The lights of the city of Caskiri glowed faintly in the early dawn through the cloudy mists of the Arnaw waterfall. The houses of Caskiri were hewed from the very stone of the cliff and only their windows could be seen on the outside. On the inside, the doors to the houses opened up into a large water-carved cave with a stream flowing down the middle of its elegantly long and curving passage through the mountain and exited some miles away in a waterfall of its own. This waterfall did not reach the ground but dissipated into mist and clouds.
The end to the Arnaw waterfall could not be seen as it stretched away into the horizon and fell with a greater roar than thunder to the sea miles below. Though Caskiri was a mile away from the falls the rumble of the water could still be felt in the stone and its dull throbbing sound burbled down the underground river cave. The lowering line of dawn caught the first dark eyes of the village’s face and it began to wake. Closer to the falls the dawn revealed steep terracing where the cliff’s sheer face gave way to sloping ground before sharply returning to its downward plunge. The mists from the waterfall constantly poured down on this terracing and on the plants that grew there. Small trees grew on the terracing with large leaves that formed a thick canopy. Beneath the shelter of the trees grew delicate blue grasses whose heads resembled fluffy clouds and the stocks resembled the green swathes of land below a blue sky. In the gaps between the trees were nestled large-leaved bushes with lush blue gold fruits ensconced in leafy cradles soaking all the moisture they could from the constantly falling rain of water. On some of the trees unharvested brilliant purple flowers could still be seen, their vibrant deep color in stark contrast with the leaves and grey mists around them.
Away from the terraces and waterfall something stirred in the opening of a cave by the village, caught by the first rays of the sun. A youth strode into the light at the mouth of the cave and looked out upon the world still dark far below him. He let the wind tease his hair and the sun warm his face. Another grand day. The whistle and blowing of the wind buffeted him and seemed to harmonize with the deep throbbing beneath his boots from the waterfall. He was going to enjoy staying dry and warm before another day of soaking wet had to pass yet again. The last of the Sorethyst flowers had to be harvested and processed before the week was out or they would lose their pristine value. Well, it wouldn’t be too hard if they didn’t experience any setbacks.
Something rustled behind him and he smiled; time to give his dearest friend a shocking wake up call. He hadn’t had one for a few weeks and another was in order. Kern Veda smiled as he stepped off the ledge and fell. Behind him he felt the sharp awakening and panic of his friend Mostyn and heard the first sounds of frantic clawings of talons on stone before the sound of the wind quickly grew to a deafening roar. Even through the sound of the wind he could still feel the dull deep throb of the waterfall.
He quickly righted himself and plunged headfirst, guiding himself with his arms and legs to dodge what trees and fauna had found grip on the cliff. He twirled left, then right, and left again. The thrilling rush of falling and the cliff whipping by only feet away only heighted his feeling of being chased and being the chaser at the same time as he closed in on the dawn’s light as it slipped down the cliff’s face. He could see the lights of another cliff-side village pass by his left and caught a glimpse of someone taking flight.
The edge of light was in sight now, so close he felt he could reach out and touch it. Suddenly, behind him he heard the sound of wind rushing over wings and talons. He dodged and twirled to his left just as claws snatched where he had just been. He splayed his arms and legs and watched as Mostyn whisked by with wings folded against his side and outstretched claws already being tucked back against his body. Mostyn snapped his wings open and slowed trying to catch Kern on his back. Kern could nearly reach the line of sun where the darkness still lingered. Kern tried dodging and succeeded in avoiding a collision with Mostyn’s wing and thought he was home free when Mostyn deftly grabbed Kern by sharply turning on his side and snatching at him with his claws. Kern reached out his hand and nearly broke the line of light on the rock with his own shadow. Kern’s vision whirled then straightened as Mostyn slowed and started pumping his wings to fly into the Blue’s updraft that would take them back up so they could start their day’s work.
Mostyn whuffed smugly. “You won’t be so smug when I finally beat you one day!” Kern said trying to shift in his uncomfortable position in Mostyn’s clutches.
Mostyn simply laughably warbled in his throat as Kern chuckled. Mostyn was gripping him on the verge of being squeezed. Kern grunted, “could you let up? I can barely breathe!” Mostyn responded by swinging Kern back and forth beneath him. Kern laughed and was about to start playfully beating on Mostyn’s claws when he felt Mostyn’s heartbeat pulsing rapidly. Mostyn was not only squeezing Kern with his claws but was also squeezing him against his leathery body and Kern could easily feel his pulse.
