UPON THE WONDERING WORLD
Cue 11 – The River Revalie
‘BY FOOT WAS THE BEST OPTION,’ Amalyse had said, 'soft and creeping, quiet and unheard’, for these lands were vast and their habitats for the most part unknown.
In the morn, he did not wake from the penetration of early day but rather came to as he waded through incongruence. The start and end of his days so far were marked by the turmoil and confusion of a subconscious mess, symptoms of a subjective arsonist that lay awake in a dark sleep. Yet he grew illuminated by the sway of his passage down the river. The water’s strange aura breathed life and bore wealth to all; its gentle stream glistened and toiled in the early sunlight, and though the journey would yet be wrought by the malice of fear, it was made splendid by the tarry of the River Revalie down the valleys of the Wondering World. And what beauty did prevail...
The Revalie seemed not hindered by the detail of which one would perceive to form an adequate river. In fact, in some regard it was quite uncharacteristic indeed. In areas, the sides of the water spanned some leagues apart, and the north and south coasts weaved in and out of small isles of tree-hewn mountains and steep cliff faces. Here the river was silent, and it's current soft and gentle as mild winds poured in from the south. In other parts, the river grew narrow and unruly, gushing violently and relentlessly down rapids of sharp rock and hewn sand stone. Nonetheless, it was always a spectacle, and if it's passage east was not enough to cause marvel, then its shores surely would. Their path would take them through the Everglades of the Nyrithran valley to the foot of the mountains of Romalia, and whilst their journey through the morning had already taken toll on their energy levels, the day was still young and adventurous.
Having only been aquatinted with the image of the men upon the grit of the Ionbach Inn, it had been such a splendour to gaze upon the glint of gold and silver that lie abreast their magnificent bodies as they set foot on the journey. Maxiel wore tidings of black. His arms were girt by clasps of silver, and on a thick belt, the shimmering gold pommel of his sword, Eldora, gleamed proudly in the early sunlight. Beneath his robes was a hauberk that could be seen as his robes swayed in the wind, and a crest wrought upon the collar, an emblem similar to the ones he had seen in Elroen.
Ethorin and Thuor were similarly girt, yet in deep brown and black tidings, beneath cloaks of ashen-red and green. Ethorin bore with him an axe, and a shield that shone blue and silver in the sun; Thuor held close a bow; it was five feet tall and it's bow tied ruthlessly around the wooden ends. He sheathed behind a short blade girt with crimson feathers and a quiver of black arrows with golden tips. Toiling from within his rough golden hair were thin braids and feathers from the wings of eagles and swans.
Eadrik looked to him much like a mad scientist. His short brown hair was unruly and his glasses made his eyes look like light bulbs. He wore elegant robes masked overall in an old and haggard blue hood. A short sword sat idle at his side, but he did not seem overtly concerned with it, nor did he show any pride in it, but he marveled instead at various gadgets and maps that he carried with him.
The Wanderer wore the white shirt and brown pants he had awoken with in the forest the day before. The locket sat sweetly on his chest and swayed gently, glistening on the occasions when it met with the suns marvelous gaze. The gold metal was cold on his skin but its smooth round surface was a welcome comfort. It was fastened securely, yet every so often he would touch his chest to ensure its presence.
He knew it not, but in that hour he appeared as a true Wanderer of the West, whose path was gilt by the reverence of light and heart proffered valor by the shadow; and though they may yet walk into darkness, as it was doomed to be, his heart leant him the courage to stride forward in gladness.
* * *
Nearing a quarter to eleven in the morning, it had become all too clear that they had passed from the gaze of Elroen's last sentries. The rivers passage eastward had led them from the low coastlands unto a rising dell of parched tree lands and rocky gutters. Stone formations freckled the hills and small pockets of trees stood upon ridges of green grass, and although the river fell narrow and into great winding depths, it did not prove difficult to follow. If one thing was certain on such an adventure, while there was no forest to steer nor mountain range to scale, their passage east would be easy to navigate, but that was until they did indeed come by such forests and mountains ranges, and it would not be such an adventure if they did not. Still yet, he was finding it hard enough to manage the gentle slopes of the foothills let alone a mountainside, and panted heavily as he tottered along well behind the rest of the group. Even Eadrik walked some metres in front, whose tiny legs would often fail him from his intellectual conversations with his close companion Maxiel. He found himself watching him as he murmured unremittingly under his breath. It proved difficult to piece together his incoherent ramble, but he gathered from the position of his glasses on the tip of his nose and his gaze up and down from the sun to peculiar watches, compasses and gadgets that he pulled from every inch of his jacket, that he was considering elements of their journey. Weather, time and perhaps conducting experiments and taking note of peculiar observations that he made of the journey thus far.
