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Chapter 1: A Candle In The Darkness - Part 2

For the rest of the day, Ishari and his father were quite busy crafting swords, daggers, axes, spears, and all kinds of weapons. Almost all of these were made using the regular blade steel, although a few well-to-do customers who had inside knowledge about Ikantu's "special" steel came by and shelled out large sums of money to acquire the enhanced weapons. Ishari kept himself busy with his tasks, trying not to think too much about the deal his father had struck with the Ki'sen. He knew it was his duty to bring honor to his family, but he just didn't like how his fate had been decided like that. Once he was done assisting his father with general smithing, the boy went back to working on the Prince's sword, decorating the blade near the hilt, polishing it laboriously, adding a guard, and then constructing an attractively designed sheath. His father also worked mostly in silence. Before it got dark, Ishari's sister and mother came to the shop to meet up with them.

"Ishari, Ishari! The Ki'sen are going to perform the miracles soon!" Vashela pronounced.

Ishari's mother smiled and nodded, "Why don't you boys take a break for a little while. Ishari, your little friend Deliah is so excited. Lock everything up so you can get a spot in the front to watch her."

Ishari looked to his father, who bobbed his head quietly in agreement. His mother and sister didn't know yet, but they'd be told later. "Okay, thanks mother. I can't wait to see Deliah's miracle," Ishari said while giving her a soft smile. With that, Ishari and his father began cleaning up and locking away their supplies. Vashela helped, proudly proclaiming that she would be a strong blacksmith like her big brother soon enough.

Most Cer'va were still gathering in front of the shrine steps as Ishari and his family approached, so it wasn't difficult for the boy to find a spot in the very front, about a dozen feet away from the lowest step. At the top of the steps stood a wide "gate" with no doors. This "gate" was actually made up of a pair of large round marble columns, about twenty five feet tall and supporting a decorative arch made of the same pale material. On either side of the columns stood elaborate marble sculptures of the unicorn Yanis, one arm holding a book of knowledge, the other arm outstretched as if offering guidance to the weary traveler. The shrine itself stood about fifty feet back from the top steps, and was certainly the most impressive building Ishari had been privileged to see. A dozen more pale marble columns lined the front of the rectangular structure, supporting a wide portico spanning most of the front of the building. In the center of the portico, the massive front door was made of heavy wood with giant brass knockers and handles. The roof of the shrine supported a large brass dome seated atop numerous additional columns forming a circle beneath it. It was said that the dome housed an observatory for the monks, though Ishari had never seen it himself.

Ishari smiled softly as he took in the beauty and artistry of the shrine and, as usual, couldn't help pondering the skill of those who constructed it. His parents stood to either side of him, and Vashela was perched up on their father's shoulders, pestering him with all kinds of questions as she looked on with awe as well. Soon enough, one of the shrine monks exited the building from one of the side doors and approached the top of the steps. As he looked down at the gathered Cer'va with a joyous look, he opened his arms and extended them in a welcoming gesture, "Welcome, brothers and sisters, to this year's Yanis festival. Undoubtedly, you are all aware of the truly special guests we are so fortunate to have with us. His excellency Kaj Solzar and his most handsome son, Prince Hala, have honored our humble forest with their presence. Please show them your greatest respect and admiration as we receive their blessing." At that, the monk paused for effect as the shrine's heavy door opened. The Kaj and his son stepped out into the light, with their Ki'sen guard positioned on either side, and the gathered Cer'va responded with a hearty cheer. As the Kaj stepped forward to the front of the steps to address the eager crowd, his son and the rest of the entourage moved to the side to be seated on large decorative chairs which had been specifically crafted for their visit.

Ishari hadn't seen the Kaj this close before, and he was much more impressive than the boy had thought glimpsing him from afar. Taller than all of his guards by several inches, he seemed almost larger than life itself. Every inch of his white fur seemed perfectly groomed, shining beautifully under the light of the sun. The gold color of his eyes flashed with not only great confidence, but also the intelligence and wisdom to back it up. His build was impeccable, muscular but lean rather than bulky. Like most Cer'va, he and the other Ki'sen had an air of grace to their forms which was only enhanced by their mystical power. Instead of the rich robes worn by most of his entourage, the Kaj was dressed in an ornate, partial set of decorative armor. A shiny golden breastplate covered his chest, inscribed with swirling designs and what seemed to Ishari like some kind of crest. The boy couldn't make it out fully from afar, but it seemed like there was at least a sword with some kind of flowering plant coiled around it. Attached to the plate was a mail skirt covering the Kaj's loincloth and powerful thighs. His wrists were protected by golden bracers with designs similar to the chest piece, and the gold colored greaves protecting his feet also looked painstakingly crafted with beauty in mind, seemingly just as much as function. Over his back he wore a long, fabulously silky looking cape of dark purple, with gold embroidery along the edges. His tail was braided, turning its elegant form into more of an accessory rather than a show piece. The Kaj also wore a sheathed sword at his side, which looked quite huge to Ishari. The hilt and sheath looked about as ornate as the rest of the Kaj's garb, and Ishari couldn't help but wonder the craftsmanship of the sword.

The Kaj raised his arms to quiet the crowd, presenting a regal smile and bobbing his horn in acknowledgment of the adoration of his citizens. "Thank you... Thank you for your generous welcome. Please, you may rest your voices and we shall begin with the ceremony," he said in a strong baritone voice as the crowd gradually fell into silence. He continued, "Thank you. As many of you know, we have been to many festivals throughout Rhiyan over the last several months. My son, Hala, is nearing the date of his Sola'ri ritual, and as the future Kaj, it is important that he experience and understand all that our diverse nation has to offer. As happy as he is for your love and praise, he is even more eager for your teachings..." as the Kaj finished that last sentence, he smiled and turned towards where Hala was seated as if to emphasize that final point. Hala responded with a humble and graceful bow, his fawnish charms on full display as he put on an expression of princely innocence. No doubt, many of the Cer'va girls Ishari's age were practically swooning as their attention was brought upon their lovely prince, and Ishari had to cover his mouth to keep from giggling openly.

As if channeling one of Ishari's other inner thoughts, his sister Vashela was busy tugging on one of their father's ears and asking softly "Father, what's a Sola'ri?" Ishari himself knew so little about Ki'sen traditions that he had no idea either. He turned and looked up to Ikantu expectantly, who responded even more softly to avoid standing out from the crowd and interrupting the Kaj.

"Sola'ri is the transformation from a Ki'sen fawn into a celestial, like the Kaj and his friends," Ikantu said sagely while gesturing Vashela and Ishari to the mature Ki'sen seated behind the prince. "Now, keep quiet and give the Kaj your attention," he said a little more sternly to both his daughter and son. Vashela and Ishari both smiled and nodded silently, while each imagined what that was like. As usual, Ishari's imagination was particularly vivid, the boy returning his gaze to Kaj Solzar and contemplating what kind of intricate magical process was involved in such a transformative event. He thought, maybe there was some kind of mystical potion that Hala would drink which would cause him to transform... like those characters in the fairy tale stories... or, maybe it was more like a magical knighting? Did he Kaj hold some special artifact over you and bestow upon you the powers of a Ki'sen? Well, perhaps he'd see it someday, the boy thought, especially if he was going to be living in the capital... he'd almost forgotten in all the excitement. He sighed a little and returned his gaze and thoughts to the ceremony.

The Kaj continued, "We have visited a number of celebrations, from the Festival of Flowers in the western city of Haru, to the Ottren unification at the mouth of the Yangxi, but as always, I find the Yanis festival to be the most delightful!" he exclaimed, garnering grateful applause of the gathered participants. "Humble citizens of the Tokar Forest, for thousands of years you and your forefathers have dutifully preserved and paid homage to our history. Through times both bright and dark, you have maintained a candle here in the shrine of Yanis, for all citizens of Rhiyan to share in its light. As a small measure of our gratitude, we Ki'sen arrive every ten years to celebrate with you and, perform three miracles. That time has finally come once again." There was another cheer among the gathered, and Ishari smiled brightly, wiggling his tail as his eyes searched the crowd for any sign of Deliah. He couldn't see her yet, sighing a little and fixing his gaze momentarily on Prince Hala. The Prince was smiling confidently as he looked out over his future subjects, watching with a mixture of enjoyment and intrigue as the gathered Cer'va hung on every word his father spoke. Ishari avoided making eye contact with him, looking down and to the side briefly, but when the boy looked back up, the Prince seemed distracted from his father's introduction. Hala's eyes were turned towards the Cer'va boy standing next to his chair. Ishari blinked a few times... ohh yes, it was that quiet boy that he saw walking behind the Prince earlier. Right now, this one seemed to be balancing a silver platter with both pawss, carrying a bunch of grapes and a simple wooden chalice filled with icy water. Ishari couldn't tell all that well from a distance, but the Prince seemed to have one paw in the grapes, and his other resting on the Cer'va boy's hip... Ishari's blinked a few times, watching innocently and then flicking his ears, his attention suddenly drawn back to the Kaj as he again quieted the crowd.

