03 – Rebirth

Pitch black darkness welcomed me into the pit of nothingness. For a moment, I thought there will be judgement upon me in some classy holy court headed by angels and I will be thrown to hell as I was qualified to it according to every holy book.

Body parts such as legs, arms or head, I felt none. I could see but what is there to see in darkness? I wondered if I or my soul dwelled physically in plane of existence where I was residing. Descartes wrote in Principles of Philosophy about cogito ergo sum which in translation meant “I am thinking, therefore I exist”. So I assumed I exist too, but where and why were questions of importance to me. “Time did not apply to this dimension either” passed through my mind.

[-]: No it does not.

If I have not gone crazy yet, someone answered to my question. I was not thinking out loud but...

[-]: But I can hear you!

[Me]: Who are you?

[-]: I was there when you were born. I was there when you were stealing watermelons. I was there when you were driving Maserati with 300km/h speed. I was there when you were banging Katie. I was there when you were killed. At one point I materialised in front you. Don’t you remember?

[Me]: Are you the one with body of flames.

[-]: Yes, I am. Remember me, so I can show myself to you before it is too late.

I concentrated a lot. Eyes and mouth of dark flames, rest of body consisting of usual fire – a monster of my childhood appeared in front of me. It was laughing. Flames of his body were acting as sun would in pitch black universe radiating everything around it. I could feel myself taking bodily form again. I moved my arms to front of myself and could see them as the monster in front of me was source of light.

[-]: Darkness is essential, but without light there is no life.

[Me]: I had my share of philosophy, so lets cut it down. Who are you?

[-]: I am me.

[Me]: You literally enlightened me a lot.

[-]: I have been called many names. Satan, Shaitan, Devil, Lucifer... many more.

[Me]: What do you want from me?

[Devil]: We could have talked alot before you asked that question. That’s why I have chosen you! You are always to the point.

[Me]: What do you want from me?

[Devil]: I want you to live and me to die!

[Me]: Sweettalking me? why do you think I would want to live?

[Devil]: Do you want to be stuck in this place forever and ever? At some point you will go crazy and it will not take long for you to be part of this nothingness without any self-awareness left. This is hell my friend. No torture, no flames to burn. The worst punishment though, you lose the most important thing that you were given when you were created and send to some world to be born. Your existence!

[Me]: How are we going to do it?

[Devil]: We will make a contract. You and me! I will lose my powers and you will have your affiliation with fire. I’m going to become a normal soul and stuck in this place for some time becoming part of nothingness. You will have a second chance to live and earn your place in heaven or maybe hell.

[Me]: Sounds sweet! What is in for you?

[Devil]: It’s a prank. I am pranking God!

[Me]: Why me?

[Devil]: Nobody could remember me... None. Everyone forgot about me as a childhood memory. But not you! It took an eternity to find someone like you!

[Me]: I can’t understand the prank part?

[Devil]: It’s between the God and me... It does not concern you.

[Me]: Ok, I want to be born in 60s... You know – drugs, sex and rock&roll.

[Devil]: No, it ain’t going to be like that.

[Me]: How is it going to happen then?

Flames disappeared; only dark red flames consisting of two very sinister eyes were left. Balls of light in different colours appeared all around. Devil spoke again, but this time same words echoed from everywhere. “Choose” voice said in a very familiar and sweet tone.

There was almost infinite number of lights of balls. One by one they were getting closer to me and straying away. There was one of them, which radiated in blue. I did not believe in anything until I reached this place so I made my most important choice in an irrational manner. Floating towards that source of lights, I moved my hand to grab it.

Touching it was impossible to me, as I saw my hand was not composed of anything material. In an instant I saw some parts of my hands, unexplainable to me were deconstructed from it and moved into the blue light ball. I felt peace and joy. Second instant, I was sucked into the blue light ball faster than speed of light.

Warm surrounding, where I was transferred, felt different in comparison to dull dark environment where I resided just before. It did not take long before I was born, or should I say reborn. I cannot elaborate on process of birth, as I did not observed process but was part of it. As soon as I was born, automatically I began to cry while oxygen for the first time got into my lungs. My body was cleant of fluids and I was put onto arms of my mother. As a newly reborn person I have to point out that I could hear perfectly but my vision was blurry.  All I understood from my birth is that I was born in a barnhouse. I could hear voices of goats and sheep, which were so high that I could not determine what humans were talking about.

For a week my mother helped me out to find her teats to suck on. My father was coming into room to check upon her and my health every once in a while. Being newly born most of time I slept. As time passed my vision became clearer. My mother’s name was Leila, while my father was called Oscar. He was around 165cm’s tall with a muscular built. Mother was as tall as my father. Language used in between them was English with an accent similar to Scottish. Skin color of my parents was dark brownish with black hair and both of them had hazel eyes. Their faces were not attractive but not ugly either.

