The Chosen Child: Tales of Ocaia

East Bound: Scion

As oreon became visible over the Eastern horizon, the Kaizankuri began to descend to the ground below. Through the night they had cut through the air and needed to take a rest for their wings. Carrying the extra weight of the Dolgaian on their backs made flying more laborious and expelled more energy than anticipated. A sense of great urgency pulsed through Scion's veins. He had to get to Caipri before something terrible happened.

"We cannot rest for long," Scion stated bluntly.

"Patience. We must rest our wings for a moment. We will be ready to fly soon."

Gaitar pulled at Scion's arm. "Come, let us eat while the Lord of the Sky rests."

The Dolgaian found it difficult to tread the ground beneath their hooves. Each step was a struggle as the ground seemed to suck them in and hold them down. Scion had seen this land for himself during an exploration, and what he feared if they had cut across to head straight to the Eye of Takenna. Curses were being exclaimed by the members, working harder than normal to walk and get into a group so they could share a meal. Gaitar took notice of Scion's seeming knowledge of how to walk more smoothly through the ground below.

"Scion, you seemed to walk easier than the others on this ground. What's your secret?"

"I have seen this land before."

The entire group gasped, horrified at the notion that Scion had been to such an awful place compared to Prima Dair. A group of wide, brown eyes stared at him with fear.

"I suppose now is a good time to confess. I have been exploring outside of Prima Dair. I have seen things, and found things, that no ancient writings mention. The lanarai showed me 'something' North and East of our home, large and not like anything we have ever built. I found an oreon circle in the fruit bushes, small and shining in the light. The hole I fell into, while we searched for a means of survival, led me through a tunnel with pictures of ancient script that depicted bringing water from Ocaia ground. I have seen this land before as well, but only from just outside of the Prima Dair borders. I fell into the ground and found it difficult to get out, but I managed."

"What else have you been up to, Scion?" Gaitar's eyes narrowed when asked this question.

"I showed Caipri the large 'something' one night, and I gave her the oreon circle as my parting gift for her journey to the Eye of Takenna."

Scion looked slightly over to Gaitar, making eye contact. Gaitar was unmoved, eating his tarfe and staring harshly at Scion. The other members felt awkward about the exchange and turned themselves into groups away from the two during their standoff.

"You put Caipri in danger."

"Gaitar, I'm sorry. I love her and I just wanted to share something with her, show her things that she does not get to see behind our walls. I mean, if you really think about, maybe I prepared her for the journey. Perhaps showing her things that no one knew existed opened her eyes to see potential danger." Scion smiled as he attempted to turn his love's padiwal to his side, but Gaitar stood and walked away with a scowl on his face.

Rest and mealtime was interrupted when the leader of the Kaizankuri stood, stretching his wings and elongating his long neck. His clan followed suit.

"Come. We are ready to continue."

◆◆◆

The Kaizankuri flew in formation behind their leader. Scion surveyed the vast wasteland below as the large shadows glided over the small mountains of moving ground below them. There was little in the way of life on the land, and nothing challenged them in the sky. This area seemed as destitute as he imagined the first time he laid eyes on it. Scion squinted as he saw something odd down below. Two rather sharp peaks down below were not moving in the wind, but rather the land was wafting around them. He made a mental note to come back and see this wasteland discovery, if he made it back alive from the Eye of Takenna, that is.

When the land became green again, oreon began to retreat and nima would soon appear. Another stop was inevitable and the Kaizankuri landed. This patch of land provided a source of water and large enough space for all of them to rest. Scion stayed with their new friends while the Dolgaian broke off into their own huddle.

"You do not follow your own?" The grey Kaizankuri leader inquired with Scion.

"I've never been much of a follower."

"You worry about your last meeting with the leader?"

Scion shot a sharp eye at the beast. "He's not the leader. He is a leader, one of three."

"Come. You may stay among us. My name is Kalra, by the way. We have not had much of a chance for name sharing."

