Chapter Two [Siphos]

She was surrounded by monsters. They were hiding in the mist; their hungry, devilish eyes watching her, conjuring up the hundreds of ways they would cook and eat her. But Siphos didn't believe in monsters ― not these ones anyways.

The sounds of birds were distant and carried a tune in a minor cry that seemed to fit the somber tone of the glades, with its heavy fog and overcast skies, anything other than a sorrowful song wouldn't seem right. The glades were a sad place for even sadder thoughts for the saddest of people, but Siphos wasn't sad, and she wasn't happy. She was worried and the sound of the birds crying only made that feeling worse.

Her hands gripped the reins and she rubbed the worn leather absently as she continued down the damp dirt path. Every few steps her horse would trample in water, splashing her cloak. By now it was caked in reddish-brown mud. Her glowing golden eyes were downcasted not really focused on anything, she was more focused on what was happening in her head and with what news it carried: The crown prince was missing. That meant more Thaynan soldiers patrolling in the forest surrounding her home, interfering with their lives, tightening their pale fingers around their already broken necks.

Siphos scowled at that thought, ever since the Liberation, her country had fallen from being known as the gods' paradise, to an almost barren wasteland, a joke of its former self. The draconaii had been hunted to extinction for both their scales and to push the old gods away, most of the marble and limestone had been stripped, and any bit of gold and other precious gems and minerals that once sat underneath the Clarenhor Mountains was now stuffed in the King's palaces collecting dust in the vaults buried deep below the earth.

There was nothing she could do though, the only power she had was steering her horse, Bascos, on the right path back home.

The thought of the forest surrounding her home made her smile, with the sunlight filtering through the green and yellow leaves of the great trees surrounding the clearing where her village of 200 sat. She could hear the kids crying out in joy as they chased on another, the women laughing as they walked arm-in-arm to one another's home, the men whistling as they either chopped wood or milked their cows and goats, she could hear the boy she loved telling a joke and not being able to contain his laughter, and then she thought of her father.

Oh her father. She could see him smiling upon her return, his smile covered by a dark beard, and his deep golden eyes, the color of sunflower petals, glowing in the dimming sunlight hidden by a pair of obnoxiously large blocky glasses. He would bring her into a tight hug, and spin her around like every other time she returned home.

Bascos came to a sudden halt, breaking her from her daydream. He began to snort nervously, his ears twitching, and his hooves trodding anxiously. There was a sudden change in the scenery, the once light gray sky now shifting to an ominous dark gray. The sad lullaby of the glades swiftly ended and Siphos now felt completely and singularly alone. The only sound was the sound of her and Bascos' breathing.

She was beginning to feel the ice cold air seep through the fog. Pulling her cloak just a little tighter around her body and with a gentle kick, Bascos continued on, though every step he took was filled with hesitation. She had been traversing the glades for over 5 years now, and she had never felt this intense dread before. One of her hands fell to Bascos' neck, offering comforting pats, more for herself than him.

But there were no monsters. She let out an incredulous laugh and leaned back as she let herself be comforted by her soulful laugh. Monsters didn't exist, especially not the serpents of the glades, for they went extinct long ago.

"C'mon Bascos," she said reassuringly, stroking his neck, "there are no monsters her―"

"YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!"

Bascos reared up onto his hind legs letting out an ear-splitting cry. Siphos gripped onto the reins with all her might as she began to feel herself slipping further and further off the saddle. Calm down Bas! She used her strength to pull herself up, barely able to press her palm to his neck, telling him to relax. Slowly he fell back to all fours, feeling her thoughts enter his, reminding him that she was there, that she would protect him. Siphos looked down at the source, ready to yell at whoever almost caused her to get trampled by her own horse.

An old woman stood before Siphos, her blinding white hair covered mostly by a ragged gray hood. She was dressed in torn trousers and a torn brown blouse with a long gray trench coat pulled tightly around her. She seemed to be hugging something so tightly to her body, protected from sight by an ornate green and yellow scarf that seemed too out of place by the seemingly homeless Frysche.

Frysche?

Fysche!

Was this their missing Agian?

"Help?"

