Chapter 13: Shell and Shore --------------------------- "I remember my mother singing to me as a child. Most songs were quite silly to keep me amused or soothing to gently help me drift to sleep. But there was one song that I always heard her singing softly to herself as she did her work. I never remembered all the words, but a few always stuck with me. "'When I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands hath made, I see the clouds, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings out my soul. When through the woods and forest glades I wander And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze, Then sings out my soul.' "I could never forget those words. Especially after all the things I saw; the beautiful sunrises and majestic forests and the glow off the cavern walls in the underworld. "It surprised me, however, to find out how beauty can hide." * * * * * * * * * * * The morning sun glistened off the dew of the grass as it rose above the distant, ocean waters. Kindar rolled to his side and looked out toward the sea. Though far off, he could still see the the illumination of the globe causing the waves to glow like candlelight. He lay there, surveying the scene for a time and found himself wishing he had taken a painter with him for his journeys. But then, when one's mind takes leave, it tends not to consider such things. After a moment, he sat up and considered his surroundings. The trees were sparse around him as most of the forest had been left behind. A mountain range was quite close to the west and clear space to the sea lay east. Grass surrounded him for the most part, a few random plants and shrubs near the trees. Yet, something was missing. Some- thing... familiar. "Kebah..." He stood and looked around. "Kebah!..." he called. "Kebah!" No comforting chitter returned. Kindar lifted his cloak and brushed the dew from the fabric. He quickly fit it into place and looked again. There was nothing. Kindar sighed and shook his head. "I suppose he had found his own way, then. Perhaps we shall meet together another day." Turning south, he walked on without his friend. The trees were becoming more sparse as the land rolled away behind him while the grass took over. There was life in the area, but Kindar took little notice, preoccupied with thoughts. He was amazed at how much he had come to like the waist high boulder from the caverns. It surprised him to realize that he still wanted the rock by his side. He shook the thoughts from his head. "That time is over," he thought. "Perhaps again someday, but not now." As he walked onward, something caught his eye. A mound toward the mountains. Something large and roughly semicircular. Still hoping, he ran to the site and examined the object. A trail of crushed grass ran behind it, and blue and yellow markings lined the side of the rock. It was... ... a shell. Kindar pulled away from it and stared. "Kebah..." he whispered. The rocky shell was darker and crept beneath the belly, but there was little mistaking him. There was no movement of limbs beneath the shell. No waving antennae and excited chittering. The man dropped to one knee. "Ten years ago, I lost my wife. Ten years ago, I lost my son. Two nights ago, I lost a friend. Now, I lose a brother. So be it. I do not understand it, but so be it." He brushed aside a tear and rose to his feet. Without another word, he turned and walked solemnly away. * * * * * * * * * * * Ocean waves lapped lightly at the sand as the sun drifted slowly down over the waters. A day's march left Kindar standing on a southern shore. "Truly this world has changed much. Jidoor and Kohlingen are separated by ocean. I wonder if this even remains connected to Figaro or if Kohlingen is separated from all contact." He sat in the sand, watching the waves display their power. The wind blew through his hair, brushing it behind. The crashing of the ocean filled his ears, and he closed his eyes to listen. The majesty of all the world filled him in moments as the sights and memories of the worlds he had seen returned with the sound of the sea. Time slipped away as he settled back in wonder. Before long, the sun, too, slipped away to hide itself and give way to the blanket of night. Still, Kindar remained to watch as points of light showed themselves before an audience of one. He marveled at them, contemplating their numbers, a myriad of stars peeking through the darkness that enveloped the land. "Perhaps," he thought, "they have meaning. Each pinpoint of light in the dark, a single piece of the hope that all mankind holds precious in the midst of turmoil." He sat a while longer under the comfort of the night sky, dreaming and remembering while the stars winked at him through the black. Before long, however, fatigue pulled him down, and he rested on the sand, drifting to sleep, dreaming of the ever changing paintings that nature set before all. * * * * * * * * * * * Clouds obscured the sun that morning, preventing the light from giving the world back its eyes a little longer. When Kindar awoke on the soft sand, the tide had pulled the water back from its rest the previous evening. He pulled out a small pouch from his belt and opened the latch. A leathery interior guarded small strips of meat from the underworld, a gift from Gimet in case civilization was far, and hunting was scarce. Kindar tore the meat and ate it silently in thought. Jidoor was across an ocean. Or perhaps, Jidoor no longer even remained from the quakes that shook the world. There was no way to tell then. There was only Kohlingen behind him. Reluctantly, he stood and began his trek back to the village. Before long, a shape appeared on the horizon. It seemed to hover above the ground, pulsing quickly and growing larger. He stopped to watch it a moment before realizing it was coming toward him. Curious, he studied it as it made its approach. Coming into view, he realized it appeared to be a rather large butterfly, a wingspan of probably 5 to 6 feet. Green and a faint blue decorated the fluttering wings with spheres of white toward the tips. As with most creatures, he kneeled and waited for it to approach. Then, pursing his lips, he chirped through his teeth and slowly reached out a hand. The creature settled a few feet away from him and watched a moment, its eyes covering every angle and movement. Still, Kindar waited a moment for the creature to move. Nearly ready to give up, it waved its wings a moment as if to gain his attention. And it chirped. It took Kindar a moment, but his mind quickly took it in. "Kebah?" he whispered in wonder. It flew up to him and waved its antennae. Several legs rubbed against his arms and side. "It is you!" said the man. It chirped happily in response. Kindar rubbed the belly a moment. "All rolled up inside something of a cocoon, huh? Well, I'm happy to see you, little one." It squeaked and fluttered a bit and finally settled at the man's side, looking up expectantly. "Well, friend, I can't go to Jidoor. The world's broken it away from here. I'm going back to Kohlingen. Perhaps I can find something there that can help me." He gave a final belly rub and began to walk forward. Kebah stayed back. "You don't want to come with?" It took to the air a moment and flew back, then settled to the ground to watch him. It repeated this one time again, and Kindar began to follow. Before long, he found himself at the shoreline again. "See, fella. There's no way for me to go on." Kebah flew back behind, and Kindar turned to see, but before he managed, he felt several legs wrap around him. "Kebah! What are you..." The man looked down to find his feet no longer on the ground.