Tiamatian Chronicles

She looked out to the horizon. Everything seemed so intimidatingly foreign, yet so dazzlingly beautiful. She panned the landscape, from left to right, admiring the multihued sunset playing against the waterfalls. She looked on as a pair of roe deer walked nonchalantly along the flank of a grass-coated mesa. She marvelled at the huge variety of flora, and the accompanying songbirds chanting in contrasting tones. She looked straight down, and locked gazes with her reflection from the lake. She smirked at the ominous image, and with a mighty thrust took off and coasted, as if weightless, above the surface.

Her name was Sulara. She was kept by a man living like a monk, deep in the Hulanaas forest. It had been so long since Sulara left him, she didn't even remember the name he had given her. All that was on her mind was the scenery, the breeze, the slight cool she felt from skimming the water. Her owner had known she was a descendant from Tiamat, but she didn't. She remained blissfully ignorant of her honorable origins, and unaware of her species' cult following. She was scarcely more than a year old when she took off, leaving him behind.

Sulara reached an islet in the middle of the lake, and fluttered to a halt. She flopped onto the sand, her tail skimming the water and her head lost somewhere wonderful. She breathed a rivulet of fire into the water, and watched the salty steam rise, then dissipate into the dimming atmosphere. She turned a wing over her head and closed her eyes. The climate was warm and humid, and the rhythmic pulse of the tropical breeze lulled the great, peaceful beast to sleep. Slowly, the rest of the jungle joined her, until everything lay silent.

A fish broke the surface of the water, leaving a splash loud enough to arouse Sulara. She groaned, then rolled onto her back and gazed at the stars, then the reflections bouncing off the lake and onto the hills. The sight she beheld then hit her like a ton of bricks, and she got up with a start. She took wing to see more clearly. Her eyes did not deceive her - resting in the foliage was her old master, dozing next to a large breed of beetle used for transportation. Sulara glided across, then landed in a safe place to ponder what she should do - there was no telling why he was there. He was just as she remembered - a terrifically old soul, beaten by scores of losses, in a young body.

She remembered the beetle, too. His name was Raikal. She knew him as a fine companion, and he could always be trusted. They had had a lot of fun as children. She silently flew up to where he was roosted, and gently woke him up.

They took wing. Sulara led him to the islet, while Raikal flew behind, dazzled by her grace. There was no mistaking the femininity of the one or the masculinity of the other. They touched down on the islet. Raikal started:

Raikal looked deep into Sulara's green eyes, with a loving gaze that comes only from sincerity. Sulara looked down, and a tear dropped from her cheek. Raikal wiped it off, and stroked her face. She looked up and met a pair of blue eyes pleading her to stay. He moved in to comfort her, but she pushed him away.

Raikal took off. Sula looked up, and watched his stocky blue form, with remarkable stealth, land next to his master. He pretended to be asleep, but continued to admire her form for quite a while. Sula turned away, completely bewildered despite herself. She sat down on her haunches and clutched her head with her hands. Sula's mind was full of questions: did I midjudge him? Is he being sincere? Does he really miss me? What should I do? Returning to her master could mean anything, but she doubted it could be any better than her life. Raikal, however, was a different story. In a burst of frustration, she took off of the island and soared high above the canopy.

Sulara climbed to dizzying heights, striving all the harder as she grappled higher in the stratosphere. She didn't understand, but just went higher, and did not at any point look down. She was not focused on any heavenly body or driving away from any cursed earthly object, but rather was thrilled by her own blind ambition. She fought against Earth with every sinew and muscle in her body, in a relentless pursuit for a victory she could not see, nor understand, nor anticipate, but needed to reach. Suddenly, her vision went completely black. All of the stars, and the luminescent power of the Moon, vanished. All of the noises she had revelled in now merely echoed in her head.

Slowly, she came to. She opened her eyes, to the realization that no more existed outside her eyes than inside. She panned through what she judged to be the full field of view, yet saw nothing but an overpowering darkness. She tried to sense her own body, but it, too, was concealed by the vacuum. She cried out, but nothing sounded. For the first time, Sulara felt absolute terror. Her fur bristled, her heart pounded, her mind raced. She felt as though the black was tearing her apart, and she felt herself start to disintegrate. She fell with a soundless thud onto the hard, featureless floor. She collapsed, face down into her claws, and sobbed helplessly. An air of complete desolation surrounded her.

All of a sudden, Sulara felt something and looked up hopefully. Nothing met her eyes nor her ears, but she felt a presence. The relentless void was now interrupted by a forceful permeation. She no longer felt scared; rather, she was pacified by its benevolent air. She turned to the rupture, and blindly moved toward it. Moving closer and closer, the radiance became stronger and stronger.

The word rang in her ear, and despite all the years she recognized it as her name. She tried to reply, "What?" but the words fell silent upon leaving her throat. She reached in front of her, and felt a body. She was impelled to move back, but something about the contact reassured her. She traced its form gently, vaguely recognizing the fluidity of form. It put its arm on Sulara's shoulder, and miraculously, her senses awakened. The first thing she saw was what she thought to be a mirror; standing right across from her was a Tiamat, looking straight into Sulara's eyes.

Sulara looked quizzically into the other's eyes.

Sulara looked up at Cina, but her expression offered no answer.

Sulara sobbed and fell into Cina's arms. Cina held her, comforting her warmly. Finally, Sulara released her grip. She wiped a tear from her cheek:

Cina vanished. An image started to flash before Sulara's eyes, and Cina's tenorous voice narrated:

The Evil Wind, which followed behind, he let loose in her face. When Tiamat opened her mouth to consume him, He drove in the Evil Wind that she closed not her lips. As the fierce winds charged her belly, Her body was distended and her mouth was wide open. He released the arrow, it tore her belly, It cut through her insides, splitting the heart. Having thus subdued her, he extinguished her life. He cast down her carcass to stand upon it. The lord trod on the legs of Tiamat, With his unsparing mace he crushed her skull. When the arteries of her blood he had severed, He split her like a shell-fish into two parts; Half of her he set up and ceiled it as sky, Pulled down the bar and posted guards. He bade them to allow not her waters to escape.

Sulara took a few seconds to absorb the visual parade. Tiamat had the exact form of her reflection, and she slowly realized what had just unfurled was the story of her existence. She was then interrupted in mid-thought by Cina gliding out of an immateriate shadow. She looked directly into Sulara's eyes.

Sulara opened her eyes to a vast, brilliant blanket of stars. She sat on the delta for a few seconds, then stood up. She scanned the landscape, then spied Raikal and his old owner. She hesitated for a second. With soulful determination, she stretched her vast wings and thrust into the air. She landed a few feet from her old friend. Sulara looked at his face. He looked so peaceful, sleeping like a baby -- she remembered it well from all the sleepless nights. She calmly climbed up onto Raikal's belly and curled up like a kitten. She closed her eyes and fell right to sleep. Raikal opened his eyes. He turned his head, and saw the familiar pink form curled up on top of him. He smiled. Comforted, he fell back asleep, while the stars shone on above.

Fan Fiction Copyright Sonarrat

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