Warm Carrot Soup
Solmar gently tapped Admir on the shoulder, urging her to gaze up at the sky. The vibrant blue hues faded into nothingness, giving way to the stunning twinkle of the galaxy. In that moment, Admir momentarily forgot the destruction she had caused. As she took in the beauty above, she began to envision new possibilities. Glancing down at her tightly clenched hands, where she held the keys, she considered whether locating the third key might help mend all the chaos.
"You know, staring at the keys won't help us right now. We have to seek counsel from Abaji. He will handle this correctly." said the Oryx.
He was correct; visiting Abaji, if it was still an option, would be beneficial for making the next decision. If only Admir had done that before she rushed into her choice. Gazing up at the sky only filled them with terror. Hybrids floated on small fragments of earth, their cries for help echoing, yet no one could save them. Debris soon rained down from all directions. They could scarcely believe their eyes as they saw both humans and animals among the chaos. Buildings that had been situated on the fault line crumbled and fell into the abyss, caught in the gravitational pull. Admir felt a wave of gratitude that it wasn't her, but guilt washed over her as she realized this was her doing. Deep down, she believed she was the only one who truly deserved to be swept away toward death. Soon, they would all come to accept that their lives were about to end, the lack of oxygen sealing their fate. Solmar tugged at her shirt, drawing Admir's gaze away from the sky. He wished only to distance her from the heavy sorrow surrounding them, even though the sky above remained a constant reminder they could not escape. They had faced numerous enemies before, triumphing against all odds, but the journey back promised to be a challenging experience. Solmar halted, searching for a way out beyond the prickly cacti and the sunken hole they had left behind. Getting back on track meant they were now exposed to danger, but they soon spotted what appeared to be a straightforward trail, allowing them to safely continue toward Zerzura, the white city. The sandy terrain around them made their return even more difficult, but it was slowly morphing into slick icy hills Suddenly, Solmar noticed white puffs escaping his nostrils with each breath, eyes widening in alarm. He had never encountered this before; his body felt unusually cool, leaving him unsettled. Glancing back, he noticed Admir was experiencing the same thing.
"We're in serious trouble, my friend. Look! The sun feels so distant now. The heat is slipping away from us. It seems like the Earth is moving away from the sun, maybe it's being pulled like those floating above us. Wait! What if it's just our continent that's broken off and is drifting away?" Admir said, visibly shaken.
Solmar didn't want to imagine, he just wanted to get warm. Pulling out the bundles of sticks, he fashioned two torches for them. Handing Admir, one to stay warm with, and to serve as light, since the sun wasn't as visible now and all had turn to night. Admir gazed up at the sky and realized her fears were unfounded; it wasn't just their continent that was affected. A vast expanse of land floated by, blanketed in pine trees and dense vegetation unfamiliar to the desert surroundings. She observed various creatures at the edge, watching in awe as the land drifted past. Surely, all of Earth's inhabitants must be filled with shock and wonder.
"What have I done?" Admir pondered to herself.
She had a dark spirit of sadness fall upon her. The feelings she had were heavy and caused her to slowdown. A sudden drop in temperature sent a chill to her backside, adding to her burdensome discomfort. Frost began to form on her clothes. She called out to Solmar, urging him to see what was occurring. He realized that she needed a quick thawing. He stepped behind her, holding the torch close enough to melt the ice. Gradually, she started to feel better, or at least warmer. However, as Solmar stood near her, he sensed a growing heaviness of cold on his own backside. He couldn't help but wonder if their bodies, unprotected from the fire's warmth, were turning to ice. If their clothes were freezing like this, what would have happened without the torches? Solmar felt an urgency to reach a nearby city quickly before their torches ran out. If they didn't, this could be the last journey they would ever take together.
"We need to go back to Tarangire to restock our supplies, or we won't be able to complete the journey in this cold," said Solmar.
Admir despised Tarangire in that moment, a city overrun by invading spiders and the last place the raiders were pursuing them. She wondered if there might be another route, perhaps a different city they could escape to first. Solmar was unsure if such a place existed. Some claimed there were forgotten or concealed cities, but those could easily be mere rumors. He reassured her that they would be safe to return, insisting that if the raiders were still after them, they would have caught them by now. With no way of knowing, she had to follow the only path they knew. As they made their way, they encountered two enormous creatures. She recognized them as the spiders that had been pursuing them. It seemed they had fought fiercely, with at least two of them lying lifeless, while the victor retreated to its lair. As they approached the massive ground burrows, their hearts raced with anxiety. Admir feared an ambush, but as they examined the scene, they noticed the ground was covered in ice. Suddenly, Solmar halted, paralyzed by fear. He spotted what looked like two sets of legs with pedipalps blocking the entrance of one of the holes. He couldn't tell if the spider was lying in wait to strike or if it was as frozen as the earth around it. Admir stepped beside Solmar, following his gaze to the menacing creature. She gasped when she realized what he had discovered.
