Das Gien del Terabi (3 Pato)//The Awakening of Terabi (Part 3)

The walk to Rihanu was enjoyable. Seranu and Terabi walked along the river, talking about history and King Osai, everything around them shadowed by night, lit by the full moon. The river ran dark, shining in the moonlight. Its light sound was calming and lovely; Terabi basked in the sound as the two of them walked. Eventually they came to the majestic and dark ramparts surrounding Catarika's capital city. The river ran through the stone wall, gated off by iron bars framed in a lovely arch. There was a small gate below a tall tower just left of the large gate closing off the path of boats and the two of them stopped. Terabi followed Seranu's gaze to the very top of this tower and noticed a dark man peeking out of a window.

The man waved, recognizing Seranu in the darkness, and Seranu shouted up to him:

"Ah! Morlea! You're on guard tonight? ...I have business with Osai. I bring a new friend!"

"Oh how lovely! Come right in, Seranu!"

With the grinding of metal within the walls the small gate opened and the two walked in, Seranu waving at Morlea.

"Welcome to Rihanu," Seranu said cheerily as they began their walk through the clusters of houses, "The gates are open in the day but at night they are closed and watched by guards. That was my nephew. He's a fine young man, another Man of Osai. There's six of us in all, blessed with a gift from Osai- well, five of us and Osai himself. We've been imbued with the Power of Threes, so we heal thrice as fast, need one third the sleep--or less--, can lift three times a man our build, and other such things. In addition, and probably the best of all, we have the power of foresight. Osai was given the Realm of Vision to preside over when his time on earth is finished he's going to send choice spirits down through our bloodlines to inherit this gift and be stationed around the Rinniken World. If there is something we need to know, that Rinniken has given permission--and Osai as soon as he takes over-- to tell us, we see it in a flash of vision and understanding. It's a very nice gift indeed."

"How can you tell a Man of Osai from a common man?" Terabi asked.

"Osai has taken the Moon and the Dark Eye to be his two symbols. I forgot to add, we can see in total darkness, especially moonlight. When the moon is full, like tonight, a ring of six small triangles glows in our iris. It also glows when two Osanokai are near each other, when we receive vision, or in the future when an appointed gift-caller called an Aikada calls forth the mark. It's a wonderful gift and though it was started so we could be palace guards he quickly changed his mind and sent us to be in the country quietly guarding the people."

"What does your sense tell you about me?" Terabi said quietly, "Has it told you where I am from?"

"Well," Seranu thought, "I have seen that you are a Mage. I have not been told of your origins, though."

This was a lie, however. Seranu had seen pretty clearly where Terabi came from but was forbidden to say. He searched his mind for words to turn his lie into truth without giving away what he had been commanded not to.

"I can say that you are right where you're supposed to be and you need to figure out for yourself who you are."

Terabi was satisfied with this answer and felt very clearly in his soul that this question should not have been asked. He felt slightly bad but instead of demanding answers he resolved to do exactly what Seranu said and figure out for himself who he was. That he knew for certain was truth.

"Osai's palace is this way," Seranu said, gesturing at a tall and majestic castle in the center of the city. "We will enter through this door you see over there."

He pointed to a small door around the back of the palace, getting closer and closer. As they arrived Seranu shook the hand of the guard outside, and they stepped into a beautiful, long hallway of crimson lined with hundreds of portraits, mirrors, and paintings framed in golds, greens, and reds. There were scenes depicting scenes from previous eras of creation, portraits of many figures, and lovely mirrors.

Terabi watched his reflection as he passed one and caught sight of himself for the first time. He was certainly Catin, having small cat-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, and a very pointed face. His hair was straight and quite long, and he looked ageless. He had no idea how old he was but this didn't disturb him. He kept on, following closely behind Seranu, passing scenes and people. He then passed a very large picture showing the succession of gods and froze. As he looked into the eyes of the man standing tallest he saw a striking familiarity. Those eyes.... they were the same eyes he had seen in the mirror. He was looking at a picture of Jinjo and Cocolee, Rancem and Rinniken in front, and their children in front. There were lots of other people in the picture too, blurry and small, standing in a crowd behind the big names. Suddenly a swirl of memories started to come back, as if he was trying to hear their voices, but the more he thought the more distant they became. As he walked away he noticed two people standing around the back but Seranu was getting farther ahead so Terabi turned away and jogged to catch up, still wondering why that picture caught his eye.

