“Leave? Obviously you have just arrived, so why is it you wish to go?” Kay asked. She looked almost disappointed at losing such an oddity as Jasper.
“I… just need to go,” Jasper said. “Where’s a quick way, um, out of Pinnacle?”
“The fastest way is to ask a White to teleport you somewhere.”
Jasper sucked in a breath through his teeth.
“Alright then, teleporting is obviously not a means you wish to take. Other than that, there is the train,” Kay said.
“That tube thingy?” Jasper asked, somehow knowing what she was referring to.
“That is it.”
“No, I won’t get in that,” Jasper said, and shuddered at the thought.
“Then there is Firefly.” Kay rubbed Firefly’s nose again. She saw Jasper’s confusion. “You ride on her back.”
Jasper tilted his head, staring at the animal and picturing his body lying on it. Then he nodded in recognition, and the idea was so silly to him that he had to try it. In a few quick movements, he hopped onto Firefly’s back, trying to keep his stomach on the animal with his legs searching for a hold on its backside.
With an embarrassingly high-pitched yelp, Jasper slid off and fell to the hay-covered ground.
“Not like that,” Kay giggled. “You ride with your legs split on either side.”
Jasper stood quickly and brushed off his body. “I knew that,” he said and, without hesitation, jumped onto Firefly’s back in the correct position. The horse took a few steps back, stunned, but Jasper’s feelings of calm and unity made her realize that Jasper was going to be a friendly load. “Like this, yes?”
“You have not fallen off, no. But you must first have a saddle if you are to ride,” Kay said, crossing her arms as she eyed this ever-intriguing boy. “There is an expression from my country, actually. Check there is a saddle before jumping on a horse.”
“Saddle?” Jasper patted Firefly’s neck reassuringly.
“It is what allows you to ride.”
Jasper thought about this, then addressed the thought to Firefly.
“She doesn’t want a saddle,” Jasper said.
Kay looked at Firefly, and Jasper could feel this intimidated the horse a little.
“Can’t I ride her without one?” Jasper asked. He gently gripped Firefly’s hair, and could feel Firefly’s excitement for wanting to go fast, and her commitment to do as she was told.
“I… guess,” Kay said, and eyed Jasper for a few seconds. “My father requested that I look after the horses while he and the family saw the presentation today. I think this favor entitles me to a little enjoyment.” She went to the far wall of the building and came back with a strange, leather seat with buckles and straps on it. “This is a saddle.” She held up the leather seat and Jasper was happy he’d requested not to use one. It looked very uncomfortable, for him and the horse. “I shall ride Leroy and show you around the city. It cannot be that you will leave so early upon arriving in Pinnacle. Few have the will to after a few sights, and you must give it a chance.”
Jasper had already given it a chance. All his life he’d wanted to see another world. Now, finally on one, it wasn’t anything like he’d expected. It was too much to take in, and the chance was over for him.
Kay swung the saddle over Leroy and attached a loop of leather around his nose. The horse grudgingly accepted this.
“Sure. But, show me the way out first, just in case,” Jasper said, and smiled at Kay.
She giggled and said, “I am sure you will not think of leaving by the time we get there.” Then she opened the door to the building and the stalls.
Jasper ducked down a bit. He knew that people wouldn’t be expecting him to be riding a horse, but he still didn’t want to be seen.
“Follow me,” Kay said. She kicked Leroy and horse and girl trotted out and turned once they were a little way out of the building.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Jasper thought about kicking Firefly. He didn’t want to kick her. She was too nice. So instead, he urged her on with a feeling of excitement and a willingness to be next to Leroy. Firefly complied and Jasper fluidly rode with her at a steady walk as Kay closed the large door behind them.
“I stand impressed,” she said. “Are you certain you have never ridden before?”
“I’m good with animals,” Jasper said, and shrugged. “They can feel easy.”
Kay nodded, not sure if she understood that, and remounted. “In any case, if you wish to see the exit it is an inclining road that leads down off the plateau. It lies only a short ride east. Come now, and try not to go too fast.” She made a clicking noise with her teeth, kicked Leroy, and trotted off, indicating for Jasper to follow.
“Okay, Firefly,” Jasper said, and urged her on. The horse replied wonderfully, happy to have such a kind and attentive person on her back, and the two caught up to Kay.
From there, Jasper had a magnificent view of the city. It hadn’t seemed like a climb at all before. Now, at the last ring of Pinnacle, he could definitely tell that there was a slight downward slope toward the center of the city. At the center stood The Pinnacle, its top shining at Jasper. For some reason, with the reflected light from the orb casting strange colors on the city below it, Pinnacle didn’t seem quite as intimidating as before, and Jasper called out thanks to Julia for giving him courage.
