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Chapter Six - Tre14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiC49ZRTr3
"Abel… Abel!!" I limp as fast as a human werewolf vampire hybrid can, with the cuts, bruises, and broken ribs making every breath more painful than the last. For a moment, before I get to Abel, I take a minute to reflect on the fear and gravity of the situation after Serverus got his ancient cheeks— butt cheeks—clapped, then sent back to the ancient's realm. I really hate that place; it reeks of privilege and expired traditions reinforced year after year after hundreds of years by the same old dudes in cliche cloaks, long gray beards, and a baldness that" just won't quit" as they spit out modern lingo trying to make themselves seem "cooler." As I finish my minor rant, I walk over to the fresh pile of soil with a tiny silver sprout. I pluck it from the ground if Abel's wounds don't heal fast enough; the healing properties of Argenti Sana will do the trick with some days of rest.
As I turn around, I feel a chill running up my spine; the air gets much colder than it was a second ago, and who I fear most appears. "Tre, Tre, Tre…" The illuminated figure speaks and holds up his right hand; out of the four fingers, he only leaves his index figure up, pointing towards the night sky. He begins to shake his head and finger at me, going back and forth from left to right. "My child, my child. Are you really surprised that Serverus would show up tonight? Well, you should not have been!! This counsel has warned you time and time again about interfering with the will of the Gods!" I hate the way he talks to me, no questions about my reasoning or my beliefs. He always puts words in my mouth, goes back to "his" council, then gossips to those dusty pals about how I cower underneath his presence that I AM an abomination.
"We have done so much for you and that family of yours who do not want you—"I can't bear to hear any more of this nonsense. "Domini! You and my family offer me nothing!! What have you truly done for me?! Everything… Literally, everything I have done over the years has been for the benefit of your council, and those people you call "my family" have chosen time and time again to disown me; the day those people sold me… They. sold. me. Whatever connection we had is gone, reduced to ash; the blood running through my veins is the only link we will ever have." Domini rolls his eyes while laughing at me. I clench my fist so hard my nails dig deep into my palms. "Drama. Drama. Drama. Why are you soooo dramatic? You act like I'm fond of you as if I care about any of your family history or those pitiful feelings of yours."
Now my jaw follows suit, clenching with such force I swear my teeth might shatter. Domini kept speaking his nonsense, so I tuned him out; ancients like him tend to want to hear themselves much more than anything or anyone else. What do you expect from a being thousands of years older than me? I wouldn't be surprised when he bent over; there would be a sizeable rotting broomstick shoved up his butt. Though it would be funny, I hope that day never comes; I'd rather not add to my current level of PTSD. Joking aside, I need to go check on Abel; I doubt he'll be awake anytime soon; his external injuries are one thing, but I prefer not imagining what his internal injuries must be like.
I start tuning back in, instantly regretting my decision as I listen to Domini continuing "our" conversation. "I think—"Hopefully, interrupting him for the last time. "Okay, Domini, get on with it. My friend over here is in bad condition, and I'd love to continue chatting with you, but—"He raises his thin four-fingered hands, reaches into his cloak, and pulls out a notebook, which baffles me because there are no pockets in that cloak. Any magician pulling rabbits out of hats would be envious of the kind of trickery or illusion the ancient was casting. "Man, I completely forget what I am supposed to warn you about…" Domini begins flipping through his notebook, going from one page to the next.
Finally, a few moments later, he speaks, but after listening to him hum, Staying Alive by Bee Gees, which has to be the most inappropriate song to hum while my friend is dying yards away from me. "Ahhhh, here we go!!" Domini grins. "A message to Vincent, Son of Praelectus—"I shake my head, then remind him. "It's Tre, Domini. You know this." His eyes widen, "Okay, Vincent, Son of Praelectus—"I roll my eyes this time, but stay quiet because… why bother with this old fart. "—I, Domini, Son of The Ancients, am brought here today to deliver a message for you and Abel, Son of Electi." He takes a long pause for dramatic effect, which he does EVERY TIME. As I roll my eyes, Domini continues with his "great reveal."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNaTriDhpa
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Two Sons born from the same womb.
Unclaimed, but not yet Deserted.
Each will be crowned king.
Both will be overthrown.
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One will flee by choice.
The other shall flee by force.
Neither can succeed without the other.
If one perishes, so will the fate of all realms.