As quickly as the feeling came over him it left him and he again felt like the lone person he was before. He saw a glimpse of Osai in the picture and had an idea of what he looked like. As he continued down the hall, which seemed endless, the people seemed alive, as if they could talk through their portraits. Terabi wondered if it were possible to communicate between Realms that way, through a mirror or window. He continued on, his eyes taking in all of the artwork along the endless walls. He passed over a picture of what he knew to be the Realm of Traversing and as soon as his eyes met with the blue sky and dark stone floor he had a stab of pure longing in his heart. As soon as he registered the feeling it was gone. He didn't think too much of it but that picture did stay in his mind. The rest of the walk to the throne room he went over that picture in his mind.

"We're finally here!" said Seranu, smiling as he quickly pulled open a tall door. They had at last arrived at the throne of Osai, the first son of Rinniken and the brother who inherited the most god power. Osai had been expecting them and welcomed them in with a wave of his hand.

Osai looked a lot like Seranu but slightly older and with longer hair. His eyes were a lot darker and he wasn't as tall, although he was sitting so Terabi couldn't be sure. He had a friendly smile and an air of kindness and majestic about him and his presence was totally inviting.

"Ah yes, you've brought a visitor!" Osai said, standing. He was shorter than Seranu but stood no less majestically. He was King of Catarika and it was very clear by how he moved. He walked slowly a few paces in front of his throne and lowered his head the same way Seranu had, and smiled.

"Tell me, who are you and where do you hail from, young man?"

Terabi bowed his head the same way and answered, feeling nothing but the air of friendship, justice, kindness, and god power from Osai.

"My name is Terabi and I know not where I am from."

"Where then did you find yourself?"

"In the forest... Das Verdun."

Suddenly Osai's eyes grew wide. Terabi could see the bright ring of triangles Seranu had told him earlier glowing strong in his dark eyes.

"Seranu," Osai said strongly with an air of excitement, "Come here for a moment. Terabi, you wait here."

Osai grabbed Seranu by the arm and ushered him quickly into a back room. The door slammed and Terabi could hear them talking excitedly, wondering what they were saying, their words masked by the walls. Finally they reappeared, looking no different, and walked over to where Terabi still stood. The two brothers looked him up and down, though Terabi didn't feel any sort of judgment in the air, only curiosity, wonder, and a feeling like they knew who he was. The three of them stood in silence for quite a time before finally Osai broke the silence with a warm voice.

"I know who you are. You are a friend among us and someone seen by us as a Mage destined for greatness. Return to the Circle of Mages and begin your studies. You have a lot to discover and train. You will no doubt be the last great mage, Terabi."

At these words Terabi and Seranu departed and returned to the Circle of Mages. It was a most unusual time for a new Mage to show up up but given the circumstances Seranu wasted no time in getting Terabi a small hut of his own among the newest initiates, complete with a new wardrobe and all the supplies he could ever need during his training.

"I've been saving this hut near the library for someone special," Seranu said, inviting Terabi to feel as at home as he knew how.

Terabi smiled as he looked around at the tiny hut which included a bed, stove, and even a tiny bathroom with running water pumped from the river.

"There should be everything here you could want," Serani went on, "You'll get a good start by reading these texts that are on the bookshelf by the table. Meet me in the library tomorrow when the bells strike high sun for your initiation. Here is a map of the campus with a list of all the current Mages, both in training and masters of their circle. And remeber, Terabi, get some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day for us all."

Das Gien del Terabi (2 Pato)//The Awakening of Terabi (Part 2)

He looked slowly over the surroundings. The clear river in which he had just bathed was in front of him, shining in the sunlight, his tracks washed away by the light current. To his right, he saw thin and tall trees, clustering together until anything beyond the river was hidden from view. To his left, off in the distance, he spotted a bridge of golden wood spanning the clear waters. Without looking back he slowly turned and began to walk, arms swinging at his sides, over to the bridge to cross it, knowing that he would eventually meet someone on the other side.

Some time had passed and he was soon on the other side, an array of thoughts forming in his mind. As he looked out over the brightly-lit scenery his mind came to life, buzzing with thoughts about nature; subtly identifying every object by name. All he knew was that he would soon come to civilization and that he would be able to converse with someone for what he was sure would be the first time. He walked slowly, aware of his slow breathing, his hands behind his back as he focused only on the groomed, gravel path.

At last he turned a corner and a curious sight came into view as it peeked from around the trees. The sun was setting and the golden rays were causing the small collections of buildings to take on a brilliant appearance. It was a spacious area with a large, dark stone table in the center. Small huts of stone and wood circled around this large stone like mushrooms of a fairy ring. Everything was very plain, not at all fancy or ornate, and the setting sun turned the scenery to a brilliant golden red for a moment before fading into the more subdued tones of dusk.

