As she closed her eyes, and sat for a while, the roar became a monotonous backdrop, and soon she felt herself drifting in a haze of whiteness.
Jing was confused as she felt different, but didn’t move and continued to sit in silence.
“If you could have anything at all, if you could DO anything at all… what would you want?” Came a voice.
Jing twitched confused as she heard the voice “Who’s there? Who are you?”
“That doesn’t matter.” Came the voice, “Just answer.”
“I…I don’t really know…” Jing answered finally.
“What pushes you to wake up in the morning, and strive to move forward?”
Jing was silent for a minute, trying to think of answer to the question. “My friends.” She finally answered.
She could feel the voice nod. “What if those friends were in danger?”
“I would do everything within my power to protect them!” Jing answered, no hesitation in her voice.
“Then why do you hesitate when given the chance to be more powerful?”
“Because… I don’t think I can be strong…” Jing answered, voice going quiet.
“The only thing that keeps you from becoming stronger is your own doubt.”
“But I don’t understand… How can someone like me be strong…?” Jing asked confused.
“Not many are born strong. Only through perseverance and training, and determination… may strength become theirs.”
Jing was silent again, seeming quite unsure about this. “I…I still don’t see how I can be strong…”
“Only by truly wanting it and overcoming your own doubts may you become strong.”
“I want to be stronger… to protect my friends. But at the same time… I don’t know how I can be stronger.” Jing explained.
“You need to be willing to learn, to be able to find the way. You have someone willing to teach you, so why not let him?”
“I don’t know… He seems like an amazing fighter to me but I just… I feel so nervous asking for help. I don’t know why Leria even suggested it. Who are you anyways…?”
“Why decline the help that is freely given?”
“I…I don’t know.” Jing admitted, noticing that who ever this voice was… it refused to say who it was.
“Give the Jerboa a chance then, what have you to lose?”
Jing sighed quietly “I guess that’s true… I have nothing to lose. Now… Who exactly is this?!”
The voice chuckled, “I’m surprised you don’t already know.”
“What are you talking about?! Who are you? I don’t understand!” Jing argued, a little frustrated now.
“We spoke once before… and I gave you a gift.”
Jing was silent for a minute, trying to think. Spoke to once before… and a gift…. “Your that dragon god?!” She asked in shock.
The voice chuckled again. “Palari.” He said, “Palari is my name.”
“Palari… I don’t get it though… How am I talking to you?” Jing asked confused.
“I can talk to you whenever you wish to listen.”
“Seriously? But I don’t understand… Why me?” Jing asked, confused again.
“Why not?”
“Well… There are probably others out there much better… Like Leria…”
“Leria is already working for the cause, but she cannot do this alone. Neither can you. It is only through your combined efforts that things may be kept in balance.”
“Combined efforts… Do you really think… We can stop them from taking over…?”
“I have a lot of faith in you and your friends, Jing.” He replied, “You should give yourself and your friends some faith as well.”
Jing nodded slowly “I do have faith in my friends!” She insisted before sighing. “I’m just scared… I don’t want to see them hurt… And Kinu already died once… there was nothing I could do to help her. I’m scared I might lose someone else!!!”
“Have you truly lost anyone though?”
“No… As long as Iris gets better… But… I’m scared I might lose someone permanently. Having them all as my important friends… they all… They gave me a purpose in my life. I don’t want to lose any of them.”
“Then be sure to put all your strength and will into your training, so that you may protect them better.”
Jing nodded slowly “Do you really think… I can protect them?”
“If you grow more confident of yourself, yes, you can.
Jing was silent for a minute before nodding “I’ll try my hardest… I want to be able to protect my friends!”
“Good, that is all I ask of you…” His voice began to fade away.
Jing was silent as the voice faded away. It felt weird to talk to someone like this…
She was once more on her own, the sound of the falls thundering behind her all she could hear.
Jing twitched as she heard the falls again, opening her eyes and looking around a little.
She was alone on the slab of rock, her guide was gone from beside her.
Jing blinked in shock as she saw Silvertongue gone, moving to stand quickly and get away from the waterfall. Where had he gone?!
