The Column Racer (5 page)

When the mountains finally did come into view, everyone, especially the horses, were too exhausted and tired to cheer. The commander called the carriage to a halt, and allowed Areli and her parents to step out and look at the mountains from a distance. At first, Areli wasn’t impressed. All she saw was a thick line of black across the blue of the horizon, resting just above the grains of sand. However, as they got closer, the black line grew and grew, until eventually, all she saw was black.

When they got to the base of the mountain, guards slid out of the cracks. They talked to the commander, asking for his orders, and then asked Areli and her parents for their papers, as well as the papers for her dragon. Her parents had everything ready, as they already underwent the same treatment at the borders of the other sectors.

Satisfied, the guards called forth the servants, who carried with them canteens of water and fresh fruits. The horses and men were allowed to rest. Areli and her family spent most of their time with Kaia, watching her carefully so she didn’t get sick by drinking too much water. That night, they ate well, were given a chance to bathe, and were allowed to sleep on something that Areli had been missing dearly for the past month . . . a proper bed.

The next morning, just as the sky started to turn blue, Areli and all in her company were awoken, fed breakfast, and allowed to go on their way. Before they continued, the commander was sure to suggest Areli and her family dress warmly, as the tunnel could sometimes get very cold. Her mother took out their fur coats and blankets, and each family member was bundled as if to experience temperatures a million degrees below freezing.

Areli walked over to her dragon, who also had a quilted fur blanket around her. She fed Kaia thoughts of warmth and courage to calm her before they entered the tunnel.
It will be okay, Kaia
, thought Areli,
we will be on the other side before you know it.
When Areli got back into the carriage, she smiled to each one of her parents, and then she heard the cues from the driver and felt the lurch of the wheels as they fought against the horses. Then they moved forward.

The tunnel was well-lit and wide enough to allow guards to ride on both sides of the carriage and trailer, and also large enough for someone coming from the other side to pass. Areli wondered to herself if this is what it felt like traveling amongst the stars, as the entire tunnel was covered with lanterns filled with dragon’s oil to keep from fading out.

The commander told them that the base of the mountain was very large, and that it would be a full day’s travel until they would reach the other side. Areli looked out the windows for a while, mesmerized by the beauty of the lanterns. They were as captivating as Talon said they would be. A grim smile came to her face as her mind went back to him. Why couldn’t she just forget about him?

“Areli?” said her mother, lifting her head from her father’s shoulder, “is something bothering you?”

“No,” said Areli, putting on her fakest smile, “I’m just tired is all. I think I’ll try and get some rest. But could you wake me up before we get to the other side?” Her mother nodded, and Areli stuffed a fur pillow into the corner of the cab and slept, hoping to find a way to extract Talon from her thoughts.

Areli awoke to the shaking of her mother, and her gentle voice telling her that they were nearly there. The walls were the sign. Lanterns didn’t have their usual undisturbed darkness around them, but were painted by the presence of light.

Areli kept looking over her shoulder, as it got brighter and brighter. She had a wry smile on her face, not the excitement she should have had. This was the first time she would be in the Valley of Abhi, and yet Talon had ruined this for her as well. Even though most of her knowledge on the Valley came from the stories her father told her since birth and anything she learned in school and from books, she had learned from Talon as well . . . in a more intimate way. She would have him describe to her what the Valley was like. She would visit him before bed and plead with him until he would agree. She wanted to know everything. She wanted his voice to fill into all of her senses. She would close her eyes as she would listen to his words, and she would visualize everything he was saying, conjuring up sounds and smells to match his descriptions.

“Where do I begin?” asked Talon.

“Start with the tunnel,” said Areli, “and you’re just getting to the bridge for the first time.” He would smile, and then bite his finger as he does sometimes.

“What?” asked Areli with a smile.

“I’m just thinking,” said Talon, “I want this to be perfect.”

“It will,” pleaded Areli, “just tell me anything you can think about.”

“Okay,” said Talon, looking her lovingly in the eyes. She would always lose her breath when he did this. His eyes were so beautiful; it was hard not to get flustered when he looked at her. He would then take in a deep breath, and then close his eyes. Trying to relive the moment. She would smile and then close her eyes as well, always feeling like she had just entered into the Valley with him.

“The first thing is the brightness,” said Talon, “you’ve been in the tunnel so long, that you need a moment or two for your eyes to re-adjust. When you walk to the bridge, you’re in a world you never knew could exist. A world of liquid and sky. You have endured the desert and the tunnel. But now in front of you is nothing but water. But not the murky brown waters of Sector D. But water so blue, it can quench a man’s thirst just by looking at it. It carries the reflection of the mountains and snow caps that surround it, and if you look to your left and right, you’ll see the waterfalls cascading into a lake the size of an ocean.

“You’ll be able to hear them from where you are. It will be like a soft thundering sound, nothing harsh like in a storm, but something peaceful like wind blowing through overgrown grass. In front of you will be the bridge. Made of travertine and gold. If you walk up to the sides you’ll see that it has been graced by the most talented of hands, as depictions of dragons will lead you all the way to the other side . . . to the actual earth of Abhi.”

Areli would sometimes open her eyes when he would speak. She loved looking at his face as he spoke. It was intoxicating, as he rendered the place with so much passion and feeling. She knew this is when she fell for him. She might not have known if it was love when she last spoke to him. But now she knew. She loved him. And even though she hated him right now, she still wished he was here. She wished she could share this moment with him. Not in a secret room in Oroin, but in the actual Valley.

