Cloud Lands Saga Box Set Books 1-3

by Katie Pottle

  “Tomorrow morning.”

  “I guess I should go. Then I will get to spend more time with you since you are leaving in two short days. Right now, why don’t you and Yes work on decorating the arrow heads?”

  He followed Yes to her usual covered work station to and found the arrows polished and cleaned.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Cadin said.

  “If you want them decorated, then they have to be prepped. Grab a cloth and you can finish up while I grab the tools.”

  “Okay. Thanks for helping me—your artwork is amazing.”

  “No problem. It is nice to have someone new to work with besides the fart brothers.” Cadin giggled at her nick name for Bran and Jory. They had told him about learning about whoopee cushions from a Guardian Angel, and how they had been making different versions and testing them on Yes when she least suspected it.

  “These tools are used as channels for your energy,” Yes said as she laid down a set of metal implements with different heads at one end. “You focus your energy, as you would to meld something, and release it through your fingers into these tools. Each engraver concentrates and disperses your energy onto the piece you are decorating.”

  “I’m not entirely sure what you mean,” Cadin said. Gur had crawled down onto the table and was playing with one of the polishing cloths.

  “May I show you on one of the points?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “So, this is the symbol you have chosen, right?”

  Cadin looked at his drawing on a piece of paper. It was a sun, with a circle in the center, curvy beams radiating out of the middle, and pointed triangles out the ends. Of course, is was a literal symbol for her name, but he liked it and thought Sun would too.

  “Yep, that is the one,” Cadin said.

  “I am essentially going to use this tool to draw this symbol on the point after I have filled it with my energy. The tool will feel warm to the touch when it is full enough to use. Watch me do this one, and then you can do the rest.”

  She pulled forward three different tools and laid them next to her as she picked out a medium-sized point. She picked up the first tool, closed her eyes for a moment and then began to carve out the center sun. For the beams, she picked up a tool with a finer head, and for the finishing touches, she picked up the last tool that looked to have many fine metal bristles on the end. She brushed over the center sun and the curvy beams with the broad end, which gave it the illusion of movement. Cadin couldn’t believe how quickly she had finished when she held the point up for him to inspect.

  “That was amazing! I don’t know if I can keep that kind of control.”

  “Well, the only way to find out is to try,” Yes said as she handed him the first tool.

  He picked up a large arrowhead and focused his energy the same way that Master Emilio had taught him with the gins and soon felt the tool warm. He cautiously brought the tool down to the point and realized it felt much smoother than he had anticipated.

  “Don’t leave it in place for too long or it will expand your marking,” Yes said.

  It took him nearly three times as long to finish his first symbol as it did for Yes, but he was pleased with the result. Aside from the large starting mark, the symbol was good.

  “Well done. Two down and eight to go. Nine if you are going to mark this little bubble point.”

  Cadin spent next hour marking the weapons he had made for his friends. He was originally only going to mark the arrows, but he had so much fun that he chose to do the same for the dagger and the spear. For Lep’s dagger, Cadin designed an intricate little tree that ran up the center of the blade, representing their early friendship when they would always meet up at an old twisted tree that marked the halfway point between their houses. For Bart’s spear, Cadin made the inscriptions instructive. After consulting with the brothers, Cadin marked the shaft of the spear with a series of horizontal and vertical lines that represented the best handholds for different situations. Bran and Jory wrote up a guide for Cadin to give to Bart with the new spear and included one of their newest versions of their whoopee cushion.

  When he finished marking the weapons, his mom pulled him into a clearing to work on blue variations of cloud-shifting. His dad, Marvin and even the apprentices often popped in on the training sessions to offer up additional information and training drills.

  After he was through, Cadin dragged himself into the house and sank down on the couch. “This is harder work than school,” he said to no one in particular.

  Tal laughed and went back to chopping up food for dinner.

  “Tomorrow should be more relaxing,” Sara said. “We are only going to visit Mira.”

  Tal laughed even harder, but did not say anything.

