"Perfect." Lanix noticed the furrowed brow on Simon, her suspicions about him were now sealed, "This is a poladel. If this is confusing, you won't believe what you're about to see with those big brown eyes." Just the thought made her giggle.
She waved her hand over the tangled end of her staff and it started to glow blue. As she turned her hand back over there appeared the front half of what looked like a large bird of prey. "An eagle head." As Simon looked a little closer he noticed that the two fit together like puzzle pieces. He looked to Lanix to see what would happen when she put them together.
Lanix started to hand the deer end back to Simon. His confusion deepened.
She laughed again. "It only works if two different people put it together. Here, I'll show you." She handed the deer to him and he took it. She held the eagle head in her hand and stretched it toward the puzzle side of the deer.
Once the two sides clicked together, Lanix dropped it and pulled Simon towards her. He turned to look at the animal puzzle laying in the sand. It began to shake and glow a pale yellow. Then it started to grow and it continued to grow. It grew until it was the size of a large deer. Simon's eyes grew wide as he watched the eagle head shake and then screech. The deer's feet stamped the ground and stretched. The beast looked back at Lanix and Simon.
Lanix watched Simon as he watched the eagle-deer beast and she laughed - a deep and full guttural laugh. After the shock lessened, Simon noticed the laugh and turned to Lanix. He turned back to the beast and then back to Lanix. "Is that...?"
"Yep, it's alive," she responded to the unfinished question.
"B-B-But how?"
"Magic, I guess. The legend is that the Ancient Deity delivers a poladel to everyone the night after they're born. He uses his special messengers, called Tomatel."
Simon connected dots in his head, "The star bird."
Lanix nodded, "Yes, the birds. No one sees them anymore though. The Ancient Deity lost power in this land over 500 years ago. The myth of the Tomatel and the Ancient Deity are just stories trying to explain the supernatural things that happen."
"So you don't believe the stories?"
"Nope. I met the Ancient Deity once, and even fought for him. I thought he was immortal and all-powerful. Turns out he wasn't. Randell tel Tomas was just a man like everyone else, albeit a charismatic one."
"Wait...you just said...500?" Simon was tired of being confused and tired in general.
Lanix sighed, "There's a lot to learn, kid. I definitely believe that you aren't from here, although I can't quite figure out how you did get here. If you aren't used to magic and these experiences, then you'll just need to keep an open mind and take it all in without the filter of the world you know. So, one thing at a time, because I'm so ready to be out of here."
Simon nodded trying to ignore the fact that Lanix was at least 500 years old.
She continued, "So...the animal halves are called poladels. The combo animals they create are called zivodels. It takes two different people to put together poladels and create zivodels. The zivodels are tame and do exactly what the creators tell them to do. We simply have to agree on a name and say 'Zivodel Name'. To dissolve the zivodel and return to poladels, we say 'Poladel Name'. Then it returns to the two halves. And like I said, everyone is gifted a poladel at birth. The legend says it is the Ancient Deity through the tomatel. Modern wisdom would say that the Empress uses the Ain to deliver these gifts to the expectant parents who then gift them to their children. Most parents will deny this, but I imagine it's something along those lines. In any case, the Empress has ears and eyes everywhere. She sees everything, knows everything, and has tremendous magical powers. And those dreadful minions of hers follow her every order without hesitation or question."
The closest comparison Simon could think of was Santa and his elves, although the Empress and Ain didn't seem jolly.
Lanix returned from her lost thoughts, "So, what do you want to name the zivodel?"
"William?"
"Strange name, but ok."
William was Simon's father's name and it was the first one that Simon could think of. Tears began forming in his eyes as he thought about how much he would like to tell his dad about this adventure and the crazy half deer, half eagle that stood before him.
Lanix stood up, "Zivodel William!"
William turned to face the pair as Simon stood next to Lanix.
"William, we need you to fly us out of the Desert Maze and to the edge where Ix and Ren meet. OK?" She patted the eagle head with tenderness and William nodded his affirmation. Lanix turned to Simon, "Ready?"
"For what exactly?"
"To get on," she was annoyed with Simon and was tired of answering all of his incredibly ignorant questions. "We have to ride William in order to get out of here, so get on." She thought about leaving him and going alone, but she had a small conscience still inside and couldn't.
Simon nodded and made his way to the side of the beast assessing how to mount it, but before he had the chance to try, Lanix pushed/threw him onto William's back. She promptly jumped up behind him and instructed William to fly.
William stretched his giant eagle wings and let out a loud eagle screech and the deer legs started to run through the sand as the zivodel took flight. Simon released his breath when the wings stopped flapping and they started to soar over the endless orange sand.
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