Chapter 7

Marissa had only been outside of Ducann for the occasional school related trip. And when they did leave the confines of the large city, the students only visited the nearby forests and country sides. Never had she visited any other cities other than Ducann, and she had not been back to the desert lands that she once called home.

The trail map handed to her by the stable hand, Jeremiah, led south through the dense jungle that lined the southern border of Ducann. She would then have to detour far west towards a mountain pass that slowly winded its way down the Fontail Chasm. Once she reached the bottom and revisited the desert of old, she would have to rely on a compass and Faerun's innate skill in order to travel across the great desert. Only then would she be able to reach Takait and complete the first half of this mission.

She had ridden Faerun a few times before they came upon this journey, and so she felt comfortable in his presence. Training with regards to horses was standard for members of the Holy Protectorate. She had learned to ride just a few months after joining the Ducann School full time, and it came naturally to her. That was, of course, if the horse was willing.

Faerun was an odd little horse, much like the young mage. Both of them were quiet, reserved, as well as independent. On more than one occasion riders attempting to tame Faerun were booted from their seats and onto the ground below. He wasn't always a troublemaker as some untamed horses tended to be, but he wasn't the easiest of creatures to ride either.

Marissa was one of the few who had both the patience and skill to successfully ride the black Appaloosa. She tended to favor the young stud, and always looked forward to his company. And so it was with much pleasure and good fortune, that she had been able to secure her favorite horse for this trip.

As the duo traveled down a winding path leading through the forest, they cautiously watched the surroundings as they passed. A narrow trail had been sloppily cut into the jungle brush: half of it traversable, and half that was quickly being reclaimed by the forest. The particular trail which they found themselves on was never used by large caravans. Instead it was used occasionally by small groups of travelers. Cargo definitely was not something you wanted to take down this mysterious path. Nothing in the forest was known to be dangerous, but things changed quickly in this world. For this reason it always paid to be careful.

At first Marissa had been fearful of this unexpected trip, but as they made their way along she slowly started to come to terms with it. "I suppose it's healthy to get out of Ducann once in a while. I really shouldn't keep myself tied down inside of her walls. There is just so much to learn!

"Maybe I'll find some new knowledge of my way... Yes, yes, that would be most appeasing."

The light of the morning sun barely shone through the thick brush. Thick mist hovered high in the air, clouding the canopy above. The jungle was teaming with innumerous creatures and other bits of life. Loud bird calls echoed from the tall tropical branches. The young mage had never seen half of the plants or flora crowding their path. Giant emerald leaves draped over the trail, many tipped with brightly colored flowers pleading for pollination. Large winged bugs with spherical eyes were more than happy to oblige. It seemed as though the entire forest was alive. Even though Marissa only had the company of her horse, she did not feel alone in this place.

The air was sweet and soothing, and it was also very moist and wet. Portions of Faerun's coat were soaked and partially matted. The young horse wasn't a fan of the humidity, but he didn't show his disdain. Marissa was indifferent to this foreign environment as well. "At least it isn't the desert," she thought. Tiny beads of moisture dripped from her thin black bangs.

After four sweaty hours had passed, they came to the end of the jungle trail. The sky was now open and visible, and the air was slightly drier. In addition, the sheer cliff of the chasm's northern face was easily apparent. The lush green land of the forest floor seemed to stretch out only a few feet in front of them, with the grassy road ending abruptly in midair.

Below their position was a gigantic flat plane filled with tans and browns. All that was visible beyond this point was the great Fontail Desert. It spanned across the entire horizon as far as the eye could see. The dust filled land down below also felt an immeasurable distance away. The duo felt like they had come to the end of the world, and in a way they had.

An unsettling feeling trickled down the mages back. She was brought backwards in time and into her past. Memories of life prior to the Church seeped into her mind. The girl began to daydream.

Faerun's eyes caught the start of the descending trail and he headed for its entrance. A single lane had been crudely carved into the rocky face. The horse began to take cautious steps down the path.

The trail seemed to be both narrow, as well as wide in spots. The width of the road depended on what the ancient engineers had chosen to do. The path carefully hugged the cliff face, and its single lane zigzagged down into nothingness.

As Marissa had read, the mountain pass predated the great Fontail Elevator. In fact it had been used heavily during the elevator's construction. The only other method for descending down the cliff was a wider roadway located further east; further east by several hundred miles. Regardless, the trail worked well for a single traveler and this path would do just fine.

The climate changed drastically as the duo made their way slowly down the pass. The once humid and slightly cool air made way for a dry and hot experience. An environment that the young mage had once been accustomed to was now very strange. A feeling of dehydration fell over her, and it felt as if her skin was baking in the hot sun. Marissa would give anything to be back inside the swampy climate of the jungle, or anywhere else than here.

The mage and her steed continued the long trek down the mountain. Not once during this entire trip had she encountered another person. It was solely her and her horse, and their simple delivery. When the pair had reached the bottom, the sun had already begun to set to the west.

"How are you feeling Faerun? Are you as tired as I am of this heat already? It is hard to believe that I once called this area home.

"I suppose we should find shelter, if Jeremiah's map is correct there should be a settlement just a little ways south over those dunes. How about one final jaunt before we end this day?"

The horse made no sound.

"I suppose that isn't a 'yes', and that isn't a 'no'… and I suppose I am talking to a horse. Not like you can understand me. Oh well, off we go."

Marissa could see the settlement's tents just a few minutes after leaving the shadow of the chasm. A simple village had been built around a center structure, probably a well. Cattle and oxen lined the outskirts, each tied to another with long ropes. The once white fabric tents were now stained by the orange desert sands. A few people could be seen walking around the camp, mostly getting their belongings back inside their dwellings. No wind was blowing over the dunes and so the outpost was calm and quiet. She could hear a few voices echoing across the sands.

