The young alsaian stayed close to the foothills of the mountains where the mid-harvest sunlight was less intense, broken occasionally by the scrub brush and large boulders. Taleka moved quickly, staying low to the ground. Alsais was a safe home for her people, but she had always been told to watch the skies for danger and stay low when away from home. She had taken such warnings to heart, especially now.

The Weave felt strange as it moved over her wings. Something was different, whether it was her or the Weave itself she couldn’t tell. She reached for the possibilities, testing her connection to it and the Balance it served, but found only muddied impressions and strands that seemed to slip out of her grasp. She couldn’t stop the shudder that raced down her back. Taleka suddenly felt more alone than ever.

It took nearly three days of almost constant flying to reach the shores of Zephyr Lake. The lake was well above sea level on a sort of plateau at the southernmost end of this finger of the mountain’s chain. It was nearly surrounded on two walls by high cliffs, the easternmost wall riddled with strange holes and tubules that gave the area its name. The wind wailed as it moved through the narrow, but tall, projection of stone. On the western bank of the rather large lake, was a small walled settlement. The settlement was somewhat close to where the falls from above dumped into the lake, the mist from the falls themselves obscuring the settlement. It was surrounded by farmlands, most of them already harvested and lying fallow.

Taleka landed lightly near the northern most gate in the wall, looking out over the fields that surrounded the town. There was something about the waning afternoon light looking over the damp, empty, fields that filled the little alsaian with rising dread. Shaking off the sensation, she approached the gate and the two guards that flanked the massive doorway. By the time she arrived, both bored looking guards were standing much straighter.

“Greetings, I am Taleka of Alsais, I have come to speak with your leaders.” The maintained a respectful distance from the guards as she spoke, but both of them seemed uncertain as they looked over her. Compared to the two guards, both human, she barely topped their waists.

“Greetings.” One of them answered at last, his gaze roaming over her once again, “Are you Fae?”

Taleka’s brows knit in confusion. “Fae? No. I am Alsaian.”

The guards exchanged a wordless, puzzled glance, before returning their attention to the butterfly winged Alsaian before them. Neither of them fully meeting her yellow gaze. “Miss. We’ll have to send a runner to City Hall. I’m not sure about your type.”

Her dark featured face fell into a frown. “My type? Have you no knowledge of the alsaians?”

Both guards shook their heads before one disappeared through the doorway. “Never even heard of ‘em.” The remaining guard admitted.

This lack of knowledge on the part of the people here would likely make her task much more difficult. While she waited to be allowed into the town, Taleka thought back over the previous week. A week ago, none of this had mattered. The Kel weren’t on the move, the Weave and the Balance were working perfectly and she was ensconced in her home working as apprentice to the Grandmother Weaver herself. Now? Taleka studied the strange humans that stood before her. Now, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever reach home again. It was her duty to awaken the Others to the reality of the Kel and she would not falter in performing it.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have sent Daylasha back, she mused.

Finally, the runner returned, out of breath. “I’m to take this one to the council chambers in City Hall. The council wants to see her.”

“Welcome then, stranger, to Zephyr’s Rest.” One of the guards gestured her through the gates.

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“Thank you,” Taleka said a she followed the runner at a walk through the town.

Once inside the gates, it was a bustle of activity. They passed through a square filled with booths and stalls filled with vendors and their wares.. “You came at a good time,” The young runner said as he wove through the crowd of shoppers. “It’s market day.” His freckled face was broken by a huge grin as he looked over his shoulder at her.

“Do you know what I am?” She asked after a moment’s silence as they left the square behind.

“Fae, ain’cha?” He ventured as he walked quickly up a wide cobbled street that led deeper into the town.

“No. I’m not.” Talkea answered, her blue and black wings fluttering irritatedly. The alsaian had of course heard of the fae, who hadn’t, but to be confused with one bothered her on a level she couldn’t quite explain. They were known tricksters and it wasn’t an impression she wanted to create amongst those she met on her journey.

“Here we are, miss. Right up these stairs.” He led her into a squat wooden building that looked somewhat like a child’s image of a home made in dust. Square building, triangular roof, slightly off center door. It seemed hastily cobbled together, unlike most of the rest of the town. Taleka’s heart was racing in her chest as she stepped out of the dying sunlight and into the shadowy entrance of the city hall. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. The inside of the building was just one large room with a table and a handful of chairs. The room was empty, but for one person seated at the far end of the table, in the deepest shadows. All Taleka could see of the figure was a pair of glowing orange-colored eyes.

“I thought it could not be the truth, and yet here you stand.” A woman rose to her feet from the chair, her long black hair seemed darker than she shadows that surrounded her. “An Alsaian, as I live and breathe.”

“May we both continue to do so.” Taleka muttered as she stepped further into the room. “Are there no windows you could open to allow the sun into this place? Why sit in such darkness.”

There was a smile in the woman’s voice as she spoke. “I need little light to see by. Sometimes I forget that others need more.” She walked over to one of the walls and opened a shutter, bathing the room in waning sunlight. She stood revealed, a woman, middle thirties, brilliant orange eyes with vertical pupils like those of a cat. Her smile revealed sharp, predatory teeth. Nestled in her long black hair was a pair of black, tufted ears that seemed almost feline.

“Tell me, Alsaian, why have you come?”

“My name is Taleka.”

“And mine Inaru, but that does not answer my question. Your kind vanished very long ago, retreating to their strongholds. Tell me, why would you leave the safety of that stronghold, especially now.”

“Especially now?” Taleka asked as she stepped closer to the stranger.

“The Weave is unstable. Some spellweaves haven’t been performing as expected. Why would your kind appear again just when the Weave trembles.”

“My people are bound to the Weave.” Talkea began to explain slowly, the other woman interrupted.

“All of creation is bound to the Weave.” Inaru corrected.

“All of creation is part of the Weave.” Taleka’s tone was firm. “Alsaians are bound to the Weave and the Balance. A danger to the very Weave itself has awakened over the seas. It will come for all of Charan.”

Inaru’s black ears flicked back once before quickly righting themselves, whatever expression they were part of fled her face so quickly that Taleka couldn’t read it.”There’s nothing we of Zephyr’s Rest can do for you, Alsaian. You’ll need to follow the rivers to Reishada, in Ograkall. They will have more power to be of use to you.”

Taleka’s shoulders slumped. So much for reaching the end of her journey. “You could not send word to this Reishada?”

“It’s likely an entire season there and back again on foot. That doesn’t even take into account the dangers. You could probably pick up a riverboat in Zelegdah and shave quite a bit of time off that trip, but I doubt any of our citizens would accompany you.”

The blue and black wings drooped behind her as Taleka nodded her head. “Thank you for the information at least.”

“You are most welcome. I wish that I could do more for you, Alsaian.” Inaru said as she started walking toward the door. “It is reassuring to know that your kind still exists.”

“Thank you,” Taleka said, bowing slightly toward the cat-eared woman as she left the strange building behind.

“Blessings and luck to you on your journey.”

Taleka nodded her head once more and spread her wings wide behind her. “Is there an inn here?” Inaru pointed to a large building nearby and Taleka took flight, she would rest and then she would continue her journey.