When The Heart Sings

Chapter 56

Serena's POV:

I stood close to Darien as we waited by the waygate. Despite my excitement, I was still a bit nervous about passing through that waygate. Saphira was close by, as well as five other heavily armed Dranek. I was pretty sure that they were the same guards from before.

Dozens more Dranek were in the trees around us. I jumped a bit at the low swooshing noise that came from the gate as the empty arch now held what looked like rippling water. Darien put his arm around my shoulders in reassurance.

A brighter light appeared as a Dranek came through the gate. He nodded in our direction, "The area is clear and the weather is good. Please feel free to cross whenever you are ready."

Darien watched him closely, but was relaxed. The reading ability gave Darien an edge, and he had told me that he would know if someone was planning an ambush, as long as he was close enough to get a read on them.

Darien looked down at me, "Ready?"

I nodded and we started walking forward as we went towards the faintly glowing arch. I had a feeling that it was going to take several more times before I got comfortable with the thought of walking through the waygate.

You couldn't see through it, and you had no idea what was on the other side or even where you were putting your feet. Darien kept his arm around my shoulders as we stepped through. It was like entering a walk-in freezer for a brief moment before we had passed through.

One step, and I was on an entirely different planet.

"Wow..." My involuntary words were soft, but I had no doubt that most of those around us had no problem hearing me.

Saphira smiled with faint pride as she quietly responded, "We have visited hundreds of planets throughout our history, but none are like this."

The waygate was in a large clearing, but all around us gigantic trees towered into the sky as their branches and leaves formed a dense canopy that blocked most of the sky. In the shade, the undergrowth was still dense as it reached for whatever light it could get. The humid air carried the scent of plants and growing things.

I now knew how a mouse in a forest felt. A dozen humans could have circled the smaller trees and still been unable to touch fingers. Even Darien looked surprised and impressed, and that was saying something.

Darien and I slowly walked away from the waygate as we gazed at the dense foliage. My surprise faded, and I became aware that something in the forest wasn't quite right. It was more of a feeling than anything, in much the same way I knew if a plant wasn't doing well even if it looked healthy enough.

Saphira had been correct, the entire forest was in decline. I wouldn't know more until I start singing though.

Half a dozen Dranek were waiting ahead of us, and I had no problem identifying them as the elders Saphira had spoken of. Their hair was much lighter with age, going a lighter blue instead of grey.

An elderly woman greeted us once we got closer, "Welcome to Drashna. Thank you so much for coming."

I walked forward to shake her hand while Darien followed behind me. "It is our pleasure. It looks very beautiful."

"Thank you, may we guide you on a walk through the forest?"

"Please." The best way for me to hopefully figure out what was wrong was to sing, but it would be better if I was further inside the forest. They likely knew it as well.

They guided us towards the trees as Saphira walked beside me. The other five guards were further out, but clearly visible. I caught glimpses of blue higher up in the trees as more Dranek travelled with us.