As he stopped and looked around, taking in the vastness of such a place, the name "Circle of Mages" danced across his mind. Almost at once, as if appearing from thin air, a vast array of people suddenly became visible across the stony backdrop. They moved calmly and slowly, some reading books, some apparently talking to one another. They all had on robes of grays and blues, some embroidered with a wide assortment of additional colors. As he got closer he could hear soft whispers of the Mages in conversation. They all spoke with calmness, almost ethereal. It was a scene that he was sure he had experienced before, but again the more he tried to recall the memory the further it slipped from his conscious mind.

He arrived at what appeared to be the entrance. It was framed by two very tall pieces of carved, light wood that were slightly curved and crossed at the top, making an arch. As he stood quietly, right in the entrance looking in, he noticed a man who looked taller and broader than the rest, holding a large staff with a curious emblem on it. He felt no moving force to enter this place but merely stood until noticed, knowing that it wouldn't be long before he was spotted. As the sun set, at last the broad and tall man did notice him and came walking over.

"Who goes there?" the staffed man asked suddenly, his voice filled with a power that could be felt by this visitor.

After a long pause of thought, knowing it would be the first word he had consciously uttered, his name echoing loudly in his mind, the mysterious visitor parted his lips and whispered,

"Terabi."

As soon as he spoke this, he was surprised at his own voice. It was light and certainly not booming; delicate almost. However, it carried a great power and his heart fluttered for a moment as he was able to identify himself with the name that had been dancing in his mind, waiting to be heard. This excitement radiated quickly from his heart to the tips of his fingers and toes. To his surprise, the staffed man's eyes grew wide and he raised his head to look at Terabi, gasping sharply through flared nostrils. Terabi's own eyes were wide at his own reaction to his name but he certainly wasn't expecting anything less than a quizzical look.

After a moment in which they locked eyes, the staffed man spoke again.

"Terabi....... Come, walk with me."

Terabi followed closely behind as he was led into the Circle of Mages by this man into a hut along the north face of the stone table. As he passed, he noticed a simple carved marking on the top, pointing east, and had a strong feeling he would soon learn of its meaning and more. From the moment he had entered the campus he just knew in his heart, and with every fiber of his unusual being, that he was meant to be a Mage and had come to the right place. Perhaps he was already a Mage and a spell had backfired? No, that couldn't have been it. He continued to follow the staffed man into a large building filled with ancient books. A crimson and green rug lay in the middle of the room with wooden chairs surrounding it. There were four chairs, all facing the center, and the man gestured to a chair covered in blue cloth.

Terabi sat down, watching him. The man set his staff into a carved wooden holder and slowly sat down in a chair across from him. The whole time, the place had a strong sense of familiarity and Terabi couldn't even doubt that he had been there before. Finally the man spoke and introduced himself.

"My name is Seranu and I am the Head Mage of Kalotano," he said, eying Terabi from head to toe, "Terabi, tell me, who are you by?"

Terabi looked around, trying again to recover the traces of memory before his awakening, hours earlier. Unable to remember anything more than mere shapes and outlines, he gave up on trying and instead looked Seranu in the eye and truthfully answered,

"I don't know."

"Hmmmm...." Seranu replied, his brow furrowed, "You don't know? You have no memory of any parents? brothers? sisters? friends? soldiers? No memory of anything?"

"No, sir," Terabi replied, with confidence though quietly. "I'm trying to figure that out myself."

"You're not a soldier or a child of wood or..." Seranu began, standing up and crouching over Terabi, pulling up his sleeves and pant legs to look for any signs of battle wounds that could have caused him to black out and lose his memories. He rambled on as he inspected Terabi's perfect limbs, head, and face. There was nary a scratch anywhere on his pristine body. When he lifted Terabi's shirt to examine his abdomen for wounds he became suddenly aware of something alarmingly abnormal. He gasped sharply as he looked at Terabi's exposed abs. He was ripped and fit, quite muscular, but upon closer inspection noticed that his body was a little too pristine. He had no scars, but he also had no navel.

"You're missing the life-scar!" Seranu exclaimed. He looked up at Terabi, his mouth open and his eyes wide, dumbfounded.

Terabi did not know what to think. He knew no different and yet somehow knew exactly what Seranu meant. He slowly raised his eyes to meet Seranu's and as he did so an instant calm flowed warmly through him, radiating from his heart. Seranu remained speechless for what seemed like ages, though it was really a few seconds. After he had fully processed what he saw, he spoke again.

