Rai gazed down at the amulet in his hands, a relic of his past he knew nothing about. “So that’s where I got this from,” he muttered.
Birchet, the one leading them to the concealed village, questioned Rai’s memory lapse. “You don’t remember a single thing?” he asked.
Rai sighed, “Trust me, I’ve tried. By the way, aren’t you going to bother blindfolding us at any point? What’s the point of having a ‘secret village’ if you walk every prisoner right up to it?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Birchet replied, and soon enough, right on cue, a dense fog enveloped them, reducing visibility to almost nothing.
“What the?” Rai said.
“I can barely see a thing,” Lily complained.
“It’ll pass,” Eiji assured her.
“A little guidance goes a long way pal,” Rai said, before stumbling on the uneven ground. Frustrated by the lack of response, Rai marched up to where he thought Birchet might be. “Are you even listening-” but the ground gave out from under Rai’s feet. He was dangling from an unknown height, luckily, someone had gripped his wrist, keeping him from falling.
“Stay close,” Birchet’s voice resonated, lifting Rai, and redirecting him.
“No one knows where the fog comes from, but Nefarians who’ve been to the village can normally find their way back through their sense of smell,” Eiji said.
“It is a blessing from Yaitweh,” Birchet said, correcting Eiji.
“Yaitweh?” Rai wondered out loud, but no one responded.
After what felt like an eternity, the fog lifted, revealing plants all around, many of which had glowing spots on them.
Rai approached some in particular that looked mesmerizing to the eye, but they transformed into giant butterfly-like creatures, taking flight and revealing the hidden village.
“Welcome to Kalumi,” Eiji declared, his bound hands lifted in an almost theatrical gesture.
“There’s so many…” Lily said of the many Nefarians in the distance. Bringing her hand to her chest, her eyes gleamed with excitement.
“This is Kalumi?” Rai said surveying the village, only to have his vision obscured by a sudden bag over his head. “Hey, what’s the big deal!?”
“Your trial will begin tomorrow,” Birchet stated.
“I don’t want to go to jail!” Lily cried, clutching Birchet’s leg and causing a struggle among the guards as they tried to separate her.
“Is a bag really necessary? I already saw the damn place,” Rai protested.
Eiji, being a member of the Kalumi clan, was taken elsewhere.
That night, in his cell, Rai continued his attempts to unlock the secrets of his past. “Still no good...” he said.
“Life behind bars,” Lily whimpered, rocking back and forth.
“Relax, we’ll be fine. Besides I’m the human here, if anyone’s got to worry it’s me,” Rai said, folding his arms behind his head. There was a skull in the cell next to his, and reminded of what Eiji had stated earlier, he gulped.
“Steady now,” a female voice spoke from the other side of the cell walls.
Curiosity fueled Rai as he stood, getting on his tippy toes to peer through the small window carved into the cell wall. “Who’s there?” Rai asked when antlers unexpectedly came into view!
“Hey, it’s Pinet,” she announced, antlers swaying each way. “Would you stand still?!”
“I’m trying…” a male spoke below.
“Pinet?” Rai said trying to recall who it was.
“Rai! Boo, you suck. I knew it was you before I even got here. I smelled your scent on the way. Eiji told me you may not remember. Oh, and Eiji sent me if you were wondering! He’s fine, just a good ol' lecture from Birchet. I heard you’re all grown up now, I bet you’re a real cutie now, hm, wish I could see,” Pinet pouted from the other end, barely giving Rai time to respond.
Lily, now intrigued, said, “She seems nice.”
“It’s not like that at all,” Rai responded, bluntly.
“Anyways, Rai, I came by to let you know that Rosa, Acoro, myself, and believe it or not, even Birchet, will all be there for your trial. You and your friend are going to be just fine,” Pinet assured, giving Rai a thumbs up.
“That’s great, thanks!” Rai said.
“I can’t wait to hear about all your adventures, see you later,” Pinet said, before leaving.
“Looks like Eiji came through after all,” Rai remarked to Lily.
“That’s great,” Lily replied.
A lump stirred inside Rai’s jacket and Plu popped out, tossing dirt onto the floor. Lily’s head perked up at the sight of Plu, but before she could say anything, it snuggled back into the coat.
“T- The thing from before!” she pointed out. “What is it?” She noticed it looked like a stuffed animal, down to the fur and beaded eyes.
“Plu? Your guess is as good as mine,” Rai said, rolling over in his cell, preparing to sleep. “I’ll explain on the way back home,” he yawned, aiming to sleep.
While Rai slept, Lily remained awake. The descending moon revealed a subtle glow upon her; her eyes containing a hint of sorrow.
The following morning found Rai and Lily standing before a council of Nefarians, ready for the commencement of their trial.