A man wearing heavy linen garments walked up to the duo. He spoke to the woman on horseback, "Hello, what brings you to our camp on this eve?"

The shy Marissa struggled to speak, "Hello, uh, I'm looking… I'm looking for a place to camp for the evening, if that is possible. Myself and my… my horse need some rest."

"Came down the Saladden pass I see? Come from the north?"

"Yes, from the town of Ducann."

"And your business is this desolate place is…?"

"I have been tasked with a delivery to Takait."

"Takait, that is far from here. A day's travel at the least. You may stay here for a fee. Water is scarce in these parts, miss. But you'll find that we will not gouge you of your entire purse."

"Agreed. Where might your stables be?"

The man pointed to the opposite end of the camp. "Over there. My brother should be able to assist your companion there. When you are done with that, you may get some food from the main building in the center there."

The timidness that had overwhelmed Marissa left her body. Relieved that she had been able to actually hold a conversation, she headed to the opposite side of the camp. Once there she took Faerun to the stables and made arrangements for his care. Once she was satisfied with his affairs, she headed for the center building.

The structure was larger than she initially thought. Thousands of adobe bricks had been used to create the dwelling. Long wooden beams protruded from the roof of the building, apparently placed there for support.

Once she had walked inside the structure, she was surprised to find that it was an inn. A group of about fifteen men and women were inside the main room socializing. A female server was also walking between them and delivering meals. A desk in behind the group was manned by a single young girl.

With a bit more money, the young mage secured a room for a single nights stay. She went to the back of the building, dropped her belongings into her room, and came back out to the center area.

A waitress motioned for her to come and sit down with the rest of the group. The room had been arranged with numerous large pillows surrounding a single low lying table. No chairs could be seen anywhere in the room. A few of the individuals within the room were sitting haphazardly on their seats, with most of them were sitting on their sides.

Instinctively, Marissa chose a pillow, knelt down by crossing her legs, and sat down. The method in which she did it caught the attention of an older woman sitting to her left.

The woman spoke, "You do not look to be from here, yet you sit in the same customary manner? Have you been to this area before my dear?"

"Yes mam," Marissa didn't elaborate. She motioned for a stoneware cup from the nearby table. Using a pitcher of water, she poured herself a drink.

The curiosity of the woman was further peaked. She squinted and the wrinkles around her eyes grew. "I feel like you are familiar, but then you are not. What is your name?"

"Marissa," she said plainly before she took a drink.

"Marissa…? Marissa…? Marissa!!" The woman became extremely excited. "Marissa!"

A sensation of fear and panic brushed past the young woman's body. She was attracting unwanted attention.

"Marissa, my dear! Marissa! I haven't seen you in ages!"

By now a few of the other people within the inn turned to look at the blushing girl. Slowly they too began to remember who she might be.

The elder woman crawled over to the embarrassed girl and threw her arms around her. "My dear Marissa, it is wonderful to see you again. You were but a babe when I saw you last."

A distinct memory popped into Marissa's head. She pictured a lady who looked slightly younger than the woman currently hugging her. The woman in her dream was giving the younger Marissa a small basket of feathers. A great big smile grew over both the Marissa in her dream, as well as the one in the inn.

Marissa spoke, "Tatanna?"

The woman smiled. "You do remember me! You do remember me my dear! And after all of this time we thought we had lost you. Praise to God that he saw it within his graces to bring us together again. It brings warmth to my heart to hold you again." Her squeezing became even tighter.

Marissa scanned the room. One by one she recognized additional familiar faces. In her mind she called out their names, "Bogun, Botrun, Tabitha!"

"My dear, what in Heaven have you been up to? We knew you had been taken to the north, but from there it is a mystery."

An imaginary shell over Marissa shattered. No longer did she feel shy and reserved in this desert inn. Almost immediately her temperament changed and she was answering the woman's questions.

"Well, I was taken to Ducann. There is a school there. I am a mage now, part of the Holy Protectorate, well almost… not yet anyway…"

"A mage? A mage! Glory be, I knew that you were special my dear, but this is amazing!"

Botrun chimed in, "Very impressive, Marissa. Very impressive indeed. So what brings you back to the desert?"

"I have a task… I am traveling to Takait. I have to deliver an item to for the Church."

Tatanna was still beaming. "Look at that my dears, our Marissa has already been given an important assignment even at this young age."

Bogun joined the conversation, "I hope you have a sturdy horse, the ride further south won't be any fun. You do have a horse don't you? I hope you don't plan on walking…"

"Yes, I have a horse. So silly for you to think that I don't, Bogun." She threw a devilish smile towards her old friend. He laughed.

"Have you eaten yet?" Tatanna asked.

"Well not yet, I just got in…"

"We'll have to change that," Tabitha replied. "I'll go get us some soaked beef and bread. You'll need as much as you can get to get to Takait quick enough. Besides, look at how thin you are. We need to fatten you up!"

For the next several hours, Marissa and her old friends reminisced about the years gone by. They spoke of Bogun's marriage, the construction of the inn, Marissa's training, and a multitude of different topics. It seemed like they could have talked until dawn if given the chance.

When Marissa had finally decided to turn in, she went to sleep with a smile on her face. Happiness filled her dreams that evening, and she slept very soundly on her straw bed. Where once she had feared, she now felt content. The knowledge that she still had friends, and that they remembered her, carried her long through the night up until the sun rose the next morning.

Continue reading onto Chapter 8