  Cadin was going to ask more about Mira, but Marvin barged though the door wearing a big grin. He turned to Sara, “Fireflies!”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Fireflies

  “Yes! I had hoped we would catch the migration.” Sara’s excitement mirrored that of her father.

  “What's going on?” Cadin asked, glancing back and forth between his mom and grandpa, both of whom had become instantly busy gathering things.

  “Fireflies,” Marvin said again as he handed Cadin two jars and a net while he unceremoniously plopped a headlight on Cadin’s head.

  “And?” Cadin didn't understand what the big deal was.

  “And tonight is their night—you'll see. Come on,” Sara answered as she tugged on his arm.

  Cadin spilled out of the door and gazed across the field in wonder. The sun was sinking below the clouds, yet a voluminous light was pulsing and rising around them. Cadin looked closer and realized the luminous glow was millions of fireflies dancing through the field, over the clouds and around the trees. Marvin and Sara had taken flight and were gleefully swinging their nets through the air.

  “I had forgotten how amazing the Night of Fire is,” Tal said as he stepped up next to Cadin.

  “You've seen this before?” He was still shocked at the beauty.

  “Only a handful of times. It is a unique occurrence to Air.”

  Sara landed quickly, pinching the top of her net closed. “Oh, I miss this!” She gestured to one of Cadin's jars and he held it out for her. She deftly emptied her net—light tumbling into the waiting jar.

  “What do you do with them?” Cadin taped the glass and watched as the light bubbled.

  “We harvest their light for many things. The items have great trade value. Dad can show you when we're done. Come on and help, you two! You're missing out.” Sara laughed as she took to the air once again.

  Tal turned to him, bits of yellow light playing across his features. “Well, you heard your mom, let's go.” His dad took three heavy beats of his wings before he was flying through the cloud of light. Cadin followed on foot, wishing for the millionth time that he could fly. He swung his net around the few stragglers that were loitering near the ground, taking three times as long to fill it up enough to need to empty it into a jar. As he attempted to get it fireflies into the jar, the little buggers resisted his efforts, and nearly half of his first catch escaped.

  “Like this.” His mom quickly showed him her secret technique.

  “This truly is fantastic!” Cadin told her.

  “This is nothing—here,” she said as she grabbed around his waist.

  “Whoa, what?” Cadin called as she flapped her wings and slowly lifted off the ground. She had not lifted him up in flight since he was a little boy, but she held true and Cadin began to relax. They flew slowly through the mass of insects, yellow light pulsating all around them.

  “Look, a purple one!” Cadin called.

  “Grab it!”

  Cadin swung his net, but their pursuit was slow, and he couldn't quite reach it. Marvin swooped in front of them and caught the pulsing purple insect, laughing as he spun around to face them mid-air.

  “That's five to your two, sweet girl!” He shot down to the ground, ne
t full.

  “So close,” his mom mumbled as she slowly descended. “The purples and blues are rare and worth a lot.” She was breathing hard as she landed, setting him down gently. “We have made a game of catching the most since I was a child.”

  They approached Marvin as he isolated the purple firefly and put it in its own tiny jar. He gently set the jar next to four others. He smiled at them before gazing up at the sky. “You'll have a tough time catching up this year, Sara. The Night of Fire is half through I'd say.”

  “Ha, I'll just catch a blue one like last time and take the lead.” She turned to Cadin. “Blues are worth three.”

  Marvin scrunched his face and shook his head. “Haven't seen a single blue in the mass. But, I'll give you an edge...”

  “Oh?” Sara tilted her head to the side.

  “Teams. I'll let any purple or blues Tal or Cadin catch count towards your total, and I'll only take Yes!”

  “You're on! Let's go, guys.” Sara took off in pursuit of a purple blur.

  Cadin laughed, tightened his grip on his net, and ran under the swarm. An hour later, he had gotten a few jars full of yellow fireflies, but no other colors. Tal had helped to even the score out at first, but Yes kept her and Marvin marginally ahead.