"Please! They're after me!" She cried out, her voice brittle. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot, tears streaming down the woman's dirt stained pale face, her eyes never remaining on Siphos for long, constantly shifting, constantly watching. Siphos found it strange to see a Frysche so far south, they normally stayed close to their own, to the frozen wasteland of their home.

"Who's after you?" Siphos asked calmly, though her voice shook as uncertainty ran through her. She gripped the reins tightly, her blanched knuckles hidden only by her aged leather gloves. She needed to look brave, to look unafraid, hoping that whatever episode the woman was going through would quickly pass seeing someone so calm.

The old woman took a step forward and leaned against Bascos, reaching up with her spindly fingers and shoved something small and round into Siphos's hands. She kept her gaze on the old lady though she couldn't help but to also focus her attention onto what she was now holding. It felt delicate, small, and so frail. It was also warm, pulsating a heat that she only ever felt around ― it was alive!

"Please, you must protect it! He must survive!"

"I don't know what you mean?"

"He must survive!"

Before Siphos had any more time to protest, the mist seemed to surround the woman and within a blink of an eye she was gone. She stared at the spot where the woman had once stood but now only a heavy mist remained. Siphos sat in a state of pure confusion and shock, her mouth hanging open slightly. What had just happened? Looking down slowly, she wondered what exactly was so important that it was making this woman completely lose herself.

She studied the fabric that loosely covered whatever it was she was holding. The scarf was definitely Thaynan, it was too expensive and luxurious looking to be from anywhere else. How did it end up so far east? It was a deep yet such vibrant green with yellow embroidery swirled all around it creating impossible rivers of gold.

Siphos looked around wearily ensuring that she was truly alone. Her hand trembled as she began unraveling the soft silk. So many thoughts raced through her, she was nervous to discover what it was, what could be so important? Why did this thing need to survive?

It was an egg.

An egg.

It seemed to be no bigger than a duck's; she looked it over trying to find any kind of marker she could use to identify it or if there was value behind it. It was a normal speckled gray egg. She looked up then, hoping to find the lady and shove it back in her hands, but she had truly dissolved into the mist.

Witch. Siphos thought to herself with a simple eye roll. Shaking her head, she wrapped the scarf carefully around the egg and gently placed it inside the ancient looking satchel she had slung over her body. Just another thing to care for.

Bascos seemed to snort from her thoughts. She chuckled and leaned forward, her hand finding the side of face and offering a couple reassuring pats.

"You're the only one for me buddy, don't worry."

Siphos sat back and wondered if her father might know what it could be, maybe she truly was sitting on top of something legendary, he would know, he always knew. With a gentle kick, Bascos returned to a gentle trot while Siphos became lost in thought once more, this time though it was about the egg. What type of egg could it be to cause this woman to be on the verge of tears and beg a stranger to take care of it? Was it some rare bird, an expensive snake?

This was one of Siphos's many talents: falling from the world. Her mind would quickly become her world as she fell into her thoughts and daydreams, constantly coming up with new ideas or just random conversations she would strike up with herself. With this talent came one fatal flaw: she lost all sense of awareness.

"You there! Halt!" Someone shouted, making her flinch, pulling her from her daydreams of owning a phoenix. Surrounding her were men sitting on horses as black as night and were dressed in green and black uniforms. Siphos felt herself go rigid and her whole body go cold. If these were the people that had been after the Frysche woman she was better off slitting her own throat right now than trying to flee.

The man who was closest to her was staring at her with a skeptical eye. He was Thaynan and according to the shoulder-boards on his uniform he was a captain, well the captain of the 3rd Legion. All feelings of confidence she was beginning to build quickly crumpled as she was staring into the dark eyes of the Captain of the 3rd Legion.

Looking around, finally understanding what kind of situation she was currently in, she was currently surrounded by the 3rd Legion, the king's own. They were ruthless soldiers, ending rebellions before they began, making whole villages disappear; she took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was safe, they had no hold over her, they couldn't touch her.

"Have you seen an old Frysche traveling through this part of the glades, alone? She stole something rather important from the King." His voice was gravelly and tight, and his eyes seemed to be so heavy, desiring sleep over anything else. He was a walking shell of a man as his skin lacked the warm honeyed color that Siphos was so used to associating with Thaynan's, he looked more Frysche than anything.

