"You're in no rush either huh?" I ask Amba who's walking next to me.
She calmly shakes her head from either side before responding;
"Nope."
The light tone in her voice gives me that familiar feeling I've only gotten from her since I've arrived in Kumandra. Such a pleasant and comforting feeling.
"Well, good to know we're the same in that way for sure." I chuckle.
"Indeed. There is truly no need to rush, even when hungry." She adds.
"You speak the truth, Amba." I say before pulling my fidget spinner out of my pocket absent mindedly.
Amba seems to take notice, and I notice her curiosity from the corner of my eye.
"What's that?" She asks.
"Oh, this? It's called a fidget spinner. It's just a little thing I use when I feel stressed or have anxiety. Or, just to get my mind off of stuff." I explain while spinning the teal device.
"Huh, that's cool. Do you...feel that way right now?" She asks with a slight concern in her tone. Her eyes dart from the fidget spinner to me.
I look up and smile while shaking my head.
"Oh, no. Definitely not." I say.
She seems more assured, but still interested.
"Well, if it's something you use to cope, maybe there's something bothering you. Just not at the forefront of your mind. And your body is simply, reacting." She explains.
I take a second to process her words as I continue to spin.
"You're, definitely right about that Amba. My mom's actually mentioned that to me a few times. I do have social anxiety. So I guess that has something to do with it." I explain as I hold the fidget spinner into view.
"Hmm." I hear her respond in thought, "Well, you're dealing with it quite well I must say Jared." She responds.
I look at her with surprise.
"You umm...think so?" I ask with an unintentional voice crack.
She chuckles.
"Yep. Very much so if you've been hiding that this whole time. No one would suspect that you were even the slightest bit of uncomfortable during a conversation. You make it very natural." She explains.
I feel a new form of pride in my ability, but also respect for the understanding dragoness beside me.
"Thanks, Amba. I try. Everyday." I say.
"And I admire such. You should mention this to Pengu as well. He'll never tell anyone else, but he has social anxiety as well. His anti-social nature leads to him being distant mostly. Explaining part of the reasoning for the strolls he takes frequently. To simply get away from the world and clear his mind." She explains.
"I don't blame him. I do the same thing. Being alone is something I don't take for granted." I respond with honesty.
"Neither do I. It's a certain level of peace from having a moment alone. I...hope I haven't been invading your space this whole time then, Jared. I don't want you to...dislike me." I hear her nearly mumble and cautiously distance herself.
"No, no! Amba you're absolutely fine. You're company has been...lovely. I don't feel any anxiety around you at all. You and the others make me feel very comfortable to be honest. I feel a certain freedom around you guys. It's special." I quickly explain.
She understands and a genuine smile re-enters her features. She then moves closer to me than before and her fur faintly rubs against my side. I immediately feel those familiar butterflies swarming in my stomach again.
"Wonderful." She simply responds in a soft tone, and all I can do is smile.
I tuck my fidget spinner away for later as we finally walk through the entrance. We enter a wide hallway occupied with more people. I admire the beautiful designs that decorate the walls and floors. Right away, I notice the attention towards Amba. She receives stares of amazement and awe. Reactions I presume are common whenever dragons decide to visit anywhere humans inhabit. Especially remembering how excited people were when we flew over the village. I then notice them create a symbol with their hands. Some sort of circle. I don't remember seeing this symbol though.
"Hey Amba, what's everyone doing that sign for?" I ask, watching more people do it as we walk by.
"It's a sign of respect. After eliminating the Druun 500 years ago, the absence of dragons made everyone understand the importance of the dragon gem which held Sisu's spirit. She was the one that activated our united power to wash them away. She was the only dragon left and her spirit remained in a sphere that was kept for centuries, preventing any evil presence from returning. I would never want to take all that credit though. Sisu deserves every bit of it honestly. Along with Pengu who came up with the idea." She explains whilst occasionally nodding to bystanders respectfully.
"Huh" I mumble before making the sign myself toward her. "Well, you deserve at least some credit. You were an important piece of the puzzle and your bravery is unimaginable. I respect you just as much as anyone else Amba."
She looks at me with a heart warming smile and nudges my side playfully.
"Aww. Well, thank you Jared. Really means a lot coming from you. You really do help me put things into perspective. You've made the sign even more special now." She responds, flattered.
I chuckle and shrug my shoulders before looking away.
"No prob." I respond shyly.
We end up at a corner and take a right. Then we spot another hallway with another courtyard on the left of it.
"Pretty sure the dining area is over here." I hear Amba say and follow her lead.
As we approach, I notice that this courtyard is the one located on the front of the temple. It's smaller than the other one and holds the same decorations except for only one nice fountain in the center. I would alter my path to sit and stare over the vast land from the courtyard, but my stomach has other plans.
We make it to the door and enter the dining room. There's multiple tables throughout the room that surrounds one large round table in the center which hosts the rest of the group. The dragons can't really use chairs, but they seem fine with sitting on the floor. Either way, they still tower over everyone else which still amazes me to no end.
"Wow. I would mistake this for a really nice restaurant if I didn't know otherwise." I say while taking in the beauty of the room.
Amba chuckles.
"Right? The sense of décor always amazes me in Heart." She responds.
"Oh look! They finally made it! We were afraid you two got lost." Pura says after spotting us.
"Over food? Nah." I say and shake my head.
Pura chuckles.
"Understandable." He responds.
"You guys can sit over here." Juule says and points to a spot next to her.
"Thanks" Amba and I say in unison before making our way.
We fit perfectly in place. Now here I am, right in between two dragons, at a dinner table. Every time I glance at their towering forms, I struggle to comprehend my life at the moment. I really, REALLY must be dreaming..right?
Either way, my stomach still says it's time to grub down on something. I feel it continue to grumble and wonder how no one has heard it even make a peep.
"We're just chillin' and waiting for Benja." Cam says from across the table.
I give a thumbs up of approval.
"Aww man. Look at us. One big happy family." Aramis says as he looks around the table.
Everyone smiles and laughs.
"This is nice. This is how it should be. I love you guys." Pura says through a grin.
"We love you too Pura." Juule says and pats his back.
"We should have an even bigger get together. Everyone could invite their families and what not. Cam and Jared could even bring someone else." Sisu exclaims with some enthusiasm.
"That would really not be a bad idea. I've thought about it, but not really too often. What do you think Jared?" Cam asks.
"Yeah, I'm down. I wouldn't mind bringing them over. I mean, if they agree to walk through a portal in a random forest. It might be a real challenge getting them to believe that in the first place. But my parents might be pretty chill about it though." I explain.
"Right! Your parents probably for sure. They're some of the chillest people I've ever met." Cam says.
I nod my head in agreement.
"I'd like to meet them one day." Amba says and I look at her with surprise.
"I would too. And you guys could meet my brother. The guy's kinda...strange, but you'll like him." Pura adds.
"Absolutely. Anyone can come." Sisu assures.
"Does that mean that...um...your other sister can come too, Sisu?" Aramis asks in a timid and nervous tone.
"Who? Pranee? Of course. Why?" Sisu asks before getting signaled by Raya to lean down and listen to a whisper.
Her eyes widen followed by a quick giggle of confirmation.
"Wha-what's so funny?" Aramis quickly asks.
"Oh, nothing. But yeah, she'll be here as well. So, when does everyone want to do this?" Sisu asks after her giggling dies down.
Everyone thinks for a moment.
"Hm. Let's see. How about next month? It'll be Jared's birthday month. I think it'll be pretty cool to hangout over here with some fam." Cam says.
"Wow, that'll work perfectly. How ya feelin' about that Raya? Since we'll be in Heart most likely." Sisu turns to Raya.
"I wouldn't mind at all. I think it would be really fun to bond with everyone. Also sounds like a really cool birthday." Raya says thoughtfully.
The sheer thought of spending my birthday in this wonderful land is truly beyond my processing capacity. Even the thought of bringing my family over here is nuts. I still don't know if I'm in some sort of coma, but I'm rolling with the idea either way. Real, or not.
Before I decide to respond, Benja and a few other people enter the room with wonderful smelling food. And lot's of it. There are plates and bowls full of a variety of things including fruits, vegetables, rice, soups and stews, and some other dishes I can't identify, but can't wait to try any less.
I peer over everyone else's expressions, and they all hold looks of satisfaction and hunger. I laugh internally as I observe Amba, who even holds her own look of desire instead of her usual calm demeanor. My stomach can see just as well as my eyes and grumbles as if it's letting me know so.
