Revaramek the Resplendent: Chapter One Hundred Twenty Three (Patreon)

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Chapter One Hundred Twenty Three

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Miles of sun-painted sands melted away beneath Revaramek’s wings. This far beyond the mountains, the desert seemed endless. He used the sun as a compass, and without it he likely would have long since lost his way. It was difficult for him to find landmarks when each cluster of palm trees looked the same as the last. From high above, the tiny oases that dotted the landscape each had the same deep blue-green hue. They had similar shapes, with swaths of reeds, or groves of palm and hand fruit trees around them. At first, dunes in the distant looked as if they’d make for suitable waypoints to help keep himself oriented. But once they flew above them, they proved as treacherous an orientation as the rest of the desert. They rolled on as far as he could see, golden waves that each flowed into the next.

Revaramek was thankful for the map Mirelle had put together with Ekki’s help. The maps they brought with them did not cover much of the desert, and they were already in uncharted territory by the time they reached Ekki’s village. Ekki had never seen a map quite like that before, as her people did not use such detailed charts. She spent a long-time marveling at it and asking Mirelle questions before Mirelle was able to garner her assistance on drawing a new one. Luckily Mirelle had thought to pack things like some blanket parchment and ink, as well as quills and other utensils.

After studying the existing map, Ekki drew a new one for them. She had been to the mountains before, and knew well the locations of the few smaller oases already marked on Mirelle’s chart. That made it easier for her to determine how far apart to place things on her own map. She put their village on one side of it, and then marked a few of the larger ponds along the way, along with several other landmarks. Ekki indicated which oases would make the best places to stop and rest along the way. Some were deeper and had more fish and forage available. At the far side of the map, she marked whatever she thought Star’s Blessing was. Revaramek wondered if she made sure her map took up the entire page to dissuade them from going any further into the desert beyond their destination.

They flew most of the day, but paused in the early afternoon to let Nyra rest. Revaramek picked a spot with plenty of shade and enough water to hold fish. While Nyra lounged in the shade, Revaramek caught a few big fish from the pond and brought them to her. He insisted she eat most of them, and shared the last one with Mirelle. Mirelle built a quick fire from fallen palm fronds to roast her share of meat.

Revaramek watched the smoke drift into the sky. “Do you think that’s wise?”

Mirelle turned a skewer of fish over above the burning fronds. “What do you mean?”

“If anyone’s out there, they’ll see the smoke.”

“Yeah.” Mirelle glanced up at him, shrugging. “And if they’re urd’thin, we’ll be back in the sky long before they reach us. And if they’re gods, they already know we’re here, anyway.”

“True.” Revaramek traced little sigils in the sand with unsheathed claws. “I suppose if anyone sees the smoke, it is better that they do not think we are trying to hide our approach.”

“I thought so, too.” Mirelle worked a bit of fish free with her knife, inspecting it. “That, and there’s no way I’m eating raw fish out of some warm, dirty pond in the desert.”

“Why not?” Revaramek turned his head, watching his mate eagerly devour the last of the plump, silver-skinned fish. They were odd things, with whiskers and no scales. “They were delicious.”

“Because I haven’t got a stomach like a dragon.” Mirelle laughed as she popped the bite of fish into her mouth, satisfied it was cooked through. “And I suspect you want to deal with me being violently ill only slightly more than I do.”

“I don’t want to deal with you being ill at all.”

“That was my point, Rev.” Mirelle carefully pulled the skewer out of the flames, and rested it against a dry frond to let the meat cool without getting covered in sand.

“You’d be vomiting and…” He waved his paw at her. “Other things. And we couldn’t fly with you, so-”

“Yes, Rev.” Mirelle swatted his foreleg. “That’s what I’m talking about. You don’t need to explain my own point to me.”

Revaramek chuckled, tilting his head. “It’s good though, isn’t it?”

“It is!” Mirelle ate more of the fish once the coils of steam rising from it abated. “Sweeter than I expected.” She tilted her head towards the other dragon. “How’s Nyra?”

“Well enough. Insistent that we don’t need to stop on her account, but I could see her strength waning a little. I’d rather stop when I first notice it than wait until it really becomes apparent.” When Nyra glanced his way, he smiled at her. “Better she’s irritated with me for babying her than embarrassed with herself because she has to ask us to stop.”

