Scenes flickered by Leona’s line of sight. First, she felt blisteringly hot; an unknown tension then swelled up within her. She vaguely saw the night sky, a burning fortress, a low voice saying something she could not comprehend.

A black, dragon, a resounding roar, a snap of jaws, a lush garden, a white citadel, men and women clad in white and gold, all rushed in front of her.

The warm touch of flesh, a shrill scream, air whipping all around her, soft white feathers falling from the sky, a blinding flash of blue light, and a name shouted distinct and unnervingly clear…

They were still in Anthea’s wagon. She was held tightly by an ashen-faced Tavus. Anthea was knelt beside her, and Jarael bent over her.

Leona found out that she was sitting in a day bed and drenched in cold sweat. White spots danced in her sight as she gazed weakly around the room making her all the more dizzy. She closed her eyes, wincing and dropped her head on Tavus’ shoulder.

“Leona,” Tavus said, shaking, of fear or of anger towards Jarael, Leona didn’t know, neither did she care. “How are you feeling? When you drank that elixir you went rigid, and you fainted.” He tucked a stray lock of wet blond hair behind her ear.

“I – I’m fine,” Leona stuttered, “Though I am feeling weak and – drained. Can I please have a drink of water?”

Anthea fumbled about her wagon at Leona’s request. She handed Leona a small glass of water which the latter happily accepted.

Jarael sat on the side of the bed and put an arm around Leona, much to Tavus’ displeasure, and asked, “Leona, did you see anything? Heard? Or even felt?”

Leona’s mind raced as she struggled to verbalize all the visions before they escaped her mind.

“Th-there was this hot feeling,” she said weakly, “it felt really hot like I’m pushed inside a furnace. I also felt nervous all of a sudden. Then I saw the sky, I think it was night then and somebody was speaking to me in a dialect I couldn’t understand.

“Then I saw a great fortress – it was on fire. I think there was a battle going on within. And then I saw a huge black dragon, then some roaring and a frightening snap of jaws.

“Then there was a beautiful garden and a white palace in the mountains. There were also men and women clad in white and gold. Then I felt someone touch me, and then there was screaming. I had the feeling of falling from the sky with feathers around me. Finally there was this blue light that hurt my eyes like staring into the sun at noon.

Leona looked at her companions. Tavus frowned, while Anthea and Jarael gasped.

Before she knew it, Jarael locked her in a tight embrace, and so did Anthea, who had tears streaming down her eyes.

“Shaeryva, hil thrata,” she said between sobs, cupping Leona’s face, “hil thrata wo yar derath mes, me gretka…” with a smile on her lips, she flung herself around Leona’s neck.

“But the images remind me of nothing. And what did you just say?” Leona said, surprised at the sudden show of emotion from Anthea and Jarael.

They let go of her and Jarael said, “You don’t understand the language of the gods?” Leona shook her head.

“Anthea, how could this be?” Jarael addressed the gypsy; Anthea was just as confused as he was.

“No, it’s not there. I’ve seen for myself,” Jarael said tensely, “check for the essence instead.”

“Leona, give me your hands,” she said urgently, holding out her own. Before Leona could reach out, Tavus grabbed them.

“I think this is about enough,” he announced gruffly. Anthea stared at him in shock.

“I beg your pardon, young man?” she said, a dangerous frown forming on her brow. “You know nothing of the ancient feud. So I suggest that you let Leona give me her hands now.”

“I may not know anything about your feud but I won’t let you make a fool out of Leona!” he shouted.

“You appear out of nowhere and you think you can just feed lies to Leona? How could you? She and her grandparents nursed you back to health and this is how you repay them? Taking her on some crazed journey searching for nothing wherein she could just ask for the King’s help to get Bonn Yolance and Zerr Selia back!” Tavus said.

“Tavus listen,” Jarael said as patiently as he could, Tavus shook his head and thundered on.

“No! I won’t listen to you anymore. Telling Leona that she’s attacked by the King and T’lakr? He may be a dictator but he does his best for the land. And T’lakr are legendary creatures created by those people against the King. I’m taking Leona back to Glavonica tomorrow. I won’t take any of your magic if only I know you’re poisoning her.”

“Then you don’t believe in the Fall or any of the other forces controlling this land, do you?” Jarael asked quietly. Tavus stood his ground.

