‘I send my prayer to you, Creator,’ atop a tree, the Blessed amongst the Ascended raises a prayer, ‘bring them back to me, for I miss them oh so much,’ for his siblings to meet him once again. His hair has grown to where the tips of his fingers would get lost between all of them, while his flesh bore the burden of a few more scars.
“We must go brother,” Eharel stood at the bottom of the tree, ensuring no creature was to ambush them, whispering to Kilon, “the others are probably home by now,” in his hand, the spear with a blade made of a clawbear claw had a more sharp edge, shining an almost white grey.
“That we must,” Kilon approved, letting his feet touch a branch of the tree, “I just had this odd feeling ever since we entered this portion.”. Kilon and his group were on the hunt for the apex predator that was proving to be far more cunning than they could imagine. ‘It’s reminiscent of the Link, I can tell,’ Kilon climbed down the tree without manipulating the wind, so as to not attract unwanted attention ‘but maybe it’s just me, from using my light for so long.’. At the base of the tree, a group of a hundred Lightborn were quietly gathering.
“Avunaia and the Sweepers left already, they had two injured,” despite their own cunning, the Lightborn had a difficult time dealing with this predator. “The draxes were especially careful this time,” the face of exhaustion from Eharel telling as much, “they’re starting to learn Kilon.”.
Treacons, the apex predators of the Lands Between Mountains, were lizard-like creatures. Walking on all fours, having a feline body, a line of fur on their backs, the rest of the body covered in thick scales, these creatures have evolved with high intelligence and awareness of their surroundings. They weren’t the only intelligent species around the lands, the regal deers being highly aware themselves. But due to the constant challenges they subject themselves to, the draxes were learning from the Lightborn other methods of survival, thus were becoming more and more cunning.
“They’ve been doing it for two tree times,” Kilon was speaking of months by how a tree’s leaves were changing, in this case, six of them, “ever since we arrived, they’ve been stalking us, preying on the smaller groups whenever they could.”. Kilon held his spear in his right hand, the blade was made purely of the metal that was melted on the edge of Eharel’s weapon, his clawbear cape adorned with small trinkets from various animals. “It will stop though,” he stood as tall as ever, his siblings looking with religious eyes towards him, more so than six months prior to when it began, “that I will ensure.”.
From east where they were, Kilon and the hundred Lightborns with him started to head back west. Once out of the forest, they could see the sun shining in the west. The warm embrace of its rays were slightly denied by the cold winds surrounding the forests, then reinforced as they stepped into open fields. There like the branches of a tree, above grass, the crowns of regal deers were moving. Most of them were of a dark brown colour, while Kilon’s, Eharel’s and a few other Lightborn’s were of a beautiful black that would hide them in the night. The regal deers were used to sleeping during the day, but thanks to the Lightborns’ radiant energy, they could push through the better part of the day. This was used as a method to train them to sleep whenever the Lightborn found it most useful.
The dawn of day came with the breaking of bloom moons in the vast fields as well, Kilon admiring their fragile beauty in the fresh and moist air. The other Lightborn were spreading around, as their regal deers had specific positions, so as not to attract any draxe from the forest. Their crowns were rising up from within the grass as soon as their respective master was near them, the smart creatures recognizing the special feeling each of their light had imprinted onto them. Once Kilon was near his, much like him, it was the largest of them all. He called his mount Arhegon. In their tongue arhenul meant night, while eregon meant dawn, thus Arhegon meant ‘dawn of night’. Arhegon was tamed by Kilon, and the other mounts by their respective masters. In Kilon’s case, aside from his size that needed to be accommodated by a larger regal deer, there was also the fact that his mount shouldn’t be intimidated by his presence. So when Kilon stumbled across Arhegon, they both fought each other, Kilon proving his dominance by stopping the crown strike Arhegon tried upon him. The strike from the crown of a seven metres large beast, the crown alone being five metres tall and three metres in width, would’ve killed even a clawbear in a single strike.
