Boaz could see the Kashmalan mountains straight ahead. They were tall and vast. The mountain rock had been infused with flecks of metal, making them nearly impossible to topple. "Ila, you worked wonders on these mountains," he said. The ride across the desert was more difficult than he had anticipated. It was hard to maintain his speed over a long period of time. It took him more than two hours to arrive.

He looked around but saw no one. "Where is everybody?" He asked out loud. He thought the Kashmalan mountains were guarded by an elite group of fighters. Boaz questioned that as he stopped his raft. He dismounted after grabbing his sack and cautiously walked closer to the mountains. He could not shake the uneasy feeling that he was getting. Landkeepers and Windmasters are fifty years removed from a war that the Windmasters won. Coming this close to the mountains could be seen as aggression. Boaz knew he had to keep going. He had to help Aqila however he could.

Boaz gently placed his fawn brown hand on the cool, semi-metallic gray stone mountain. He felt a harsh gust of wind overhead. When he looked up, something was diving toward him. He was tackled to the ground instantly before responding to what he saw coming toward him. He had rolled for a bit in the sand from the impact. Boaz coughed up sand and tried to clear his throat as he staggered to his feet.

"State your business," a tall, limber man with heather gray eyes asked. He was well over seven feet tall with dark, charcoal-colored hair that was short and very wavy. His skin was smooth, revealing his youth, and his skin was a warm brown with rich golden undertones. "State your business," he repeated, louder as if Boaz did not hear him the first time.

Boaz realized that he didn't prepare anything to say, "I need your help. Your seer is in danger!"

The Windmaster scoffed, "Do you expect me to believe that? Do you intend to divert my attention to spring an attack? Do you think I'm falling for it? The seer is at the top of the eastern mountains in the middle of training. Look, if you don't want any trouble, just go back home," he turned away to leave.

"Aqila is in danger. She's not at the top of the mountain. She's missing, she came to the library to return some books, and she's missing. Doesn't that matter to you!"

The man stopped in his tracks. He turned his athletic body slowly, "So, something happened on your turf," his hand went for his circular blade, "right?"

Boaz raised a sand slab to defend himself against the Windmaster. However, his attempt was futile. He jumped over the slab at an unbelievable speed before wind kicking Boaz in the chest with a sweeping motion. He staggered but remained standing, absorbing the blow.

"Stop, she's in danger, and I came to get help, not to fight you!"

"But you admit, you allowed something to happen," the young man retorted. It was a fury of wind against the sand. Boaz could see that the Windmaster wasn't breaking a sweat, and he was utterly outmaneuvering him. Boaz was exerting a lot of energy, and most of his attacks just narrowly missed the tall master. Anything that managed to hit the Windmaster immediately was deflected as if he was wearing some sort of invisible armor. The gusts of wind and sand traveled upward. This was concerning for Boaz. He was struggling against one, and the sandstorm would only attract others.

"Look, just let me explain what happened," Boaz called to the Windmaster.

"Enough!" A loud voice called. The dust and sand immediately ceased. As Boaz's vision became clear, he saw another Kashmalan Windmaster. Instead of wielding a circular blade, he carried a traditional sword sheathed on his hip. He was shorter than the other Windmaster by a few inches. His eyes were also heather gray, their skin tones were similar, and the shorter man had deeper undertones. His shoulders were broader, and stone gray hair fell to the middle of his back.

"Kavi, I had everything under control," the taller Windmaster spoke.

"Really, Saar, everything's under control with a sandstorm running amuck. You can't do that. The sand and dirt will continue upwards straight into the state, and that's going to attract attention. Do you really want everyone to see their esteemed Wind Guardian tussling with a Landkeeper? Are you trying to start a war?"

"No, he approached the mountain and was touching it. I just came down, maybe a little too enthusiastically, and started asking questions. He was just trying to feed me a bunch of nonsense," Saar, the Wind Guardian, defended.

"I was doing some important research nearby, but my concentration was broken listening to your ruckus," he said to the taller man, Saar.

The man Kavi turned to Boaz, "Landkeeper, what's your business?"

"I'm Boaz of Theyra. Aqila the seer, she's missing. Something happened to her. She came to the library to return some books, then she needed to have a vision, and she disappeared. She left her bird at the library entrance," Boaz explained.

"Kavi, it's a russ. Go do your job and leave me to do mine. I'll shoo him away," Saar groaned.

"If father were here, I don't think he'd see this as you doing your job," Kavi flatly stated. Saar rolled his eyes. Judging from their interactions, Boaz noted the pair seemed close.

