"On your knees!" He commanded, and Tiny knelt before him. As he went behind her, digging his hand in her hair and observing the gem that was embedded there, she couldn't help but capture the portrait on the wall. It was one she had missed seeing so much. The portrait had in it a man sitting on his throne, with a woman standing at his side and two children about the ages of five sitting at the man's feet. It was a portrait depicting a happy family. if only it was, as it showed.The woman in the portrait had an unmistakable resemblance to Tiny, she even had the afro. She closed her eyes as she felt his fingers on her scalp. There was once upon a time she looked forward to his pats on her head. When father and daughter had a stable loving relationship without the pollution of benefits and hate, a time when the smiles on his face once he saw her were of love and appreciation.Yes, she remembered, when her world totally tumbled.Tiny came from a specie of water people. They usually lived t
Meanwhile, all had gathered in Bastet's office, and after her explanation, they were looking at her in surprise."Wait for a second! Let me get this straight." Aesir stood up from his seat, "You are saying that Tiny, our Tiny that we have known and grown up with for years is a fish person!?""No! She is a Mamiwata, that's the name of her species. And unlike the legends in stories that you have read, they do not have fish tails and the like. Well! at least, not her own tribe. That's a different specie and tribe." Bastet smiled, "Why are you guys looking at me like that? It's not as if the signs were never there. You just choose to ignore them.""No! I mean, Wait! That's not the important part right now. Whether she is human or a Mamiwata is something we can deal with at a later date. You said something about her being the sacrifice by her people for a Writer's noble family. I want to know, which family is it?" Derek asked."Well! Since you insist on knowing. The noble family that has t
Walter walked towards Bastet one step at a time, his walking stick announcing his arrival to her ears as she rested her back on a wall observing Derek. "How long has he been like that?" He asked. "I'll say about a day at most," She answered casually. It was perfectly normal for meditation to take Days, weeks to even months, rumours had it that some very high Writers could spend years in a cultivation state. "He looks like he is hurting," He added and she nodded. Derek was currently in a meditating state, he sat crossed legged in a section of the training area.He was currently unravelling the letter of a message left to him by Maria. It was in her soul rune. As he meditated, tears fell out of his eyes.In the void, he watched as the rune had turned into Maria. The sight of her alone had moved him. Those eyes when they lay on him, her tender smile like a blooming flower, the way she pushed her hair behind her head when she was trying to be serious and make a point. Those subtle little
He listened attentively, this was not a subject matter he wanted to miss...From what I know, she was a poor girl from a poor country. Naturally, you would expect that Levinack and Oshozokia would better take a liking to ruin the life of say, a businessman or a wealthy man. But they found pleasure in bullying the weak, and to top it up, she had the best or should I say the worst expressions towards life. They would mess with her life and enjoy as she threw a tantrum, sometimes rolling on the floor. Am sorry to say this, but there is no other way to put it. They loved her agony.Derek frowned. He had heard very romantic stories of how a lot of parents met and even watched movies, it was quite an awkward feeling knowing your father met your mother by making her life miserable...They would even go as far as to have competitions on her head. It was during one of such competitions that things took a wild turn for all three of them. Levinack had given her a scholarship to study abroad. She
Derek listened on with rapt attention, but he was already like a volcano ready to erupt inside. He was only a child at that time, however, it was not all too difficult to understand the situation at that time...The blow was a devastating one. Levinack had worked up to her and closed her dead eyes himself. There was nothing he could do, death was a domain outside Fate's reach, a domain outside destiny and so, a domain outside Writer's reach. It was the first time I ever saw my brother, the great pillar and Patriarch of House Thembeka, Levinack-cry.The tears fell down his face unto your mother's turning cold face. He didn't leave her side for the entire day and night, just bathing her with his tears, begging and hoping it was some kind of prank or that all she was doing was taking a nap. But regardless of his pleas for her to come back to him, she didn't. She just laid cold, lifeless and breathless. She had left unwillingly for even herself.That day, he handed you over to Vowero, my
On this good day, Walter went on his usual morning walk. The different species in Bastet's temple saw him and bowed to him. Walter nodded from time to time at them in acknowledgement. They all knew he was a Writer and Writers were only one of two things, feared or respected. There was really nothing more to them than that. It was true that not all mortals knew about the existence of Writers, in fact, only those very high in the authority of certain races or those in service to Writers were aware.However, Mortals that were aware all bowed before the most superior race in all the cosmos. Destiny's authors to the multitude of souls. If knowledge of Writers were to ever go public, it would most definitely cause a catastrophic series of events. Religion as a whole would become insignificant for most and the idea of living a life of freedom but a myth.Only those that had their lives or souls tied to the service of this elite race were permitted to enjoy 'Freedom'. And even then, it was mo