“You’re a good husband.” Mirelle rubbed Revaramek’s forepaw.

“Husband?” Revaramek scrunched his muzzle. “That’s a human word. I’m her mate.”

“It’s…the same concept.” Mirelle finished off her fish, then walked to the water’s edge to clean her knife and her skewer. “I was trying to pay you a compliment.”

“Which I richly deserve!”

“That was actually my point, this time. If there’s one area I cannot fault you, it’s being a good mate.”

Revaramek tilted his head, a smile spreading over his muzzle. “Yes, I am good at mating.”

“I find that harder to believe.” Mirelle laughed as she put her things away, and collected her travel goggles. “But, there was a time I’d never have imagined you capable of being such a loving, diligent husband…mate…either. So perhaps there’s hope for you, yet.”

Revaramek shrugged his wings, his gaze dropping to the lines he’d scratched in the sand. “We all have room to grow and change, Mirelle. I’d like to think I’ve become a better person than the one you first met.”

“You have.” Mirelle smiled and reached up to cup his chin. Her touch was warm, and soft. “Thanks to me.”

“Yes, yes, you’re very proud of that, I’m certain. And you’re right, too.” He nuzzled at her palm, chuckling. “Not that I’ll tell Nyra.”

“As long as you know, that’s good enough for me.” Mirelle laughed and rubbed his nose. “I’m ready to go whenever Nyra’s alright to fly again.”

While Nyramyn finished her fish, Revaramek eased onto his belly in the sand. Mirelle climbed atop him and buckled herself back in. The dragon did not want her to bother removing her safety harness from around him until they stopped for the night. Otherwise it was just wasted time and effort if she was going to have to put it right back on him when they were finished with lunch. She studied the map while Nyra ate the rest of her meal.

Nyramyn crunched up the last bit of fish, eating it bones and all. The only bits she’d discarded where the thick spines that tipped the fins at its sides, and along its back. A pile of such spines now sat near the water’s edge. She licked her muzzle and one of her paws clean, and then pushed herself up to her feet, shaking off her slender, green-scaled body.

“Those were delicious! All the fish here taste different from all the other fish here.” She gazed at the blue-green waters, glittering in the sun. Her finned tail tip swept back and forth across the sand. “Back home, most of the fish just tasted muddy.” She turned her copper-bronze eyes back to Revaramek, smiling. “Except the swamp crab. I still miss those. Do you know what we should do? We should try and eat everything this strange desert has to offer. All the fish and fruits and funny looking animals and bald-headed birds and whatever else there is.”

“If the book says they’re safe-”

“Oh, mount the book.” Nyramyn huffed and stomped a forepaw.

“I don’t think that would be very comfortable, but if you really want me too…” Revaramek laughed and beckoned her with his wing. “Shall we?”

“With Mirelle on your back? The motion would make her ill.” Nyramyn strode over and nuzzled at his cheek. “You know what I meant. If it’s not in that book, I say I shall eat it anyway. What’s the worst that can happened, I’ll get more poisoned?”

“If spending a few days retching at both ends sounds enjoyable to you, I suppose you’re welcome to sample whatever you want.” Revaramek leapt into the air, beating his wings. The motion left the flight muscles along his back aching just a little. Flying so far for so many days in a row took a toll, but for the most part the dragon’s body had adjusted to it. “Come on, Nyra!”

Revaramek made a point not to ask her if she was ready, or to wait for her to join him, but only because he knew she preferred it that way. She did not want him to treat her as if she was ill, now or ever. That didn’t stop him from glancing back to watch her ascent. He wanted to make sure her motions were smooth, and that she still had strength enough left to fly for the remainder of the day. Their short rested had done her good, and it was not long before his mate was soaring through the sky at his side, her wing tips perilously close to his.

“How do you retch at both ends?” Nyramyn tilted her head, pumping her wings. “Do you mean…oh. Oooooh.” She scrunched her muzzle, her ears flattened back. “No, I definitely don’t want to do that.”

“Then I suggest you don’t go around eating whatever random thing you can get your paws on!”

Revaramek led her further east for the rest of the day, with Mirelle’s guidance. The map had a few specific stopping points suggested for them, and each had a little symbol drawn, that Revaramek thought was meant to indicate the mats upon which the urd’thin slept. He spent much of the trip chatting casually with Nyra, to help distract her from the fatigue he was certain must be creeping in. But he also kept a close eye on her, watchful for any wavering in her wing beats, or struggles in her breathing.

