goo and gently settled before her. Still acting on a seemingly ancient memory, she stepped on to it. With a hum it raised mid-air and floated slowly up for quite some time. Though it was steady as a rock, Aegis sat down heavily. The floor and liquid seemed to shrink away and the head of black widow drew closer and closer, still dripping the liquid in a dark shimmering cascade.

Finally, she reached level with one of the two large domes. It remained shut, however and she sat for a while, trying to unearth her ancient memories. “Computer,” she faltered at this, unsure what to ask. After a moment she settled on a simple “What next?”. The bird fluttered down from the ceiling, the familiar beam of light connecting it to some unseen transmitter.

“You must don the appropriate control suit. Notice that, in the left corner of your boarding module there is a slight depression. Within this there are two small metal objects.” Looking down, Aegis saw what the computer was talking about. They were a dull black with an intricate red design. When she looked closer, she made out the words ‘gymalef three, black widow’ and a small stencil of a spider. “Remove them and put them on your wrists.” Doing so, Aegis found they fit snugly over her white suit and seemed strangely warm. “Hold them together for approximately five seconds.” She did and was surprised at the result.
A black line sped up her arm, a red splash like that on black widow in a thin strip followed up across the back of her arms. Fingerless black gloves wrapped around her hands and another red stain appeared across their palms. It seemed perfect body temperature and fit against the inner white seamlessly.
“Your arms are now compatible with the control system of black widow. Should you leave black widow at any time, the inner suit will act as armour that can deflect most form of laser and projectile blasts. The gloves have increased grip and will not inhibit your hands movement. They also have a scrambling device built in so you can pass handprint activated locks.”

Staring at the seemingly magical stuff, Aegis ran her finger over her arms wonderingly but she was snapped out of her thought by the computer’s calm voice. “Please look at your right now. There should be another two objects there. Place them on your ankles.” Seeing them, she followed the computers instructions and, with some difficulty, touched them together for a few seconds.

Black again sped out in two directions. Thick black boots with the uniform splash of red now across the toe covered the white shoes. They too seemed to fit perfectly and joined the anklet seamlessly. Her legs and waist were covered like her arms, they too felt the slight comforting warmth that her arms enjoyed. Getting the idea, she turned and picked up another of the black objects. It was a belt and it too sprouted the inner suit material. A splash of red that mirrored that of black widows cut through the black in the centre of her torso and back.
After fusing with her arm’s coverings, it stopped about her neck. Looking for another object in the final corner, Aegis felt her movement enhanced inexplicably. The computer fluttered to the edge of the platform and congratulated her. “You are now fully compatible with your gymalef. You will be briefed once you are aboard. Good luck with your mission.” It flickered and was gone, leaving Aegis alone on her small island.

Slowly standing, she felt her new suit’s comforting heat clear her mind. Careful to avoid the sheer drop, she stepped toward the nearest dome and reached out. Responding to her tough, it slid back to reveal a small, red interior. Wondering how she would control her gymalef, she stepped inside. The platform sped back down into the liquid. After hearing a distant ‘splash’ as it met the surface, she looked around. The space was high enough for her to stand with about a foot to spare. Oblong in shape, she could spread her arms without meeting obstruction from side to side but could not reach in front of her. Stepping back so she could, she lent against the wall. A red light immediately flashed on from a hidden source and the hatch slid closed.

She felt her feet leave the floor and, closing her eyes against the red glare she floated for a time. Finally plucking up the courage to open her eyes, she saw only black. A voice startled her and, had her feet been on solid ground, she would have jumped.
“Good morning, pilot Aegis. I am your advisory computer, T23 and will assist you on your mission. Please vacate the ship.” Before her wide eyes, the back gave way to a perfect view of the room she had just left. She could see every last detail but from a much higher vantage point. Turning her head, she saw the rest of the room. Raising her arm to her face, she saw the scythe blade. After moving one leg, three more followed. With a start, she realised she had control of not two, but eight legs.

It only took a few minutes before Aegis had learned all of her gymalefs’ workings and was strolling about the room as if she had always had eight legs. She no longer had a sense of her own body, cushioned in a soft weightless space, black widow taking its place. As she strolled near a wall, it slowly began to rise. Aegis, curious, stepped into the blackness beyond and felt no more floor beneath her eight feet.

