We tried to find a way around the army below us and found a path winding through the mountains. Thankfully, it still led in the general direction we needed to travel in. After another day of walking, we got some much-needed rest. That morning both Mykal and Kan’ Vi’ Don Lu had received the same surprising revelation. The two of them were to take their camp and head to a village which I’d never heard of. Eastward, away from us. I know full well how dreams come from the gods, so I knew better than to question them. We bid our brothers farewell and took our own leave of the area, heading North. I can feel them still in the back of my mind. I pray the Goddess will watch over them as she has me, but I still can’t help but wondering… Where are they? And what were they called to do? Success and glory, my brothers; success and glory.

When we made camp that night, I chose to give the second watch. A fool idea, but in the end, I’m very glad I did. Part-way through my watch, I began to hear an unusual noise, but not one that I was unfamiliar with. It was the sound of quiet whimperings. Upon closer inspection, I found a little Kaa’ Jah Kushani girl huddled under a tree some ways away from our tents. I tried to speak to her, but she refused to even acknowledge my existence. She kept staring off into oblivion, silently sobbing all the while. A twig snapped in the brush somewhere behind me, and I turned to find two men walking in my direction. I peered past them and saw three more heading straight towards our campsite. Two of the three were… Unusually tall.

I could tell they meant us harm from the way they walked. Quickly calculating the distance and wind, I took off and flew over the camp, shouting my warning below. “We have incoming!” I yelled, and Bingo looked up at me. He’d already seen them. I flew back in the direction of the girl and landed between she and them before they could even cover half the distance. As I drew my bow and fired at the nearest, my gut twisted. The arrow sunk in deep; He didn’t even break stride. The only thing that broke was the shaft so it didn’t impede his progress. As they closed, I realized I didn’t want to fight them hand to hand. I grabbed the girl and flew. I retreated back towards camp, and went to set the girl down and fire again. Before I could touch the ground though, I felt Kiefieh’s familiar whisperings spread through my whole being. As though of their own accord, my wings and mouth moved in unison. I uttered words I’d never spoken before, and my wings swept forward in a grand motion. At the moment they touched, I brought them backwards again, and with them, a massive jet of heat issued forth from them, hitting the men. They appeared stunned from the blast. I knew the Goddess had given me a new weapon. I quickly reviewed the events of the last few seconds in my mind and replicated the actions. I whispered “Prae E’scar” while whipping my wings forward and then backwards. I could feel the power surge through me much stronger than before, and I knew She was approving. Immediately the two men’s skin began to boil, and they couldn’t even scream in agony as their bodies were melted from the inside out. Their crunchy husks hit the ground, lifeless.

While I was descending with the girl, Kiefieh inspired me again. I touched her shirt and spoke the words “Pra’e Radix” A vision then opened before my eyes, which I’ve recorded in the back of this book.

I was so taken aback by what I saw that I forgot to keep flying. I stupidly dumped us on to the ground from about four feet up. Nothing injured but my pride, luckily. I’m just glad I didn’t drop the girl. After checking for wounds, I carried her over to where my brothers were building a small pyre. They had dispatched the other nasty-looking beasts, with ease, apparently, and were burning their bodies. I introduced them to the girl (which wasn’t easy since I didn’t know her name, and she wouldn’t speak), and after some argument, we decided to keep moving. Gi’ Kar is frustrating. He’d as soon eat the girl as take her with us! Thankfully Bingo was on my side (and apparently the side of “humanity” as I so stupidly let slip. What was I thinking? The only “human” one among us is the girl!), and we talked Gi’ Kar down. He only agreed on the condition that I be solely responsible for her. It’s a relief! I wouldn’t want him to be responsible for her, anyway.

Unfortunately, a lot more headache comes with that responsibility than I’d thought. Because she’s been so traumatized, she has constant nightmares whenever she tries to sleep; screaming her terror into the night. A couple sleepless nights passed (for her and the rest of us too), until Bingo found us a solution. He found a plant that he’d recognized from his canyon-home. It was a strong enough sedative to knock her out every night, thank the Goddess! At the same time, he found a huge rat nest. Somehow, the rats were delicious, despite the disturbing Sol’ Kal tendency to eat their food live and whole. But more importantly, it was enough food to last us for a while. I also finally got the girl to talk to me! Her name is Savantha. She doesn’t remember how she got to where she was, but she does remember that her family was attacked while traveling to an Oasis. They were attacked by the same beast-creatures that attacked us, and she ran away. She couldn’t tell me much else without crying. I decided it was best not to press her about it. But I think I may have gained a small portion of her trust, if nothing else.
A few nights later, Gi’ Kar woke us with a start. The camp was again beset upon by the same strange creatures. This time though, we had them outnumbered. There was a very large one, and a smaller one. And the smaller one was staring right at me. I drew my bow and pulled a maneuver that I’d been taught back in the Kalim’ Dor. I nocked an arrow and pulled back, but dropped the arrow. It worked! The thing was distracted, staring at the arrow I’d just dropped. Quickly, I nocked again but this time I released. My arrow miraculously punched straight through his head and came out the back, while he fell like a sack of meat. The larger one had been killed while I was shooting, but my brethren wanted me to scout for others. I lifted off the ground and as I rose, I spotted another, like the one I’d killed, trying to escape. I wouldn’t let him. Folding my wings back, I dove on him. Unfortunately, he heard me coming and dodged my landing. He got up more quickly than I did, and struck me with his claws.

The world began to move in slow motion. I realized that he didn’t have hands, but claws, and I couldn’t really concentrate on anything else. It fascinated me. But at the same time, as I tried to block his next blow, he was moving extremely fast. My hands got nowhere near close enough. It knocked me to my knees, and he pulled back for another strike. I remember seeing a sword flashing around, for what seemed like forever. By the time I realized something was very wrong, I couldn’t even open my jaw to call on Kiefieh for help. The only thing I could do was fall. I fell for ages. The thud of my head hitting the ground was echoed by the creature’s. Besides my eyelids, I couldn’t move a single muscle in my body. Then I was dragged for what seemed like forever across the grass, as my limp body just dragged.

It was Gi’ Kar who had killed my enemy and dragged me back to camp. I suppose he isn’t quite as disagreeable as I’ve painted him. They told me it took about five minutes until my body regained some muscle usage. From my point of view it was eternity.

Two days later, we came across a set of gates surrounding a village. Goddess be blessed, it was the first normal faces we’d seen in a long time. Seeing we weren’t disgusting beasts, they let us in. On the long walk to the village, I tried to use the same invocation on my armor as I did on the girl’s shirt. I’m not quite sure why, but it didn’t work. Instead of receiving a vision as I’d hoped, I instead sent out a wave of heat, scorching the grass in front of me and turning the sand into glass. Luckily, no-one was in the way. This is just another reminder of how powerful The Gods’ Tongue is. I’ll have to be better prepared before I try that again.