The transition felt smooth, but the mind had to adjust to the surreality of the new planet. Like a flash of memory, two days passed right before his eyes. The terms of ‘night’ and ‘day’ were definitive and much like those on Earth. After being in tune with the connection to Nature for as long as his people have been, instincts came innately. The beautiful blue-green sun hung like a ball of ocean water in the Northern skies. The atmosphere seemed to be much like the Earth’s, very rich in breathable air, although it tasted differently. The very essence of this new place was revitalizing and energetic. The Gaia that lived here at the center of this planet was many times stronger and younger than that on the one he left only moments ago.

The fanged stone face with bright glowing eyes still burned in his vision everytime Paca Bowinghead blinked his eyes. From the time Prana burst through him to rival the light coming through the top of Palenque to the moment he opened his eyes no more than a second later, it felt like an eternity of meditation. The stone carved snake had been his focus for only a moment, but it constricted his mind ravenously, as though it held the Gates of Return open for him. Though it was days before the rest of his people followed and that this was only a test, he was more compelled to stay and explore the New World.

Looking down at himself, Bowinghead found himself to be completely nude of paint or clothing. “Qué pasa si estoy muerto?” What if I’m dead, he inquired to himself. Doubting that he really traveled at all, he thought to return while the Serpiente still connected him to Earth. It would only be moments more before the chance had passed him by.  Though fear began to consume him, he thought better of it.

This time, aloud, “Este es el plano heredado de mi pueblo.” This is the inherited plane of my people. The tall yellow-green grass stretched over softly rolling hills and undulated in the gentle breeze like long feathers as if the plainlands agreed with him. At was at that moment La Serpiente faded from his mind- signalizing his motion to begin exploring his new home. He would change his name to Primero El Pie in celebration of being the first person on the world to breathe of its air. That moist, youth-giving air that would fill his undying Mayan lungs for the rest of eternity. Ah, to walk with the gods he worshiped for so long.

Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in his left calf muscle. Slowly dropping his head, he became shocked to find a strangely shaped spearhead poking through his flesh. Defying the scream that impeded through his body, he limped as he turned to point the spear back in the direction from which it came. His attacker stood three feet from the ground and had a wingspan twice its height. It looked female, but was in no way gentle with its approach.

“Hod rait vikos? Vikos rait hanya dels rhesh!” The little olive green female was screaming. Before his palms faced the creature apologetically, the grass far behind her stirred to life. There were two others of her kind hidden in the grass, and they were coming to her aid. Paca guessed that he would bleed to death if the spear wasn’t pulled out soon and the wound was bandaged. He winced not only from the horrible pain in his leg, but also of the knowledge that this alien place was no afterlife for his people. It would be their death. The Mayan culture would not find a resting place until thier return to Earth; they would find genocide… Bowinghead was sure of that.

The companions of the green creature arrived. These two looked more masculine and seemed more confused than angry. “Hod reu veyos?” The smaller of the two rescuers asked the much taller female something and gingerly pointed his own spear at Paca. It looked at the Mayan and spoke slowly after the female put her hand on her forehead. “Heg vikos faras Utan’ gis Vexos?”

Paca kept silent, but looked down at his leg. The male creature’s eyes followed the strange man’s gaze and finally took notice of the female’s spear. Immediately, the male spun around and made a loud, shrill, hissing noise at the female. She bowed her head. Paca noticed then that the male creature’s wings were not his own. There was a relatively large winged insect on his back with its mouthparts penetrating the back of the swampy green man’s neck. The wings spasmed as he hissed. The other male came to the Mayan and urged him down on his knees. Paca turned his head and saw that this one was rubbing the insect’s thorax while holding it over the entry wound. A yellow syrup dripped onto the area and his leg went completely numb. Carefully poking his own spear near the current injury, the larger male tested the mayan’s sense of feeling. with no response from Paca, the spear was removed and thrown aside. Searching his own clothing, which appeared to be made from cloth-like leaves, the small man tore off two yellow ones and a long vine. While the leaves were placed onto the man’s leg and were held in place by the vine-string, the smaller male was speaking to the female quietly. After a few moments, she knelled and put her face to the ground, arms stretched out in front of her. Her insect detached itself from its host’s back and flew off. The female seemed to go limp, but did not fall over.

