It now reminded me of an important point: how exactly would I get there? I was in the middle of the desert, with no form of transportation in sight—nothing at all. So how? The answer, when it came, surprised me.
When the sisters and I left the tent, they equipped me for the journey. One of them pressed a map into my hands, along with other tools: a dagger, a short sword, a pouch of dried edibles, a strange white stone engraved with blue marks, and finally, a small sack of precious gems. The sheer number of items made me feel more secure, and their overwhelming hospitality filled me with a sudden urge to hug them like old friends. I dismissed the idea as potentially bizarre. It struck me then that after all these hours, I still didn't know their names.
I decided to try. Facing them, I spoke clearly.
"HA-RU-YU-KI."
They looked at each other, confused. I didn't give up. Tapping my chest, I repeated my name, pointing to my face for emphasis.
"(Unknown Language)"
Then, I heard their names in return: Serenia and Xhamira. I had finally learned them, and a wave of contentment washed over me. They smiled back, a shared feeling of connection passing between us.
Serenia, the one with the short hair, raised what I thought was a whistle to her lips. The sound that emerged, however, was nothing like a whistle. It was a deep, resonant blast, like the horn of a great ship, powerful enough to make the sandy ground tremble. I clapped my hands over my ears by reflex, expecting pain, but none came. As the last echo faded, everything fell still.
A few seconds later, a shape emerged in the distance, speeding toward us. I couldn't identify it until it was almost upon us. Xhamira smiled and waved her hand high in the air. "Duhduh!" she said.
I soon discovered what a "duhduh" was. The creature that landed before us was magnificent—a bird-like beast a bit shorter than a camel, with a brilliant plumage of blue, green, and red. It was a perfect hybrid of a peacock's elegance and an eagle's power, large enough to carry two riders. Its claws were black as charcoal and looked wickedly sharp. A long, feathered red tail swept behind it, and it wore a silver helmet engraved with a name. Xhamira pointed to the engraving and then to herself, making it clear this magnificent creature was hers, and that it would be my passage to Dal Un'Zir.
The twins helped me mount the creature, guiding my hands to the metal supports fixed to the front and back of the saddle. Almost immediately, the creature began to run, gathering speed so quickly I barely had time to look back. I managed a frantic wave over my shoulder, catching a final glimpse of the twins waving back as the desert landscape began to blur beneath us.