“Zen? Is that you?” Zoran was staring down at me from the ledge.

“It is Zoran. Do you yet again not recognize me?” I instinctively reached up to my hair even though I knew it was longer than it had been last time I saw her.

“Hang on Zen let me toss my rope down so you can climb up here with me.” Zoran pulled a rope off of the ledge and tossed it over. “Zen I think I have found the stone of beginnings. It’s taken me all year to find it but it’s in a cave directly above us. It’s almost a weeks climb.”

“That’s good Zoran. I was told that you and I have to go to it now. We don’t have much time until the blood moon. We need to get there as soon as possible. We don’t have time to get the others.” I could still feel how panicked Ivy seemed when she told me about our lack of time.

“Hurry up and climb up here then Zen. If we have to go then let’s go.” Zoran started off here ledge while I started climbing up.

It was a steep climb but it felt good in my muscles for a stretch. I could feel the stiffness from my year of sleep. I knew that soon I would be back to how I was but now I had to just do what I could while my muscles came back to me. It was hard to believe it had been two and half years since I had left the town of scribes. Yet here I was finishing up a journey that had taken longer than I ever could have expected.

As I reached the top Zoran stuck out her hand and I gladly accepted the help. It was at that very moment a very silver Amil wrapped himself around Zoran’s hand. She nearly yanked my arm out of socket with surprise. We both collapsed onto the ledge.

“I see you gained a familiar Zen. To top it off they have a sense of humor.” Zoran studied Amil.

“Zoran this is Amil. An old acquaintance gave me the name.” I chuckled. “Amil will surprise you more than just that. I couldn’t ask for a better brother.”

“Those eyes look so familiar Zen. I recognize them but I don’t quite know from where.” As Zoran continued to study Amil he started to slowly change until he looked exactly like baby except for the eyes. The shock on Zoran’s face almost had me fall off the ledge from laughter.

“Amil here can change shape. He is a shifter.” I held out my arm and in a flash Amil was yet again a snake that had wrapped around my arm.

I can’t wait until I can speak and surprise them all. I could feel Amil at the back of my mind talking yet again. That was fun Zen. Wait until I get to surprise the others.

“He likes you Zoran.” I stroked Amil and he let out a purr that sounded otherworldly.

“Come on Zen. I have a surprise of my own. But we need to ascend this cliff. It’s waiting at the mouth of our cave.” Zoran started over to the next rock face. “It will get easier than the straight climb soon.”

I don’t know how long we climbed butt as we went higher Zoran always found areas that could be used as tiny trails that made the climb a little easier. After one particularly long stretch Zoran stopped for a minute. She pulled out two bars made out of oats. She handed one to me and started eating the other.

“I found a book for cooking Zen. Heather had sent it with me. These have been well worth it this past year. They use honey to hold them together and don’t taste half bad.” I bit into my own and was surprised by the sweetness in it.

“These are amazing Zoran!” I could taste the oats and honey. But there were also nuts and berries in it. “I didn’t know you could learn to cook.”

“I can Zen. I’m just not as amazing as others at it. But the berries were my own idea.” Zoran finished her bar and looked at the sky. “We don’t have much time left in the day. But we should be able to make it there by nightfall. You will love it.”

“Where are we going Zoran?” I could feel my curiosity getting to me. I popped the last bite of my oat bar into my mouth and whiped my hand on my pants as I stood up.

“That’s a surprise Zen. We will be there soon enough. We should get going again.” Zoran paced the ledge and found the spot she was looking for.

We spent all afternoon climbing. The trees of Eden started to show their tops as we continued our ascent of the cliffs. The higher we went the more my arms burned. The sun was dancing across the sky as we climbed. After being inside Eden for so long it was weird to see the sun again.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

We continued until the sun was about to set. I was happy for the company that Amil gave me. I was also happy for the ache that had set into my muscles. It gave me a sense that I was doing something. The climb had given me plenty of time to think of all that had happened in the past two years. The loss of one family just to gain a new one. To learn that just because you have lost something doesn’t mean it’s gone.

The sun was finally beginning It's decent as Zoran grabbed my collar. She yanked me over a ledge and into a magnificent valley. The valley had a lake at one end with a waterfall flowing into it. The sun glistening off of it in it’s final dissent took away my breath.