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Chapter Seven - Abel
I wake up with Tre over me applying some kind of ointment on all my wounds. Whatever it is, it smells like Lavender, which always calms me down, soothing my anxiety. As far as I could tell, before passing out, I broke some ribs, got a hole in my right arm and shoulder, and I have a feeling Serverus slit and dislodged my throat, so I felt like there was absolutely no way I wasn't officially gone. Surprisingly, I can breathe as I always have, but with a subtle amount of pain coming through with every breath. I place my hands on my next, and there isn't any torn flesh, not even a bandage, but I do feel the marks from where Serverus and his claws got way too intimate with my throat. I place my hands under my sternum, with a subtle amount of pain radiating from the left side of my ribs when pressure is applied.
"Quit moving, Abel; I am almost done applying Argenti Sana to your wounds. This type of flower is scarce, so any amount we can save for the future would be ideal, possibly lifesaving." I don't know what Argenti Sana is, maybe an herb, but I'm getting the impression I would not be here without it or Tre, especially his knowledge and experience in the matter. As I continue to lie here, waiting for him to finish the treatment, I couldn't help about the last 24 hours. I mean, I was rescued from a Laboratory where I am pretty sure now they were attempting to dissect me; A random beast named Serverus almost killed Tre and me, so we barely escaped death there. Lastly, the power, the surge of energy I felt when pinned, then the faceoff; The same power ran through my body while time slowed down, which I can't explain. Serverus's words keep going around my head like getting stuck in a revolving door," I haven't seen this kind of… power in ages".
"You're all good now. I'm sure you have questions, but I don't have enough answers or any really to give you at the moment. This is a first for me…" I get up from the wooden table in the kitchen/dining room of a cabin while holding the left side of my ribs, doing my best to dull the pain. I want to know more and figure out what's happening to me, but I can tell Tre needs rest; I'm not sure how long I've been out and his lack of sleep since. The dark circles under his eyes are a telltale sign, "I'll be okay, why don't you go get some rest?" Tre nods his head, then pats me on the shoulder. "Thanks, man; I haven't slept for the last 48 hours, and I'm spent. We'll both need all the strength we can get… I'm reluctant, but I can't think of another place or how to keep either of us safe. We are heading to Portum to meet Vates. She has the answers to some of our questions." I stay quiet. Nodding while smiling to show acknowledgment and some semblance of gratitude.
Some hours later, Tre opens the door, walks out of the bedroom in new clothes, and throws a backpack my way. He throws a change of clothes as they fly through the air, smacking me in the face. I lose my balance, but fortunately, with the help of gravity, the hardwood floor catches me with a cold embrace only a cabin in the woods can provide. "Bullseye!" I can't help but laugh. I lift myself, then do a few push-ups to mask a slightly embarrassing moment. "Nnniccce Recovery. Truly Convincing. Go get changed, man. Let's hit the road. It will take a few days, and I don't want to take the shortcut… you might not make it if we do that." My left eye twitches, and a massive lump forms in my throat; I take on a painful gulp, then turn 180 degrees, slowly stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door.
We leave the cabin, and I take a few steps, then look up to see if the world feels any different than it did yesterday. It's dusk out, and the sky has an orange-yellow tint with a light blend of purple and pink as if trying to be aesthetically pleasing. The world hasn't changed, and the air still smells the same; on any other given day, I wouldn't care enough to notice, but today is unlike any other. As I walk closer to the entrance with Tre leading the way, I see all the debris that makes the RV Campground look like an EF Zero tornado passed through it; several drops and splashes of blood staining the gravel everywhere in sight. This reinstilled the forgot for a few moments, a confirmation from the night before. Tre doesn't seem phased or triggered by any part of this unnatural scene, which gives me comfort.
After a few hours of walking in the forest, in the dark and with the dimmest flashlight I've ever had the displeasure of hitchhiking with. "Hey, Tre. Thank you for everything back—"He stops me mid-sentence, moving forward without turning around. "You're welcome, but you don't have to thank me for last night… I should be thanking you. I was as good as dead, and you were willing to sacrifice yourself to give me time to make a run for it… Your type of selflessness and raw power was unlike anything I've seen. It was unfathomably stupid but just as courageous. At that moment, I felt I was important to somebody, and as soon as I recognized that… I almost lost you. I almost lost a brother. Family is a word I haven't used in years, much less thought about. I'm more than grateful to have met you… One day, I'll return the favor." Though I can't see his face, Tre lifts his arms and wipes away the tears rolling down his face.
