Sentari: ICE (5 page)

Te’oma sat down next to Xerxes. The sun setting in the distance flickered light across the glacier. “I can’t recall the last time I saw something that beautiful and wasn’t terrified at the same time,” he said. There was something about the place that brought him peace.

“Come now, young man. What brings you all the way up here?” said Xerxes.

“My father, actually,” said Te’oma.

“Really?” replied Xerxes.

“He told me that I needed to find the mountain without cloud. He said there I would find help.”

“And what help would that be?” said Xerxes.

“I’m not really sure. That was the last thing he said to me before he died,” explained Te’oma, with sadness in his eyes.

“He sounded like a very wise man, your father. But I’m afraid this is not the mountain you seek. That mountain is a long way from here, far to the east,” said Xerxes.

“But my father was heading north, where it is still warm,” replied Te’oma.

“Your father misunderstood. If the help you are searching for is what I think it is, then it is far to the north. The warmest place left in this world is the Yen-Gyle jungle, although I’d hardly call it warm. But it’s certainly not as cold as it is here,” said Xerxes.

Ariana burst out from behind the tree; clearly she had been listening to everything they had been saying. She rushed over to Te’oma and started screaming at him. “We came up here for nothing, nothing!”

Te’oma stood up and tried to calm her. “It’s not my fault. I was told to come here,” he pleaded. He reached out to hold her hand.

“Don’t you touch me! Julius is in there, hurt, and we’re stuck on top of this mountain in the middle of nowhere because your daddy told you to come here?” snapped Ariana.

“Please, I didn’t mean for this to happen,” said Te’oma.

Ariana looked back at Te’oma with disgust. “When he wakes up we’re leaving, alone!”

Ariana turned her back on Te’oma and walked back to the cave. Xerxes got to his feet and bellowed, “Stop!” Ariana stopped in her tracks in disbelief and turned around. “You must sit down. These squabbles will get you nowhere,” said Xerxes. Ariana stood her ground. “If you sit down, maybe I can help shed some light on things,” Xerxes offered. Ariana plonked down and crossed her arms. Xerxes took a large sip from his cup. “My father would tell me a story that was passed down through the generations from a time when the world was not a cold as it is today. We would sit down most nights and he would tell me this story so that one day I could pass it onto my son.”

“What story?” snapped Ariana, as the crashing sound of thunder echoed in the clouds above. Light rain started falling down on them.

“This looks like one mighty storm. Come inside and I’ll tell you there,” said Xerxes.

Xerxes was very good at making a searing hot cup of tea and the three of them sat around the room, focused fully on Xerxes, who was sitting in the corner chair with Alto on his lap. Xerxes gently sipped his cup of tea.

“Now, the world wasn’t always as you see it. There was a time long ago that was very different. Our world, Sentari, is made up of three great lands. To the south, the rolling hills and endless plains dominate, separated by a huge ocean. The south suffers little trouble from men these days. The east is where we live. It’s the largest of all the land masses, its landscape dominated by the mountains you see all around you. To the west is a small, but not so insignificant land mass. It is small by comparison to the east, but large enough to house some of the greatest wonders of Sentari. In these lands, there used to be creatures of all kinds. Some you know today – dragons, tigers, death hounds, humans, but there were many more. Some were so mighty that they could challenge the dragons’ supremacy. The first was a vicious creature called the Kentaru. The other, believe it or not, was a race of humans known as the Intari,” said Xerxes.

The three looked on at Xerxes, captivated by his story.

“The Intari were the most amazing people that ever graced these lands. Their civilization stretched to all corners of the globe. Some say their capital still lies hidden, waiting to be found, but even they couldn’t stop the tide. Eventually, they just disappeared, never to be seen again.” Xerxes took another sip from his tea. “Of course, this left the Kentaru and the dragons to fight it out for dominance, and fight it out they did. For decades the war raged. Some men sided with the dragons. Others with the Kentaru, but almost all of them suffered the same fate. Eventually the dragons won out. The Kentaru were defeated and the world you see today was born.”

The thunder and lightning outside grew stronger and louder. For three days it rained and snowed; the winds whipped across the mountain so fiercely that the walls in the cave would shake.

The only thing colder than the world outside was Ariana inside. Te’oma did his best to win her over, but his efforts seemed in vain.

Very little was said as the days rolled by. Xerxes watched the three and how they interacted, intently.

As Julius slowly but surely regained his strength, the time for them to leave was fast approaching. When the clouds did finally clear, it was Alto as usual who wanted to take the first steps outside the cave. The snow had gathered quite deeply around the entrance, but it didn’t take him long to dig through. Xerxes wasn’t be far behind him, ever the protective master.