  “They're thinning out!” Marvin called. “Only about a half hour left!”

  Cadin saw a fleck of blue out of the corner of his eye. He raced after the rare firefly, willing it to stay low enough to the ground for him to catch. Reaching the edge of the field, he peering into the dark forest. There on a low branch sat a content-looking blue firefly. Cadin wiggled through the outer brush and raised his net, but it had taken off and flew further into the dark woods. Cadin didn't take his eyes off the bouncing light as he attempted to catch up. He heard a loud crack before pain radiated down his shin. He nudged the fallen branch that had impeded his pursuit and then gave it a good kick.

  The darkness under the trees was quiet and still. Cadin glanced behind him to catch scattered bits of the swarm's light breaking through the leaves.

  “At least I know how to get back,” Cadin said to himself. He had gotten used to talking out loud to Gur, but his dragon was back at the field, pouncing on every firefly he could catch. “Stupid blue bug!” His shin was throbbing and he felt a large wet drop rolling down his leg.

  As he carefully stepped over the branch, he glanced up to see a faint sapphire glow bouncing out of a large rock crevice. “Not getting away this time,” he whispered as he approached the opening. As he neared he realized it was not just a rock crevice, but a cave. Peaking inside, he found a faintly glowing blue streak running along the rock wall, leading into the cave depths. He crouched down and descended several paces.

  “Wow.” He had never seen anything quite like it. He took a few more steps inside, and found the cave ceiling ascended, allowing him to fully stand. The dim streaks of light streaked along the walls and cave floors. He knelt to examine them and ran his fingers over the smooth surface that ran along the rough rock. He felt a tingle and then several small jolts. The streaks gained in brilliance until the cave was a riddled with bright, glowing streaks. The ground crackled under his feet.

  He glanced at the entrance, wondering if he should run out before he got caved in, but the noise quickly subsided.

  “What is this place?” With the brighter glow, Cadin noticed a dark fold at the back of the cave and stepped forward to investigate. It opened into a second, larger chamber. He slowly walked to the middle of the cavernous room. Stalactites and stalagmites appeared to be frozen in time, the azure streaks looking like cracks marring their craggily surfaces. When he reached the center, the glowing lines began to pulse, the light growing brighter with each beat. He wondered if he should be scared, but the light had a soothing effect. He closed his eyes, and felt the pulsing within his veins. His very being was rooted to the cave floor as the palpitating light increased in frequency.

  Cadin forced his eyes open and marveled as the streaks of light turned from blue to green and back to blue.

  “Oh, wow!” Cadin said as he caught the light near his arm. At first, he thought the glowing streaks were being reflecting off his skin, but as he looked closer, he realized it was his Aura that appeared to be reacting to the light streaks—or was it the other way around? He felt the pulse inside of him, and marveled as he watched his Aura rise and fall, brighten and dim with his heartbeat and the cave walls. He felt a rushing tingle and relaxed as his mixed Aura shinned through.

  His fear had completely subsided, replaced by wonder and curiosity. He reached out once more for a large glow streak along the cave wall and did not recoil as it charged the room, filling it with blue light and then green, crackles shaking the foundation. His Aura pulsed with the streaks. The longer he kept contact with the wall, the faster the light pulses came until the alternating blues and greens were undulating so fast they were indistinguishable from the color of his Aura.

  “Cadin?” A far-off call broke his concentration and he pulled away from the wall. The pulsing stopped, and the lights dimmed.

  “Cadin!” It was his mom, calling from the field. How long had he been in the cave? He scrambled back to the small room, noting the streaks were dimming further. Before he reached the exit, the cave blacked out, and Cadin was left to feel his way out.

  He stumbled a few steps before looking back to the concealed entrance. I can't wait to show this cave to mom! Wait, she probably already knows about it, he reasoned as he picked his way back toward the field. It had felt like he had been in the cave a long time, but he was relieved to see there was still the large glow from the swarm.