"Besides, he's not lying," Kavi continued. Boaz shook his head, amazed that Kavi believed him.

"Well, only you would know that. Alright, I'm resuming my post," Saar acknowledged Kavi before turning towards the mountain. Saar expertly leaped up the hill with extreme ease and agility. Within minutes, he was near the top of the mountains.

Boaz was in awe at the sheer strength and agility of the Wind Guardian. "Forgive my brother. He can be on the impulsive side. Your little sandstorm pulled me away from my research. Come with me," Kavi whistled. Suddenly a large bird dove from the sky and perched beside him.

"That's the same kind of owl Aqila has! She calls her owl Talon," Boaz was excited to see something familiar that gave him hope for Aqila's safety.

"Quite correct," Kavi replied. He motioned for Boaz to ride too. Boaz did not want to ride, but he could not scale the mountain like Saar, so this seemed his better option. He carefully climbed on top of Kavi's owl, "Her name is Sterling. Don't fidget. It will make her uncomfortable."

Sterling slowly took off into the sky. Boaz didn't like the feeling of being in the air. However, he did not want to seem fearful in front of Kavi. He carefully observed the Windmaster. He wore dark-gray harem pants. Similar to what Aqila usually would wear. He had a long tunic that came to his knees, predominantly pale blue and trimmed in dark gray. The closures were in the front, and they were also dark gray. His brother also wore the same dark gray pants, but his tunic was mainly white, covered in metallic silver mesh, and trimmed in dark gray. His tunic was also shorter, like the average shirt length. It was evident that Kavi's brother, Saar, was a warrior and Kavi was not.

Sterling did not fly far; she landed near a cave in the middle of the mountains. Kavi dismounted with ease. Boaz slowly slid off, feeling rather uncomfortable with the heights. He looked around, and the cave appeared like a small study. There were papers and lamps everywhere. Fragments of plants and vials were scattered across the cave floor. Kavi calmly sat on a large rock near some of his papers, "Alright, proceed. I can't take you into the city. But I'm intrigued to hear what you have to say. Especially if it involves Aqila."

"Like I said, she came to return books, and she needed to have a vision. She went outside and never came back," Boaz quickly spoke.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Kavi said in his low, deep voice. "What did she say? Be specific. I can't get a good picture without you being specific."

Boaz sighed, "She came to return seven books that she had finished. I noticed that she seemed a little off. Well, not quite like herself. I told her if she needed to have a vision like she sometimes does, feel free to do so. She told me she needed a vision but could tell it would be a death vision. She said that she had had one before and they weren't pleasant. Then she started talking about meeting the Legend. Yes, she met the Golden Eyed Legend, his name is Jai. She was talking about him being in Pyroc, seeing Sheraga, and telling him that Agnes was planning to go to war with him. Oh, then she said that she started to feel more pressure when talking about Jai and worried that the death vision was about him. Then she went outside, and I didn't see her again. She doesn't like to have the vision near the library. She likes to get closer to the border, where she can view the dunes. After a while, Talon started to get really aggressive, so I went to look for Aqila and couldn't find her."

Kavi went from looking calm, where Boaz couldn't tell what was on his mind, to looking furious. "So, you are telling me that my future wife went missing in your backyard," Kavi walked toward Boaz slowly in a threatening manner.

"What! She's engaged to you?"

Kavi tilted his head, "Is there a problem with that?"

"Great Heavens, I didn't know that something was going to happen. She goes to have visions all the time," Boaz quickly started to explain.

Kavi turned around and sat down, "Did you tell anyone else these details?"

"No, only you," Boaz replied.

"Good, this stays between you, me, and Saar. Listen to me, Aqila is a highly gifted Windmaster, but she's vulnerable when the sight comes. It impairs her senses. The only thing anyone would want with Aqila without needing her to be a full seer would be to tell where the Legend is located. I'll focus on finding Aqila. You must ensure that message gets to the Legend, regardless of circumstance. Aqila's future sight is short. What she sees in the future usually happens a few days to weeks later. You have to get the message to the Legend. His life is at stake now. Don't worry about Aqila. I'll save her," Kavi instructed.

"How will I get the message to the Legend? I don't know where he is. Aqila mentioned that she told Sheraga and the Legend where Agnes's headquarters was. Still, she didn't share the location with me," Boaz explained.

"Then you have to go to Sheraga," Saar entered.