Now and then Mirelle spotted something she recognized from the map, and pointed it out to Revaramek. Each time, he adjusted course to fly towards it, using the natural markers as waypoints to help guide them on their way. One such way point was an immense burnt-orange sandstone boulder, jutting from a windswept hilltop. Another was a set of four trees, that formed a nearly perfect square around a small pond. Revaramek suspected urd’thin must have planted or shaped them that way just to serve as a landmark for their own travels.

There were other such landmarks, too. Large rocks placed in specific formations. Dunes sculpted into unusual shapes. Streams flowing between smaller oases. It was clear the urd’thin had altered some small parts of the desert, but the dragon could not be sure why, or even which urd’thin had done so. The most likely answer seemed that they served as navigation aides for anyone wandering the desert. Yet he could not help but wonder if they had other meanings, too. And was it Ekki’s people who had created them? Or other urd’thin? For all he knew, it could have even been Asterbury, or Vakaal. Or whoever it was Revaramek met atop the dune, when they first broached the desert.

By the time Revaramek noticed Nyramyn’s strength starting to flag, the sun was low in the sky behind them. Revaramek tried to slow his own flight as imperceptibly as he could, to match Nyra’s decreasingly speed. He doubted his efforts went unnoticed, and hoped that she appreciated them just the same. The dragon was fairly certain they were nearing one of the rest areas Ekki marked on the map. He asked Mirelle to check the map to be sure, and scanned the horizon.

Soon enough the day’s destination came into view upon the horizon. The last rays of sunset turned a distant water body into a pool of molten fire. Silhouetted against it were the rounded shapes of several urd’thin huts that lined the shore. Tall handfruit trees dotted the sands around the water. Revaramek banked towards it, and began his descent. He glanced at Nyramyn to make sure she following, and she gave him a smile.

“It looks like another village!”

“It’s a small one, if it is.” Revaramek angled his wings, stretching them as far as he could to maximize his glide. The air currents brushed and tickled his outstretched membranes. “I hope they don’t mind visitors.”

Nyramyn descended alongside him. “Do you think we’ll have to start all over?”

“What do you mean?”

“The last time we stopped at one of their villages, they almost attacked us! I hope we don’t have to make peace again.” Nyramyn glanced away, a bit of sheepish guilt creeping into her voice. “I was not far from incinerating a few of them last time. I’d have felt terrible after I realized how nice they were.”

“I know, Nyra, I know.” Revaramek would have hugged her if they weren’t flying. “I can’t blame you at all. They were making me awfully nervous, too. And you’ve barely even come to terms with being amongst humans, let alone urd’thin. On that note, you land at a distance. I’m going to go take a look while there’s still a bit of light!”

Revaramek beat his wings harder, accelerating away from Nyra. He knew she was going to complain, but it didn’t matter. If there was danger here, he’d sooner deal with it himself than force her to face it alongside him. If worst came to worst, she could always charge in and flank them. When Nyra voiced her displease, Revaramek only beat his wings harder.

“Can’t hear you love, bravely flying ahead!”

Mirelle leaned forward, patting his neck. “Do you think there’s going to be trouble?”

“I don’t think Ekki would knowingly send us anywhere dangerous, but I’d rather be sure of it before Nyra draws too close. Last time, she had a night’s sleep to help her strength, but now she’s been flying all day. I’d rather not let her thrust herself into any battles if I can help it.” Revaramek ascended a little higher for a better view of the tiny village, then banked into a wide arc. “I’ll circle it a few times. Tell me if you see any urd’thin sighting on me with arrows or slings.”

“What about rude gestures?”

Revaramek laughed. “Make one back!”

“Will do! Though…” Mirelle leaned over, and her harness straps creaked as they shifted against the dragon. “So far, I don’t see any one at all!”

Revaramek inspected the village as he circled it. Village was a generous term, as there were only six hotels in total. Each was round, and looked to be built of animal hides stretched taut over simple wooden frameworks. Their roofs were composed of woven fronds and reeds layered atop more front and reed. They were all of similar size, lining a shady section of oasis shoreline between some of the taller trees. The sand was packed down between the buildings, and a few little trails led to the water’s edge, and to some of the fruit trees.

