Beneath a Desert Moon

by Mary Hamilton

  Marzi paused and reflected, looking out onto the moonlit desert. “We need to go back home first. Mom and Dad are waiting.” She turned her attention to the moon—the very moon she’d cursed for causing her all this trouble. Although, it wasn’t really this moon that brought her here. And had it not been for those moonbeams, she’d never have known her elven friends. And Tovi would never have met Klunk and the ogres. “But something tells me we’ll be back here someday.”

  ◆◆◆

  “There’s my little rat. I was hoping to find you here.” They hadn’t heard his approach.

  Tovi jumped up and went to him, “Ran! We didn’t even hear you. I can see now why they say you are one of the best scouts.”

  “Just one of the best?” His laugh was infectious, and one of the greatest things that Marzi thought she had ever heard.

  “Well, you can’t be best at everything, and we already know that you are the best warrior around,” Tovi grinned as he said that last.

  “Now, that is more like it.”

  By this time Marzi was sitting up, fingers intertwined across her knees, as she watched the exchange between the elf and her little brother. She was suddenly in a more thoughtful mood and remained quiet as she continued to watch and listen to the banter between them.

  Tovi, in his ebullience, was full of questions for Ran. “We heard that since the borders are now open, you might go exploring. Where are you planning to go?”

  “Yes, I do hope to go exploring. I would like to see all the ogre and human territories. And perhaps, at some point, I might even travel across the Silver Sea.” For a moment he studied Marzi, who had been unusually quiet, and asked, “Have you seen the moon tonight? It’s the fullest I have ever seen it.”

  Tovi responded, “Yep, it’s awsie.”

  “Beautiful,” was all Marzi could say.

  Ran caught her gaze and held it. “Yes, beautiful… and amazing. And it is hard to believe that within just the last few days so much has happened beneath this desert moon.”

  Marzi returned his smile and said dreamily, “Yes, so much.”

  Chapter 100: Crystal Sands

  She had wished for this day for so long. But now that it was here, she almost dreaded it. “Is the portal really going to take us home?” Marzi found it hard to accept that the path home would soon appear in front of her.

  The moon had barely cleared the horizon. The ogres, as directed by Myhrren, had brought up a clear crystal that seemed to hold a tinge of yellow. It now sat, situated so that the light from the moon would not enter the large face of the crystal. The god, in the form of a withered human man, reached over and touched the large crystal. “Yes, indeed. When the ogres turn this so that it captures the moonlight, it will form a portal similar to the ones that you had in Pangrove, at the bottom of the slope.”

  Marzi turned toward the gathering of friends. She looked from face to face, trying desperately to burn their images into her mind. Ariessa stood beside Rintaur, whose hand rested on Arien’s shoulder. Beside them, Saryn watched the unfolding event, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Ryshara stood with Virgil while Ellemareth knelt, talking quietly to Tovi. Klunk and the other ogres shuffled about, waiting for direction. And, finally, Ran stood off to himself, arms folded across his chest, and with a rare serious countenance. She was glad they had exchanged their farewells the previous night. She could not have borne to do so with this many people around.

  All was ready. And yet the young Azyrean woman could not bring herself to give the word that would set things in motion. She wanted to go home, but she didn’t want to leave. She had said her goodbyes. There was nothing left but to go. She went to her brother’s side. “It’s time, Tovi. We need to go so that everyone here can get on with their lives.”

  He looked at her with what Marzi was certain was a tear in his eye. He lowered his head. “Okay.”

  She hugged Ellemareth tightly. “I’m going to miss you. And I’m so glad that you didn’t convince Rys to leave me in the forest where she found me.”

  “So am I.” Elle squeezed tighter. “This isn’t goodbye. You will come back, Marzi.”

  Marzi nodded but was too overcome to speak. Finally, she stepped back. “I guess we’d better do this.” She forced a laugh. “Before I change my mind.” She took Tovi by the hand and nodded to Myhrren.

  Klunk gave the signal, and two ogres standing beside the crystal turned it. Within only a fraction of a second, a brilliant white beam erupted from the crystal and spawned a creamy, yellowish white portal just a few meters away. The swirling light stood easily twice Marzi’s height.

  Myhrren gestured toward the portal. “It will last only a short time. You should go.” He took a step toward the two and then knelt beside Tovi. “I shall see you again, my good friend. That I promise you.” Klik chattered his farewell to Myhrren then settled in on Tovi’s shoulder.

  As they started toward the portal, Marzi paused to look back—one last glance at Ran. His was the face she would miss most of all. She checked her brother and saw that his eyes were gleaming with tears. Looking back, Klunk’s face caught her attention. A single tear rolled down his cheek as a weak smile found its way onto his face. He waved.

  Tovi waved back and then wiped his eyes. “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

  The End

  Epilogue

  “The two of you seem smug. You must be quite proud of yourselves.” The figure, surrounded by a brilliant ruby aura, smirked as he considered the other two deities.

  The goddess Valyn, cloaked in emerald green, responded, “Yes, well, you must confess, it went better than we expected.”

  After a moment of silence, Aristan responded, “Perhaps. At least none of our young charges perished. But do you think it wise, in the long run, to sanction the intermarriage of the races. I speak for humans just as the two of you speak for elves and ogres. Who speaks for those that are some of each?”

  Myhrren, always the logical one, pushed back, “What makes you think they need to be spoken for? In our recent experiences, each of us found ourselves interacting with all of the different races at different times. Might there come a day when race does not matter? You, Aristan, may preside over Caravast while I continue to give counsel in Crystal Sands. Valyn, of course, would likely remain in the environs of Menalor. It seems no great leap to me that we simply work with whomever happens to be present in our domains. And with the fading gone, they will become far more diverse than in the past.”

  “Hmph.” The amorphous image of Aristan turned slightly away from the others. “That remains to be seen.” He paused and continued, his voice softer and less biting. “I cannot help but notice, though, the conspicuous absence of any mention of the other problem that ultimately must be dealt with.”

  The sapphire-shrouded Myhrren, responded, with a voice that came out as weary, almost resigned, “Let them enjoy their victory for a while. The matter across the Silver Sea will keep for another time.”