“Thankyou. I will begin your briefing when instructed,” the computer chimed. Aegis, floating inside her now also weightless gymalef, watched her new home slowly amble away into the cosmic gloom. After pausing to enjoy her serene environment she spoke, her voice shattering the silence. “Begin brief.”

“Your mission is to recover the two absent crew members and – if possible – their gymalefs. It is imperative that you succeed. Failure may result in the human races’ decline, even extinction. Gymalef module one. Description?” “Continue.” “The pilot is called Ashrak. His Gymalef is modeled on a rhinoceros, with a defensive capability of 8 and an offensive capability of 5. A three dimensional picture of pilot and gymalef popped up in Aegis’s view. The pilot was the youth she had met what seemed an age ago at the initiation.
He was clad in a suit similar to that Aegis snugly wore, only it had blue rectangles replacing the red splashes. Though she was unable to see due to the size of the image, she could imagine the small rhino on the arm and ankle bands. His gymalef did indeed resemble a rhinoceros, its shining metal a dull grey and armour like. It’s head boasted two large horns, eyes gleaming brown perspex. Its neck was short and appeared very strong. Its body was large and Aegis could see that it stored the water. Four column-like legs ended in treads, not unlike that of old Earth’s tanks. After a minute of contemplating the images, she instructed the computer to display module two.

“Pilot: Nerithea, Animal symbiot: Badger, Defensive capability: 5, Offensive capability: 7”
Again, an image of pilot and gymalef appeared. Nerithea, looking not so much mousy as striking rotated slowly on a hidden axis. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, her face blank. She too wore the tight suit, this one with white lines where Aegis and Ashrak had their designs. Her gymalef seemed a lot smaller then the black widow and rhino, only as tall as Aegis. Low to the ground, its streamlined body was a very dark gray and two white stripes like a badger’s. It’s legs looked mobile and Aegis could tell it was fast and unobtrusive-the perfect scout. At a whim, she asked the computer to “Display module three.”
“Pilot: Aegis, Animal symbiot: Spider, Defensive capability: 6, Offensive capability:15”
Though she was slightly unnerved by the picture of herself slowly spinning, she was fascinated by the image of her gymalef. It was the fist time she could see it all properly and get an idea of scale. About four times her height when standing, it looked even more lethal then in the holding bay. “Display basic manoeuvres of gymalef module three”
Her rotating likeness snapped out of view and the gymalef grew to take up the whole available space.
“Basic transportation in a nil gravity environment.” The computer chimed and the gymalef moved.Its legs all lifted from standing, it’s scythe blades joining them in pointing backwards. A stream of glittering blue erupted from the tip of each leg and the gymalef shot forward. The legs drooped back to a standing position and the weightless gymalef continued forward.

“Basic stealth transportation on terrain.” The gymalef, having returned to the centre of the screen crouched low and somehow blended with the simulated ground. This continued for quite some time, one basic manoeuvre after the other. On seeing them, Aegis felt the knowledge of how she could to them flooding back. Within two hours, she could pilot the black widow as skilfully as she had centuries ago.
“End display. State direction of destination.” When the computer complied, the gymalef sped away, disappearing into darkness. Back in the virtual world, Aegis had seemingly recovered. She looked and acted like the guardian of nature should, the same sad expression that all those before her had boasted now plastered across her features. The program replicated her perfectly: Draf, Alia and her mother suspecting nothing. While her virtual counterpart went about everyday life in the comfortable warmth of home, Aegis reached the chilled outer atmosphere of what the computer called “Ice terrain 223654”. Using her newly discovered radar, she scanned the surface and pinpointed one basic area. Soaring through the blue heights of Ice terrain 223654’s clear sky, she rushed to her crewmates’ aid.

As she slowly lowered her altitude, she could see where it got its name. There were no visible seas or landmasses, just a smooth white block of ice that extended to every horizon. When she finally landed, the feet of black widow slid about under her. Regaining her balance, she lowered blades built into the feet, making makeshift ice skates. Though the radar clearly stated the rhino and badger were near, she could see no sign of them.