"Do you think its frozen? "She asked inquisitively.
Solmar was completely unaware of creature's condition, nor did he have any intention of rushing over to investigate. True to his nature as an excellent problem solver, he searched thoroughly for a solution. During his search, he spotted a sturdy rock just a few inches away, almost beckoning him. With his focus fixed on the entrance of the hole, Solmar approached the rock cautiously. He bent down, grasping it securely in both hands, and positioned himself strategically before launching it toward the entrance. The rock soared through the air, tumbling as it went. Upon descending, it struck the front legs, shattering them into countless spider fragments. Solmar turned to Admir, a satisfied grin on his face.
"Does that clear things up? He's definitely frozen. It seems like everything is, and I'll end up the same way if I don't grab my torch back. Now, let's move quickly. It's safe for us here. Perhaps the raiders are frozen as well."
Pleased with the result, she returned his torch and hurried down the path ahead. The sandy roads were beginning to freeze, creating a dangerously slippery surface. A single misstep could send them tumbling into a chasm. Fortunately, they managed to maintain their balance. Solmar recognized that the slick surface could actually work to their advantage; with the right glide, they gained swift momentum and sped down the path. Before long, they found themselves back at the forest's twisted archways. As they entered, the ice was no longer a concern, though the lingering cold still bit at them. The trees shed their leaves, revealing gnarled, finger-like branches that made the Tarangire forest appear even more haunting than before. Along their route, they encountered frozen creatures lying lifelessly on the ground. Admir felt a pang of sadness knowing that their innocent lives had been extinguished, all because of her.
"Don't dwell on it, Admir. I know you well enough. Their situation isn't your fault. Nobody could have anticipated what would happen with the keys. I nearly suggested the same thing, but you took the initiative first. So, it's a shared responsibility, and there's no need for you to blame yourself. We can't alter the past, but I have faith that Abaji can help. Let's stay optimistic and keep pushing forward," Solmar reassured her.
Admir strode briskly along the path, nodding in acknowledgment at the Oryx. A wave of relief washed over her; without Solmar by her side, she shuddered to think of what might have happened. Together, they made their way through the forest, heading back toward the streets of Tarangire. As snow began to fall, it created a breathtaking spectacle, though it obscured their view. The nearby houses quickly became blanketed in a thick layer of white. As they passed, they spotted a frozen spider lying in their path, prompting them to hurry past. Soon, they caught sight of the tower where they had once sought refuge, its imposing structure remaining unchanged, with windows wide open and devoid of any flickering candlelight. They cautiously climbed the stairs, taking care not to slip as they ascended. Once inside, they shook off the cold and rushed to the firepit to rekindle a warm fire. Together, they quickly kindled the fireplace, bathing the room in warmth and light. As the flames flickered, they noticed signs of previous visitors. Admir suspected they were the raiders, from whom they had just narrowly escaped several days prior. If she hadn't happened to glance out the window, she would have been oblivious to the brief struggle occurring outside. Cautiously, she peeked out and saw the locals clashing with the raiders. The darkness enveloped the scene, making it impossible to determine how many were involved or if any had spotted her. In a flash, she crouched away from the window and pulled Solmar away from the bowl of soup he had been preparing to eat. They had barely managed to flee with their lives. They slipped into the cover of the dark forest, only to encounter more peril. The spider they thought was lying dead outside was, in fact, the same one that had first attacked them. Swiftly, Solmar scooped Admir up and tossed her onto his back. They evaded the spider by squeezing into a narrow tunnel formed by tree roots, where the creature's fangs could do no more than bite at empty air.
Admir turned her gaze to Solmar, noticing the sadness on his face. Concerned, she asked him what was troubling him. He quietly replied that he had just discovered his soup had gone cold and was no longer edible. Admir found his response amusing and let out a loud laugh. Solmar soon joined her, bursting into joyous laughter. They both felt safe and content and were now much warmer than before. As a kind gesture, Admir decided to prepare him a fresh bowl of warm carrot soup. To her delight, she found a fresh bundle in the wicker basket resting on the countertop, they had from a previous gathering. She picked up two large carrots and began to shave off the outer layer with a knife. Once she had gathered a fine pile of shreds, she made her way to the basin water pump to rinse them. Resting her hand on the red metal, she pushed down and started pumping. Deep beneath the solid earth, the wells of water surged up through the nozzle. After washing the shreds, she placed them into a shiny metal pot. She added more water, tossed in a crushed garlic clove, and sprinkled some salt and pepper for flavor. Admir then carried the pot over to the fireplace and carefully set it down at the edge of the fire. She left it to simmer, anticipating a delicious, warm treat when it was done.