"Thank you for your input, Saar. I was actually about to propose that. Before you ask, yes, I know where Sheraga is in real-time. He should be having an alliance meeting with Tora. The planned session should last a couple weeks," Kavi informed.

"Come to think of it, she did say something about that briefly," Boaz murmured.

"Hey, I'm sorry I was so rough on you earlier," Saar acknowledged Boaz, patting his shoulder.

"It's fine. You were just doing your job," Boaz shrugged.

"Did you see anything when you went to look for Aqila in the desert," Kavi asked.

"Um, nothing that stood out to me," Boaz admitted.

"Well, just keep talking," Kavi added, rolling his eyes.

"It wasn't much of what I saw. I thought I saw tracks, but it was later by the time I got there, so I couldn't be sure. But I did smell something," Boaz recalled.

"Blood," Saar's jaw dropped. Kavi glared at his brother, and the gaze was so intense that Saar dropped his head to avoid eye contact.

"No, it was something strange that I've never smelled before. Like an animal smell," Boaz couldn't put a name to something he had never smelled before.

"Well, this is enough for me to go after. Saar, do you think Hova could take him to Tora?"

"I'll ask her, but she probably won't mind. I'll go ask now," Saar bolted out of the cave at lightning speed.

Kavi stood up and walked past Boaz. His long gray hair flowing behind him, "Thank you for letting me know about Aqila. I'll ensure she knows that her Landkeeper friend was a valuable ally in her cause."

"Thanks, anything I can do to help, I'm willing to fight and do," Boaz replied genuinely.

"Your efforts are appreciated. I have to prepare to retrieve my fiance. My brother will see you off. Kavi nodded to Boaz and proceeded to leave the cave. Immediately upon stepping outside, Sterling perched herself beside him. He gracefully mounted the giant Great Gray and rode her upward towards the State of Kashmala. Upon landing in the mountain state, Kavi sent Sterling off to hunt. The city was not too active because most children would have just returned home from school at this time. Kavi briskly walked into the Capitol, the pale gray marble building where Kavi's family resided. He briskly ran up the marble steps and inside the Capitol.

The walls of the Capitol were pale blue except for the wall behind the thrones of the rulers. That one was a gentle yellow. There were gold banners near all of the rooms' six-foot windows. The massive, long rug of the foyer hall was silver and trimmed in gold embroidery. A man and woman who looked to be in their fifties occupied the throne. The man had short, curly charcoal hair and steel-gray eyes. His golden-brown skin gave no signs of aging. He wore dark gray pants and a long silver robe tunic. This man was in deep conversation with the woman to his right. She was lovely. Her heather eyes had a curious twinkle dancing about them. Her skin was richer than her companions, while long, straight waist-length hair was tamed in a high ponytail with a hairpin adorned with a youthful pink round stone dangling from the silver stem.

As Kavi approached them, the pair ceased their conversation and turned their attention to him. Kavi bowed his head slightly, respecting the Rulers of Kashmala, "Father, Mother, good afternoon. I have come before you requesting an immediate leave of absence for a few days." Kavi looked his father directly in the eye.

"Immediate? Has something transpired," his father asked, his voice low and calm.

"Something rather urgent has transpired. The urgency is such that time does not permit me to explain in great detail," Kavi replied.

Kavi's father eyed him intensely, "Leave of absence granted. You will resume all duties immediately upon your return."

"And you will have a counsel with us the evening of your return to inform us of your urgent business," his mother added, smiling gently.

"Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way," Kavi bowed. His parents nodded to him, the signal of dismissal. Kavi veered to the stairs left of the thrones. He jogged upstairs and walked past three bedrooms before arriving at his own. Kavi felt a presence behind him, "You know it is impossible to sneak up on me."

Saar was leaning on the door frame of Kavi's light gray bedroom, "I wasn't trying to sneak up on you. I just want to let you know that Hova will meet Boaz and me at the border. I didn't feel good about leaving him inside our territory." Saar noticed his brother taking his sword from his sheath, pouring a clear liquid onto a cloth, and wiping his blade with it. "Kavi, I'm not knocking your fighting skills, but are you sure you want to go alone?"

"Don't insult me," Kavi replied as he wiped his blade.

"No, don't get me wrong. You're a great fighter. You're not me, but you're my toughest opponent because you're so smart. I mean, we're like equals! I-I- We have not fought together. We're a team. I'm the Storm, and you're the man with the plan... that always works."

"That's right, you're the fighter, and I'm the thinker," Kavi murmured, giving attention to his blade.

"Wow, you admit I'm the stronger brother," Saar gasped playfully.