Ariana burst out of the cave’s entrance. She stretched her arms out with joy. “Freedom!” she said. Julius and Te’oma walked out of the cave and squinted as the sunlight burst into their eyes. Since Julius had started to feel better, the two had discovered that they had a bit in common.

Xerxes picked up a sack he’d left by the cave entrance and dropped it in front of the three. “It’s time to leave,” he said abruptly.

“Were sorry if we have lingered too long,” said Julius. Xerxes did not reply. He merely looked at Ariana and Te’oma, waiting for a comment from them but it did not come.

Xerxes sat down on the small wooden log. Alto ran to his side. Julius slowly picked up his sack and looked at Xerxes curiously.

“I’m sorry,” blurted out Ariana. A completely strange thing for her to say. She looked directly at Te’oma. “I’m sorry for blaming you.” continued Ariana.

Xerxes smiled to himself. Te’oma was visibly relieved. “Thank you,” he said.

“Well, goodbye, I guess,” said Te’oma. The three began to walk away from the cave, unsure of where their path was going to lead them.

“I never did finish that story,” said Xerxes. The three turned around with smiles on their faces.

“Please sit,” said Xerxes.

The three of them sat together at Xerxes’ feet like school kids in front of a teacher. “The dragons did win the war with the Kentaru, and for a while they were good to the Sentari, but over the long years their hearts became corrupted. Their souls grew as cold as the ice that surrounded them.”

“Great story. They’re all evil now. How does this help us?” said Ariana.

“Patience, young lady. You must learn patience,” continued Xerxes. “Your father was right, Te’oma, your only hope lies at the top of that mountain. There you will find the last free dragon, a dragon so mighty that its heart cannot be corrupted, not even by Antastus, king of the dragons.” said Xerxes.

“So how do we get there?” asked Ariana.

Xerxes looked at Ariana with a smile. “Well, young lady, seems you’re in luck. I used to know the way to Yen-Gyle,”

“Yen-Gyle,” said Ariana.

“Yes, and I’m sure I can draw you a map. But I can’t draw quite as fast as I used to, so I’m afraid I must insist you stay another night,” he said, much to the relief of everyone else.

“Happiness comes from caring for others more than yourself.”

Why Me?

Water dripped down from the top of the mighty rainforest. The clouds above cleared from yet another thunderstorm. The sun peeked its way through, bringing the forest to life. The leaves sparkled in the light, and the small rabbits that still hopped through the ancient forest stood on their hind legs and soaked up the warm rays.

A small creek wound its way between the tall trees. A lone deer hunched over at the edge of the creek, drinking water, an ear upright, alert for danger. The deer heard a stick breaking. It lifted its head from the water, then bounded off down the edge of the creek at breakneck speed.

Jumping out of the bushes were a young girl and boy, twins, not more than six years old. The boy had a bow and arrow over his shoulder and the girl had a slingshot. They ran after the deer as fast as they could.

They splashed their way down the creek, gliding across the rocks at an incredible pace. They had done this before, yet as fast as they went, the deer went quicker. Farther and farther they ran down the creek, the deer eluding them. The deer suddenly stopped. The creek had wound its way to the top of a huge waterfall at the very edge of the forest. The waterfall was hundreds of metres high. It was so far down that the water could not be heard splashing into the rocks below. At the base of the cliff lay miles and miles of snow-covered plains. In the distance, the mountains could be seen intertwined with the clouds. The deer was trapped.

“Nice work,” a voice said from the trees. It was Mastus, a tall man, tanned and strong, with long, flowing blond hair and a slightly leathery face. He stepped out of the forest holding a large spear in his hand. From the other side of the creek stepped Kari, a short but very powerful lady with brown hair and pale white skin, who was carrying another spear. “Jaden,” said Mastus, “you come around this side with your bow and arrow and try to wound the creature.” Jaden did as his father instructed and slowly walked around the creek. The deer looked on anxiously. “Ariana, I need you to be a very brave girl and walk directly at the creature,” said Mastus.

Ariana looked at her mother. Kari looked back at her, with an encouraging smile. Ariana stepped tentatively forward. The deer stepped backwards, right onto the edge of the waterfall. She took another step forward, when suddenly the deer made a run for it and charged directly at Ariana.

Jaden shot his arrow at the deer, but it just bounced off the skin. Ariana reeled back in fear. She fell over into the water and looked up at the deer as it was about to trample her. The deer jumped high into the air, bounding straight over the top of Ariana. Out of nowhere, Mastus’s spear slammed into the neck of the deer, knocking it down and killing it instantly.

