Learie
Member
so, here's an excerpt from the first chapter, hope it's enjoyable, i'd love some feedback
Prologue
Sophie was, if described in her own words, over imaginative. It wasn’t something the rest of the world saw. In fact, the rest of the world didn’t see much of what Sophie really was. A holographic wall of compassion and independence stood confidently between her unstable world of unknown origins, and the tangible world in which she was little more than average. In truth, though, she was far more than average. Layers upon layers of hidden ambition and immense courage lay hidden behind her wall, but no one knew anything of what lay back there. Nobody even knew there was a wall that could, and should, have been breeched.
As a child, the wall was barely more than a stone’s width wide. Perhaps there was even a time when there was no wall- when her imagination shone through her eyes, and her courage could be seen with every branch she climbed. But, where most people had ceramic walls that would crack as each blow was thrown and as each year passed, Sophie’s wall was elastic and impenetrable. With every hit the wall took, the wall grew, and with every year that came, the world behind the wall grew denser and Sophie came to love it immensely. For in Sophie’s world, she was the girl that lived behind the wall.
Chapter One
Talian sighed as she watched the moon unveil itself. The nights were getting colder as they sailed farther out to sea. The small child in her arms moved slightly under her blankets. Talian smiled at the little bundled and made for the door that would take them below deck. She wasn’t fond of men, human men in particular, let alone a whole crew of them all sharing a ship. She felt uneasy around them in the first place, but without her husband at her side she preferred to remain in her quarters. There had been no other choice, they had to get to the sea, and the ship had been the only one with a Captain brave enough to sail so near to the great falls. One stray current or gust of wind and the crew could easily lose control of the ship. But with her husband’s strength, they had managed so far to keep their course towards the outer shore of Lehra. It had been many years since she’d been outside the inner circle and travel was treacherous on the open sea.
The Captain’s giant form filled the doorway as Talian tried to make her way through. They mumbled silently as they attempted to move around each other, than froze at the same instant. The moon flickered briefly covering the deck with darkness, then appearing again a moment later. Both beings scanned the skies, forgetting their awkward position crammed in the doorframe, but there was nothing to see. Talian frowned and stepped back towards the deck.
“Maybe you should remain below deck,” the Captain said gruffly.
Talian ignored him and moved back to the center of the deck.
“There’s something up there,” she called softly. The few men on deck shifted uncomfortably. A couple spoke words of doubt, but most had the feeling their passengers were people of good instinct. Dalyth appeared by his wife’s side.
“Do you feel it?” He whispered.
Talian nodded. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
Dalyth said nothing, they both knew the answer.
“Where did he find his wings?” Talian wondered aloud.
“I have the idea that he didn’t find them honestly,” he grumbled.
Talian fidgeted restlessly. “I wish we weren’t on the open water. I’d feel so much more secure on solid ground.”
Dalyth smiled. “Our disadvantage is his as well. He has no reason to attack, anyways. We are leaving the inner circle, he can see that. There is no need for bloodshed.”
Talian shook her head. “His mind is different. He will not rest easy knowing we are still able to move. Even if we haven’t the resources to interrupt him or his plans, he will not be at ease.”
Dalyth wrapped an arm around her. “I don’t think that we have any more to worry about at the time. Other than, of course, avoiding seasickness.”
“I hope you’re right.”
* * *
The waters surged all throughout the night. Talian stayed below deck as the crew tried to fight out the storm. Dalyth was still high above in the crow’s nest trying to reach Chloe and discourage her winds. Pacing in her small cabin, Talian debated over whether or not she should join her husband high above the waters. Normally she would, but the thought of leaving her child alone in the midst of the storm and the men made her reluctant. Would they be able to ride this out? As far as she knew, Chloe and Dalyth had always been on good terms, which led her to the conclusion that this storm was not one of Chloe’s. The ship rocked violently, tipping dangerously on its side. Talian toppled over and let out a small yelp as the ship tipped back up again. Making a split second decision, she grabbed the child and ran out into the passage leading to the top deck. A surge of water rushed down to meet her as she opened the door to the upper deck. The wind roared and pushed her back a step. She could hear her husband even above the screaming of the wind and the pounding of the waves.
“To the Goddess Chloe, I beg!” he pleaded. “Ease your winds, bring us peace, Chloe!”
Talian gripped the edge of the door and tried to listen. He wasn’t even going by ritual now, he sounded more like a beaten animal begging for life. Turning her attention to the water she began her own prayers.
“Sachiel! To the King of the Seas I cry! Sachiel, ease or pass! We beg you, we bring no harm!”
The wind continued rage and in it she thought she heard a shriek of laughter. A great burst of flames came from the dark of the sky, blasting the mast upon which her husband clung. A small figure leapt into the violent waters below. Talian screamed, covering her child’s head in her coats.
“Please!” She screamed. “We are leaving! Please let us pass!”
Another blast of fire hit the deck and illuminated the sky long enough to see a pair of great black eyes surrounded by leathery folds of impenetrable scales. Even amongst all the noise surrounding her, she could hear many a gasp from the men still aboard. Without another look she bolted towards the edge of the ship, letting the wind and water carry her over into the deep.