"As we have done in the past, we chose three Cer'va from the most virtuous families of Tokar. These three shall each receive one miracle, a symbol of hope which represents the deep connection between the Cer'va and Ki'sen. At this time, the three shall come forth and receive their miracles," the Kaj said while smiling warmly to the crowd. He then turned slightly to the side as the great doors of the shrine of Yanis opened once again and out stepped three Cer'va, one in front of the other. At the very front was an elderly Cer'va, slightly hunched over and with his brown, speckled fur pattern appearing much more dull and turning grey in color along and around his ears, paws, and muzzle. His green eyes were open, though it was clear from his blank stare that he was blind. A monk standing to his left held his paw, helping him to walk straight. Just behind the grey-fur, Ishari could clearly see Deliah and the boy's expression brightened a little. He couldn't help but feel proud and excited to see his friend walking among the three who would be blessed. This was a great honor for her family, but most importantly, Ishari just wanted Deliah to be happy and he knew she had been wishing for this for a long time. The third, walking behind Deliah, was a middle aged female Cer'va appearing to be in the advanced stages of her pregnancy. She was rubbing over her swollen belly with her right paw, her blue gaze showing a great mixture of nervousness and excitement.

The Kaj gestured to the three once again as they took their places, standing next to each other at the top of the steps. Passing his regal gaze over them, he welcomed and introduced each one to the crowd. "This year, our most wise seer Yuria has divined that the three should be composed of one elder, one child, and one yet to be born."

"The elder, Malu, hails from the proud village of Pollum. Ever since the tender age of fifteen summers, when he left his home to earn a living in support of his family, he has served in the Rhiyani military with great distinction. Tragically, Malu lost his vision ten years ago during the Cetaxian uprising. In recognition of his life of service, he shall now be blessed."

"The child, Deliah, hails from the nearby village of Triol. She is the daughter of Korvu and Putna, two former servants of the Rhiyani ambassador in Cantaria. Their efforts over the years have been crucial in maintaining the current peace between our two nations, and in representing the Cer'va and Ki'sen in all matters. In recognition of their service, she shall now be blessed."

"The unborn, Lily, shall hail from the village of Dardu. It is the child of Sansa, daughter of our nation's esteemed chief historian. For thousands of years, her bloodline has maintained the vast knowledge of our people's combined history, and continue to serve as keepers of the Library of Eldara. In recognition of their service, Lily shall now be blessed."

As the Kaj concluded his introduction, the audience of Cer'va applauded for their chosen three. Ishari was eager to catch Deliah's attention, the boy bouncing up and down on his footpaws a little while waving at her and his fluttery tail wiggled happily over his butt. Deliah did make eye contact with him eventually, covering her mouth as she tried to maintain her composure and not giggle. Instead, she simply wiggled her fingers at him without drawing too much attention to herself. Ishari smiled brightly upon catching Deliah's gaze, but he dare not lift his voice now as the crowd began to quiet. Instead the boy nodded to her encouragingly.

Finally, the Kaj stepped back from the three, turning to his entourage and gesturing to the cloaked figure. "Hasenki... you may begin," he said softly. Almost immediately, a hush settled over the crowd and the three all lowered down onto their knees, awaiting their blessing. The Kaj took his seat next to Prince Hala, and the cloaked Ki'sen, the one called Hasenki, stood and stepped towards the first of the three. Ishari couldn't help but feel a strange little shiver going down through his body at this moment. He could not explain it... but maybe it was just a natural reaction of being so close to Ki'sen, something he would eventually get used to, he thought. The boy watched the hooded Ki'sen as he walked by, curiously trying to catch a glimpse under the hood. He leaned forward a bit, focusing his gaze... then gasped and stepped back a little as a pair of glowing crimson orbs appeared in the dark space and fixated directly upon him. His shivers got worse... his breathing a little more labored... and he froze. It almost felt like Hasenki was staring directly into his soul. Ishari's mother, standing at his side, noticed her son trembling with his eyes closed, and she crouched down a little while putting her arms around him.

"What is wrong... are you cold, my heart?" she said softly to him as she held him against the warmth of her breast.

Ishari kept his eyes closed for a moment, nuzzling his head into his mom's chest, breathing her comforting scent. He felt warm again... safe. When he opened his eyes again, Hasenki had moved into position in front of the elder, and Ishari breathed a little easier. "Thanks mother... I feel better now." Even so, Ishari remained snuggled into her protective embrace, his gaze settling back upon the robed Ki'sen as he drew arcane symbols in the air above the elder and spoke a series of words which the boy did not understand... old sounding words. Hasenki's horn was beginning to glow with that same fiery red that seemed to fill the Ki'sen's eyes... the same red which had swirled within the shrine's portal just before the Ki'sen stepped through. Hasenki's horn began crackling with red electricity, and several Cer'va in the crowd gasped, some filled with fear and others with awe. Ishari glanced skywards as several clouds seemed to darken and shift, blocking out the sun and casting a dark shadow over the entire Tokar forest. As the shadows spread, the red glow of Hasenki's horn became more powerful, like a beacon of light shining in the darkness.

"Malu, you have watched over all of Rhiyan, protecting and serving its many peoples with your might and unfaltering will. Your strength has been that of the Ki'sen. Now, our sight is yours." As he spoke these last words, Hasenki held his paw over Malu's head while the Ki'sen's entire body began to radiate his fiery red aura. Ishari felt another sudden, brief chilling sensation traveling through him. Then, the boy was tingling again... little pricks of sensation sparking across his body. This time though, the sensations weren't frightening. They felt... kind of good. Ishari blushed, his young body aroused in a way which he had never known or imagined before. He tried to keep his attention on what was happening as his heat rose and his pulse quickened. Hasenki's aura began to swirl around his body, swirling towards his arm, then around his arm and off his fingertips. It filled Malu's body and a spasm passed through the elder Cer'va, his sightless eyes clenching shut. He cried out, his body looking briefly as if it had been consumed with flames as the aura flickered over his shaking form. Whatever pain the elder must have been initially feeling seemed quickly eradicated, however. He groaned softly, then smiled a little and spoke under his breath "Yes... " His expression shifted to something seeming more pleasurable. As Malu opened his eyes back up finally, they looked to have gained a strange red aura to them. He did not move or speak further, entranced.

Hasenki stepped past Malu to Deliah, who looked up to him with a very nervous gaze. In the midst of his trembling excitement, Ishari wondered for a moment if he should go to her... if he should do anything. Hasenki held his paw above her and spoke again "Deliah, your family has watched over all of Rhiyan, maintaining the peace, changing hearts and minds over the course of their steadfast service. Their compassion has been that of the Ki'sen. Now, our purity is yours." The Ki'sen's aura began swirling again, flowing off his arm and then into Deliah's body. Like the elder before her, Deliah cried out and shook as the fiery glow consumed her form. At the beginning, there were tears rolling down her cheeks, though as the seconds went by, her expression similarly changed from one of fright to one of pleasure. Deliah gasped quietly and tilted her head back, her eyes closed and her chest lifted to the Ki'sen... almost like an offering. Hasenki seemed all too ready for this offering, his paw moving from above the girl's head to above her chest. "Ohhh..." Deliah gasped again and Ishari blushed, watching the red electricity, like that sparking from Hasenki's horn, caressing around every part of Deliah's body. All the while, she was shaking.

Hasenki abruptly lifted his paw and Deliah laid back, her body now floating within the swirling energy. From his lower vantage point, Ishari could see a fiery red rune of magic glowing on her back. The rune glowed brightly for a moment, and then slowly began to dissipate along with the rest of the coursing energy. From his distance, Ishari couldn't see exactly what happened but he could tell that something was... different about her. A few seconds later, the robed Ki'sen lowered his paw again, and Deliah settled back onto her knees, showing a reddish glow about her form and seeming entranced just like the elder.

Ishari watched Hasenki moving to the pregnant Cer'va, but then he returned his gaze to Deliah. The boy was feeling a few beads of sweat running down his fur. He wasn't quite sure why, but he felt like whatever this Ki'sen did to her... it didn't seem quite right. There wasn't anything he could do about it though. It was just like the Prince said... he was just a peasant boy. Ishari sighed... then blinked a few times, shaking his head. Why was he feeling like this all of a sudden? He closed his eyes again, feeling all confused.

"Lily," Hasenki continued, "your family has watched over all of Rhiyan, preserving our past and all of our most treasured knowledge, so that future generations may learn. Their words have been those of the Ki'sen. Now, our wisdom is yours." Ishari opened his eyes again in time to see Hasenki lifting his paw above Sansa as his fiery energy swirled and coursed over her. This time, though, he seemed to focus his energy around her swollen stomach. Like the other two, Sansa shivered and gasped under the influence of the Ki'sen magic, and Ishari continued to shiver.

His mother squeezed him again, as if to calm his trembling. "Still cold?" she asked. He responded by blushing and nodding a bit sheepishly. "I don't recall their miracles having... such an odd effect on the recipients," she continued while stroking her son's side as she held him against her chest. "I guess they must know what they are doing though..." As Hasenki concluded his final blessing, he pulled his paw away from Sansa and the swirling energy calmed, then began to dissipate. Sansa's eyes were still closed, though she appeared to have that same 'odd' reddish glow about her as the other two. Hasenki then lifted both paws, pressing them together above his chest while uttering another series of indecipherable words, the reddish aura surrounding his cloaked form flaring temporarily. Then the shadows began to recede from the forest as the clouds above shifted and gradually uncovered the sun. Soon, the aura radiating from the Ki'sen's horn reduced in intensity, terminating suddenly in a small shower of sparkles. At that moment, the strange glow affecting the three Cer'va on the steps disappeared and they began to blink and gaze about, disoriented and shivering from the withdrawal of Hasenki's power. Ishari stopped trembling as well, those waves of tingles and exciting sensations across the boy's body seeming to fade just as quickly as they appeared.