Since one day of real time was like a month in void time, Derek practically spent a long time in the void. But in real time, it was just over a week. He concentrated tightly as his body absorbed the remainder of Jiri's power, making it his own.All though Bastet was not sure of the possibility of a cultivation mistake since an origin Rune was in charge, she did not want to take any chances. She had experienced cultivation accidents from a multitude of young Writers. It was not a funny matter for each and every one of them. A cultivation accident could add a number of years before the Writer can attempt the breakthrough again. In some cases, it took years from the Writer's long life span, and worse, it could even lead to death.There was no way in hell Bastet was risking it. Has excited as she was, she was also nervous. Also, she knew it was quite early for him to be attempting a new level. But screw it, where was it written?Large beads of sweat soaked his clothes and flowed to the gr
Bastet and Walter were in surprise. "How did you know? Did Maria tell you!?" Walter asked. "No! But I think she wanted to. I kinda figured it out myself, especially with the level of importance you guys have been placing on it."Bastet nodded, "Yes! that Pendant contains Endurance, But the pendant is not a seal. It would be better to call it a temporary resting place, more like a tent you sleep in when you are out camping.""Huh! Are you saying Endurance is sleeping?" Derek asked."Kinda! Master Levinack put it to sleep so that it could not be found by opposing parties." Bastet responded. "Wow! Is that even possible? Putting an Elder rune to sleep?" Derek added, looking at the pendant in his hand in surprise.This time around, Hayaa was the one that answered his question, "Intelligence starts from Elder Runes. But Elder Runes are forever hovering at that initial state, never crossing it. They are like babies, and if they are like babies, Royal Runes are more like Nannies to the Elder
"Welcome Madeline, we have been waiting for you!" A voice whispered and she turned about to the sound of the voice.There stood a very tall slim woman. She had on a white crop top that revealed her very slim waist leadingdown to her white blouse. She had a pair of glasses on, and she smiled sweetly to Madeline."Where I'm I!?...And who are you!?" Madeline asked."Follow me! I'll explain" she said, gesturing to Madeline a path that opened up in front of them.Madeline frowned and at first did not want to, but still followed behind the woman taking gentle steps.Through a yellow path in-between trees that surprisingly had both carrots and cabbages growing on them, to a hut on a hill side. Madeline followed, while her eyes examed her environment with nothing but wonder and surprise.At the small hut, the woman entered, and then she gestured for Madeline to follow. Although she did not want to, she had no choice and followed.Madeline thought that her sense of reality was warped because
Aesir willed and his sword acted as an assist as it went straight for the bird's other wing.*Caw!*The eagle screamed in pain. Manila ran straight for it. And mounting it's back, she delivered a crushing blow to its neck.*Caw!* It screamed again. However, she did not stop for a bit and after the fourth blow, the eagle passed out. Derek and Aesir stared at her in surprise as she slowly stood from the eagle's back. She made fierce eye contact with Derek and then looked away. Aesir turned to Derek with a brow up, and Derek raised his hands in surrender, "what I'm innocent. I swear!" "Of course you are." Aesir smiled and walked away.Manila began work immediately. The plan was to use the bird as a distraction for the scorpions so that they could pass.The best way to do this would be for them to make sure that the beast could no longer pick up flight.Manila was unsurprisingly skilled at this. She cut out the feathers of the beast.Aesir and Derek also joined her and helped. Soon eno
"Exactly! So if you can't solve them, why bother about them? Yet, before you lies a problem that deserves you immediate attention which you can or at least try solving. But you are too concerned with the rabbits in the wild to realize that you should first deal with the one on your plate." Priestess Ada adviced.She smiled and walked away, "Don't forget, listen as a passerby and it will flow naturally." Madeline watched the back of the old lady leaving as the words she had just spoken played again and again in her head. She sat crossed leg once more as she continually told herself to let go. Her eyes closed tightly and suddenly the thoughts as expected came once more.This time around, she decided not to quiet it or silence it. Rather she let it flow naturally.At first she couldn't help but be swept up in the thoughts and the different scenarios they played. Some even ended in tragedy. And this made her ache in worry. This was a disadvantage of over active thinks. A disadvantage t