The smaller male came over and viewed the progress that the larger one was making. Then, looking at the Mayan, he opened his hands, palms up, and placed his fingertips to his chest. “Vika rei Ra’ toh.”

The mayan looked into the bright greenish-yellow eyes of the small man and pointed at him. “Vika rei–”

“Neya Neya.” The little one waved his hands in a negatory manner. “Ra’toh”, he said while pointing to himself again.

Paca pointed to the little man again and repeated, “Ra’ toh”.

“Vikos rait….?” This time, pointing to the Mayan. Paca guessed that the little man was trying to gain his name.

“Paca. Me llamo Paca Cediendo La Cabeza.” The Mayan’s voice trembled. I am called Paca the Bowing Head.

“Pah-kah… me……. yam.. yahmoh Sehdi-indoh…” Ra’toh had trouble saying the entire name. “Pahkah.” He rolled his head slightly forward as he said it. He’s trying to be sure he said it right. The mayan nodded in agreement. Then, “Pahkah, veili reu Voy’Brakken.” He was pointing to the large male this time, who was still tending Paca’s wounds. “Voy’Brakken”.

“Voy’Brakken.” Paca was looking at the larger yellow male as he repeated the word. Voy’brakken acknowledged only by looking up at the clay coloured man with his brownish-orange eyes. Though this one was gentle with his work on the wound, he didn’t seem as friendly as Ra’toh.

There was a droning sound in the distance, coming from the direction that the female’s insect flew off, though nothing was visible yet. It was getting louder. Suddenly, there were two black dots on the horizon. “Rhessi” Ra’toh said, pointing at the dots which were steadily getting larger. Paca could see the one that left before arriving sooner than the one he could now tell was behind it. Far behind it. Paca was guessing this one was large enough to devour all four of the people there in the plain with great ease. He was right. The monstrous insect didn’t even slow in its flight as it neared the company. While the smaller one was engaging itself to its female host, the large one swooped down and scooped a screaming Paca from the ground. The barbed legs felt like solid metal, although the insect’s grip on the man was tolerable. It held him in a cage-like manner. He could see the other three now taking flight and passing the massive Mayfly. They were taking him to their home. While Paca doubted an immediate death from the conversation he had with Ra’toh, he was assured that his life would never be the same- no matter how long he lived after this moment.

*

“Why did you spear that man-creature, Sehd’toh?” Ra’toh wasn’t as furious as he sounded.

“He just appeared. One moment, I was hunting Vins, the next, he was sitting there. He frightened me. I thought he was a Skal’ah Monk.” They were still flying to the Nyphallatess, the main city’s stronghold. The grass and occasional tree passed beneath them in very little time. It would take a few moments to come to the jagged Moltwood Hills yet, and many more to get to the Nyphallatess. The Nifyles flew much faster without the nymphs attached to them, but it still took some time to get from the stronghold to the hunting grounds.

“Come now! He hasn’t a tail nor tusks!! He was nude and without markings or jewels! And his colour- far to colorful to be Skal’ah!” Her lack of self integrity made him furious. Still, he calmed down. The Dark Man was repaired and would be dealt with accordingly once at the Nymphallatess. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the likes of him, but he was afraid and willing to establish communication.”

“I didn’t know that! I wasn’t going to leave that to chance either!” She retorted because she knew it was what her heart felt.

“You’re scary enough even without your spear, Huntress of Nude Man Creatures. I will tell him that is your name and spread your exploits among the city!”

“YOU DARE NOT!” Sehd’toh was Ra’toh’s sister, which afforded her the right to speak to him like that, no matter his lofty guard status. “If you say that is my name in the barracks, it will bring me shame for hunting something we cannot eat. Even though the Warfyles could, it is not my profession to feed those things! And besides, I am not scary.”

“When was the last time you put fresh Fah’reeds in your hair? Those things are ghastly! And you smell like Vin carapace!” He was just poking fun at his sister now. They were ruthless to each other as children and it’s a reputation that he wasn’t interested in losing with her. Nevertheless, she was distracted, looking behind herself at the Dark Man. She seemed that she felt half fear, half curiosity.

