(ACT I) : 7.THE WAY OF LIFE.

Pain seared through my head, my eyes blurred by blood, my nose engulfed in the scent of blood and my legs quickly traversing the rough terrain of the great Umzingili forest. A myriad of incoherent thoughts had clogged my mind. My heart beat furiously against my chest. I was quickly losing my breath. Stopping was not an option. My legs felt like caving in on themselves. Stopping meant death.

I could hear it. It was getting closer. The ground shook just from its running. In all my life, I had never seen something as terrifying as it! It was nothing like the monster champions that fell from the sky onto my village two years ago and when he...

Suddenly, I tripped on a Resmiria tree root. I fell to the ground with a loud thud. I panicked, staggered to get up and I continued to run but something was wrong.

How am I still alive?

I noticed something. It had gone silent. I stopped in my tracks. I quickly surveyed my surroundings. My eyes wide open. An unseen predator was a victorious one. That was the rule this forest had so vividly taught me. I saw nothing. Only the wind could be heard and felt. A cold and foreboding wind. The vegetation swayed gracefully as if all was well. My body was now unwillingly shaking. Shaking violently. I opened my first limiter, my eyes shone a brilliant bright cyan. Immediately, my ears perked up. They had picked up something. It sounded like the earth was cracking.

Suddenly, the ground beneath me crumbled. It was right beneath me, its jaws ,adorned with two rows of large dagger-like teeth, opened wide ready to devour me. Quickly, I pushed my left leg against the crumbling earth and did an aerial backflip, just as it snapped its jaws to devour me. The earth around it continued to crumble, violently so, as it surfaced. It trained its four sunken crimson eyes on me. They emitted an ominous red glow. It's dark blue scaly skin shimmered against the light of the two twin moons. It stood imposing before me on its two massive three- toed legs, each with seemingly sharpened claws. It's two tails rose up with their sharpened ends displaying their silver lustre. It raised its head. With an earth shaking force, it roared! An almighty roar! A roar so loud it must've been heard by all villages in the Mount Baraka region. It produced a massive vortex of wind and earth material that nearly blew me away, the trees bent to its force, some even collapsing. It dashed forward with such terrifying speed my mind didn't even manage to process it had moved. It was now over me and opened its jaws yet again as it dashed.

My body, froze.

***

I sat in the shade of a Bresmine tree, its branches spreading out in every direction, its large leaves and cyan flowers expressing their beauty to the world whilst producing an entincing fragrance in the air. Its vines dropped down from way up high to where I sat, laden with beautiful large succulent fruits which emitted an appealing purple glow. They looked delicious but were poisonous enough to knock out even the biggest of beasts in this land, even the Panthericus.

I looked on at the savannah. It was surprisingly empty and desolate. Only some beasts were present, only few of which were interesting. Like the Googaloo; a small amber bird whose large wings had a brown edge. They had small 3 toed feet covered in a brown scales. They had a long neck and a small head on top of it with tiny black eyes at its side. Its beak was long and broad but all this was not what made her special.

I spotted a herd of Herbacia; long antlers whose ends glowed a faint green, its face, snout and body adorned with beautiful dark green swirl patterns contrasting with its pale green skin. Its tail looked like strands of green light as they flowed gracefully against the gentle wind. They were eating the tall grass unknowingly approaching a Googaloo's nest. The Googaloo present quickly took action. She pulled back her head, inhaled and out came out deafening GOOGALOO! The Herbacia, alarmed lifted their heads and saw a bird that wasn't even half their googaloo'ing at them. Then it happened. The Googaloo exhaled, her hot breath bellowing out of the two tiny nostrils on its nose. She put one of her legsback and suddenly, she dashed forward and she went from a bird to a flying projectile! She passed through the centre of the herd, missing them but a shockwave of wind quickly followed the small projectile, blowing the large Herbacia high up in the sky. They all came crushing down onto the ground making painful grunts as they did so. The Googaloo stood on one of them, and let out a triumphant Googaloo.

