We walk for what seems like forever...well in reality only an hour. Ahron continues talking to Abak while Storshu keeps his head down behind them. I walk behind him and take in my surroundings. We exited the woods about twenty minutes ago and now were in a vast meadow. Abak had instructed Ahron to clear a path in the front while I was to close it behind us, to cover our tracks from those who would harm us, Abak had said. Who would want to harm us? The plants here were different from the ones we had in our settlement but to make a connection with them was slightly easier. There was less resistance when controlling them more like the plants themselves were curious.
"Storshu, how do you know Abak?" I finally ask walking next to him. This question had been burning in my mind since we left the house.
"He's my grandfather." He states bluntly. I pause accidently closing the milkweed and bluestems in front of me. He turns, crossing his arms looking at me as I maneuver the plants away and then back in place.
"Grandfather? Isn't he too young for that? Wait, how old are you?" Yes my brain had fried thanks to his answer.
"I'm 22. My mother had me when she was 22. He had her when he was 22." Storshu simply states as we continue to walk.
"So 22 is like the age to have kids in your family? Your wife must be missing you." I stated.
"He has not had the honor to get married yet." Abak responds from the front. I notice a slight flinch from Storshu at the remark. "We do not allow our people to marry as easily as the Naur."
I see Ahorn grin at the statement. "Well Ahorn had been waiting for the appropriate time. He's only waiting about six years." I state, causing Ahorn to cough.
"Storshu should have married last year but failed to impress his would-be inlaws. That's why he is on this journey." Abak dryly states.
"She must be very important to him." Ahorn chimes in.
Storshu smiles awkwardly and nods his head, a gust of wind rushes through the group and Abak glares at him. "Control your emotions or they will control you." Abak snaps as he turns. "We will go another hour and then we will rest...if we have gone far enough."
I roll my eyes and sigh rearranging the knapsack on my back. I wait a few minutes before talking again. "Is there a way you can keep him from listening to our conversations?" I whisper. Storshu looks at me surprised. "Like you know, create a wind thingy to block the sound."
He smiles and I notice the air around us shift. "Yes. I can do something like that."
"I can talk freely?" I ask. He nods. "Your grandfather seems like a real piece of work to be honest." I say and look at the back of Abak's head waiting for him to turn around...nothing.
"He is just very serious. He takes being Ventin Nadartach very seriously."
"From an original family?" I ask getting a nod as an answer. "Wait really?" I had only ever heard of descendants of the originals.
"You sound shocked. Doesn't your settlement have descendants of the originals?"
I shake my head no. "We only have a few Nadartachi. Only two Naur families and one Luran family have consistently been having Nadartachi."
"You don't keep records?"
"Nope. We don't see the need for them. Everyone has a purpose whether they are Nadartach or Normteach. Being Naur mainly just means we are good with the land, don't need gifts to do that unless there's a bad harvest."
"Each tribe really does things differently." Storshu mumbles. We continue walking in silence as the air returns to normal around us. After an hour Abak looks disgruntled.
"Why are you Naur so slow?" Abak asks, looking at the sky. "You would think that with your connection to the ground you would be able to go quicker."
"It just makes us stronger." Ahron replies with a grin. This guy really can't take a hint. It was rhetorical.
"We have no choice, we need to fly." Abak replies nonchalantly.
I cough on my spit. "Fly?!"
"You'll do fine. It would only be for a few moments. We would be at the next village in less than an hour. Plenty of time before the gates would close." Abak simply states pulling out a chain from his bag. "Tie this around your waist, Ahorn. Make sure it is tight. I do not want to be responsible for an engaged man's death."
I watched as Ahorn turned pale accepting the chain. His hands start shaking as I move to help him. "We won't be able to feel the earth." He whispers
"We could fill our shoes with dirt before..." I start before Abak cuts me off.
"There will be no earth filled shoes. We must be able to concentrate while flying and having extra weight will not help."
I quickly look around noticing some ivy. Ahorn notices too and nods. As he lifts his hand the ivy slinks towards him. One single vine wraps around the chain while another around his ankle. Storshu walks over handing me a chain from his bag. The cold metal feels light but strong, probably made from one of the Lurani and Naur tribes up north. I wrap mine around my waist as a vine wraps around the chain. I breathe deep as another vine wraps around my wrist and look at Storshu's outstretched hand.
"Have you ever done this before?" I ask, staring at his hand.
"Many Ventin have helped others travel." He responds.
"I asked, have you?" I reiterate.
"We both have done this over a hundred times." Abak replies, grabbing the chain behind Ahorn. "Did you really think that four Ventini walked all the way from the southwest tribe?" With a smirk a blast of wind pushes the two into the air. I watch as Ahorn's eyes widen with fear then shut as he holds onto the chain.
"You will not take off suddenly." I whisper to Storshu, grabbing his hand but still staring up at the sky.
"Just close your eyes and trust me." Storshu responds. His hand holds mine gently but firmly. The vine wraps around his hand as well giving away my fear. His other hand holds onto the chain behind my back. "Ready?" I nod, closing my eyes as we start to rise off the ground. "I'm going to have to go a little quick to catch up to my grandfather...he likes going fast." I squeeze his hand in response.
I can feel the wind and sun on my face as we picked up speed. I shudder as I feel a loss of connection to the ground. The vines on me are the only things I can sense until we approach Abak. It's a weird feeling, being connected to a vine when you're who knows how far above the ground. I open my eyes to see Ahorn...passed out in the air. I chuckle but make the mistake of looking down. I close my eyes quickly feeling dizzy.
"We're almost at the village." I hear Storshu say. "We are lower now so you can open your eyes."
"I'm good." I respond. A few moments later I feel a familiar connection. We are getting lower. I feel a leaf brush my cheek and smile opening my eyes a few feet above the ground. "We're first?"
"Ahorn is still passed out." Storshu responds, letting go of my hand as I touch the ground. He stays in the air as he rises to help Abak with Ahorn. Storshu gently guides Ahorn's unconscious body to the ground as Abak lets go of the chain.
"This fool. Make sure he wakes up soon, Raydenia." Abak commands.
I roll my eyes and walk over to Ahorn lying on the ground. Color quickly returns to his face as he gasps for breath. I help him up and he dusts himself off.
"I will just walk from now on." Ahorn comments.
I chuckle as we start walking again. In a few minutes I hear the sound of water. "Is that Corrined Rilv?" I ask.
"What other river is there in the south?" Storshu asks.
"We don't do a lot of geography." I respond as the sound gets louder. I start sensing many different plants that I never felt before. I look over at Ahorn and I can tell he has the same feeling as me. Noticing new plants can be a strange sensation, like a needle prick on your finger but a couple hundred times. Even the rocks around the river felt different, calmer almost, even though Corrined Rilv is the most dangerous river in Beonia.
"I give you Pollvann. The biggest water tribe city in Beonia." Abak announces as we approach a line for the gate.
"A lot of people are here." I whisper.
"They are all trying to get in before the gates close." Storshu replies.
"We have our paper. We will have no problems." Abak boasts. Soldiers line both sides of the path to the gate. Each holds a spear with a sword at their side, their faces emotionless.
We continue waiting in line until I notice something. "Is the water level rising?" I ask noticing the river coming closer to the line.
"This is why it is almost impossible for people to get in after dark." Abak responds. "The river surrounds the city."
"What?!" I shout getting some looks from others in line as well as a few guards.