Black Blooded

There are many ways of playing with a person... to make him suffer... to make him supplicate for mercy... to turn his very composition into acid.

Black Blooded

 

I stayed at Jose’s house for a couple of days. We talked a lot and got to know each other. At first I thought him a simple guy, but hell I was wrong… “The less you buy, the less you exist. The less you exist, the less findable you become. Therefore, I only exist while creating havoc in a huge expensive hotel in a random country!” were his words. Jose told me about Ashley when I asked about her Vital Energy… “Hers was a white dragon named Tarksow. He was stolen from Ashley when he was barely a hatchling”, to what I answered…

 

-So Tony has green eyes and a two colored dark dragon, Ashley has blue eyes and a white dragon, and you have one eye of each color plus a pure dark dragon. You are all a genetic mess!

 

Jose introduced me to his dragon one day; a pure black male dragon named Shadow. Shadow had a long scar that went vertically from on top to underneath his right eye. “There was this target that was a Rider; he and his dragon put a good fight and marked Shadow with a reminder of it.” Shadow liked to hear stories of war and battles; I had many of those, so told him a few.

 

Jose even explained to me why he had dragons around…

 

-Why do I have dragons around? Watch this… (He took out his wallet and showed me an ID card) I’m a registered Dragon Sanctuary Owner! Best security system ever, no one messes with those related to the L&SDO!

 

When I was ready to travel, we found ourselves in the kitchen. Jose was putting some supplies in a backpack while saying…

 

-Taking off this afternoon… you’ll arrive to Miami around tomorrow midday. Shadow knows Miami from wing to claw; he’ll take you to whatever place you name.

 

-I’m really grateful to both of you.

 

-Baah! It’s nothing Patrick! Besides, we enjoyed having you around!

 

Once ready, Jose handed me the backpack and we headed outside, where Shadow was waiting for us. His saddle was on the ground, next to him. Jose then proceeded to pick up the saddle and started saddling Shadow. When he was done, he turned to me and offered his hand for a crossed handshake. When I answered him, he said…

 

-Next time you come, if you will… Should I send my brothers away or we will all be cool?

 

I haven’t thought much about Ashley, Tony and Shady. I actually forgot about them until now. Nor do I know if I am going to come back. I guess this is all I can do in return for all the help Jose has given me. Being Jose genuinely friendly or not, this is an unspoken deal… time to fulfill my part. Then I firmly said…

 

-We’ll be cool.

 

-Sweet! Now go, find Furia and kill that russian m**********r!

 

I climbed onto the saddle and strapped up. While Jose went near Shadow’s head and patted his neck. He then did a nod to me, and when I nodded back, Shadow fast paced and with a strong wing stroke he lifted us from the ground. Shadow made a curve and flew directly towards Miami while I grew determined each second. Refreshed and loaded with new strengths, I was ready to strike back.

 

Round two, whoever you are… round two…

 

Shadow flew until evening and then landed. We continued on foot so he could rest up his wings, while I entertained him with more of my stories of war. I thought of Furia… I remembered the first stories I told her, before our adventures. If I had stories like these to entertain Furia back then… naah, it wouldn’t have made sense, for what make these stories epic is actually her.

 

After a while, Shadow motioned with his head and wings; telling me he was ready to fly. I climbed onto the saddle and then he took off. It was dark when Shadow was tired once again. Before stopping for the night, Shadow hunted a cow. His killing method was very similar to Furia’s, except for one detail: After landing the front claws and breaking the cow’s legs, Shadow then bit the animal on the belly and ripped the whole section off while it was still alive. Its screams of pain gradually died until silence. While Shadow enjoyed his cow, I ate some of the provisions I carried.

 

We decided to sleep and resume the trip in the morning. I unsaddled Shadow, so he could sleep comfortable. We were completely in the open, no shelter in sight. Shadow curled up while I tried to use the backpack as a pillow, a meter away from him. I had slept on bare ground a hundred times… but the cold didn’t allow me to get sleepy.

 

Then Shadow grunted to call my attention. When I turned my head to him, he had an open wing and motioned with his head. I felt a little awkward, yet I couldn’t deny I was having a rough time. I got closer to Shadow and he covered me with his wing.

 

-Thanks.

 

After that, it didn’t take me long to fall asleep.