Did this lady steal the royal duck?

"I haven't seen anyone the whole ride sir." She forced out a small smile and his frown seemed to deepen. He glanced at an even more exhausted looking Lieutenant that was sitting on a horse just behind him who shrugged and looked ahead at the path that was behind her.

"Where have you come from?" He leaned back, his shoulders flexing as he was trying to stretch.

She looked around before answering. "The port city sir."

He only nodded. "You've heard the news then?"

"About the prince sir?" The captain simply nodded and Siphos remained quiet as she looked down at her gloved hands gripping the reins. She wondered what would happen if she handed over the egg right now, what would become of her? Would they leave her alone, arrest her, kill her? She could feel the egg in the satchel become heavier with every ridiculous thought she conjured, she could hear the impossibly small heartbeat of whatever it was inside quickening as if terrified she'd hand him over.

"Are you sure you haven't seen anyone?" The captain asked, snapping her out of another thought. There was something in his eyes that Siphos couldn't quite read, though it was a very sad expression, but a kind of sadness she had not yet experienced nor she hoped ever will. He was a heartbroken man.

Why are you so sad?

His eyes flew to hers and she froze as their minds crashed together. An ocean of emotions pulled her deep down, drowning her in a stranger's pain and sorrow. Afraid of when she might be able to breathe again, she took a deep breath as she was dragged deeper and deeper into his cold mind, the heavy weight of heartbreak collapsing on her chest. Just as her feet touched the ground of the dark abyss of this man, something pulled her out so fiercely.

The two stared at one another for a long moment, neither truly understanding what had just happened. Their chests rose and fell so rapidly but surprisingly in sync. Siphos prayed to every god she could think of asking for protection from the merciless hand of the 3rd Legion.

"Are you sure?" He asked again, this time through gritted teeth. A silent agreement seemed to form between the two, that whatever had just happened would never be talked about if she wanted to keep her life.

Siphos nodded hastily. "Yes." The captain raised a brow, giving her one last weary look before turning his horse away and leading his men down the path she had just come from.

She watched them disappear into the fog and quickly turned back around in the saddle, relief rushing through her. Glancing down at the satchel, Siphos wondered if this egg was really worth all the trouble, it was only an egg, it wasn't enough to warrant the 3rd Legion to come chasing after her, was it? She gently kicked Bascos' side and once again she continued her way home, this time there would be no more surprises.

Her village, Oar's Rest, was settled just a couple of miles south of the Red Glades, and as soon as she entered the familiar forest it felt as if she had entered another world. Birds sang so freely and loudly. She could hear the sound of a running brook somewhere off to her right, transporting the water from the glades to the trees at the bottom of the ravine.

The trees were large, so high up in the sky that the green and yellow leaves were almost invisible. A soft yellow light broke through the canopy and spread a warmth through her, welcoming her home. The light spotted the path before her, offering an ethereal hazy light in the forest. The gods and spirits were showing off, reminding her just how amazing her forest was.

Bugs zoomed past making Bascos even more annoyed, she smiled at the familiarity of it all. Siphos was home.

Coming over a small hill she looked down into a clearing and stared at her village. It was a bundle of small homes with thatched roofs alive with plants and fruits. People were walking to and from the little marketplace trading food and other items of need or want. Off in the corner was a small orchard filled with apple, lemon, and orange trees. Just next to it was the community gardens, filled with herbs, vegetables, and fruits. There were villagers and even foreigners scattered among the rows tending to the crops.

She could just make out her father standing under the White Juniper tree that rested in the center of town. Sitting around him were a bunch of kids of all ages. He seemed to be explaining something with such vivacity and excitement, she could hear some children's laughter and excited gasps all the way from where she was perched.

Siphos watched him for just a few moments longer before finally beginning to make her descent down the hill and entering town. She could hear people call her name out in greeting or excitement over the possible news she had to bring. Some of her friends waved out to her and she waved back.

"Well hello m'lady." A deep voice sounded to her right. She turned to see Kabe walking beside her, his hand wrapped loosely around one of the reins. He looked up and offered a bright smile, it said so many things, but the loudest thing was how much he missed her.

"How was the trip to the port city?"

