Omenna was beautiful, awe inspiring and had an abundance of life. It had creatures that would be considered extinct in other parts of the world, both plants and animals alike. But like every other place on earth, it has its flaws; of course, the flaw wasn't in our beloved realm, my people the Uduma, have lived here for millennials Afterall. No. The flaw lies in the people.
Many people might consider Omenna a paradise on earth, many do, even my people that have lived here all their lives do. But for me?? It's been hell on earth. I've yearned to visit the outside world, to see how far mankind has come... but I knew it for what it was, a fantasy. You might think I'm just a petulant, hardheaded child, willing to throw away the protection and joys of paradise for a taste of the outside world. Well maybe I am. I was born different from any other, my kind practice shamanic magic, every person having a connection to a sprit animal or their core creature as it is more appropriately called. On rare occasions some have connections to two.
The creature or spirit animal you're connected to determines the tier you're placed in society. Those connected to creatures like domestic cats, dogs, birds, herbivores and the likes are at the bottom of this tier system, a system of four tiers, while those connected to mythical creatures like the phoenix, dragons and the like reside at the top.
Although such connections are rare, our queen lady Naila being the only person with a connection to the Phoenix for about a century, and the last person with a connection to a dragon was killed about four centuries ago in the great war. Apparently, he believed he had a right to live in Elysium, how ludicrous, can't blame him tho, dragons do tend to have a very big ego.
I have connections to seven different creatures, but that would have been cool and all, but I can only access three of them and only one at a time, this bought me a lot of fear. The fear of the unknown, a very dangerous concept.
This fear eventually budded into hate which I've spent my whole life enduring. I could have been killed the moment I was tested, but well being the princess put a hold to that. It couldn't stop the hate. I was barred from using any of my connections except one.
These and a bunch of other reasons is why I left Omenna. About a month ago...I think, it's hard to say really, no way to tell here in the wild.
Anyways after the last Naliajuha festival, a festival that happens once every two years, it's a battle between royalty and the top warriors of our land in honor of our ruler.
I fled the city after my inevitable loss and humiliation, my mother couldn't have me grow stronger so I got the barest education possible. My mother overthrew her aunt at 21 but who could stop her, she was a phoenix afterall. So, me being connected to seven is more than enough threat.
My kind live up to 300 years, and my mother has been ruling for 40 years, so, no child of hers would be patient enough to inherit the throne if no one stronger rose to claim it. I was a threat by birth and I couldn't take it anymore, my journey to no particular destination didn't seem quite as tedious as I thought, or my powers made it look that way.
Crawling quietly behind a lone doe grazing in the meadow I clamped tightly on my aura and dampened my scent as not to spook the doe, at about 18ft from the doe I broke into a sprint and in less than a second, I was right on it. The animal sensed my presence then but it was too late.
I grabbed it by the head and snapped its neck before it could even make a sound, I ended the hunt in less than a minute without even channeling my beast. I split roasted the carcass, dry roasted a few days portion and left the rest for whatever found it. I trudged on hoping to get a good distance under the wraps before night falls.
*********
Jason
Light penetrated my eyelids softly as my senses slowly returned to me, my head throbbing in rhythm with my heartbeat. My limbs felt like lead barely responsive. I sat up slowly with herculean effort;
Linda sat by my right on the bed looking down at me with a worried expression and her face lit up with relief when I awoke.
"Heh, look at you; you look like an eighty-year-old'. I said lightheartedly. "Shut it you. Are you alright? "Yeah, mostly, but my head hurts a ton. Where's uncle Grey though.? "He's probably in the kitchen, he said he has some idea about why you passed out.
"Ohh? How long have I been out.? "About 12 hours, you've been out since yesterday and it's almost 2am now.
" Wow"'. My stomach took the brief silence as an opportunity to announce its presence with a low rumble drawing a giggle from my sister. "Hey! It's not funny. 'I protested. "Yeah, I know sorry I couldn't help myself. She replied trying and failing to stop from delving into full on laughter.
The smell of bacon preceded uncle Grey's arrival cheerfully bringing along it's good tidings. "Hallo strong lad, I see you're back amongst us. What news do you bring from the gods".
"Well, they said something like,-clears throat-your cabin shall be overrun by unimaginable creatures of the wild for thou dwelleth upon the holy land of the gods, except thou give this servant of mine 80 bucks. That's the uhm... important one".
"Hehe that was rich. I didn't know you could do that" Linda said with a sly grin. 'So, uncle grey what do you say to the gods message."
"I didn't know the gods where such greedy little bastards' replied with a scoff. "I see ya well now lad. So why don't you tell me what you saw.' Grey said casually lighting a joint and pulling out an oak wood chair.
"Well, I saw some stars a lot of them and then…well... nothing, like you saw I blacked out. Why would you ask that.?
'This shouldn't be hard I hope, transitions never been easy" Grey said with a sigh between heavy puffs of smoke. "Rau seth Kalith" Grey chanted. Suddenly a roaring ball of fire materialized over his outstretched palm.
It took a few seconds but the realization finally hit.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK" Linda yelled.
"I second that, how the hell did you do that. That must have cost a ton". I said incredulously
"Damn right it must, I mean I can feel the heat from'. Linda quipped
"It does cost something, not much and not money, but it cost something". Grey replied
"Well, what does it cost cause I'd very much like one'. And could you turn it off the heat is starting to build up".
"Sure, -uruth- "the flame ball vanished as soon as it appeared." now that flame ball is called hells eye, it isn't tech and it isn't a trick of the eye so don't ask.
"What was it then.? Linda asked
"Simple, its magic. And the hells eye cost mana, a very insignificant cost. So, to phrase it, magic is real".
