Carrying Zonis' words, they continued on. Zonis made sure to keep them away from the Empire army or any large beasts. He could talk to the latter, but they might not listen. An empty stomach made convincing arguments.
The Silver Moon climbed down as they arrived at the meeting point. Two ancient stone pillars lurked out of the sand. Zonis said down against one of them, leaning against it. "You two better enjoy your youth," the Whisperer said. "You will come to learn how fleeting it truly is."
Liron and Emma collapsed next to him, emptying both a water bottle. Hiding in the cool shadows cast by the pillar, they felt nothing of their youth. Their bones and muscles ached as much as the old folk.
Clouds amassed above, covering the Silver Moon. Liron and Emma had grown accustomed to the colder temperatures of Nordland. The heat of Sannara knocked the wind out of them. They had drenched their clothes from head to toe in sweat. Every motion was a reminder, the fabric sticking to his wet skin. Liron longed to jump into a cold river like how they had done on the warmest days in Eisenrahm. The beasts warring for the water be damned. He wanted to enjoy a moment free of the moon's merciless presence.
"Why the fuck is it so hot?" Emma asked, pointing at the Silver Moon. "The bastard was never like this in Eisenrahm."
Zonis stroked the fins adorning his mouth. "For several reasons. One, there are fewer clouds to block the Silverlight. Two, there is less water to cool the air. Near a river or oasis, it is more pleasant. Three, the sand heats up more than soil."
Liron wiped the sweat from his forehead. An effort in vain, as his skin glittered within seconds anew. "Do you ever get used to it?"
"Over time, of course. But you two will struggle with it. The children of the north are meant for the snow."
"I miss the snow," Emma said. "Didn't know how good freezin' felt compared to this."
Zonis nodded. "We will appreciate the things we have only when they are lost to us."
Liron used his backpack as a cushion, lying on the sand. Despite it all, he found a comfortable position in the pillar's shadow. "How long do we have to wait for Shae to pick us up?"
The clouds shifted, moving towards them. "Not for much longer," Zonis said.
He licked his lips, cleaning his fins. Emma nudged her brother to make space for her, lying down next to him. Liron refused at first, unwilling to give her any space. But her elbow hit the right spot, and he shifted for her. "What are you doing?" she asked.
Zonis blinked, having lost himself in his task. "Oh, this," he giggles, holding up his dusty fins. "I clean them. The sand clogs them up. They are like my nose after all. If I don't clean them, I will suffer a blocked nose. Like when you have a cold."
Liron watched the sky. Except for the clouds, it was empty. Nothing but the pale blue. The clouds had turned a shade darker. Storm clouds? Did they break free from their larger formation?
"How does it feel to dance your flesh?" Liron asked. He enjoyed wasting away in the shadows, but if they had to wait, he could ask some questions he always had.
Zonis scratched his chin, thinking. "Hmm… this is rather difficult to explain. This is like me asking you, how do you move your arms and legs? How do you blink? Fleshdancing is something all Qilesh know how to do instinctively. But it doesn't mean we are all equally good at it.
"I, for example, focus on shifting my shape into whatever form I need to infiltrate an enemy base or buildings. Others specialize in mimicking another life form. Inside the Qyroal, Qilesh of the highest caste sculpt their appearance to fit their personality. It is like how your highborns use Alchemists to alter their appearance. But instead of following a rigid beauty standard, these Qilesh become highly individualized. No two look the same. Some have a rather… odd appearance. However, it is rude to judge a Qilesh for their decision to change their appearance."
"Have you done this?" Emma asked.
"A bit. The same way you change your hair or the clothes you wear. Nothing beyond that. Altering your appearance the way Xiars do. Oh… excuse me. A Xiar is a highborn inside the Qyroal. To do what they are doing… you need a lot of Mass. If you want a crown of antlers, you have to devour deer. If you want to appear more human… well, you can guess. Our Fleshdancing allows us to mimic all. But if we would like to become closer to what we mirror, we need to claim it."
Liron grimaced as a soft breeze kissed him. His disgust at what was said vanished with it. "Fuck, this feels good," he said, stretching. But as he did, he noticed something.
"Has the cloud gotten closer?"
Zonis smiled. Emma looked up, blinking. "It has…"
The cloud hovered far above their heads before descending onto them like a soaring bird. Liron and Emma jumped up as the cloud encircled them, trapping them in the storm it had carried. Wind lashed them from all sides. Rain hammered them, giving Liron what he had asked for. Cold water to cool his body.
