Rising from the Ash

AMEN ii

I saw a mist ahead of me. The same I've always seen ever since I started remembering my dreams.

It was dark and gloomy and yet again, I was having the same dream. I always wondered what I was doing there and for the first time, I decided to expand my horizon.I wasn't always curious but having the same dream for a long time will make one understand why I walked into the mist itself.

I stepped into the mist and felt the cool drops of water sooth my skin. I closed my eyes as I absorbed this. It was like breathing after being underwater for a long time. The cool air I felt slowly turned warm and this made me open my eyes. As I kept stepping forward, I saw a bright light ahead of me and the air became hotter and hotter. Something told me to stop but I didn't.I couldn't. Not now. I've come too far to stop now. So I kept moving until the heat began hurting my skin. I cried out and fell to my knees but strangely, I felt a strong desire to keep moving.

I stood up and amidst the pains I was feeling, I took my final steps out of the mist. The pains began relieving as I stood before a huge fiery bird-like creature. It burned so viciously with different colours that I feared I would be consumed but instead, I felt no pain. I stepped forward as the creature peered it's eyes on me. A part of its flame glided towards me and I held it in my hand. It felt like life. I looked at the creature again and suddenly, I was pulled out of my dream. I felt myself sinking and finally, I fell into a dark endless pit.

I opened my eyes and felt my head burn. I groaned and touched the part where the pain was hurting most. The excruciating pain reminded me of what happened. I had spilled medicine on the prince. The fact that I'm still alive means the prince decided to be merciful. I told a quick survey of the room I was in. It looked familiar with its strange designs made from clay.

Although the room wasn't bigger than a typical cell, I felt at home inside. This was Aré's room, my father like figure. I was so lost in thought that I hadn't even noticed he was there.

He sat down in a corner of the room wearing a long brown robe. I always wondered how old he was for he looked older than the king himself. How did he even find me? What happened while I blacked out?

"I will answer your questions after you have taken that medicine inside the cup."

Aré spoke out to me. He didn't just know what I was thinking, did he?

He just made a lucky guess. Anyone could have guessed that, right?

I took the cup and looked at the content. It was a strong smelling liquid and from its smell, I knew it wouldn't taste great.

I almost puked when the bitter liquid found its way to my stomach. Zelda had better not be the one who made this. I'll kill her myself if she did.

Zelda was the only one I could call a friend among the others. Yes, everyone tried to get along but even among the Ztafas,there was segregation. I happened to be among those who had fewer friends than most.

Zelda was like a sister to me. We were both the same age and she was tasked with taking care of Aré. She always had some inborn knowledge of medicine.

"How are you feeling now?" Aré asked me.

"I'm alright. How did I get here?"

"When you fainted, the prince called for Zelda. She was the one who brought you here."

"Oh. I hope they don't kill me because of what happened few minutes ago."

"minutes? You've been unconsciousness for Three days now."

Three days? How hard did I hit my head? Wait, that means for Three days now, I haven't shaved my hair off. I touched my head again and this time, I felt hair on it. The rate at which it grew got me alarmed. I could already pinch some of it between my thumb and my index finger. I looked at Aré who was smiling at me.

"I have hair on my head." I said amidst excitement and fear.

"Yes. Which is why I must tell you this right away. we don't have much time together."

He sounded serious so I decided to listen. Whatever medicine that was, it really helped with the headache.

"I know Óra visited you last night. I know she has been visiting you since you were a child. You may have thought you were alone all this time but you weren't. She has always been there to protect you."

"Óra the Phoenix? The same one you mentioned in one of your many stories?"

"Yes my child. Now I must tell you the true story."

"True story? What about the one you said to the soldiers?"

"I told them what they wanted to hear. Now listen. Centuries ago, Amadiran was a desolate land,the weakest in the whole world. It's people were simple farmers who hadn't enough to trade with other villages.