“Can we get this over with?” Rai urged impatiently, while the remaining Nefarians settled in.
“Hey!” Pinet hollered from beside Acoro, Birchet, and Rosa, rallying support.
A loud squeal signaled the arrival of the Kalumi Clan's elder, as chatter fell to a hushed silence.
Chaperoning the Elder upon its back, a pig trotted to the front until it was directly in front of Rai and Lily.
“Are you Yattyway or whatever?” Rai questioned, unimpressed.
Zinnica, the elder, chuckled. “I’m old, but not that old,” she replied. Addressing the crowd, “Let us proceed.” The pig trotted up to Rai, just close enough for the elder to grab his chin, scrutinizing Rai’s face before shaking her head in disapproval. Moving on to Lily, she gently examined her. “Mhm, I see,” Zinnica said, offering a nod of approval.
“Why’d you shake your head at me?” Rai retorted.
“Stand to the side for now,” Zinnica said, gesturing Lily over to where Pinet was before returning to her post. “You’re about to be judged by the Mother, Yaitweh,” Zinnica informed Rai.
“Great, she can get in line with the others back home,” Rai snapped back. A Nefarian walked by, leaving a Lotus behind on the stand he stood in front of. It had shades of orange, black, and white on it, forming an intricate pattern.
The elder’s pig squealed again. “Judgment time,” Zinnica declared, and everyone stamped the floor with one foot. Amidst the crowd, Eiji quietly squeezed to the front, standing beside Lily.
“You made it,” Lily said. “Everything okay?”
“We’ll see soon enough,” Eiji replied, eyes fixed on Rai.
“What’s this?” Rai asked, eyeing the lotus in front of him.
“Reaper’s Lotus,” Zinnica explained. “Pulled from the depths of Kalumi’s woods. By concentrating flux into the lotus, it’ll change colors.”
“Okay, that seems easy enough,” Rai remarked, reaching for the flower.
“Once you start, you cannot stop the process,” Zinnica warned.
“Yeah, I get it,” Rai said, pouring his flux into the Lotus. The colors twisted and turned, sometimes one overtaking the other.
“I forgot to mention, should the color land on black, it’ll turn into a raging monster and eat you alive,” Zinnica casually added.
“You should have started with that!” Rai blurted out, focusing on the flower much harder than before. Shifting colors, one after the next, it came to a slow landing on… Black?! The lotus exploded, expanding into a blanket that consumed him! Rai shrieked, however, the lotus ended up gently covering him. Laughter erupted. Removing the lotus, even the old lady was rolling on the pig in fits of laughter.
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“Did I miss something?” Rai asked confused.
Composing herself, Elder Zinnica addressed Rai, “Young boy, you may not remember us, but we surely remember you. When Birchet brought you in, Eiji came up with this little prank.”
“But the skull in the cell?”
“Fake,” Eiji said, pointing and laughing.
“What you hold before you is a Lotus Pop. They’re quite popular with the children,” the elder explained.
Frustration built in Rai as Eiji continued to ball his eyes out, “Get over here!” Rai yelled, attempting to strangle him.
“I was told the woods around here are sacred. Nobody, not even elites, is supposed to come in without having gained permission to do so,” Lily said.
“Nah, we take our border security seriously, but he’s an exception,” Eiji clarified of Rai.
“Rai?” Lily eyed him, pondering what made him so special.
Rosa and Acoro, accompanied by a couple of children around his sister’s age, separated themselves from the crowd, now standing before Rai. They bowed their heads.
“Thank you for saving our children from the orphanage years ago,” Acoro said, expressing his gratitude.
“You have no idea how much it means...” Rosa began to choke up, tears falling from her eyes onto the floor. “Thank you,” she said, looking up at Rai.
“I couldn’t have done it without Eiji,” Rai acknowledged. On the walk here Eiji reminded him about the orphanage.
“Eiji is only the second half-breed ever to be accepted into our clan because of it,” Zinnica added happily. Once the family before Rai returned to their seats, Zinnica announced, “I believe it’s under the consensus that Rai’s intrusion upon Kalumi grounds can be overlooked, given what he has done for us, who are we to turn away such a guest?”
Everyone nodded in agreement, allowing the elder to continue.
“Looks like everything’s going to be okay,” Lily said, cheerfully.
“Yeah, he’s got nothing to worry about. All he’s got to do is stand there and wait for Elder Zinnica to pass her judgment,” Birchet reassured, but just as she was about to lay her final judgment on Rai, light shuffling within his coat occurred and Plu’s little stuffed arms tossed out more dirt—along with the Lumi’s! Everyone gasped, even the pig. “He’s screwed,” Birchet bluntly remarked.
