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They trekked southeast at a relaxed pace, Hector’s long swinging stride restrained a little for the sake of the much smaller chestnut in his company. As he led down the steep embankment littered with the last straggly trees of the old Threshold forest, the stallion turned back to find her and said with a small smile breaking the concentration riddling his expression,
"This is the Thistle Meadow..." Ahead of them stretched an enormous expanse of knee-length long grass turned yellow-brown as the heat of the summer sun sapped moisture greedily from the living world below it. The meadow swayed lethargically like a sea of billowy gold as the soft warm breeze stroked playfully across it, and the orange beast stepped down towards a narrow, dusty track (worn down by the heavy stream of traffic to and from the woodland to their rear) winding away through its midst.
"...probably the largest area in Helovia. It occupies much of the middle of the country." Hector had passed far above on many an occasion. Blessed with wings, he was able to see the vast landscapes from a unique perspective (as all of the Pegasus could), and how far the different regions were spread.
They walked for a solid two hours. Passing beneath the odd, gnarled oak trees and pausing as he saw fit by their shade, the stallion was able to conserve energy, and allow his pretty follower time to rest and soak up all that lay around her; beautiful and wild. The thistles were still in full bloom, unwearied by the milder temperatures so far into the season, and the busy warble of birds foraging through their bristly pods filled the emptiness surrounding. He seldom saw other travellers which was a fine thing- they had little time to chat with locals if they were to make it home before the night’s blanket fell. While they rested one particular time, he took the moment to explain to her the neighbouring regions; the Deep forest to the west, the Grove northwest, and the newly discovered Rotunda to the south of that. He told her of the Veins of the Gods that lay adjacent to Dragon’s Throat and that there were two other God’s aside from their beloved Sun Lord- Spark, Earth and then also the Goddess of the Moon.
By mid-afternoon, the grasses finally began to dwindle and the thistles to shrivel, where the soil hardened gradually into clay. A thick column of brown smoke curled ever upwards ahead of them in the distance, gemstones winked playfully across the surface of the earth, and Hector slowed then to a stop.
"We’ve reached the Heart. A system of caves lies beneath our feet, and the population sheltered within it during the last winter while a dark sickness swallowed the world as you see it. I assure you that that time has passed though. Everything is settling again into some form of normalcy or another." His burly shoulders rolled through a casual shrug as orange eyes shined beneath the burning radiance of the late sun, watching her thoughtfully before again setting off forward. His stride hastened a little, the smouldering love for his home compelling each hoof faster as they grew ever nearer. Considerately, the stallion made an effort not to rush however. He was sensitive always of Aiedial’s stamina.
They passed soon by the molten lake, the bubbling lava pit which Hector informed her was the very Heart of Helovia. He did not pause there though because the atmosphere surrounding was hotter still than the sun-drenched land they would soon fall upon. Not far beyond the lake, right where dry grass again began to grow, the parched earth seemed to fall away and the half-hidden entrance to The Sanctuary was revealed. All around the gaping hole lay old hoof prints and waste, evidence that many had indeed passed in and out- though these were all fading as the winds of time churned. For a second he halted, gazing pensively into the dark opening, but pulled himself from the sudden spur of memories and led her away. The grass grew taller (even as high as Hector’s switching withers), before they again began to shrink away.
When the dim shade of evening began to seep through the air around them and a murky wash of purple and blue twilight hues stained the sky, they were picking their way along the scrawny bridge of rubble-thick land which stretched away from the mainland of Helovia and down towards the desert. Remnants of the wall; the scattered remains of giant metal boulders, lay all across their path and Hector explained readily what they were.
"Our home was not always so split from the Heart. A great wall was being built far to your left and again to your right. Years of work now lies uselessly beneath those lashing waves." The stallion gestured quietly with a reaching wing to the sea, winds irritated by the mixing hot land-air and those driven ashore thrashing together and roaring wildly.
"A new wall will be built now- better and stronger. I am personally very interested in the project." Traversing the strip of land was no easy task as the rocks and rubble were often loose and rolled beneath the weight of an inexperienced hoof. Hector was no professional at land travel, and frequently he tripped or stumbled along the way, flaring outwards his wings awkwardly to try and resume his balance.
The final leg of the journey was perhaps the longest and most wearisome. Although the sun was nearly set, the western horizon casting deep shadow across the realm, the sand held tight still the warmth of the day and it would not be until right before midnight that the bitter chill of a subtropical desert night would set in. Sweat streamed from the stallion’s rippling red coat as he pushed closer towards the dim blur of oasis looming just beyond their reach. He craved the pure paradise waters, to quench the horrible thirst and dampen his parched, raspy throat at last. When at last the sand began to fritter away, earthy soil resumed, cushioning weary fetlocks. Palm fronds dancing to the rhythm of the evening breeze and the flowered tips of thriving mimosa trees embraced them; running flimsy fingers in greeting, along flinching hides as they passed through. The oasis swallowed them quickly, and before long, Hector was thrusting his lips beneath the cool water to drink.
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