 

When the sun began to born in the horizon, Shadow woke me up. We both stretched and shook off our sleep. I proceeded to saddle Shadow, and as soon as I was done, I climbed onto him and we took off.

 

When the sun was out at early morning, the city could be seen from the air. Shadow flew as close as he could and then landed; we had to walk another section before his wings were rest up to fly again. We reached the point where our next flight was going to end somewhere in Miami, so I told Shadow where I needed to go… The Hotel I lived in. Shadow then was ready to fly and we wasted no time to do so.

 

Finally we were over Miami’s aerial space… how I missed that view: the buildings, the other riders. Though I was very pleased by coming back, I prevented my mind from drifting off by joy, and concentrated on the mission ahead. Shadow dived down and landed on the street in front of the hotel, the same place I was kidnapped.

 

There were some people around; they looked at me with awe while I heard my name being commented. I decided to ignore them and strapped off from the saddle, but before I jumped down to the street, I took off the backpack and strapped it to the saddle.

 

Once on the ground, I patted Shadow’s shoulder and told him…

 

-I have more stories to tell you; I guess I’ll have to pay a visit once this s all over. Thanks Shadow.

 

The dragon nodded and took off, heading towards the direction we came from. I headed towards my room to look for my phone. I had to make a few important calls. It happened that the door was closed, which got a grunt of frustration out of me. I then headed towards the owner’s office. Once I arrived, I knocked on the door and heard the owner saying… “Come in”. When I entered, his face turned pale with horror.

 

I knew exactly what provoked that reaction and, though I was actually desperate for calling Francesco and my unit (Elvis, Alan, Oliver and Alena), I did nothing other than take it easy. I stopped my approach and said…

 

-It was a set up… I am not a murderer… ok? I just want to get something from my room.

 

He was still pretty shaky and his voice was barely working when he said…

 

-Your… b.b.b.brother…

 

-He picked everything up?

 

He timidly nodded and I said…   -Alright… I am glad you survived, Mr. Jefferson. I think I’ll…

 

A loudspeaker began to sound all of a sudden.

 

-Patrick Darst! Come out slowly with your hands closed and over your head!! This is the Miami Police Department!!

 

What the hell?

 

-Well, see you later, Mr. Jefferson.

 

I did as the Police Officer said; went out slowly, with my hands over my head. This wasn’t exactly the way I wanted to be found. At least I would soon be able to make a call. I saw three police cars in front of me and a dozen police officers aiming at me with their guns, which varied from pistols, revolvers and shotguns.

 

-I surrender, I am no hostile… I just want to make a call.

 

I felt my Vital Energy flowing to my hands and slowly accumulating there while my vision turned blurrier and blurrier each second… then I suddenly lost my consciousness…

 

Next thing I know is that I am waking up. The first thing I noticed was that my hands were forced into fists by a pair of modern Rider-handcuffs and that I was wearing convict clothes. I am getting tired of this s**t... I pushed myself up and took a look at the surroundings. There wasn't much surrounding me though; for I was in a prison cell, lying on the first bed of a berth.

 

 -Darst is awake!!

 

The yell came from behind me, so I turned back. Just to find a guard aiming a shotgun at me. He was very tense and concentrated, looking at me over the iron sights.

 

When I tried to recreate how I got there, I could only remember the police officers and that I suddenly blacked out. I felt the urge to ask the guard how I got there, and what happened in the meantime…

 

-How did I…

 

-Shut up!!    -Yelled the guard moving his feet to accommodate his stance.

 

I turned my back to the guard and submerged into meditating my situation.

 

What could have happened? Did I hurt someone or something? Not likely… there’s only one person I am willing to hurt.

 

-Patrick?

 

-Elvis?      -I murmured with a rising joy.

 

I turned and saw Elvis and Alena, standing in front of my cell. The guard had gone. I twisted out of the bed and tripped to the floor because of the excitement. When I pushed myself up and got near the bars of the cell’s gate, boh Alena and Elvis backed off a step.

 

-Alena, Brother! I am so glad to see you! Please tell me I didn’t hurt anyone.

 

Elvis, who looked at me with distrust, turned lightly to Alena and asked her…

 

-Is that him?

 

-Yeah, you should have seen him back then.

 

Elvis got near the gate and hugged me through the bars.

 

-Does the world have to end every time you disappear, little brother?

 

-D****t I missed you brother.