“Arhegon,” his beast was also old, its vigour not displaying that though, as it could swing its crown without breaking its neck five or more times, “we return home.”. The beast understood the two words, its name and what its new home was. Kilon, having his clothes made of various clothes and handmade portions, pulled out a small pouch, tied around with a thin strand of the same metal in his blade. By applying more light to his finger, he could warm the metal and bend it open, as the Lightborn were yet to learn how to properly make rope or such things. From it, Kilon took out crimson berries, poisonous for species like rabbits and critters of similar size, but a treat for regal deers. Once he put a few in the palm of his hand, the wise beast picked them out one by one, enjoying each of them by shaking its head up and down and tapping the ground with its hooves. “Good, you’re happy and ready to go then,” Kilon tied around Arhegon’s back a bag filled with minerals and small plants, planning to give them to Avaanel, then the Sweepers to get more of what was useful.
The other Lightborn were dressed in a similar fashion to Kilon, missing only the clawbear cape adorned with trinkets and his spear with the metal blade. Their weapons couldn’t have the same components as Kilon’s, or even as Eharel’s, since they were only able to do it by melting the metal that was hard to find on the surface, then shaping it properly so it could be sharp. Meanwhile their clothing was more for stealth reasons, some even having hoods to cover their heads and small pieces of leather to cover their faces, but it also helped them not be so strained from the use of light to warm up their bodies. With the regal deers too, the Lightborn were able to cross larger distances faster, while feeling the strain effects of the light less than before.
Once every single of them mounted the regal deers and got the materials they found and sought, they only waited for Kilon to take the lead. ‘We shall meet again, mighty draxe’ Kilon promised the beast which he was sure it was watching him from some tree or hole dug in the ground, ‘until then, I have to take care of my brothers and sisters.’. Kilon pondered upon the feeling he had coming inside the forest, the familiarity he was so sure of, he wondered if it truly was just from him using his light for too long. ‘Then I shall let go of it, see if I can still feel it,’ and so he did. He freed his body from the strain of the light, which he used to enhance his mind and senses for the creature that was following them. And, even though it was fainter, ‘It’s still there!’. He thought of telling the others, but then Menoel’s face came to mind, so he tightened his lips, Eharel noticing from his left but not saying anything about it. ‘If it’s really them, I should approach alone, who knows what these siblings of mine will tell them,’ Kilon’s mind was also struck by the possibility that if what he feels is from Manna’s group, then the one to bring upon them the massacre might be between them. ‘If that’s the case, it will become clear to whoever that is that my group will resist, and it could be the catalyst of it,’ while his thinking was correct, he couldn’t know of the one he had visions for so long as not being amongst them any longer.
“Let us go,” Kilon began their march back home, leading the front with Arhegon, a black and brown torrent of proud beasts enveloping the field and steady galloping with their leader at the front. ‘If it is them who harbour the one to bring about the death of so many, then we are to be prepared,’ Kilon’s mind was thinking of the precautions he developed since three months prior, ‘I am to be prepared.’.
During their travel, Kilon’s group met with the Sweepers using the mountains and forests in the south to position themselves right on the path, with three suns before arriving to their home. “What happened, Avunaia?” Kilon approached his sister, the frustration and anger on her face were something most didn’t want to deal with.
“They lured us deeper into the forest, and when we thought we cornered one inside a cave,” Avunaia showed Prickety, fangs and claw marks seeping through the critter’s flesh, “they circled us near the cave’s entrance, and we had to force our way out.”. Kilon would’ve liked to say he was surprised, but seeing as some of them were smart enough to dig holes and even leave false tracks, his face was only caught by the sorrow of losing two of his beloved siblings. “They gave me their lights, right as those beasts tore their flesh apart,” Avunaia grabbed Kilon by his hand, and surged those lights into him, “they wanted you to have them, they believed that, through you, they could have their worth in their death.”.
