Amethyst

Chapter 17. Cries of A Goldhorn

Chapter 17. Opal’s Goldhorn

From the Opal Sage’s perspective.

  “What’s in that direction? What’s there?” Asked this slender, yet not so feminine, child of the Amethyst. A child no more since her ascent. Correcting myself mentally.  

   As I surveyed the map with some interest, and recalled all of the knowledge I had accumulated regarding on the surface of our country over the last 78 years.

  There was much above and beyond our 12 Great Cities that was… perilous to any who undertook their Passage. With this though, I could not help but pause briefly and momentarily in silence for all those children who completed their ascent into adulthood, that never returned from their passage – all assumed dead.  

   Returning the focus back to the copper scroll with the parchment map. It had been placed on the saddler’s work table; Sage Sister Aquamarine’s saddler’s worktable. It did not seem dirty and did not give it any further thought, as my eye’s each location marker distinguished in either red or blank ink. The compass enchanted onto the top left corner pointed North.  Each of the 12 cities prominently placed and labelled beside each representation of our Cathedrals’ which dazzled by daylight and blended with the night’s sky.

   Pressing my nail to the fabric momentarily, a gasp escaped my lips. Uncertain if it was audible to this youthful one beside me.  Oh, Goddess… Why?  There was no hiding the solemn glint I could feel expressed by my own eyes. “This.” Contemplating how to continue, and even how to phrase what I was about to answer this one. I tapped momentarily against the page at the centre of the area to the south in which I knew with certain the savannah would be.  Instead of resisting because of my own memories and recollection of this area. I just let my knowledge flow out and fill the sentence to its end. Hardening my heart toward this one I continued. “This is the area the Drellamon people still roam.”

Continuing tapping with my nail, I spared no glance toward the other as I spoke the hurtful words of truth. “They have creature called Skeeters & Honudin. They’re similar to how we choose jackguar or goldhorn, however beware…” Glaring at the page I refused to glance at this Amethyst, for her path seemed one that was of the more dangerous nature for Amethysts’. All were aware how much ones Passage could change certain namesakes; amethyst namesakes rarely ever came back the same person, “…that the venom can kill a jackguar.” Quieting my voice it could not be helped, when I began musing about the trajectory that the Earthen Goddess would send one to this location so early on, especially given that one so early on within the journey had such little experience of the surface world.

  “I wonder…” Pondering the pathway laid before this one could not be helped, “…why would the goddess give you a namesake jackguar to send you there?” At that moment, a memory of reading one of the Amethyst Tablets sprung to into the forefront of the mind. Ah… to experience loss and death of a companion? “To have you experience a loss?”

   Stealing a glance at the young Amethyst girl, whom held boyish features and hair. Her own eyes were fixed to the parchment scroll. Providing momentarily relief as I perused her features, committing them and etching them into memory, encase this one was also destined never to return to the 12 Cities.  

  This, this concept of experiencing a great loss, did not quite seem to fit with the knowledge we Sages’, within the Opal Cathedral, already held on this one. “I can’t understand why this would be within the Amethyst’s direction.” Her mother had died while she was quite a young age. Searching my memory, while my gaze lingered on her a moment longer, I could not be certain if this was the Young Amethyst whom had her mother die upon birthing her, or if it were the Young Amethyst whom had aged enough to be conscious of her mothers death as a later stage in her life, despite not having taken the descent yet. Goddess, a great loss has already been felt by this one. What more do you have planned for them, for her, as of yet?

  As she brought her eye’s to mine, the sense of anguish and turmoil which burned in them, caused her to project her emotions.  Partly to steady my own emotions and separate her own from mine; partly to comfort her within this news, I placed my hand on her shoulder and squeezed a little. 

  With they’re eyes darting a glimpse to at my fingers, one could not help but wonder if the Goddess had a plan for her to become a Sage if she returned to the city. “I’m so sorry, Child.”

   For any moment longer I could not stay in the stabled. The emotions being directed towards myself were too intense. Causing past repressed memories from my own Passage to resurface, with a screeching buzz entering my ears. As I walked, a memory encroached into my thoughts… halting my mind like the shadow of a ghost whom had returned to haunt. Having to shake my head and press the back of my hand to my forehead, I regained my senses and left with immediate purpose.

   I only hope those Drellamon vermin are lesser in numbers than the many moons prior, where I stepped out into the surface myself. As they have never been successfully extinguished. At the very most awful case, that they killed her swiftly. My thoughts whirled, images of dripping skeeter venom, coupled with the audio memory of terrified pleading cries and screams, of a Goldhorn... my Goldhorn bounced in my mind and ripped through my chest and into my heart. Just the same way as the Drellamon vermin had done, as they had skinned and butcherer her alive in front of my eyes, within that desert cave. A bead of tear fought at the corner of my left eye, tugging fiercely until it broke free. Passing gently down my cheek, not making it beyond the deep lines etched into the bags under my eyes.

Having briskly walked to the Goddess' Opal statue, my breath shook as my chest trembled.

Goddess... I prayed, while massaging one of the older Sage bead rows of braid and opal. Mother. Great Earthen Goddess... guide her and protect her on this way... May she never wish to become a Sage; to repress the emotions and memories of your surface lands. The way my Passage path led me. Then again, I thought. She is of Amethyst namesake and not Opal. Where I am to freeze and place memories… she may very well entirely forget. Just as the sun causes Amethyst to forget its original, rich and earthly-dark, hues. Some… to the point of transparency… just who would the Amethyst be who returned, if at all?