Destiny (Volume I: Shur'tugalar)

Chapter Five Part XXXVI (ED)

"T-the eyes," she whispered in awe.

"They're the same color as ours!" Rose squeaked as the pegasi rose.

Her sister quickly explained, "That's what happens when a pegasus becomes bound to you."

Woah, that was weird! a voice rung in their heads, young and masculine. The pegasus in front of Nathan shook its head while blinking big brown eyes.

And a bit uncomfortable, a second voice sounded, very similar to the other one's, and Nick's pegasus ruffled its wings. Don't want to experience that again.

Ditto, two feminine voices sounded at the same time as the pegasi in front of the twins shared a look.

"Another side effect you forgot to mention, brother?" Nate asked sweetly as he glared at Nicholas, who held up his hands in protest.

"Hey, don't blame me! I didn't know they could talk!"

You can hear us? the feminine voice of the purple-eyed pegasus snorted lightly. Well, this is new.

"Yeah…" Nia said to her. "So, ummm, hi -  I guess we're bondmates now."

Guess so, came the succinct reply; Eragon thought the similarities in the two's voices was highly unnerving.

The five children introduced themselves before Nathan asked, "So, what are your names?"

His pegasus whinnied, You tell me!

We don't have names, Renata's pholÿn answered more explicitly. We were just made.

Nick's brow scrunched in confusion. "Then how can you talk?"

We are born with a good level of intellect, our bondmate's and the pegasi languages on our tongues, and a good portion of your personalities, his pegasus answered, shifting on his hooves. Memories? Only about our essence, what we are. But names? Those you must help us choose.

"I have mine!" Rosaminda said. Facing her pegasus, she asked, "How do you like the name Loivissa? Vissa, for short."

What's that? was the response.

"A loivissa is a blue, deep-throated lily that Móðiras - my godmother - told me about," the girl told her. "It could be your name cause you have blue eyes, like me!"

I like it. Pulling back her mouth in a horsey grin, the pegasus declared, I am Loivissa.

A light shined forth between Rose and Vissa, as if the bond had become tangible. But as quickly as it appeared, it evaporated, leaving the kids and pegasi to blink their eyes free of spots and wonder if they'd imagined it.

"Ooh, I have a name!" Ren cleared her throat as the rest looked on. "Well, since me 'n' Rose are sisters, you and Loivissa are kinda sisters, too. So I thought you names could go together, like mine and hers do. Your name can be Delois!"

"Delois? But isn't that a purple flower?" argued her twin.

"You're right," Renata agreed with a nod. "But it grows from rocks, which are gray!"

Delois... the pegasus said, mulling it over.

"And maybe Delli for short?" Nate piped up, dodging the blonde's swipe.

I like it! I shall be called Delois! Again a light flared.

"Okay, my turn!" Puffing out his cheeks, Nathan hemmed and hawed until he found a name. "Oh, I know! Vindrlíf!"

His pegasus snorted loudly. Doesn't that mean 'air come to life'?

"Yeah, and it's kinda what you guys are." The boy grinned cheekily. "So how bout it, Vinny?"

Rosaminda bumped his shoulder with hers. "Already nicknaming him before he actually chose the name? You are shameless."

Nate grinned smugly, looking just like his father. "Ahhh, but he's as smart as me, so he knows it's an excellent name."

It's a horrible name.

"What?!"

Just kidding, his pegasus said, whinnying with laughter. Vinny it is.

As the boy grumbled, a light shone bloomed once again between the two. It faded as Nicholas spoke up.

"I have a name ready," he pronounced. "Malthinae, because - "

I am bound to you, his pegasus finished, the same light shining forth as he added, And I suppose it can be shortened to Malt.

And now for me, Niaomi's pegasus said, looking at her bondmate. What shall I be called?

"I don't know…what do you like?"

What do…I like? Confusion showed in the horse's wrinkled brow. Glancing upward, she murmured, What I like are those big, white masses of water that hang in the beautiful blue sky: clouds.

"Clouds…" Nia repeated softly. "That's your name then: Cloud." As she finished speaking, the light of their bond blazed with the additional flare of the Dragon’s Kiss, and they smiled at one another.

"Three down," her oldest brother began.

"And seven to go," their other brother finished. "Next up to bat: the trêuräz that 'the earth shall bear.'"

Our brethren? Why are they of importance?

Niaomi looked at Delois. "You know what trêuräzar are?"

Of course, she replied. They are very closely related to pholÿnar.

"And what exactly are they?" Ren queried.

Trêuräzar are trêuräzar, Delli bluntly stated. Horses with horns instead of wings.

They are brown and black instead of white, Loivissa continued, and though they can't fly, they can use magic.

"Horned horses…you guys are talking about unicorns!"

Delois blinked at Nathan. Is that not what I said?

Nia shook her head before clearing her throat to gain their attention. "Alright, up next is a unicorn. It would make sense that we'd find it in the same place since the earth will make it come forth and we're already near an opening into the ground."

Your logic is sound, Niaomi, but they do not come from the same place we have, Vissa told her. They dwell in meadows and live in caves. Normal humans cannot become bound to one.

"So that line, 'the earth shall bear…', it probably mean a cave," Nick thought aloud.

"That makes sense," his future beau agreed. "But there's a dilemma: the caves and meadows are at the base of the actual mountains, far over there." She pointed to the distance where several peaks rose.

"Plus, there are hundred of caves with a lot of systems," Rose added. "We couldn't comb through them all in ten days, let alone ten hours."

"If we could even reach them in the first place," her godsister sighed.