"Thank you, Kalra. Lord of the Sky sounds much better, though." Scion and Kalra laughed at the jest as they gathered with the rest of the clan.

◆◆◆

Light broke through the sky and Gaitar was already wide awake and ready to tackle the last part of the journey. His mate and palawal weighed heavily on his mind and his paws itched to hold them again.

"Lord of the Sky. When we get to the mountains, how do you propose we go through the pass?"

"Pass?" Kalra seemed confused. "We will not go through the pass. We will fly you all into the Eye of Takenna."

"No. We must use the pass in case Caipri and Taltaira encountered trouble before reaching their destination."

"I agree." Scion interjected solidarity behind his elder. Gaitar had an excellent point, even if it meant going a little slower.

Kalra gave it some thought before he replied, "We cannot fly low through the mountain pass. I am not certain we would even fit through if we walked."

The three of them contemplated their options. With the large size of the Kaizankuri, they may not fit but if they encountered a foe then their size would be desirable in a fight. Scion snapped his paw fingers when he had an idea.

"Your talons. Do you think you could climb or hold on to the mountain sides above the pass?"

Kalra raised his foot, wiggled his talons and played the scenario over in his mind as he watched his talons dance. The clan had never been on a mountain before. He turned back to look at his clan, all of which were awaiting orders. A smaller, green and gold female stepped forward. She stood as tall as she could with pride, neck held high and she spanned her wings as wide as they could go.

"We can try. For the Chosen Palawals." Zephra, Kalra's mate, glistened in oreon light as she proudly stood before them all.

The Kaizankuri behind her followed suit, they were willing to help their neighbors and save the Sesuna of Prima Dair. Kalra nodded at his clan and then turned to Scion and Gaitar.

"We will fly low when we arrive at the Savidi Mor to see if there is a trace of the escort. When we reach the mountains, we will climb if we can."

Riders took their places and the crew took off.

◆◆◆

Once the Savidi Mor was in sight, the Kaizankuri descended to glide over the land. Their riders remained vigilant and surveyed the grassland below while Kalra led his clan closer to the mountains. Nothing seemed out of place to Scion. Not yet.

The large beasts landed at the edge of the mountain pass and riders dismounted. The Dolgaian fanned out to check the perimeter as a safety precaution on the ground while the Kaizankuri focused their attention toward the mountain peaks. Scion stood beside Gaitar, both of them looking at the mountain pass opening and the marker placed just to the side.

Gaitar was not willing to waste more time and said to Kalra, "Try to climb and see if it's possible."

The large leader approached the mountains, evaluating the best tactic to climb on the side. He extended his front leg and latched his talons into the rock to test the durability under his foot. Then he bent down and jumped up onto the mountain face. Using his wings for balance, awkwardly shifting his weight while digging his sharp talons into the mountain, he was finally able to hold his position and then take a few steps walking sideways above the mountain pass. Pale, pink petals fell from the trees above his brow as he swung his tail around to gain better balance.

A smirk crossed Scion's face. This is going to work. Gaitar gave the order. "Let's keep going. The Kaizankuri will walk above us through the pass. Be alert and notify me if you see anything odd."

The Dolgaian pressed on, following the markers that were made by their elders many cycles before. The path was long and winding and Gaitar took the lead to scout ahead of the tribe. Scion's constant feeling of anxiety since the meeting with the lanarai swarm was beginning to come to fruition and he felt himself growing tired.

After a while, he laid a paw on a marker to stop and rest for a moment and suddenly his environment changed. His travel comrades, the mountains and the marker were gone. Scion found himself in a crystal-like void, alone. He looked around in all directions but saw nothing other than an array of colors gently swaying through the air. Scion glanced around in utter confusion and thought maybe he had fallen asleep and this was simply a dream. He slapped his cheek, but the scenery around him remained the same.

"Hello, Scion." A soft and gentle voice caressed the void and echoed throughout.

Scion pulled out his blade, ready to be attacked. "Who's there?"