“Where is it you are from?” Kay asked after a while.
Jasper could see many of the Prophets giving up on the area and searching other houses, still looking for him. He bit his lip. He hated the Prophets for bringing him there, blaming them for tempting him to explore the unknown. He knew it was his fault, but he needed to rationalize his fear somehow.
“I said, where is it you are from?” Kay repeated.
“What? Oh, um, far away,” Jasper replied quickly.
“You seem awfully distracted.” Kay smiled. “I guess I would be too if I were viewing Pinnacle for the first time.”
They walked along the paved streets, their horses’ heavy feet going click-clack, click-clack as they went.
“You stare at The Pinnacle as if you know not what lies inside it. Why are you so curious with the star?” Kay asked.
“The star?” Jasper replied, and looked up to the top of The Pinnacle again. “That what they call it?” The twinkling orb really did look like a star, shining beautifully with the light of the sun.
“Yes it is. They say it acts as a transmitter, sending out the power of the Prophets that lies inside like a sun sending out light,” Kay said with reverence.
Jasper didn’t quite understand that sentence, but got the sun analogy. He shielded his eyes.
“I am trying to become a Prophet myself. Some say that I have it in me to replace Nin Zelinia herself. What do you think of that?” Kay asked.
Jasper didn’t think that he would like to see Kay in whatever position Nin held. “Did you say there is a power inside that building?” Jasper asked, turning to Kay with sudden excitement.
“Yes, I do believe I did. It’s right where the spire is, beneath the center of the structure. That’s why the star glows the way it does.”
“Same power that allows them to, um, travel to other places in an instant?”
“Do you mean teleport?”
“Sure.”
“All of the powers of the Prophets come from inside the chamber at the base of The Pinnacle. Therefore, yes, the power of teleportation comes from there,” Kay explained, curious to see where Jasper was leading with these questions. They walked into a group of two-story buildings made of wood and brick. The second levels had small, railed balconies.
“Could…” Jasper said, and gulped. “Could anyone use this power?”
Click-clack the horses went as Kay stared at Jasper, troubled by the question.
“Just curious,” Jasper added.
“It is said that the three weapons inside The Pinnacle can be manipulated by any. White for telepathy and teleportation, Gold for healing and strength, and red for stunning and death,” Kay said slowly. “Any other use would require training. But no one is allowed to touch them, and only Prophets are allowed inside, so..—”
A White Prophet suddenly appeared on a balcony right above the two horses. Jasper sucked in all the air he could in a gasp and every fabric of his emotions screamed for him to be away.
Firefly whinnied and reared on her back legs. Then she jumped forward, galloping toward The Pinnacle and away from the Prophet as fast as she could go. Jasper thought he heard Kay shout back at him, but he didn’t care.
Firefly was fast, and the feelings of urgency she shared with Jasper made her carry her light load with greater speed than she normally could. On down toward The Pinnacle they flew as Jasper’s hair wisped and slapped over his eyes. The exhilaration of going faster than he’d ever been in his life made him feel so elated that Firefly nearly leapt onto the next level of the city, past those parallel bars.
Suddenly, Jasper heard a cry that made his heart sink yet again.
“There he is! Over there, come this way!” a harsh, female voice shouted.
Jasper knew he was caught. He ducked down low and held on to the horse’s long, rough hair for his life as Firefly desperately tried to go faster.
He galloped through a group of angry shoppers who shook their fists at him as he rode past a market. Jasper cringed as he saw the approaching walls of The Pinnacle. Half a dozen Prophets stood on those walls, scanning the city. Without thinking, Jasper ducked Firefly in beside one of the buildings and pinned both himself and the horse against the wall, listening intently. Firefly lifted her head up and down in impatience as Jasper looked to the high, stone walls.
One of the Prophets pointed and, to Jasper’s astonishment, they all disappeared with a brief, white flash. Jasper blinked. But he didn’t wait to relish his good fortune. Seeing the gateway open and temporarily unwatched, he burst from his hiding spot and galloped Firefly right up to the steps of The Pinnacle.
As he passed through the gatehouse, Jasper spotted more Prophets heading toward the barrier to resume the watch. With a final pat of thankfulness and farewell to the friendly horse, Jasper leapt off Firefly and bounded up the steps. He made it to the the top and ducked inside the first building he could reach, the red one, before anyone realized someone had entered the compound.