Asa's Journey Chapter 3
Alborassi Kingdom
Asa continued now in direct flight to the edge of the mountain range, and they reached that point within an hour. The daylight was now full, and kindle sought a good place for Asa to land, deciding on a green patch of vegetation on the edge of a forest of Xyloris fruit trees. These trees are low growing and bear fruit similar to plums. They are very sweet and provide a lot of energy. Kendle dismounted and collected an armful of the fruit and returned to Asa to share the feast. They were very juicy and ripe, and satisfied them both in no time.
Kendle looked around at the unfamiliar landscape. Aside from the forest to their side the was also a well trodden path that seemed to skirt the trees. She supposed many people came here for the fruit. To their right the mountains were magnificent in their stature, and looked so different to the other side of the range. They stepped in height so you could discern the peaks of them all as far as your could see, though the tallest were so distant they were not in view at all.
And a small stream ran along the edge of the mountain range, so Kendle led Asa to it and they both drank their fill.
Kendle decided they should follow the path on foot for now, to rest Asa's wings whilst no immediate danger was present. So they walked side by side contentedly, quietly enjoying each others presence as they so often did. As they rounded the corner of the Xyloris forest in the distance they could see hills and the odd tuft of ruoho which is similar to our pampas grass. The sky was a hazy purple grey and the twin moons were iridescent in the sky.
As they walked on Kendle had a sudden feeling of unease, and beckoned Asa way from the forest edge into open ground. She climbed onto Asa and urged him to fly. No sooner had they taken flight when a pack of small people came charging out of the forest with spears and arrows. They were of similar size to dwarves, but with perfectly proportioned bodies. Fortunately Asa and Kendle were already a safe distance away, and the spears and arrows couldn't reach them. Asa flew onwards towards the hills and ruoho grass with Kendle surveying the land below for any further signs of life.
To the West Kendle saw in the distance what looked to be some kind of structures. She figured that they didn't look natural, so someone must have built them for some unknown purpose. They appeared to be like shelves floating above the ground. Curiosity got the better of her and she steered Asa in their direction, needing to know now what exactly they were, and what purpose they could possibly serve.
They flew over increasingly marshy looking land, and Kendle sensed it would not be safe to land anywhere upon it. They flew quite low so she could see it clearly, and in places the ground bubbled and spat like it was boiling, though she did not feel any heat rising from it, and assumed it must me releasing gas of some sort. She could not smell anything strange, so they carried on nearer to the floating platforms. The nearer they got, the more alive the ground below became with bubbling eruptions. Kenle didn't sense any danger at all so they carried on going until they eventually were flying along the side of one of the platforms.
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