“How do you know he isn’t dangerous?” It seemed her fear was the part that decided to speak.

“I don’t; but without weapons or prana, he is weak to us. It doesn’t matter. Besides, he will be in the middle of our strongest when we arrive. I think his name is Pahkah.”

“Wait, you spoke to the Dark Man?! What language does he speak?!” Sehd’toh was yelling, but it was excitement and curiosity that drove her questions. She finally caught on that Ra’toh was trying to tell her that he spoke with him.

“Yes, I spoke to him. His language seems primative. I’ve never heard it before this day. The way his words are formed, they are smooth… like Nifyle Milk or Hymnissa Sap. But it is surely a new language. I could not understand it.”

His tone sounded both egotistical and curious to Sehd’toh. At best, this man would be a matter of personal study for the alchemists, historians and linguists. Funny, she thought to herself, one has to be either a creature of great honor or an emissary of a violent race to come before these classes. Which will Pahkah be?

THE NYMPHALLATESS

The Mayfly captor that carried Paca had to hover and slowly drop into the deep pit in which the creatures lived. The walls of the chasm were lined with black and seemingly razor-sharp thorns on all sides. It would be impossible to lower a rope down these walls and climb down to the floor without sustaining massive injuries or even death. No way in, no way out- unless you had wings your mind was in control of. The insect that carried Paca gained much respect from the Mayan because of its precision in its decent. There was no doubt that it was intelligent on its own, no matter what kind of training and domestication it endured to become adopted by these creatures.

The next defensive measure that was met was the underground forest. Thick and lush, the canopy hid the city from view. The only way to gain access was around the edges of the bottlenecked city. It proved to be easy enough, as the crowning briars were both dulled and thinned at this level. The large mayfly picked up speed and flew towards one edge of the wall to clear the canopy. Below, the trees were much taller than Paca anticipated. If someone managed to clear the thorns, they would have no way of knowing that there would be this far of a drop still to go.

Once in view of the city, the Mayan realized how much this civilization depended on the insect life. They were the workers and guards. They were integrated into the very bodies of the villagers. No doubt that the insects also provided food, whether it was nectar or the meat beyond the near impenetrable exoskeletons. As far as Paca saw, the villagers were dressed in three types of clothing. The first was what was seen on the female creature and the larger male, Voy’Brakken. They wore strong yet supple leaves bound together by vines and reeds. The second was the armor that Ra’toh wore, which was comprised of dense insect shells and was held together by the thick tissues normally wrapping the plate around the original insect. It interested Paca considerably, because they had found a way to shape both the shells and tissue to fit the shape of the wearer’s personal contours.

As Paca was lowered softly to the ground, he was able to identify the cloth they wore. Silk. Fibers normally made by spiders and silk worms for both protection and the capturing of prey. Though the silk garments flowed gracefully around the wearers, the sound it made along the ground was heavy like pounds of burlap. The man imagined that, whether the clothing was loose or tailored to fit, it would make better armor than leather and bone, as his people had used. Clothing was quickly becoming the least of his concerns.

The Mayfly was now climbing one of the burly posts of Paca’s confines and more creatures were distracted from their everyday activities to take notice of the strange man. The question that Ra’toh first asked the female was being repeated over and over again. The mayan could only assume that “Hod veyos reu” meant ‘what is it’ or ‘what is that’. He chose not to speak, but to close his eyes and meditate. He hoped that he would be given at least a loin cloth. The shelter of prana quickly shrouded him and muffled the inquires beyond the cell. Even the massive mayfly was quickly removed from his current state of reality. All that mattered now was to make himself known to the Gaia of this world and to let her know that the rest of his people were coming. He would ask her to make them feel welcome and to keep them safe.

Blackness turned even darker for the Mayan, then black gave way to the darkest blue. Then a smoke blue-white light washed over him. He was in the center of this world, deep inside a spherical cavern with no physical openings. It was this cave that kept Gaia cool and alive in the center of the delicately woven planet’s layers. She was ultimately the core, not the sun nor molten rock at the inmost of each planet. Here, it was as temperate and bright as a windless spring day back on Earth and as calming as the love found in Paca’s wife’s eyes.

“Gaia. I am Paca Bowinghead, a servant of Gaia on Earth. Hear me now.”

<Paca Bowinghead of Earth, Logos-Anima welcomes you. I trust your travels were safe?>

“They were, Gaia. I have come to ask for the safety of my people, who have not arrived yet. I ask that they may find sustenance on your world.”

<I know that they have yet to alight. You are the only one of your kind here. Because I feel love, respect, honor and a willingness to grow inside of you, Paca Bowinghead of Earth, I will guide them personally to land yet inhabited. There will be food and water there, and animals to hunt. If you are the emissary of your people, I will offer them the means that I cannot provide for you at this moment. If they are as you are, they will live peacefully in my care until they can sustain themselves.>

“Thank you Gaia, for your patience in listening to my pleas for the Mayan people.”

<You believe yourself to be short lived, Paca Bowinghead of Earth. Among the mighty nymphs, you are safe if you can demonstrate the same love, respect, honor and willingness to grow to them. Your path will not end with these people. Your life will be apportioned to the other four races on my planet before you return to your own.>

“You will keep me from death before finding my people?”

<Although it is my purpose for you, there is a fifth race on my planet that is outside of my predominance. By finding the Dragons, your lifespan will be solely determined by you, Paca Bowinghead of Earth. The land on which they live is guarded from my influence. I have two matters of advice for you. Choose your alliances well and do your best to avoid the Dragonlands.>

“I will take this advice to heart, Gaia. Is there anything else that you would ask of your servant?”

<Not at this time, Paca Bowinghead of Earth. I have asked of you more than you can imagine as it is. If my purpose for you increases, you will know. I live in the sincere and grateful hearts of every race, save the Dragons. Should my will need to reach you, you will know my servants. Be safe, Paca Bowinghead of Earth.>

Paca awoke to being prodded at and shaken. “Reu veyos Lasa? Hod hegai vika hege?” Someone was shouting from above him. Not only were the voices and bustling were inside his cell, but outside also. It seemed to Paca that while he was meditating, more of the villagers concerned themselves with him.

Another voice, “Vika neya hegai far!”

At this, Paca opened his eyes. The creature was light blue-green like the sun and had yellow eyes. Her eyes seemed to have their own light when she looked at him. She was the owner of the first voice. “Hourun raits vikosi? De lasheste vikosi?” She was asking him questions.

Then Ra’toh spoke from behind him. “Veili neya vikanen fara hanya. For’ della teshi.” The blue female stood up and backed away from Paca. Then to him, “Veyos reu Shei Rhessi.” Pointing to the female, again he said, “Shei Rhessi.”

“Shei Rhessi.” The Mayan looked up at her as he said it. She was the most beautiful of the creatures he’s seen yet. Her skin nearly glowed as much as her eyes did. She also did not have an insect attached to her.

“Saiade”. She nodded. Then he noticed that she had marks all over her, but couldn’t place where he’d seen them before. Sitting up, he still looked up at her and reached for her hand. Shei Rhessi turned to Ra’toh, confused and perhaps a little apprehensive. Ra’toh nodded at her and drew his blade just a little to let Paca know not to try anything.

She offered her hand to paca, who grabbed her fingertips as gently as he could and looked at the skin on her forearm. There was a woodgrain pattern imprinted on her flesh. He touched where he saw the grain and her skin felt like his. “Estas personas son parte del árbol?” Are these people part tree, he asked himself.

When he spoke, she leaned in closer and looked inquisitive. “Hod?” He could only think that she asked what he was saying.

He stood up and towered over Ra’toh, but she was almost his height, making her the tallest of these creatures he’s met. “Estás medio árbol?” he asked her, trying to emphasize his facial expressions to make him look speculative. Then, he walked over to one of the wooden posts, still nude, and rubbed it softly, then did the same to his arm.

