A great breeze curled in from the sea, bringing her salty breath up and over the lip of the cliff that plunged down into her depths. One at a time, the ethereal residents of the Edge were making their presence known. The mists had thinned in the wake of the great ocean and her entrance, but they were not so foolish as to miss the show. In fact as they parted before us, a hazy path to the cliff’s face became vaguely apparent and since I was not one to deny the sea of her wishes, I motioned Cetan toward her rumbling laughter. He had shared a great deal with me concerning the many things he’d witnessed in his previous life, a life outside the Edge…. But I wanted him to see all that Helovia could offer him. We were not barbaric creatures nor were we a selfish people who thought sacrificing members of our family a “necessary evil.” Mirage had given life to the idea of equality and bred a community of fairness and trust. This boy would have nothing to fear with us at his side…

He had also raised a fair question about our ranks and while I deliberated just how I wanted to explain each occupation in favor of the Edge, I guided him along the icy turf toward our dear Lady, the sea. Cetan did not know of her importance to me, even if she was not as inspiring to others of the herd, but I intended to show him her magic and her power. He also knew nothing of the great Moon Goddess who ruled over the land just as the God of Spark led the Basin, the God of the Sun over the Throat, and the Earth God over the Falls. Every God or Goddess was a significant part of each herd and helped those devout citizens to flourish and succeed. However, it would all come in time… that was certain. The World’s Edge was my first priority and therefore when I found the words that needed saying I gathered the words carefully between my teeth. “There is no reason to be sorry. These things are all new to you… I expect nothing more from you than a promise to try. Your loyalty and your support is all that is ever asked of you.”

I slowed in order to look down at the youth with saddened eyes. He had experience so much and the story was painted so vividly within his eyes that I could not help but pity him. I couldn’t say that I found him weak or useless, just broken. There was once a stallion within that skin, but he had been beaten from those bones and forced into submission. His past was a lingering haze that turned his eyes from trust and deformed his idea of unity. I would show him life and I would present him with opportunity… if only he were strong enough to accept it. Something in my plight made me weary though… I was uncertain in such a man could ever return to the empty house of his sins, even if those sins were not his own. “A nurse is a healer… they often gather herbs and come up with remedies to medicate ailments presented to them on a whim. As for a crafter, they build things such as the glass wall you witnessed at our borders. It was once a beautiful thing my friend, a real monument…”

As I thought about it, I recalled the unequalled beauty of the crystalline wall in its prime. I’d never seen anything of its kind and I was certain that Cetan hadn’t either. He was still as foreign to me as the Basin, but at least I could penetrate his figurative walls and discover a personality beneath the layers of anxiety and fear. I hoped, above all else, that I would find him. Whatever personality he now inhabited was not one that gave a name to the stallion before me. It was merely a disguise invented to keep him safe from the lies he was so often exposed to. “A philosopher is our idea of “intelligence.” They might decipher messages from the Gods or they might solve problems within the Edge that cannot be resolved with diplomacy…. Now, a warrior is fairly self-explanatory. They fight for us, defend us, and ultimately protect us from physical threats. They are a dime a dozen and very crucial to our well-being.” I couldn’t picture Cetan as a warrior, but I couldn’t say anything one way or another because of his tendency to hide so much of himself. What a shame though… so much personality guarded behind a wall of anticipation; behind a wall of terror.


“Your mentor or teacher would be someone like me. I’m a Specter and I teach the sleuth class. They solve riddles and protect our family from thieves. We are essentially spies, intent on finding out information that would hurt the Edge… It’s a noble position if you ask me; though every occupation in the Edge has its own set of rules and expectations. I know it can be a lot to take in, but just think about it. Take all the time you need and when you decide, I will help to direct you on your chosen path.” With everything that needed to be said out in the open I returned to our ascent toward the sea. She still laughed and whispered sweet compliments in our direction, but I’d yet to lay eyes on her. She would merely have to wait until Cetan was comfortable enough with me for him to realize that she called for so much attention. I would share her woes with him one day when the time was right… but she was often a greedy woman… “By the way… what does blând unul mean?” I wasn’t sure if I’d pronounced the words correctly, but at least I’d given them a shot. After all, they would never sound as pleasing as they did when Cetan spoke them in his native tongue. I guess everyone had their own way of being… But I was willing to learn beyond my own means.