Gently turning in a circle, she could see only the soft white of ice, dappled with light blue reflections of the sky. “State proximity of nearest life-form,” she murmured to the computer. “500 megamaks to the left.” “Identify.” “Insufficient data to complete task.” Turning to her left, Aegis slid forward and, with some difficulty, assumed stealth mode. Black widow took on a white sheen and almost blended into the ice, only the eight dents in the ice from its skates showing its position.

In the distance, Aegis made out a few irregular bumps on the ice. “Magnify anomaly,” she asked hopefully. “Negative, that function is used only by the badger.” Unsure of what she was nearing, she slowed. A sudden burst of static filled her ears and she almost straitened up with shock. A blurring shape appeared in the corner of her vision. “Badger to black widow. Do you read me?” The blurry shape grew, becoming sharper. Aegis could see it was a very cold looking Nerithia.
“I read you.” “Do not go near the settlement in your gymalef. I repeat, do not near the settlement in your gymalef. There is a strong field of an unknown energy that will crush you.” “Where are you?” “I am by the settlements far border. They have Ashrak, but I don’t know where. I will send to coordinates of the rhino to you shortly. Ashrak abandoned it to find me. ” “Who has Ashrak?” Aegis asked but there was another burst of static and the line was cut.

“Coordinates of rhino now in memory,” the computer chimed. “Prepare for disembarking,” Aegis instructed. “Outside temperature is –30 degrees. Recommend protective helmet worn.” The silken voice of T23 spoke as she bent down, gymalef following suit. “Affirmative.” Aegis stated, feeling a smooth metal surface sliding over her head and glass over her face.

“Disengage.” Abruptly the red glow subsided and Aegis found herself sitting down hard. The hatch buzzed open and she was blinded by the white light that assaulted her eyes. It took her a minute to adjust and, when proper sight had returned, she slid onto the ice. Without blades to aid her balance, she found it very difficult to stay upright. Painstakingly she neared the ‘settlement’, falling a several times. Just like Draf the unbidden thought crept its way into her mind when she tripped for the umpteenth time.

She was sure the air was icy, but her suit insulated her perfectly. Noticing the ice was beginning to run uphill, she found it harder and harder to stand on the slippery surface. The built in grip pads on her hands and feet seemed to have no effect on the ice, the slick surface obstinately refusing to hold. Head down she slaved onward and let her thoughts wander. She found herself thinking about her sister, how she now knew that she had been just a piece of programming.

She still had nightmares about it, even though she no longer lived in the virtual world. When she returned, she would ask the computer to program her back in, like she had never died. Tripping again, she pulled her thoughts back to her present predicament. Looking up, she suddenly felt a lot worse. A sheer wall of ice towered above her, as high as her gymalef stood. Letting her eyes follow the line of the ice, she saw a lump of metal embedded in the ice. Curious, she slid towards it. The tortured metal stuck out on strange angles from the crumpled centre like a dead insect’s legs. It was when she was almost against it that she could see the white stripe, now a zigzag across dark grey. She shuddered at the though that this could be black widow and she could be trapped inside. Wondering how Nerithia had escaped from the wrecked Badger, Aegis climbed up its side, the frozen metal gripping obligingly. When she reached the top, the walls’ brink was still twice her hight above her.
As she lent back to judge the hight of the obstacle, something poked her mid-back. Turning, she could see it was one of two thin poles of metal that jutted from the badger’s warped body. An idea slowly formed in Aegis’s mind and, with some effort, she managed to snap the metal, brittle with cold. The broken edges were sharp.
Sharp enough to pierce ice. Reaching as far above her as she could, She slammed it into the wall. After testing it, she jumped up as high as she could and embedded the other pole a few feet from the first. Hanging from them, her feet dangled above the dead machine. Wrenching the lower pole from its moorings, she hung from one hand and swung up to re-embed it a few feet higher from the anchored one. After repeating this, she found she could use the dents left by the poles as footholds. Slowly she hauled herself upward, arms aching with effort. When the top was in reach, she slammed the pole one last time and pulled herself up.