"I am Takenna, Goddess of Life."

"Show yourself! I have to-"

"Save Caipri." The voice interrupted and completed his sentence.

Scion's mouth gaped open and he was twisting around to see who was speaking to him. Still holding his blade at the ready, he started to wander slightly from his original spot but continued to observe his surroundings. Then he noticed little specks of light floating around, like the lanarai flying over the lands of Ocaia under nima light. The lights were coming together in front of him, not like the massive swarm he had seen a few nights ago, but rather they were forming in a defined shape. A bright light shined and Scion shielded his large eyes reluctantly, still worried that he was in danger. When the light dimmed, he quickly raised his blade and stared at the creature before him. A creature that much resembled the stone Goddess on the Fountain of Takenna.

The tall and slender being looked down at Scion. Her translucent hair flowed like the wind, her skin a pale blue and glowing like the peppulas under nima light. Her form was made of grasslands, mountains, and river water. At the base of her flowing form was water, but it did not move about into open space as it should without confines to retain it. The Goddess smiled at Scion as she looked upon his bewildered face.

"I have shown you the light." Scion fell to his knees, dropped his blade and bowed his head.

"Goddess of Life. Forgive my ignorance."

"You are forgiven." She outstretched her long and slender hand to him. "Please. Stand."

Scion complied and took Takenna's hand. He thought it rude to deny his Goddess's gesture, however he also found it out-of-place to take her hand as well considering her stature. Her smile then dissipated and her face became grim.

"Scion, Ocaia is in danger. My oldest brother, Malithaia, left this realm and inserted himself at the Eye of Takenna. He grew jealous of my land and my children, my palawals as you call them. His anger and jealousy has twisted his being into darkness while in Ocaia. He has taken my children for his own. You must stop him."

"Me?! But, my Goddess, I am nobody. Can't you go down and - "

"No. You, Scion. You saw my light when others could not. The lanarai are my only form of communication on Ocaia and you heard my voice. You seek to know and understand Ocaia when others care not. You may not share my likeness in appearance, like Caipri, but you share my heart and love for my creation. When the need is dire, you have brought yourself to do what needs to be done to save those you love. You are my true Chosen Child."

"Goddess of Life, I am overwhelmed. Certainly there is someone else stronger, or more brave. Gaitar would be an excellent - "

"No!"

Takenna's voice was thunderous, her eyes lit up with fury, and gusts of wind swirled through the void. Scion tucked himself down and covered his head as the pressure of air was hard on his body and frigid cold. He had angered his Goddess, and he was not only cold and beaten by the wind but also terrified of her wrath. If she could create life, she could certainly snuff it out.

The blusterous wind ceased, but Scion remained in his position as he shivered and waited for the Goddess to end his life for cowardice. He felt a gentle and warm touch on his head and he flinched. When nothing happened, he slowly removed his paws from his head and gazed up at Takenna, eyes filled with worry that he disgraced his Goddess. Her face was solemn, sad, and patiently waiting for Scion to reconcile himself. Ears tucked back, he slowly stood to face Takenna but did not make eye contact with her again as he was ashamed for his behavior.

“Your dreams, of the journey to the Eye. I placed those memories into your dreams.” Takenna bowed her head with remorse as she continued to speak with Scion now looking upon her. “Sciotain’s memories went into your dreams. I needed you to see what your father, I mean padiwal, saw before he met his end. Those dreams are his recollection of the journey he made with the last Sesuni. He met the monstrosity, Malithia, and tried to warn others of what transpired.”

“His… end?”

“Yes. I am sorry. Sciotain and the troop were among the first to meet the shadows looming over the Eye.”

Scion’s eyes swelled with tears as he shook his head in disbelief. The Dolgaian knew, as well as Scion himself, that his padiwal was never going to return. The cut to his heart felt deeper as he now saw that his padiwal’s last moments were shared in his dreams as preparation for what lie ahead.