My father liked to tease my mother by throwing me up and catching again. She was getting angry every time he acted so. I felt brutish hands of his when he took me into his arms and touched with his fingers onto my face. I was rolling on my cradle right and left when I was left alone. Leila sang beautiful lullabies at nights, which I enjoyed a lot.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

They never talked about work or money when they were inside our house. By now, I understood that our house consists of only one room. Their bed, my cradle, a table and two stools, few clothes for each of them were all our belongings. Door was made out of wood; same with window but there were metal protectors on window. At nights oil lamp was used to light the room.

Oscar and Leila’s marriage was because of love. They never kissed or made love when I was awake but I could see them looking at each other with passionate eyes. I was named Kain after Leila’s grandfather; I knew Oscar was not approving my name and tried to protest once but was buffed back by Leila’s argument that if their kid was born as girl he was meant to name her.

Damien’s POV

3 months after my birth.

I entered underground Temple of Lehman by going into cave that was hidden behind waterfall. High-priest Qaffar and I were the only followers of Lehman left in this world. Our sect was massacred and killed mercilessly all around world few centuries ago. Survivors had built this temple and promised to wait upon arrival of the chosen one to help him in worldly matters. High-priest Qaffar was of age and for some time I thought he was a lunatic until 6 months ago when I saw with my eyes the miracle that had happened.

“Time is upon us,” he told me mid-day when sun was still shining brightly. We entered through hidden passage to vast temple. I had torch in my hand as usual. Grand hall was big and we couldn’t clean it properly. It was dusty in corners, which was result of centuries of dirt and dust brought together. There were spider webs, which were few meters long and wattled between two pillars. I do not know why I joined Temple of Lehman. Church was not aware of our existence anymore but in case we came into light, no questions asked we would be beheaded.

At the end of temple there was a massive square rock on which a katana was place. On hilt of katana red stone was place. I had asked High-priest Qaffar if this stone was ruby or onyx – he had evaded answering to my question every time. “It’s for chosen one”, “it is expensive than gold useless than copper” were his usual answers.

High-priest was on his knees praying silently while I was standing besides him when an unnaturally high pitched wind turned off fire on torch that I was holding. It happened exactly 6 months ago. I heard Qaffar bawling in tears. “Lehman has heard us! He is coming!” he said. There are 16 pillars in grand hall. 8 of them on right, another 8 on left side. Torches that were on each of them, burned up filled with flames. Qaffaq turned to me and said “I have another 6 months to live, ye shall go north to find the chosen one and bring me news of him so that I can die in peace”. I told him not to worry, but I could see disbelief in his eyes regarding me. I joined them because I was going to die otherwise. Qaffar was left with a man like me who did not believe but had to follow out of pity to this old man. “If you do not believe, then open your eyes and look around” he told me. I turned to see, centuries of dust and dirt cleaned out of temple.

It was like a brand new temple that was built a day or two ago. I took my leave and went to exact village, which high-priest Qaffar predicted chosen one to be born. It took me two months to travel to there. I stayed for another 6 weeks before I left. Chosen one was meant to be born two weeks before my departure. 3 male kids were born that exact day but none of them had the feature which was to differentiate the chosen one from others. “Red eyes shall be chosen one’s eye colors” Qaffar had told me.

“High-priest none with those features was born” I murmured. He looked at me, and told me his last wishes. “Ye shall leave this temple to live in village of Karst which is close to temple until the day chosen one comes for his weapon and ye shall be tell him about Lehman”. I looked at him and he shouted “Leave in peace and let this old man to die praying to Lehman for companionship on next life”

Kain’s POV

Thirty nights had passed after my birth. Leila’s was putting me on their bed before going with Oscar to work. I could crawl and most of time I was crawling on bed though I was afraid to get down from it as I could break my leg, arm or both. It was before sunset when Leila left after feeding me. Smoke was filling our room by coming in from under wooden door. I crawled to see what was happening but by time I reach end of bed bottom part of door was already on fire. Window was closed and locked from inside too.

It didn’t take long before everything was in fire. Crackling noises were surrounding me, but I felt no threat from fire. My cradle was burning, actually everything was burning and fire had reached bed on which I was sitting and observing everything. I could not do anything but I remembered Devil’s words so didn’t panic at all.

My clothes got fire on them but I felt no heat and my body did not get any burns on it. I crawled to end of bed and let myself to drop down to ground. Everything was burning including me. I got closer to door and touch it with my hands. Bottom part of door turned into dust and I squeezed myself out to other side. It was first time for me to reach out of our house, which in reality it seemed it was a room in hall. I turned my face to right from where I saw fire originating and decided to go to left. I crawled for few minutes when I hear voices scream.

I was near entrance when I saw Leila’s sitting on her legs and screaming wildly while few women touching her shoulders while around 5-6 men keeping my father from entering into our place. I crawled out to, to see sunset for first time in my life. “Kain” screamed Oscar. “It’s Kain” he screamed again. Leila turned her head to see me. She got up and run towards me.

By now, I was bare. All of clothes on me were burnt down. Leila run and grabbed me. Another woman came with her. She whispered “Red eyes”. I closed my eyes and opened again. Leila look at her and said “What?”. Looking at me, she brought her face close to me and kiss on my cheek.

Next: 04 - Essentials of Magic