As she displayed her wings, I noted the scar beneath her right wing near the wing's joint. I smiled. This was a Googaloo I was familiar with. She looked over at me and started performing a variety of poses. I laughed. Yes, she was familiar with me too. I always came out here to watch her as it defended its little nest from marauding beasts but today, it seemed the bigger beasts she dominated were all nowhere to be seen. I didn't care though, I came here to relax, away from the problems at the village and my good friend,Googaling as I called her, never fails.

To the east I saw a massive cloud of dust rapidly moving towards us. I quickly realized it was an Elidroc that was quickly rushing across the savannah it's tail fin wagging left and right. Its six legs carried it as fast as they could, they're pale yellow scales shimmering in the harsh savannah sun. Behind it was a tall heavy set man that wielded a large and long spear in his right hand. The man suddenly planted his feet into the ground, extended his left arm whilst pulling back his right hand. His muscles bulged, his grip tightened as he hauled his right body, launching the spear at such a terrific speed that all trees and grass bent as it zoomed past. It pierced the Elidroc, through its back and out the chest with its heart at the tip of the spear. The Elidroc opened its large extended jaws and groaned in pain, its eyes with oval shaped iris moved violently in every direction, its legs flailed wildly trying to move but it was pinned down by the spear. It was in its death throes. Soon, it stopped moving and lay on the ground, its life seeping out of it.

Poor thing. Must've got separated from its pack.

Though I was impressed that it had enough stamina to run all the way from the river valley to here. I watched on. The man removed his spear, lifted it and shouted jubilantly. He proceeded to kneel and offered a prayer of thanks to Shreilia, the goddess of fertility. He then picked up the corpse and skipped along towards the village. As he got closer, he saw me in the shade of the Bresmine tree. His jovial face immediately went sour. A vein popped up on his bald black head as he clenched his fist. He gnashed his teeth dropped the corpse and stomped his way towards me. I wobbled as I stood up, walked backwards as my legs trembled.

Oh no. I knew this was coming!

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't be locked up in your damned house?!"

"I'm sorry I just wante-"

He quickly landed a powerful punch onto my face, sending my body flying and rolling in the course ground. Pain erupted all over my body. My jaw felt as if it were dislocated. I squirmed as I try to withstand the pain. My skin felt as if it were being burnt off under the harsh sun.

"Tch! Look at you! Such a thing as you dares to answer back to me?!"

He said as he picked me up by the hair. Blood erupted out of my mouth.

"N-n-no, sorry si-"

He landed another punch right into my gut, knocking out all the air in me. It felt as if a hole had just been blasted right through my organs. I could feel my organs ripple and squeeze inside me. Unbearable pain immediately assailed my body. More blood violently erupted out of my mouth, some of it landing on the man. The man was livid!

"Even though I'm showing such benevolence... you DARE!"

He said as he readied himself to beat the living day lights out of me. Suddenly, I heard a loud GOOGALOO. Googaling was flapping her wings wildly, she was raving mad. She flew at the man at a speed that surpassed her previously displayed one. The man effortlessly caught her by her neck and squeezed it. She let out a weak googaloo as she flapped her wings and little legs wildky.

"No! Don't harm her! Please!"

The man looked at me, a demonic countenance forming.

"You dare give me orders! A cursed thing such as you?!"

He tossed Googaling with his left arm and let go of my hair. Using his left, he landed a catastrophic blow right onto my left eye. Yet again, I flew and crushed into the large Bresmine tree causing some of its branches to fall.

"Know your place! Now this damn meat is cursed, my first hunt is ruined!"

The man said as he stormed off into the distance. I gathered myself and tried to stand up. Nerve racking pain assailed my legs , they wobbled and I collapsed onto the ground with a loud and painful thud. I dragged myself out the shade and into the harsh uncaring sun against the heated ground. I dragged myself towards Googaling's body. She was groaning painfully. I patted her head as I lay against the hot surface, my skin seemingly felt as if it was peeling off from the heat.

"I'm sorry you got dragged into this because of me"

She looked at me, her adorable tiny eyes watery. She wobbled as she stood and spread her wings to cover part of me from the sun and also flapped them in an attempt to cool me down. I smiled.