He was nowhere in sight, the falls thundering behind her and she was again aware of the water drenching her clothes through.
Jing moved farther from the falls, soaking wet by now and hating it greatly. As she got farther from the falls she looked around confused “Hello?”
She still saw no sign of the small jerboa, or anyone else near the falls.
Jing shook her head a little, heading back the way she had been brought before, searching for signs of anyone else while at the same time wringing some of the water out of her hair and tail.
It was almost to Silver’s house before she spotted the jerboa, chatting with a few others of the town.
Jing sighed a little as she walked towards the jerboa, obviously not very happy. “I hate the water…” She muttered under her breath.
Silver saw her and smiled widely, waving his hand. “How’d it go?” He asked cheerily.
Jing glared at him a little “I’m soaking wet. Do you not realize how long it takes for my fur to dry?” She asked curiously.
He blinked, “Uh… no, not really?” He said.
Jing sighed quietly. “Well it takes ages… How long was I there anyways?”
“Oh maybe an hour.” He said, “I got bored so I came back.”
Jing sighed again and shook her head. “Is Leria and Bast back yet?”
“Nope! I was just talking to some friends, gotta leave things in some kind of order before I leave, seeing as I’m in charge here.”
Jing nodded, looking around a little. “You… Really haven’t left this place… Ever?”
He shook his head, “Nope! Oh, I’ve explored the valley all over, but… we’ve not been able to leave it.”
Jing looked back at Silver, smiling. “So… Your excited about leaving home?”
He nodded eagerly, “Of course! And I think some others will want to leave once Teriana has cleared the pass too.” He added.
Jing chuckled lightly as she heard that “I hope those two are back soon then…”
The jerboa agreed heartily, then excused himself, going off to finish preparing himself to leave.
Jing sighed quietly, deciding to let Silver finish getting ready and she turned, heading back to the ship to check on Kinu and Rena.
She found the two girls playing on the deck, and Rena looked up as Jing appeared. “What’s going on?” She asked curiously.
Jing grinned as she saw the two, walking over. “Leria and Bast left to go do something. They will be back soon. And we will be having someone else joining us on our journey.”
Kinu perked, ‘Who?’ She asked curiously.
“One of the Jerboa who lives here. His name is Silvertongue.” Jing explained, going over to Kinu to hug her. “You should have seen it! Leria suggested him and Bast having a little sword duel. And a second after the duel started he had taken Bast to the ground!”
Both children looked at her in amazement. “Woah… but… they’re all so small!” Rena said.
Jing grinned and nodded. “I know! But then Bast got up and they started again. But after a while Bast was floored again! It was so funny!”
Kinu giggled, “Really? I bet Bast felt really embarrassed.” Rena said, imagining the big kankiru defeated by such a small opponent.
Jing nodded and laughed. “I think he was! Hopefully soon you will be able to meet him too.”
The two nodded in excitement, then they heard the beating of large wings in the sky and the cheering of the jerboa at Leria’s approach.
Jing’s ears twitched at the noise and went over to the side of the ship, grinning happily. “Sounds like they are back!”
The two kids sprang to their feet, Kinu flying to the edge of the ship to watch Leria land in the middle of town, surrounded by jumping rodents. She had to be very careful not to squish them but they seemed to expertly move away from her giant clawed limbs. Bast swung from her back, and began helping a wizened old figure down to the ground.
Jing blinked confused as she watched. “Who is that with Bast…?” She muttered quietly.
Kinu shrugged, and Rena watched curiously. “Where did they go to?” Asked Rena.
“A path in the mountains. Quite a few years ago an earthquake sealed the path and kept everyone stuck in the valley. Leria said she would go and clear the path so everyone could use it again.” Jing explained.
“You think she found that guy there?” Rena asked, watching as the figure, sporting a large felt mage hat and dressed in mouse gray robes was surrounded by the jerboa, as Leria changed back into a more proper size.
“Maybe… I don’t recognize him at all though.” Jing answered, sighing a little. “Oh well, they will come here soon enough anyways right?”