"It was fine. Just as smelly and dirty as a port city can get." He laughed at that but her focus moved down to the satchel. A part of her wanted to tell him about the egg, but Siphos remained silent. If the 3rd Legion was truly after this, it'd be best if she didn't gossip about it until she made a decision and truly knew what she was carrying.

"Did you win me anything?"

"No! But I did manage to sell all of our goods."

"Could've doubled it." he sighed.

Siphos scoffed. "Unlike you, I have some self-discipline. By the way, how's your savings?"

Kabe's cheeks darkened. "Okoro cheated! I'll get him back tonight."

"Oh really?" she mused, a smile spreading across her face. "How are you gonna get back at him?"

"I'll think of something."

Siphos looked at him and the two began to laugh. She's missed him so much.

They walked in an easy silence for a few minutes, she could hear Kabe take in a deep breath and breathe out a sigh of contentment. Looking at him she saw just how much he longed to leave this town and travel Esmus, see the Glass Palace of Red Harbor Bay, the Reikta Mines of the mountains, cross the Frysche Expanse; but he remained in Oar's Rest for his family, and a tiny voice whispered: and for you. Her back straightened but Kabe hadn't seemed to notice, and if he did, he didn't care.

"Siphos!" An all too familiar voice cried out.

"Uta!" A big grin spread on her face at the sight of who called out. She jumped off of Bascos, Kabe holding him steady and sprinted with all her might until she fell into her father's arm, wrapping him tightly into a firm hug. He laughed and spun her around while she just breathed him in.

Setting her down, he took in the sight of her, he raised a brow and smiled so happily, "My how you've grown."

"It's only been a couple of weeks, Uta." Siphos chastised, still grinning.

"And with every week you grow more and more into a woman, more like your mother."

She looked down at the comment, feeling her cheeks warm. Looking back up, her father had his hand extended and she took it slowly.

"C'mon, let's get you cleaned up intya."

—

Their home was messy; it was covered in books, scrolls, maps, and anything a scholar ―like her father― could get their hands onto. He even owned a globe from the Ancient Aeon, 300 years before the Liberation, before the wars. It still had the old countries scribed across, Esmus, Simahlajer, Merilon, The Islands of Free Men, and Thayn. Siphos gripped the satchel tightly to her side, weary of the conversation they were about to have.

He would know what it was, he always knows. She took a deep breath, trying to find some ounce of strength.

"Uta." She mumbled out, her voice barely above a whisper, frail and cracking. He was in the kitchen busy searching for a kettle to make them tea so they could sit and talk about her journey.

"Yes? What is it?" It went silent in the kitchen, he walked out suddenly and placed his hands gently on her shoulders, his eyes concerned. "What's wrong, intya?" She smiled at the sweet nickname he called her, it meant flower, an endearment he used more than her given name.

If there was anyone she could trust it'd be him. "Let's sit Uta." she suggested. He nodded, and the two found their way to the cluttered couch. She set a stack of books on the ground near her feet while her father moved some papers to his desk and returned to sit next to her, a worrying frown forming. He reached out and took her hands gently into his own.

"While on my ride back I ran into a Frysche woman, she seemed so scared I wanted to help her, but before I could she disappeared." Siphos dug into her satchel as she spoke and carefully pulled out the beautiful green scarf. His eyes widened and he sat back as he stared at the lump of green material in his daughter's hand.

"But before she disappeared, she gave me this."

"What is it?"

With bated breath, she slowly unraveled the scarf. "It didn't seem important at first, but then I was stopped by the 3rd Legion."

"The 3rd Legion! Intya, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Uta, I promise," she smiled. "They were asking if I had seen her, apparently she stole something rather special from the King. The problem is," the scarf fell away and her father's eyes went wide as he stared at the egg, "I don't think it's val-"

"By Khiesis." He croaked out. Her attention snapped up to his face, his eyes were wide, his jaw hanging in such surprise and shock. She had never seen him like this before. His hands reached out shakily and touched the shell with a gentleness she had never seen before.

"Do you know what you're holding?" he whispered. She shook her head, unnerved by what he was about to say. Siphos had never seen him look more excited yet more fearful in this singular moment than in her entire life. Her father stumbled off the couch and haphazardly made his way towards the fireplace where on either side were bookcases stuffed with scrolls, books, and other parchments.

