Lost Again

By: Len Posted on: February 06, 2004

Avietta was a bright, but very forgetful Atavian. She is renowned throughout all of Sapience and beyond for a specific act that made her notorious among her race. The Atavians knew that she was forgetful, but they just didn't know the extent of it until this staggering episode. One day she was flying to Cyrene, the Heart of the Vashnars, when she realized that she had forgotten her money at home. So she started back to get it, and was halfway back when she realized that she didn't need money, since she was not going to shop. She was going to rat, to earn gold. So she turned around again, to start anew. Halfway to Cyrene from halfway to her home, she realized that she had forgotten where she was going, and was halfway back to her house to get her map when she remembered that she could always stop in Cyrene to buy one. Halfway to Cyrene, she found that she didn't have any gold to buy a map, and turned around to head home. Halfway home, she realized that she could always rat in Cyrene to earn money, and with that money, buy...something. She couldn't remember what. This continued for quite a while until she was thoroughly lost.

She started off in the first random direction that she could think of, looking for a familiar landmark. Since she was very bad at remembering landmarks, she didn't know where she was until she found herself flying over the tundra. Thoroughly sick of flying around lost, she started to fly as high as she possibly could. Despite her horrible memory, Avietta is a very good flyer. She flew higher and higher until she could see all of Sapience, from the Southern Vashnars to the Northreach Forest. She hovered there for a moment, in the thin atmosphere, without a clue as to what she was looking for. It was really hard to fly up here, let alone breathe. Oh. Breathe. That's why everything was going dark and she felt light headed…She felt herself falling, and then blacked out. Avietta woke up on a comfortable couch, perfectly fit for her form and very soft. She snuggled deep into the plush fabric, before curiosity at her whereabouts finally overtook comfort, and she stood up to look around. She was in a dimly lit, but comfortable room. There was enough space for her to stretch her wings wide, and plenty of room overhead. The air smelled crisp and clean, and the light shining through the curtains illuminated the lush furnishings and rich colors. Books of all subjects lined the walls and different contraptions were set on random surfaces, ready for use and experimentation. Immediately, Avietta loved this room. It lodged into her head with such stunning clarity that she knew she would never forget it. She walked to the window, finding a walkout balcony or beautifully wrought iron, and took to the air. Below her lay a glorious city, lined with streets and avenues, all open overhead to any that might take flight. Balconies jutted from every window on every story of the fanciful buildings, and through each she could see wonderfully decorated rooms, some clustered and some neat, all looking like they were lived in, and designed specifically for the occupant. Each sight drove the last from her mind, as she took in all of the bright colors and shapes. A lovely park just ahead caught her eye, and she headed over it.

She was not alone in the sky. Atavians with wings of every color and type called to her in greeting from above and below as they flew through the streets or over buildings. Some walked down the cobblestone lanes, examining the wares of the carts on the avenues or the stalls of the market squares. As she entered the park, Avietta saw young Atavians playing in a fountain of sparkling water, their parents watching them delightedly. Young couples walked hand in hand down the paths, and a gardener worked under the sun clipping flowers, his wings seeming to blend in to the foliage with a multitude of colors. This was truly paradise, or close to it.

Avietta did not want to leave, but she felt it her duty to fly back to the Atavians still abiding in Sapience and show them the way to the secluded city. She caught an updraft and pumped her wings hard to fly as high as she could. As she fought for height, she took as much time as she dared to study the landscape in the desperate hope that she would remember this spot, then concentrated on flying. She flew higher and higher until, once again, the world lay out before her. She took a deep breath and used the height to sweep into a shallow dive that would carry her for miles with little effort. She flapped occasionally to keep altitude, and headed into the sun. It wasn't until evening was approaching that Avietta remembered that she might not want to follow the sun all day. That's why it had been so hard to fly at noon, she realized. She had been so caught up in trying to remember the location of Arcadia, that she had paid no attention to navigation. She spotted a familiar city below, and swooped down onto the streets. It was Cyrene, and she had flown right into Center Crossings.

"I found it!" she yelled. Immediately she wished she hadn't done that, but it was too late. However, the people of Cyrene just looked at her strangely. An Arcanist who had been interrupted from enjoying his candy spoke up. "What did you find? Cyrene? I mean, I know it's not easy to find, being in the mountains and all, but it's not that difficult. Just follow the road, and-" "No no no," she interrupted him, "I found Arcadia, the lost Atavian city." Those of other races merely looked interested, but the Atavians flocked around her, demanding to know everything.

"Where?"

"What is it like?"

"Were the other Atavians still there?"

"Did you really find it? You best not be lying." Voices swirled around her, each eager face demanding her attention. She was overwhelmed by the sudden crowd.

"Yes, I really did find it. It is beautiful there, something for every Atavian. There are windows and parks and cobblestone streets...and...lot's of other Atavians." She couldn't remember much else.

"Well, where is it? Show us!" She was a bit nervous, but took to the air, and they all soared up behind her. She started to fly home, trying to remember just how she had gotten there the first time. She couldn't remember. She started muttering aloud.

"First I started to Cyrene, then I turned south-no wait, was it north? It couldn't have been north, there's nothing north. Unless it was north. Then I flew really high...or was it low...I remember blacking out...that might have been from hitting something down low though...oh dear..." By this time, they had been flying for quite some time in circles. The other Atavians were looking very annoyed, a few even homicidal. "I found it, I really did!" she insisted. Her fellow Atavians just looked at her. One of them, the most senior there, nodded slightly.

"Then you forgot where it was, did you?" Avietta shuffled her feet, no easy task while flying. Half of the search party groaned and immediately flew off in different directions. The other half stayed, looking extremely angry. A few even looked like they were about to stone her. The speaker just shooed them off and they scattered with much grumbling and threats. He looked at Avietta for a moment, bitterness in his eyes, then flew home.

Avietta sighed, and landed on a tree below. How could she have forgotten where Arcadia is? She had taken time to remember the location, had kept it in her mind all throughout her flight to Cyrene... Finally, she fell asleep on the branch. She dreamt of her room in Arcadia, her home, still waiting for her. She woke to a slight mist, and snuggled up against the trunk of the tree, hoping to stay dry. She couldn't remember what she had been brooding about, so she decided to just head home. She took to the air naturally, although a bit damp, and was careful to avoid the tree limbs. As she gained altitude, humming happily, she realized... she was lost.