Just then, Jarael opened his palm and a blade tip emerged from it, growing longer as skin spider-webbed around the base of the blade and soon formed the hilt of a magnificent sword that was part of Jarael’s hand. A blue jewel glinted on the back of his hand that shone with the same intensity as his eyes.

Leona screamed, but Tavus did not appear to be harmed – or intimidated.

Veins in Tavus’ neck tensed as he looked nervously at the blade in front of him. Jarael was watching him, as if waiting for another sign of aggression that would come from Tavus. His eyes had gone azure-blue again and his features hardened. Strength and an unseen power emanated from Jarael’s form like a mist: Jarael at the peak of his power and rage.

“Listen, mortal,” he said dangerously. The tone of his voice sent a chill down Leona’s spine as she watched Jarael lose all his patience.

“You underestimate us. Anthea and I could tear you to shreds when we wish. If you won’t shut up, I will kill you even if the gods curse me for it. You know nothing of us, so don’t go and pretend that you’re anything more superior to us. I won’t let you ruin Ramorgra’s future just because of your convoluted beliefs. Ramadak, rather, your King, whom you adore so much, wants Leona for the reason that he wants to enslave her to rule the world. Now when you go back to Glavonica, he will be there to capture Leona and everything will be finished. We can just wait for three years to pass and we can all dine in U’tröthka. And I swear if that happens, you will be with me while I torture you for eternity.”

Jarael’s chest heaved as he watched Tavus quail under his anger and his enchanted sword. He motioned towards Anthea without taking his eyes off Tavus.

“Leona,” she said quietly, “be not afraid of us. We are here to help you find your true self. Your – friend just should not have threatened Jarael. Giraj are dangerous beings despite their benevolence. Now, your hands, please.”

“I believe you, Anthea. But will Tavus be all right?” Leona said weakly.

Leona stretched her hands towards Anthea. The gypsy took them into her own. At the moment their skin brushed, tendrils of power crawled around Leona’s arms, getting brighter and stronger every second.

Anthea’s face worked as if she was trying to pry something out. When nothing happened except for the continuous tentacles of light emanating from Leona’s arms, Anthea turned to Jarael and said immediately, “Her Ifla Merum is missing.”

The gypsy turned to her with anguish etched on her face.

“Your god-essence. The vital part of your being that renders you immortal. It’s not there within you,” panic flickered in Anthea’s face.

At the back of the wagon, Jarael looked at them and, with a scathing look at Tavus, withdrew his sword back into his hand. Tavus collapsed on the floor looking awestruck.

“How could that be possible?” he asked Anthea, his calmness back in his expression.

“There could be something that happened when you transported her on this plane,” Anthea said running her hand on her face in disappointment.

“Like how? Her Ifla Merum got torn out of her through time?” Jarael asked.

“It could’ve been, or at the worst, stolen!” Anthea replied. Her eyes darted at all directions. Finally after a while she said. “You’ll have to go to Faimeh. Go and look for Thu’ril.”

“Lord Thu’ril is here?” Jarael asked incredulously, Anthea nodded. Then she turned to a confused Leona.

“You have nothing to be afraid of, your grace,” she said kindly.

“I’m afraid of all that’s happening. Are you sure about all this?” she asked. Anthea nodded.

“I’m sure of it, every single bit of information. We’ll talk about this tomorrow. You’ve suffered enough for this night,” Anthea said, she walked off with a weak smile and went to look for a tunic for Leona to borrow. Jarael strode over to Leona.

“I’m sure you didn’t mean to do it. I’m sorry, too, for how Tavus behaved earlier. I can assure you that it won’t happen again. I only hope you can make things clear for Tavus. I won’t be going back to Glavonica even if he does. We can’t go on this journey if we’re like that. I have to find grandma ad grandpa – and I need to find myself.”

“Tavus and I will have a long talk outside,” Jarael announced. Leona smiled and turned over in the day bed.

From the corner of her eye, Leona saw Jarael crouch by Tavus, now huddled by the door. Jarael put an arm on Tavus’ shoulder and the latter nodded somberly. Then the both of them went outside.

Anthea returned carrying a fresh orange tunic. Leona pointed out how Anthea likes everything orange, and they both laughed, but not as heartedly so.

When Anthea turned off all the lanterns, Leona stared at the moonlight outside her window as sleep overcome her.

In her dreams she felt herself enveloped in a warm embrace. And someone whispered to her ear, a woman.

“Please hurry and find us, Shaeryva… Ramorgra’s future depends on you…”