Kaj Solzar smiled broadly and stood, turning to the three with a flourish of his long flowing tail, beckoning a pair of monks to help them stand as he approached. Hasenki bowed low to the Kaj, before stepping to the side without another word. "They have received Yanis' blessing," he proclaimed to the crowd, which began to cheer and applaud again. As he stood, Malu continued blinking... he held his paws up in front of his eyes while an expression of happiness and amazement filled his face.

"P... praise Yanis... I... I can see!" he cried out, tears rolling down his face as he looked upon his own paws for the first time in ten years. Almost delirious with himself, the elder looked down over his own body, touching his own chest and stomach... lifting one footpaw and gazing at it, then turning his head to look at his own back and tail. "Thank you... ohh... thank you..." his legs went wobbly as he was overcome with emotion and fell back onto his knees before the Kaj, tears continuing to flow.

Solzar stood briefly above the prostrate Malu, respectfully accepting his gratitude. "You honored us all for many years with your service grey one. We only return that honor to your family now. If there is to be any thanks, you may show it by cherishing the rest of your years with your family, starting right now." Malu gazed up at the Kaj with love and devotion, nodding eagerly. "I will, oh great Kaj," he replied as Solzar took his paw, helping him back up to his feet. Malu bobbed his head again, then began to slowly make his way down the steps as his children and grandchildren made their way up to meet him half way.

Sansa and Deliah had regained their own wits as well, and were both bowing their heads as the Kaj approached them. Solzar chuckled and waved away the formalities, "Please... raise your heads, fair does. We rarely see such natural beauty among the contrivances of the capital." The two blushed, looking to each other briefly, and then the Kaj. Sansa spoke first, flicking her ears eagerly, "Many thanks and praise be upon you, great Kaj. My child will bring great honor and knowledge to your kingdom." The Kaj smiled again, bobbing his head and appraising Sansa briefly with his deep golden eyes. "Yes... we are expecting great things from Lily. Now, be with your mate, before he comes to fear that we will steal you away to Eldara." Sansa smiled again and giggled, bowing her head once more to the Kaj before she slowly made her way down the steps to join her mate.

Lastly, Solzar looked over Deliah while patting her head and her ears, sizing her up a bit. "And you, Deliah, we are expecting great things from you as well. I plan to see you in the capital someday. Perhaps you will even be our future Ambassador to Cantaria!" She blushed feverishly and nodded, stammering "Oh... y... yes sir... I mean, m...my Kaj."

Normally, Deliah was quite articulate given her parents' careful tutelage. However, being in the presence of the Kaj was just a bit much for her at the moment. She tried not to stare into his eyes... at least not too much, as they were quite lovely. Her eyes wandered a moment, and then she saw Ishari again, smiling up at her near the bottom of the steps. Seeing him, she instantly felt more at ease. There was something about him that always seemed to calm her - perhaps that simple innocence he carried about himself. He was standing with his family, and next to her own mom and dad. The Kaj noticed the change in Deliah's expression, turning his golden gaze on her family... and the fawnish boy smiling to her. He narrowed his eyes briefly as he focused on this boy. A thoughtful expression crossed his face, then he smiled and turned back to Deliah, patting her again gently on her back. "Why don't you go to your family now, my dear, and to your little friend. Tell him to mind his manners and always respect his elders."

Deliah blushed a little more and nodded, "Yes... I will my Kaj. Thank you." She then stepped away and made her way down the stairs, first to her father, who embraced her with a great big hug which lifted her off the ground, telling her how proud he was. She giggled and hugged him, while her mother held one of her hands and nuzzled her. She told them both about how wonderful it was to meet the Kaj, and explained his kind words for her.

Meanwhile, Solzar moved back to the center atop the steps, his guard flanking him and his entourage now standing slightly off to one side. "Cer'va of Tokar," he addressed the quieting crowd once more. "The ceremony of miracles is now at an end. Although we know that you all will take to heart your experiences from this special Yanis Festival, we also say that you should each hold in your memory the hope which you witnessed this evening... the hope connecting Cer'va to Ki'sen... the hope of a noble unicorn who sacrificed himself to save our ancestors long ago. Remember what you saw here, and remind those throughout your towns and villages of the honor and pride of being a Cer'va." Ishari could see many in the crowd beaming with inspiration at the Kaj's final words, bobbing their heads in agreement as they applauded once again. At that, the Kaj gestured his thanks to the gathered Cer'va, and then turned with another swish of his regal tail, gracefully making his way towards the shrine residences. His guardians and entourage followed right behind him.

Ishari couldn't imagine forgetting everything that he witnessed and experienced here. He was somewhat confused about it all, but he was relieved now to see Deliah happy. After a moment of hugging with her parents, Deliah looked over to Ishari who was smiling up at her. She smiled back brightly as her father set her down, then she turned in front of him to show off the result of her blessing. "Ishie, look... I'm healed. Just like they promised!"

"Yea! You look wonderful Deliah!" Ishari responded while moving closer to his friend and peering along her back, blushing modestly. Every indication of her prior injury was gone, as if it had simply been erased. However, now that he was closer to her, Ishari could sense that there definitely was something else... "different" about her. He blinked a few times, flicking one ear and then looking at her a bit more intently. It felt like some tiny, but noticeable remnant of the strange sensation he had felt before when Hasenki was performing his magic. The boy felt confused, never having felt anything like this before today. He couldn't tell if there was something wrong with himself, or if this was all normal. As Deliah turned back to face him, she noticed him staring and looking fidgety and nervous.

"Are you okay Ishie?" she asked while blushing a bit herself and playfully poking him on the chest. She'd never seen him looking at her like that before.

"Yea..." he blinked again, then looked down at his nose, then back up to her, "Deliah... do you feel... different?"

She giggled a little and nodded, "Of course I feel different, silly. I'm healed now. I've... never felt better before," she said, her expression and deep blue eyes briefly showing a look of confidence and focus that Ishari hadn't really seen on her before.

Ishari flicked an ear nervously, then shook his head and gently held her paw, "I mean... not like that. Like... something on the inside..." he said a bit softer, almost whispering.

Deliah blinked a few times, looking at the boy strangely, then smiled again, "Hehe, you're really funny today Ishie. You've never played tricks on me like this before." She snickered a bit more, pushing his chest again playfully. Then, Deliah's mother, who had been speaking with Ishari's parents, turned to her and patted her on the head, "Come dear, it's time to get ready for the evening show." Deliah nodded and backed away from Ishari, pulling her paw free from his. "We can talk more later, during the show," she said, wiggling her cute little tail and waving to Ishari as he stood there blushing and nodding to her.

As Deliah and her parents were walking off, Ikantu looked down at his son and patted his shoulder, smiling "You shouldn't play with her like that, son. Feel proud of her blessing. She is quite beautiful, you know. Someday, you and Deliah..." He stopped himself, seeing Ishari looking up to him sadly. Ikantu leaned down closer to the boy and spoke a bit softer so that his mate and daughter wouldn't hear, "I'm sure she'll come visit you in the capital." He patted Ishari on the back, then stood up again fully and beamed again with his own pride, "Now, you have your own task at hand."

Veyra and Vashela re-joined the two of them at that moment, with Ishari's younger sister clamoring for attention as usual, "What's Ishari gotta do, huh father?"

Ikantu grinned happily as he spoke, "He has been requested to personally appear before the Prince, to deliver one of our special swords! Our ancestors are smiling on us today."

Veyra smiled warmly and crouched down to hug her son, wearing a look of amazement, "Ikantu! Why didn't you tell us earlier? This is a great honor!"

Ishari's father chuckled a little to himself, shaking his head and then looking down to his mate with a playful expression, "It was a surprise. There is more news, as well, from the Ki'sen Commander. He was quite impressed with... our work. We will talk later, love," he stated, finishing with a slightly more serious expression.

Veyra noticed the subtle change in her mate's expression and nodded silently. She stood back up, stroking the fur on Ishari's head and back thoughtfully while the boy leaned against her again. "Yes, your father is right. Let's go get you ready for the Prince, my dear." Ishari pulled back just enough to look up to his mom and smiled, nodding. At that, Ikantu hoisted Vashela back up onto his shoulder, then started walking back towards their blacksmith stall while Ishari trailed behind, holding onto his mother's paw.

~

The sun had nearly set by the time Ishari was ready. Standing in the dimming light of the smithy room with his mother, his reddish brown, spotted coat was more carefully groomed than normal, showing a bit of extra shine to it as the boy was slightly damp from washing himself for the occasion. His mother insisted that he let her dab him up with a bit of orange scented oil as well. He was going to have a private audience with a member of the royal family, and he ought to leave the best impression possible, she said. Over his loincloth, he wore a thin white sarong which was almost see through. A matching white feather was tied to the base of one of the boy's ears, draping down the back of his headfur. Last but not least, a few of his tribal paintings were refreshed, including the star on his forehead. He waited patiently for his mother to finish. To be honest, Ishari was much more nervous than he was letting on. Although he had performed admirably in front of the Prince's entourage earlier in the day, the boy was still more than a bit frightened about meeting alone with Prince Hala. From what he'd seen, the Prince didn't seem like the nicest boy, and if Ishari messed up at all, it would probably cause problems for his family.

