Where The Streets Have No Name
Author : Jessica Massey
Date : June 28, 2005
Chapter Two - Avalon, Luna and Etho
"Luna? Luna, where are you?" It was Avalon. I had no intentions
of answering. Hiding was one of my talents. It always took Avalon a long
while to find me. This was our favorite game, even though we were constantly
reminded that we were no longer young. Both of us were now two decades
old. Still, for my people it was not very old. I was hiding in the Sanor
tree in the courtyard of my home. If Avalon had used his gifts he would
have been able to locate me within a second. Fortunately he had promised
not to. Being able to locate kais, the energy one's spirit emits, was one
of his gifts. Avalon could also read minds, among other things. Avalon
was a Loran, one of the few of our race that was blessed with gifts of great
power. They were revered by our people, the Quistrals. I on the other
hand had no special gifts. Avalon made me jealous. Unknown to myself,
he was just as envious of my normality. People are funny that way. Inevitably
he always found me no matter where I hid. This time was no different.
"I see you in the tree, Luna. I knew I would find you soon. Aren't
you tired of this game yet?" Of course I was tired of it. It's all
we ever did, and being young we yearned for a change. "Come on Avalon.
Let's go to the sea and watch the sunset." There wasn't much else
to do. Freya was a quiet place. Not many Quistrals lived here. A desert
lays between here and the major cities. Avalon and I didn't care though.
This was our home and we loved it.
I didn't live far from the sea. The waves crashing on the shore creates
the most beautiful music. Sleep comes easily with the ocean whispering at
your window. A lot of my time was spent on the shore. Our footprints were
the only imperfection in the snow white sand. My hooves made many patterns
in the sand. The feet of Quistrals had developed into hooves many generations
ago. Avalon left no trace of his passing to the water. Another of his
gifts was the ability to hover. He couldn't go higher than a couple feet,
but it beat walking. Quickly, we arrive at the water. Avalon already had
his hooves in the water by the time I got there. Our tails swished happily
as we waded and splashed. It was one of our great enjoyments in life.
The sun had almost completed it's journey by the time we sit on the sand.
So much for watching the sunset. Etho joined us just as the sun sank
below the horizon. He was the same age as Avalon and I, and also a Loran.
There had never been two born in the same generation before. Etho was
much taller than Avalon or myself. Even when sitting, he towered over our
heads. Avalon called him friend; I did not. A little time passed before
any of us spoke. "I haven't seen you much, Etho. Have you been training
with Lyka all this time?" Lyka was the oldest Loran in Freya. He
taught the younger ones how to control their powers. Etho was silent for
a time before he finally answered. "No, Avalon. I've been across
the Ardan Desert in Sutex. Something strange has been happening all over
Zia. Our world is under attack and no one knows how to stop it."
Silence. In one day, the peaceful world in which I had secluded myself
was gone.