“What about Hiruth Jeshu?” Saffron asked.
“May His Light Shine Forever, He might be able to discern Palomar’s whereabouts, but we have pressing issues to deal with. Our own foray into the Abyss was not without loses, and violent incursions like this are always met with retaliation. You should leave this strata before the Tanar-ri arrive.” Khanarme looked beyond her toward the cleft in the Mountain, as if he expected to see demons rushing out at any moment.
Be’naj was surprised by the Marshall’s lack of motivation to assist his fellow. “Don’t you want to at least look for Palomar? He is probably stranded and alone, and we should help him!”
“I assure you, Be’naj,” Khanarme said as he uncrossed his arms and placed his fists on his hips, “we feel the loss of every Aasimar, but the defense of Mount Celestia is paramount. If we do not see to it, there will be more losses, and Palomar would not want that.”
She was surprised the Marshall actually remembered her name. His expression simultaneously softened while managing to look grim. “You should not hold out hope for your friend’s return. The Abyss is infinite and full of enemies. Even if we could find Palomar, there is little chance he would survive that long. I will mourn him with the others when the time comes … and you should do the same. It would be foolish to imagine otherwise.”
“There is always hope!” Saffron interjected. “Perhaps if you knew Palomar better, you would remember that.” Despite her words, Saffron’s face crumbled and tears started to flow.
Be’naj couldn’t stand it and wrapped her arms around her, cradling Saffron’s head into her neck. She glared accusingly at Khanarme, who shifted his stance uncomfortably.
“Have it your way,” he finally said. “I must convene with the other Marshalls, but you should heed my words and leave as soon as possible. A battle with the hordes is not something I would expect mortals to survive.” He stalked off, heading purposefully toward the center of the training field.
Saffron sniffed heavily and pulled back from Be’naj when he was gone. “I’m fine,” she said, tear streaks still marking her cheeks. “We should find Rhazine and seek an audience with Hiruth Jeshu.”
“May His Light Shine Forever,” Thaelios added reflexively. He shrugged when Dyphina shot him a look and rolled her eyes.
The group marched toward the Ulimar village and located the house of Rhazine’s host in short order. The Begnari girl seemed pleased to see them again, especially Saffron, and excitedly gathered her belongings when told it was time to leave. Saffron spent some time conversing with Rhazine in their native language, and it tickled and warmed Be’naj’s heart to see Saffron’s motherly instincts on display. She was patient while listening to the girl, who clearly had a lot to say, and Saffron even quickly braided Rhazine’s hair to keep it from falling across her face during their upcoming walk.
“How do we reach Hiruth Jeshu?” Be’naj asked the Ulimar, Grennald, as Saffron helped Rhazine strap into her pack.
“May His Light Shine Forever, the Bright Lord lives on the sixth peak. You must climb the Mountain.” He gestured toward the looming giant in the distance behind them, its higher reaches obscured by thin strips of wispy cloud.
“How long will that take?” she responded. Mount Celestia seemed very tall indeed, and she was not strong enough to carry her companions in flight.
“I will take you as far as I can, friends of Palomar,” Grennald offered, “though I cannot ascend beyond the first peak.”
“Oh, well we would certainly appreciate that,” Be’naj replied, the unexpected gesture putting her somewhat at ease. She had no idea how easily one might become lost along the slopes. Grennald nodded, went inside his abode, and returned with a walking staff. The six of them started their hike toward the base of the Mountain.
They were taking a different path from the one that led to the tunnel beneath, and an idea popped into Be’naj’s head as they drew closer to the Mountain. “Don’t wait for me, I’ll catch up,” she said to Saffron, not pausing for a response before taking to the air.
The air was much fresher than it had been in the Doomwait, and even the mild sunshine granted a much wider range of vision. She’d already seen that the avenues they’d walked upon were lined by trees, but the vast stretches of green she saw from above reminded her of Ifelian. The top of the canopy was highlighted by golden streaks of sunlight, the cleared spaces few and easily noticeable by contrast. The flight back to the Celestial armory was brief.