"Let me show you the truth." She lifted her hand to the air and back down, the void lost its color as she began to turn colors into pictures as she spoke. "Malithaia is the first father of your world. His children were primitive, animals wandering about the land. Some were plant eaters, like you, while others preyed on them with their sharp teeth and piercing claws. Their life was chaotic and ended abruptly when a large rock collided with the world.

"Then my next brother, Valennin, had his turn to create life. He made the world unbearable, cold, and his children ultimately succumbed to growing warmth in the land. Our father scrapped Valennin's plans, cutting it short, and allowed Jestulai his chance.

"Jestulai was largely successful during his reign of the world. His children were a mesh of animals and what he called 'humans.' These children were intellectual, capable of higher thinking and skills at building. The large structure you found, the gift you gave to Caipri, and the pictures you saw in the cave, these were made by humans. These beings were the greatest creation this far of our attempts to sustain the planet life. However, they became greedy with time and ended up destroying the world themselves.

"I created Ocaia, taking the lessons learned from my brothers before me and attempted to blend those worlds into something more grand and beautiful than before. What I have learned since then is that my attempt to separate the tribes has inevitably made you all weak in the face of worldwide danger."

Color went back to floating about the void, and Scion stood wide-eyed with a gaped jaw. His breath hastened as he grappled with the information presented to him. A deep, historic lesson that went far beyond any writings of his tribe and explained all that he had been grasping to achieve.

"Oh, Scion. I understand that you do not understand the severity of this matter. You are always running, always looking for something better. Ocaia is the greatest place and I created it out of love. A love that you share for Caipri. You must accept this task. Only you can save Caipri and the others. Only you can unify the tribes."

Scion's blood still felt cold, his fur shook as his skin beneath it shivered. He was reluctant to accept that there could not be another to take up the call for the Goddess of Life. He stilled his breathing and closed his eyes. He thought of Caipri and the times that he caught her sweet gaze upon him. He thought of Jiana and how angry she would be at the missed opportunity to save Ocaia. His midawal, Shawartia, who was no longer living to provide the guidance he was seeking. Then he thought of Sciotain, his padiwal. Sciotain never returned from the journey to the Eye, and now Scion knew the reason that the tribe had been asking for many cycles. He opened his eyes and looked upon Takenna's crystal blue eyes.

"I will save Caipri and Ocaia. What must I do?"

Takenna smiled and said, "Take up your blade."

Scion followed the directive, picking up his blade and presenting it to Takenna. She placed her hands on the sharpened stone with her eyes closed, and within seconds the blade was shining brightly between her fingers. Waves of color flew out and around her hands as she concentrated, and Scion had to shield his eyes once more as it became too bright for his eyes to bear. He held on tight to the handle, which started to ache his paw as the forces of light were creating tension and movement in Takenna's power.

The light dispersed, and Takenna removed her hands. Scion looked upon his blade with wonder. No longer was this a stone cutting blade, but it had grown longer, thinner, and shined with the color of his Goddess's realm.

"Your blade now contains a piece of my essence. The only way to stop Malithaia is with your sword."

"A sword?"

Takenna giggled. "Yes, we'll call it a sword. A long blade."

Scion swooshed it through the air to get a sense of its handling. He looked upon Takenna, one last time.

"Goddess of Life, I am ready to accept your task."

Takenna smiled graciously at her true Chosen Child. In the blink of his eyes, Scion awoke, laying down and Gaitar smacking his face. He shook his head and looked up at his leader while gasping for breath.

"Scion! What in Takenna's name happened? Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. I am fine." Scion looked at the other members, who were staring wide-eyed at him as if he were infected. The Kaizankuri were clutched to the mountain sides and staring down in his direction with worry.

Gaitar continued, "You lit up like the oreon and dropped to the ground. What happened?"

Scion slowly stood up and wiped off the dirt from his fur. He picked up his sword, still shining in colorful light. Everyone gasped.

"Takenna guides me. I saw the Goddess of Life."