Ash

"We were already deep in trade with the farmers of Ardoria when we suddenly received an invitation to stay. The harvest was plentiful, and the Festival of Ashes was approaching. Moreover, the women of the villages were incredibly interested in our textiles, while the men couldn't get enough of Qahwat Al'Sahara, ha!"

Ammar, having taken a long bath and freshened up, shared his experiences from his journey to Ardoria with the trade caravan with great joy. He had been hired as a guard by a very popular trader, granting him the fortunate opportunity to visit the land of golden meadows.

Kael's father then took another sip of his own Qahwat Al'Sahara, the most popular alcoholic beverage in Zephyria by far. It was made with the finest spices from the desert, found only in hidden oases, giving the drink a sharp yet intoxicating taste. Kael himself had only been allowed to drink it once.

The pause for a drink seemed eternal to Kael, as he was completely captivated by his father's story, sitting glued to his chair. The lands of the Farani had always intrigued Kael greatly. There were even rumors of an entire underwater kingdom! As if anyone could have so much water to submerge a whole city. Moreover, Kael found that utterly impractical. You couldn't even breathe there.

Ammar put his drink down and continued: "We accepted the invitation and stayed a few days longer. We spent the mornings and afternoons trading textiles, spices, pots, everything Zephyria had to offer."

"In the afternoon? Wasn't it too hot?" Kael blurted out.

His father smiled and shook his head. "In the lands of the Farani, the eternal flame is not as fierce as it is here. They do not know the Sun God, do not worship him, so he does not bless their lands with as much warmth as ours. Nevertheless, he loves them as he loves all, and grants them his light as well."

"Whom do they worship then? Are there gods other than Atherion?" Kael asked.

His father paused to think.

"Well, that's hard to say. The Farani have all sorts of beliefs. In Ardoria, for example, the farmers believe in many different things. I must have heard of at least ten different gods during my travels. It probably stems from the fact that most of the land is made up of fields and farmlands. Everyone has their own plot, their own land, and their own faith."

Kael pondered his father's words. What was the point in believing when you could not share it with all your people. It seemed extremely odd to him. Although his faith in Atherion wasn't as strong as his mother's and sister's, the eternal flame was always here, every day, unchanged, so Atherion must exist. At least, its presence was clearly discernible.

He had not yet recognized other gods. Not here in the desert, at least.

"Anyway," Ammar continued after setting down his now empty drink, "the days went by, and then came the day of the festival. We didn't know what to expect, but we never imagined we'd see the Phoenix of Ardoria in person!"

Kael's eyes widened. "You saw the divine beast?"

His father nodded, his voice taking on an excitement usually seen in a child: "Yes, and not just its sight, but its power too. Along with the farmers, we waited outside, and then, suddenly, up high in the sky, a second flame appeared. It was closer and smaller than the eternal flame, yet for a moment, it shone as brightly as a lightning flash! And when we squinted our eyes, we recognized it."

Ammar took a breath and looked deeply into Kael's eyes.

"It was Ardoria's patron, the tamed divine beast Pyrathas, the Phoenix of Renewal! It soared through the sky, wrapped in a cloak of pure fire. And as it flew over us, it rained ash. Like a sandstorm, the ash spread everywhere. Over the trees, the houses, but most of all, over the fields. And when we looked up again, Pyrathas was already far away, delivering its ash to the next villages. When it was out of sight, a great celebration began in the village. Beer flowed, music played, and men and women danced as if they had no worries in the world."

Kael couldn't believe his ears. A rain of ash. It seemed the wonders of Zalax had no end. But then he furrowed his brow.

"It's ash? Does it burn itself?"

"Yes," his father replied, "every year after the harvest, the Phoenix sacrifices itself, letting its ash fall over the fields of Ardoria. Then it dies, only to be reborn, rising from its own ashes. That's its power, renewal and rebirth. Its ash holds so much life energy, it makes Ardoria's fields burst with golden wheat. He is the secret of the land that knows no hunger."

"So, the Farani of Ardoria use their divine beast just like we use Talak to draw water from the ground?"

Ammar nodded: "Exactly, only Pyrathas is much more than just the discovery of resources. No, he gives the land a vitality you can't imagine. That's why trade in Ardoria flourishes; every land needs food, and Ardoria is never without."