Back in the cell, Rai yelled at the top of his lungs, “This is stupid! It's just a flower!”
Later that night, Lily and Eiji came to visit.
“Hey,” Lily greeted.
“Hey,” Rai responded, crunched up in the corner.
“Can’t believe it ended with a split-even count,” Lily stated, frustration etched on her face as Eiji nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, just my luck,” Rai added, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
“I’m still surprised you even came across the flower,” Eiji remarked. “I’ve never seen one in the wild, only in the areas we nurture them.”
“What’s the big deal with these flowers anyway?” Rai asked.
“They’re sacred to Kalumi, but I also hear they act as a filter for negative flux force,” Eiji explained. “Helps prevent flux storms, among other benefits, but that’s about all I remember.”
“But,” Lily chimed in, “we found another way to free you.”
“How? The next hearing’s a week from now,” Rai questioned.
“Well, I talked to Zinnica, and it happens that if I were to become a member of the Kalumi clan, I could sway the vote in your favor. But it has to be done before the end of the next day, or the current vote stands.”
“What about your parents and your home? You’ll be stuck here. No, that can’t be an option,” Rai said.
“We don’t have a choice,” Lily responded.
“I’ve been hearing chatter about others looking to side against you in the next trial,” Eiji stated. “This may be your only chance.”
“Unfortunately, it seems some Nefarian still carry animosity towards humans,” Lily said.
“Great.” Contemplating the situation, Rai asked, “Are you really okay with this?”
She swayed back and forth, eagerly awaiting exciting news.
“What, spit it out already?” Rai said.
“I get my legacies tomorrow,” Lily said, jumping with joy.
“Legacies? What’s that?”
“It’s a two-step ritual that helps Nefarian unlock some sort of hidden power within them. All members of Kalumi have the option to participate in it,” Eiji explained.
“That’s awesome,” Rai said, standing to face Lily.
“Right?!” Lily said. “I asked Zinnica if you could be there, and she said it was fine. We leave tomorrow, so make sure to rest up.”
“Can’t do much else in here now, can I?” Rai said, kicking back on the floor.
Tossing a golden notepad, “You can write,” Lily said.
A notepad landed on Rai’s chest—his finitypad! He wasn’t sure if he would be getting his stuff back, but this in particular was very important to him.
“See you tomorrow!” Eiji said, waving goodbye.
Plu’s head popped out the coat’s side, staring at Rai.
“Nice going buddy,” Rai said, opening his finitypad. Plu’s gaze continued to remain glued on Rai as he scribbled away.
“So, are you and Rai, like a thing, or…” Eiji asked as Lily and he exited the building.
“Rai? No, I just met him a few days ago. I think?” Lily said, pondering how much time had lapsed since her capture.
“Oh,” Eiji said, straightening up and combing his hair back with his hand.
“Have a good night,” Lily said, going her own way; being deep in thought, she hadn’t realized his actions earlier.
“G-Goodnight... Bleh,” Eiji mumbled, slumping over as he walked in the other direction.
As Lily made her way home, the weight of her conversation with Zinnica lingered in her thoughts.
“If you choose to embark on the ritual to unlock your latent abilities and inherit your legacies, you will never be able to turn back,” Zinnica shared with Lily. Though hesitant, she nodded in agreement. The bonds with her human family were strong, but debt to Rai for rescuing her at the bandit camp was what mattered right now. “In the initial stage, you will attain your legacies,” Zinnica informed.
Curiosity filled Lily. “Legacies? I’m not familiar with them.”
Lady Zinnica turned away momentarily, the walls of her chambers providing a private setting for their conversation. Her kimono gracefully slipped off her shoulders, revealing a tapestry of markings on her back.
Lily couldn’t help but blush, caught between embarrassment and intrigue.
“Legacies are the essence of our existence,” Zinnica explained. She had six of them layered in an intricate tribal design. “Each mark represents one of our ancestors who lived and died with honor, passing on their will to the next generation.” Clothing back in place, Zinnica faced Lily.
“I’m lost,” Lily confessed, scratching her head.
“The marks entail the start of the journey,” Zinnica said. “But acquiring a mark is a formidable feat in itself, something we train our children for since they were kids. Are you certain you’re prepared?”
Lily, stiffening with determination, nodded, “I am.”
Before leaving, Zinnica imparted one final piece of information. “Should you proceed with the second part of the ritual, you’ll gain the freedom to come and go from the village at will. But beware, many Nefarians choose not to complete it.”
“Why is that?” Lily responded.
Her hand gliding over a tree protruding from the floor of the room, she said in a saddened expression, “More than half of them have returned to the cycle of flux.”
Lily gulped. “Returned?”
The following day, Lily and Rai were guided out of the village by two guards. Noticing every Nefarian wearing red, Rai stated, “Seems to be an ongoing theme going on.”
