Our Little Gods 1: RABATEA, the first World of the Daughters.

Chapter 23.

Oneg jumped off his horse on the wet black sand, further away on the shore waves crashed again and again on the beach creating a thick lather of ivory white froth that the wind swept away in clumps.

They moved towards the water's edge together, their riding boots making crushing sounds on the sand. Purposefully they advanced and something happened. The waves stopped and the surface of the sea turned into a sleek mirror of black blue glass like water. The Wind-traders stopped their incessant diving and the larger mammals dived in the depth disappearing from sight. The boys now stood calf deep in the still water. They stood still for an instant and Oneg crouched, removed his glove and reached out. He placed his hand flat above the water and waited. His two brothers moved to him and placed each one hand on his shoulders, Oneg touched the water with the palm of his hand.

The continuous ripping feeling in their heads was like skin being torn from the flesh ever so slowly. They were in hers. She had been taken by surprise, never expecting an attack in such a manner. They could see from her eyes, her hands on some tiled floor. She must have fallen down. They felt her breezing, fast, spasmodic. She was panicked. Oneg spoke to her. 'We have come to your domain. We do not come in peace. We know why you are here. Leave if you can or else we will destroy you. We shall invade your sanctum of Maharaïa and lay waste to your cities. Be warned.' They felt her sobbing, tears running down her face as she struggled to regain control from the three fold invasion of her mind. Oneg lifted his hand from the surface of the water, the deflagration was like a small explosion and the waves came back as the boys ran back on the beach to avoid being swept over, laughing and shouting.

***

"Why did you do that for?" Limero was asking the boys. "Is it pride? Is it the power itself making you do dumb stuff like so? Why?"

Farenn looked at Oneg and Terrey in silence and said.

"It is for Taleb."

Their old master looked at them one after the other in confusion.

"What about Taleb? We have never even been there."

"That's not the point. Oneg heard you guys the other night when the Eriin Luin told you 'she' was taking her armies to Taleb because she thought we were going there." Terrey said gravely. "Oneg convinced us to try this."

"I know what we have done. I am ready for the consequences and really believe we should not lose time in leaving this beach and trying to reach the Patiline Mountains." Oneg said coldly.

Baalbek placed a hand on his shoulder. "You used yourselves as bait in the hope she would turn from Taleb to hunt for you here... you are a good man, my boy."

"I don't care about being good or not, I just don't see the point in sacrificing a whole city to save the three of us, that's all. Not unless we have done all we could to try and prevent it." Oneg replied. "We touched her mind, we were inside her head. She had not been prepared. It had felt wrong. She was... I don't know... She felt... She didn't..." The boy faltered and he looked at his brothers but they were as distressed as he and couldn't help him express the complicated feelings that had been born during their contact with the Veviensis.

"Lets ride, then. this beach will soon see Balà fast-sails and Natabs and I'd rather not be here to witness that." Baalbek said mounting his horse.

They raced on for the remainder of the day. It was easy enough keeping the setting sun in their back racing straight for the Broken lands crown of mad rocks and then they saw the Patiline Mountains. The night was almost complete when they reached the foot of the mountains. Baalbek ordered them to stop if only to save the horses from certain death. That night they lit no fire and they looked over the plain they had just crossed fearing to witness the signs of pursuit.