We keep walking through the forest for what seems like days; the only sounds I can hear are the twigs snapping underneath our feet, the wind rustling the leaves in large trees, and dry leaves that continue their relentless assault on my face. "Why are we taking the "scenic" route? You know, we have these nice things called roads, and even though the lighting would be the same, it'd be less creepy than being surrounded by darkness that has no bounds." He chuckles, then turns around for the first time, smiling. "I know it's an odd choice, but this provides us an advantage against anything like Serverus heads our way. Some of my senses heighten whenever I'm surrounded by nature. I am able to hear better, see better, and even smell better. This is our best move for the time being because I'm still not sure what elements increase your strengths yet and what weaknesses you have in different climates and environments.”
"Sooooo, you're like the Greek God, Artemis??" Tre tilted his head to the left, then burst out laughing. "Yeah, except I'm a guy, and I'm definitely not Greek!" I start laughing hysterically, too. I feel a few tears roll down my cheeks, I double over, painful ribs and all. I forgot how much I miss laughing to the point where my stomach cramps up and I can hardly breathe… this reminds me of the joy I've been suppressing over the years. "Man, I needed that…" Tre doing his best to catch his breath. "Alright, let's set up camp just a few paces ahead." I slightly tilt my head to the right. "I'm exhausted, but I don't want to get jumped by a hairier version, a super hairier version of a descendant of David Hasselhoff."
He smirks before answering, "Everything we need is in our bags except for protection, which I've already handled. Just make sure when you do your business out in the woods you don't wander too far…" My bladder immediately tightens up, and for a moment, I begin to wonder whether I should relieve myself here and now or wait until morning. "Uhhh, why?" "For the last couple of hours, we've been followed by a pack of wolves. As part of my powers, I can summon animals inhabiting an area. Sometimes, animals will just follow and offer protection. I don't always have to call upon them, but when I do, they stay as long as I need them until I break past a certain barrier once leaving the woods or any area birthed by nature." For the first time, I look around us and see multiple pairs of fiery white glowing eyes; each pair with such intensity I feel more like their next meal, not really getting those amigo vibes.
After we set the tent, we built ourselves a fire and ate a couple of hotdogs with some delicious smores for dessert. I walk inside the tent and enter my sleeping bag, pulling a fur felt over me; thank god almighty, it didn't come from wolves. My luck, it would have been made by skinning a friend or, worse, a distant relative. I'd be the prime suspect and the perfect candidate for a lovely platter of vengeance with a side of wolfy vindication. Before a quick prayer, I lay my head on the most comfortable and possibly the hardest rock on earth or perhaps existence. I close my eyes and carefully listen to the crackling of the fire, crickets chirping, the creaky branches swaying with the wind, and the howling of wolves because… why not? There’s no way I won’t have nightmares tonight.
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Chapter Eight - Tre14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp390qr2Dd
Staring down at the fires as I tend to it, I turn around and look at the front of the tent. I make sure Abel closes the opening. "Hey, Abel… Abel…” No response, but I hear him start to snore lightly after ten minutes, so I wait another five minutes to ensure the coast is clear. "You can come out now, Luna… Abel's asleep." I poke and prod the glowing embers, seeing tiny sparks go upwards and hear dry wood popping as they travel into the night sky. I wait for a few minutes, then after another ten to fifteen minutes pass, and as I raise my head, I see her appear across from me. Luna smiles, sits on a log, and then places her hands over the fire. "I'm happy you called. It's been a while since I last saw you… how are you holding up these days?" I set down the branch I am using as a fire poker, placing my hands over my face, hoping to wipe my memory from the last several hours of traveling through the forest.
I scratch the side of my neck before answering. "Not well…" Luna looks at me with concern and pity. She can relate; her life is more dangerous than mine ever was. Over the last 150 years, most of her time has been spent fighting and surviving encounters with all kinds of beasts, creatures, ancients, and even mortals. "Sometimes words aren't enough for a situation of this magnitude, especially when the ancients appear, revealing the first prophecy in over 250 years. For the time being, fill me in and make time to continue processing the last few days. We may be able to learn something vital aiding us on our journey." I nod slowly. "Seems like that's going to be the easy part. We must figure out Abel's role and his connection with the prophecy. After our encounter with Serverus, he could withstand such extensive damage to his body, reducing Serverus to a pile of ashes… I've never seen or heard of a being expelling this amount of energy in any of the five realms, let alone survive after killing an ancient.” Luna’s eyes fell straight to the ground with a thousand-yard stare.