Be’naj didn’t like the idea of their party being weaponless once they left the safety of Mount Celestia, and suspected that Hiruth Jeshu would not begrudge her borrowing from the Celestial stores. She could always return what she took if he objected. Not wishing to be greedy, she selected an arming sword for herself and a spear for Saffron, figuring the others would prefer to rely on their magic anyway. The Aasimar passing her on the way out merely nodded in recognition of her presence, but didn’t question it.
Be’naj resumed flight and flew in the direction the others had been heading. She spotted them before they reached the slope and rejoined them. Saffron appreciated her gift and used the spear as a walking stick as they gained elevation.
The path was smooth stone, wide enough for them to walk in pairs, but the incline left the tendons around Be’naj’s foot sore. “How long do you think our climb will take?” Saffron asked the Ulimar after they’d been ascending for a while.
Grennald shrugged. “You are mortal – our sense of time differs. What would you call the duration of our climbing so far?” He glanced back as he asked his question, but continued walking.
“I would guess it’s been about an hour?”
The Ulimar nodded, the dark curls on his head contrasting against his pale, luminescent skin. “Then we will reach the first peak in perhaps ten hours.”
“The first peak?” Thaelios asked, slightly out of breath.
“Yes, the highest point that I am able to go. Mortals are not restricted, so you can continue from there.”
“But, where would we go once we’ve reached the top?” the eladrin Shaper queried.
“Beyond,” the Ulimar answered. “You will see.”
Be’naj recalled the rapidity of their descent and wondered what the opposing experience might be like. They continued climbing in a spiral up the outside of the Mountain. Tall conifers dotted the slope during their ascent, blocking much of the view that would have validated their progress.
Saffron gasped and grabbed Be’naj’s arm as they rounded a corner. The path ahead dipped and widened onto a slightly bowed shelf at least a dozen paces across. A meadow of wildflowers grew upon the soil-covered terrace, tucked away in a pocket of slanted sunlight, filtered green by the leaves of the surrounding trees. The blanket of violet, white, and gold petals reminded Be’naj of Skywatch Haven.
“May we take a moment?” Saffron called ahead to Grennald, already striding toward the blossoms.
“I think my feet could use a rest,” Dyphina mumbled, skipping to join Saffron, the skirt of her pale green dress billowing in her wake.
The Ulimar didn’t speak but took a seat on a rock, leaning forward on his staff with both hands. Be’naj took this as consent and strolled toward the middle of the meadow. Her armor was so light she could barely feel it, and she sat cross-legged amongst the flowers, tilting her head upward to catch the sun. She wasn’t sure there was time to trance, but she assumed the familiar pose, wondering if Shecclad might visit her with a vision anyway.
Rhazine looked completely awestruck as she slowly wandered the perimeter of the meadow, looking at the flowers and trees like they were precious works of art.
Dyphina giggled as Saffron tucked a tiny bouquet of flowers behind her ear, drawing Be’naj’s attention. The Begnari woman wore a similar arrangement, and a butterfly, appearing to be made of blue and clear crystal, fluttered about Saffron’s hair.
“Ooh, look at that!” Dyphina gasped, pointing at the creature. “It’s so beautiful.” She reached out and extended her
index finger, which the butterfly promptly alighted on.
“Looks like it feels the same way,” Saffron said, smiling as she leaned in to get a better view.
Be’naj closely watched the two of them together. Was there something there she hadn’t seen before? She shook off the sudden sting of jealousy. After all they’d been through together, it was only natural that Dyphina and Saffron had developed a tight friendship.
“As marvelous as the scenery may be,” Thaelios interrupted, “I am eager to return to Ifelian. Do you think we might be on our way soon?” He’d walked up behind Be’naj, but she could imagine his dour expression without seeing his face.
Dyphina sighed. “Off you go,” she said to the butterfly as she tossed it upward off her finger. It flew to another flower, unconcerned with the visitors’ impatience. Saffron stood and offered her hand to Be’naj, who took it and rose as well.