“I don’t see anyone!” Mirelle leaned in the other direction. “At all!”

“Nor do I!” Revaramek wheeled about, descending towards the sands. “I’m going to land. Hang on!”

Harness straps and buckles tightened around him as Mirelle changed positions, pressing herself against his neck. The dragon extended his hind paws, and a few moments later, touched down. He hopped a few awkward steps, then dropped his forepaws to the ground and trotted several paces. He flared his nostrils, sniffing the air. There was no sign of fresh urd’thin scents on the breeze.

“Mirelle, call out in urd’thin, just in case.”

Mirelle did so, but there was no answering cry. She patted his neck. “I think it’s abandoned, Rev.”

“Seems that way.”

Without stopping to let Mirelle off, Revaramek walked to the nearest hut. Old gray and brown hides hung across its entryway. He lowered his head and pushed them aside to peer inside. The inside of the building seemed as empty as the rest of the villages. There were a few old sleeping mats, along with several shelves with pots and jars. Several bundles of long-dried herbs hung from hooks here and there. He sniffed the air inside. The was a hint of urd’thin scent lingering, but it was as old and faded as the aroma of the dried out herbs hanging from the wooden frame.

“I think it’s abandoned.” Revaramek pulled his head back, and lowered himself down for Mirelle to dismount. “I’ll call to Nyra and let her know.”

“Maybe it’s not abandoned.” Mirelle unbuckled her straps, and hopped down off the dragon’s back. “But just in case, I’m going to leave you harnessed up for a little while longer. On the off chance we have to make a quick getaway.”

“Very well.” Revaramek shook himself, loose safety straps rustling and buckles clattering. Even now that he was used to wearing it, the harness still left him itching sometimes. “But what did you mean? Not abandoned?”

“Actually, I think a better way to look at it is, maybe it’s not a village at all.” Mirelle pulled her maul free, and carried it to the next hut. She used the maul to push the old hides aside from the entry. They were dry, and stiff. “This one’s empty too.”

Revaramek lifted his voice, calling out to Nyra in her own tongue that it was safe to approach. When she replied that she would land shortly, he returned his attention to Mirelle. “What are you talking about? If it’s not a village, what is it?”

“I don’t know.” Mirelle wandered to the third hut, and Revaramek followed after her. “A way station, maybe.”

Revaramek snorted and flattened back his spines. “What would urd’thin have to be weighing?”

Mirelle sighed, and then glared at him over her shoulder. “I can never tell when you’re being serious and when you’re just being an ass.”

“That’s the beauty of it.” Revaramek wandered towards the water’s edge while Mirelle inspected the homes. He sniffed at the trails. Only faint urd’thin scents lingered there, along with the fresher scents of desert animals coming to drink at the oasis. “Whatever the case, urd’thin have been here, but it’s been quite some time.”

“That’s why I think it’s a way station.” Mirelle went to peer into the last two huts, her voice drifting back to him. “Ekki marked it as a place to stop for the night, so she obviously knew about it. If there are other tribes out here, then they must have routes to travel to trade with each other. Or if they go on pilgrimages, or long hunting trips.”

Revaramek moved aside as Nyramyn swept in behind him, giving his mate plenty of room to land. Once the sound of her wing beats and landing faded, he replied to Mirelle. “So you think this is a sort of stopping point, a rest area.”

“Yes! Do you honestly not know what…” Mirelle gave him a funny look. Then a devious grin spread across her face. “You see, Revaramek, a way station-”

“Don’t you say it!” Revaramek snapped his teeth and turned towards the water. “I know perfectly well what it means.”

Mirelle walked up behind him, tugging at one of his spiny tail fins. “A way station is a stopping point, a rest area! Somewhere for travelers to rest up and replenish their supplies in the middle of a long journey.”

“I knew that!” Revaramek yanked his tail free of her grasp, lowering his muzzle to lap up some of the water. He muttered to himself between mouthfuls. “Oughta throw you in the damn lake.”

“Now, now.” Mirelle prodded his haunch with her maul, still grinning. “Don’t be cranky, just because you’re wrong.”

“I am not wrong!”

“Not knowing counts as being wrong!” Mirelle poked him again and burst into laughter.

Revaramek snarled and tossed his head. “Your impression of me is terrible.”

“No, you’re right about that. My tone isn’t nearly condescending enough.”