Avunaia tightened her grip on Kilon, struggling not to cry, but Kilon brought her head to his chest and embraced her. “Don’t worry, they can’t see you if I hold you like this,” his words allowed her to weep as she had wanted since a few days prior, while Kilon did it for himself too, so not to show his own tears.
After a few moments of silent cries, Avunaia pulled herself out of his embrace, trying to contain the sparks for tears inside, Kilon doing the same. “How do you want to deal with them?” Avunaia’s voice was filled with anger and sorrow, Kilon knowing the feeling all too well as he touched the scars on his right arm, the ghostly pain of the recently gained ones reinforcing the feeling.
“We will bring Menoel along,” his answer made Avunaia widen her eyes, for she knew what that meant. “I can see various ways through which we alone could deal with them, but they all lead with more death,” Avunaia had no issue with his proposition, but could tell how it wasn’t something Kilon wanted either.
“What about Melonius?” their mounts started to slow down a little, and the rest of the group with them in a slow wave. “Can we trust him to do it?”.
“Trust,” Kilon coughed a laugh with the word, “it’s not that I don’t trust their actions, it’s their thinking that always is bothersome.”. Eharel approached them, trying to see what they were talking about, but some Sweepers weren’t allowing him to drop an ear to hear. “I only brought Eharel along because I needed someone who knew how to order our siblings around, and there’s only a few other as good as him.”.
“But I figure we’re still going to bring him, won’t we?” Avunaia got her answer from a slow sigh from Kilon. “Then let’s bring Stelorus too,” his name confused Kilon for a moment, then he realised what his sister was proposing, and was ready to deny it. “I know how he is, but think of his ability, he’s the only one who can keep Menoel and Melonius from doing anything that will be troublesome.”.
Kilon could see how Stelorus, a Lightborn of the strongest red glow, could help them with their siblings. Stelorus’ ability allows him to impose his own light upon others, and to effectively make parts of their body obey his own will, be it Lightborn or a critter of sorts. It was an ability that Stelorus used as to play with his siblings during their time at the Link, then later developed to incapacitate creatures that were hard to kill. His constraints were the direct contact he had to enter through in order to impose his will, then the prideful arrogance he had due to his strength and beasts he had killed, and lastly, the sizes of the creatures he could bend to his own will couldn’t be much larger than him. His ability was in a way specialised to be more effective against Lightborn, since it functions on the principle of light manipulation and control. Kilon didn’t want him to take part into it since he didn’t know whether he was with Menoel’s created belief, or acted like Avunaia, to his knowledge, out of his own accord.
“I will have you speak with Stelorus then. Keep in mind that if he worships me, then he will be of no good. So try not to reveal too much while convincing him,” Kilon made his mind, “and I will speak with Menoel and Melonius, they will probably be pretty ecstatic to join me.”. With the sun setting in the east, Kilon came to a halt, and so did the rest of the group, Eharel annoyed by the fact that he couldn’t hear what the two were talking.
After three more days of travel, Kilon’s group was close to home, and the various lights shining in the dark distance was telling them as much. For six months, the Lightborn in Kilon’s group spent their time building living structures out of trees and plants, but the ground where they grew their plants from was rich in gems and minerals. Thus, when the fauna started to grow at incredible speeds, minerals and gems got stuck inside pieces of wood and different parts of them.
From afar the land which they called home, looked like an odd forest that had trees systematically placed. The trees had different colours, as the gems and gem dust inside their trunks and crowns had the plants absorb parts of them at a rapid pace until they were coloured differently. To match their own glow, some Lightborn chose to live inside treehouses that matched them, while others chose their house by different aspects, from sturdiness and architecture, to design and appeal. Only one tree stood grander than the rest, and it was the place where the brightest minds gathered to share knowledge and help their race further their understanding of the world.