Just as swiftly as the food entered the table, Benja handed out plates, bowls, and other tableware to each person and dragon around the table. He even made sure to give the dragons larger sets of tableware to fit their size.
"Help yourselves." He says kindly before thanking the other helpers and finding his spot at the table right between Raya and Cam.
I observe the bowls and plates of vibrant, colorful food once more. Then I look over to Benja with a respectful smile.
"Thank you Benja and Raya. This is all...amazing." I feel the need to express.
They nod their heads respectfully.
"Don't thank me. Thank this guy right here. Ba really knows how to set a mood. And cook out of his mind." Raya says and pats his shoulder.
Everyone else follows with their own appreciations for the meal and evening.
"Don't mind if I do." Pura says and helps himself to some rice and stew.
"Right behind ya." Cam says as he follows with his own scoops.
"Best food in the land? No brainer." Juule says and reaches in for her own helping.
"This is why I love it here!" Sisu says and helps herself as well, going for some fruit.
"Sisu's only here for the food honestly. Fun fact." Amba says smugly, teasing Sisu who temporarily stops her scooping.
Everyone snickers and laughs.
"Pssh, what? Nah, no way! I'm here for my girl Raya. The food just happens to be apart of the stay." Sisu exclaims and shrugs her shoulders.
"Don't know if that was very convincing best pal." Raya says teasingly with a smirk.
Sisu looks at Raya with surprise.
"I-I mean. Of course the food too but...not over Raya and Ba! What are you here for anyway, Amba? You never visit Heart." Sisu asks with a small whine.
"I just thought today would be a nice day to visit is all. And what's wrong with wanting to see my older sister?" Amba asks with an innocence in her voice.
"Yeah right. You could literally choose to come here anytime. It's not like you have as much to do as Pengu. Did you guys drag her here? She's already being mean." Sisu asks Juule, Aramis and Pura.
"Nophh" Pura says with his mouth full of food.
"What he said. She just volunteered to come here on her own. Didn't really expect her to come with this time." Juule adds.
"I've asked, since she's usually hanging with those three." Cam points to the three. "But she's always said she'll pass. I've always thought it was because she's busy. That is until I brought the homie." Cam says and points, mentioning my presence.
"Huh. So you only came because Jared wanted to go?" Sisu asks as she leans slightly in anticipation.
"Wait. This might be deeper than the surface." Juule says with peaked interest.
"Wow...what's with the sudden suspicion? I only came here to visit and enjoy the beauty of Heart. And even give you a nice hug and tell you I've missed you. Not enough?" Amba asks nonchalantly before taking a sip of her stew.
"You've just dug yourself a hole Amba. The only way to get you here is to bring Jared. I see. Don't worry, I know what's going on Amba." Sisu says confidently.
There is a small silence. Amba doesn't seem phased in the slightest on the outside. Sisu still seems determined to unlock something from her sister though. And in the silence, you can tell her competitive mind is flowing through thoughts as she continues to eat.
...
...
...Sip...
...
"Amba has a crush on Jared! At least I think she does!" Sisu blurts out.
There is another silence, but shorter this time. My eyes widen from her statement. I then start to think of the absurdity of Sisu's conclusion. I mentally ask myself; "Why in the world would she say that? Is she just teasing her?", assuming it's just sibling stuff. "Clearly they're just messing around right?" Either way, I decide to drop any further ideas and go along with the joke.
"I...what? Sisu your...your foods getting cold." Amba says, quickly attempting to dismiss any other suspicion.
Everyone laughs at her reaction and looks at me. I chuckle nervously and shrug my shoulders before reaching in for another dish. I look up at her with curiosity and her eyes quickly dart to mine and back to her food nervously.
"Well. Guess it's true, judging by that." Sisu adds in a fit a laughter.
After a moment, the laughter dies down. And everyone silently returns to their food.
The rest of the feast is full of small talk and healthy energy. Everyone would get their chance to speak and joke around about this and that. Someone would reminisce on a good memory, connect on a topic, mention the quality of the incredible meal, share an interest, teach about a moment in history, and a great number of other elaborate things. We each got to learn something about one another. One thing I've learned is that I am currently surrounded by some of the most wonderful beings I've ever got the chance to meet and now call friends. Or even family. And without Cam, I never even would've known this place existed.