Mastus and Jaden ran over to the deer. Kari walked over and helped Ariana to her feet. This was how it had always been. Her father only ever showed interest in Jaden, and it was up to Kari to take care of Ariana. Ariana hated this. She loved to do what the boys did and was always treated differently, just because she was a girl.

“Come on, Jaden,” said Mastus. “Give me a hand carrying this beast home. Tonight we’re going to eat like kings!”

Jaden and Mastus disappeared into the trees carrying the deer. Kari put her arm around Ariana and pulled her close. Ariana loved her mother with all of her heart, but she longed for the approval of her father.

The family lived in a beautiful house, very warm and inviting for times like those. A large fireplace sat in the corner of the delightful little cabin. The walls were wooden logs of a dark, warm colour. Large animal-skin rugs lay across the floor, trapping in the heat. A gorgeous, oak table took pride of place in the middle of the cabin.

From out of the small cabin windows, large, deep green leaves hung down from the branches of the rainforest trees. Small drops of rain fell from far above the forest floor.

A jubilant Mastus and Jaden shattered the silence as they burst into the cabin, singing songs. Mastus slammed the deer down on the table.

Ariana and Kari walked in behind them, smiling at the prospect of full bellies.

This was a happy time for their family. It had been a long time since they had eaten this well. For many years now, the animals had been slowly disappearing as the cold crept its way up to the Yen-Gyle jungle.

The night rolled on. With their stomachs full and their hearts content, the family drifted off to sleep in front of a roaring fire. Ariana knew there would be harder times ahead, but for tonight they were together and happy.

The following morning was exceptionally warm. The sunlight lit up the room like it hadn’t done for an age. The fireplace crackled with the remaining sparks of a dying fire.

The sunlight caught Ariana’s eye as she slowly woke up. Mastus and Jaden were already up and fully dressed standing at the door.

“Where are you going?” enquired Ariana, half asleep.

“I’m taking my boy fishing. After the luck we had yesterday we shall keep striking while the iron is hot!” replied Mastus.

Ariana leaped to her feet with the energy only a child can muster in the morning. “Wait for me!” she said, falling all over the room, trying to get her clothes on in a hurry.

“Don’t be silly, girl. You’re needed here. To get all the meat off that deer. We cannot afford to waste any of it,” said Mastus. As soon as he finished the sentence, he closed the door and disappeared into the forest. Ariana’s heart sank.

Kari, still lying in front of the fireplace, looked across at her disenchanted daughter. “Don’t worry, dear. Our place is here. In time you will understand that. Besides, it’s much nicer inside,” said Kari with a yawn.

“But I want to go fishing. Father never takes me anywhere,” replied Ariana.

“Of course. Jaden is his son. He must pass on the traditions of our people,” said Kari.

“But I can do anything he can. I like fishing. At least, I think I do,” replied Ariana.

Kari started to dress herself in front of what was left of the fire. “Of course you can do what the boys can, but I need you here, where a girl belongs” she said. Ariana crossed her arms and stomped her feet on the ground. Even at a young age, Ariana had one hell of a temper.

Ariana’s days were long and arduous. Her mother would work them to the bone to get everything done. Kari worshipped the ground that Mastus and Jaden walked on, so it was Ariana’s job to make sure that everything was in pristine condition when they arrived home each day.

The only spare time that Ariana had was the hour after Mastus and Jaden arrived home. So besotted with Mastus and her perfect son was Kari that she never noticed when Ariana went missing.

Ariana would take a long walk through the ancient rainforest to a secluded rock pool at the edge of the rainforest. The pool sat right on the edge of a cliff that separated Yen-Gyle from the rest of the lands. Ariana could swim to the edge of the pool and look down the thousand-metre drop to the icy fields below.

The pool was only shallow and the water came from a natural hot spring, so it was the perfect place for Ariana to teach herself to swim and not freeze to death at the same time. Every day she would go there and stare out at the world below, wondering to herself what it was like, convinced there was a better life waiting at her feet.

The pool wasn’t just a place for Ariana to swim. Animals of all kinds would enjoy its natural warmth. One time Ariana had the great honour of sharing the pool with a gorgeous baby unicorn. Truly the rarest of sights, it’s said that a unicorn will only reveal itself to the pure of heart, so while her family may not have appreciated her, deep down she knew that she was special.

Ariana’s other great passion in life was to sing. She would drive her family insane with her constant lullabies. Every opportunity she had she would sing – cooking, cleaning, even sometimes in her sleep.

One cool evening, Jaden got especially angry at Ariana’s singing. “Stop that!” he screamed at her, but Ariana would never listen. So off she went, sneaking out the door to go swimming, assuming that, as usual, no one was paying attention. Only this time, Jaden was. In fact, he had been watching her go off each night for quite a while, and that night he decided to follow her, a task made very easy because of Ariana’s constant singing.

