Bloodlines of Archaea I. Afira

I ran, faster than I had ever run before, but still, the slimy tentacles reached towards me from the shadows. Ancient hands with nails split down the middle, and monsters with wild hair chased after me, gaining speed as the world descended into darkness. I summoned my last bit of strength to put a pathetic flame in my hands, in hopes the light would keep them all away, but they still pulled at my hair and tugged my feet. I threw the ball of fire into the darkness and tried to run. Instead, I was chained in place. I began to scream for help, but my mouth was covered, their freezing hands stopping my voice from leaving my throat. A sinking feeling bled through my body, traveling along my veins, creeping into my bones and blackening my heart.

I awoke, screaming and sweaty, kicking wildly at the blankets which were wrapped around my body. I shook myself until I stopped shivering and came to my senses. I dressed in the same outfit I had worn the day before, deciding to leave the obsidian crown, and stepped out onto the porch. The sun was rising, as I slowly remembered what Akuma had told me. I hurried to meet him at the dock, marveling at how quiet my home was before the sun was up.

He greeted me with a warm smile, and a nod, before continuing the conversation by apologizing for his secretive behavior, “we must leave, the sooner the better,” he whispered, “the island is in danger. Did your grandmother tell you anything?”

“She said something about the warriors of Underdark,” I said, as he flinched at the sound of their name. “What? What is it? What do you know?” I asked, wanting to know what bothered him so much.

“I knew it,” he said calmly, although I could tell he was worried, fearing for his life. “ I knew they were coming. Okay, did she tell you anything else? About an island or a volcano? Directions, perhaps?” He asked, pulling me away from the dock, and beckoning for me to walk quickly beside him.

“Just that I needed to find the island with a volcano. No directions.” I said, running to keep up with his long strides.

“Why would she not give directions to the island which is going to help save the world? So what, we just have to figure it out?” His deep, chestnut eyes burned in worry, as he furrowed his brow in thought.

“She was dying, or maybe she didn’t know that. Either way, why do we need to go to a big volcano?”

He didn’t answer for a while, until finally, he said, “just hurry, Maktu is waiting. He should have what we need.”

Our conversation ceased, as we concentrated on dashing across the beach, to the hut Maktu called his home, which was also the only place anyone could find books about our true past, not just legends.

We arrived at his hut, he sat on his porch with a worried look on his face. At the sight of us, he stood and walked quickly towards us, leaning on his cane for support.

“Hold out your hands, quickly,” he beckoned at me. I did as I was told. After a thorough examination of my hands, he said, “they’re warm, almost burning. She’s early.” He said to Akuma, smiling. Akuma looked greatly relieved. “Come inside, we have much to do,” he said, opening his door and stepping inside. He paused as we were halfway in the doorway, then turned and stared at Akuma, looking closely at his bare chest in disgust, muttering, “you expect to save the world wandering around shirtless?”

Akuma seemed to have heard this, and responded with, “I didn’t want to alarm her.”

Both Maktu and Akuma looked over at me, Maktu chuckled. “ Well look at her now, she’s alarmed. Change, boy,” he yelled, “and be quick about it.” Maktu said, tossing a set of royal armor in the island’s royal color, black over to Akuma. It was made of the finest leather, sewn together with red cloth and draped in the design of butterflies over the top. He then turned his focus to me, picking up a red cloak and placing it over my charcoal colored hair. He smiled at me, saying “that’ll do as a disguise. They haven’t seen you... yet.”

“Who hasn’t seen me?” I asked, worried.

“Underdark, well your great aunt,” he answered, and then seeing the confusion on my face, continued, “I told Lilly she shouldn’t hide this from you, but she was convinced she could reason with her sister.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, “but Grandma Lilly never had a sister.”

“Oh child, here. Learn of your past,” he said, handing me a book. I flipped open the first page. “Not now, we’re in a hurry,” he shouted with alarming volume, taking the book and jamming it into a pocket of the cloak. Akuma stepped out from the next room, and walked down the hallway, gracefully. Maktu went to a box which stood at the far wall. Opening it, and giving a sword which belonged to Akuma’s father to Akuma, who took it, excitedly, and kneeled. Maktu then gave a dagger to me. Akuma slid the ancient blade into a holster, and I put the dagger in the other pocket of my cloak.

“My boat is at the far dock,” he said, “where the sun sets. It has food and water, but eat it sparingly.”

“Wait, where is the island?” Akuma whispered, at the doorway. Maktu slapped his head, and turned back, coming out with a folded bit of papyrus, handing it to me, he looked into my eyes, and said, “and if all else fails, the fire can guide you.”