The Ashes of Allmau: The Orfolk of Allmau

Chapter 35

Upon a stout mesa, the tower of Higard sat stoic between the two worlds, guarding two ravines either side that marked the only way upon. Along one of these narrow passages, her father had left long ago.

He had gone to find the source of the great fire, or to rediscover the orfolk, or proffer peace with the enemies of the broken Empire. To be honest, it didn't really matter. He'd left, matter of fact. She sat in the grass of the common, looking up at the tower in the morning light, wondering just how much time she had actually spend waiting for this day.

"How long does it take to get there?" Sybble as Euol as the pair made their way down the common, dressed for a hike.

Behind them were the townspeople. Those fit and willing, like Euol and Sybble, were dressed and prepared for a hike. While many of the others had come to vid them fair well.

"Oh, most of the day. We'll camp out there." Said Euol, his older sister grimaced.

"It'll be fun, get you out of your comfort zone."

"I like my comfort zone," she said.

"Well, it'll be here for you when you get back." Said Tizeal, hugging Sybble.

Sybble approached Ahna, sitting in the grass, "Ready?"

Ahna stood up slowly, "Yeah, but we need to wait for a moment."

"What for?" Sybble asked.

Ahna looked back at the crowd, amongst it were the other children of the sounds, still marvelling in the existence of Dyll – who'd been revelling in their attention like a tiny king since they'd got back.

"Oh," Sybble smirked, "He does seem to like it here."

"Oh, I know," Ahna knocked back her head, "We'll never get rid of him."

Eventually, Dyll leapt from the adoration of his fans and landed in the grass, leaping through it and returning to Ahna's shoulder.

"Onwards!" he cried, "To Red Bed!"

Retracing their journey, through the Bramble's where Ahna found Kydd, up the cliffs, down which the balloon had descended, and into Allmau, where memories of her father now rested, the group made their way to Red Bed, following the Red River towards its source.

The path was still littered with debris and the wreck of Apia, around which a few rude orfolk still hid through habit. They poked out to see Ahna lead the march of humans up the road towards the damn where Kydd died. Arriving there the evening light revealed the body of the necronaut had already gone – where to, neither Ahna nor Euol dared to think. But in peace they'd arrive and in peace they'd depart as they came upon the scene of Kydd's death, at the source of the Red River.

Here, a twisted damn of rock and metal held back a cascade of shallow pools descending from one large shallow lake, held within the hillside. The group stood for a moment, in the dim evening light to take in the morose feeling brought to them by the flickering light of all colours of aetherforms, hanging in the air around the lake, lightning and warming several old, rusted and decayed, pyronauts that seemed to moulder back into the rock. They each sat around the lake, looking inwards, as though waiting for something.

Ahna approached the lakes edge. She placed the modest wooden box at the edge of the still water, then opened her other hand, in which was Rune. She kissed the tiny seed, then set it on the surface of the water.

It bobbed about for a moment before slowly drifting inwards towards. As she had done in the soap bowl, Rune slowly spiralled inwards, around the lake, as though looking for the perfect place to settle. In the middle of the lake she stopped, in the shadow of the hills. A sudden flicker of light, and she sank into the depths of the lake, to finally lay her roots.

While the others made camp under the watch of the old pyronauts, in the calming glow of the ephemera, Sybble and Euol found Ahna ontop of the small hillocks, looking out over Allmau. They sat down either side of her, staring out at the sunset.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Ahna asked.

Sybble sighed, "Maybe." With little certainty in her voice.

Euol said nothing.

"Eh," Ahna shrugged, "We'll see."