It’s not like Luna to be speechless or dissociate; her reaction to almost everything is usually a casual shrug, then an “okay.” She’s never been one from dramatics, but I’m comforted by the silence; for once, there wasn’t an easy fix, some plan that could be drawn up in a fraction of a second. This made her seem mortal; Luna is the oldest Huntress I know; if she doesn’t know where to begin, then maybe the ones chasing us are on the same wavelength. “Luna… what’s on your mind? You are NEVER this silent.” Probably not the best time to say or put an emphasis on “NEVER.” Luna snaps back to reality. “Uhhh, NEVER this silent… Are you saying I talk too much?” It wasn’t my finest moment, but here we are. “A—Absolutely, not… maybe a little. Don’t punch—“ She walks over, sits down, smiles, then, as expected, throws a couple of jabs, and my arm goes numb.
“Besides assaulting me, what’re we going to do?” I rub my right arm, hoping some sensation comes flooding back. “I—I’m not sure what we can do… this is uncharted territory. Most of the beings who lived during a time when this could have happened are long gone or in hiding. If Abel defeated Serverus the way you claim, our most pressing problem is making sure he fights with us and NOT with them.” She looks over at the tent before continuing her explanation. “Abel may be… he may be what the ancients call, Cor. The harbinger of Life and Death. All I know for certain is that this being will have the power to destroy realms, any realm. He must be trained to control his powers before they control him.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjBS5cd0XN
Now, I was uncomfortable; I clearly see why PURA kidnapped Abel and was ready to dissect and then drain the blood from his entire body. The torn pages left on Ava’s clipboard revealed only that information, but it confirmed some of Luna’s hypotheses. “You are on to something. I rescued Abel from a laboratory two days ago, and he was taken by the PURA. I took out a few of their guards and one of the doctors performing the examination, but Ava and the other doctor got away.” Luna places her left hand on her wrist, rubbing while squeezing back and forth. “The Caligo’s must know who he is and what Abel is capable of. If my assumptions are true, then the PURA will never stop at nothing to hunt and enslave him for the rest of eternity, siphoning his powers until he’s withered, turned into ash, then be scattered to the four winds of the Earth…” All of sudden as if on queue, silence fell upon us. The insects stopped chirping, the branches stopped creaking, then a gust of wind roared through the forest and the campfire blew out.
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Chapter Nine - Abel
I was rudely awakened. "Abel! Let's Go!" Tre yelled as he ripped me out of the tent; everything was pitch black. The sounds of wolves snarling and yelping surrounded us, and the smell of smoke overwhelmed my nostrils, which left me coughing and gasping for air. "We've got to go now!" He pulls so hard, tearing my shirt as I stumble onto my feet—thankfully, it wasn't my favorite shirt—I begin to sprint, following Tre, then after a few yards tripping over a fallen tree—I'm assuming—then catching myself with both hands recovering as I continue to run blindly through the forest. "Tre! What's going on?!" He gives no response, only the sounds of his footsteps as his pace gets increasingly faster.
We make it to a clearing, and I come to a complete stop, exhausted; I lean forward and place my hands on both knees. As I catch my breath, I hear multiple footsteps coming from behind me. I turn around, and right before seeing what's coming my way, then something slams into my chest. The wind gets knocked out of me. Cosmic retribution for whatever the fuck I did in my previous life. "Get off me." She says—whoever she is—she shoves me back into the ground while lifting herself up using my ribs, chest, then face in that order. “Okay, yeah.” I get up and begin to wipe the dirt off my pants, then my face “She barrels into me, and then she says, Get off me.” I mumbled.
"Tre, who is this ray of sunshine—"Just as I was about to finish my question, she held a knife up to my neck. "The name's Luna." I grab the side of her blade, then gently pull it away from my throat. "Okay, Luna… I'd say it's nice to meet you, but your blade beat you to it." Luna smirks while placing her knife back in its sheath. We took a few minutes to examine the other; the ring around her pupils was a soft purple color, just like the skies before, entertaining the forest. She had a few scars, one from the corner of her right eye, tracing halfway down to her jawline, and the others on her neck from the left jugular to the right. She smelled like flowers, roses, maybe with a mix of freshly cut grass. Before I could even realize it, my face felt like it was getting hotter and hotter. I saw Luna knit her eyebrows with a puzzled look on her face, which was when I jolted myself back to reality, hoping no one else noticed the trance I was in.