"Mother... can't we just ask the Prince's guard to come and receive his gift?" Ishari asked as she finished up with him, looking down at his nose a little shyly.

"Ohhh, don't be silly Ishari! This is a great honor for you... and... and your father is so proud," she said, smiling happily and seeming to stress that last part a bit more than the first.

"But, what if I upset him somehow... I'm not sure that he likes me very much."

"Oh sweetie, don't worry about that! And if he didn't like you, he wouldn't have invited you to visit would he?" she chuckled a little and stroked her son's ears again to calm him, watching them smooth down and spring back up each time she ran her paw over them. "Besides... you'll have to get used to this... spending time among the Ki'sen. You... you have an important task ahead of you," she said, her tone suddenly becoming more somber as she looked away for a moment.

Ishari frowned and looked down at his nose, flicking his ears down slightly. "Father told you... I didn't want to go! I was hoping he would say no... I don't want to mother. I love it here in the village, with you and father and Vashela... and Deliah." Ishari shook his head, clenching his teeth a little as he started to tear up. "Father didn't even ask what I wanted..."

Veyra crouched down till she was eye level with her son, placing her arms around him and hugging him to her breast. "Shhhh... It will be alright, you'll see my love." She pulled back after a moment, enough to look him in the eye again and clear away a few of his tears with her paw. "No matter what Ishari, always remember that there is a place and a reason for all things in this world." She stroked his head again a few more times, smiling to him affectionately, "When you were born, I started to realize for the first time what my real reason was. It was the most joyful thing that ever happened to me. Someday, you will begin to understand your purpose too. Your time in Eldara will be part of that journey."

Ishari continued to look down sadly, while holding onto his mother. "I'm afraid," he said softly in reply.

"I was too, my heart. Once upon a time... But that will all go away, once your eyes have truly been opened. Trust me, okay?"

Ishari gradually lifted his deep blue eyes back up to his mother's gaze and nodded, rubbing away the last of his tears.

"Good, now... let us not delay any further, or you will be late!" She turned away from Ishari briefly, reaching down to the blacksmith table, then slowly lifting an elaborately decorated sword which was secured in a jewel encrusted sheath. This was the sword Ishari had made with his own paws. Ishari stood at her side, smiling subtly and watching as she held the weapon high and slowly began to unsheathe the blade, momentarily admiring the beauty and reflective quality of the metal. She turned it a few times, reflecting the dimming sunlight off the walls of the stall. "Prince Hala will be honored to have such a gift," she said finally, sliding the sword back into its sheath and looking back to her son with a proud smile. Ishari blushed a little and watched as she brought the sheathed blade down and placed it into his paws, then patted him again about his ears. "Alright dear, head off now. Be sure to show the Prince proper respect... and our gratitude for his acknowledgment..." As she spoke, Veyra nudged Ishari along to the exit of the smithy, where his father was waiting just outside.

"Yes mother," he said, looking back at her briefly, then stepping out into the fading light. The weather was still comfortably warm during these summer nights, but a soft breeze was blowing through-out the shrine, tossing leaves along the stone walkways. Ishari looked up to his father as he stepped outside, and Ikantu looked back, nodding to his son. A somber silence passed between them, and Ishari looked back down, gripping the Prince's sword a bit more tightly as he prepared to be on his way. He had already begun to step away when his father suddenly placed a paw on his shoulder, grabbing his attention again.

"Remember, son... you will be carrying our legacy soon. Don't let me down."

Ishari looked down again, averting his gaze from his father's eyes and nodding silently. Ikantu patted his shoulder, then turned and went back into the smithy, leaving the boy alone outside.

Ishari walked along the pathway to the main shrine, darkness gradually falling over the grounds all around him. He could barely keep his thoughts on the task at hand, wondering about his future. He always thought he would stay in Triol, continuing to learn under his father and one day living up to his own dream here in the village. The boy stopped for a moment, gripping the Prince's sword a little tighter and then letting out a frustrated sigh. He looked up at the darkening sky, watching the clouds drifting away from Inda, the pink hued "First" moon, which was beginning its ascent. Its blue and silver hinted siblings would not be visible tonight, Ishari's mother had said. That was okay though. For some reason, Inda's warmth always seemed very calming to the young fawn. He stood still for a moment, closing his eyes and relaxing his grip on the sword, ears flicking as he listened to the sounds of the forest around the shrine. "I'll figure something out..." he said to himself finally, opening his eyes again and looking up towards the steps of the main shrine building only a few dozen paces ahead of him now. Pushing his doubts and fears aside for now, Ishari steeled his gaze and made his way up to the large main shrine entrance.

~

Ishari had never been inside of the main shrine before. Outside of the festival period, common villagers would only enter the main building on a pilgrimage to seek Yanis' wisdom from the Shrine Master. Such a pilgrimage was usually undertaken only under dire circumstances, the boy's father had once said, and the shrine's monks and maidens would bar the door to any soul found unworthy. This was to protect the sacred texts and artifacts of Yanis for posterity, according to the faithful. However, Yanis' link to the Ki'sen was well known, and there was much speculation about what kinds of secrets or magics might be hidden within the shrine. Ishari had been told that no one in his family ever attempted such a pilgrimage, and Ishari was only aware of one person to have done it. It was Fayawni's father, shortly after Ishari's friend had fallen ill.

Before Ishari had gotten close enough to examine the knocker, the shrine's massive, heavy wooden doors began to swing outwards toward him, accompanied by a heavy creaking noise and the faint glow of lit candles showing through the opening. With the doors open, Ishari took in his first view of the shrine's interior with his wide gaze. It was a towering bronze colored entry hall, laid out with a row of white columns on each side of the wide passage, flowing from the entrance to the end. Next to each column were numerous lit candles, their glow and shadows flickering off the columns and walls. The ceilings looked to be painted with gentle scenes of the Tokar forest, with images of and enlightened Yanis positioned throughout. The hall contained a number of smaller doors spaced along its sides, and at the T-intersection at the end was another pair of doors. Soothing incense wafted throughout, and parchment paintings and various attractive metal ornaments hung on the walls, tempting the boy's curiosity. Before him, Ki'sen guards stood at the ready, and to either side a Cer'va monk and maiden remained in position holding the doors. These two had clearly been expecting him, and simultaneously gestured the boy toward the end of the hall.

Ishari blushed a little bit and bowed his head to them both before stepping down the candle-lit hallway, cradling the Prince's sword in front of him once again while gazing to one side and then the other. The boy's attention was constantly attracted by the ornamental pieces on or near the walls. A bejeweled dagger, perhaps belonging to Yanis himself, lay underneath a glass casing on a pedestal. On the other side, a fancy rolled and sealed parchment was placed under a similar case. Perhaps that was a secret ancient message, the boy wondered.

Ishari was so engrossed with the sights and scents that he didn't see the monk crossing in front of him until he bumped straight into him and nearly fell back onto his rear end.

"Ohhh! I'm... I'm sorry..." the boy gasped as he stumbled back, trying to regain his balance and looking up demurely in his apology.

The elderly monk, with somewhat frazzled, graying fur about his head and ears, steadied himself on his long oak cane before staring down at Ishari with narrowing green eyes. "It's just like you youngins' these days! Fawns zippin about without a care in the world... How'd you come into this sacred place, anyway?" The monk huffed a bit, straightening his robe up with his free paw while waiting for the boy's reply.

Ishari trembled and bowed his head submissively, softening his voice further and adding a layer of affection to his language, a common pattern for young fawns who find themselves in trouble "I'm sorry grandfather... Please forgive me... I was requested by the Prince to bring his new sword," he said while lifting the weapon for the monk to examine.

The old monk's expression softened slightly under the pressure of the boy's adorable sincerity. He knew about this trick, of course, but couldn't help falling prey to it every time. He nodded gruffly, then fixed his gaze momentarily on the sword, which he took from Ishari to inspect better. The elder held the sheathed blade aloft, testing its weight, eyeing the intricacies of the hilt and considering the weapon's princely adornments. He bobbed his head as he finally set the sword back into Ishari's paws, "Superb craftsmanship. Who is the maker of this sword fawn?"

"It... it was me, grandfather." Ishari said with that same softened, extra gentle voice.

"You??" The elder widened his eyes a bit in surprise, and then looked at the boy a bit more suspiciously. "Do you speak the truth, fawn?"

Ishari looked up to him nervously and simply bobbed his head in confirmation.

The elder didn't seem fully convinced, but did not press the issue further. "I see... What is your name, young one?"

"My name's Ishari, grandfather."

The elder's eyes lit up a bit more at this, his gaze fixing more on the boy rather than the sword at this point. He looked Ishari up and down a little more carefully, and his expression softened further. He even almost showed a little bit of a smile.

"Ahh, Ishari..." The elder bobbed his head once more in acknowledgment, and then patted the nervous boy briefly about his ears, "You've... grown well, fawn..." he said, then nudged Ishari towards the left connecting hall. "The Prince's quarters are that way, around the corner and all the way to the end of the next hallway," he continued while Ishari stumbled forward under his guiding paw.

"B...but..." Ishari couldn't help but be a little confused and curious about what the elder meant. Did he know Ishari's family?