Kern quieted down and looked up at his friend. Was that a hint of worry that he felt under the playfulness? Kern felt a slight itching pain on his side and he looked down at himself. Mostyn’s talons had nicked him when he was grabbed. Mostyn was always very careful whenever they wrestled or roughhoused and Kern didn’t remember a time that he had been nicked. So, Mostyn hadn’t grabbed at him playfully? But Kern hadn’t even come close to hitting the ground that was still thousands of feet away. But it was no mistake, Mostyn had been truly worried for him. The realization came to Kern and he slumped in Mostyn’s clutches ashamedly.
Both kept quiet as they ascended and finally came to a rest in the cave that served as Mostyn’s stable. Kern dismounted and started mounting Mostyn’s saddle. He cast a questioning look at the dragon and Mostyn responded with sensations of trees and darkness and pain from running into something in the dark. Now Kern understood. There were trees that grew out from the cliff. It would be foolish to try a stunt that Kern did every now and then without the ability to see what was coming, especially when he was falling at the speeds he was.
He walked over and reassured the still quivering Mostyn by hugging him and telling him he was sorry. After this Mostyn seemed to calm down and forgive him and Kern went right to work saddling him up and getting his own gear together. Kern’s apparel were leather boots strapped tight, leather britches strapped tight over the tops of the boots, a jerkin strapped tight over the top of the britches, a leather jacket with a tight, high collar and tight sleeves, leather gauntlets tied tight over the sleeves of the jacket, and a leather helmet of sorts with earmuffs, a wide brim and a large back flap. A shadow brushed over the cave opening, then shortly after another. Everyone else was already heading off to finish the harvest.
Mostyn came over to Kern and nuzzled him. Kern smiled and petted him then took both his hands and gently pried Mostyn’s mouth open and looked at his teeth. Still healthy. Mostyn pulled away and made sounds as if he were trying to hack something out of his throat.
“Oh come on! My hands are clean!”
Mostyn vigorously shook his head and if a dragon could spit, which they can’t, Mostyn would have. Instead Mostyn only succeeded in spitting his tongue out making Kern chuckle.
Kern went to the small stream of water that constantly ran through his room and wetted his hands before going back over to Mostyn and rubbing them on Motyn’s chin and nose. A slight oil rubbed off onto Kern’s hands making them smell like air and water. “Now its your turn” Kern said and Mostyn rolled onto his belly as Kern got a rough cloth and quickly cleaned Mostyn’s claws. Just as he was finishing the last one he surprised Mostyn by tickling him. Mostyn bucked involuntarily but Kern held on as Mostyn rolled back and forth making what Kern took for a dragon’s laugh.
Kern jumped off and started finishing putting on his gloves and other gear. Behind him Mostyn shook himself and went to lay down ready to be saddled.
After Kern had gathered his things and secured them tightly in the saddle bags he saddled Mostyn and they started off into the air once again.
In front and behind Kern as he made his way towards the falls were the townspeople on their dragons flying in the same direction he was. Its sound grew louder and louder and Kern put cotton in his ears and tied his ear muffed helmet on so the deafening roar wouldn’t hurt his ears. He also cinched on his goggles for later when things would get really gritty. The sounds of the wind and callings of the many birds swooping through the air in the early morning became muffled and distant but he could still feel the dull throb of the waterfall.
The waterfall was closer now and even though he was some ways out he was already getting pelted by the mists. A few of the workers had already turned aside to the terraces but Kern and most of the others continued flying directly towards the waterfall.
As they flew closer and closer the mist turned into a sprinkle, which turned into rain and soon it was a downpour.
“Well, here we go” Kern heard the feeling from Mostyn. There, just barely seen through the downpour could be seen islands of green with churning white waters all around them. The light of the sun was muted because of the mists but it was just enough for a few special plants to grow under the constant torrential rain. The plants that grew on the cliffs to the sides of the waterfall were more delicate and were watered by the mists and light rains that came off the waterfall but these other plants were an entirely different matter. Day and night from the moment of their birth they were subjected to a virtual flood and unending weight of water from the waterfall. Their light was choked by the same waters that attempted to drown them yet still they thrived.
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Kern landed on one of the islands barely able to stand the noise of falling water even with his ears plugged and covered. He could feel the noise beat at his body and shake the bottom of his feet as he slid off of Mostyn’s back and onto the landing platform above the terraced island descending down in the direction of the sun. Kern could only see a few meters and the first row of grasses on the terrace. Despite the downpour the grass blades stood straight up and their iridescent leaves glimmered despite the low amount of light.