He dug through, pulling papers out, causing an even more disaster of their house until he froze when he found what he was looking for. She had seen the book before, she used to make him read it almost every single night when she was younger. The Draconio. The Book of the Draconaii. Siphos followed him and stood behind him as he slammed the massive black book down on his desk with a thud and began flipping through the massive book, trying to find what he was looking for. Sometimes he would go back a page before shaking his head and continuing forward.

Most of the time she loved watching her father work, but not now, not at the manner in which he was violently going through the pages, not even caring if he ripped any of them. She had never seen him this frantic.

He stood suddenly, breathless, his finger pressed on what was written at the top. "We found him."

She stared at the tattered page he had landed on and read the title, Solcarii. The Ghost Wyvern. It was a monstrous beast with white scales, massive wings, and a long barbed tail. All around his feet was fog and dark clouds of smoke. His eyes were a clouded gray, almost like he was blind. She read through the page, they were the direct descendants of Solcarii, god of dragons and Ama, the goddess of war; they were the largest species of draconaii and also the longest. She looked over the beautiful illustrations of the solcarii with their massive wingspans and gentle looks until she found what her father was pointing at; an identical image of the egg currently in her grasp was painted there on the page.

"No wonder the 3rd Legion was after her. What you have in your hands there is the last known wyvern in all of Esmus." Siphos' gaze fell to the egg and absently stroked the shell, there was life in there. Such raw, powerful strength; full of magick, full of potential, and possibly so full of rage. Her heart hammered in her chest as something overwhelming passed through her, was it fear? No, she shook her head, it was understanding. When she pressed her palm to the egg she could feel him, he was content, at peace.

"What are we going to do with it?" She looked over at her father who was still hunched over the book. He looked at her, this was for her to decide.

"It's up to you. Either destroy it or nurture it. Just know that with either path you take it will ultimately lead you back to the 3rd Legion." She felt her world grow cold, she could see herself standing alone, watching her village burn as she could do nothing to save her people, but that would be with or without the wyvern. Did she have the opportunity to save her country with this beast at her side?

She looked down at the egg again, so young and innocent of life. If she were to give it back to the King what would he use it for? War? Genocide? Destruction? She could use it for good, to save her dying home. Her mind was made, and whether or not it would lead to destruction or salvation, it would now ultimately be in her control, the destiny she would decide for herself.

"We'll keep him Uta. I will raise and take care of him, I promise."

He smiled at her with such pride and adoration, she had made the right choice, she knew that without a doubt, but seeing her father smile at her in such a way, she knew that she would be doing right by him. To see her father happy made her happy, with everything he had gone through, he deserved the world, and while she stood here, she promised herself that that is what she would do, no matter what. He grabbed her hand and placed a gentle kiss on the inside of her palm before enclosing her fingers around the egg so gently; a promise to keep it safe, to make him proud. Her father returned the book and continued with his previous task of making tea, already moving on from the wyvern egg still in her hand.

"We will have to speak to the elders about this."

She nodded but didn't respond. Her thoughts fell onto the incident she had with the captain, she thought of telling him how she fell into his mind and could feel his emotions so raw and powerfully. She watched him make tea, he was humming some random tune and after watching him for sometime in his most natural state she decided against it.

Siphos left the house through the backdoor behind her father's study and followed an overgrown stone path to where a small rundown barn sat surrounded by dogwood trees and wisteria. The barn was built of moldy wood and rusted nails. Her father had always said he'd get around to it, but she knew he never would. Stepping inside the dimly lit barn all she saw were many possible dangers and one certain outcome. Nails lay on the ground or were protruding out of a splintered wood banister, tools were scattered haphazardly on the ground and on tables. This was no place to keep an egg.

She brought the egg up to her eye. "You'll stay with me. I promise I'll keep you safe, I promise to always be here for you little one." She had made a promise that ran so deep, deeper than she knew in that moment, she knew with every word she spoke she meant them completely, entirely without hesitation.

"Intya!" Her father's voice rang out in the distance.

She placed a soft kiss on the shell before hurriedly wrapping it back in the scarf and placing it gently in the satchel.

"Coming!"