As sudden as it had started, the storm stopped. The cloud had twisted into a cylinder, blocking them from the outside. Liron shook himself like a wet dog. He turned around and found himself face to face with a lion.
He shrieked, stumbling into Emma and dragging both to the ground. Summoning his knife, he aimed it at the beast. The thing never attacked. It just stared at them. And as Liron's heart calmed, he recognized this to be no lion. It was the mask and custom the Janloons used during their prayer to Harras. The same Rya had tattooed on her cheeks.
The lion mask had none of the goofy appearance of its brethren. Its fangs and mane were made from a storm. Its large eyes were marked by battle, haunting all who came too close. It had a horn on its forehead. How many foes had the mask impaled on it? Gushes of wind ripped behind it. The lion wore it like a coat, ready to unleash the storm raging around it. This thing had crawled out of a nightmare. A wicked parody of the Janloon lions. Something meant to celebrate forced to become a beast of war.
Zonis clapped his knees, standing up. "That was a good one, Shae. Truly impressive."
And with that, the lion and storm ceased. The surrounding clouds vanished, and standing in front of Liron was a young woman.
Liron failed to make out much of her as the Silver Moon descended behind her, cloaking her in shadows. But as his eyes adjusted, he thought a goddess to stand before him.
Shae stood straight as a statue, discipline carved into her features. She shared the same tattoos as her mother, lions dancing on her cheeks. But unlike her, Shae's neck was adorned in music, dancing, and celebration. It stood in harsh contrast to her stoic demeanor. She wore her long black hair in a clean bun. The hair on her neck up to her ears was shaved. Her golden earrings, three tubes connected to a ring, fluttered in the wind. She had flowers woven into her bun, but unlike the colorful ones in Janloo, hers were of a somber blue. Perfect for a grave.
Shae wore a similar coat to Liron, but she had removed the sleeves, revealing her trained arms and shoulders. On her own, she would have been an intimidating sight, but her eyes were something else. Two stars stolen from the night sky to be inlaid in her head. They shone with the intensity of entire worlds. Secrets rested in them. As Liron glanced up at them, he feared losing himself in them to find answers to these secrets. But one more second captured inside her eyes, and Liron would have started to fly, his chest as light as a feather. He would have been at the mercy of her storm.
Shae gave a formal bow. "Greetings. My name is Shae Hyun. I have come to support you to conclude your mission. Apologies for my… sudden appearance. Angin told me to introduce myself in such a manner."
Emma snorted, pushing Liron aside to stand up. Liron startled, having lost himself in his thoughts as he looked at Shae. "Interesting fellow, this Angin. Has a good sense of humor, it seems."
Shae allowed herself a brief smile. Liron's heart skipped a beat at it.
"Child, come here," Zonis said, hugging Shae. She returned the hug. "Oh, it is good to see you."
"As it is you, old man," she said.
"Age is nothing to be ashamed of," Zonis laughed. "I carry it with pride."
As they departed, Shae turned back to Liron and Emma. Liron jumped to his legs, moving his wet hair backwards, hoping it gave him a more impressive appearance. His sister frowned at him.
"You must be Liron Sturm," Shae said, holding her hand towards Liron. He shook it. "I have heard a lot about you."
"Only things, I hope," Liron stuttered. "Ehr… I mean only good things."
Shae raised an eyebrow, but something sparked in her eyes. Pity? Amusement? Something else? "Great things," she said. "Angin described your deeds in great detail. Your progression as a Wizard is impressive."
"It is?" Liron asked.
Shae nodded. "It is," she said, growing melancholic. "What happened in Kupferrang is not your fault, Liron. Adenius is responsible. We will avenge them. We will give the dead justice."
Shae moved on to Emma, congratulating her on all she had survived and achieved in these last weeks. Liron failed to pay attention. His hand still tingled from when Shae had shaken it.
Zonis and Shae discussed the details. Liron startled back to reality when they addressed him. "Liron?" Zonis asked. "Son, are you doing good? You seem distracted. Did the heat get to you?"
"No," Liron said. Harras, his throat was dry. "No, all good."
"Well, we should get moving," Shae said. We need to regroup with the remainder of my team. We need to discuss how we will proceed from here on forward."
Shae turned to Liron and Emma. "I am looking forward to working with you."
With that, she took the reins, leading them forward. But as Liron was about to follow her and Zonis, Emma held him back for a moment. She grinned at him like a wolf finding a fawn.
"Oh, my dear Liri has fallen hard," she whispered to him. "About time that you would lose your heart to someone."