Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XCVI

A huge wave from the coast washed over the Upper Desert. It wasn't the first, and this time it sent Liofia, Goola, Julen, and the countless others that were fleeing, aiming for higher land. Though with the flat, undulating landscape it little mattered: the entire desert now looking like a long damp beach. Where pools of sticky sand intermingled imperceptibly with firmer ground and deeper trenches. In the lawless rush occasional skirmishes broke out, but with nature to contend with little worry was given to the threat of men. Either the now-absent forces that guarded the desert, or the hoards that overran it.

A dour-looking man lunged at Liofia, in the wild hope that he could steal anything that might be nestled on her person. Her loose cloak and rotund figure promising something worth looting beneath the quilted attire. In a dash Julen pounced, and ran through the stray with his sword. Thinking little about the quick death he'd doled out, as they headed ever on towards what they hoped would be escape. Goola tripped in panic as she watched the violence unfold, flying headlong into the salty sand. She picked herself up, soggy and wet, and dragged herself onwards.

Another wave, this time bigger, rolled along the wide expanse. Its white foam visible and imminent in the distance. Sweeping all in its path. The three tried to quicken their speed in response, but racing as they already were the attempt only made things more clumsy. Liofia stumbled, heavy on her feet, but managed to keep her ground. Then, at last, with relief, rocky outcrops came into view. The outcrops that, hopefully, led to somewhere safer. Somewhere beyond the known, turbulent world. They willed themselves on, dreaming of the higher ground. The water, now a quickly rising tide, lapping at their ankles. 

Finally, as they reached the ascent, the hollow entrance to the tunnel came into view. There it was, a gapping cave towards the summit. Nondescript and boring in comparison to the secret it promised. They were also blessed with another image: the ship's boy, standing diligently near the entrance, awaiting his late-coming friends. The little monkey, high on his shoulders, agitated by the chaos. Goola climbed first, finding a burst of agility as she caught sight of the familiar faces, as the ocean continued to eat the desert. Then Julen and Liofia followed up the step-like rocks and stones that led the way. Liofia struggled on the final step, but Julen grabbed her by the wrists and dragged her up. Just as a large plume of water rose to climb the tor itself. Washing the stragglers further below away in its cruel and unemotive torrent. The waters then lapped at the base of the tunnel entrance. The surrounding ocean that was previously desert now threatening to leave not even a speck of land.

The four climbed higher, to the rocks above the entrance, as they watched the waters flood into the tunnel. No doubt chasing through the darkened chasm those that had already made it this far. Drenched, and now hopeless, the gang stood stranded atop the rugged crest. Watching the sea cut off their only salvation. The cavernous tunnel now a giant sinkhole, trying and failing to drain the flood. The unrelenting wind, still holding its rough sand, cutting at their skin, as it sprayed the dark sea. Julen looked across to the ship's boy, who was now separated by the gushing currents, on the opposing part of the outcrop. The once playful monkey gripped the boy's hair and jacket, unable to offer any optimism. Julen grabbed both Liofia and Goola more tightly in response.

As the waters climbed higher a sense of final desolation took hold.

But then, as if in a dream, a strange saviour descended from the heavens. A large bird swooped from the yellow sky. The huge, winged-creature landing gently on the torrid precipice. As the four clocked the odd sight a hollow appeared in its plump body ..and just like that, there was Luteeay. Goola and Julen recognised him in an instant. The bizarreness of the moment only tethered to reality by the bizarreness of all the other things they'd experienced so far.

"I can get you across the desert," he said, with little explanation.

He then quickly and physically dragged Liofia, Goola and Julen into its yawning belly; their sense of dislocation not enough to even question the action.

As they found refuge a further heavy wave washed over the desert peak, this time nearly washing the last of the rock into the newly birthed sea. Luteeay, responsively, made some adjustments. The bird lifted into the air. The feral, grainy wind ripping at its pretty exterior. As it hovered skyward it angled in towards the ship's boy. Julen reached down in an attempt to grab his hand, but another gust of sea and gale ripped at the rock. The small monkey leapt from the boy's shoulders and scrambled up the human ladder. As it found safety a last deadly surge of seawater swept what remained of the ground. The boy was lost. The gyrating sea snatching him with its weight. The bird lurched, nearly crashing headlong into the whirling sea itself, but retained its angelic grace and soared, with sorrow, into the sky.

As it headed further into the Outer Desert the ravenous ocean reached its zenith. The watery hand of the earth failing to grip the tail feathers of the aerial fugitive.