Sketches Of Imagination

Evergould Version 2

     Evergould pulled her white cloak around her as she leaned against a gray tree at the edge of the forest. Her cowl was over her head so that just her eyes could scan the snow swirls for any sign of life auras. She is an Eltra; of the yellow-eyed race which can see the auras of all living things. It was winter. Life now was a dormant gray except for the green waves of the evergreens she saw dispersed in the forest and now on the mountainside that lead to the sea in front of her. She shivered with the cold. She adjusted her cloak's clasp and chain majikally tighter. Her clasp, engraved silver with a wispy E, held her medallion. Her authority to be here.

     The Kelujun had tasked her to come to this shivery place, this planet, Honahlee, via the Kel, after he received a message for help. It read that the whole land had suddenly been laden with snow and ice making normal life difficult. Since she was a recent Kelumar graduate, this was her first task: to investigate the cause and solve it if she had the time. It has been two days since she arrived. But time was running out and so would her majik in five days. One of the disadvantages of kelporting. Now another disadvantage, either a mountain or the sea is blocking her path. She is a Kelumar. She had to help. It is her duty. It is her heart.

     Her eyes caught a flaming white aura popping out of the snow suddenly, then it belch a flame and then lose itself in the snow only to pop up again and belch. It was heading toward the shore line. On the third pop up it seemed to look toward her like it was beckoning her to follow.

     She started trudging through the snow toward the sea following the aura. When Evergould got to where the aura began its pops she saw that the snow had melted and turned to ice. An outline of a tail was impressed in the snow. She continued following the trail all the way down a hill and onto the snowy shoreline. The water was frozen for a few feet from the shore. The snow was less and the trail lead along a distance to the foot of the mountain that she had seen. The tracks lead into a small cave not too far away from a boat that was pulled up onto the shore. It had a great mast with a furrowed, snow covered, sail.

     Evergould entered the cave which was just tall enough for her to walk straight. It was dark so she majiked a small light to illuminate her way. The cave turned a short way in and as she turned she saw the white aura sitting on a pile of treasure. Evergould pulled the cowl back off her head.

     She came closer as the white dragon eyed her. The pile was made of strings stuck together with sealing wax. Scattered about the ground were very large rings, much too large for either her or the dragon to wear. Dispersed in the pile were wings that were painted in various colors. There was a sign stuck in the pile with unfamiliar letters on it. Evergould copied the letters into her spellbook to ask later: J-A-C-K-I-E. She then turned her attention to the dragon.

     Its blue eyes were still on her. Something was glistening in the corners of its eyes. It looked like tears. Evergould came closer. "Are you sad?" She asked.

     The dragon nodded. It then looked around the cave. Evergould interpreted the action and said, "You're alone?"

     She got another nod. "What is your name little one?" she asked and sat next to it on the pile. The dragon blew a small ball of smoke into the air. "Smoky?" she asked. The dragon shook its head and made another ball of smoke. Evergould watched but could not fathom a name out of the action.

     "Well," she said. "Would you like to come with me? I can take you someplace where it is warm all the time and you can have fun."

     The dragon nodded and leaped into her open cowl. Evergould laughed. The dragon snuggled onto her shoulder as they exited the cave.

     The snow was gone! Everything was green and beautiful. The hill she had climbed down now had a pathway lined with cherry trees. It was then she remembered a melody she heard at her Kelumar ceremony as she received her medallion from Kelusora Tarkya.  Fen Rolec, the Whiteloc, was there smiling at her.  Suddenly there was something in her head unfamiliar–until now. She looked at the pathway ahead of them and started singing, "Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea...."  

                 Happy Holidays & New Year!