Grennald was already a few paces further up the path as the others fell into line, and their trek continued. In what felt like a few more hours, judging by the fatigue of her legs, Be’naj spotted the peak of the Mountain at last. They were almost as high as the lowest clouds now, though the temperature had not noticeably dropped. As serene as it was, she wasn’t sure how she’d take to living in a place where the weather never changed.
“We will be there soon,” their guide stated.
As they climbed higher, they reached a point where they were level with the rays of the sun, which painted the surface of the mountainside a soft, golden color. They’d nearly reached the end of the path, and the summit touched the sky only a few body-lengths above its terminus.
Be’naj was about to ask where they were supposed to go from here, when she heard a tinkling sound, like distant chimes carried on the wind. A few steps further revealed a shimmering of the air directly at the end of the path – a few more gave the faint, bending light a definite shape. A space resembling a wide, arched rectangle undulated with calm energy, leaving a completely different impression than the Abyssal Rift underneath Mount Celestia.
“This will take you to the next layer, my mortal friends. Would you like me to pass along a message to Palomar when he returns?”
Be’naj’s stomach tightened uncomfortably at the mention of the lost Aasimar. She looked to Saffron, who knew Palomar longest and had already passed along news to Khanarme.
Saffron took a breath to steel herself, then simply replied, “When you see Palomar, give him our love.”
The Ulimar nodded and stepped aside so the others could pass. Given that walking beyond the end of the path would result in a precipitous fall if the portal failed, Be’naj stepped quickly to the fore. “I’ll go first,” she volunteered, stretching her wings to prepare for flight, if necessary. “Thank you, Grennald, for taking us this far.” She walked forward and stepped into the shimmering archway of air.
Unlike the Rift, the passage between strata was instantaneous and without disorientation. When she appeared on the other side, Be’naj was standing on the wet, sandy shore of a small lake, the majority of its circumference enclosed by sloping rock walls. The roar of numerous waterfalls of different heights and widths filled her ears, speaking of a tremendous water source higher up the mountain. Indirect light reached the cove from a large gap in one section of the rock-domed sanctum, leading to what she assumed was the outward surface of Mount Celestia.
Saffron, Thaelios, Rhazine, and Dyphina appeared one-by-one beside her, and Be’naj couldn’t hide her smile as she turned to face them. “Have you ever seen such a sight?” She had to raise her voice to be heard over the crashing water, which filled the lake lapping at the beach just paces away. Be’naj turned back to the reservoir and took a few steps toward it, her feet sinking in the wet sand. She kneeled and touched the surface of the water with her palm. It was cool and looked clean. Leaning closer, she drew some of the liquid into her cupped palm and took a drink. “It’s refreshing,” she said over her shoulder before taking another sip.
The others joined her on the shore, slaking their thirst with cool water from the lake. “I don’t know how long we’ve been traveling, but I’m guessing we could all use a rest, no?” Saffron asked.
Dyphina nodded. “I could sleep for a week.”
“This looks like a perfectly good place to make camp,” Saffron continued. “Look.” She pointed across the lake toward a large, hollowed-out area beneath a wide waterfall. “I bet we could all fit in there.”
Thaelios shrugged. “It’s not like we’ve seen any predators on this plane. I would assume the whole area is safe.”
“Just because the Aasimar live here doesn’t mean that its animals don’t still hunt,” Saffron admonished.
Dyphina had already grabbed the hem of her dress and was lifting it up her body. “I haven’t had a bath in weeks,” she said. “Sorry, Thaelios, but you don’t mind, do you?” Though she’d asked, Be’naj noticed the half-fey didn’t wait for a response to finish removing her dress. Apparently Shecclad had gifted her silky undergarments to go with the outfit, but Dyphina quickly shimmied out of those as well.
“You haven’t even had that body for two days,” Be’naj pointed out, looking for Saffron’s reaction to Dyphina’s nakedness. “How dirty can you be?”
Dyphina ignored her and splashed into the water, shrieking as she went. “It’s cold!” she yelled, but that didn’t stop her from diving in head-first.
“Come on,” Saffron said, turning her gaze to Be’naj. “It looks like fun, and it may help with aching muscles.” She winked before starting to unfasten her armor.