"Thank you"

I tried yet again to stand, the same unbearable pain assailed my legs but I grit my teeth and I staggered as I stood up. She flapped her wings wildly as she ran in circles. She stopped, folded her wings to resemble fists and quickly jabbed the air as she gently hoped left and right all the while Googaloo'ing. I laughed but immediately pain racked my abdomen. I camed down.

"Save that energy for your nest"

She pointed at me, then at me and finally her as she left her other wing, which only had one feather pointing upwards. She proceeded to wave her wings up and down at me. I knelt and she ruffled my hair with her wings. Felt nice.

"Yeah... thanks"

I stood. I looked at the corpse. I sighed. I took the spear the man left and used its head to start digging a hole. I buried the corpse there. Mother always warned me of leaving corpses unattended. They tended to attract ferocious beasts and I didn't want that for Googaling. Even though she could defend herself from a variety of vicious beasts, she can't against an onslaught. I looked over to the south, the sun was setting, it was getting dark. I had to depart before they closed the gates. As I departed I waved a goodbye at her, she energetically waved her left wing.

I walked quickly but I was still rather slow, the pain that tore through my muscles every time I took a step slowed me down. The pain in my left eye, that felt like an arrow was constantly scraping against my flesh in my eye socket, didn't help much. Every joint of my body felt as if a hammer had just slammed into them and ground them to dust. It was agonizing but it was a reality I had grown overly familiar with.

I climbed over a hill and as i reached its peak, all my villages land was visible to me. The tall village walls stood imposing in the distance. They were covered in Helgarth vines; long slender and green vines that had purple tipped thorns. They would ferociously tear into the flesh of the being that has the audacity to scale the wall. Along the nearly six thousand stride wall, there were gates every thousand strides and each was guarded by four elite warriors known as Domain Guards, specially trained by father.

Outside the walls were fields of Nandas; Large trees with green succulent stems and leaves which produced elongated elongated fruits that had a peelable red outer layer. Beyond the fields, the village itself, there was a vast blue ocean, an unending ocean. There were a few fishermen in the waters fishing but none no further than the shallow coastal waters, for beyond it, there lived beasts so massive and monstrous that father would find difficult to deal with. I looked on to the horizon, I wondered if there were any lands beyond the horizon. I shook my head and descended the hill.

I took a quick look to the east. A massive river, the Nigre river, meandered across the land and drained into the ocean in a massive waterfall over the cliff-like coast. Further east and beyond the river, I spotted a village; an Amorak village. They had been extremely quiet since the last war with my village. Something most were glad about but always bothered me. I felt a chill run down my spine. I walked on.

Best leave that issue to father.

When I was a few hundred strides away from the gate, I heard one domain guard click in disgust.

"Damn it, it made it back in time," he said

"I long for the day I'd lock it out," said another

"Be careful what you say! Remember Boera?" said the third guard.

The two shook.

"Well, she's not around here today, a relief to me personally" said the fourth guard, "Besides, my tolerance is running thin. If an orc doesn't do the job, I probably will"

"Don't think there are any orcs around here nowadays,"

"Yeah, thanks to the Gathron. If only it was half the man he was,"

They stared down at me as I neared the gate; their eyes filled with utmost disgust and hatred. I lowered my head. I felt a burning sensation in my chest. My throat seemingly got blocked by something. I hated this. I hated being treated like the worst demons in this land just because my body was 'cursed'. I didn't ask for it. Neither did I do anything to deserve it. I was born with it, a fact I couldn't change and its not like I enjoyed it either. This body always put me through mind- numbing pain for doing the simplest of things. I couldn't even lift a small boulder without my arms feeling like every muscle was being ravenously torn apart. I couldn't even walk in the noon sun without my skin feeling like it was set alight. Yet, I was treated like the dirt under one's sandals but it was something I was used to.

I passed the gates and walked on towards my home. Behind the gates was a large field where children played all day long. I too wanted to join in. I wanted to have fun with friends too. I wanted to run and jump around just like anyone else. I wanted to play in the sun without feeling like I was being boiled alive. I wanted to do so much but I couldn't.

I should give up on impossi-

"Hey!" came a voice that snapped me back to reality.

I turned my head and saw a boy staring in my direction. I looked around confused as to who he was calling.