 

When we ended the hug, Elvis said…

 

-Look Patrick, there’s something awfully wrong with you… Alena…

 

Alena stepped forward and said…

 

-Do you remember what happened between the arrival of the cops and waking up here?

 

-No.

 

-I’ll tell you…

 

 

A couple of hours earlier…

 

Alena was having lunch with her dragon, Sanjay, in a farm near their patrolling sector. After the fake rider massacre, the only dragons around had their collars and the people slowly continued looking for their dragons in the sanctuaries… there hasn’t been much work for the patrollers; I guess it served well in the end… Alena thought. Suddenly her phone rang and she answered it.

 

The call was a report of sighting of Patrick Darst. Alena wanted to be the first one arriving to the scene, so she interrupted the meal and jumped onto Sanjay’s saddle. Then the dragon took off and they headed towards the place.

 

What Alena found when she arrived was Patrick with his hands up, boiling with Vital Energy, and the cops almost shitting their pants.

 

-L&SDO taking charge of the situation! If anything, use Tasers, I need him alive!

 

Alena yelled. Sanjay landed in a clearing and she ran between Patrick and the officers. Alena slowly tried to approach him while saying…

 

-Calm down, Patrick…

 

-Alena, help me, they have Furia!

 

Patrick looked at Alena with a desperate expression, his body suddenly twitching from a moment to another… Alena then knew something was wrong with Patrick…

 

-Patrick… calm down… and dissipate your energy… you are not yourself right now.

 

-I have… I have to KILL!!!

 

Patrick suddenly released his energy in the form of a spear, which he threw at her. Alena knew she wasn’t capable of blocking such a powerful attack, so she jumped to a side and dodged it. But Patrick wasn’t aiming exactly at Alena, the spear passed by her side and went through a police car like it was just paper. Then Patrick generated the Chain Blade and, along with throwable knifes, Patrick combined the weapons and attacked them, both Alena and the police officers.

 

Alena fought him with a Vital Energy sword, trying to hit his legs to immobilize him, but it was Patrick who sliced her side, almost killing her and making her incapable of getting up from the ground. The cops all were either hurt or ran away, and when Sanjay tried to take action, Patrick pointed the Blade at Alena’s neck and yelled at the dragon…

 

-Go on! Burn us both!!

 

Patrick laughed like a maniac while Alena told him…

 

-What the f**k’s wrong with you!!? Get to your senses, Patrick!!

 

-Death is my only sense…

 

Suddenly, Patrick groaned of pain and fell to the ground unconscious. If it wasn’t for the owner of the hotel, who sneaked out of his office and shot Patrick with one of the Taser guns the cops left on the ground… Patrick would have killed a hell lot of innocent people.

 

 

Actuality

 

-… Luckily, a group of L&SDO’s that also received the call arrived on their dragons and healed me, along with the injured cops. Sanjay and I then took you here. I contacted the whole Team Awesome to gather up, and then we called Francesco as he instructed us for when we find you. He ended up very upset after hearing about this. Francesco also said that he might know what’s wrong with you.

 

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; I was almost rejecting those statements from all truth because I just wouldn’t do something like that. But if Francesco knew something about this, then I was going to shut myself up and get to know as well.

 

-What did he say?          -I asked.

 

Elvis took the word and said…

 

-He wants to talk with you… not about hurting some cops; that’s child’s games… something way more serious… something he only wanted to talk about once…

 

I gulped, fearing the worst. Elvis then did a signal to his side and Alan and Oliver came. I greeted them…

 

-Alan, Oliver… I am glad you survived all this mess.

 

To what Alan answered…

 

-Nothing compared to what you have gone through…

 

Then Oliver intervened…

 

-That’s right. The prison took pictures of you when you were unconscious… we saw the scars and can’t imagine what happened to you.

 

-At least you are back and alive.       �"Said Alan.

 

-Time to make the call.     �"Said Alena, getting her phone out of her pocket.

 

Alena put the phone in loudspeaker and I grew tenser and tenser with each ring. Then, the call was answered…

 

-Rider Patrick…

 

That surprised me; I thought he was going to salute Alena before talking to me. I guess Francesco already knew this call would have a specific purpose. Francesco continued saying…

 

-… I know you have a lot to tell me. But if this is a case of what I fear it might be… then, either there is very little time left or it’s already late, so listen carefully… (Francesco said this next phrase deliberately clearly) Have you cracked up since you disappeared?