"But in doing so, the divine beast vanishes for a period of time, right? Isn't that dangerous?"

"The Flamekeepers, the ones who bond with Pyrathas, are very skilled in handling everything in its absence. Leave it to them to know how to be dangerous themselves. Ardoria hasn't suffered an attack in countless years, and it will probably keep being a peaceful land of farmers until the day I die."

The tone of his father's voice suggested he had finished his story, but Kael wanted to know so much more. Was Pyrathas really a bird of flames at all times, or just during the Ash Festival? Who were the binders of the divine beast, and what powers did they gain? What did the people there look like? Were they different?

All these questions were on the tip of Kael's tongue, but before he could voice them, his father raised a hand to halt him. Kael stopped.

Then Ammar smiled warmly and stood up. "Your mother and sister are here."

Kael was puzzled. But looking out the window, he realized the eternal flame had already dipped below the horizon, leaving only streaks of light under the orange canopy of the sky. It was already evening. By Atherion, how long had he been listening to his father's stories?

The door opened, and two women entered. Both were dressed in black Sundara, the usual attire for women from Zephyria. These, however, bore a large white circle on the chest and several more decorations and golden jewelry on the sleeves of the garment.

Only Al'Shalin were allowed to dress this way. The two women removed their headscarves, and their eyes lit up when they saw Ammar.

"Ab'an!" said one, Kael's older sister, Safiya Adar. She was very beautiful, with long brown hair ending in braided plaits and an unusually fair skin tone for a resident of Zephyria, as she was always covered outside, customary for the Al'Shalin.

Ammar opened his arms and embraced his daughter warmly. Safiya was taller than her younger brother but still much shorter than her father, so she had to reach high to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"Beloved daughter, how are you?" he said.

Safiya stepped back from the hug and looked into her father's face. "Wonderful, Ab'an. I'm almost done with my training as an Al'Shalin. Umm'an has assured me that I'll soon be able to take my final trial!"

Her voice was full of pride as she spoke about her training. Rightfully so, as only a few had the privilege of receiving training as an Al'Shalin, and even fewer made it to the final trial.

Kael's sister was a brave and strong young woman, finding her way. She was perfect to follow in their mother's footsteps. At this thought, Kael's heart ached, but he continued to smile, glad his sister was doing so well, even tough Kael could not really see the point of having priestesses for Atherion. He was already here all the time anyway.

"Oh, is that so?" said Ammar, turning his gaze to Kael's mother, "did she now?"

Lyla Adar faced her husband and smiled gently. Then, she looked at her daughter and her sweet gaze sharpened slightly. "Yes, she did, as long as our beloved daughter doesn't become too overconfident. The other students are already jealous of her skills."

"Yes, Umm'an, I'll be careful," said Safiya with a neutral voice, though Kael saw his sister secretly roll her eyes.

Her mother seemed not to notice, or at least, didn't show it, as she took a few steps forward until she stood before Ammar. She placed her gentle hand on his cheek.

"Welcome home, beloved."

Ammar placed his own hand over his wife's and pressed it affectionately. Then, he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

"You are as beautiful as ever, my desert rose."

Lyla chuckled at his remark and raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a particular reason for such flattery?"

Ammar laughed and shook his head. "Of course not! Your son has already said I'm not at all on your level. I wouldn't want to spoil that."

The family laughed, and Kael's heart warmed. He had missed this sight dearly. It was a pity he saw it so rarely.

"Well then," Ammar suddenly announced, "I've brought a wonderful gift for you all. Kael, bring me the leather sack from this afternoon."

Kael immediately sprang up, ignoring his mother's admonition not to run inside the house. He retrieved the sack and handed it to his father. Barely having it in his hands, Kael was already on his tiptoes, eager to be the first to see inside.

Ammar opened the sack and took out a simple glass. It was as big as his head, but otherwise unremarkable. Inside the glass, however, was something black and powdery, about the size of Ammar's fist.

Lyla widened her eyes slightly and looked at her husband in surprise, "Is that-"

"Ash?" Kael interrupted.

Ammar nodded and puffed out his chest. Then he looked into Kael's eyes.

"And not just any ash."

He held the glass up high so everybody could see it clearly. While the ash itself did not seem any different than other, Kael knew this was something truly special.

"I present to you, the Ash of life, the gift of Pyrathas!"