I looked over at Tre; his face lit up, a wide grin, eyebrows raised, and I could tell he was loving every single moment of this. "Cute." He started chuckling, and then, in unison, Luna and I shouted. "Shut up, Vincent!!" Luna and I look at each other; she glares at me, and I blush. "Even Cuter." As soon as the words flew out of his mouth, in a flash, Luna threw her dagger with the handle, boinking him right between the eyes. "Why?!" He places his hands on his forehead while I stand, trying so hard not to laugh, I’d like evade being her next victim. Luna scoffs. "You know why." He removes his hands, revealing a perfect bullseye with a bit of blood streaming down his face. "Alright, let's move. We still have a day's travel before Portum's entrance moves to another location." As she walked on ahead, Luna opened her palm, and the dagger flew right into it as if her hand was a magnet.
Cool trick, but I wasn’t going say something that might get a dagger thrown at my face, especially when Luna could just open the palm of her hand, have it zip right back to her, and then proceed to repeat like a co-op game of paddle ball as in her dagger was the ball and my face was the paddle. Lost in thought, a shock runs through my body from the anxiety, reeling me back to reality. Thankfully, dawn was approaching, and the colors in the sky were returning, revealing the lush landscape and mountains a few hundred yards away. In front of us, there’s a valley with a river cutting through it leading into another forest —yippee—more dense trees and zero cheeseburgers. My stomach growls, audible enough for anyone within a 5-mile radius to hear, so I break the silence…this time with words, not a vital organ.
“So… anybody else hungry?” I asked cautiously, but neither Luna nor Tre turned around. I gave them a few minutes before interrupting the improbably thrilling conversation we all could be having. “Could one of you please talk? I’m starving over here, and if we aren’t taking a detour to the nearest Raising Cane’s or Diner. The least you can do is summon a delicious spicy chicken sandwich. My first choice would be a cheeseburger, but—” Tre begins to slow his pace. “We won’t be eating anything until we reach Portum. It’s not ideal, but Luna’s right… you need to begin training far earlier than I anticipated.” The hunger I was once feeling evaporated. “Welp. Don’t worry about that detour… my hunger has been quenched by a big ole plate of disappointment with a side of fear.” He forces a smirk and looks over at me the same way all of those people who attended my parents’ funeral had years ago. His facial expression was filled with sorrow, guilt, and maybe even pity. I’m not sure why he would ever feel guilty, but I sensed he knew much more about my future than previously led to believe.
As we reached the entrance to the valley, Tre began to explain why we fled the forest hours ago, “Umbras… they were sent to search, then tag our location to send back to their superiors. Benign creatures usually out scouting their prey without physical confrontation.” He shakes his head in disbelief, “The umbra somehow possessed some of the wolves summoned… This is unheard of; my previous mentor and our library of chronicles hardly mentioned any circumstances which led me to believe they had such power.” Eventually, he informed me that Luna was not only partially but fully responsible for our escape. She masked our scent, then stayed behind to fight off the remaining umbras, hence why she bolted out of the forest and crashed into me.
Before entering another forest, we took a break by the river. Tre decided to go grab kindling to make a fire, and we—more like them—decided on having fish for lunch. Frankly, I wanted to avoid being alone; much of what I learned was already hard enough to process and suppress. For the moment, the wise choice would be to tag along, so I headed with Luna to a part of the stream where the water was moving much slower. We found a spot close to a hundred yards away, give or take from the spot of the campfire, but my concern was how in the world we’d catch a single fish without a fishing rod. We could make spears and dart them into the stream, impaling a fish or two; time is of the essence, so the efficiency was key here, and I rarely ate fish, let alone caught one. Luna was already a step ahead of me and what she did next was… incredible.
Luna walked to the river's edge, got down on one knee, and laid her hand in the water, turning her palm toward the sky. I went over and sat beside her, patiently waiting for something to happen. After a few moments, she closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and waved her hand from side to side. From where I was sitting, she was having zero success; the weight of regret continued to nag and then got heavier. Every minute that passed, I kept thinking of going into the woods, grabbing a stick, sharpening it, and taking my chances spearfishing. My stomach was giving me a hard time, and the patience I did have grew thin. I went to stand up and head back; the only thing for lunch would be the bitter taste of defeat.