First thing Kern climbed down the back of the terrace’s stone wall and checked how the structure was doing. The same iridescent grasses poked out of the cracks and gaps in the stone and when Kern got to the bottom he found the great stones parting the tumultuous waves still intact. Those stones were vital. They kept all of the dirt terracing from being washed away. This island wasn’t like the others. It was man-made and had to be built with massive stones to keep it from being swept away by the strong current. It had been built long before Kern’s time and before the times of the oldest descendants they knew of. The stones were made of Waterstone and were so large it was a wonder how they came to be moved. All of the other islands had been hewed out of already existing islands of rock and so were well rooted.
Behind and above him he couldn’t see, but he could feel Mostyn intently leaning over the edge of the back of the terrace watching his every move.
After Kern had made sure there were no failures in the structure he returned to the crops and checked on them. There were only skinny widths of stone to stand on so he had to be careful not to fall off. The terraces were very steep so the grasses could get full amounts of sunlight without shading each other out. Kern gently climbed himself back up the narrow stairs and rested beneath Mostyn’s wing. The pounding waters and noise had already taken their toll on him and he was exhausted. His days’ work was not over.
He grunted and lifted himself up onto Mostyn’s saddle as Mostyn jumped off the back side of the terrace into the water. The current tugged at Kern’s legs but he held tight as Mostyn’s eel-like tail beat furiously and his webbed feet worked hard to overcome the current. Mostyn bobbed up and down with the waves and Kern got sucked under with him a few times but they would always come out on top. Each time Kern could feel Mostyn become a little worried and feel Mostyn’s shoulders hunch as if to protect Kern. Kern would reassuringly pat Mostyn when they came back above the water and Mostyn would loosen up. Soon it was too torrential for reassurances and all Kern could do was hope he had tied himself in the saddle well enough. The waves kicked them around like a leaf on the wind and Kern had to use every ounce of will not to gulp in water when they were sucked under for longer than usual. It seemed like forever and the weight of the falling water beat harder and harder each time they would come up for air until it felt like liquid stone was constantly falling on him when it suddenly all let up.
Kern felt Mostyn’s discomfort and he quickly released his death grip around Mostyn’s neck. Mostyn chortled amusedly as Kern lay on Mostyn’s back exhausted and breathing deeply. “I don’t have gills like you do buddy,” Kern said between taking gulps of breath.
Kern gathered himself and sat up. They were drifting on what looked like a lake with a wall of water to their back. Mostyn was almost playfully bobbing with the waves as he paddled to the shore close at hand making a high pitched gurgle in his throat at the top of each wave.
What shielded them from the waterfall were massive Lariah trees whose upper branches spread far out from their heavy trunks and supported large, thick leaves that created an impenetrable canopy. In the areas where there were gaps in the canopy were powerful falls that fell through the gap and created rivers that flowed down the hillsides and through the massive roots of the trees. The Lariah’s leaves softly glowed green since it was summer and gave light into what would otherwise be darkness. The leaves of vines and undergrowth also glowed in varied colors but their fruits and flowers did not, preferring to hide behind the thick leaves of the bushes and vines.
As they drew closer to the shore, the deafening sound of the waterfall subsided until it was only a gentle throb in the air around them. Kern thankfully took off his helmet and unplugged his ears.
Kern could see some of the workers harvesting in the undergrowth while others trimmed and harvested select branches from the Lariah for their wood, perhaps the hardest, heaviest wood in all the world. He waved to some of the workers who all had their dragons close by helping them out, whether by carting loads of fruit or lumber or chopping through branches with their thick claws or delicately rooting out flowers and roots.
“You ready buddy?” Kern asked Mostyn. Mostyn snorted an affirmative and powered himself out of the water and into the air. They lazily flew through the wide gaps between the trunks of trees and hanging vines. The Lariah didn’t have branches below the canopy so there were only wide open spaces between the canopy far above and the undergrowth below. Here and there, there would be a young Lariah trying desperately to grow upwards or a powerful torrent of water breaking through the trees. Under the torrents were often young Lariah that broke the torrent’s fall and scattered its waters.
It wasn’t long before they came to a city walled in by tall wooden timbers and sprawling amongst the trunks of the Lariah trees. He landed at the center of the town and let Mostyn go to frolic and play with the other dragons that were there as he himself went towards an all-stone building. “Don’t wreck anything” Kern felt towards Mostyn.
“Nor you!” Mostyn replied gleefully.
Kern stepped into the building still dripping and was greeted by an older man at a desk.