She moved nervously, but excitedly, and pushed Ra’toh’s hand to fully sheath his blade. “Rei vika thyres fah?” She pointed to the wooden post. “Fah.” Then she grabbed a piece of what looked like bread and broke it in two. Holding up one half, she said, “Thyres”. and the same with the other half. Then she put them together and said, “Vadna”. Putting the ‘bread’ down again, she walked to the post and held up her arm. “Thyres nymph,” then pointing at the post, “Thyres fah. Saiade!” She nodded emphatically. Then she held up one finger. “Neyon…”, pointing to Ra’toh, “Neyon neya Ra’toh reu thyres fah!” Picking up the ‘bread’ again, she did the half- half- whole excersize “Thyres, thyres, vadna.” the she threw the halves over her shoulder,  held up her empty hands at shoulder height and shrugged. “Nyellis.” Pointing again at Ra’toh, “Vadna nymph. Nyellis Fah.”

It was Paca’s turn to be excited. He ran to the post, “Thyres fah…” then to Ra’toh, “thyres nymph..” then pointed at her, “Shei Rhessi! Usted es parte del árbol… ” You are part tree!

“Vika rei thyres fah!” I am half tree! Shei Rhessi wasn’t going to tell him that she was part Fah’Voy Ra (tree of war) just yet.

Then he got down on his knees again and bowed. “Gracias.”

She bowed to him. “Rasfir vikosi.”

SHEI RHESSI (OVER THERE)

“It’s amazing how fast Pahkah learns… simply because he is obviously not from here.” She was still looking at the Dark Man when she spoke about him. He was looking at her curiously. “Get this man some clothing and move him to a private cell… away from the prying citizens. Let’s let our guest feel a little dignity.”

“Don’t you think we should speak to the Lord of the Guard first?” Ra’toh suggested.

“No. The Lord of the Guard can wait. I’m taking this project into my own hands. It is important that he learns Dragontongue before he’s bullied around by those that are less…. sympathetic.” She smiled when another guard came back with a leaf robe that would be a little short on him for the meanwhile. If he’s worth the trouble, we’ll have the silk tailors make clothing for him that will be more suitable and of his size.

“As you wish.” Ra’toh would escort the Dark Man himself to the more comfortable cells below the Dictorium. With him residing there, he would still not be able to move around, but at least he would be more accessible for when she has him escorted to the Hall of Diplomacy. There, she would further her teaching of the language that over half the planet speaks and learn as much about his culture as she can. As the Nymph’s primary diplomat, this undertaking would not only further relations of his kind but also any profitable business that the two races may mutually share. While her intentions were good for both races, it would not be the whole of the Nymph people and the Fah’Voy Ra that would agree with her. By now, Ra’toh was pushing his way through the peering crowd as they poked at Pahkah and stood in amazement of the Dark Man. Once they got to the Amber Hall, the crowd would thin to those who were allowed to be there, diplomats, scientists, historians and other official nymphs. For the first time in thousands of Aunnei, the whole of the Castes would be united in the realization of another race. One that was not born with the planets natural evolution.

Although, the dragons were still in debate about that. While they have been so powerful in the area of the world they choose to stay, little history or fact has been found about them, save what the Skal’ah knows. While that is free information for the allies to the Skal’ah, we are not one of them, thought Shei.The only hope of anything being learned about the mortal enemy to every other race on the planet is the Tribe of Hand, but there’s been no valid news of the Tribe from any race. Ah, the Dragons. They are matters of another time and place.

“That’s It!” the Diplomat screamed into the empty hall. She started running to the Dictorium with every measure of speed she could muster, which was faster than any nymph could travel by foot. While a nymph was a formidable foe in war, the attacks almost always came from the air, where they could be out of reach of any arrow. Prana attacks were also dulled by the natural resistance to it the nymphs came with innately. They were Nature’s most powerful insulators of Prana, but they made horrible conductors. While this was good for the most part in defense, they’ve had to rely on Prana as a secondary means to fell an enemy. It took so long for them to absorb it for such explosive use, manners of Prana that the Graes and Skal’ah mastered effortlessly. While this was documented fact among all the races, it is unwise to expect that  a nymph could not produce lethal Prana attacks. The first attack was always the deadliest, if the nymph had time to accumulate the energy over a couple of days. The only advantage the Skal’ah and Grae have alike was the endurance and exceptionally quick regeneration of Prana. Graes, we’ll never have to worry about, however. They’ve been our allies since only one hundred years after the Blackforest War. We’ve fought side by side, Nymph by Grae, in every war since the Treaty of Iber. Most of these ‘wars’ weren’t wars at all. Nothing like the Tribe of Hand’s war with the Dragons over three thousand Aunnei ago. Pahkah…