"Wow, that was amazing. Thanks again Benja." Pura says as he stares at and rubs his own belly.
"Yeah, thank you so much. Didn't really realize how hungry I was until I started eating." Aramis adds followed by a small yawn.
"I can agree on that, even though I was day dreaming over the food on the way over here. How did you two like it? Amazing right?" Juule asks, looking at Amba and I.
As I lean back in my chair with a now full and happy stomach, I smile with content before responding.
"It sure was, you definitely weren't lying. It was an experience for sure. Amba?" I ask.
"It was spectacular. Thank you and the other cooks again for the meal Raya and Benja." Amba says, who's opened up more throughout the meal as time went on from the awkward moment with her sister earlier.
Raya and Benja nod their heads respectfully to everyone's thanks.
"Our pleasure. Feel free to visit and stay anytime you please." Benja responds.
"Need any help with the cleanup? You know I've got your back with the dishes." Cam asks willingly to my surprise.
"No need Cam." Benja responds.
"C'mon Ba. The guy's trying to make a living. Put'em to work for a little bit. Maybe a little overtime too. He probably needs it." Raya insists jokingly.
"Oh, so you've got jokes huh? How about you have her help too. She needs it more than me to be fair." Cam responds jokingly, making Raya give him a look of shade.
"How about...yeah. With the both of you helping, the cleanup will go much faster." Benja says matter of factly.
"Alright. Sure, I'll help then. I'm usually more efficient anyway." Raya says nonchalantly before standing and collecting tableware.
"Since when?" Cam questions. But Raya's response is only to collect plates and bowls faster.
He notices and increases his speed as well. But Raya is just a tad bit faster. Cam nearly drops a few things in the process, and Raya takes notice.
"Struggling over there?" She teases. Everyone else just patiently watches the competitive scene unfold. The bowls and plates start to almost magically disappear.
"Nah. You?" Cam scoffs.
"Nope." Raya responds with her own scoff as she starts to have fun from the competition.
And just like that. Somehow, all of the dishes were off of the table and in Cam and Raya's arms. Cam even had a bowl on top of his head, and not even one of the small ones. Raya had like five plates on her back. They looked insane.
They then gallop their way out of the dining room and toward the kitchen in a fit of giggles. We all watch them leave in awe and amusement.
"Kids these days..." Sisu says and makes everyone laugh.
"I'm truly impressed by their ability to balance all of that." Amba says.
"Do they do that all the time?" I ask.
"They're competitive here and there, yes. But with dish washing? That's a new one." Benja responds.
"Well, I didn't even know Cam had a side that enjoyed cleaning. But I guess there wasn't really a reason to mention it." I say in thought.
"Good to know now. He and Raya just cleared a full table in almost under a minute. And not just any table. I'll keep that in mind now for sure." Benja exclaims before standing up and pushing his chair in.
I chuckle whilst standing as well.
"You can always help too Sisu, you know. You're here pretty frequently." Benja says.
"Yeah but...I'll pass on that. The dishes at least." She responds.
"Up to you then. I was thinking of some possible food perks, but..." Benja's then cutoff.
"Wait, wait, wait, woah, woah! What do you have in mind chief?" Sisu asks desperately.
"Ehh. I don't know. Maybe I'm outta my head. You're not about the food anyway. I'll go check up on Raya and Cam then." Benja says teasingly before quickly walking through the door. And on his way out, he nods to us.
"Hey! Wait! What I said was...Benja!" Sisu says while chasing Benja.
"Wait. What was that about food Sisu!?" Amba asks teasingly, causing Sisu to double back and shush Amba with her finger to her snout before returning to her chase.
The whole moment causes us to laugh. I then look around and realize that I'm currently alone with the dragons except for Sisu. It leaves me with a certain feeling of comfort.
"So um. What do you guys wanna do now?" Pura asks the group.
Amba looks at me and smiles.
"I was thinking we could take Jared to see where Sisu was held." Amba responds.
Everyone nods their heads in agreement.
"That's a great idea! A good history lesson. Cam thought it was amazing himself." Juule exclaims excitedly.
"Sounds good to me." I add.