“I’ll … just explore a little,” Thaelios said, already walking around the edge of the lake to give the women privacy.
Rhazine conversed with Saffron in Begnari, then started disrobing as well. Be’naj sighed, torn between being left out and exposing herself to the others. She’d been naked with Saffron before, sure, but they were alone and connected in a way she’d never experienced. Finally, once the other women were all in the water, she turned her back to them and removed her armor and underclothes.
Now that her wings were longer, Be’naj found she could wrap them forward to partially conceal herself. She did so until waist-deep and able to push forward to swim. The water was cold, but Be’naj found it refreshing, and her body acclimated after a few moments.
She folded her wings behind her as she swam, but they still created more resistance than she liked, and making headway was a chore. She made the effort to swim toward Saffron, who’d managed to nearly reach the center of the lake. The water was dark that far away from shore, and Be’naj imagined the reservoir was quite deep, perhaps feeding some underground aquifer.
“See, wasn’t this worth it?” Saffron asked as they treaded water. She looked around, and Be’naj followed her cue to take in the array of surrounding waterfalls. The view truly was spectacular. Saffron took a deep breath and submerged, quickly swimming beyond Be’naj’s sight in the deep water. Rhazine and Dyphina were slowly making their way over, laughing as they playfully splashed one another. Be’naj wasn’t used to seeing the foreign girl smile.
Just when Be’naj started to worry about Saffron’s lack of resurfacing, she felt a hand grab hers and Saffron’s head thrust above the water like it’d been shot from a bow. Saffron huffed in fresh air but was smiling, and shook the water from her face before wiping her eyes with her spare hand.
“It’s really far down,” she yelled over the sound of the waterfalls. “I couldn’t touch the bottom.”
“I’m not sure you should try,” Be’naj said, happy to feel the touch of Saffron’s skin.
The four of them tread water for a while as Saffron taught Dyphina and Be’naj a few words in Begnari, so Rhazine could feel included. After they’d successfully learned to pronounce waterfall, fish, and swim, Be’naj suggested they move back toward the shore so they didn’t completely tire out and drown.
Saffron swam back next to Be’naj, and when it was shallow enough that they could stand and keep their
heads above water, Saffron took a hold of Be’naj’s hips under the surface and then guided her thighs wider until Be’naj’s legs wrapped around Saffron’s waist.
Be’naj wasn’t sure what to make of it, but didn’t say a word. The look on Saffron’s face was so intense that she dared not question her and wrapped her hands around the back of Saffron’s neck to keep stable as Saffron supported her by the buttocks.
“Being in the water reminds me of the first day I met you,” Saffron said just loud enough so Be’naj could hear.
Be’naj found it suddenly took more effort to breathe than before, and her heart beat faster, joining a tingling sensation that was expanding from somewhere beneath her belly to between her legs. “I … I remember,” was all she could manage to say. Saffron was gently raising and lowering Be’naj, whose sex was pressed against Saffron’s belly. The tingling was getting stronger.
“I think I’m going to get out and dry,” Dyphina said, making splashes as her knees broke the surface of the lake. Rhazine followed suit.
“Do you want to get out, too?” Saffron asked, her voice huskier than usual.
Be’naj let out a breath, then swallowed, searching to find her voice as the pulsing in her nether regions intensified. She was worried she might explode if it continued and didn’t want to embarrass herself. “I, I think we should,” she finally managed to say, unwrapping her legs from Saffron’s middle.
She proceeded out of the water without looking back at Saffron, folding her wings around her again for modesty, and headed for her pile of clothes. Be’naj kept her head down as she donned her armor, noting how light each piece felt, but unable to concentrate on anything but the image of Saffron’s beautiful face, framed by dark wet hair, and how her body had reacted to their embrace. When she finished and turned back to the lake, she saw that Dyphina, Rhazine, and Saffron were all still naked, leisurely reclining on the sand, propped up on their elbows.
“Mmm, that swim was just what I needed,” Dyphina said, working her toes into the course, wet grains. “You know, I could fall asleep right here.”
The Hall of Doors Page 21