“The people of Kalumi wear red to remember the bloodshed before us to get to this point,” one guard responded.
They continued deeper into the woods, arriving at a gaping, dark abyss.
“Look at that,” Lily marveled, staring up in amazement; a colossal waterfall cascading from an even significantly larger tree hole towered over them.
“I’m guessing this is a dead end,” Rai observed, examining the vast hole where the water disappeared.
A Nefarian gestured towards peculiar brown oval shapes protruding from the floor nearby, each large enough to accommodate several people.
They were as hard as the shell of a turtle but instead looked to be made of bark. After everyone got on, the Nefarian placed his hand at the center, causing the ground to quiver beneath them.
Two large dorsal fins emerged from the dirt, circling them like an umbrella, including a long slender tentacle with a suction cup at its end. It swiveled around, examining the those present.
“Ew, get it away!” Lily screamed, swerving between everyone, but the suction side persisted after her. “Rai, help!” she implored, hiding behind him.
“Why are you hiding behind me?!” Rai said as the tentacle sucked around his face, before attempting to pass through his legs. “I don’t think so!” Rai said, yanking the tentacle out from under him.
Snatching the tentacle from them, the Nefarian attached the suctioned end to their arm. It began siphoning flux force from them, causing it to hover slightly above the ground. As more power coursed through the creature, its body glowed red with each breath, swelling with flux force before gradually subsiding.
“Minus?!” Rai tensed up, recognizing the red glow. Reaching for the tentacle, the other guard blocked his way, instructing him not to intervene. “Don’t you realize what this is?!”
“I thought you lost your memory,” one Nefarian responded.
“I’ve had some time to read a book or two while I’ve been on vacation,” Rai replied, sarcasm lingering in his voice. “Minus attack anything with flux force. If given the chance, they’ll suck you dry; and it just so happens humans are their favorite.”
“But without flux force…” Lily pondered the implications.
“You die,” Rai said.
“All Minus seek positive flux force as a means to survive, but not all Minus are inherently evil, let alone dangerous,” the Nefarian with the tentacle attached conveyed.
Meanwhile, the hovering creature soared gracefully into the dark abyss, plummeting towards the waterfall.
Startled, Lily screamed.
Swiftly, before the waterfall could crash over them, the Nefarian not steering the Minus formed a nearly transparent barrier of flux force, warding off the impending water pressure. Passing through the falls, their descent slowed.
Lily clung to Rai, keeping her eyes shut the entire way.
Giant luminites in the cavern’s underground depths, made for easier navigation as a maze of tunnels appeared before them. Their glow created a daunting, yet, mesmerizing scenery.
“Aren’t you going to open your eyes?” Rai said, carefully examining his surroundings.
“Nope,” she responded. “Afraid of heights...”
“Our Mother bestows purpose upon all things, even Minus. In her design, there are no wrongs, for in time, she makes all things beautiful in time,” one of the Nefarian said, as they emerged from a narrow tunnel.
“This place is unbelievable,” Rai marveled.
The panoramic view revealed waterfalls and pearl walls that reflected off the many crystals. Silver vines glittered across the floor, where small critters roamed about - creating a stunning spectacle.
Overcome by curiosity, Lily cautiously opened her eyes. “Wow.” The creature they rode emitted a howl as if communicating with Lily. “Thanks for the ride,” she said, tenderly patting the Minus. Noticing a captivating plant in the distance, she pointed and asked, “What's that?”
Across the expansive underground cavern, the Kalumi clan awaited a colossal blue sunflower.
“Try sticking that in a pot,” Rai joked. Everyone but Rai disembarked the Minus, who instead brought him to ground level, away from the flower. “I can’t even see,” Rai said, searching for vantage points to improve his view. The tentacle appeared beside Rai as the creature let out a low screech. “Not happening,” Rai said slapping the tentacle away.
“Please make your way to the center,” Zinnica requested of Lily.
Groups of Nefarian each found a place on an enlarged petal, clasping their hands in prayer-like motions, closing their eyes, and bowing their head. Eiji, however, began weaving hand signs, pretending to prepare for a special attack.
Birchet swiftly reprimanded him with a smack to the back of the head, urging him to focus.
Seated at the flower’s center, Lily assumed a cross-legged position, concentrating on the flux force around her.
As the ritual commenced, droplets of water along the flower's base, began to float in the air.
Rai, noticing the rising water, muttered, “What the heck?”
Amidst the enchanting scene, a gentle breeze swept through the cavern, raising the silver glittering pollen located on the roots.
Rai, bewildered, found himself drawn into the captivating spectacle as droplets of water, suspended in mid-air, glistened like diamonds.