Derek could not help but look at them and observe them. These were not like the scorpions he knew from earth. For one, they produced webbings from their tail end. Also, there seemed to be very organized and particularly busy.Some of them were bigger, but those big ones were few. And from the looks of it, they monitored the activities of the smaller ones. These creatures were hard at work building it seemed."Scorpion colony! We will have to navigate round them." Manila spoke."Navigate?" Aesir asked, "how far are we talking of?"She pointed to the hill far in the distance. "That far? But that will take at least an extra day off our schedule." Derek added."Yeah! It will. But it will be far better than to have those things have our scent. Cause ones they do, they will follow us for a very long time." Manila advised."Hmmm. Is there no way to distract them?" Derek asked."Well, there are a couple of ways that could work. However, we don't even have the necessary materials to make tha
Madeline nodded her head in understanding to Chief Sasha's words."So what does this have to do with aura?" Madeline asked."Well! Every thing." She picked up another stone from the ground, "according to your definition of aura, then aura is this object in your hands. And has stated earlier, it weighs you down over time." Chief Sasha turned and threw the stone into the water, then she turned once more and slowly released her aura, "However, if you understand that all it is, is an extension of your body, then behold the weight is gone. After all, your hands have always been attached to the rest of your body and you don't hear them complaining."Those words suddenly stroke difference to Madeline. She felt like she was at a state where she wanted to understand. In fact, the enlightenment was just Infront of her, however, it was a yard bit out of reach.She even sat on the ground as she tried to think hard on Chief Sasha's words. However, for the first time in a while, her brain was una
"huh!?" Madeline could not believe what she was hearing."Don't worry! I am not as weak or fragile as you think. I am sure you noticed that we are a small tribe. Yet, we have survived for so long with terrible neighbors such as the Kaka tribe. Although we rarely bring out our full force, we are definitely not weak." Chief Sasha smirked a bit.Madeline nodded and then she commanded the Cerberus to attack. The beast used one of its paws and a heavy blow landed on the chief. *Bam* Some where within the carven, Priestess Ada was attending to a pregnant woman when she heard the boom of the attack. She raised her head and sighed, "So the the training has started."She pretended not to hear it and continue with the pregnant woman in front of her.....Meanwhile, Madeline was panicking. There was a lot of dust and it was difficult for her to see what had happened. As far as she was concerned,she had crushed the chief."Chief Sasha!" She called out in a low tone. Afraid that her eyes might m
A few hours later, Derek ,Aesir and Milan said their good byes as they started their journey to the Gaka tribe.However, before they did Priestess Ada had come to see Derek one more time."Please take care of yourself properly Repono. And if there is absolutely anything you need, do not hesitate to contact me. I maybe far from you, but some of the things I can do will very much amaze you."Once she said this, she touched behind his ear and Derek clearly felt another radio rune added to the one he already had.Radio runes were special but not ominipresent. One had to be within a certain range for it to be used.Derek knew that If she was giving him one, then it meant that she was sure of reaching him as far away as even the Gaka tribe.A sudden realization hit Derek. One that he had not thought of before. Priestess Ada was a Familiar. Which meant that she could also weave runes.He remembered his experience at the cave when he first came and the one that had happen during the fight aga
"And what might the main dish be?" Milan asked with raised brows. Chief Sasha did not exactly know how to have this talk with her daughter. But she knew that she had to. "Erm... Milan how old are you now?" "I am nineteen now!" Milan replied, "but in a couple of months, I'll be twenty." "Oh! That's nice. That's around the same age I was when I had you. Oh, how I remember it like it was only yesterday. That was the happiest day of my life. You were so little and so adorable. Your butt was not this big and chest this full then. It was all so..." "Mother!!!" Milan stopped her. Her cheeks had become red from embarrassment. "Just go straight to the point. Please!" Chief Sasha laughed a bit, "okay! I understand you are a big girl now." She sighed and then laughed some more. Apparently, she was still rolling down memory lane. "So tell me. What do you think about that Master Writer?" Chief Sasha asked. "Huh!?" This question had taken Milan off guard. "What do you mean mother?" "I mean
Meanwhile, back at the mountain that belonged to the Waka tribe, Derek sat crossed legged in a cave assigned to him. This cave was by far a better one than the one he had and his friends had been sharing on first arrival. Also it was decorated appropriately and it even had a bed in the middle made of several animal fur. Derek had already given out instruction that he would loved to be left alone for a while, if not the entrance to this place would have been crowded by people. With rumours of the tribe having a writer as a guest, every body wanted to meet him. Also, tales of his marvelous feat from the battle earlier in the day had reached their ears.He was as good as a god to them at this point. At the entrance of the cave already lay all sorts of gifts for him. However, Derek was not all that interested in playing messiah at the moment. He just had too much on his mind. Too much problems that needed his attention. One of which was the pressing matter that both his women were mis