As they argued, Nyramyn walked along the buildings, glancing into each one. “There’s no one here!”

Revaramek switched into the swamp dragon tongue. “Yes, I was just explaining to Mirelle that I think this must be some kind of urd’thin way station! She didn’t know what that was, so I explained to her that a way station is a place to rest, on a long journey.”

Nyramyn curled her neck around to gaze at her mate. “Why do I get the feeling she was the one explaining that to you?”

“I’ve no idea.” Revaramek shrugged his wings. “Besides, poor Mirelle’s a bit of a halfwit, always needs to have things explained to her. I’m just being a diligent friend, and keeping her informed.”

Nyramyn laughed as she turned away to approach the others. “Once I can speak her language, I’m going to have to start asking Mirelle to confirm some of what you’ve said about her.”

Revaramek snorted and glared at Mirelle while her back was turned. “Only if you’re certain you don’t want any more hatchlings.”

Mirelle turned around, hefting her maul. “You know, when I keep hearing my name used in a language I don’t yet speak, I start to wonder what people are saying about me.”

“As you well should.” Revaramek slipped right back into Mirelle’s language. “My dear mate here was just asking you if you could take the cargo packs off of her, since we’re stopping for the night.”

“Mhm.” Mirelle thumped her maul to the ground, then walked towards Nyra. She beckoned her over, and waited for Nyra to settle onto her haunches. Once she did, Mirelle started unbuckling straps and pulling away pouches of supplies. “You know, once I can speak her language, I’m going to have to start confirming some of what you claim she’s saying with her.”

Revaramek glared at them both, snorting. “Are you sure you don’t speak the same language?”

“Why?” Mirelle smirked over her shoulder. “Did she have the same idea?”

“Basically.”

“Interesting.” Mirelle unbuckled a few more pouches and set them aside. “Why we’d both feel as if you might not be entirely honest about what the other is saying, I’ll never know.”

“Clearly because you both have trust issues.” Revaramek waved his paw as if dismissing the whole issue. “You’ll both have to admit to one another you believe each other dishonest, and so whatever you can to move forward. Now, when you’re done freeing her, do take these bothersome things off of me, as well.”

“Uh huh.” Mirelle removed the last of the cargo from Nyra, and began to do the same for Revaramek. “Because that’s who we think is being dishonest.”

Nyramyn shook herself once free, her scales clicking. Then she yawned and bent her chest to the ground, forelegs stretched out in front of her, front paws splayed in grand stretch. “What’s Mirelle saying now?”

“Oh, the usual, she’s accusing me of dishonesty.”

“And has she reason to?”

“Of course not!” Revaramek lifted a foreleg to let Mirelle remove the straps from around it. “But you know her, always making things up to get attention.”

Nyramyn straightened from her stretch, then stared at him without so much as a smile cracking her muzzle. “You’re describing yourself.”

“Nonsense.” Revaramek wriggled free of the last of the straps, then turned around to give Mirelle’s cheek a big, wet lick of gratitude. “Thank you, Mirelle.”

“EECCKK!” Mirelle slapped his muzzle away, which only made the dragon laugh. “You keep that up, and next time I’m going to leave you in your harness all night.” She turned away, walking towards the nearest trees. “I’m going to work on getting a fire started. Do you want to catch us more fish, or shall we work on foods the urd’thin gave us?”

“How far have we come, on the map?”

Mirelle altered course to pull the map from its place inside one of the cargo packs. She unrolled it and looked it over, then glanced up at the dragon. “About a third of the way, I think.”

“Good! I’ll see what I can catch, but we can eat some of the things the urd’thin gave us, since they might not last as long.” Revaramek turned his head to watch Nyramyn slosh out into the lake. “I know we got a late start today, but I don’t want to push Nyramyn too hard. Let’s look for another rest stop tomorrow, and then we can try to finish our journey the day after.”

“Hardly finishing it, Rev, since we’ll have to turn around and come all the way back.” Mirelle folded up the map and put it away. “And we still have no idea what we’re going to find.”

“No.” The dragon scrunched up his muzzle, scowling. “We don’t.” Sudden trepidation twisted up Revaramek’s stomach. He turned to stare out across the eastern horizon as darkness settled over it, and the first few pinpricks of silver starlight speckled the sky. “But we will soon. With any luck? In two days, we’ll finally know what Star’s Blessing is.”