Prologue
Sophie was, if described in her own words, over imaginative. It wasn’t something the rest of the world saw. In fact, the rest of the world didn’t see much of what Sophie really was. A holographic wall of compassion and independence stood confidently between her unstable world of unknown origins, and the tangible world in which she was little more than average. In truth, though, she was far more than average. Layers upon layers of hidden ambition and immense courage lay hidden behind her wall, but no one knew anything of what lay back there. Nobody even knew there was a wall that could, and should, have been breeched.
As a child, the wall was barely more than a stone’s width wide. Perhaps there was even a time when there was no wall- when her imagination shone through her eyes, and her courage could be seen with every branch she climbed. But, where most people had ceramic walls that would crack as each blow was thrown and as each year passed, Sophie’s wall was elastic and impenetrable. With every hit the wall took, the wall grew, and with every year that came, the world behind the wall grew denser and Sophie came to love it immensely. For in Sophie’s world, she was the girl that lived behind the wall.
Chapter One
Talian sighed as she watched the moon unveil itself. The nights were getting colder as they sailed farther out to sea. The small child in her arms moved slightly under her blankets. Talian smiled at the little bundled and made for the door that would take them below deck. She wasn’t fond of men, human men in particular, let alone a whole crew of them all sharing a ship. She felt uneasy around them in the first place, but without her husband at her side she preferred to remain in her quarters. There had been no other choice, they had to get to the sea, and the ship had been the only one with a Captain brave enough to sail so near to the great falls. One stray current or gust of wind and the crew could easily lose control of the ship. But with her husband’s strength, they had managed so far to keep their course towards the outer shore of Lehra. It had been many years since she’d been outside the inner circle and travel was treacherous on the open sea.
The Captain’s giant form filled the doorway as Talian tried to make her way through. They mumbled silently as they attempted to move around each other, than froze at the same instant. The moon flickered briefly covering the deck with darkness, then appearing again a moment later. Both beings scanned the skies, forgetting their awkward position crammed in the doorframe, but there was nothing to see. Talian frowned and stepped back towards the deck.
“Maybe you should remain below deck,” the Captain said gruffly.
Talian ignored him and moved back to the center of the deck.
“There’s something up there,” she called softly. The few men on deck shifted uncomfortably. A couple spoke words of doubt, but most had the feeling their passengers were people of good instinct. Dalyth appeared by his wife’s side.
“Do you feel it?” He whispered.
Talian nodded. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
Dalyth said nothing, they both knew the answer.
“Where did he find his wings?” Talian wondered aloud.
“I have the idea that he didn’t find them honestly,” he grumbled.
Talian fidgeted restlessly. “I wish we weren’t on the open water. I’d feel so much more secure on solid ground.”
Dalyth smiled. “Our disadvantage is his as well. He has no reason to attack, anyways. We are leaving the inner circle, he can see that. There is no need for bloodshed.”
Talian shook her head. “His mind is different. He will not rest easy knowing we are still able to move. Even if we haven’t the resources to interrupt him or his plans, he will not be at ease.”
Dalyth wrapped an arm around her. “I don’t think that we have any more to worry about at the time. Other than, of course, avoiding seasickness.”
“I hope you’re right.”
* * *
The waters surged all throughout the night. Talian stayed below deck as the crew tried to fight out the storm. Dalyth was still high above in the crow’s nest trying to reach Chloe and discourage her winds. Pacing in her small cabin, Talian debated over whether or not she should join her husband high above the waters. Normally she would, but the thought of leaving her child alone in the midst of the storm and the men made her reluctant. Would they be able to ride this out? As far as she knew, Chloe and Dalyth had always been on good terms, which led her to the conclusion that this storm was not one of Chloe’s. The ship rocked violently, tipping dangerously on its side. Talian toppled over and let out a small yelp as the ship tipped back up again. Making a split second decision, she grabbed the child and ran out into the passage leading to the top deck. A surge of water rushed down to meet her as she opened the door to the upper deck. The wind roared and pushed her back a step. She could hear her husband even above the screaming of the wind and the pounding of the waves.
“To the Goddess Chloe, I beg!” he pleaded. “Ease your winds, bring us peace, Chloe!”
Talian gripped the edge of the door and tried to listen. He wasn’t even going by ritual now, he sounded more like a beaten animal begging for life. Turning her attention to the water she began her own prayers.
“Sachiel! To the King of the Seas I cry! Sachiel, ease or pass! We beg you, we bring no harm!”
The wind continued rage and in it she thought she heard a shriek of laughter. A great burst of flames came from the dark of the sky, blasting the mast upon which her husband clung. A small figure leapt into the violent waters below. Talian screamed, covering her child’s head in her coats.
“Please!” She screamed. “We are leaving! Please let us pass!”
Another blast of fire hit the deck and illuminated the sky long enough to see a pair of great black eyes surrounded by leathery folds of impenetrable scales. Even amongst all the noise surrounding her, she could hear many a gasp from the men still aboard. Without another look she bolted towards the edge of the ship, letting the wind and water carry her over into the deep.
