Enna is a Land God: Book 3

The Grandness of Talon's Pass

When I had pictured Talon's Pass in my head, it was a vast and desolate canyon between the towering mountains of the yet unnamed range that split my lands down the middle. At least, none of the monsters have told me the name of the mountains, them being so good with names and all. Though, to the north, the nation of dwarves shared the range with us, so I assumed that they had a name for them.

In any rate, my inner image of a Grand Canyon like land formation could not of been farther from reality. 

The first hint was about a day out from the home of the Harpies. I noted that the weather, though still in the throws of winter, had become some what warmer, and there was a clinging dampness to the air. When I brought it up, Margund cut off the answer Lagdon was about to provide and said simply: "Let her see for herself when we get there." With that coy smile he so often wore, in stark contrast to the serious, blank look, that Lagdon often sported.

The sentiment made me smile, and I did like surprises so long as they were good ones. So I did not press the issue, and I was glad that I hadn't.

Soon, the woodlands I was accustom to began to change. The soil was becoming richer and wetter, and the trees started to grow a little closer together, the conifers fading away to be replaced by broad leafed trees, most of them still holding their leaves. It wasn't like it wasn't cold any more, but it was above freezing now.

The earth beneath my feet was so spongy that if almost felt like a mattress and was covered in vines and moss, even the boulders were covered in the stuff. At first I had thought that this was going to be a swamp, like the one in the Dark. But that wasn't it. If I had to pick, I would call it a temperate rainforest, sort of like the redwood forests back on earth, but with out the massive red wood trees.

This had already been fascinating enough for me, but my mind was completely blown when we crested a hill, the trees opened up, and I found myself gazing out over a truly magical sight.

"Its beautiful!" I gasped, seated in the saddle on Kishi's back.

Before me was a grand delta of sorts, a multitude of little streams and rivers branching out around and between trees at the base of the mountains, the call of strange birds dancing on the cool breeze.

As my eyes followed the little rivers to where they all met, I was that the originated from one very large, slow moving one. And that river wound it's way, not through a desolate canyon, but a wide and verdant valley. It was like the two sides of the mountain range opened up to a vista of blue skies and vibrant greenery. Spires of stone reached upwards, some needles of rock nearly as tall as the rocky monoliths themselves. And upon their slight, flat surfaces, grew more greenery.

I think it was the first, truly, magical scenery I had seen since arriving mysteriously to this world.

Margund and Brixie chuckled. "I thought you might like it." Smiled the goblin king.

"I have only been this way once before, myself." Stated Brixie as Luxana stood, awestruck, at her side.

"I am surprised it's so warm here." Stated Brillum, his red fur sticking out vibrantly amongst so much green and grey.

"It's due to the mountains and the valley." Said Margund. "Or so I am told. The weather does get cooler here in the winter, but it tends to rain more than snow. There is also, quite often, a lot of fog. Especially early in the mornings."

"It must be hard on the harpies wings..." I said, thinking that water and feathers did not mix well. Unless they had oily feathers, like ducks?

"I am sure they have ways of dealing with the weather, Lady Enna." Smiled Brixie. "They have been living here far longer than any of us, after all."