‘I guess.’ Kinu was watching with amusement as the wizard flailed, trying to keep his things out of the jerboa’s grasp.
Jing watched as well, giggling happily. “Those Jerboa have very fast hands.”
Rena nodded, “Looks like it!” She giggled too as finally Bast and Leria shooed away the jerboa and headed to the ship with the older man, now walking with them, leaning on a long staff.
Jing watched curiously, looking at the new addition and wondering who he was.
Finally the trio clambered aboard, and the bearded ixi smiled at the three children. “Why hello there.” He said with a wave. Kinu blinked, and Rena smiled, “Hi! Who’re you?” She asked.
Jing looked over, blinking in surprise as she saw the ixi and walked over to him slowly. “G…Grisfam…?” She asked in disbelief..
The old ixi chuckled as he looked to her. “Why yes, I do believe that’s my name.” He said in his cracked old voice. Leria smiled, “So you DO know him!” She laughed.
Jing was in shock as she saw him. “H…How?! How are you… I thought that….”
He watched her with a small smile. “Hmm?”
Jing bit her lip a little, head lowering and ears pinning back on her head as she remembered what had happened. She thought he died… like Iris had when she tried to use the ring to teleport all three of them. “I…I’m so…so sorry….”
The old mage walked forward, and patted her on the shoulder. “There, there, nothing bad has happened, yes? I am fine, and so are you.”
Jing blinked in surprise, looking up at the ixi. “You… Arn’t mad…?”
He looked surprised as well. “Mad?” He asked, “Why would I be mad?”
“Because of what happened… You… Were you hurt when I tried… to get the three of us out…?” Jing asked nervously.
He chuckled faintly, “No, I was not hurt at all.” He said reassuringly. “In fact, it helped me remember myself, and broke the spell upon me.”
Jing blinked confused, looking up at him. “I don’t understand… What spell? How can you not remember yourself?”
He chuckled, “That’s a rather long story, and I am quite tired… Leria promised me some tea and rest.” Leria nodded, “Come on down into the hold, Grisfam.” She invited him, helping him walk down. Bast watched the two, then looked to Jing. “So’s ye know em?” He asked, “Who da hell is he anyway?”
Jing nodded a little “The same place where I met Iris… He was down in the dungeons… a slave that the owner thought was too old to be useful. When I was locked down there, that’s when I met him.” She explained, sighing quietly. “When I tried using the teleport ring to take the three of us out of there… it backfired. I hadn’t seen him since.”
Bast nodded. “We found him blundering about after Leria blew open the pass. She said he seemed familiar, as if she’d seen him before.”
Jing blinked confused as she heard that. “Really…?”
He nodded, looking puzzled. “But how is that possible?”
Jing shook her head slowly “I really don’t know.”
Bast sighed, “Seems we’re really deep in things we know nothing of.” He said, walking down into the hold as well.
Jing nodded slowly, “Been like that since I first met Leria…” She muttered quietly before sitting on the edge of the ship.
Kinu walked over to her along the railing. ‘You aren’t going down to listen to his story?’ She asked.
Jing fidgeted a little, seeming unsure. “I don’t know… If you want to you can Kinu.” She said, looking at her with a small smile.
“But… you asked him!” Rena chipped in, “Why aren’t you interested now?”
Jing looked over at Rena, chuckling a little. “Ya… I guess that’s true.” She said before standing again. Want to come down too…?”
Rena nodded, eager to hear the old ixi’s tale. Kinu hopped off the railing, and glided to the hold door, landing on the edge of the stairs.
Jing smiled, letting the two kids go down the stairs first before she followed.
They found Leria serving hot tea for the old mage, and Bast sitting leaning back in a corner. Grisfam looked up at the three, and smiled. “Well then, what are your names?” He asked.
Jing moved to sit down, looking at Grisfam before Kinu and Rena, deciding to keep quiet.
“My name is Rena!” The young slave girl said proudly, sitting at the table. ‘I’m Kinu.’ Added the silver dragon.
Jing looked over at Kinu, smiling a little and still keeping quiet.
