Saiyi took her leave from her father and A God so they could catch up. She wasn't really tired and didn't feel like sleeping, but she did need to gather herself after all that happened. She first tackled her hair. Her adventure had left her long hair in knots and tangles. She thought this would help her work through some frustration. Saiyi stared into the mirror and grabbed the brush envisioning what her hair should look like. Before she could start brushing her hair, as if it had a mind of its own, it untangled, straightened and braided itself. She dropped the brush in shock putting her hands on her mouth to stifle the peep. Still in disbelief, she decided to lay on her bed and started thinking about the woman in the wastes, running her fingers over the gem of her new amulet. It wasn't cold at all besides looking like glass. Instead it felt warm and strangely familiar. It rested lightly above her heart as if it was a part of her. She suspected that she knew who the woman was, but after meeting The Seer himself, she would leave that mystery for another time. Eventually, she did drift off to sleep. Another strange dream came to her that night. She was flying again, but it was in an unbelievably dense sand storm. She could not tell which way was up or down. Then in the distance, she saw a bright blue light breaking through the dust. Struggling through the storm, being sandblasted all the while, she kept flying in the direction of the blue glow. Upon reaching it, the woman from the desert came into view. Her long black hair was being swept around in the wind obscuring her face. Saiyi could only make out that she was a smallish woman with long slender limbs. Moreover, she was also wearing an amulet similar to the one Saiyi had, but slightly larger and with a blue glow.
"Who are you?" She asked knowing the answer already.
The woman opened her arms and the storm subsided. Below Saiyi was the whole world of Cyla, dead and barren. From this distance, she could just barely make out the twelve islands. Above her was the blue moon. Then the moon's ice seemed to melt and flow across eternity onto the planet. The oceans filled once more and greenery returned to her world. A terrible feeling came over her that turned her skin cold. She felt for her amulet but it was not there. She knew her home was now under all that water. The woman's face became visible. She had dark slanted eyes, sharp features, and thin lips curved into a severe grin. Saiyi was sure that restoring the world would come at a terrible price, yet as the woman stared and Saiyi, she never stopped smiling.
She was awake before dawn, but stayed in her bed until the sun cast its first light between Thay and the ground. She went to the common area to find her father sleeping on his chair. Kez Visat was outside staring at the rising sun, seemingly lost in thought. Saiyi covered her father with a blanket and pecked his cheek. It was time to have a chat with The Primarch of the Gods. Saiyi took a deep breath and steeled herself. The young woman walked outside and stood next to the deity wordlessly. She enjoyed the morning stillness before the bustle of the village started. It was Kez who broke the spell first.
"You know, on the islands, we can see the sun for the whole day. A bit longer because of the height actually. I'm sure you know that, but I don't suppose you consider it often. Though it isn't the harsh sun of the deserts. It's a tropical garden in the sky."
Saiyi imagined seeing the sun overhead instead of through a sliver at the edge of the island. All she could think of is her day in the wastelands.
"I couldn't imagine it." She admitted. "All I've ever known is the dawn and dusk sun. The desert sun was different. It felt almost as if it wanted to see me burn. As if it was angry at me for setting foot in its domain." Kez nodded understandingly then they both were silent again for a while.
"A lot is about to change, isn't it?" Saiyi asked the God of her people.
"Oh I suspect so," Kez replied casually, "but I wouldn't worry. It will all be ok I think."
"I had a dream about the woman. It didn't give me that feeling in the slightest."
"I see." He thought on this a bit then said: "So you've met The Mother Goddess and you had a bad omen. Perhaps it was just a warning. She likes doing that to me as well every so often."
"What happens next?" she asked nervously after some consideration. Saiyi wished he would say that she could stay and everything would go back to normal once again.
"You will come with me. If you wish of course. It seems Sailus wants to stay behind. He feels he can do the most good here. You and I will go to Shiwa's island, Hagoa. I think that would be wisest."
Saiyi's nerves started again. Still battling to come to grips with one God she was now expected to deal with a second so soon. She was fussing with the front of her drab garment.
"I'm scared." She confessed to the seemingly unshakable being before her. She looked up to him, carrying her apprehension on her face clearly.
"Oh, that's to be expected." Kez replied nodding thoughtfully stroking his beard.
Kez crouched down beside her looking into her eyes. His stare was piercing but also calming.
"You may not know it, but I have been making sure you are taken care of for many years Saiyi." He said, never breaking eye contact. "I promise you that I will continue to do so to the best of my abilities. This is why I am taking you to Shi. She's my partner in this world. There may be nobody I trust more than Sailus. But there is nobody I love more than Shiwa." As he said this his face beamed and she did not doubt this as absolute truth.
With this he took her hands in his, completely covering them, and gave them a gentle squeeze. His hands were firm but soft on hers and she felt safer somehow. She could see the man inside the God and had a feeling he knew how she felt. They started walking back to the house together. When they arrived they found Sailus in her room. He was packing her essentials already. The old man had clearly been crying and this gave him something else to focus on. Saiyi ran to him before she could even think.
"Father. I'm not leaving forever. I'll be back to visit." She said to the old Tabake. Her own tears started to flow also.
"Oh I know my girl," He said, "I always knew you were meant for something great. It doesn't make it any easier."
She hugged him. The man who raised her when her own parents could not or did not want to. And even though she had every intention of visiting him, she had no way of knowing if she could keep her promise. She knew that this could be the last time she saw Sailus Sandseeker. This would not do for her. She vowed to herself silently to come and see him and her friends. No matter what.
They said their goodbyes as an aircar landed near the house. The village was abuzz with excitement and confusion. Rumours were already running wild. They got in before the crowd grew too large and with little sound, the car began its flight up and towards the horizon. Saiyi had imagined they would fly freely, but she was entering a new way of life now. This strange vehicle was the first of many things she would have to acclimate to. There was certainly a reason they were traveling in this weird thing instead of flying, but Saiyi was at a loss to what it may be.
For all her dreams of flying, Saiyi had never actually been very high off the ground. She looked at her feet, pale and tense. A big hand found hers and gave it another squeeze.
"Don't be afraid. The air car is just a convenience. If it were to fall for any reason, you and I would be no less safe than when we were standing on the ground." Kez said reassuringly.
Saiyi trusted that he was right. He had been at this for thousands of years if her father's stories were true. After all that happened the last few days, she would have to be wilfully ignorant not to believe every one of those tales as gospel truths. She found herself holding the amulet again. A calm came over her and she began to find wonder in looking down at the ground as it sped past far below. From up there, the wasteland had a strange beauty to it. It was easier to admire if it wasn't trying to end you. She found her mind wandering, imagining flying over the ocean. She would have had difficulty imagining what that much water would look like if it wasn't for her dream the night before.
They sat in silence for a long time until in the distance another floating island came into view. She never thought she would see another one, but from this far away, it looked just like the one that had hovered above her home. Hagoa looked like an upside down mountain that imagined itself to be a bird. She had never seen an island from this distance and the scale shocked her. She could even see little lights below from their shadow-dwelling populace. She looked at Kez. He had his hands behind his head, eyes shut, just enjoying the ride. She frowned. There was one thing she still had to get off her chest before they arrived.
"Sir," She said deciding some formality may be required, "What is a tropical?"
Kez smiled widely.
"It means a place with enough water." He said simply without opening his eyes.
Even though Saiyi was sitting in a flying cart next to a god, on her way to meet another god on their hundred-kilometer-wide floating island, she still found this hard to believe.