"Its you, obviously! Wanna play a game?"

I looked at him apprehensively and slowly nodded my head, silently hoping for the best.

"Follow me then"

He said as he led me towards a group of other playing children. I nearly jumped for joy. Was it finally happening? I was going to get a friend! As we got closer to the others, they all burst out laughing.

"You were serious? Do you really think he'll last?" jeered one of the boys.

"Hehehe. Let's find out shall we? Bet I'll do it in one blow" said the boy that led me there.

He turned to me with a mischievous grin. Instinctively, I took a step back. This seemed to please him extremely. Suddenly, he punched my left cheek with all his might. Pain seared through my cheek as I collapsed onto the ground holding it as I groaned in pain.

"Oooooh! So strong! Can't knock out a weakling in a punch" joked another.

The boy clicked his tongue and landed a flurry of kicks onto me. I winced. I cursed myself for being so naive. I wondered if I really expected them to befriend me. I was being too hopeful. Nobody would want to befriend me, a cursed boy. How I longed for a blessed body like the rest. Suddenly, his flurry of kicks got more ferocious and faster. He landed a powerful final kick onto my gut, tossing me a few meters away. An explosion of pain penetrated every inch of my body. I opened my eyes and realized why he had gotten more fierce. Some girls were passing by. As I looked on, I noticed they weren't just any group of girls, they were hers.

One of the girls stared at me with a look of utter disgust. She had long amber silky hair tied up in a pony tail, large languid feminine eyes that made any boy's knees lose strength, her dainty nose and soft full lips accentuated her beauty. Her black skin was the fairest of all girls in the village. The village beauty; Shantel and someone who used to be my friend.

For a moment, my eyes met hers. Her face immediately contorted as if a disgusting bug dared be in her presence. The boy seemed to notice and sprang into action. He stomped his foot onto my face, driving it into the ground.

"It seems it has annoyed you but never fear, all things and beasts on this Earth shall be under my foot," he said pointing at himself with his thumb as he flexed his muscles and smirked.

She rolled her eyes and left, the group of girls following behind her whilst throwing furtive glances at me and giggling. When they left, the boy jumped for joy. However, unending pain ravaged my body, having a near paralytic effect on my body. He turned to me. Picked my head up by the hair and grinned meniacally.

"You were really useful! Who knew your old friend would pass through here? Is it ok if I go for her?" he said laughing wildly.

"Hey, don't rub it in its face too much, it might cry," chimed another boy.

"Right? It must've thought it was on top of the world when it was her friend. Kekeke, though I bet she only pitied it and got tired of it two years ago,"

I grit my teeth. This was too much. He didn't even want to remember that scene two years ago.

"Oh! look at it, its angry!" said a boy sarcastically.

"Who cares?! As long as I have it, I can get Shantel," he said shaking my head like a toy.

Suddenly, he saw all their faces turning pale. A massive shadow was now over him. A massive hand griped his head with immense force as if trying to crush it. He knew who this was and he knew, he was a goner.

"What do you think you're doing to my little brother."

A voice sounded coldly behind him. He felt chills run down his spine. He let go of my head and immediately he did so his head was slammed into the ground.

"You have a lot of nerve touching my little brother."

He grabbed the boy by the neck and lifted him to his face. The man's face contorted, his face immediately turning demonic. Suddenly, a massive whirlwind erupted forth from within him, nearly blowing away all the other boys. His body was now engulfed in a misty-like golden aura, his muscles bulged in anticipation. He let go of the boy and with his right hand, he backhand slapped him! The force of which sent him flying off into the distance. The other boys were sessile, immobilized by his aura. Each got their due punishments from him. He turned and looked at me, his towering stature overshadowing me.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Gee, I wonder, I must be feeling hunky dory right now!"

"Indeed! What a stupid question I asked! Let's go back home quick and fix you up!"

He swiftly picked me up and rushed off to our home. Within seconds he had already crossed the entire village, up the winding paths that led to our home atop a small hill and was now on the red stone verandah of our house. He opened the door, put me down on a table by the door and disappeared behind a massive door on a wall directly in front of the main door.

He's too energetic.