  “Cadin, where are you!” His mom's voice was on the edge of panic.

  “Over here!” He called back. “Don't worry, I'm coming.” He slid through the bushes and felt his joy evaporate when he saw the terrified look on Sara's face.

  “Where were you?!” she gasped as she grabbed him and held him tight. He didn't struggle out of the embrace, realizing she was probably reliving the moment when he had been kidnapped.

  “I'm sorry, mom—it was stupid of me to disappear like that.” He felt terrible. “I was trying to catch a blue firefly that flew into the woods.”

  Her face eased up out of the terror, and she released her breath. He wanted to tell her about the amazing cave, but guessed she would probably freak out more if she knew how far he had wandered without telling anyone.

  “What's going on?” Tal asked as he landed heavily beside them, half-full net in hand. He looked at Cadin. “Was the excitement too much to keep your Aura under wraps?”

  “Oh,” Cadin said, as he did an Aura scan. Neither color was being suppressed. Since being on Air, his parents agreed that he should show his blue side to his Aura and suppress the green. Sweat dripped down his face as he worked to keep it contained.

  “Just a brief scare,” Sara answered as she kissed his cheek. She glanced at his bag. “Any more purples?”

  “I'm afraid not. And this was the last run.”

  “Oh well, let's go concede victory to your grandpa then,” Sara said as she wrapped an arm around each of them. “Unless you were able to catch that blue one?”

  “Oh, nope. Sorry.”

  “Don't be sorry!” His dad said as he ruffed up Cadin's hair. “That was an unforgettable experience!”

  “Very true.” Cadin felt his mom's eyes on him but she said nothing.

  Cadin was startled as someone gently shook him awake. He was having a strange dream about a world in shadows without any true colors. It took him a moment to realize that they had to get up early to visit Mira. He got dressed and saw his dad packing up the airship and went to help.

  “Do we really need all of this stuff?” Cadin asked.

  “Some of it is for Mira, and the rest is just so we are prepared. We are going to the fringe-lands.”

  “I thought she was on Air.”

  “She is sometimes, but her cloud-stone mine is right on the edge of the land, and sometimes
her cloud breaks apart and floats to the fringe.”

  “Oh. Is it dangerous to go see her?” Cadin wondered, thinking about the Tlalocs.

  “We should be just fine, Cadin. After all, the purpose of the last war was to make all cloud-lands safer—even the fringe-lands. We do have to keep a lookout for wraths though,” Tal answered as he loaded the last bag.

  “Wraths, really?”

  “Yes, I had to help Mira take care of a wrath on my last visit. Not to say that she can’t take care of them herself—but this one was strong. I gave her my Core-grade Liquid Energy Chamber to secure the wrath’s blood after we killed it.”

  “Ewe!” Cadin said, scrunching up his nose at the thought. “Why would you want to keep its blood? And why couldn’t she use a civilian-grade Energy Chamber that she could pick up at the store?”

  “I guess you don’t know much about wraths, having never traveled to a fringe-land before. They are the most powerful cloud-shifters besides angels and their blood is where their energy is stored. A Chamber full of wrath blood has twenty times as much energy as one full of liquid lightning. However, a civilian-grade or even an industrial-grade Chamber is not sturdy enough to contain potent wrath blood. Only a Core-grade Chamber will secure wrath blood enough for use. Since Mira was on a fringe-land at the time—she needed all of the contained energy that she could get.”

  “Wow! I can’t believe you killed a wrath! Do you think we will have to fight one today?” Cadin wasn’t sure if he was fearful or hopeful at the thought.

  “I doubt it,” Tal chuckled. “Time to go.”

  They flew to the edge of Air and began searching according to Marvin’s instructions. They saw no sign of her on the main cloud-land, and began their search of fringe-lands. Cadin was jumpy at first and kept pointed out every cloud that looked like it could be a small cloud-land.

  “Cadin, her cloud has to be larger than those because Mira mines the cloud-stones out of a small mountain,” Tal said.