Apparently, something uncle Grey said hit us in the funny bone because Linda and I started laughing hysterically.
"Wait you're serious??" I asked
"of course I am, think about it, does tech exist that can do that?
"Okay let's assume you're saying the truth, which by the way I know you're not; you should be able to do the hells eye thingy anywhere right. I asked
"That's correct."
"So why don't we go outside and you do it once more. Maybe then I'll believe you. What do you say huh?
"Unfortunately, due to circumstances which you will understand soon that will not be possible." He said and let out a thick cloud of smoke.
"Ha, I knew it I won't fall for your tricks old man." I said waving my finger at him.
"There is another way I can prove it. Cupcake can you get me a knife from the kitchen?
"Sure… I guess. Here you go."
"Thank you, lass. Now scoot over you. Look closely". He drew he deep fine line on his right arm extending from wrist to elbow and more than deep enough to draw blood.
Linda recoiled sharply with a Yelp at the sight of blood.
"Why would you do that, it coul…
"…shhh, just watch."Grey cut in.
Slowly, to my surprise the cut began knitting itself up, the blood pulling back into his flesh like a living blob of red slime, in a few seconds the skin was completely healed, restored to its previous state. I was stunned to silence and so was Linda apparently, she just stood there like a deer caught in headlights. My rational brain tried to process what I just saw in a logical way, but it kept coming back blank. Magic couldn't be real, I mean science… but the evidence was staring me right in the eye. This could also be an elaborate prank by the old man, I'll tan his ass if it is. But if magic is real that will explain my visions especially the one by the… wait… runic etchings, on the door.??
"Ha, I like that look of realization on your face. Now boy, will you tell me what you saw.??" Grey guffawed
"-sigh- alright I will. Last summer after my eighteenth birthday, I had a dream. I was in a battlefield over a hundred thousand soldiers dead they were all from one army."
"Hmm? How could you tell." Linda asked.
"Their uniform. The weirdest thing though, was that I killed all of them, and I still felt strong afterwards. I will feel a deep sense of regret and then bam. I wake up. It's been a recurring dream since then, I had it this morning."
"Interesting, tell me boy what color was the armor worn by the soldiers??"
"Scarlet red for the cloth parts and gold for the hard ones."
"Aye, that was the last great war. You dreamt about your father."
"WHAAAT!" Linda and I shouted in unison.
"Dad has magic and, he did that."
"-chuckles- you misunderstand me. John isn't the one I'm talking about here. He is your father yes, but am talking about your… well your magical father I suppose."
"I don't get it, we've got two dads.??" Linda asked sitting on the bed.
"Not quite. This will be a long discussion, we will continue when we get there." Grey said getting up.
"Get there, where are we going? Linda asked scooping up the forgotten plate of bacon.
My stomach rumbled its disapproval, "I'm still starving you know and I'm weak too".
"Oh that, let me fix you,-azrath mendre" an emerald green light shot from his outstretched palm and struck me square in the chest drawing a very ladylike yelp from me. The effect was instantaneous, my grumbling stomach quietened and my fatigue vanished completely. I felt relief from places I never even knew I was sore.
"Jason, you alright.?" Linda asked worriedly.
"You kidding, I feel brand new, what was that."
"it's called healing magic or Gaia's light, now chop chop we've got to move.
"We're leaving, now?, I don't even have a passport yet". Linda asked from the kitchen.
"Oh, right you won't be needing that. Just get a few clothes and come with me." "You might want to take some shoes too, its sandy out there." He called out.
We left the cabins compound and headed into the dense forest with our baggage in tow. We're not really headed to Egypt on foot, are we?. I got my answer a few minutes into our walk, we came to a depression and a brief reprieve from the thickness of nature. The depression was covered with shrubs and grasses. Annd we stopped. I saw this coming.
"Here we are kids." Grey said spreading his hands dramatically.
"Really, this is Egypt? very funny uncle, veery funny." Linda said, arms akimbo
"I'm outta here,"
"Hold ya horses kids, you don't wanna miss this." A short chant and a quick cantrip later, the whole depression started to ripple, like someone dropped a stone in the pool of reality. Well, I didn't see that one coming. The frequency of the rippling rose until…CRACK… the "fabric of reality", I know that sounds terribly cliché, but that's what I'm calling it. Anyways, the fabric of reality tore, horizontally against the surface of the earth, a giant tear in the air. And as soon as it started, it stopped. Folding in on it self like it was been sucked by a black hole. In place of the depression was a little opening, like the entrance of a cave, tall enough for my 5''7 frame to fit if I crouched a little, and wide enough to fit two average sized people side by side. We entered the little cave totally awestruck by the sight and scents emanating from this little pocket of nature. Thankfully the cave opened up enough I could stand upright and still have considerable headspace.
The interior of the cave was covered with bio luminous plants of various colours, ranging from green to red and even some traces of blue, green being the most abundant. They covered nearly every space on the wall, the roof and even some parts of the floor. The plant life extended inwards deeper into the cave before thickening and converging into some sort of archway, or a door frame perhaps.
"Why are we stopping.?" Linda asked, eyes glued to the archway.
"you'll find out in a minute". Grey replied, clutching a bluish-green rock with an intricately carved runic symbol carved on it. He dropped the stone under the archway, taking a few steps backwards.
Linda and I instinctively followed suite. Grey stretched out his right arm towards the stone, muttering undecipherable words under his breath. Blue light travelled from the elbow of his outstretched arm down to his palm before shooting with lighting speed into the stone. Aside from a slight ripple in the air there was no change until grey stepped through the archway and vanished. A few second later he poked his head through to address the frozen duo. "you guys coming?".
*********
That's it for now fellas. I hope you like it.Thank y'all.