"Wait here for a moment," he said calmly but with a hint of excitement in his voice that transferred itself into Terabi, seemingly on its own.

Terabi watched as Seranu walked into a room covered by a cloth for a door. He saw Seranu go down on one knee, his hands outstretched and resting on what was probably his bed, though it was obscured by the swinging blanket. Terabi saw Seranu bow his head and then he disappeared from view. There was no sound at all for a moment and then after a minute or two Seranu reappeared in the large room of books.

"I'd like for you to see my brother, the King," Seranu said quickly. "We will go together in a couple of hours..... Are you tired? Hungry?"

Terabi had just realized that he had not yet had anything to eat since his awakening.

"I am not tired but I am a bit hungry," he said quietly, wondering what food would feel like. He had an idea in his mind that came from nowhere but seemed to know what food was for and accepted the bread and fish that Seranu brought moments later form the cellar. As they ate their meal they began to talk.

"So where are you from?" Seranu asked.

"I don't know," Terabi answered, "The earliest I remember is sitting up in the forest, at about high sun."

"Curious......" Seranu muttered, "So very curious... So you recall nothing before this day?"

"Nothing," replied Terabi, "And, the more I try to remember anything the further it is from my grasp. I'm not even sure if those are memories or my own thoughts anymore."

"So you just... awakened... one day? Awakened alone in the forest?"

"Yes. I do not know my origin."

"Very curious indeed... I want to help you find your origin."

After a time the topic turned to Mages.

"What is this place?" Terabi asked, though he knew already where he was.

"This is the Circle of Mages," Seranu began. "There are lots of people left in the Rinniken world with various amounts of god power. Those fortunate enough to be born with some end up here, to the Circle of Mages, to hone their power and help Catarika turn into its new age. It's a dying race, us mages, which means that it may not be long before the new age. You see, the Gods thus far have been heavily involved in getting this country down and others started. We Gods have our lines, but they are short. There are many souls that have some god power because of their position in the Realm of Gods and it goes with them to their mortal bodies. The Circle of Mages was left over from the division of the Neutral Prime into Rakia of the west and Catarika, my father, to the east. That was my father's era. Our symbol is the ears of a cat and it points east on our center stone signifying our divergence eastward. Rakia's points westward. We live here, going throughout Catarika as needed. I am a Man of Osai and the Master of Kalotano. The King is my eldest brother, the oldest son of Rinniken, whose name became our country Catarika. I'm thinking by your looks that you are to be a Mage yourself. Tell me, does that sound interesting?"

"I may not know much, but I believe this place to be my home,"

Terabi answered, knowing full well he was meant to be a Mage. As he spoke this, a strange name flashed through his mind, as if it had fallen from his distant, locked up memories. He wasn't sure if he should mention this to Seranu or not but as he continued on about being interested in seeing if he really was a Mage, the name slipped out.

"And also, is there by chance anyone here named Vallon Irrim?"

Seranu looked puzzled at first but suddenly gasped again as if he had just heard a curse word.

"Let us visit my brother," he said quickly, "There is no doubt in my mind that you are to be in the Circle of Mages. In fact--"

He began to go on but stopped himself quickly. Changing subjects he turned to the nearby table and ripped a piece of paper from a large, blank parchment and wrote something on it.

"Hold out your hand," he said, placing the scrap of paper into Terabi's outstretched palm. "Read the words on it and concentrate on this paper. Say the words aloud."

Terabi focused on the piece of paper that had a handwritten spell in a language he could only partially understand. As he recited the words in a clear voice an amazing feeling came over him. His soul came to life again, a powerful energy running from his heart down his limbs like the rushing of water down a river. He and Seranu watched as the scrap of paper glowed a vibrant, bright blue before bursting into a green-colored flame and curling into a dark green pile of ash.

"You passed the test," Seranu simply said, "You're a Mage, all right, and a powerful one too. I have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot from you.

Terabi watched as the ash in his hand blew away in an imperceptible breeze.

"I'm a Mage......" he whispered.

Das Gien Del Terabi (1 Pato)//The Awakening of Terabi (Part 1)

It is done. The kingdom is yours to inherit. Take it back and may good reign forever.

There was a flash of blue light and he felt as though he were falling. It only lasted a fraction of a second but that was enough for a moment of panic to pierce his chest. Suddenly, there was complete silence, announced with a "thump" sound. He could not see or hear anything at all, nor could he feel any part of his body. It was as if he couldn't move, yet this didn't frighten him. He was perfectly content to lie still (or was he standing? he did not know) not really aware or expecting anything. Time was irrelevant and no thoughts of anything crossed his intelligence.

