Megin of Elskin

Megin of Elskin

By Sharon Dunstan

Chapter 1… In the shadows they lurk...

“There weren't always dragons in the Valley…” I said quietly. Simultaneously allowing my mind to unlock and allow my darkest thoughts to surface, to come up for air from those secreted hiding places deep inside my head where I had stored the worst of the gut-wrenching memories of the dark and blood-stained past here on Gaia. No being could have foreseen the death, destruction and sheer devastation that befell our planet a mere 10000 moons ago.

Our ‘old-world’ was completely decimated by the apocalyptical extermination the Deyja unleashed – the 'Deyja' are a blood-thirsty race of demon-like creatures that roam the outer galaxies and interior star systems searching for any lifeforms that exist with their own orbiting firesuns and moons that support life. With the Deyja, slaughter is swift and deadly...light stolen and darkness left in its place.

I still pinch myself every moon to make sure that I am not dreaming. Being thankful is more often than not, painful. I am one of a handful of survivors from the last Deyja unleashing and yet to tell the full story, the truth, to Tyrone – my son – and heir, to be the Keeper of the Ormdraki.

This is the reason I’d bought my son to the top of the hill today.

I’m watching my boy, his eyes seeing but not really focusing, straining to see the horizon, looking to the south, the lush green forest and ever wavering weeping grasses laced with pretty lilac coloured Lilla Blooms and dotted amongst these are the sporadic clumps of the bright ochre and citrusy tones of the taller Fire-flowers swaying gently – they give off a wonderfully intense heat that their flowerheads seep once cut and placed in a bowl and can heat a room for hours. Always welcome on a chilly Moon-rise. All these elements, combined with the splashing sounds of the okeano to our east, the kolga crashing upon the rocky outcrops that line the shores, all stoking and lulling our senses simultaneously. I still feel it though. I don't sense that Tyrone does, he is not of age or had an experience to trigger this growth...yet.

...something is coming...

“Did you hear me? I said there weren't always dragons in the Valley.” I stated a little louder this time as the gusty northerly breeze buffeted at my back, forcing me to adjust myself to a more comfortable sitting position on the grassy windswept hilltop. Waiting for a response from my boy child, mind you, my child is now closer to being a relatively young man as his 200th Genesia was only a fortnight away. My eyes take in his semi-rugged appearance, his profile in the impending gloom of lightfall sees the shadowy outline of his hair standing on end like an arc of arrows pointing to the stars, and I can just make out his face growing his first hera, signs manhood was but round the corner. Still Tyrone seems mesmerised by the vista below, so I add “You are young my son, only 2500 moons have passed since your Gennisi, and you’ve much to learn still...and dare I say there are deadly forces not only outside Draccon, but here on Gaia. There are those who roam amongst us that persist in dabbling in their ancient mageia and as you grow you will learn to feel the shift in the Lightfall and Moon-rise.”

...for the blood and the feathers.…

Tyrone lowered his head slightly and nudged me gently with his elbow. His dusty blue eyes flickering up at me with such intensity and as he leans toward me, clutching at handfuls of weepy grasses, he says “Do you see and feel all the presences around us right now?” I glance away from his questioning eyes, instead focusing on the silvery pool to my left, with its overflowing ripples of shimmering Askar – Gaia’s life force, and ringed around its perimeter with the feathery seedlings we call ‘Kaida’.

I notice the Kaida round this particular pool, their growth rate has sped up significantly since the last time I came up here...just a mere 50 moons ago, obviously ripening quickly, but for what??? …my mind is trying to make the connection...I make a mental note to myself to fly to the other pools tomorrow and check on the growth of the others. Maybe I’ll get a better sense of how much time we have.

I feel another gentle nudge in the ribs, I return his intense gaze and I mean for him to hear my words this time. I splay my hands in a sweeping motion in front of me and said, “Of course I do...how could I not! I have lived for tens of thousands of moons already. You need to look around you, really see all that is here... you need to know the different Stars including all the known planets in and around the Draccon System including all the Outposts, to learn and recognise any threats. Time is shifting, you need to start gathering weapons, and your Stratia – you have to make sure that they're ready. Gaia’s defences need to be ready, particularly to the Southern Apeirons where the grain-belt meets the Great Dezert and the Westerly Basilias...for if only you could see inside my mind to understand the memories of the horrendous amount of blood spilt in such stark contrast to the glaring white of the ice..bodies...lots and lots of bodies... everywhere, frozen for an entire age. Many clans had to wait 50 or more moons for a thaw.” the raw emotion in my voice was clear… it was not my intention to scare my boy perse, but I had to make him not only see, but to understand a very real and dangerous threat to our lives was nearing, getting closer and closer. I was sensing...something.

...shadows coming... dark... soon...

I stood up and as I brushed off the feathery kaida that had attached themselves to my pant legs, I let out a little sigh and whispered “Hush now my elskanmins, there is still time to grow tomorrow, for tonight I have much to be concerned with, after all, the darkness is coming.” The whispering I hear deep inside my mind persists and grows in intensity.

...protect the feathers…

Tyrone stood and took my elbow and looking a little perturbed, said “What on Gaia are you muttering about mother?... for the way I see it is really quite simple! The equation is... to raise the Kaida’s, pair them with their Oors and defeat the...what do you keep saying...the darkness...or is it the Deyja again...?… Yep! Got it! We can do that!” And yes, there it was, I caught a glimpse of an eye-roll, it was only brief, but it was there. Argh! He could be so annoying at times! Typical progeny!

As I finished brushing myself off, I answered back, “Please Tyrone, gather some of your most trusted Stratia, maybe Malacai and Dregoth. Come by my hellar later and I’ll explain everything. We really need to get going, and I need more time to think right now, I need to visit with my Alfars, see if any felt the presence I have felt here...” my voice trailing off as my breath catches in my throat, I crane my head forward - did I see something...my eyes strain to make out any movements...maybe it was a trick of the eye...no, I can feel it. I can still see the odd Shadowlark leaping and frolicking in the weeping grasses below... no, its not them...but I know I did see movement in the darkening forest but who or rather what did I see..? My senses were heightened, almost to the point of an audible buzz. I studied Tyrone's eyes, searching for any sign that he was intercepting my thoughts. Thankfully, not yet... In those last fleeting moments, taking in our vast realm that lay below us, breath-taking in its raw beauty, the deep tinged scarlet and azure lightfall above still tinged by the slowly sinking magenta firesun, the elongating shadows making the forest of trees below seem taller and more imposing, maybe even more daunting in the growing darkness than normal...and the dozen or so fioris fluttering around in my lower belly right now seemed to be prodding that it was time to go, and thus seeming to confirm this, above us, a great gust of thunderous wind, a grumbling that reverberated right through the very ground we were standing on... the growing whoosh overhead instantly bringing us both back to reality, hunger fed impatience ...Vardagar had had enough...Lightfall and Moon-rise were upon us.

megin… the darkness... coming...blood...

No being could ever have foreseen what came next….