"Hurry along now young one! I cannot dawdle here, as I have much work to do." With that, the elder left Ishari in the next hallway, slipping back toward the main entrance with a swiftness that seemed somewhat implausible for a hobbled elder... Ishari blinked, looking about and considering this encounter a little longer before moving on towards the Prince's retreat.

~

Ishari stood in front of the Prince's door, feeling a sudden sense of apprehension. Was Prince Hala already aware he was there? Should he wait to be summoned inside? The boy knew nothing of courtly customs, and the Ki'sen were still very much an enigma to him. He waited for a few moments, slowly building up the courage to knock and announce his presence.

"M... My Prince... I've come just as you requested..."

Ishari stood silent listening, but there was no answer.

"My Prince..." he repeated, flicking both ears and knocking once more.

Still, there was no reply.

Ishari waited patiently for several more minutes, but the boy never heard anything on the other side other than what sounded like the faintest sound of flowing water. "Maybe he's somewhere else and... would prefer if I waited inside," Ishari thought to himself, finally taking hold of the door handle and slowly creaking it open.

Peering into the room, Ishari could tell that the monks did their best to make Prince Hala comfortable, though he imagined that these accommodations were not anywhere close to those at Castle Eldar. Hala's retreat was made up of two rectangular rooms standing side by side, connected by a single wooden door. The first seemed to be a meditation room of some kind, with a central platform underneath a skylight that could be opened or closed to let in light and the natural elements. Running around the edges of the room was a narrow stream of water flowing over sunken white tiles. The rest of the room was made of dark stone, and was lit by a pair of tall candelabras positioned to either side of the platform. A cushioned bench sitting just underneath the skylight was the only piece of furniture.

Ishari closed the door behind him, padding forward to the platform. He stopped briefly there to scan the room again, before stepping one footpaw up onto the raised stone and leaning forward to gaze curiously up at the open skylight. By now, this was mostly darkened by the night sky, though it allowed just a bit of Inda's light pinkish haze to glow down through the shaft and over the bench area.

"It's lovely..." Ishari said to himself while nodding and wiggling his flag-like tail.

"Isn't it now," said a firm voice from across the room. Ishari was startled and jumped back a little, his nervous gaze searching quickly for the speaker. He turned to face the door leading to the other attached room, and saw Prince Hala striding out from it in his direction. The Prince had donned what appeared to be evening attire, a loose silk robe of white with crimson trimming. Ishari couldn't help but blush strongly as he noticed that Prince Hala was not wearing anything under the robe, and the front of the garment was not tied shut, giving the boy a pretty distracting view of the princely treasures bobbing and swaying about. Ishari had never been alone with another boy... like this... He trembled a little as the Prince approached him, smiling confidently and placing his paws on his hips.

"Still the ignorant peasant boy, aren't you? Forgetting to show proper respect..." the Prince said while shaking his head.

Ishari gasped and nodded, "Ahh... forgive me my Prince. I wasn't thinking..." Ishari said as he settled quickly down onto his knees and bowed his head, still blushing and closing his eyes, trying to get the image of the partially nude Prince out of his head.

Prince Hala merely huffed at that, padding past Ishari and onto the platform. He sat gracefully onto the cushioned bench, teasing his robe closed with one paw while gesturing to the side room with the other and calling out, "Come Dharnu, and bring the rest of my zinoi."

Ishari slowly lifted his head to look over at the seated Prince, though the boy nervously remained in his submissive position until the Prince told him otherwise. Hearing another set of footpaws stepping into the room, he turned in time to see the same fawnish boy who was following behind the Prince earlier in the day. Dharnu seemed to carry himself with a little less shyness than what the boy showed in public, smiling warmly and carrying a goblet and decanter as he swiftly made his way towards Prince Hala. Dharnu's lack of shyness now seemed even more profound to Ishari, as unlike the Prince, the servant boy was totally nude.

It wasn't just Dharnu's current lack of modesty that surprised Ishari, but... the servant boy's intimates were... unusually large... certainly lots bigger than anything he would have imagined on a fawn around his age. Ishari gasped lightly and looked back down at the sword he was holding in both paws, trying to keep his curiosity at a minimum right now.

Prince Hala chuckled knowingly as he watched Ishari's reaction, holding one paw up to take the cup from Dharnu while the young servant filled it half way. "I imagine you haven't seen any boys like Dharnu before, huh peasant boy?" Hala snickered a bit more, taking a sip from his cup and then sighing relaxedly, "We gave him a few... augmentations..." he said while smirking and patting Dharnu on the butt. By now the servant boy was actually blushing a little, watching Ishari silently.

For the most part, Ishari tried to avert his eyes... though truth be told, he could not entirely keep himself from innocent, curious glances... at Dharnu, then again at Prince Hala. "I... I brought your sword, my Prince... just as you asked..." Ishari blushed heavily in his ears while keeping his kneeling position just at the edge of the platform, holding up the beautifully adorned weapon with both paws. He was obviously trying to change the subject.

"Indeed," Hala replied while his gaze briefly lingered on the almost translucent sarong flowing over Ishari's subtle curves. "I suppose you're not completely useless, are you. Haven't met many fawns with your strength before," the Prince nodded matter of factly. "Maybe I can find some use for you when you get to Eldara," he said while smiling again.

Ishari looked back up, speaking more softly as the boy innocently replied "I will d... do my best to honor the Kaj's family, my Prince."

Hala snickered again, "But of course. Dharnu, help the half-witted peasant boy to his feet and bring my sword." He patted the servant boy on the rear again, sending him over to Ishari, who closed his eyes again as the 'augmented' fawn came within such close proximity. Dharnu giggled a little and crouched down, sliding his arms around Ishari and hugging him gently while helping him up to his footpaws. Ishari's heart beat at a blazingly fast pace when he felt the naked youth squishing up against him like that... and right in front of his Prince! He was blushing profusely all over his face by the time Dharnu let go of him, taking the sword from his paws.

"He smells nice, My Lord," Dharnu said finally, smiling warmly as he stepped back towards the Prince and then stood at his side, holding onto the sheathed blade firmly with both paws.

Prince Hala nodded while playing one of his paws just inside of his robe, flicking his ears and then huffing... He sat up a little straighter suddenly, blushing a bit and suddenly waving Ishari off, "Take your leave now peasant boy. We have no further use of you at the moment..."

Ishari didn't require much convincing. The boy was already quite unsure about this whole encounter... though he had completed his mission, and the Prince seemed pleased. He bobbed his head and spoke softly, "Yes my Prince... thank you..." With that, Ishari backed gradually up to the entrance, seeing the Prince watch him a little longer before returning his gaze to Dharnu. Ishari slipped out of the room and back into the hallway, his pulse still going kind of fast.

~

By the time Ishari and his family were seated in the shrine's central grounds for the evening show, it was dark all around, save for Inda's warm hues subtly bathing the wooded landscape. The stars were innumerable, framing Inda's presence with a sparkling backdrop. Deliah's family was there too, and she was seated next to Ishari, holding paws with him.

This particular evening show was a supposed true story from the life of Yanis. As the story went, Yanis was a prodigy of magic even as a young unicorn. He was not even halfway through foal-hood when he began skillfully manipulating his inherent mystical powers. Older unicorns would often come to bear witness to his talents, and his wealthy parents paid for the best schooling in all of Cantaria. It wasn't long before King Nyzandar took notice of young Yanis, keeping a watchful eye on his development. When Yanis was just on the cusp of adulthood, there was a unicorn girl who cared deeply about him, named Kyria. Yanis was the studious sort, and so he didn't realize the extent of her affections for him. His head was always in his books.

Every day, Kyria would come visit Yanis while he was at the library. Each day, she would bring him some token... sometimes a delicious treat, other times a small mystical material which she asked him to identify for her. Although he gradually became attached to her daily presence, Yanis was so blinded by his studies that he never expressed his feelings for her. One day, Kyria didn't come. She didn't come the next day either... or the next. Yanis began to feel emotions he had never felt before. Soon enough, he began longing to hear her voice and feel her presence. He left his studies, and went searching for her, eventually finding her with her family, gravely ill. She only had seven days to live. Yanis was crushed. During those last seven days, Yanis came to visit Kyria four times per day... sometimes five, though it was never enough. He showed her as many of his wondrous magics as he could to make her happy, while constantly trying to learn the one spell that would save her life. However, his efforts were in vain.

After Kyria's death, Yanis was heartbroken and went into a period of seclusion that lasted many months. It wasn't until King Nyzandar convinced him to come work for his court that he appeared again. Studying under the great mage Ozar, he was told he might someday learn how to save others from Kyria's fate.

Ishari had seen this tragic play a couple years ago in Triol. Just as before, the Cer'va audience became especially engaged at the appearance of the evil unicorn king Nyzandar. Likewise, many a Cer'va girl swooned at the presentation of pure hearted young Yanis. Even Deliah looked on with misty eyes at certain points of the play. Ishari smiled a little to his friend, and she giggled quietly and smiled back.

Though he generally enjoyed all of the Yanis stories, Ishari was constantly distracted from the show by his thoughts. Foremost on the boy's mind was his departure from Triol, of course, although his recent encounter with Prince Hala was also poking about in the background. Ishari still didn't understand why... why would his father give him up like that? He closed his eyes and shook his head. He needed to tell someone else about it. Maybe that would make him feel better.

