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Jecklon's Lake: rest for the weary
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They had flown for hours and the sun was on its way to setting. Before them, the forest of Jecklon's Lake was vastly approaching.
"Everyone, look!" Blaizen pointed. On the treeline stood a small figure with two large, scaly wings. It was Supreany! They quickly landed nearby and ran up to the young woman.
Her wings were sprawled out, her head dropped. She stood there, her arm stretched out to a tree, leaning on it as though she had no strength left within her. Dangling from her right hand was a strap of leather which bound her beloved stone.
"Supreany, Supreany, are you alright?" they all questioned as they approached her. She turned to see them and collapsed to the ground.
They all gathered around her as Orckle began to examine her. He checked her pulse and breath.
"Her pulse and breathing are back to normal." He further inspected her hands and her face. "The claws, the scales, and the tail are gone." He paused. "It would seem she is back to normal."
"Then what's wrong with her?" Blaizen asked, concerned.
"Simple. I would say the experience exhausted her. Her body went through a severe transformation. She was operating at a heightened state for a great amount of time. All we can do now is let her rest and wait till she wakes. Only then will our questions be answered."
Ean ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, this isn't a very dense forest, and the lake isn't too far away. Why don't we put her on a bird and walk them through the forest to a good campsite." They did just that, and when all was ready and they were sitting around a warm fire eating their food, they decided to discuss what had happened that day. They each disclosed how they had been captured and what they knew about Supreany's strange transformation. The girl herself was still in a comatose state. Then Cecealye took the lead.
"Apparently, Valgus made a deal with a man named Kahn that if he were able to get possession of Supreany's necklace and my ring, which bears the royal crest, and send them to him along with my head in a basket, that Valgus would be given a great sum of Ellizea's riches."
"Your father did warn you," Blaizen remarked.
"Yes, he did," she stated.
"Do you know who this Kahn is?" Ean asked.
She shook her head no. "If only there was a way I could speak with the General, perhaps he might know who this man is."
Blaizen rubbed his chin. "You know, we are heading in that direction." He paused as everyone looked over at him. "Who says we can't collect these stones and see what's going on in Ellizea at the same time?"
Ean leaned back. "What are you suggesting?"
"Well, I was thinking, we stick to the plan and head out for Chilla, then we split up into two groups. CC and two others go to meet CC's old friend, while the other two hop over into Ellizea and find out what's going on. Then, we can meet back together at a safe place somewhere well outside Ellizea's borders."
Cecealye shook her head. "Have you had your head in the ground all day? Did you forget what happened last time we split up?"
Ean placed his hand on hers to calm her. "Today, we split up in an area of great danger. This way you would never set foot in Ellizea, and your whereabouts would remain unknown. You would be far away from the danger. That's what matters."
She sighed. She didn't like it, but she was trying to be supportive and respectful of Ean's decisions. "So, how do you plan on splitting up the groups? Whoever goes into Ellizea needs to know their way around."
"I know Ellizea rather well," Orckle stated.
"I'll ..." Ean was stopped short.
"No, I'll go." Blaizen volunteered.
"Are you sure? It'll be really dangerous," Ean asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure ... Besides it was my idea."
"All right, then, it's agreed. CC, Supreany, and I will find out what we need to know about the stone in Ellizea while Blaizen and Orckle go into Ellizea."
"We should meet at Pulges Rock. We need everyone if we're to re-enter the Korik Forest and find the Daren Ruins," Orckle stated.
Ean shook his head in agreement. "All right, everyone, it's time to get some rest."
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Supreany woke early the next morning to the sunrise and the many birds of the forest in full chorus. Looking around, she noticed everyone else was still asleep and she realized that her wings were still sprawled out. She stood up, stretching and yawning deeply.
'Well, now is as good a time as any.'
With loud cracking, her wings once more shrank and her back was normal once more. She stood there rubbing her shoulders for a moment before she decided to start getting breakfast ready. Everyone began waking to the smell of the cooking food.
Cecealye rolled over. "Supreany, you're awake. How are you feeling?"
"Better ... still a little tired." She looked tired.
Silence settled over the group, each wondering who was going to ask her about the previous day's events.
"Supreany," Cecealye started. "What happened yesterday?"
"To tell you the truth, I've been wondering that all morning." She paused. "It all started when that man took my stone. From then on, everything else till this morning has been a blur."
"That stone ... Valgus wanted it; he said that sending that to Kahn was part of the deal. What is it?"
"I'd forgotten, but I remember now. A woman gave it to me along with my daggers."
"Was she your mother?"
"No, I don't remember who she was, but I know she was not my mother." She paused. "I hated her; I remember that. She dragged me into this port city; I can't remember what city it was, but she had stolen this stone from someone there. In the process, she was mortally wounded. As she was lying there bleeding to death in an alleyway, she gave me this stone, these daggers, and a bag of money."
"She told me to flee from the city, that I was not to trust anyone. When she handed me this stone, she told me to guard it with my life, for through this stone I would find my way home. Then with her last breath, she asked me to forgive her for what she had done to me. Before I could say anything she died ... After that, I ran to the docks and got on the first ship out of there. It was heading for Ellizea. I made my way to El'laissa and have lived on the streets ever since."
"What had she done to you that she had to ask for forgiveness?"
"I can't remember. But as I said, I hated her for it, whatever it was."
"That's strange."
They all ate, freshened up, and packed up their camp. In the process, they told Supreany their change in plans. Cecealye gave everyone a rundown on how to fly the condoras, and to everyone's surprise, it was not that difficult. Blaizen had the hardest time with it, for everyone else had ridden an animal before, but not him.
With that taken care of, they took flight northwest to the Chilla Ruins.