 

-Crack up?

 

-Have you felt broken apart? Expressing ravenous rage or crying helplessly at any given moment?

 

I remembered all the suffering I endured while being kidnapped… I cried and raged many times and even panicked. But nothing was as horrible as the night I met the shadow beings, even when that was just a dream.

 

-I remember one special occasion… but it was a dream.

 

-Tell it to me, every single detail you can recall.

 

Francesco remained silent while I told what appeared to be a classic ghost story. Elvis, Alena, Oliver and Alan listened with attention as well, yet they seemed more and more confused about the importance of this meaningless nightmare.

 

When I finished, Francesco’s next words astounded every last one of us…

 

-It is worse than I feared… it has already started.

 

-What has started?    -I snapped with fear.

 

-Something has been done to you Patrick, turning you into a danger to every single living creature. Something so dark, that back in the times of Silvestro, he himself banned that knowledge from being inherited by his followers to their sons, for he wanted the new world to born without that evil knowledge. Only his blood chain carried it with archival purposes only. Even though, it was a very little known topic anyway. It was something very few dared put up into conversation. Only vague theories and legends existed about this topic and even that way, it was extremely dangerous to even mention it… Also, very few, and I mean very few reached the state of mind to be able to perform it. You have been Mind Poisoned, Rider Patrick.

 

-Mind Poisoned? �"Said Elvis- It can be solved… right?

 

-Yes it can…

 

I sighed; relieved it at least had a solution.

 

-… but the only safe way to undo the Mind Poisoning is if the responsible one does it.

 

-There has to be another way…

 

I said with noticeable frustration. I already knew this guy simply wouldn’t undo it, not with the strong vengeance he wanted to get from me. Then Francesco answered me…

 

-There is, Rider Patrick. But the risks involved are too great to even consider the option. You have to find and force, if necessary, the responsible one.

 

Then Alena suddenly said…

 

-Well? What do we know about this guy? Patrick?

 

Her enthusiasm gave me a gleam of hope... After all, I had an incredible kind of people supporting me. Rider Francesco Silvestro and the whole L&SDO, and Team Awesome’s members… I trusted these Riders and Dragons with my life and it was about time to get back to it. I then began to list every single piece of useful information I had about the target; its financers, purposes and origins.

 

-So it is one of my subordinates…  -Said Francesco-  … that shortens the search greatly. Still, that’s very old information, and it will take time to be located. I’ll have it sent to you by evening. Salute Furia from my part.

 

-Furia is not with me at the moment… she… left…

 

The detail struck everyone, they didn’t manifest their shock, but I could see it in their eyes.

 

This whole incident made me think of a Rider whose dragon I did killed…

 

-… Salute Tanith from my part and… tell your son, Alessio… that I am sorry for Saris’s death.

 

-I am sorry to hear that about Furia, Rider Patrick. I cannot talk more at the moment, but listen well… As long as your scars do not turn black, Furia will come back to you. Good luck and farewell, Rider Patrick.

 

-Farewell, Rider Francesco.

 

The phone made a bip, signaling the call had finished. Alena then put the phone back into her pocket while Oliver snapped…

 

-What’s that about Furia left?

 

Then Elvis said…

 

-What happened, Patrick?

 

I ended up telling them the whole story since the day I was kidnapped till that very moment. I am actually getting tired of telling that story… and still Francesco hasn’t heard it… When I finished the story, I asked them…

 

-What about you? How has it been?

 

Team Awesome seemed to have had it rough in its own way. Ever since my name was mentioned as responsible for the non-rider raids, they all were dismissed from their duties as L&SDO members and were investigated rigorously by the authorities for being closely related to me. By the time it was clear Team Awesome wasn’t related to the raids, the raids had already finished. They were reassigned to their previous duties… and then I was found.

 

Time went fast while they told me related stories about the subject. I was glad to hear nothing more than helping stray dragons get to the sanctuaries, reuniting more of them with their true riders… stuff like that. Except for Elvis; he was the one who killed the crazy rider fan who started killing non-riders. It was in that occasion that both Elvis and Pyro earned their first battle scars. Pyro was bitten on the neck and now had the bite marks on both sides. While Elvis blocked an attack in a wrong way and a sword cut off both the ring and pinkie fingers of his right hand. Hearing it made me look directly at his hand; that went totally unseen when I first saw him.