“And you my dear?” He asked, glancing at Jing curiously.
Jing blinked a couple times, looking at Grisfam for a second, she had thought she told him her name… guess not. “It’s Jing.”
“Nice to meet you Jing.” He smiled, “My name is…” He trailed off, an absent expression on his face. “Is…” “Grisfam.” Supplied Leria with a chuckle. The old ixi’s face lit up, “Yes! That’s it, my name is Grisfam!”
Jing watched him confused for a minute before nodding, she already knew that but oh well. “So… How did you end up where Leria and Bast found you?” She asked curiously.
“Well now, there’s an interesting story!” He said with satisfaction, nodding as he took a sip of his tea.
Jing waited for a minute, tail twitching slightly, reminding her that her fur was still wet. “Well…?” She finally said.
“Well indeed.” He said, smiling as he watched the three waiting kids. “I woke up after being taken from that dark cell to find myself somewhere in the mountains.” He said, “No longer in slaves garb but these fine robes and interesting pouches!” He looked at his scraggly robes, old, worn and torn in some places along the dirty hems, patches sewn into larger holes on his cloak.
Jing blinked, very confused at that. “How…? You mentioned up on deck… remembering yourself and a broken spell. What did all that mean?”
He nodded, “I did remember myself, I was not truly myself back in that cell, I had forgotten who I was, a great magician!” He moved a hand in a flair to accentuate his words. “Only someone… can’t really remember who or why, put a spell upon me, making me a slave to be sold in the market.”
Jing listened to him surprised. “A magician…?”
He nodded, “Yes indeed!” He moved his hands to his pocket, taking out a pinch of dust, and throwing it up into the air, made them suddenly spark and ignite like tiny firecrackers, to the delight of Kinu and Rena, and the amusement of the two adults.
Jing grinned as she saw it. “Wow… That’s pretty cool!” She said with a small nod. “So… What are you going to do? I mean… since you know who you are now?”
“Well, I guess I’ll tag along with you young ones.” He said, with a nod. Leria laughed, “Well, if you want to… it’ll be dangerous though!” She warned the old ixi. He hum-hummed, “I can take care of myself.” He said slightly indignantly.
Jing nodded again, looking at Leria. “When are we heading out?”
Leria hesitated, looking to Bast. “Well… that depends on you, Bast.” She said quietly. “I cannot let you come with us as it is, you’re a danger to us.” He frowned grimly. “I… know…” He muttered, looking away.
Jing winced as she heard that, looking at Bast in silence. She really didn’t want him to leave…
He sighed, shaking his head. “I’mma git off tha ship… fer a while.” He said, looking back at them, “Need ta straig’n up me thoughts.” He said finally. Leria nodded silently, and with a curt nod to Jing, he walked out of the kitchen area and they heard his footsteps up the stairs and across the deck.
Jing bit her lip as she listened to him leave, looking down at the ground. “I…I don’t want him to go Leria…” She said quietly.
Leria sighed, “I know, Jing… but he cannot come if he leads the Evil Dragons towards us.” She said sadly. “He either accepts being my Dragon Lord, or stays here.”
Jing nodded slowly, remaining quiet for a minute before blinking a couple times. “Wait… does it have to be a dragon lord Leria? I…I remember not long after we met… You mentioned dragon lords… but also something else not as strong! C…Could that work? I…I can’t remember what its called but its still a link!”
“Vassals?” Leria sighed, shaking her head. “No, that won’t be strong enough. The only way I can cut off Bast’s connection to that Green Dragon is if he becomes a Dragon Lord.” She explained.
Jing grew silent as she heard that, ears pinning back on her head and eyes down at the ground. She had really hoped that would work…
Leria smiled faintly, “I know it’s a hard decision, but he makes it seem as if it’d be a terrible thing to be united to me.” She sighed, shaking her head and rubbing her forehead.
“Maybe he sees… Its such a huge decision… and since originally mentioning it… you’ve seemed unsure yourself? Or realizes the risk that if he dies… again… it would do the same to you? And you… like Kinu… can’t come back?” Jing said quietly, looking back up at Leria. “Or something else more personal to him…?”