He thought of Eadrik in terms of what the offspring of Sherlock Holmes and a gypsy woman would be like, ever so smart and resourceful, but of a breed far too unusual and quirky to take seriously. He had already grown to admire him, and that was all that could be said for Ethorin and Thuor. Perhaps he did not yet understand their arrogance, or maybe he just loathed the way they both boasted around Amalyse, boasting of their grand adventures of great peril and glory. They were so proud and dignified, witty and crude, but they too he had grown to love, for in jealousy he would wish himself but twelve inches taller and ten times as broad so he could walk with the same pride, and cast as mighty a shadow as they both did.
In front, he could hear Amalyse speak of the Shadowthralls and their movements. They had last been encountered on the plains of Phelham and had been known to travel through water, thus their concern as they travelled alongside the river. Further down shore, the sides of the river had begun to show signs of age and wrinkled as it met with the endless foothills of the Nyrithran Valley.
They continued down this route for some hours until the hills were not many, and the earth lent upward toward the sun. They had thus passed through the flowering meadows of the Revalie and were upon the wild-lands of the Wondering World. Here, over the edge of the wild, the earth fell away and the Cloud Hoppers endured. The hills rose and rose until no more could they climb, and then away with waterfalls they fell into the sky. The Cloud Hoppers lived here, upon winds and clouds that drift through the air, and it is here they call the great southern seas of the Wondering World; the Land of the Birds.
They climbed higher and higher out of the midst of the Nyrithran valley and the winds begun to whistle violently through the remaining trees. They heard the winds of sundering seas, and heard the clouds rumble as waves upon white beaches. There were flocks of birds in all their kinds and lidless stars that shone still and white in the blue skies above.
The party flecked the green highway with spots of brown and black, and lumbered slowly and with great awe up the hill until they reached a last wall of stone. Here, the Revalie River, whom had already pushed thus far up the slope, rose up and over the small crag with but one last and mighty feat, glimmering in the morning sun as it defied the very laws of gravity that governed it. Each stood in awe as they peered up at what was perhaps a waterfall when time had turned, and felt the stumble of an unreal country before them.
To the left and right of the water, the limestone cliff had broken away and remnants of ancient rock lay sprawled across the foot of the wall. Amongst the rocks lay broken statues of grand men and golden archways wicker with ancient markings and runes. There lay a sign beside the river with the words 'The Southern Seas of The Wondering World' shining bright as brand new, and perplexed, the Wanderer turned and asked,
'Is there some sort of sea or ocean here Eadrik?'
'There is neither nor,' Eadrik replied, 'This is the home of the Cloud Hoppers.' He looked back at Eadrik still perplexed and Eadrik smiled. They took to climbing the wall...
Up and up they climbed the rocky cliff face. They used whatever they could unearth in their packs to help them; pots and pans, knives and forks, and what rope they could find to secure themselves onto various ledges and tree roots that protruded from the cliff face. Eadrik was the quickest. He was small and agile, and his small hands made it easy for him to grab hold of certain holes and cracks in the limestone walls. He was the first to disappear beyond the threshold of the crag and into the clouds. The brothers, however, found it more difficult. They made their way clumsily up and often down, slipping and sliding, and leaving behind a trail of falling rocks and debris which served only to make everyone else's climb harder.
'What is this!' Ethorin cried out.
'We are not climbers brother,' Thuor replied from slightly above, 'the Gods could not give us every skill,' he furthered with a weary smile.
The others did their best to keep their distance, climbing some fair way behind the trail of destruction Ethorin and Thuor left, and each at their own pace. The Wanderer tried to keep up with Amalyse, who climbed with ease, pausing for brief moments to gaze back west over the green valleys before continuing to traverse the wall. As a boy, he had always loved to climb and thus had no trouble now as he followed Amalyse up the rocky crag, but every so often his foot would slip and
he would be regrettably reminded of how big a fall lay below, and that was enough to humble even the most skilled of climbers.
he would be regrettably reminded of how big a fall lay below, and that was enough to humble even the most skilled of climbers.