As Kilon arrived, the Lightborn inside the land started to notice the gathering regal deers and ran to welcome Kilon and his group. The clothes these Lightborn wore inside their homeland were thinner and almost took off from their bodies, as they were made of a silk collected from spiders inhabiting underground, deep caves. They wore these silks in three sections. One from neck to shoulders, covering some portion of their arms, then from chest to bottom, and finally a separate piece for their legs. While the silk wasn’t too transparent, their glow made the shape of their bodies pronounced when looked at.
The Lightborn which came to meet Kilon were those that had their free time, while those still working wore clothing more akin to what Kilon’s group had. Under Kilon’s orders, Lightborns had to train for at least the rising time of the sun, then expand their understanding in regards to different kinds of manipulation, from air, water and earth to more difficult ones like lightning and fire. At the end of each day, besides praying, the Lightborn were to try and come with concepts, ideas and thoughts of their own which they could use to help make their home better against threats and such.
Thanks to this approach, the Lightborn were starting to understand their world much faster. From having solutions for the local poisons and dangerous fauna, to better methods of exploration and using various materials, the Lightborns were entering an age of knowledge unique for the whole world.
Kilon began by saying “May the light protect all of you, my siblings,” bowing his back and head a bit forward, left hand on his chest, right hand almost open, having to hold the spear, holding his fingers closed together.
“May the light keep loving you,” his siblings responded, the change in their response reflective of the view they developed of him.
Menoel stood out from the rest of the group, his eyes gazing upon his brother with a certain intent, telling him that there were matters to discuss and wanted his attention. Kilon chose to ignore him for a moment, then reminded himself that he will have to ask for his help anyway, so he responded with a slight nod. After Menoel got what he wanted from Kilon, he started to head back towards the large tree in the centre, a mineral rich ground paved solid by Lightborns so Kilon wouldn’t have to dirty his feet. It was something Kilon didn’t appreciate that it was dedicated to him as a sort of veneration, but could also admire the resourcefulness of his brethren.
After going down from Arhegon, ensuring he’s taken care of, Kilon made his way through, followed by Avunaia and Eharel in the crowd. Approaching their home some more, Kilon could see some Lightborn erecting a sort of living wall at the edges of their land, giant roots and branches serving a different purpose than intended. ‘I figure that must be his hand at play,’ he thought, struggling to make his way through as his siblings wanted to feel the warmth of his light.
After he managed to get inside their home, Kilon passed by the large treehouses, seeing a busy Lightborn here and there hard at work, almost not bothered by the commotion outside. ‘If only they were all like this,’ he thought, those working getting distracted themselves by the power he emanated through his glow. Going further towards the centre, the houses began to twist and spiral towards the larger tree, as they were the unearthed roots of the tree, bent towards it. ‘I should’ve taken care of this myself,’ he kept reprimanding himself, as he remembered how Avunaia offered for the task of building said houses.
Then, once in front of the gigantic tree, Kilon admired its beauty once more. Growing over a hundred metres from the ground, with the trunk’s girth standing at twenty, the tree represented the collective efforts of over a thousand Lightborn brought together over the course of a week. The Lightborn that were working inside their houses, peeked through living windows and doors at Kilon, wanting to appreciate his every moment he was there. Kilon was spending more time outside their home than inside. The reason was because of the draxes, but also because he felt suffocated by their constant attention and dedication, to the point where he felt it was better to return to the Link. He could only find the calm inside himself when he thought that them venerating him, was by far better than seeing all of them dead. So if he had to live like that for the rest of an eternity, he didn’t mind doing so. But he knew better, that the eternity he was living into wouldn’t last very long.
“Sister,” Kilon called for Avunaia, and she showed herself at his right, “you can leave for the work I assigned you.”. Avunaia gave Kilon a knowing glance, then made herself lost through the crowd, Eharel keeping an eye of her direction, noting how she headed for Avaanel’s house. “Brother,” Kilon called upon Eharel’s attention, which he gave once he saw Avunaia entering Avaanel’s house, “if you’re proccupied, you can join a future meeting.”.