Leria smiled at Jing, “Yes, I guess that’s true.” She said, shaking her head, “It is a rather tough decision to make… specially for you two who have died so many times.” Kinu and Rena were silent, looking at them sadly, slightly frightened.
Jing nodded slowly. “Its harder for him… he has spent… 60 years cursed. After just… six for me it was hard when I had a reason to suddenly fear death again. I can’t imagine what he is feeling after so much more…”
“What’s all this talk of death?” Asked Grisfam suddenly, looking up at Jing.
Jing bit her lip a little, looking at Grisfam. “Bast and I… are both cursed. For us… Death isn’t permanent. After being killed we will wake up the next sunrise… unhurt.”
“How interesting.” The mage said, “Many there are who would kill for such a power.” He mused.
Jing shook her head at the thought of someone wanting it. “No… Its horrible. You remember every death… remember all the pain. Anyone who would want this curse… they are the biggest fools in the world.”
He chuckled, “Yes, they usually are.” He commented, sipping at his tea thoughtfully.
Jing nodded, keeping quiet now though she seemed to be shivering a bit.
Leria watched her, then noticed her shivering, and her wet fur, frowning. “Jing!” She said sharply, “Go get out of those wet clothes and dry up!”
Jing jumped a little as she heard Leria, turning to look at her “S…Sorry! I will…” She said before standing and heading to the dorm.
Leria sighed, shaking her head. “I’m going up on deck, I need fresh air too.” She muttered, walking off. Grisfam stayed behind with the two smaller kids, making up stories to keep them busy.
After finding a towel Jing started to dry herself off, though her hair and fluffy tail were still wet even after but at least better. After changing into her other set of cloths and hanging the wet ones out of the way to dry she headed back into the kitchen.
Silvertongue had joined the group in the kitchen, Grisfam telling a story about the fight of the good and evil dragons in ages past, when Taksis had tried to enter the world. All three sat and watched the old mage with rapt attention.
Jing stood back, listening curiously and smiling.
Grisfam was getting to the interesting bit of the tale, “And then Huma, on his large golden dragon, raced forward, and striked the evil goddess with his Lance, and she writhed in agony, screaming out in frustration as she was driven back into the Abyss where she belonged.”
Jing continued to listen, grinning at the story being told. Grisfam was a great story teller!
The two small listeners cheered happily at this, and he chuckled, looking up as Jing came in. “She was sealed away and the Dragons of evil vanquished to the deepest pits of the earth.” He said, watching her. “And to keep the balance of this world, those Dragons of Good also left the land of mortals, going to sleep below the mountains.”
Jing noticed she was being watched, but smiled when she heard the two kids cheer. That had been quite the good story.
Kinu looked at Jing, then back at Grisfam. ‘But if the Good Dragons just went to sleep, why can’t they just wake up now to fight off the bad ones again?’ She asked.
Jing couldn’t help but laugh quietly as she heard the little dragon. “Come on Kinu. It was just a story…”
Grisfam’s smile faded slightly, “Oh no, a story it may be, but it is based on the history of the dragons.” He said with a slight nod to Jing. “It’s not fantasy.”
Jing looked at him, arms crossed. “Sounded like a bunch of fantasy to me.”
He chuckled, “I bet if you told your tale to someone it would seem as fantasy as well.” He pointed out.
Jing nodded. “Oh I realize that. But it doesn’t mean I’m going to believe every story I hear from someone else.”
“So you don’t believe me eh?” He sat back, amused. “Why don’t you ask Leria about it?”
Jing shook her head a little “No. I don’t believe it.” She answered before her tail twitched a little and she looked up at the ceiling for a second.
The wizard shrugged faintly, looking back to Kinu, “Those agents of evil left in this world began to seek out the slumbering dragons of good, killing many.” He said sadly, “There are some left, of course, but they sleep deeply, and have no idea of what is happening.”
Jing shook her head a little as she listened. “I’m going to get some fresh air.” She said before turning and leaving to walk up on deck.