Jaden followed Ariana all the way to the pool, ducking and weaving behind trees so that Ariana would not notice him. Jaden watched as Ariana swam in the beautiful water.

Jaden was always the jealous type. Anything that Ariana had, he wanted to take from her. He jumped out from behind the trees. “I’m telling Father what you’re doing,” he said.

“What are you doing here?” replied Ariana, startled.

“You think I didn’t notice you sneaking off every night? You just wait until Mother and Father hear about where you go!” said Jaden.

“No, you can’t,” replied Ariana. “Please don’t tell them. Hop in the water. It can be our secret,” said Ariana.

Jaden considered this for a moment, then took his shoes off and dipped his feet in the water. He was visibly surprised by its warmth. It brought a smile to his face, which was a welcome change for Ariana. Jaden dove head first into the pool and splashed the water with joy. “This place is amazing,” he said. Ariana could never understand what was so special about this water, but it seemed to have the same relaxing effect on Jaden.

Over the next few months, Jaden and Ariana would sneak out each evening and swim in their pool. For the first time in their lives, they began to enjoy each other’s company. It was fast becoming their favourite time of day.

Unfortunately, good things cannot last forever. Ariana going missing each night never bothered him, but Mastus had started to notice Jaden’s absence. He quizzed Kari about it, but she just assumed the kids were playing outside. She was never a very attentive mother.

Now it was Mastus and Kari’s turn to follow the children. They followed them all the way out to the old pool and watched them from behind the trees. Rather than being angry, Kari was so proud of his children. “Finally,” she said with a grin on her face, as she emerged from the trees. “Finally, you two are starting to work together.” Jaden and Ariana climbed out of the pool, frightened.

“It’s alright. We’re not angry,” said Kari.

“You’re not?” enquired a confused Ariana.

“Of course not, but you should have trusted us. You should have told us about this place sooner. Wandering off by yourselves is not safe,” said Mastus.

Ariana was shocked. This was the first time she had seen her father this way. He was genuinely pleased with them, and this made Ariana very happy.

So the pool that started out as Ariana’s secret little hideout became the whole family’s bath. They thought they had found the greatest place in Sentari. Each night they could lay their troubles to rest and just relax in the warm waters.

But they were not the only ones who frequented that pool. Ariana and Jaden had been lucky that they went there at dusk each day, but now that the family all knew about the pool, it was theirs to use all day long and soon dawn became their favourite time to visit. Dawn was also the time that another creature relaxed its weary bones after a night of hunting.

This creature was the one creature in the Yen-Gyle forest that everyone knew about but rarely ever saw. If they ever did cross paths with it, they would be dead before they could tell anyone about it. It was the Yen-Gyle tiger.

The Yen-Gyle tiger was not like any other tiger. Hunched over, the tiger was just over six feet tall. Fully stretched, it could reach heights of over nine feet, but it wasn’t clumsy; it was fast and nimble. With thin legs and arms, it glided around on all fours for quick movement, but when threatened, it would stand on its back legs to intimidate its opponent.

The tiger’s skin was covered in coarse, dirty hair. Its head was horse-like, only smaller. Its mouth was filled with hundreds of razor-sharp teeth. Its hair was so thick that only its dark, red eyes were visible, except for when it opened its mouth and all its deadly teeth came into view.

The family’s path to the pool would always lead them through a large clearing in the forest. The clearing made Mastus very nervous and they would generally skirt around it.

One day Mastus let his guard down. For some reason he was not paying attention to his surrounds and the family walked straight out into the middle of the clearing. The fog from the morning cold still hung over the ground, obscuring the grass.

Mastus stopped the family in the middle of the clearing. “Something’s wrong,” he said nervously. “Stay close and be quiet.” Jaden walked next to his father, trying to be brave. Kari held Ariana close as they walked only inches behind Mastus.

The trees surrounding the clearing began to rustle. Then, out of the trees stepped not one, but four tigers. Mastus quickly pulled Jaden close. Kari winced in fear as the tigers approached them from all angles.

Mastus took a deep breath. He had seen the tiger in action before. He was lucky to escape it, but that time there was only one.

One of the tigers charged at the family, knocking Jaden to the ground. Jaden disappeared into the dense, lowlying fog. Ariana quickly ducked down to see if she could find him. She searched around but could find nothing. Suddenly she heard roar. The tigers were attacking her parents.

Ariana stood up out of the fog. The tigers were hacking and slashing at Mastus. Kari cowered behind him.