others,” he said.
“Why are you telling me this?” asked a rather confused Te’oma.
“You have very strong friends there, but they do not have what you have. You have a strength that has been passed down from your ancestors,” said Xerxes.
“What strength?” replied Te’oma.
“You will find out soon enough, but I will say this – stay true to yourself and you will find the way. Remember, sometimes things are not what they seem,” said Xerxes.
Te’oma was terrified. He didn’t know what Xerxes was talking about. He’d never been good at anything and had definitely never felt special.
“Don’t worry. I have great confidence in you,” said Xerxes. “Now, go after your friends and remember to enjoy your time. That’s also very important.”
“Thank you. Will we ever see you again?” asked Te’oma.
Xerxes smiled and walked away. Te’oma suddenly realised he was alone. He quickly ran down the path as fast as he could.
***
Ariana had reached a block in the path. Two giant pieces of the glacier had come together leaving only the tiniest gap. Te’oma came bounding down the path, puffing and panting.
“Finally,” said Ariana. “Where have you been?”
“I just wanted to say goodbye,” said Te’oma.
“Well your friend has sent us to a dead end. There’s no way we’re fitting through there,” said Ariana.
“There must be a way through,” said Te’oma.
Te’oma tried pushing the ice, before deciding that that was a rather stupid idea. He then dug at it but, once again, he realised he was not going to get anywhere doing that. Finally, he noticed that the dirt on the ground was quite loose. He lay down and dug away at it, revealing a gap under the ice.
Te’oma started squeezing his way into the gap.
“You can’t be serious,” said Ariana, looking rather concerned.
“No one said this was going to be easy,” replied Te’oma.
“But you barely fit,” said Ariana.
“Ariana, you wouldn’t be scared, would you?” asked Te’oma.
Ariana pulled Te’oma out of the hole by his legs. “Get out of my way,” she said, burrowing her way through the ice.
Te’oma smiled at Julius. He had started to enjoy getting under her skin.
After a short time the ice opened up and they were able to stand and walk again.
The path continued on for miles. The glacier was seemingly infinite. The sun quickly crossed the sky above and the night set in.
***
Xerxes stood at the entrance to his home, alone again. He had forgotten how nice human company could be. He only hoped that he had done the right thing. Suddenly, without warning, Antastus, king of the dragons, slammed down on the ground in front of Xerxes. Enormous in size, Antastus lead the dragons with an iron fist. His head alone was the size of two men. Not only was he the biggest, but he was the most vicious of all the dragons. His rule dated back eons.
Antastus moved close to Xerxes. His eyes were pale and cold; his scales encrusted with layers of ice. A deep and terrifying rumble came from Antastus’s belly before he spoke. “I sense something has changed in your heart, old man. Tell me.” Said Antastus, his voice deep with a slight echo.
Xerxes stepped back from the dragon. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied nervously.
“You can’t hide your feelings from me. Never forget you’re only here because we tolerate your existence,” said Antastus.
“I honestly don’t know,” replied Xerxes.
“Who do you think you’re talking to!” demanded an angry Antastus.
Xerxes scurried back. Antastus leaned down and puts his giant nostrils right up against Xerxes and sniffed. “I sense … I sense hope,” said Antastus, as he continued to sniff, “but it is not all coming from you,” he said. He leaped into the air. The ground shuddered as he flapped his giant wings. Within the blink of an eye Antastus had disappeared off into the distance.
***
The jagged peaks and valleys of the glacier went on like an
“Why are you telling me this?” asked a rather confused Te’oma.
“You have very strong friends there, but they do not have what you have. You have a strength that has been passed down from your ancestors,” said Xerxes.
“What strength?” replied Te’oma.
“You will find out soon enough, but I will say this – stay true to yourself and you will find the way. Remember, sometimes things are not what they seem,” said Xerxes.
Te’oma was terrified. He didn’t know what Xerxes was talking about. He’d never been good at anything and had definitely never felt special.
“Don’t worry. I have great confidence in you,” said Xerxes. “Now, go after your friends and remember to enjoy your time. That’s also very important.”
“Thank you. Will we ever see you again?” asked Te’oma.
Xerxes smiled and walked away. Te’oma suddenly realised he was alone. He quickly ran down the path as fast as he could.
***
Ariana had reached a block in the path. Two giant pieces of the glacier had come together leaving only the tiniest gap. Te’oma came bounding down the path, puffing and panting.
“Finally,” said Ariana. “Where have you been?”
“I just wanted to say goodbye,” said Te’oma.
“Well your friend has sent us to a dead end. There’s no way we’re fitting through there,” said Ariana.
“There must be a way through,” said Te’oma.
Te’oma tried pushing the ice, before deciding that that was a rather stupid idea. He then dug at it but, once again, he realised he was not going to get anywhere doing that. Finally, he noticed that the dirt on the ground was quite loose. He lay down and dug away at it, revealing a gap under the ice.
Te’oma started squeezing his way into the gap.
“You can’t be serious,” said Ariana, looking rather concerned.
“No one said this was going to be easy,” replied Te’oma.
“But you barely fit,” said Ariana.
“Ariana, you wouldn’t be scared, would you?” asked Te’oma.
Ariana pulled Te’oma out of the hole by his legs. “Get out of my way,” she said, burrowing her way through the ice.
Te’oma smiled at Julius. He had started to enjoy getting under her skin.
After a short time the ice opened up and they were able to stand and walk again.
The path continued on for miles. The glacier was seemingly infinite. The sun quickly crossed the sky above and the night set in.
***
Xerxes stood at the entrance to his home, alone again. He had forgotten how nice human company could be. He only hoped that he had done the right thing. Suddenly, without warning, Antastus, king of the dragons, slammed down on the ground in front of Xerxes. Enormous in size, Antastus lead the dragons with an iron fist. His head alone was the size of two men. Not only was he the biggest, but he was the most vicious of all the dragons. His rule dated back eons.
Antastus moved close to Xerxes. His eyes were pale and cold; his scales encrusted with layers of ice. A deep and terrifying rumble came from Antastus’s belly before he spoke. “I sense something has changed in your heart, old man. Tell me.” Said Antastus, his voice deep with a slight echo.
Xerxes stepped back from the dragon. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied nervously.
“You can’t hide your feelings from me. Never forget you’re only here because we tolerate your existence,” said Antastus.
“I honestly don’t know,” replied Xerxes.
“Who do you think you’re talking to!” demanded an angry Antastus.
Xerxes scurried back. Antastus leaned down and puts his giant nostrils right up against Xerxes and sniffed. “I sense … I sense hope,” said Antastus, as he continued to sniff, “but it is not all coming from you,” he said. He leaped into the air. The ground shuddered as he flapped his giant wings. Within the blink of an eye Antastus had disappeared off into the distance.
***
The jagged peaks and valleys of the glacier went on like an
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