The people prayed to Óra the Phoenix to help them in their suffering. At that time, Óra was only a traveling spirit in the universe who helped Mother Nature relate her will. When she heard their prayers, Óra was filled with pity and decided to intervene. She gave her fire to the purest of heart among them to keep while others were blessed with Power over the land and sky. As long as there was a bearer of her fire, the magic will continue to flow. But magic required a great strength to perform and Óra helped her people in this aspect also. She gave them dreadlocks which blessed them with the strength to perform this magic. Some of the people had power over fire, some over water, some over wind, some over health and diseases,some had power over thunder and lightning, some over the trees, some could cause rain and some could move the earth, some had power over the mind and some could alter the movements of anything that existed."

The door opened and I quickly lay down pretending to be asleep.

Zelda walked inside and locked the door. I sat up and smiled at her which she grinned, revealing her lovely sets of teeth.

"I wondered if you had died." she joked.

"I couldn't leave you alone to have all the fun here, could I?" I answered and shifted my gaze to Aré.

I couldn't believe he was telling me the origin and history of our kind, the true story.I wanted to hear more. As soon as Zelda sat down, he continued his story.

"The one in whom Óra resided had an extra advantage for Óra herself gave them the power over her fire. It gave them longetivity, greater strength and greater use of their powers over all others. Mother Nature blessed Óra and approved her decision to be with Amadiran. So the people flourished and The Earthers built new houses and soon, it became a kingdom. People came to reside with them and their numbers grew and expanded. The gifted ones became known as Ztafas and more Ztafas were being born. In every hundred babies, twenty would be Ztafas. But soon the Ztafas grew arrogant. They became proud and considered themselves superior to the humans. This led the humans to begin fearing them and they began to sought after ways to defend themselves. The humans discovered silver as a weakness and soon learnt that their hair was the source of their strength. This discovery turned things around. The Ztafas were asked to give up their powers to the humans but they couldn't for Mother Nature had already made it constant like the night and day. So the humans waged a war against the Ztafas and using silver, they won. Their magic were weakened and while it was, most of them were killed. But more Ztafas were being born and more manual work had to be done. The new government then decided to shave off the kid's hair and use them for their works for without their hair, they won't have enough strength to use their magic. And that's how we got here. Óra continued to find a home within a Ztafa till these time. It resided in me Last and now, it's residing in you Amen."

Aré stopped talking and there was unusual silence in the room. I couldn't believe what I just heard. I had the capability to be the most powerful Ztafa of my time.

But I didn't know what to do. I couldn't even do anything. By this time tomorrow, my hair will be scrapped off again. I dared not dream for I could never be anything other than a lowly servant.

"No. You can be so much more."

Aré said again and he definitely read my mind this time. I guessed he was a telepath and maybe Óra's spirit still allowed him to access fragments of his power. He raised his bed up and brought out a stone from it. It was white and had a dull shine. one could have mistaken it for a moon.

"This is a moon stone. There are three of them. Each has contained strength which a Ztafa can use if he ever needs to but it works only for a short while.. However, Combined together, they are powerful enough to power up all Ztafas for seventy two hours. My predecessor gave it to me but the others are lost in the world. You, the one with Óra's spirit can find them all and only you can use your connection with her spirit and those of your kind to power them up. You can free us from slavery Amen. Those before us all tried and failed, including I. But you must not fail Amen for Mother Nature has deemed us not worthy of this power anymore. This slavery has made her unbalanced.You are the last generation of Ztafas. You must free your people."

I understood everything perfectly. I always knew my destiny was to do something other than sit in oppression. Here was the chance I've been waiting for. Our people's deliverance. I figured that it was the moonstone that gave Aré his limited power so if it could give him that, it can give me mine as well. But what was my power? I was desperate to find out. My path was clear and my destiny unfolded. This was it. At last, my eyes have been opened and I was seeing a Better tomorrow already.

"You'll leave tonight, and you will take Zelda with you. She has powers over health and death. And she will be your company"

Aré said and gave me the moonstone. As soon as my hand touched it, I felt a heat rise up within me and the whole room shook violently. The cup flew and crashed against the wall and before the debris could spill on the ground, they rearranged themselves back and formed the same cup which slowly moved and placed itself on my lap. I was wild with excitement.

"Mother Nature! I just did that!"