The show was just about over now and the festival would momentarily come to an end as well. However, there was still enough time for a brief stroll. Ishari tugged a little on Deliah's paw, getting her attention and pointing to the nearby path into the woods. She blinked a bit, looking between Ishari and the woods and then blushing sheepishly and nodding. Ishari blushed a little as well and smiled again innocently, standing up slowly and then walking with her towards the path.

The forest around the shrine seemed especially quiet in contrast to the noise and revelry of the festival. This particular path from the shrine lead to a nearby cliff overlooking the lower section of the Tokar forest. Torches lined both sides of the path, emitting subdued blue flames which flickered and danced against the surrounding darkness. The dirt path was wide enough for a group of travelers, but Deliah stayed close by Ishari's side, and he felt especially comforted by that. It's not that he was afraid of ghosts or ghoulish creatures lurking through the forests... in fact, the Tokar was known to be relatively safe as compared to other locales in Rhiyan. Well... maybe he was sometimes a little frightened, but right now he just really wanted some company.

"Ishie," Deliah poked him gently in the side to get his attention. "You seem so quiet... Aren't you happy today? The festival was lovely... and..."

Ishari stopped and turned towards her, nodding and smiling softly "Ohh yes Deliah! I really enjoyed the festival. I... I was so happy to watch you get your blessing too," he said while blushing.

Deliah's smile brightened at that. She was obviously pleased to see that Ishari was thinking about her. She flicked her ears a couple times and squeezed his paw, "Hehe... well... what is it then, silly? I can tell that you're thinking about something."

"It's... well... uhhhh..." the boy blushed again and looked down at his muzzle, then looked back up to Deliah again, seeing her watching him eagerly with a somewhat affectionate look in her eyes. "My father..." he started, then stopped. He thought about it a little more. Today was a special day for Deliah. He didn't want to trouble her with his problems right now.

Deliah seemed to be expecting something else, perhaps. She put her paws on her hips, her expression returning to something more neutral, "What happened with him?" she asked while looking to Ishari curiously.

"He... ohh forget about it. It's not a big deal," he said as he started leading Deliah again toward the cliff view.

Deliah huffed a little, getting slightly impatient with the boy now. "You can tell me Ishie. I can keep a secret! I can tell... it's obviously something you want to talk about," she replied.

Ishari kept his eyes averted while they approached the observation point, then he looked back up at the sky. Away from the sound and lights of the festival, the picturesque view of Inda surrounded by the star filled sky was breathtaking. Ishari smiled to Deliah again, changing the subject, "Look at how amazing the forest looks under this sky Deliah. Isn't it beautiful?"

She gave him a frustrated look, then peered over the landscape below them and up at the night sky, softening her expression once more. She gave the boy a half smile, bobbing her head in agreement and wiggling her tail while looking over him, "Yes, it is... but I'm still not letting you off the hook! If you're not gonna tell me what's going on, then I'm heading back to the shrine now."

Ishari grew visibly flustered, fidgeting his paw over his sarong and feeling his heart beating a little quicker. He didn't want Deliah to be sad... not right now. She'd forgive him later if he didn't tell yet. "Don't worry... don't worry about it," he said again, stammering.

"Fine," she said in a firm tone of voice, turning away from Ishari. She didn't let go of his paw just yet, lingering for a moment while showing that she wasn't happy with him. Then, she slowly released his paw and started walking back down the path.

"Uhh... Deliah..." Ishari watched sadly as she left, soon disappearing a ways down the path. Now he was upset with himself too. "Stupid..." he said to himself, while hitting his own head with his paw. He would tell her everything when he got back to the shrine. She deserved to know now rather than later, even if it would make her a bit sad. Ishari sighed deeply, turning back towards the cliff to take in the beauty of the landscape one more time.

Just then, Ishari heard a rustling sound coming from the woods next to the observation point. "Umm... is someone there?" the boy asked, while inching his way towards the sound. He couldn't see anyone, but the foliage was pretty thick this far out from the shrine. He stopped right at the edge of the trees and listened more closely, but all he could hear now was the normal sounds of the forest.

Ishari blinked a few times, and then turned back in the direction of the path, "I guess it must have just been..." Before he could finish his thought, Ishari felt himself being suddenly grabbed from behind by a large form within the tree-line. He cried out and struggled against the form, but it was much bigger than him and used the element of surprise to throw him completely off balance. "H...elp..." was the only word Ishari managed to get out of his mouth before he was forcibly thrown off the edge of the cliff. The boy cried again, his thoughts racing as he felt himself falling... He thought about his mother and father, his sister... and Deliah... Then he hit something hard and instantly lost consciousness.

~

"I'm sorry."

One day, a star fell from the sky. It wasn't allowed to shine any longer in the heavens, so it escaped down to the world to give its light and warmth over to the people. Although its flame was gradually extinguished among the terrestrial existence of the common folk, it knew that its legacy would last forever.

"I'm sorry... I should have been there to protect you... Please, don't go away, my heart."

Everything was dark. The boy could feel nothing. Where was he? Who was he? Wait... Ishari... yes, that was who he was. His memory slowly began to return. Was he alive? He still couldn't feel anything, but at least he could open his eyes. He slowly did that. Now he could feel something! He could feel himself breathing, very slowly. Everything happened slowly for him now. When his eyes adjusted to the candlelight, he could see his mother kneeling next to him. He was in bed, and she seemed to be praying. She turned and saw him opening his eyes and her expression shifted to extreme happiness.

"Ishari! Thank you... thank you..." she said while laying her head on his chest, sobbing. He watched her for a moment longer and then drifted back off to sleep.

The next time Ishari woke up, he heard and saw someone else at his bedside. It was his sister, Vashela. She was reading one of her stories to him. He recognized it as one of her favorites, something about a mean prince who gets transformed into a non-sentient by a witch's curse. In order to turn back, he has to convince a girl to fall in love with him. Ishari enjoyed the story too, though he never really did like that prince. Ishari never really realized before how lucky he was to have such a nice sister.

A few more days went by... maybe more. It was hard for Ishari to keep full track of time right now. He had been visited many more times since then, though he wasn't always awake for those. Deliah came a few times. He could tell, because her scent was there a few times when he woke up. He was able to talk again now. His mother had been overjoyed by that. She and Vashela came to talk with him about what happened in the village since he was asleep. They never asked him about that night, and he was still too afraid to talk about it. They fixed him his favorite vegetables every day.

Sometimes, at night, he would hear his parents arguing. A few times, he heard his father say something about "starting over," and then the argument would get much more heated. His father didn't visit him.

Ishari still hadn't regained the use of his arms or legs. His mother tried every type of healing medicine and herbal remedy that she knew of, but nothing worked. She wasn't the type to give up hope though. If it came down to it, she might travel to Eldara herself and beseech one more miracle from the Ki'sen, she said. Tonight, though, Veyra spoke of some new type of extract she had learned of from a traveling performer. He claimed that it had exceptional properties which stimulated the healing of broken bones and similar injuries.

"Tomorrow," she said while sitting next to Ishari on the bed. "Tomorrow I will travel west to Haru. I will only be gone for about a week."

"Mother... " Ishari said softly, looking up to her and putting on a brave expression. "I know I'll be alright."

"Yes. One way or another, we'll get you back on your feet, playing with your friends and... all of this will be behind us," she said while smiling warmly back to her son. She reached over to brush Ishari's ears a few times "Goodnight my fawn," she said before turning and leaving his room, closing the door behind her. Ishari closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep with a bit of happiness in his heart.

When Ishari woke this time, it was still the middle of the night. His candle had almost burned all the way down, just flickering now, leaving the room almost completely dark. The boy felt unusually hot... almost like he was burning up with an intense fever. "Ohh..." He groaned softly, wanting to pull himself out from under his covers, but his arms and legs were still unresponsive. The heat continued to build throughout his body. He gasped again, flicking his ears and shaking. His heat seemed to be flowing up from within him, sparking somewhere deep in his belly and spreading out, then all the way up to his head. It was focusing on his forehead, which pounded something fierce. "Ohhh... please.... Stop..." he begged as the pounding heat became more painful.

Even though the boy's candle was close to finished, the darkness in his room had begun to recede again. A purplish glow was cast against all the walls, though he couldn't see the light source at first. The fiery pain was almost too much to bear. Then, suddenly all of the burning pain was gone. Instead, he felt a warm tingling sensation all throughout his body, very similar to the sensation he felt on the day of the three miracles. He... felt it in his arms, and his legs even! It felt... kind of good. Ishari blushed and gasped again softly. He lifted his gaze, seeing what looked like... flames... angled off his forehead. The purplish flame flickered about, then suddenly leapt from the boy's head and landed atop of his covers, right over his chest.

"F... fire?" he blinked, at first more than a little frightened. He was about to call for his mother, but the flame didn't seem to be spreading at all. It just sort of danced there in front of him. Ishari calmed a little, flicking his ears again and blinking as he watched the flame curiously. Soon enough, the flame began to die down, darkening the room again. A few flicks of his remaining candlelight showed that there was a small pile of ashes where the flame was before. Ishari blinked again. He still wasn't sure what to make of all this. He didn't just imagine it all though. He could still feel that slight tingling sensation cycling through him.