"Alright well, let's head over then. It's a bit of a hike Jared. But I think you'll be fine." Amba says.
I shrug my shoulders and smirk excitedly.
"All good." I say.
Following Amba, we exit the temple and venture off onto a hidden path behind it. The walk happens to be easier than I anticipated when observing the mass of land from below. We even got to a point where we got to enjoy the vast view and even spot some other villages in the distance. My anxiety from my fear of heights crept up right before we continued on the path though. So I just turned my back and tried not to think about it as we kept moving.
After around 10 to 15 minutes, we walk pass the last set of trees and shrubbery, making it to the end of the path. We now stand at the entrance of another structure. I look up, realizing that by the height and width it's not small by any means. It looks old and ancient. Worn down. Almost like it could collapse at any moment. Nature has made part of it's claim to it as weeds and branches full of leaves cover much of the exterior. Even with the sun fully out, this area still seems dark. But not in a depressing way.
"Welcome to what was Sisu's home and eventually shrine for half a millennium. And, our final stand as dragons." Amba says before entering.
The others and I follow. The interior is equally as worn as the exterior. But there is even more nature growth on the inside. And many more vibrant flowers along the walls and ground. It seems more damaged. The floor is uneven and broken, along with the ceiling which has a massive hole in it. Though, it still holds a feeling of hope and growth.
"You know? Despite what it's been through. The place doesn't actually look that bad." Pura says as he looks around.
"It's incredible that it still holds up. It could look worse." Aramis adds.
The rest of us nod our heads in agreement. Amba then looks toward me.
"This...is exactly where Sisu, Pengu, Jagan, Pranee and I stood off before uniting our power to eliminate the Druun." She says, and my eyes widen in shock.
"Exactly here?" I ask.
"Yep. We each donated our power to Sisu, combining it into one special orb for her to carryout what needed to be done. And she did, exactly that. To this day, I'm still proud of her. We all are." Amba says proudly as she looks into the sky through the hole in the ceiling.
"The Datu's were the only dragon's left. The last family. Everyone else was turned into stone in desperate attempts to survive. I remember. It was really scary. But Pengu's always had the right idea. Even if he couldn't save everyone." Aramis adds as he looks toward the ground in memory.
"One thing Sisudatu has taught is the importance of trust. And we trusted Pengu with our lives. Still do. And he continues to follow through. All the Datu's do." Juule says and smiles toward Amba.
I process the words with thought as I let my imagination go to work. Imagining the looks on everyone's faces in their last moments. It makes me feel bad. But also realize how strong these dragons are to their core.
"I'm sorry to hear that all happened. You guys, every dragon, are so strong. I understand why humans look up to you guys so much. Because you keep the world in balance. Humans usually just throw it off course if only left up to us. The people on my world...sheesh. I don't even think adding a dragon to the mix would have an effect with how much damage that has already been done." I explain, resulting in a chuckle from the others.
"Goodness. It's that bad?" Juule asks with bewilderment.
I nod my head.
"Well, that's why you could always come stay with us. We'll always save a spot for you and Cam." Pura says.
I smile.
"Let's say your world is coming to an end and there's no way of saving it. You could just bring your loved ones and live with me-US! Everyone, of course. Exactly." Amba says with a slight stumble.
I see it as a joke at first. But it honestly could be something valid for the future, seeing the path my world is taking.
"Thank you guys. I'll keep that in mind. You honestly never know what could happen." I say before thinking of another question.
"I didn't really ask this yesterday. But I've been wondering. How does it feel to get turned into stone. Did it hurt in some way?" I ask.
Everyone thinks for a moment.
"It was...well, it didn't really hurt at all. But I just remember seeing one of those things in front of me and realizing that it was probably over for me. It was cold and empty. A quick flash after my realization. It just felt like I was falling asleep and it was beyond my control." Aramis explains, followed by a visible shiver as he squints his eyes in clear distraught.
I shiver as well.
"Same for me. I was only friends with Pura back then. And we unfortunately got separated in the mass panic. I don't think I even made it that far once the Druun started multiplying. I just remember everything going black. And then, suddenly waking up, supposedly 500 years prior. Weird." Juule says.
"It was very strange, yeah. I 'woke up' and immediately went to find my brother and Juule. And right after I found them, everyone was cheering because the Druun were finally gone for good. And that's when we had to save Sisu too." Pura adds.
I raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Did we ever mention to him that Sisu literally died?" Amba asks while looking at the others.
I then raised both eyebrows in shock.
"W-What? How!?" I ask with my hands on my head.
"Oh my. Well. Has Cam mentioned Namaari of Fang?" Amba asks, to which I shake my head no.
She continues.
"Fang is another place here in Kumandra, led by Chief Virana and her daughter princess Namaari. It was that tall building you saw in the distance earlier."
She says and I slowly nod my head in confirmation once remembering.
"They're way better people now. But just like all of the other lands, they wanted a piece of the dragon gem themselves. They held the biggest piece and heard word of Sisu's return. So Namaari hunted Raya and Sisu down for weeks, hungry for more power. They eventually made a deal to meet at Fang, and surrender the rest of the collected gem pieces to Namaari in order to restore everything. But, Fang had other plans. Sisu told me that she even glowed to show Namaari that she wouldn't hurt a fly. It almost worked but...Namaari simply reacted from fear. And shot Sisu in the chest with a crossbow. Then causing her to fall into a river to her demise. With no more dragon magic, the oceans and rivers evaporated into thin air, allowing the Druun freedom to roam where they pleased." She explains with slight sorrow in the end.
"Jeez" I respond with a frown. "I'm sorry to hear that. How did she come back to life?" I ask.
"Pure Dragon Magic. Every bit of it. And everyone pitched in equally. Once we did, the oceans and rivers returned." Amba explains.
"It was instinctual. We just felt that one of our kind needed serious help and came to their aid. And we knew exactly how to do it. As if we've rehearsed it a million times." Juule adds.
I take a second to process before responding.
"That's...that's amazing. You literally resurrected her. Dragons are...like. Cool man." I respond, resulting in a chuckle from the others.
"Thank you, Jared. But as I said, they're better and wiser people than before. Namaari, Raya, and her friends did a great deed in restoring the pieces to their true form. They placed their hatred aside and made the proper decision in the end. Correcting their mistakes and saving everyone. Our respect for those two is endless. Raya's even great friends with Namaari now. We'll take you to see her too." Amba says.
"Fang's a really beautiful place too." Juule says.
"When do you guys wanna go?" I ask.
"How about tomorrow? It'll be your last day right?" Aramis asks.
"Y-Your last day?" Amba asks with a tone of worry to my surprise.
"Hey. He'll be back of course. It won't be his last, last day Amba. We said he'll be back next month remember?" Juule says and rubs Amba's side which happens to reassure her friend.
"Right, right. Sorry. I forgot." Amba responds half jokingly but with a clear sadness behind it.
"Yeah. Freakin' sucks it'll be the last day. Life stuff always get's in the way. But I'll be back as soon as I can. Cam too. And we'll do even more fun stuff." I say and smile reassuringly which seems to work as even Amba's smile returns.
"Tomorrow sounds great bro." I add.
"Good." Aramis responds.
"Well um. Thank you for the history lesson. It was awesome." I say.
Amba nods her head.
"Welcome. And thank you for being understanding and engaging." Amba responds.
"And sorry for bringing back some bad memories. Couldn't imagine going through any of that stuff." I add empathetically.
Pura places his paw on my shoulder.
"Just like us, you go through tough stuff all the time. Just another part of life. That was just another time in history. But we keep pushing forward. Those moments were rough, but they taught lessons that we can carry out today and for the rest of our lives." He explains.
"Couldn't have said it better myself. You can really say some wise stuff when you want to Pura." Juule says.
He chuckles.
"And thanks for the life lessons too." I say.
"Don't mention it." He responds with a proud look.
"I guess we should head down now huh? Not much to really look at but the view from up here you know? Not that I have anything against it." Aramis states before heading toward the entrance.
"Sure." Pura says and walks next to Aramis.
"Yep...they're definitely gonna race." Juule mumbles, causing me to chuckle.
"I'll race you." Pura says in a competitive tone.
"Bet." Aramis follows.
"Should I do the-" I'm then cut off by both of them taking off with a gust of wind. "Countdown. Guess not." I finish.
"Ah yes. They'll definitely tie." Amba says with a snicker.
"No doubt." Juule responds.