“It’s beautiful Zoran.” I could feel the magic of this site in my being. “Where does the water go though? There’s no river or spring leaving it.”

“That’s part of the magic Zen. No water seems to leave. But at the same time we know it feeds Eden.” Zoran’s face was gleaming at the sight before us. “I do believe though that there are tunnels running under this cliff that lead the water into Eden. What a better water source than one imbued with the magic of a place like this. Come on. Let’s sleep by the lake tonight.”

The days continued on like this. Zoran finding magical spots for us to camp by at night. One night it would be a small patch of trees over looking all of Eden and others it would be by a waterfall, or lake, or stream that you wouldn’t even think exists. The days filled with climbing or following trails that Zoran would find. Some you would hardly be able to tell were even there. Zoran had grown as a tracker. She had become more of a person that I admired. Someone who I would do everything I could to protect.

As the days wore on I noticed at night that the moon wasn’t quiet the same. The color was changing and it always seemed full. It was worrying me. The moon wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was changing. But not changing how it should. I pointed this out to Zoran many times. And so we kept going up. We knew time was running out to reach the stone.

“Zen we are nearly there.” Zoran pointed to a ledge high above us. “Up there is a bush leading into a cave. That is where the stone is. We can make it today as long as everything goes smoothly. I haven’t entered the cave yet myself though. So I won’t know what to expect until we get in there.”

“Then let’s go Zoran. I believe in us.” I started to climb the last face that we had. This past week had taught me what to look for when climbing. I had gained a sixth sense for it. I wondered just how many times Zoran had climbed this cliff. She had climbed it like she had lived here for the past year.

We both climbed over the ledge and gained our breath. It had been a journey that I had never expected. It had helped shape my body back into working order. It was hard to think of myself as a child who had only experienced nine moons. Back at the town of scribes I would still have three years until I would be accepted into the town. I would have seven years yet until I was considered trained in whatever specialty I was in. Yet here I stood. Maybe considered a child by some, but no more a child than the next person who had an adventure in their life.

“Zen. Come here. I have that surprise for you!” Zoran had a giant smile on her face. She gave a small yip and a fox emerged from a bush a little down the ledge we were on. “This is Silvey. Zen. In honor of Shino. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Zoran did you get a familiar?” I could feel my excitement. Amil was also excited and to my surprise transformed into a fox himself.

The two yipped at each other for a little while. When they finished Amil transformed back into a snake and wrapped around my arm.

Silvey says that the cave is in that bush. I am honored that she named her after my artifact. But it would have been confusing if I hadn’t chosen my name. I glanced at Amil and chuckled

Silvey led us all to the cave. Zoran moved the bush out of the way. Sitting under the bush was a space large enough for one person to climb into. Zoran jumped down in followed by Silvey. I heard them hit the ground each in turn then jumped inside myself.

“How is it so bright in here? Or better yet how do we get back out of this place?” I glanced at Zoran. It seemed quiet strange that she hadn’t thought of this.

“Getting out won’t be to hard Zen. After all you saw all the water coming up the cliffs. This is part of that same path of tunnels. Now for the light source. I’d say that has to do with those glowing rocks around us.” Zoran inspected the walls as we started farther into the cave. “These are quite strange. The walls almost look as if they aren’t natural. Why would the stone have migrated to here?”

We continued walking for a long time. Some stretches of the tunnel went dark from lack of the mysterious stones. While other’s were Bright as day from clusters tightly grouped together. The cave had a similar feel to the one we had battled Yarg in so long ago. It was a mystery to the actual presence in the air. All I knew is something was calling to me. Something that had answers only time would know.

Finally we walked into a cavern with a giant hole above. Looking up there was a dot from how high the gap extended. The perfect circle at the top would have been nearly impossible to descend. But that paled in comparison to the giant stone with a circle on the center of it. It sat directly under the hole in the roof. Surrounding the stone was a shallow pool all around it.

“I think this is it Zoran. Let’s head to it now.” I took her hand to help myself calm down a little. She picked up Silvey as we made our way across the shallow pool to the stone.

As we approached the edge of the stone a feeling over came me. I got dizzy and sat down. Zoran sat down beside me.

“Let’s wait here until the moon appears in there Zen.” I barely had time to see Zoran pointing at the hole before I passed out.