Suddenly, there was a soft purplish glow coming from within the pile of ashes. It was tiny at first, but slowly began to spread throughout the ashes until all of them seemed to be consumed, like tiny glowing embers. To Ishari's amazement, he saw something... something emerging from the ashes. It looked like a small furry head, with large cat-like ears, big curious eyes, and two thin protrusions coming off it that almost looked like feelers. This was followed by a fuzz coated body, four legs... and a long, almost draconic tail... also coated with fluff and sporting a big tuft at the end of it. Most of its fur appeared to be white, though it had dark blue 'sock' colorings on each of its paws, and its mane, eartips and tail tuft were golden. The creature was so small, looking barely big enough to fit in Ishari's paw.

As the creature stumbled the rest of the way out of the ashes, its body was carrying the same flame-like aura that had spawned the ashes, and its eyes had a faint glow to them. Ishari watched all of this with a mixture of profound amazement and surprise, though the boy was still a little fearful as well. Soon enough, the flames receded again and the creature's glow calmed, returning the room to near darkness. Ishari's candle wouldn't last too much longer. The creature gazed up towards Ishari, shaking on its legs, then falling onto its butt. Its big blue eyes looked friendly... even cute. They looked to be filling up with tears as it kept its gaze on the boy.

"Young Lord... I've been waiting... waiting so long..." the creature panted, still shaking. The tears were flowing now. The raw outburst of emotion was almost enough to make Ishari cry as well, getting him to close his eyes for a moment and sniffle.

"What do you... I mean... you... you came out of those ashes?" The boy said, still getting past his initial shock. Was he truly awake, or still dreaming?

The creature bobbed its head and smiled, lifting one of its forelegs to wipe away tears. It sounded like a he... yes, Ishari assumed it was a he. "Yes. I was reborn from your ashes, Young Lord."

Ishari blinked again, looking down at himself... was he still afire? He trembled again "My ashes...? H... how do I have them? Did something b... b... bad happen?" The boy was stammering again.

"No, Young Lord, something good has happened!" The creature made its way swiftly up along Ishari's chest to be closer to his face, smiling again broadly and lifting his forelegs as he sat back, as if he were looking for a tiny hug. When Ishari didn't move, he blinked and then chuckled at himself, realizing that the boy's injuries were still too severe for that! He would help with that soon enough...

"I don't understand," Ishari said while looking down shyly. "Who are you? And... why do you keep calling me that?"

The creature gasped, "Ohh my. I didn't even properly introduce myself!" He thumped himself on the head playfully with a forepaw, and then smiled again. "My name is Alanu, Young Lord. I am your Zen'shi. That means... well... I am your magical assistant, and guardian... I think that's the proper explanation," Alanu said to himself, holding up one paw to his muzzle as if he weren't quite sure.

This all still didn't make sense to Ishari, but at least he knew this creature's name now. "Alanu... you're here to... to help me?"

Alanu bounced up and down jubilantly and nodded. "Yes, you've got it, Young Lord! Now... I see you sustained quite a number of injuries here..." he said while looking up and down over Ishari's body, his eyes briefly glowing with a light red flame. "With the proper training, you will learn how to restore yourself... but I can handle that for you until then." Before Ishari could even get another word in, Alanu had disappeared under the covers. Ishari could only make out a small mound in the fabric moving this way and that as Alanu clambered over his form, working his way up to the boy's right arm first. Alanu spread all four legs and then clamped himself about Ishari's arm near the wrist, kind of hugging the boy and smiling blissfully. It was in the Zen'shi's inherent nature to long for the affection of its creator, and Alanu was certainly no exception to that rule. In fact, he seemed positively enamored with his boy.

"Don't worry Young Lord, mmmmm... we'll fix you..." came the muffled voice as Ishari felt a throbbing sensation working its way from the center of his body and into his arm. The warm energy flowed towards Alanu's position, then began tickling out across the boy's fingers. "Ohh.." he blinked and blushed a little. It felt good... very good. Slowly, Ishari could sense himself regaining feeling in his arm and fingers. One by one, he began curling and uncurling the digits while Alanu's tail caressed over the boy's paw.

"Mmm... Yes... that feels good, doesn't it." Alanu chirped happily, feeling Ishari's arm beginning to move, his wrist flexing and then relaxing, before the boy finally lifted his arm off the bed and into the air, holding his paw in front of his face to look at it carefully and watch his digits moving... he still wasn't quite sure if this was a dream or not.

Alanu released his grip on Ishari's wrist and tumbled down along the boy's arm to his chest, giggling softly, "That was fun, wasn't it Young Lord?"

Ishari smiled a little and nodded. "T... thank you Alanu..." he said. It was the first time the boy had smiled for a good while.

Alanu was clearly very proud of himself at this point and got all puffed up, smiling broadly, "Now, let's see about the rest of you..." He moved swiftly under the covers on the other side, cuddling against Ishari's other arm and repeating his magic on the fawn. Once again, Ishari felt a gentle wave of euphoria prickling over his body. He blushed and made another cute little moan. He'd never felt this kind of constant stimulation before. Ishari closed his eyes a little, sitting up as Alanu moved to his legs and continued working his magic. "Ohhh... oh my..." he said softly as that warm energy coursed between his thighs and down to his ticklish footpaws. He started curling and uncurling his toes and blushing strongly in his ears. As he finished, Alanu bounced back up along the boy's legs, making his way up to his bare tummy and pressing in against the ample fluff to nuzzle him happily.

"You're better now, right?"

Ishari nodded to Alanu and smiled again. The boy was still was a little confused about all of this, but even so, it was clear to him that Alanu cared about him and was trying hard to make him happy. He lifted his right paw nervously, looking down at his nose with a shy expression while holding that paw just above Alanu's form. Then he started slowly stroking over Alanu's body, flicking his ears down a little as well. Alanu purred greatly as he received his fawn's affection.

After a few moments, Ishari felt like he could try standing up. It had been a while since he last stood... many days... Ishari slowly scooted himself to the edge of the bed, sitting there with his paws on his thighs for a moment and looking down at the floor apprehensively. Meanwhile, Alanu slid off the boy, onto the covers, and backed up on the bed to get a running start. Then he galloped over and bounded high in the air to land atop Ishari's head in one big leap.

"You can do it, Young Lord. Don't be frightened! Just one paw at a time..." he said while holding onto one of Ishari's ears like some big handle to steer the boy with.

"Okay..." Ishari replied, moving the covers the rest of the way off from his legs. He realized for the first time in a while that he was nude. It hadn't really mattered while he was immobile, but now he felt just a little self-conscious with Alanu watching over him, especially since all of that magic use had sort of aroused his young senses. He flushed some more, resting his paws over his modest privates.

Alanu seemed to notice this straight away, smiling as he peered down from atop the boy's head. "Ahh... don't worry! There's no need to be modest around me, Young Lord. Remember, I can help you with anything. I know all about augmentations, for example." Alanu spoke very matter-of-factly about such a sensitive matter, managing to make Ishari feel even more embarrassed!

The boy blushed again and tried not to think about that right now. He tried to focus on walking... He placed his footpaws on the floor, getting used to that sensation again... Then he slowly and carefully pushed himself away from the bed, putting one foot in front of the other. He was awfully wobbly, trembling and stopping every few seconds so he wouldn't fall flat on his face.

All the while, Alanu was cheering him on from his perch atop the boy's head. "Ohh... yes, yes you're doing swell! Ohhh... watch that stool there! Don't slip on that cloth over there! Oh, Oh! That ball there, don't step on it... what kind of ball is that anyway?" he asked, pondering to himself for a moment while Ishari turned around and began padding back to the bed.

Ishari barely stumbled on the way back, and when he made it there, he placed his paws on the bedside, steadying himself again and smiling happily. "I made it..." he said, wiggling his tail again. Alanu, of course, was quite pleased.

"Oh, Young Lord, this is a joyous day indeed! Now, all that's left is to announce your presence to the others and... ohh, by the way, where are they? I don't sense any of them nearby."

"The others?" Ishari asked softly while sitting again, looking up towards Alanu while flicking his ears down again.

"Ah, yes!" Alanu giggled quietly, "The other Ki'sen and their guardians, of course! I must meet up with them! There is much to do to complete your preparations," he bobbed his head eagerly.

Ishari was unsure how to respond to this. He sat there for a moment, blinking again. Then he responded again, the boy's voice cracking a bit nervously, "Do you mean... do you mean that I'm like them?"

Alanu stood with his head up proudly and nodded, "Yes Young Lord! You will learn all about that as well! I will teach you. I have access to vast knowledge," he preened. "But first... first I must find the others. Have you seen any of them recently?"

"Well... I... I did see them, at the Yanis Festival... at the Shrine. They must have gone back through their portal to Eldara," he said while trembling as his memories of that night began to return.

Alanu began storing away this information... Shrine... Yanis... Portal... Eldara... His eyes glowed again briefly as he processed it, then suddenly blinked and nodded, "Yes of course. The portal." He patted at Ishari's big soft fawn ear and smiled, "I will find them Young Lord." With that, he hopped back down, flopping into Ishari's naked lap and smiling up to him playfully. "I will not be long. I move at lightning speed! Well... not QUITE lightning speed, but almost," he said with another soft giggle as he stood back up and hopped down to the floor, making his way to the boy's window.

Ishari stood up, hugging a little around his sides and blushing, "Alanu... I'm... I'm scared. What's going to happen?"

"Don't worry Young Lord. Everything will work out just fine, you'll see!" Alanu smiled back as he pounced up onto the window sill, then he made a few cute "Oooof" sounds as he scrambled clumsily out the cracked shutters and disappeared into the night. Shortly afterward, Ishari's candle finished burning all the way down and his room was pitch black.

