No Time for Lies and Empty Fights
With the Birdsong sun yet to rise; to beckon life from the cool forests trailing below or warm the dull cloak of night with golden tenor, Hector sailed west. The invitation had been left a week or more prior, intriguing the stallion who had never been the kind to shun the thrill of competition. It was true that he preferred the more athletically demanding sports - racing, sparring and the like, but with Ampere attending he could hardly feign interest.
The Thistle Meadow tumbled below an hour or so later, a blur of indiscernible colour that was vastly more beautiful with sunlight upon it – like all things really. Behind, the subtle whisper of dawn spilt soft bronze across the horizon, but his focus lay ahead, the Edge Games were to begin soon and Helovia was no small island.
He began a slow, circling descent with marvellous wingspan dipping through the cool headwind which had accompanied the last half of his journey. The borderline he sought was not unfamiliar, though it had been many years since his last visit – messenger, between Lords and Ladies... so it came as a surprise when he landed finally in a narrow glade just short of the territory, to see glass strewn about the floor of the forest. Curious... he mumbled, and Veci slipped from his bonded’s flank to investigate shards gleaming as the first streams of weak light stretched between the lush green awning above.
They followed the intoxicating stench as it lingered across bark and grass, and generous pathways winding between the glass crops into the realm of mist and beauty, home of the Qian.
They arrived amid a growing group – many were attending, and Hector’s keen eye passed between rumps and manes in effort to find any familiar; perhaps the Dragon Gladiator, or the Sultan who had parted still earlier than he. Interestingly, and more than unexpectedly, he discovered the unmistakable flame of the Sultana of old, Africa the Starry-Eyed, who had vanished without word or trace from her home many months before. A cautious snort breezed through flared nostrils, but he soon was distracted by the gleeful rising of another voice, the black and white Queen hosting this event.
Narrow, neat ears danced forward to listen and Veci settled himself between the stallion’s front hooves after promising to be on his very best behaviour – reluctantly...
Kahlua welcomed her guests amiably, and revealed the first two clues for the scavenger hunt – something that was brown and stinky (he misheard), and another, a fake stone, green, though not with envy. Puzzled, the copper giant’s gaze fell towards the hocks of the stranger standing with some distance in front. Have you any thoughts Veci? But the Boggart sighed jadedly as he surveyed the potential surrounding, just beyond his reach.
They set off as the crowd dispersed, in a westerly direction – towards where he knew the ocean lashed violently at jagged cliffs. Perhaps they would find something fitting by chance, because really, Hector suddenly realised that had neither the patience or the swift mind necessary, to really perform in a scavenger hunt. Not one to be out done, the stallion kept his eyes peeled and trained to the ground hopefully. All manner of rubbish - leaves, rocks, even the lifeless corpse of a small mammal, lay strewn across his path; pointless material that even the earth seemed to have no need for.
Large hooves paused, one suspended in the air beneath a tentatively bowed knee, and he glanced quickly around to be certain no other would notice his next move. Hector collected the animal by the tail, it was revolting, half rotten - STINKING and he wondered as he turned to find the game’s Official waiting behind, if he was even remotely on the right track – surely no other would be able to match this. Nevertheless, he was pleased indeed, that they had completed the first (and perhaps more difficult part) of the scavenger hunts first clue.
With the forest far behind, Hector and Veci continued to search through the open pastures at the western rim of the Edge. Green... green... green... his mind chanted, but all he could see was the swishing carpet of grass – about the greenest thing around and quite delightful to taste. It was as he was grazing, completely distracted, that he came upon the next clue, and both he and the Boggart felt certain it was that which was sought. He turned towards the Official, beckoning them forward and returned to pluck the clue from its bed and hand it over.
What now? Veci asked, sprawling his vaporous form through the grass.
We wait for the next clue, I think... Let’s head back to the meeting.
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[O] LET THE GAMES BEGIN (edge games #1)