"I have never hidden that you are physically the stronger brother, but we both know that you are also the dumber brother. Stay out of trouble while I'm gone," Kavi looked back at Saar, smirking.

"Look, I couldn't be a genius and a Storm too," Saar laughed, "I just wish I was going with you."

"I know, but Saar, you have to stay here. You're the leader of the WindGuard, so you have to lead them just that. I'll be fine, and you know that. I may not be a Storm, but I'm still incredibly gifted. Someone was bold enough to attack Aqila, who is taller than the average man-"

"She's short when she sits, though," Saar interrupted.

"That is not the point," Kavi rubbed his eyebrows. "If they are bold enough to do that, they're bold enough to try us. While I'm gone, if anyone comes looking for her or asking about her, lock them up."

Saar met his brother's intense gaze, "I will," he vowed.

"I'm leaving for the Waterbearer Tribes. I-"

"Waterbearer Tribes? How do you know she's there?"

"Don't interrupt, then you'd know," Kavi snapped. "Boaz said he smelled an animal that was unfamiliar to him. Landkeepers come across all kinds of animals. There are only a few animals he would not have been able to recognize by scent. Most of them are in the cat family. Only Waterbearers habitually ride cats of any kind. Ninety percent of cat species in the world are found in Waterbearer territories. Theyra shares borders with every people except the Waterbearers. So that makes sense that he would not have known the smell. Boaz was honest about everything he said. He never lied. So my reasoning makes-" Kavi stopped mid-sentence and tilted his head left.

"Bro, what's-" Saar stopped when Kavi put his hand up before his face, silencing Saar. Kavi continued to tilt his head, his eyes locked on his brothers. Minutes passed, and Kavi never changed his posture. Saar was beginning to get worried. He has seen his brother like this many times, but he never had such a violent look in his eyes.

Kavi sighed and shook his head, "I know exactly where she is."

"Where?"

"Avala! Aqila just sent me a wind song. She said she was injected with something that left her paralyzed, increasing her oxygen count to override her body. She mentioned the vision about Jai and that someone needs to get to him. Wait a minute. Great Heavens," Kavi turned around and started rummaging through the desk in the corner of his room.

"What are you looking for? Let me help you," Saar walked inside.

"It's all making sense now. Grab my letter box from my closet," Kavi pointed to the closet door.

Saar looked in the closet and groaned, "Which one?"

"Red one, it should be the one on the top. The first letter in the box is the relevant one," Kavi continued to look through several vials in his desk drawers.

"This one from Chiefess Marina of the Beach Tribe," Saar started to skim the letter, "it's talking about not receiving the whale tranquilizer. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I sent that to her a month ago, and she says she never received it. I returned a letter telling her I would make some more and deliver it myself. The symptom of the whale tranquilizer would completely paralyze a person and eventually kill them if they did not receive the antidote, which I am looking for."

"Why did you make something like that?" Saar raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"It wasn't supposed to be used on a person! I specifically labeled it, saying to use it with caution, explaining that it would paralyze a human. I specified that it should only be used on sharks and whales because they're so large that it would just put them to sleep. Aqila's symptoms align with my research on the tranquilizers' effect on the human body. Her body will increase the oxygen count, relieving some of the paralysis. However, the compound is so strong it will still kill her if I don't give her the antidote. I'm just so furious. Someone used the fruits of my research to harm my fiance," Kavi growled as he reached into the back of his desk drawer. He slowly grabbed a vial with a golden liquid, "Got it!'

"You got the antidote? That's great. But if you go to Avala and charge them with the attack that could start a war with the Snow Tribe right along our borders," Saar's heather gray eyes widened with concern.

"Avala is already docked as the instigator if it comes to war. Avala has already initiated an act of war by kidnapping a seer. That's the equivalent of one of us kidnapping a chief. I don't plan on starting a war, but I will send a message that will make them regret ever putting a hand on her. Not a soul will stop me from protecting the woman I love. Take care, brother. I have to go," Kavi and Saar shook hands. The brothers parted ways, Saar went to resume his post, and Kavi whistled for his dasher. The pair both acknowledged their parents on the way to the Capitol doors. Sterling landed a few feet from her rider. Kavi mounted and slipped the antidote into the bag strapped to Sterling's right side. Saar watched his brother fly off westward in the direction of Avala.

"Heavens be with him," he whispered. He suddenly remembered that Boaz and Hova would be waiting for him at the border. With a sense of urgency, he hurried toward the border.