Morning came and Calleb told the two it was time for them to head onto their journey. Mayari Tabbu told them to replenish themselves and stock food on their carriage before they go. “It’s a long journey ahead.” Mayari Tabbu said. “As our ancestors said, food is important to the soul, lest you wind up dead. Our souls, our bodies always need to be fed. So I insist, please take this sack full of bread.” Luntian thanked the Sorceress for such a generous gift. She asked Accashia and Calleb to go to the Carriage first — not wanting the two to hear what she’s about to say to the Sorceress. For she plans to keep it a secret between them, that should remain hidden as it is. The old Shaman looked left and right, trying to see if someone was looking at the exchange between her and the powerful Sorceress. Luntian walked closer and closer until she was in front of the Mayari Tabbu once again. “Mayari Tabbu, with you I entrust this blade…” She said, “...a Black Blade that remains unknown to how
Calleb dreams of a voice, mellow, soulful and thinks he recognizes the melody it wraps around, if not the words. ‘My beautiful son, gifted by the gods. He was sent to me, a gift from above. His beautiful silver hair, his skin so fair. His eyes of blue and gray, the colors he and his father’s eyes share. My son… my Calleb…’ ‘Calleb…’ ‘My son…’ ‘I’m glad you’re here with us… You’re so beautiful, my son…’ ‘My Calleb.’ He follows it, feet moving on instinct, the song growing louder as he gets closer, stronger. There’s gray all around, a mist, cold and clinging, so thick he can barely see his fingers in front of him. It’s the wind. Strong winds that he never felt before. And then there was dust and clay and the ground flowing with the wind. As they merged and formed — it showed him a form of a woman. A body. Tall. Beautiful and golden. Eyes auburn and lips pink as a rose, Behind her stood the full moon. She looked like an angel. “Calleb, my son… come.” And the woman ran, almost flo
Accashia sat on the bedrock where she could see the view of the vast forest. The sky was clear, and the stars shone and sparkled like diamonds in the night sky. She wondered if the stories told to her when she was young were true. The Village Shaman told them that those pretty little things are balls of fire that burns billions of miles away. And the beauty of the moon was unfathomable as it changes phases every night. Man’s naked eye would not be able to understand or comprehend its beauty. For in the stars and the sky lives the Gods and Goddesses who bless and curse this land. Accashia looked East at the towering trees of the forest and thought about her family. But she misses her mother the most. She never got to hear Ember sing that birthday song. The song her mother composed for her on the day of her birth. Since she had journeyed with Luntian and Calleb, there were nights when she’d dream of her mother. Her touch, her embrace. The way she sings that soft lullaby. The smell of
Accashia, Luntian and Calleb ran across the fields, the Shadows attacked again — this time during the day even as the sky was painted red from the sunset. It was still hours until the full moon, and Luntian thought that the Shadows couldn’t attack them until it got dark. Until now, the theory she had was proven to be wrong. “Run. Faster!” Luntian screamed. “Accashia!” The Shaman screamed with devastation in her voice. The carriage was destroyed by the Shadows and the horse they found was killed as well. A blade straight to the heart killed the poor animal in an instant. The Shadows behind them snarled and hissed, cursing them and saying a lot of vile things. “Kill them — kill them all!” Katalka, the leader of the Shadows, commanded the troop. The three of them managed to escape when they broke through the edge of the trees. They’ve reached the edge of the Central forest. They were saved, hidden by the boundary that separates the Eatern and Central forest. At a far distance, Calleb
The question Accashia asked remained unanswered that night. For the silver wolf could only stare in her eyes. So the young lady decides to ask the question again some other time. The wolf and Accashia leisurely stare at the moon and the stars. They were staring up to oblivion, both were quiet and yet were drowning in their own thoughts. That night, Calleb showed Accashia how he hunts for food. Accashia jumped and settled on Calleb's back as the young wolf ran and began to chase the deer. The young lady had to hold on to the wolf's fur as tight as she could so that she wouldn't fall. And with every jump and jerks, Accashia laughed and smile. "It's like I'm riding a horse!" She said with a smile and the white wolf yipped and barked. When Calleb finally managed to catch up to the deer, the wolf galloped and trapped the animal and bit its deep, not letting it escape. The young lady had to cover her eyes when Calleb gnawed on the deer’s neck — the wolf’s strong jaw breaking the bones in o
In the hidden Valley of Karoonah, the Sorceress paces back and forth as she eats her favorite tuna. Her brows were furrowed and her glasses hung on the bridge of her nose. She stays up day and night, wondering why the spell that rewinds — she cannot seem to impose. She hummed and then she sighed. She looks at the table again where the Black Blade lies. Mayari Tabbu stomped her feet, and felt a great sense of dismay. For she forgot the spell, causing her a great deal of delay. “Where did I place that stinky old book!” She screamed as she stomped her feet. “I’ve looked everywhere! Every cranny, every nook!” With a loud groan she grabbed the glasses and threw them on the floor. The glasses bounced and landed close to the door. The rats from the shelf ran and paced, fearing that the great Sorceress would number their days. For she was fuming with anger, every animal inside the hut felt their lives were in danger. Even the two birds were getting scared for their life. For Mayari Tabbu
Luntian hummed as she hugged the weaved basket full of fruits and vegetables. But when she came back to the campfire where she left Accashia and Calleb, she witnessed something unexpected. The two were staring at each other’s eyes. And from the looks of it, it was something intense, but not the good kind. She heard Calleb screaming, and soon Accashia was crying. “You think you’re the only one who’s in constant pain?!” Calleb screamed as the young lady in front of him fidgeted and became silent. The old shaman hugged the basket tighter, as she lowered her head. She had always known what Calleb felt towards his parents and their demise. He was always holding it in and was trying to stay strong for he wanted to reclaim what was rightfully his. Somehow, the old Shaman felt responsible. She was so busy keeping Calleb alive and healthy during his youth that she had forgotten what he needed the most during his younger years. Warmth. And then she heard Calleb screaming again. “I don’t eve
At first he thought it was all a fluke. The Witch trusts him, she does and his soul believed it with all of his heart. The promise she made, that one day — if Katalka does what she told — his soul will be released peacefully. Not to the underworld, but to the Spirit world. And for years, the leader of the Shadows believed that lie. It's not like the Shadows to concern themselves with things that aren't related to the Witch, Calleb or the old Shaman, and yet when the leader of the Shadows saw Luther — a part of him knows that the soul inside the rotting corpse’s soul was darker than his. While his soul chose that very moment to stage a mutiny, the spell that binds his soul to Ursula stopped the Leader from doing so. And yet it was an idea that he had been tempted to execute a couple of times. Another Shadow bumped against his shoulder as he paved the way against hundreds of boney creatures as they marched towards the nearest Village. The Shadow — a lot smaller than Katalka bowed his