Jalisse - Story Two

Welcome onboard. Get settled in your preferred seat on Drewp. On our road trip today, we join Kriliah as they search for their Chimarii, Jalisse.

Welcome fellow Road Trippers to a tiny dimension of escapism and fancy. Today we’ll continue our road trip into our fantasy world of maps and stories.

This armchair road trip is like no other. Our uncrewed airborne people carrier (UAPC) affectionately known as Drewp, offers top of the range comfort whilst it silently cruises the pink skies above our fantasy world, giving us front row seats to the unfolding story.

Welcome onboard. Get settled in your preferred seat on Drewp. As we take off, relax and let the real world fade away. This is a place where anything can happen and flights of fancy are encouraged!

On our road trip today, we join Kriliah as they search for their Chimarii, Jalisse. Jalisse will be necessary to lead the Trekkers through the City of Hexton to gather supplies. You can see where Kriliah goes in this episode on the larger map at the bottom of this letter.

Introducing our first guest writer!

This episode has been brought to you by guest writer and fellow Substacker Susie Mawhinney from

Susie Mawhinney - A hill and I

. So many intriguing aspects of this fantasy land have been laid down in this story, which both Susie and I hope you’ll enjoy. Drop us a comment when you’re done reading!

On hearing the news from the winged beast Haki, Kriliah calculated they had about four moon hours before the Trekkers would set down.  If they were fast they would just have time to find their Chimarii¹ and return for deep rest before beginning the first stage of what would undoubtedly be a long and eventful journey. 

Kriliiah’s Chimarii was named Jalisse and resided in one of the thousands of Carillion Caves far out to the Beneathward of the Tenich Peninsular. They were so called because of musical notes formed by wind in the tubular rocks² that made up the outcrop they were hidden in. The outcrop was a residual pile of hellishly cold and sharp stone, prone to move without reason, (beautiful to the eye but that was all) and left behind after the last age of the parting moons.  It was hazardous to navigate but Kriliah were expert navigators.  If they were ever to lead the Trekkers through Hexton and onward unharmed though, they needed Jalisse’s brilliance.  Kriliah knew they were risking everything the Tandi³ had foretold by attempting this journey to find their Chimarii but it was unavoidable.

They would never find the key without Jalisse!

Kriliah were relieved to see the Carillion had not changed out of all recognition.  All the Chimarii of the land resided here when they were not on missions with their embryonic spirits.  During these down times, they partied, drank the mind bendingly potent waters, which collected inside the rock caves and bickered loudly amongst themselves.  Coupled with the natural music from the outcrop, the noise that spread across the cold desert of the Beneathward, was deafening.  Kriliah had anticipated this and smiling to themselves, wrapped their ears in a spotted fabric made especially for the job as they approached.  They pulled out the flute and played three notes, the sound of which was also piercingly loud, however, the noise from inside the outcrop stopped instantly.

The Chimarii appeared in their thousands, hanging from the edges of the tubular rocks, wobbling drunkenly, many barely even able to walk. Kriliah zigzagged through their tiny drunken bodies and on into the dark emerald green, dank depths of the stone. The route to Jalisse’s cave had not changed despite the shifting rocks and not surprisingly Kriliah found her laying prostrate over the entrance to her tiny cave. 

Jalisse ©Susie Mawhinney

“For the love of Tandi!” they mutter under their breath.
“Jalisse get up, we have a mission starting this day, wake up! WAKE UP!”

Jalisse opens an eye, looks up at Kriliah and smiles at them.
“Gi’me the poku…”  she says, pointing to a tiny vial, and passes out again.

Impatiently, Kriliah picks her up with the poku⁴, shoves both in their pocket and leaves to make the return journey, happy to have Jalisse no matter her state!

---

“Where is Kriliah?” Even from this distance they could hear their name.

“Do you hear Jalisse? They’re waiting for me already”
“Here, no need to fuss, I’m ready.” 

What happens next?

This week, there are no choices to be made, as Kriliah (and Jalisse) will continue onto Hexton City in the next episode. The Hexton map gathered the most votes in last week’s poll. Thank you all for your votes!

Update your map

If you’ve downloaded and printed the free map for this make believe road trip, you can update it with the position of the Carillion Caves.

Location of the Carillion Caves (Story Two)

Well, that’s it questers! We’ll be back on Dwerp next Tuesday for the next installment. What did you think of this collaborative effort?

A massive and heartfelt “thank you” to Susie

Susie Mawhinney - A hill and I

for taking the plunge and being the first to co-author this fantastical journey with me! Not only did Susie write the story, but she also created the beautiful artwork to show us what Jalisse looks like.

It has been a exceptionally fun experience and I hope that more of you will join me as co-authors in the weeks to come. If you’d like to write part of this journey me, then please get in touch.

Susie and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this story. Would you like to have your own Chimarii? What would you call it? Please let us know in the comments!

By sharing this letter and by referring friends you’ll receive special benefits such as complementary paid subscriptions.

Read more of Susie’s work

Susie writes stories from her Hill in South West France and is also one of a group of people (myself included) who write 100 word stories as part of Free Writing Fridays hosted by

Erica Drayton

Other stories in this series

Head to the Index Page for all the stories so far. All stories will be free to all subscribers to read, whilst paid subscribers will have the opportunity to shape and influence the direction this journey takes.

Most of these stories will be micro fiction, so I’ll be attempting to keep them under 500 words if I can. This one, written by Susie is 497 words, excluding footnote text.

1. Chimarii - half fairy, half insect, tiny creatures formed in the embryo of certain important or chosen beings. They have immense puzzle solving powers and are highly tuned to dangers of all kinds. They are not permanently present with their embryonic spirit and easily bored hence their drunken shenanigans.

2. Tubular rocks are common in the Beneathward they are named Notætices due to the notes they emit even in the slightest breeze.

3. Tandi is the revered prophet of all the lands of Tenich, loved and respected by all.

4. Poku - the fast working antidote to the potent waters kept by all Chimarii in a tiny phial in case of urgent sobriety. Which is almost always the case!