 

Suddenly an alarm went off, it stung my ears while someone yelled: “Opening cellblock!!… Closing cellblock!!”. Alena, Alan, Elvis and Oliver turned to their side and while I pressed my head against the bars, trying to catch something with the edge of my eye, but I wasn’t able to.

 

A young woman approached us; she carried a big gray briefcase on her right hand and a cellphone on her left. She didn’t even introduce herself; she just handed the phone to Alan, for he was the nearest one, and the briefcase to Oliver, who was next, and then said: “Rider Francesco is on the line. Don’t open the briefcase.” She then turned back and went away straight to where she came from.

 

Alan took the phone to his ear and said…

 

-Hello?... Alright… let me put this in loudspeaker (he took the phone to his front and pushed a couple of buttons)… you are in loudspeaker Rider Francesco.

 

Then Francesco said…

 

-The one you are looking for is named Gedeon Domashevich. When we were burying our dead, after the battle of the Bermuda Triangle, we found his dragon, Parda, but we did not him. We first thought he was eaten. He didn’t use our funds ever since the day of the battle, his family and friends still think him dead. He cannot be traced nor is he related to anything or anyone outside of the companies you mentioned, but still we don’t know which of them are actually financing him. We sent images of him to every one of my people over Miami and the nearby states. If he tries to flee, if he tries to kill you, Rider Patrick, we’ll catch him before making the first move.

 

Then Alan said…

 

-Looks like Gedeon’s doomed… He will either get caught or killed in the process.

 

Francesco then stated…

 

-Remember you need Gedeon alive, Riders.

 

-What if we can’t force him to cure Patrick’s mind?  -Said Elvis-  What if he refuses no matter what we do?

 

-I already told you about that situation…

 

-Yes, but it might not be a hundred percent positive that Gedeon is going to cure Patrick’s mind.  �"Elvis Insisted-  Tell us about the other option, we need to at least know its risks.

 

-The other option is beyond consideration. Understand that known risks can be afforded and those risks will not be known until, and only until the first plan is a complete failure. Now, open the briefcase.

 

Oliver lifted the briefcase on his arms so it could be opened without the need of a table. Elvis took the initiative and opened the briefcase.  Inside, there was a picture of Gedeon Domashevich; white guy with a low Mohawk. He had a big chin, which gave him a tough appearance. Yet in the picture he had a calmed expression, an innocent half smile, the expression of a person up to no evil. His eyes made me shiver; in the picture there was a man who once had something in his life, someone who fought for what he believed, a man of conviction and devotion. Those weren’t the eyes I saw around a week ago. The eyes I saw belonged to a monster filled up with hate and rancor out of the desire for revenge. I began to feel pity and even guilty for what happened to this man. This was someone I wouldn’t need to kill in a different situation.

 

Under the picture there were four Taser pistols; each one was stashed with a few rounds.

 

-They might need these here in the prison.    �"Said Oliver.

 

-They are actually meant for you, Riders.    �"Answered Francesco.

 

Suddenly Alena said…

 

-The four of us are going to hunt down Gedeon, Rider Francesco. No one is going to stay with Patrick.

 

-You have to take Rider Patrick with you, or else, you’ll never find Gedeon.

 

Then Oliver snapped…

 

-We’ll use Patrick as bait?

 

-Not exactly,  -Clarified Francesco-  Rider Patrick is the tracker, actually. He is the only one that has ever been in contact with Gedeon. Patrick now has the ability of feeling Gedeon at least enough to determine how far he is, with a little bit more of attention, Patrick might even know the direction Gedeon is.

 

Then I intervened and said…

 

-What if the poison acts? How can I warn everybody before it’s too late?

 

-That can only be figured out by you, Rider Patrick. You must have felt something before losing control of yourself.

 

I backtracked my steps to the moment when the police officers arrived and thought for some moments. Then I found something that might solve the enigma and said…

 

-I felt my vision getting blurry… and… My Vital Energy; I wasn’t even doing anything and it began to flow to my hands as if I was going to attack. After that, I lost consciousness.

 

-Seems to me we are all set up.   �"Said Elvis.

 

Then Francesco said…

 

-It does seem to me as well. Good luck, Team Awesome.

 

The phone then made the bip and the call was done. I chuckled while saying…

 

-I can’t believe you guys told Francesco about that.

