Princesses!

The lanterns drift up into the sky. We follow them as they go, letting them drift over the luminous isle below, full to bursting with the power of Argossa’s root; then the sea, rich and moon-speckled below them, vivid black and silver, and for a moment we can almost hear the songs of the mermaids at their revels in the coral cities below; they drift over the Lucky Number Seven, where two princesses have fallen asleep with their legs dangling over the side. (Don’t you worry, they’ll blearily wake up and go below soon enough; and besides, Rita is keeping her friend as warm as she can, cuddled up with that pale Rider’s hand in her own.)

An updraft spins the lanterns aloft, higher, towards the vault of heaven. Behind them, if you peer carefully, you can see the silhouette of Argossa against the night sky. They hang there, burning bright, sparkling against the lush blacks of the sky.

Then there is a strong gust of wind which knocks them about, tears the paper sides, extinguishes the flame within. A huge, black-winged shape glides by, beating its wings slowly, indistinct against the lanterns falling from the sky, already choked with frost.



End of Let’s Training!
Coming up next: EPISODE 2: Veils and Masks!