"Abel, come here…" Luna said softly. I was reluctant, but something told me to turn around. Suddenly, a gentle, cool breeze blows through, and the stream's flow loses pace. I inch closer to her as she continues to move her hands under the water; Luna looks over and smiles at me, which, I'll admit, makes my heart skip and beat. She focused back on the stream; we both sat there in silence and then fish began swimming toward her one by one. The next thing I knew, three fish were right in front of her; each fish swam into her palm one by one. She gently closed her hand, petting the fish, then saying thank you before taking it out of the water. I had no words; this was beyond unbelievable. I'd go as far as to say I had just witnessed a miracle.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueYXzsGKTT
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Chapter 10 - Abel
Luna and I made our way back to camp. We had three fish ready to cook for a late lunch. One was in her hands, and my hands were occupied with the rest. Tre was already stoking the fire. Luna was responsible for removing the skin from the fish, and he would cook the meat as she finished. I couldn’t offer much help, so I took advantage and sought some privacy. This whole experience has been draining and primarily confusing, and I can’t believe this, but I wished for my old life back. Despite the living hell of what my “normal” life used to be, at least I knew what to expect day in and day out. All of my life, I constantly ran from every problem possible; it was the only way I survived and continue to; now, I can’t anymore. My past was a nuclear wasteland, and the only move I had left was to trust in Tre and maybe Luna, but in the distant future.
Some time passed, and I skipped a few rocks before returning to camp. I bent down, grabbed another rock, and felt its weight as I tossed it up and down until it landed firmly in my palm. My eyes scanned the area across the stream for a target, but everything just looked the same, so I gave up and aimed for a decently sized rock protruding from the side of the mountain. It was in the middle of two trees; moss was growing on the side, and I could see the roots digging into the stream. Did I mention I was horrible at skipping rocks? They always skip a couple of times, then dip, making a splash in the water. For some reason or another, I stood there and focused on the target; a strange tingle built up in my chest, then traveled to my left hand as I threw the rock.
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I was reminded of my battle with Serverus, but the surge of energy wasn’t close to the same; still, it was enough to slow down time. I let go of the rock and, with perfect precision—unbelievable with my track record—for the first time, the rock hit its target; a solid smack rang out, and then it shattered into tiny bits and pieces. I stood there stunned; suddenly, a golden symbol lit up around the rock:14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlzaXgaEV4
The dirt surrounding the rock crumbled and revealed an opening. From that distance, I could only make out a dim light coming from the inside. I questioned its existence and wondered if I should take a quick detour before returning for lunch. Hesitantly, I stepped towards it. I wasn’t sure how long the entrance would be open, but I made the decision to come back and then explore with Tre and Luna.
I spot the pair in deep conversation; it seemed like they were arguing. Beside them were a couple of fish skeletons lying near the fire and one unappealing fish on a stick. They both see me coming and stop their intense conversation; I noted it, then sat on a nice sturdy rock. I avoided asking questions about what they discussed just a few minutes ago. “Man, the fish was delicious, lunch was… adequate. Thank you, Tre, for cooking and Luna, for luring this fish to its imminent slow and possibly painful demise.” Tre held back laughter while Luna rolled her eyes, for which I could not blame her. Getting half the room to laugh while the other half rolls their eyes and is filled with disdain... this is my specialty.
After I told them about my sick rock-throwing/skipping skills, I brought up the discovery of the cave entrance. They both gave me a wearily look; neither of them was excited by the news, but they were interested in at least checking it out before we continued heading towards Portum. Luna closed her eyes. “I’ve heard of underground entrances, shortcuts to several places in the mortal world, as well as portals to other realms. My main concern is where exactly this tunnel would lead…” Tre nodded in agreement. Although he couldn’t offer much on this subject, he also had his reservations. “Hypothetically speaking, this tunnel may get us to our destination much quicker?” She nodded. Being naive and all to this new world of mythical beasts and the ancients— old pale dudes in robes—I was adamant about taking this route.
Neither of them wanted to go in, but we really didn’t have a choice. Time was running out, and even though we may have been in more danger entering the tunnel, we were also in danger outside. The walk seemed much farther than it was the first time; we got to the point where I was afraid the tunnel had collapsed, or maybe I made the whole thing up in my mind. Fortunately, we found it! I would soon regret my enthusiasm for using a shortcut and getting underground where we might be safer, even if it would be temporary. Nevertheless, we continued walking across the stream and barefoot through the cold water.