After a good half hour of climbing, most of them had finally reached the peak of the cliff, joined later by a panting Ethorin and a bruised Thuor. Each peered out over the edge of the World with delight; the clouds rolled like seas and the winds like waters. The streams of the Revalie fell in numbering falls into the great sky below, and all around their mists rose sweet and gentle.
There was no such sign or gate that told the way and so they sat for a quiet moment to drink and regain their strength. It seemed that they sat upon the threshold of the end of the world.
Fifty feet to their right there was a rock that sat upon the edge of a set of stairs that carved its way down the opposing cliff face, leading into the clouds below. For a moment the company all stood in wondering, for the lands here were not always as they had been, and changed, as do seasons of thought.
Relieved that they did not face another hard climb, the company started down the stairway, wary and wondering about what awaited below.
'Surely we cannot hope to walk on the clouds,' Thuor asked.
'You must know little of these lands then Thuor,' replied Maxiel.
'This realm is strange and beautiful, so wait and let your wondering eyes wonder less until they must,' he furthered.
'The end of the stairs is near,' Amalyse pointed out.
As they disappeared yet again under another layer of clouds, all became clear and wonderful. Below was indeed an ocean, but an ocean of lands amongst sweet mists and waters. The sky above was low and the clouds all around gathered in parties between patches of bright blue sky.
All the lands below weaved in and about the billowing deeps, and there were people who walked in a village that sprawled across small islands connected by bridges and walkways. This was one of the last dwellings of men before the Great Forest of Nhyma, and its people were of close kin with those of Elroen.
Now, the Cloud Hopper's were not how you might expect, in fact, they were not at all how he imagined, but were people as you and I. Their name, 'The Cloud Hopper's' derived simply from their dwelling under the great Southern Clouds, and perhaps their ability to move them. Indeed, each cloud was different; there was one for rain, and another for thunder, others for shade and others for beauty. There was a cloud to suit every aspect of life, and each and every one of them was used to their upmost. The thunderclouds gave electricity; the rain - fresh water and nourishment; the shady clouds kept the people cool, and the many others did many other wonderful things.
'It is not magic,' Eadrik explained, 'it is the wind... I have better thought of these people as the Wind People,' he laughed, 'because the skies are so low here, they are able to move clouds with windmills.'
'They are a strange sort,' Amalyse added, 'but perhaps they can provide us some food and rest before we set off again for Nhyma,' she explained.
The mention of the word 'rest' was welcomed loudly by the company and they set upon following Amalyse through the
intertwining walkways and bridges and into the heart of the misty city.
intertwining walkways and bridges and into the heart of the misty city.
They walked for a while through what seemed like a maze of roads and bridges,
'I'm sure it was this way,' Amalyse said to herself,
'No, I distinctly remember it being...' Thuor was quick to cut Eadrik off and said to him quietly, 'It would be wise to keep quiet on this matter Eadrik, women are not often wrong on these subjects, or such that they cannot be told.'
Eadrik laughed.
But surely enough, and not so that Eadrik would admit, Amalyse had led them finally into the upper most courtyard of the city, and all around the mists lengthened.
'Ah! Long has it been since you set foot here, Maxiel son of Theodon,' said a voice that spoke from the mists. 'Where does thou duty call,' the man continued.
A tall man walked out from the shadows and into the courtyard. 'It is wonderful to see you again Maxiel,' the man said, 'even if it is these dark times that bring us together.'
'Indeed Artemis, the darkness cannot be such bad then,' he replied with a smile.
Artemis laughed.
Artemis was a tall fellow with long dark hair, much like his brother's. His arms were long and his posture royal as he greeted his brother with a great cheer.
'Orion's sons are still with you I see,' he observed, 'more boisterous than ever I presume' he furthered with a gentle nod at the brothers who were in due fashion fighting amongst themselves. 'Ah! And my Amalyse, you are as beautiful as ever!' He said as he bowed.
'It is good to see you again Artemis,' she blushed.
He turned again to Maxiel, 'Why are you here brother?' 'The shadows over the mountains,' Maxiel said looking East. 'What can you tell me about them...'
