The Faithful Ones

Part 3- Chapter 26

"So which island in the Archipelago do you want to go to?" Caslos asked. The Faithful Ones had been shown some maps, and after discussing the matter they'd decided to go to Farenen. Amedël told the captain so.
"Any reason why that island in particular?" he inquired, and Amedël shrugged, "Do you want me to tell you a bit about it?"
"Sure," replied Taigat-Zhëtzen.

"Well it's populated by half-elves, centaurs, fauns, and other such creatures. Farenen is covered in temperate rainforest, and the soil was made fertile by a volcano. Of course, Garaluráhegó'ed is now extinct. They use common speech, but with the patterns and some colloquialisms of Elven. But other islands have their own languages. Amerínen is an island of talking animals who speak common speech, but they also have their own language that nobody has figured out yet. Scall'issad is an island of pegasi and dragons. Wálafex'issad was once populated by dragons as well as types of foxes and wolves, so both islands speak Dragonish but since elves discovered the Archipelago first the language is written in Elven. Branen is populated by dwarves, trolls, and goblins, and they speak Dwarvern," explained the captain.
"Thank you," smiled Sunny.
"Any time, as long as I'm not busy," replied Carlos.

"You know, the moon isn't really silver. It's white," said Raine.
"Oh yeah," replied Salma. It was a warm night, so everyone slept on the deck.
"I wonder how many moons have passed over our whole adventuring so far," said Sunny.
"About forty. I don't remember what moon it is though," answered Rose.
"It's still the twelfth. Carlos said we're about in line with the lighthouse," announced Freya.
"Really?" asked Rose. Freya nodded.
"So many memories, and that lighthouse was the beginning of our story," laughed Rose.

"I thought it began when we each got our Glitter," Raine watched the stars twinkling in the sky.
"Huh. I thought you'd start it with your family."
"No, that's more like a backstory. What about you, Sunny?"
"The Glitter was little more than something beautiful and mysterious given by a spirit until I met everyone else."
"I don't know where I'd start our story. I suppose if we're going off when everything changed I could begin it on the Fire Plains when I realised that nothing here can truly harm us," mused Salma.
"My story begins with meeting the Spirit," said Freya.
"Mine begins with meeting everyone," added Matthew.
"For me it could begin either at the lighthouse or in the Caverns," Blaze rolled over to face them, then asked Mel, "What about you, where does your story start?"

"Which one?" she laughed, glancing at Blaze before turning her face to the stars again. 'Any' said Freya and 'all' said Sunny.
"Start with this story, our story," murmured Raine, comfortably half-awake and managing to pay attention to the conversation.
"I've never thought about where my part in this story would begin. I suppose it could start when you all met me that day in the forest, and yet I was in this story years before that moment, in your dream, Raine, and even aeons before that when I sang this world from inky blackness. The story of my journey with the Creator begins in my sixth year of learning, at a camp. I knew my Creator all my life and called myself His follower, but on that camp I realised I didn't act like one. So I promised to follow Him and show my love for Him through my actions as well as my words. Oh how my life had been changing because of a single moment." She talked about other stories too, and eventually they drifted into sleep as the stars and moon danced towards the west.

The man in the crow's nest called out, and the Faithful Ones rushed to the bow to look and point at the on-coming land. After an hour or so of waiting they decided it would be better to pack up their things, and once they were done it was time to go.
"Here is Farenen, the more well-known of the island. I thank you for your help, and not just with the crew work. When the waves don't have a heartbeat that crashes soon this hull, we will sing the songs you taught us. We'll never forget you," Carlos said, rubbing his hands together. "This is as far as the Merfolf's Voyage can go, because there's a sandbank." He pointed to the water where the wind made little ripples on the surface, and they saw that it had a yellow-brown tinge form the sand underneath. This extended to the island itself, and was about knee-deep.
"Thank you for bringing us here," said Salma, being helped onto a platform to be lowered down.
"My pleasure for the joyful singing," the captain replied as more of the Faithful Ones were lowered.
"Bye!" called Sunny.

The water was deep just by the ship, but quickly got shallow with sand that coloured the water yellow and swirled into the water when feet dug into it. When they reached the island they began to run, casting back one last look at the Merfolk's Voyage. They laughed and stumbled over the roots and creepers. It was hard work to run without falling there, so they slowed and walked, wondering at the unfamiliar forest. The trees were much taller than those in the forest in Westheath, and they smelled different too. They had no branches for climbing but the high-up branches looked perfect for climbing, and the leaves were long and leathery. Bark peeled off in strips on some trees, something the Faithful Ones had never heard of happening. Little ferns grew on the forest floor, or bushes like short trees with too many thin trunks.

An arrow whizzed past the group and struck a tree.
"What are you doing here?" demanded a voice. The Faithful Ones turned to see a copper-haired, dapple-grey centaur lowering her bow. Salma explained, and Matthew said that they'd set the Northesians free and from the now-dead Raging Wolf.
"You must tell us about it. I'm sorry for frightening you, we're wary of anyone we don't know here. My name is Karen," she retrieved her arrow and led the Faithful Ones into the village. She assembled the various creatures and when everyone was settled and hushed, Blaze began the story. They took turns as everyone listened, enthralled, wondering and murmuring. When they were finished, Karen said she wanted to join them.

The Faithful Ones stayed on Farenen for a few days, and were taught how to weave baskets and ropes. Mel found threads the colours of pink, yellow, white, blue, green, and orange and braided it into a bracelet. A faun taught Raine how to play panpipes, and gave her a set to keep, to her delight. The Faithful Ones enjoyed learning new things in the strange, temperate rainforest.