The aching pain that was racking my body was slowly dying down. My body was nearly done healing. He quickly came out of the storage room, closing the door behind him while holding a small wooden bowl.

"I've already healed,"

He looked at me puzzled. His eyes immediately glowed a brilliant crystal blue as he scanned me top to bottom.

"Wow that's creepy!"

"What?! I had to confirm!"

"Did you really have to open your first limiter for something so small?"

"Your injuries are no small matter."

"Alright, alright fine, you win"

He smiled though only briefly, his face quickly becoming sorrowful.

"Sorry you had to go through that, if only I were here t-"

"It's no big deal. Besides, I'd feel bad if you stayed while your group went out on that expedition"

''You're being unexpectedly understanding, what's the catch?''

I smirked. "What'd you bring?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me. Surely, you must've brought something"

"What for?"

I stared at him in complete and utter disbelief. On the table, I picked up a wooden knife and threw at him.

"You idiot!"

He quickly caught it. "What was that for?!"

"You couldn't even think of bringing a gift for Lanuer!"

He stood there, shell shocked. His eyes were now open.

"Oh no..."

I sighed. "Enischy, did any other boy from your group bring something"

He was now profusely sweating. "Yeah..."

""Are they in an ushindani relationship with her?"

"....yeah"

"You've lost, give up"

"No! Just because I didn't bring a gift doesn't mean I've lost,"

Oh poor thing! He's in denial!

"Think for a moment. You and other boys are competing to court her right?"

He shook his head slowly.

"That means you're all trying to impress her, right?"

His face quickly turned to a regretful one.

"So, if one brings a gift, he's naturally more compassionate and 'manly'. What about the one who doesn't?"

The silence was palpable. He held his face, his eyes wide open.

"What can we do?!"

"Why are you asking a seven year old? Besides, isn't this your problem?"

"Stop playing around. You wouldn't say all this if you can't think of a solution! Quickly state what you want"

I smirked. "I'll think of what I want later. Now, are you willing to be an absolute scumbag."

He looked at me, quite shocked at first. He thought for a moment then nodded.

"Good. Now, the boys are naturally going to present their gifts to her after preparing themselves, correct?"

He nodded ecstatically.

"I want you to rush to where Lanuer is, make sure you're not first, tell her that you wish to showcase the gift you've been nurturing for her."

"... But I don't have a gift"

"You sure about that" I said looking at his well chiseled and trained body, far superior than most men his age. He caught on.

"Say that you'd demonstrate it using your other competitors. Proceed to beat 'em up, take their gifts and present them like they're yours as a sort of testament to your superiority."

He stared at me for a few moments.

"Should I really do so? It'd foster hostility from the oth-"

"Either that or you'll watch her go to bed with another man"

He took off immediately. I chuckled. He really loved her. I envied that. I looked down onto my body. I wished my body was blessed like his. I sighed. I had to accept the cards fate had dealt me. Nothing more I could do.

I went into the kitchen, to look for some food. As I did, I noted that the library room next to the kitchen had its light still on. I entered it and a large white crystal hang from the ceiling held by a long and thick Bresmine vine whose end was tied to a large purple Grecki stone next to the door. On the left and right walls were two bookshelves stocked with massive books. Mother's books. I looked out the window, the sun was setting and its brilliant golden light pervaded the landscape. I could see some warriors rushing off somewhere, the children going back home as the village prepared to retire for the day. Beneath the window was a desk and a wooden chair with a book laid upon the table. I wondered as to what it contained. I climbed up the chair, sat on it and opened the book. The first page was a table of contents with four main topics. However, I couldn't read them and decided to just open the book. I skimmed through the book until I came upon a page that intrigued me. It was a drawing of a black storm that engulfed the entire sky with white portals within the clouds. Monsters were falling out of the portals. What surprised me was that beasts that tore each other to shreds united and mindlessly attacked a little village. An example of which was the orc and ostrogorths, two beasts I knew were like water and oil. Even the hyper-aggressive Grambodia were present. There was a bunch of text beside the drawing that I couldn't read. My immersion was broken when I saw them approaching the house.

They're finally back.

~~END~~

Chapter end