Several days passed on the aerial ships as we journeyed to the border of Yudhruman. The ships lumbered along slowly in the air. It was strange to me to be able to ride in a vessel such as this, for the laws of my previous home would’ve surely grounded such a vehicle. When I died, we hadn’t the technology or powers to reproduce such a thing. But perhaps that was because of our neglect to the powers that rested higher than us.

Many a day, I sat on the open grounds of the ship that were alike to the gardens at home. All manners of beasts roamed its lush surface. Many pillars were scattered in concentric fashion, releasing streams of light. At its edge, I would sit and look below to see the clouds, mass of foliage, great hills, mountains in the distance, and much much more.

Given our elevation, I suspected the air to be chilled; being frozen wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. Yet it was surprisingly warm, perhaps by design of the ship’s systems. The entirety of the structure was made of stone, with many a room for lodging and operations. The people of my world would gawk at the simplicity to be derived at this structure’s maintenance.

My quarters seemed like an internal palace compared to where the soldiers lodged. Staying there often made me sick. For though it was luxurious by all accounts, the air felt stifled and the space constrained. I’d rather stay in the open and enjoy the past-time of watching birds rather than sleeping or meditating.

Druzhat complained often of my lax attitude given what I was to face. But I didn’t care. While I could continue to hone my powers, the sage wasn’t here. Salam could only do so much, for he excelled more in physical arts than the spiritual.

The world would pass by slowly in this calm reverie. When I wasn’t busy with my morning meditations, I beheld the vastness of the space beyond me; that too on a ship grander than any mechanism of flight that I before knew. It was enough to keep me aware of the privilege that I held. One that I still felt undeserving and distant toward, but one that came with a responsibility to make good in this world.

I would often focus my senses into the distance to take in the scenery. I hadn’t much spent time doing that at home, because of the many distractions my parents and the ministers put my way. Now seemed like a good chance.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

With the keen perception I gained, I would focus into the green below and listen to the cries of the animals. Their footsteps through the glades, and their wandering through their home. Without even the skill of projection, I could still gain insight and feelings from observation alone.

With my mind through this space, I would traverse the area to see the downward slopes where the trees arched. The silver glow of gray light from the sun spread down from the canopy to be as like miniature shafted rays. The water in the distance that would fall into various ravines, from where the animals would scurry to the base to satiate their thirst at the pool.

Pleasure abounded in these sights, and I would continue even farther, to see grand meadows and the rolling hills alike to the ones at home. Where myriad scents and flowers dotted my view all the way to the periphery. Lone trees would stand tall, and rise for perhaps miles. Their tops obscured from my view.

The sorrowless trees the dotted themselves with their red flowers were scarce in this region, but when they could be found, their fragrance was like no other. Many animals would come to rest underneath to bask in its scent and warmth.

If ever the rain fell too hard, however, then they would to cover themselves under the mass of Syconium trees in the distance. Their trees branched far and wide, and were greater than any kind that I found in the old world. A thought would run through my mind when I saw this. One pertaining to an inverted tree of its like that represented the origination of the universe. I was sure such a concept existed here, but perhaps it had yet to be reflected.

There were other days, when not much of note happened, and so I would stroll across the open field of the ship. The pillars that stood high had the self-same carvings and designs as those of the palace. Yet they shined with a greater luster than any of those. Reflective enough to seem like the most tawny metals, due mainly to the special polish it received.

The beasts that were about, whether deer, monkey, rodent, or bird, kept to themselves and never sought to bother. They had plenty of food to find, and had constructed small residences toward the harder to reach locations of the ship.

This part of the ship alone reminded me more of a flying island. Given the size, perhaps it would be better to call them islands, but regardless, its size didn’t outweigh the purpose of its function. One for delivery and another for warfare. And both of those would soon be put to test.

Yet for the moment I resolved to rest and calm my mind, in the myriad things that happened in the natural world that I for so long had ignored until now.