Black Trillium by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781497661172
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Published: 2015-04-27T14:36:06+00:00

25

The lammergeier flew tirelessly over the peaks and icefields of the high Ohogans, so high that Haramis found the clear thin air difficult to breathe. She became drowsy not long after the huge bird left Movis, and was content to snuggle down within her thick fur cloak, sheltered deep in the feathered hollow between the lammergeier’s wings, and sleep.

She was unaware of their passage over Mount Rotolo and the slow approach to towering Mount Gidris, which was enshrouded in thick clouds. The lammergeier breasted strong winds for hour after hour, but by nightfall it still had not reached its goal.

Haramis woke when it began to descend through thickly falling snow. As the Vispi had taught her, she first brought to mind a clear picture of the creature’s striking black-and-white crested visage, with the glittering eyes like polished jet and a great beak edged with sharp teeth. Then her mind spoke its name: Hiluro!

I hear, Haramis.

She heard its reply in a place in her mind that Magira had patiently taught her to use. Haramis had found learning the speech without words a strange experience; her first attempts had been complete failures. Then, almost by accident, she had managed to bespeak Magira. After several more semi-accidental successes, she had worked out what she was doing, and after that the process was simple, almost automatic. One simply rendered this part of the mind “open” after first calling out mentally to the desired person. After Haramis had learned to bespeak reliably, Magira introduced her to the lammergeier who would become both mount and companion in the next stage of her quest.

The great bird had glided down and landed on the slate roof at Magira’s summoning. Its wingspan was as wide as the house, and its gigantic black-taloned feet could have seized a full-grown man in armor with the ease of a night-caroler snatching a tree-vart. But for all its ferocious demeanour, the colossal flyer had greeted Magira with great-hearted affection.

I tell you now one of the great secrets of the mountain Folk, Magira had said to the Princess, stroking the lowered head of the bird. You know that we were made for lands all girt about with ice and snow—but so were these great creatures. When the Vanished Ones refashioned the abominable flesh of the Foundation Stock into the First Folk, they engendered at the same time the υoor, which you humans call lammergeiers, from a lesser sort of bird. Folk and υoor were thus newborn upon the world together, since the Vanished Ones knew we Vispi would need helpers in order to move about over a world locked fast in ice. Our towns are few and widely separated, but with the help of our great friends, we journey over the long distances in safety. As you shall, in fulfilling your quest …

The lammergeier, landing with confidence in spite of the blowing snow, pecked with its great beak at the white frozen cliff-face, whereupon the ice cracked and revealed a dark opening.

“Is this the place where my Three-Winged Circle is hidden?” Haramis asked.

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