~

Ishari sat alone in the darkness for a few moments, thinking... Mostly, he thought about Alanu. The boy had only known him for such a short period, but already, he was starting to miss his presence. He hugged himself again and sighed. He flicked his ears a few times then, hearing soft footfalls as someone approached his door.

"Ishari?" It was the voice of his mother.

"Yes mother," he said, wiggling his tail as he watched her open the door to visit him.

"I thought I heard you talking..." she blinked and stopped when she saw the boy sitting at the edge of his bed, with the light from the hallway cast over his body. "Ishari... did... did you get up yourself?"

He blushed and nodded a little, lifting his arms and splaying and clenching his paws for her to see. "I'm better, mother. You don't have to travel to Haru..." he said and smiled warmly to her.

Veyra started showing happy tears again as she quickly strode over to her fawn, sinking down to her knees and hugging him against her breast. "How... It... must be a miracle..." she said softly while holding him tight. Ishari was more than happy for the warmth and safety of his mother's embrace, and he nestled in against her eagerly.

After a moment, Verya blinked again, thinking, and then slowly relaxed her hold on him, brushing down over the back of his head and his naked fur. "No," she shook her head and then smiled again to him, "I understand now. It's your time."

The boy flicked his ears a bit more while nuzzling under her chin affectionately and listening.

"Time for what?" came a stern voice from behind her.

Veyra straightened up a little bit, looking down at Ishari again, then slowly standing back up to face Ikantu. Ishari stood behind her, somewhat out of view.

"Look, my love... Your son is healed! Everything... everything can be as you wanted again."

Ikantu crossed his arms, looking between Ishari and Veyra angrily. "Don't you lie to me... not anymore."

"What do you mean, dear? You must just be tired or something. Come, I will make you some tea," she said while padding over to take Ikantu's paw. He simply growled though and pushed her away.

"You know what I mean! He's not my son," he gruffed, while pointing to Ishari.

Veyra shook her head, smiling nervously, "That's absurd dear... of course he is." Ishari stepped out from behind her, looking up to Ikantu with a bit of a frightened look. "Father? What do you mean?"

"Get back from me," Ikantu growled again at Ishari, who started blinking away tears as he stumbled back in fear.

"He's one of them, isn't he... I'm not stupid. No normal Cer'va could have survived a fall like that! And now, he's walking... not a scar on him."

Veyra shook her head, "Don't worry Ishari. There's nothing wrong with you."

"Father, I'm all better now," Ishari said, trying to keep from crying. "I can come help you again with your work."

"No! I said you're not my son! Ki'sen only come from others of their kind," he stated sharply. Then he stepped forward suddenly, pushing Veyra to the side and grabbing Ishari by his arm. "You're not welcome here anymore." Ishari cried out softly as he was pulled out of his room and into the hall. Vashela was awake by now as well, watching frightened from her doorway.

"Wait... Father, I don't understand..." Ishari sniffled and cried, trying to pull free of Ikantu's strong grasp while the strong buck pulled him down the hall to the back door, only stopping briefly to grab one of his ornamental swords off a rack.

Veyra followed quickly behind, holding onto Ishari's other paw and speaking more assertively, "Ikantu... I'm sorry. But now you're making a mistake! Don't do this... You'll never forgive yourself."

Ikantu didn't listen to her though, his enraged expression fixing only on Ishari for the moment. Once outside, he pried the boy away from Veyra and tossed him several feet out into the muddy grass. There was a slight drizzle coming down from then night sky which quickly coated their fur and made the ground somewhat slippery.

"I don't care where you go, but you can't stay here with this family," Ikantu shouted while pointing the blade of the sword at Ishari to keep him back.

Veyra moved quickly over to Ishari's side, helping him back up to his feet, letting her own tears flow again. "If he leaves, then so will I and Vashela!" she stated.

Ikantu growled, "No you aren't. Now get away from him," he said and moved to put himself between Ishari and Veyra. Veyra struggled against him, trying to push him back, and he lifted his sword arm to stop her, plunging the blade right through her chest.

Veyra cried out and looked down at herself in realization. Then, her arms started to go limp, and then her legs. Ikantu looked on with horror at what he'd done, seeing the amount of blood flowing from her wound. "No..." he said, pulling the sword free as she fell down to her knees. Veyra closed her eyes a few times, trying to suppress the intense pain as she began to go into shock. She looked to Ishari who had collapsed onto his own knees next to her and was crying again.

"Mother..." he said, taking her paw when she fell onto her back. "No... you'll be okay... Alanu will be back soon."

Veyra relaxed her breathing a bit, the pain beginning to ebb away as she felt the world around her slipping away. "Don't worry dear Heart," she said quietly. "Everything will be just fine. Remember, this is just your beginning."

Ishari continued crying softly, "Mother, don't go. I love you."

"I love you too," she said, while slipping into unconsciousness.

Ishari whimpered and held her paw tighter, trying to stop her and looking around for Alanu helplessly.

"You... You made me do this!" Ikantu said to him, standing above with his paws shaking. Ishari turned up towards him, frightened and still grief stricken. Before the he could even try to get away, Ikantu picked up the sword again and shoved it right through Ishari's upper chest, eliciting a painful cry from him as he fell back next to his mother, then gasped and cried once more when Ikantu pulled it out. Ishari laid there with his vision a bit blurry, his heart racing as the pain shot through him.

Ikantu growled once more, "That's right... you can't die from something like this, can you," he stated grimly. "But, you can feel pain," he continued, lifting his sword up again.

Before he could bring it down again though, a beam of red crackling energy slammed into Ikantu with a thunderous sound, almost looking like a fiery lightning bolt. It launched him clear off his footpaws, blasting him a few dozen feet away where he fell on his back, crying out and writhing in pain. Footsteps approached from somewhere behind Ishari. A black robed figure crouched down next to his mother, checking her lifepulse. Two others wearing dark blue robes stepped around her and the boy, continuing towards Ikantu silently.

"St... stay back!" Ikantu shouted up to them as he somewhat regained his wits, grabbing up his sword again and trying to stand. With astonishing swiftness, one of the robed figures grabbed his sword arm and delivered a kick to his midsection that sounded powerful enough to crack a few ribs. Ikantu gasped and wheezed, dropping his sword and falling to his knees.

Before the sword hit the ground, the other figure grabbed it in mid-air and spun around, stopping the blade inches from Ikantu's neck. Meanwhile, the first grabbed his other arm and held them both behind his back, keeping him still.

Ishari's vision began to clear a little, his pain dissipating as he felt a familiar warm tingling sensation at the spot of his wound. The crouched figure moved closer to him, settling just above him so that the boy could see up into the hood. A friendly looking face gazed back at him. She was a female Ki'sen, her shiny black fur contrasting perfectly with her warm crimson eyes. Suddenly, out from the breast of her robe hopped Alanu, seeming almost as grief stricken as Ishari. He landed on the boy's tummy, latching onto him with a whimper, "Ohh Young Lord. I came back as fast as I could! You've been injured again! If only I'd been here," he whimpered some more.

The Ki'sen above him shook her head at Alanu's naiveté. "You'd have been hurt just like your master. You did well to retrieve us," she said.

Ishari looked hopefully to Alanu, flicking his ears up as he blinked away tears and rain. "Please Alanu... help my mother. She's... She's..."

The Ki'sen held up her paw to stop him, shaking her head again. "It's too late... I am truly sorry."

Ishari shook his head, "No... no... please..." he cried again.

By now, several neighboring Cer'va had gathered around the yard to see what the commotion was, though Deliah was not present. One of their neighbors was holding Vashela back to keep her from her lifeless mother.

"I am sorry, Ki'sen..." she said again to Ishari. She then gestured to the other two, who dragged Ikantu over, with the blade still at his neck. She continued, "The penalty for assault on a Ki'sen is death... Judgment is to be entered immediately upon capture." The gathered Cer'va looked on grimly at this demonstration, some turning away their eyes so as not to bear witness to the impending beheading.

She continued, "However, the Ki'sen may grant relief as a sign of mercy. Instead, he may serve a life sentence of hard labor. What is your choice, Ki'sen?" she asked of Ishari.

Ishari looked to his mother, then to Ikantu and the robed Ki'sen holding him at the ready... He started breathing again quickly, shivering. "I... I..."

"Life... or death?" She repeated her question.

The boy became overwhelmed by the mixture of pain and loss and pressure, and simply fainted before he could say another word. The Red-eyes smirked a little, then gestured to her two companions again. "Luna, Taro, you will ensure that the assailant is transported to the capital prison complex and given proper... accommodations. I will bring this one back to my master for now."

With that, the Red-eyes scooped Ishari up into her arms, carrying him back in the direction of the portal at the Shrine of Yanis. Alanu lay curled up on Ishari's tummy, crooning softly while healing his wound.

~

When Ishari next woke, he was laying in bed again... Once more, he was in a dark room lit by a candle. It wasn't his room, though. This room was a bit larger and lined with bookcases on either side, absolutely filled with large tomes. He wasn't totally alone. He felt something atop of his chest. He could hear tiny breaths that weren't his own. It was Alanu. He sniffled and wished his mother was there too though. He hoped she wasn't just a dream now, but in his heart he knew that she was. For now, it was just he, Alanu, and one candle holding back the darkness.