Her feet did the navigating, dodging and ducking obstacles as they came while she thought. Her mind was that of a Nymph, but her reflexes and endurance were clearly that of a Fah’ Voy Ra. It’s a powerful mix that Nature alone was kind enough to offer. If the Fah Sciences failed when they impregnated my mother, she’d have a tree growing out of her to this day. I’m a gift, only 12 Aunnei old, representing the loose alliance of the Nymphs and the Fah’Voy Ra exactly that long ago. If I survived the pregnancy, the Fah would embrace the Nymphs. While it was almost primative and barbaric of them to form a treaty like that, it has come to mutual benefits of knowledge, trade and that common awareness of the Dragons.

The sprint slowed to a canter when Shei finally reached the Dictorium. It would be only a few more minutes before she would reach Pahkah. The Diplomat was only slightly selfish, and thinking rather ahead of herself. She wanted the Dark Men to ally only the Nymphs, so that if a war between the races ever broke out, the Dark Men would be there still for the Nymphs. But this was naive, because she barely met just one member of an entire race. She didn’t even know what they were capable of. “Speaking of this,” Shei said to herself, “I’ll have to get the full story of how Ra’toh found the Dark Man after I get what I need from Pahkah.”

She reached the cell where the Dark Man had already settled. He was sleeping. Not the sleep that left him grey in the public cell, at that. She used the time to gather her countenance and breath. She, herself, was walking by the cell when she noticed the Being inside for the first time. When it was explained that the Dark Man and his captors had just arrived, she’d dismissed the fact that she wasn’t told about it. That’s when it happened. He just changed colour, right in front of her eyes in a matter of brief moments. In concern, she had Ra’toh open the cell from behind the wall of the Trade Quarter and went inside to try to revive the man. He came around on his own, without any help from us. Thus followed our first and rather lively conversation.

As before, she had the guard open the cell and she stepped inside, though alone this time. It was important to her that the Dark Man trusted her. It would expedite his learning that much more if he did. She reached out and touched his cheek.

*

RA’TOH (WARBIRD)

Despite Shei’s intentions to delay the Lord of the Guard’s awareness  of the Dark Man, he thought better of it. The historian was in no way his superior, unlike the Lord of the Guard. It would mean speaking to the nymph in charge of the whole of  Nymphkind’s safety, bypassing two other links in command. He thought that by doing this, he would insure that no error was made in Ra’Toh’s first hand account with the Dark Man.

The reasons he hesitated outnumbered the reasons to go through all the trouble, risking his newly acquired place in the Guard, if not worse. I’m just patrol, Ra’Toh thought, so it would be that much to lose.

The first reason was that he likened the action he was proposing to himself to that of his own sister, who speared Pahkah. “While I would be the one who through this spear, it’s fatality would be determined by hands other than my own”. His sister’s purpose was to disable the creature, should it have given her chase. The spear itself could attest to that. It was easy to repair. As it was a weapon of hunting, there were no poisons used on the pike; which made it easier to repair the human. Spears of war, on the other hand, were routinely dipped in poison and were deteriorating, if not lethal, in an open wound. His thoughts to tell the Lord of the Guard about the Dark Man could potentially be a freshly sharpened head, coated with a poison or venom specifically tailored to the death of something he didn’t entirely understand.

This led to his second reason. Shei, while not being in his line of command, possessed a mind honed to deal with situations of this gravity. In the presence of other races and with the motive to form an alliance, every word, movement of her eyes and hands, speed of breath and facial expression would be key to success or failure. She knew that every military needed to see blood running in order to justify its purpose of existence. While the Guard did not perform this function on a battlefield, nor did it seek enemies beyond the walls of the cities, The Lord of the Guard was also in charge of military actions. Ra’Toh’s reason for becoming a member of the Guard is solely the safety of his family. While he and definitely Shei would not agree, this would be the precise reason The Lord of the Guard would have the Dark Man executed. The Safety of Nymphkind and its allies.