—

The village sat at picnic tables and benches, some even sitting on blankets laughing among one another around a small pit of a dying bonfire. Children chased one another, yelling out absolute gibberish and some people were still rubbing their full bellies. The sun had almost set, the sky was more black than blue now and the stars were sparkling so brightly as they woke from their slumber. The whole village was beginning to wind down, and most were beginning to tire.

Siphos stood off to the side by a gazebo where she would stand to announce the news she had collected while in Ithronel. She had changed out of her riding gear into a light blue dress with a long skirt stopping at just above her ankles, her feet bare on the ground with blades of grass poking between her toes.

She spotted Kabe sitting next to his younger sister, Esihle, who was smiling brightly and eating some berries. He caught her eye and gave an encouraging smile, she smiled back and rocked on her heels, humming an old lullaby to help calm her nerves. This had been her job for five years, but every time she stood among her village, it still made her nervous.

Everyone quieted when the elders exited the town hall and made their way down the main dirt path. Everyone stood as they passed and silently waited until they sat. Siphos watched, her hands clenched together. The elders sat at the only table in the small clearing, when the last of them sat, so finally did the village.

"Good evening. My travels to and from Ithronel faired well and with excellent weather, I thank Khiesis for my smooth trip to our port city." She bowed her head at the mention of the village's patron god as did everyone else. "There is not much new information from the capital except for two announcements that have been posted on every wall and bulletin across the city of Ithronel. The first is that the crown prince of Esmus, Prince Kalleos, has disappeared. The king will pay the handsomest of rewards to any who find the prince alive and safe of harm." Some gasped and murmured while she heard others whisper to their friends that maybe the prince had seen clarity of the king's ways and wished to escape. She glanced over to her father who was silent, he seemed pensive in thought and turned away.

Looking back up at her people she clenched her jaw. "The second is that the town Helaena, in the northernmost part of Ithronel has recently been raided and destroyed by the 3rd Legion under the direction of the Tahl due to radical threats and that they were harboring a radical known as the Agian, the Frysche conduit for the gods. Her and one other Frysche managed to escape and the Council of Five is offering a large reward for the capture of the two of them. They have also passed that anyone in possession of any relic or artifact dedicated to the Anasi, will be arrested and executed for treason."

She bowed before the elders. "That is all the information I have to pass." They nodded their heads and she stepped away. For sometime there was an uneasiness settling into the town. Oar's Rest was a village dedicated to Khiesis and Kishora, their whole way of life was towards the service of the Anasi. People looked amongst one another, unsure of what was to come for their people. However, a small band began to play a jovial tune and after a few minutes laughter began to fill the atmosphere. She found herself heading towards Kabe who was now without his sister. He grabbed her arm and pulled her slightly closer to him, his deep amber eyes sparkling.

"It is a shame about the prince. I hope he is well. As well as everything that has happened to the north, I pray the gods are watching over them." Kabe murmured. She nodded in agreement, her mind heavy with the weight of what might happen to her family. She looked back up at Kabe who planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Would you care to dance with me?" he whispered. That's when she felt the egg against her hip once more, another weight breaking her from the trance of Kabe's deep voice and soft eyes. She sighed and shook her head.

"I am exhausted. I think I'm going to head in early for the night." He nodded understandably.

"Well then, you'll owe me two dances the next time." He called after her as she turned and chased after her father. She turned to face him and gave him a cheeky grin.

"We shall see!"

She caught up to her father who was still in a pensive state. He seemed to have aged by five years suddenly and she frowned.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing for you to worry about my dear. I'm just thinking."

They entered the house and she made her way upstairs, pulling herself out of her dress and wearing nothing but a chemise, she slipped under the covers and pulled the egg close to her. The moonlight creeping through her window offered little light but it was enough for her to see the little egg. She let out a yawn and then smiled at the thought of how much sleep he must be getting daily.

"My little Sol," She whispered, "you are going to be amazing and you will finally bring hope and light to our darkening little world. You are going to change the world, you will be a god among mere mortals." She felt something warm rush through her fingers, then her arms, and then her whole body vibrated with this tickling warmth.

"Is that you?" She whispered. She smiled and brought the egg even closer to her chest, and that is how she slept every night for the weeks to come, always close to her heart, and always warm.