After their papers were certified by bridge guards, the commander allowed Areli and her family a chance to walk about while his men replenished their supplies. After Areli’s eyes adjusted themselves to the brilliance of the sun, she witnessed everything that Talon had mentioned to her. She saw the beautifully blue waters that reflected the blackness of the mountain and the whites of their peaks. Areli walked out onto the bridge to take in the fresh air, which was like sniffing in snow in the middle of Spring.

She walked to one of the sides of the bridge and ran her fingers across the handcrafted protrusions of dragons. She had to wipe the tears stinging her eyes, as they were as elaborate and life-like as Talon had said they would be. She then looked across the water to the distant waterfalls that fed into the sapphire blue water. She closed her eyes as tears started to streak down her face.
Knock it off, Areli
, she scolded herself,
he doesn’t love you. And he never will.

After everything was ready, Areli and her parents climbed into the carriage again, and they started off across the bridge. It would take another full day’s time to make it to the other side.

As they got closer and closer to the land on the other side of the bridge, Areli saw the Columns of Abhi. From their distance, they looked like mountains, but Areli knew that soon, clarity would give shape to form.

After a while, Areli looked back out the windows at the massive large rock structures that were as tall as mountains, but instead of snow covering their tops, they were inhabited by trees.

As their carriage exited the bridge, they were surrounded by forest and the enormous rock structures that rose from the floor. There were millions of them, and as night fell upon them, each seemed to be a pathway to an individual star. Areli had to fight with herself to keep her eyes open, but it was a battle she could not win, as her body was aching from exhaustion.

When she opened them again, curiosity struck her eyes. Outside, the road was bordered with the largest trees she had ever seen. They had just entered into the third layer of the Valley.

“Abhiraja’s forest,” said her father, nodding his head at one of the trees, “it is told that the trees grew to match the heart of the Emperor.” Areli smiled at him, and then she looked back out the window with wonder. Then thoughts of Talon came funneling back to her. She closed her eyes as she thought of him. She hated how everything seemed to keep the memory of him alive. She wished she could easily forget him. She wished her father wouldn’t have found him half-dead on his horse when he was coming back from his medical facility. She wished she hadn’t told him she loved him.

Areli knew from her lessons during her Academy years that the trunks of these trees were like a hundred normal-sized men standing arm’s length away from each other in a circle. And the height of them was like a hundred full-grown oak trees placed on top of one another, rivaling the stature of the Columns of Abhi.

As they continued down the road, it seemed like each layer of the Valley of Abhi took a day’s length to pass through. However, the next layer, the commander warned them, would take a lengthy three days. It was also the final layer blocking the view of Abhi, the Emperor’s city. Areli wished she could mask her parent’s excitement. She wished Talon’s hurt wasn’t afflicted so deep.

When they passed through Abhiraja’s forest, they entered into another forest with regular-sized trees that looked awkwardly manicured. The Emperor’s garden. Areli cracked the carriage door open and asked one of the guards to send for the commander.

“What may I assist you with, Miss Roberts?” asked the commander.

“I’m told that the Emperor has his own gardeners work this forest,” said Areli with a smile. It was fake, but there was something she needed to see.

“You are correct, Miss Roberts,” said the commander, already knowing the next words about to leave her lips, “well, Miss Roberts, this looks as good a place as any to stop and take a rest. Use haste, Miss Roberts . . . we don’t want to get behind.”

She gave him a nod and waited impatiently for the carriage to come to a stop. It did not take her long to confirm what she had been looking for, but then she wondered if she really wanted to leave. The Emperor had his gardeners shape the trees and the foliage to his liking. But it was even more precise than that. Each gardener is said to have left a trace of their work, and it could always be found in the leaves. Areli plucked one from a tree. It was beautifully shaped into the form of a dragon. She grabbed another leaf, and it was in the form of an arrow. Areli continued to collect as many leaves as she could, until the commander beckoned her return.

Four days passed before they came to the edge of the forest. The commander brought the carriage and his guards to a halt, allowing Areli and her family to get a distant look of the city from the clearing of the trees. The lawns were meticulously attended to. The grass was cut to no longer than the length of her fingernails. And in the distance were hundreds of elaborate limestone buildings, built only by the minds of the most renowned architects.

Her father pointed out the two lakes that were on either side of the city.

“The lake on the right is the lake in which the Emperor’s estate is on, and the one on the left . . .”

“Is for the riders,” interjected Areli, her pulse quickening as she said it.

“That’s correct,” said her father with a smile, wrapping his hand around her mother’s shoulders, bringing her closer to him. Areli walked back towards Kaia. Her dragon lowered her head to be as close to eye level with Areli as she could. Areli directed her to their new home.

“We made it, Kaia,” whispered Areli, giving a slight smile. Her dragon moved her head towards the bars, and Areli gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose.

There was a large river bordering the entirety of the city, which meant more guards, more inspections, and another bridge. But this bridge was in no way close to the length of the one they crossed after exiting the mountain tunnel. Areli could see the other side, as well as the metallic shingles shimmering along the roofs, reflecting the brilliance of the sun.

Areli’s heart beat faster and faster as the city became larger and larger. And she found herself chewing on the inside of her lower lip, as well as trying to control the shaking of her hands. As they cleared the bridge, they traveled on streets constructed out of limestone. They were surrounded by buildings made of travertine, marble, precious stones, and large amounts of rare metals. And beautifully carved statues and fountains were everywhere Areli turned.

All the people were beautiful, even the ones with grey in their hair, as they all wore make-up in such amounts that every wrinkle disappeared. Their clothes were stunning, as Abhi was known for having the best designers in the world. Areli wanted to keep looking out the window, but she became uncomfortable as eyes on the streets were looking at either her or her dragon. So she kept her eyes on her parents and only glanced out the windows occasionally.