The wall formed the edge of a slight ledge, about five feet wide. It gently curved, and fell away into sheer blackness. A short way off another ledge formed an inner circle. A ridge about her hight shielded her view of what she would find. Exhausted, she lay down, using her poles to avoid falling and before long, she slept. It was the need to go to the toilet that roused her. It had been many hours since she had last gone and she felt fit to burst. Her helmet reminded her that she could not go in the open – she would freeze. Becoming more and more desperate, she pulled herself to her feet, pole in each hand and steadied herself. A few small specs of snow floated down into the abyss, disappearing in its inky depths. Fixing her eyes on the ridge of ice on the other side of the chasm and swallowing her panic, she leapt.

For a few heart-stopping seconds she was suspended mid air, sure that she wouldn’t make it. The ice rushed toward her, then above her and the blackness neared. Slamming into the ice a few feet below her target, she began to topple backwards toward oblivion. The eerie silence of the icy landscape was shattered by her desperate scream as she tumbled down, headfirst. After a few seconds she found herself in a surprisingly calm frame of mind. Certain she was going to die, she relaxed and realised she was still holding the poles. Ending her scream, she embedded them into the fast passing wall.

The jerk on her arms was terrible as she flipped right way up, the abrupt ending of her fall threatening to tear her apart. Immersed in blackness, she could not tell which side she clung to and far above she could see a small patch of white sky. Unable to see her hands, she began to climb as she had before. Soon she got into a steady rhythm- embed, release, embed, release. Maddeningly, the tiny patch of sky sluggishly neared, the ice about her seeming to suck her down.
Arms shaking with the effort, she finally heaved herself over the lip of the ice and collapsed. She had made it to the other side. Gritting her teeth, she clambered over the final rise. The air suddenly warmed, hot and humid. A green dappled light, dimmer then the harsh white rays she had just come from lit the strange scene and it took her eyes a few seconds to adjust. The ground beneath her feet crunched not with ice, but sand and strange plants she had not seen before crouched low and bushy. About 100 meters away, a low mound of sand peaked above the plants’ fronds. Cautiously, she removed her helmet.

The air was hot and steamy. She felt the suit change slightly and immediately she felt just the right temperature. Crouching behind a large plant, back to the wall of ice that now felt warm to the touch, she disengaged the suit and relieved herself. After re-engaging, she decided to leave her helmet concealed underneath a rather scruffy plant. Selecting the pole with the sharpest point, she left the other with her helmet. Her muscles’ protests slowly ebbing away, she couched low and began towards the mound.
She felt she had to hurry – who knows what was happening to the captives. The plants became more and more dense, forcing her to zigzag slowly between the stems and the leaves became sharp and pointed. The pole was more hindrance than help and she almost dropped it multiple times. Soon she was among a completely different plant species, not green and plush but a withered brown, bristling with stiff sharp spines.

When she was but five meters from the mound, she found she could not move her legs. Twisting around, she saw thousands of tiny threads had wrapped about them. Each plant within view sprouted one such creeper and more were slithering toward her. Swinging the pole around, she hacked at them. As she cut, a hideous shriek pierced her ears and the tendrils were whipped away. Rushing forward, she hoped the inhabitants had not heard the commotion and stumbled onto the mound. Feeling the same paralysis as a minute before, she readied to hack again.
The pole did not hit vegetable matter but sank into sand. It too seemed to tug on her hands, she stubbornly held on. When the paralysis crept up to her waist, however, she looked down to discover the sand was swallowing her up. Her arms now pinned to sides, she could do nothing but stare in horror at the sand. She couldn’t die now, not after all she had been through! The suit was now completely covered, her hair following. At such close quarters, she could smell a strange chemical fragrance, very out of place in this organic environment.
Drawing one last deep breath she sank totally beneath the hungry sand. As the sand grew still, the sharp plants rustled though there was not a breath of wind. The air took on an earthy tone and the plants shook more vigorously. They moved in unison, like a morbid vegetable army. All of them pulled their leaves and twigs to the centre and then began to stretch. Each extended two long limbs; arms made of thorns and twisted hands like claws. The raised on two knotted legs and round heads formed above gnarled shoulders until they resembled grotesquely warped human shapes.

Eyes like orbs of blackness, they marched to surround the sand and stared into its depths hopefully. Several opened gash like mouths and unfurled the tendrils that Aegis had already met and dipped them into the sand,