We made it to the other end of the stream, then stood side by side before entering, building enough courage to make the first step. All three of us looked at each other with similar expressions filled with anxiety and trepidation. No one was making a move, and I knew time was running out, so I took the first step. As soon as I went to take my second step forward, Luna threw her arm in front of my chest. “No, Abel… I’ll go in first. I had and continue to have a horrible feeling about this tunnel, especially now that we are in front of the entrance.” I haven’t known her for long, but everything Tre has told me about her vast knowledge and experiences due to an incredibly long and painful life revealed how grave the consequences of our blatant ignorance could be.
“There is nothing I can say or teach you to prepare either of you for what might happen next when we make our way through the tunnel. Tre will be okay; he has enough training and power to defend himself, but Abel does not. Before we enter, my only condition is for you to listen and do everything I say.” She gave me a stern look. “Also, I need you to be equipped with some weapon if neither of us can reach or protect you. Here is my brother’s blades, daggers called Vindicta. This weapon was passed down from my grandfather to my father, then to my… brother.” Guilt, then sorrow washed over her face. “I can’t… I can’t possibly take that from you. This may be the only token you have left of your family’s legacy you have left. Why would you give this away? Especially to someone like me?”
Luna puts her head, staring at the ground. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and a tear ran down her left cheek. Luna raises her head but avoids making eye contact. After a few minutes, she locked eyes with me, and those light purple eyes drew me in. Time slowed down, but not due to some magical force or power; it came from a moment in time, a moment where I could hear our hearts beating in sync. I could be stuck here forever and the luckiest mortal being, any form of life that could ever exist in the universe. We just met, and I’ve been much better at pushing people away, pushing love away, but here, in this moment, I wanted nothing more and nothing less.
"I haven't been able to witness your power firsthand yet. Still, I find myself being drawn to you… I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because we were destined to meet each other for unknown reasons, or maybe it's your gentle presence, but I know your heart is pure. This doesn't have much to do with all the good and bad you've done or the intentions that prelude your actions but everything to do with what you are willing to give to serve others. None of us are born or meant to live a life with only ever being doing good. From my experience, it stems from personal convictions, from the war raging in our minds. You suffer because of uncertainty and fear of becoming something unnatural, someone inhumane. You would rather snuff out your own existence than twist the world into your image, disregarding the flow and natural state of the universe. You aim to control your own thoughts and actions, not others, not the god(s), and not nature…”
The more Luna explained her reasoning, the less confident I felt she was right. Part of my reluctance was from my own experiences, my own thoughts, and my own impurities. I’ve always felt that everyone but me deserves mercy, recognition, and understanding. Maybe this is what she was referring to; I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. How was I supposed to take, especially receive a legacy part of her family had left her? How would I not taint and stain her gift, the dagger that symbolized everything she lost and everything she loved?
“This is not a choice I am giving you; it is a gift. My brother, father, and his father would be proud to have someone who doesn’t feel they deserve it to wield their legacy. Do not be fooled to think of this as a burden. Do not be afraid of claiming it as your own. Be afraid of wasting the memories of good men, mortal or beings who lived to preserve the world as is, not change it for what it is not.” Luna unsheathed both daggers strapped to her back. She examined them and smiled before handing me pieces of her family’s tangible generational history. I slowly reached out to grab the daggers, and like a magnet, both flew into my hands; a tingling sensation ran from my forearms to my fingertips. There was a release of energy throughout my entire body. I wouldn’t say it was a surge, but it was strong enough to be recognized as foreign, not made from within me, but more like a syncing process. It was like I was meant to wield these daggers as if they’d been waiting their entire lives for this day to come: the perfect symbiotic relationship.
For a moment, I could see the entire lives of every person from the minute the daggers were held by their new host as if they had memories. Most of them were Luna's; I saw flashes of her fighting beasts, creatures, ancients, some unfathomable beings, even mortals. There were memories of her fighting alongside an older male, who I assumed was her brother. Sadly, I witnessed the battle where her brother had died, killed by Serverus. I couldn't see the exact moment of what led to his death; I was able to catch a glimpse of the moment when he gave the daggers to Luna, gently placing his hand on her right cheek as he shed a few tears, watching her heartbreak in front of him. It was a profoundly intimate memory between them, and I felt like an intruder. All of a sudden, I was sucked back into reality, and when I looked at Luna, there wasn't much to say, but I understood she was aware of what I had experienced. She had sturdy pillars held up by physical and mental strength, but her foundation was embedded with emotional fortitude.
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