“Kern, what news do you bring from Caskiri?” the man said only glancing up before returning his eyes to the papers out in front of him. The desk was lit by a bonsai Lariah and there were other men and women working at desks and talking amongst each other. This was the place where most of the produce from the falls found itself. Caskiri was currently the capital of Ago-Vlora, the Kingdom of Thunder and also the first city to be created by the falls.
“Well Kezun, I am afraid to report that Ara-Era is pushing its demand for more produce this year and they aren’t letting up like last year. They will have their share or things could possibly get ugly.” Kern said solemnly.
“But they won’t pay as much as Tacamo, Gwyan or the other countries! We are already doing them a favor by selling them our goods at the prices we are!” Kezun exploded banging his desk. “Do they think we make all our produce out of thin air!” Kezun covered his face with his hands. “I can’t take another cut like this. The king is already demanding that he see some growth from last year. I won’t make it if we take the cut just so Ara-Era doesn’t torch us.”
Kern fiddled awkwardly, “I could, uh, I could, um, ah,” he cleared his throat, “take a shipment through the Blue…”
Kezun slid his hands off his face and looked at Kern with no hint of amusement on his face. Without responding he set himself back to his paperwork. After a few awkward moments Kern dropped his package of dispatches on the corner of Kezun’s desk and walked out.
Everyone was afraid of Ara-Era. Course, they had a right to be. But his country couldn’t survive if Ara-Era continued to bully most of Ago-Vlora’s luxury resources for themselves. The only reason Ago-Vlora was able to survive was its secret deals to the side to other nearby countries. Ara-Era bought their wares at immensely low prices then sold them to other countries for much higher ones. Ago-Vlora had built an air-ship dock at Caskiri and many ships had come to trade at first but that was before the Ara-Erian’s caught wind and began exorbitant taxing of the ships as they passed by the top of the falls. Now only those ships willing to take the risk of trying to sneak past Ara-Era’s constant watch on the updraft came by to trade. Ago-Vlora had attempted sneaking shipments past at night using their own dragons but Ara-Era had torched all who had attempted escape. Shipments trying to travel down the Arnaw were overtaken by Ara-Erian dragon sentries and either forced to pay taxes or burnt to a crisp. It didn’t help that Ara-Era was still sore that Ago-Vlora had broken off from them and declared its independence. In the mind of Ara-Era’s king, Ago-Vlora was still a part of Ara-Era.
Kern sighed, and continued his walk towards the marketplace. Mostyn would be hungry after the day’s travel and he had earned a snack for keeping Kern alive through The Boil once more. The other way to this city required at least an entire days journey through the caves that winded their way under the roots of the Lariah to the face of the cliff. His own stomach grumbled and he decided he had earned some steak for his own self.
“Mostyn, smell the steak.” Kern said. He waited a few more moments before he felt Mostyn’s presence soar overhead then watched as Mostyn smelled the air, then beelined towards the marketplace and started circling over something. Kern smiled, Mostyn always knew how to find the best steak in the city.
“Come quick!” Mostyn felt hungrily.
Kern started jogging and soon had to dodge his way through the hustle and bustle of the marketplace before reaching the place Mostyn was circling over. Once he had arrived Mostyn landed on the roof to wait with the other dragons for his food to come up. Meanwhile he hung himself over the edge in his own particular way with his tail wagging watching as Kern walked in. Even then Mostyn hung upside down and looked in the window to watch him.
“Sparky dragon you have there,” the butcher at the counter said raising an eyebrow.
“He’s a lot of fun,” Kern admitted smiling. “I had better get him a big chunk of meat too or he’ll not be too much fun to deal with later!”
That elicited a smile from the butcher and he ordered his apprentice to fetch some flying eel meat up to the roof. “So, what brings a man like you to our humble city?”
Kern shrugged, “I’m just a speed courier for his majesty’s business.”
The butcher nodded, “What would like for yourself? I hear rumors that Ara-Era might try a move to take us back under its wing.”
“Just a steak please, I’ve heard of that rumor too, for years now. What’s come of it? Nothing. Its just nothing is all. People have been saying it just to scare each other.”
The butcher nodded again and puckered out his bottom lip. “Yes, that is so. Even if it is all smoke our country can’t take our trade being ruled like this for much longer. We’ll collapse and Ara-Era will be right there to pick up all of the pieces. Oh, your total will be 132 pekas.”’
Kern laid down the money, then an idea came to him. “You know what will make Ara-Era stick their hand in their mouth where it belongs and keep it there?”
The butcher smiled amusedly and leaned on his forearms. “And what sir would that golden plan be?”
Kern looked the man in the eyes, “Why, a trade agreement with Deneloro of course!”