 

To what Oliver answered…

 

-It has been our name since we started, so… why not?

 

-Are you ready to go man-hunting, Double Scarred?   -Asked Alena.

 

To what I answered…

 

-Let’s get done with this.

 

Then the alarm went off again accompanied by the same yells. The woman approached, but this time she brought my clothes. She took the phone from Alan, gave him my clothes and said…

 

-Good Luck.    �"Afterwards, she just left.

 

Still amazed by that woman’s straightness, I asked…

 

-Am I not supposed to spend some time here?

 

-You are L&SDO’s property, Patrick.  -Said Oliver.

 

-That’s right.  �"Added Alan-  The L&SDO dissolved the civil war and has captured you. We have regained our worth among the U.S.’s authorities. No one has more power over you than the L&SDO.

 

-So, still no one knows I am not the one behind the raids?

 

Then Alena came closer to the bars while getting something from her pocket. It was a key. She motioned with her hand, signaling me to get closer. Oliver put the briefcase on the floor and picked up his Taser pistol, along with Alan and Elvis. Alena began to unlock my handcuffs while saying…

 

-Later Francesco will clean your name, now let’s get to it. Change up.

 

Once the cuffs clicked open, I felt an immense sense of liberty… a new determination born in my mind, now that I was finally straight on my way to capture Gedeon Domashevich. I turned my palms up and my heart stopped…

 

As loud as I could, and with a world of pain, I screamed…

 

-NO!!! NO!!!

 

-What’s wrong!?   -Yelled Elvis.

 

-My scars are black!!! (I crumbled to my side, to the wall, and slowly slid until sitting on the floor against the said wall. I began to cry while saying…) The damn shadows were right!! I couldn’t protect her! F**k!! FURIA!!!

 

Elvis yelled…  -Open the cell D-2, quickly!!

 

The cell gate slid open and Elvis ran inside. He located himself in front of me, crouched, and, while holding my head so I would look straight into his eyes, he said…

 

-Your scars aren’t black, Patrick. Calm down.

 

-Don’t you see them? (I put my right hand in front of him) They are black!!

 

-They aren’t, Patrick, I swear. Remember your condition, you must trust me.

 

My respiration was erratic, like about to collapse while I said…

 

-I see them black, Elvis… I see them black.

 

-But I don’t, little brother. Furia is ok.

 

-This is just a…  -When I looked at my scars, they were back to normal…-  Illusion?

 

I felt so joyful for a moment that I was almost laughing. But it didn’t last a second, I was back crying while my brother hugged me hardly. After a couple of seconds, Elvis said…

 

-Come on, brother… get up…

 

Elvis cross-held my right hand and pulled me up to my feet. Once up, I cleaned my eyes and saw Alena, Alan and Oliver aiming at me with their Taser pistols. I looked back to Elvis and slowly my sights fell to the ground. I felt a hand on my left shoulder and Elvis said…

 

-Furia will be alright when we find her, you hear me, Patrick?

 

I looked back to his eyes and said…

 

-I won’t be capable of enduring something like that again, Elvis. I…

 

-You won’t have to, Patrick. Furia is strong and capable; you must trust her. And most importantly, you must trust us. We will find her.

 

Elvis walked out of the cell so I could have space to change up from the convict’s orange uniform to my previous clothes. My respiration was hard and my mind was still traumatized from what I have felt just a moment ago.

 

-It takes control of his consciousness too.  �"Acknowledged Alan.

 

When I tied the last one of my shoes, I walked out of my cell and was back among my friends. Suddenly, Alena strongly patted my back and said…

 

-It’s good to have you back, Double Scarred.

 

Then I answered…

 

-There were times I thought I wouldn’t be. Thanks for never giving up on me, and thanks for always being there for both me and Furia.

 

-What else are friends for, Patrick?   -Added Alan.

 

-Team Awesome started this s**t together, and Team Awesome will end this s**t together.    �"Concluded Oliver.

 

We then walked towards the gate of the cell block and later outside the prison itself. Out on the street were Helios, Tiranis, Pyro and Sanjay. I greeted them joyfully. It was a hell lot of time since we last saw each other. The sun was almost under the horizon and we prepared to ride. I was climbing onto Pyro’s saddle, behind Elvis, when I felt a very familiar touch in my mind…