Have I not told you about my guide?  She is a transient entity who has been with me since the beginning. Appearing to me as both angel and friend; as the notion on a breeze or a melody in my head; she takes on many forms and goes by many names. Currently she is my guide on this quest and goes by the name Cybra. I love this current form.  Moving seamlessly between the worlds she is able to bring me supplies from base camp using pure energy exchange. If it were not for the invaluable provisions she has brought me on this journey I would not have made it this far. And it is to those who have given them that I owe everything!       

Yesterday she appeared in a radiant glow, mingling with the amber light of the early morning sun. We talked for a moment and she warned me about a difficult test to come. She explained that I should head for the eastern mountain pass and that soon my skill as warrior would be tested. As she faded from my sight a massive black charger appeared in her place, groomed for battle and a shining shield hanging from his saddle. I stood in awe of him for a moment then moved closer. He stood calmly as I approached and I stroked his neck as I introduced myself. I locked eyes with him and suddenly there was nothing else to do but ride.      

I was glad the stirrups were at the right height to climb easily into the saddle. He was a massive animal. I leaned down and patted his neck a couple of times. “Lets go,” I said, and without warning, he bolted. I was caught off guard by the suddenness of it. At a full run we headed toward the mountains. It took a moment for me to sync with his rhythm but once I locked in, the ride smoothed out. There was intensity to his speed and direction - it was like he knew where he was going and wanted to get there fast. I didn’t care where we were headed. I just wanted to go and urged him on faster. I closed my eyes and lowered my head closer to his neck letting him lead for what seemed like a long time. I was loosing track of myself and surrendered completely to the sensations of the animal beneath me. I began to sink into a dream. This horse and I had ridden together before, fought together. Forte was his name. I know him. Then I heard something; something very loud, and very angry. It yanked me from my dream and I shot up in the saddle, pulling abruptly to a stop.
    
What I had heard was not like anything I had heard before. It sounded like every animal on the island suddenly screamed for their life; the last scream just before death takes them. Forte and I were still breathing hard from the exertion of the full tilt run. I had the reins gathered up tight and turned him hard to scan quickly in every direction but saw nothing. Then a shadow passed overhead. I looked up and could not believe my eyes. Fear shot through me. I had never seen a living creature that big, much less flying. It circled once then landed directly in front of me. It stretched its enormous wings out then folded them behind its thorny back. It had silver scales and an elongated serpentine body with a long tail and neck. By my guess it stood 25 ft tall. It had a wide head and dark red eyes. Its mouth took up most of its face, and its sharp teeth took up all of its mouth. I could feel heat emanating from him even though he was at least 100 yards away. Smoke swirled around his head and the drool dripping off his chin set the ground on fire. It was a winged dinosaur; a seething demon; a dragon - and it was there for me.

more later...