Ra’Toh’s understanding of his silent agreement with Shei’s resolution to the matter dictated his current level of activity on the matter- stagnancy. He would do nothing. His instincts settled well with him once his decision was made. There would be no harm on this watch.

Ra’Toh stripped himself of the Warfyle Armor he wore for the better part of today and then the clothing he wore beneath it. As he doned a silk robe, a knock at his door beckoned entry. He finished tying his sash and went to the door. It was not his sister, whom he anticipated. It was Shei Rhessi.

“I apologize if I’m interrupting anything…I just wanted a formal account of your interactions with the Dark Man.” Shei was out of her normal atmosphere of diplomacy. She almost spoke to him like a friend.

“Come in. I don’t have any beverages to offer. I’m hardly here.”

Shei entered the room. It was pretty plain and only slighly disorganized. The walls were dyed a dark brownish green colour and the furnishings were pointed to the center of the room. It was obvious that, while Ra’toh wasn’t here often, when he was, he enjoyed intimate and comfortable conversations, be they humor or matters of personal substance. “It’s good that I caught you at home then. I doubt I would have found you otherwise.” The Diplomat eyed his robes and smirked.

He looked at his dark blue-grey gowns and further tightened his sash. “We’ve met only today. If I knew you were coming, I’d have left my armor on.” He was playfully sarcastic at this point.

“On to the business at hand.” She was an official again. “Tell me everything.”

“Well, when I heard Sehd’Toh screaming at something…”

“No. I want what your sister told you. Chrolological order.” Shei interrupted him.

“Well, she told me that he came out of nowhere. He just… appeared. Out of the air.” He was slightly agitated. There was no way to know that Shei was asking for a personal account of the Skygod.

The Diplomat noticed the sudden agitation, but she had to know something, anything about Pahkah. “Interesting. She saw him appear? As in, she was looking at the air in front of her and he was just…. there… in front of her?”

“Do you want me to call for her?” He felt cornered with the details she was asking of him.

“I’d like that. I’ll wait here.”

“No need.” He sighed as he rose from the sturdy tree trunk he was sitting on. He banged on the wall next to Shei quickly, two times. Then returned to sitting. “She’ll be here in a moment.”

The door creaked open quietly. Shei looked over her shoulder to see a girl in a Red Hymnissa leaf gown. “Oh my.” she was startled when she saw Shei and bowed.

“Rise. I’m in your brother’s home and am certainly not an official used to the bowing custom. Be yourself, Sehd’Toh.” The diplomat never even got up, but at least she made the occasion an informal one. “I’m curious about your experience with the Dark Man. I’m trying to gather an account that is complete in its accuracy.”

Shed’Toh didn’t move away from the door but started speaking anyways. “I didn’t mean to spear him!”

Shei turned on the tree stump she sat on to face the self incriminating girl. “I know. It’s like it never happened. There is no wound to account for. Pahkah showed me himself. Please- from the beginning.”

The girl relaxed into an ‘only extremely nervous’ state, instead of the ‘mortally threatened’ state. “Very well. I was hunting Vin when he appeared. The plainal shortgrass. When he … materialized… it paralyzed me! He started walking around and muttering to himself and then when I could move I threw my spear into his leg so he couldn’t chase after me!” She took a moment to catch her breath. “I started yelling at him asking what he was and telling him that he was plainly not from here. That’s when my broth..- that’s when Ra’Toh showed up. With Voy’Brakken.”

“This is interesting… he really just appeared- out of the air.”

“You pretty much have the rest of the story, Shei. Shed’toh released her Nyfyle to retrieve the Warfyle from the Nymphallatess. While she was gone, Voy’Brakken banadged the Dark Man as I guarded the situation. When the Warfyle and Shed’toh came back,  the fly carried him here with us in the lead and placed him in the public hold.”

Shei was jotting her notes to be translated leter into an official account. When she was finished, she lifted her head. “This is all I needed. Thank you both for taking the time to-”

“What are you going to do with him?” Ra’toh asked.

“I’m going to teach him Dragontongue and get the other side of this account from him directly. We’ll see then what happens next.” Shei stood tall and wiped the creases out of her robes, nodded to Shed’toh and her brother and left.