Ever so gradually, he began to perceive a sound. It was very faint, almost as if he were imagining things, but it definitely got louder, ever so slowly. It was a very high pitched sound, one that seemed to come from deep within. As he realized the presence of this interesting and almost indescribable sound, he perceived another subtle noise, also from within, but lower in pitch. In the very, very back of his intelligence, he realized that these were the two sounds of life. He had come to realize, in an unknown amount of time, that he was alive!

Almost immediately after he came to this realization, his limited and invisible world came alive with sound! Wind rustled through the trees making a slight hissing sound. Faint chirps of birds peppered the air and other sounds of life greeted his ears. It was as though he had heard these sounds before, yet he wasn't sure where. He still could see nothing, and he was only ever so slightly aware of his stream of consciousness. It was as though he were dreaming, unaware of time passing but very much organizing thought even still.

Almost at once his mind came alive, as though a vault containing a wealth of knowledge was suddenly opened. It was as if his intelligence had gone another step towards awakening. His mind was full of thought! A beautiful language began to flow into his mind, one he was sure he had never heard, but understood all the same. It was as though he now had the means to express to himself, or even another, the things he was thinking about. He began to realize that there were more like him and he could almost see an outline of a group of people among the blackness, though he was unable to feel more than a faint memory to shape this rough vision.

The more he tried to grasp this single vision, the more it eluded him until he was left wondering if he had even really seen anything at all. He turned his focus away from this fleeting image and instead began to grasp other concepts. Colors began to swirl around, paired with the sounds of nature he could hear, and in tune with the two pitches of life. All the while, this beautiful language painted words using symbols he was surprised to find he understood. He began also to perceive feelings and states of mind, which were also given words. Swirling green light danced past beams of blue. Shades of dark and light changed these colors, giving them depth.

Concrete images began to appear. The green light separated from the dark below it, gaining splashes of other colors, forming into leaves and trees. The blue beams became a vast and open sky, obscured by the green and brown of the trees, but still majestic and luminescent. Peeking through gaps in the trees, a pale grey sphere formed in the sky. Objects seemed to form with increasing speed, spreading away from his vision radially, solidifying into stationary objects.

The further away the dancing light beams got, the louder the sounds of nature became. Now a river was clearly flowing nearby, its sound increasing gradually in volume. With this increase in volume came something strange. He suddenly became aware of a physical body that he was in. The louder the river and trees became, the more solid he became. He began to feel the presence of arms laying, palms up, at his sides. He could feel long legs ending with strong feet enclosed in light boots. He could now feel this light breeze blowing against him. He was laying on his back, for sure, and he could feel long wisps of hair lightly grazing the right side of his face.

He suddenly sat up, as if an invisible force had pulled him, and he gasped for air. Everything around him had become solid and real and he realized that he had awakened in a dense forest, in a small clearing between two trees near a big river with large, shallow banks. Coughing, he caught his breath and realized that his eyes were already opened. He stumbled a bit as he turned to his knees to stand, as if he had been sleeping for a long while and his muscles were stiff. He knew how to walk, though he didn't remember any of it, and after eying the river crept slowly over, removing his clothing and placing them on a flat rock near the water's edge, and carefully entering the clear waters.

Instinct took over and he began to wash himself, using the sands from under his feet to scrub his torso and limbs. He knelt in the water and, cupping his hands together, took a drink. It was sweet and pleasant to the taste, and gave him even more life. As he cleaned the sand from his body, he looked down at his chest. He was muscular and had tanned skin. His belly, besides his showing abs, was totally smooth, with no scars or marks of any kind. His legs were long and lean; his arms were quite muscular. His hair was black and straight and went past his shoulders to his collarbone. As he looked over his body, which he had no recollection of having before, he realized that he had no idea who he was.

He dried himself off in the air, putting his clothing back on, not knowing where they came from. This lack of knowledge didn't frighten him, however, and he was not afraid being alone in a wilderness he was unfamiliar with. His hair dried quickly and he used some grass at the shore to tie some of it back and out of his eyes. He knew, somewhat by instinct, that he should cross a bridge where he would reach civilization and would be able to find out more about himself. He saw no bridge in his vicinity but knew that there would be one nearby. He also knew that once they asked for his name he would be able to tell them. The more he thought about what he was called the clearer it became and once it came to his memory he knew it without a doubt and felt like the first piece of his identity puzzle was put into place and he was free to move on.