“It is fine, I was just admiring our home. It is still growing even after all this time,” Eharel lied to Kilon, “shall we go inside then?”. Eharel made a hand gesture, and Kilon entered the giant tree, which they were yet to name. Kilon wanted Manna and Orvus to present when they were going to name both their home and its pride.
Manna’s Group
The night was enveloped by a powerful storm, much like that time. At the edge of the Gargantuan Forest, many dim lights were gathering to a certain point. One which stood out amongst all of them, was silently following a once dangerous predator for them, then an object upon which they could exact their revenge. As the forest was lit for a moment, the shadow of a beast hovered across the cold ground, and in the cold winds gathering, green strands of life were waving the signs of new grounds.
The beast ran all around, trying to escape an inevitable fate that was awaiting it. It could see from time to time the smallest specks of light jumping across trees or running on the ground. While the beast wanted to rip into any of them, its instincts could foresee the death it would await should it dare. The prospect of death and the fear that was compulsory to take action, were both things which its hunters wanted.
Then, as it thought it found refuge inside one of the trees, only the strike of lightning allowed it to see the shine of the two blades that claimed its life.
“Who wanted the fangs?” Salvete approached the dead shadow lurker, her hands covered by fur and mud, below scars of countless battles.
“Manna killed it, so she should have the rights to them,” Eraanel’s eye was the only part glowing in the dark, as he adopted Salvete’s means, much like everyone else. “You should be thankful my eye noticed it in time, otherwise it would have escaped,” Eraanel took out a short blade from between his animal furs, a cape covering his shoulders.
“There are no rights Eraanel, if you want it, take it,” Manna corrected him, her tall figure not having the usual glow it should’ve had. “Besides,” Manna took one of the limbs and ripped it from its socket, its blood flowing with more ease in the warmer environment, “as long as we can claim some of it back, it doesn’t matter who takes what.”. In the storm of the night, a dozen Lightborn started to feast upon the corpse of the shadow lurker, their way to punish the creatures which dwindled their numbers. They didn’t care what part of it they ate. Be it the limbs, torso, organs or fur, the Lightborn were consuming all of it like hungry beasts. But there was no hunger, only the insatiable appetite to claim some of the consumed portions of their brethren. While the act was savage in nature, their intent was in a way pure since there was no hate present, just the wish to recover what was lost and dear to them.
“Are you sure this is the way?” Salvete asked, the blood on her mouth drying fast due to her light, colouring her skin red for a while. “There are those mountain things Kilon called, and there was only cold coming from them in the Shivering Lands,” Salvete ate more of its flesh while talking, the corpse of the shadow lurker almost consumed in a few minutes.
“I am,” Manna confirmed, eating the larger chunks of meat from the legs of the beast, “all the lights resonated the feeling, it is Kilon on the other side.”. The Lightborn stopped for a moment, his name calling upon dear memories that they thought would never come back. “And it’s once again thanks to him that we get out of danger,” Manna looked at Eraanel too, “you as well.”.
“What if he rejects us?” Eraanel asked, concerned for how Kilon might see them as they have changed into ruthless hunters across the six months spent inside the Gargantuan Forest. “You know I’m willing to die for you, Manna, and most, if not all, of us are ready to do the same.”. An uneasiness was building up in the air, as those present didn’t want to have to fight any longer, especially not against Kilon and their kin.
“He won’t reject us, he can’t,” Manna stood up, finishing the last bit of meat and wiping the blood off of her face and hands. “For if he does, we will ensure he knows we’re not going to back away,” her eyes started to light up, as did her skin and longer hair, regaining their normal glow, but with an ominous undertone ‘when we meet, brother, we must learn of each other’s pain, for I am sure you have endured much yourself.’. Thinking of the reunion with her brother, Manna felt forgotten emotions surging back into her body. The sense of insecurity which she had for every single moment inside the Gargantuan Forest, was starting to fade a little bit. “He shall wait for our arrival, the five hundred of us remaining.”.166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsoIrvFxfU
