Legends of Belariath
Rei-Kai
Living with Humans and the Start of a New Life
It was time to head out. It was time, to find the one who controlled Guru’s mind and brought me into existence. It was time for my revenge.
After gathering the things I needed from the thieves corpses, I set out in search of Reikimaru’s home village. I knew that quite some time must have passed since my imprisonment, but I did not know how much. The path that led to the old ruin that I was sealed in was now indistinguishable. Despite this, I still faintly remembered the way back to the site of Reikimaru’s village. So, I grabbed my supplies and took flight towards the location of the old village. It took me a few good hours to reach the place, but when I got there, there was nothing! Everything was gone. Not even a trace of when someone might have ever lived there. The village, the Torians, everything was gone. The area was covered in greenery. The grass grew tall and wild plants were everywhere. ‘What happened here?’ I thought to myself. But I couldn’t come up with an answer. I just seemed to return to that one big question, “How long have I been gone?”
I shook my head with this realization. I knew that time would have passed, but what happened to Reikimaru’s clan? And then it hit me! Why would the clan stay near where they had sealed away someone they thought was possessed? Simple, they didn’t. ‘They must have taken everything with them and migrated someplace else.’ I thought. This must be the truth, but deep down, I knew that it wasn’t. I had no proof and the sun was beginning to set. “If I don’t head back to the ruins soon, I may not be able to find it at night.” With that, I headed back towards the ruins, the only place that I could call a home at this time. When I got back, I dragged the bodies of the thieving humans outside of the ruins. No sense in letting them fill the place with their foul odor. Once I dragged their corpses outside, I used what little wood I could gather and made myself a fire. I ate some of the food I had taken from the dead thieves and stayed close to the fire. In the morning, I decided that I needed to find some sort of village for I very well couldn’t keep myself alive over an extended period of time by myself. I was weak. This body was not strong enough to survive in the world without assistance from another. Until I get strong enough to survive on my own, I would need help.
I knew the best way to find a village was to fly, but I didn’t know what direction to look to. So, instead of flying in a random direction and maybe getting lost or worse, captured and sold into slavery, I flew straight up. I flew up towards the clouds above and beyond them. The air was calmer and there seemed to be almost no wind. But it was also cooler and harder to breathe. I ignored this and began searching, trying to look towards the distant world below to see whether or not I could see a town in the distance. ‘This is what it must have been like for Reikimaru’s ancestors who once lived in the legendary sky born kingdom of Toria, the place where the Torian race originated.’ I thought to myself as I stared at the world below. Finally, I spotted what seemed to be a small rectangular shaped area. It must be a village, it just appears small from this height. It’s most likely much bigger when up close. I flew towards the area, slowly as to not alarm anyone when I reach there. However, the trip there was much longer than I anticipated. From up high it didn’t seem that far, but from below, the distance was much greater. I had to fly low to keep my bearings and also to make sure that I had enough air to breathe that would suffice for the long flight there.
I stopped at least half a mile from the village after a few hours flight which pretty much exhausted me. I rested for a bit and drank some of my water before continuing on foot to the village that I had seen. Upon reaching the front gates, I saw guards on either side of the main entrance. Strange but, these guards looked like normal farm workers and other such things. I walked up to them, unconcerned with their positions and just walked into the town. As soon as I made it past the gate, the two guards rushed over to me and grabbed me by my arms. I couldn’t do anything, seeing as Torians are physically weak compared to most humans. “Where do you think you’re going boy? You don’t live here cause’ I don’t ever remember any winged children ever living here before.” “So?” I said to them. “I have no home. I am just a wandering Torian child without family or home.” At first they didn’t believe me, but then they saw how serious I was. Just looking at my appearance was enough for them to get a little edgy and start demanding that I explain. “I don’t exactly feel like explaining my life to someone who couldn’t possibly understand it.” That got them angry, I could tell. Despite my body being that of a young boys, I was very mature in my mind. These guards didn’t like my responses to well and began to beat me. Nothing new to my senses, but it certainly wasn’t welcome.
They continued to beat me into a heap until several of the village children came over with their parents to witness this. “Stop this instant!” one of the mothers called to the guards. I couldn’t tell who because everything I looked at seemed blurry and blood colored. “What do you think you’re doing!? He’s only a child, what harm could he have done!” The guards stopped their assault and turned to the woman. “Shut up wench! He’s a stranger and he’s not human so why do you care!?” “Because he’s a child! What more reason do you have but to feel sympathy for him. Obviously he is here alone so why do you pester him?” I had had enough. I didn’t need her sympathy and I certainly didn’t need a group of children staring at me like I was a wounded bird. “Sh-shut up.” I said weakly, but it did cause them to turn and look at me as I struggled to push myself off the ground. I could barely do it, but I managed to stand on wobbly legs. “I c-can see that I am n-not welcome here.” I was stammering and my vision was still blurry as I held my left side in pain. “Listen here child.” the woman spoke to me. “You’re hurt and I won’t let you go, not in the shape that you’re in.” “Shut up wench, let the damned animal leave! He ain’t wanted here anyways so just shut up.” I looked up to the guard who had said that. I couldn’t see him clearly, but that didn’t affect my hearing. “A-animal? Who are y-you to call me an animal!” I yelled to him, which startled everyone. But it also made him angrier with me. “Listen boy! Either you leave right now or I’ll give you another butt whupin!” “That’s it.” I said coldly. “Y-you just had t-to go and piss me off.” The guard looked at me dumbfounded, then he began to laugh. The other guard wasn’t laughing though, he saw what I was doing. In my left hand a tiny stream of yellowish energy could be seen forming, building in strength as I concentrated all of myself into it. I could already barely stand and my vision was blurred, but my anger for this man kept me standing, allowing me to gather what mystical powers I possessed. The guard who was laughing, didn’t laugh anymore as he finally saw for himself why everyone was remaining silent with worried looks, he looked at my small beaten form and at the power that I was gathering. “Oh shit.” he said before I launched my energy at him in the form of an Energy Bolt. The spell rammed into his chest and sent him flying back, grunting in pain as he landed several feet away, his chest smoking from the energy. It hurt him, but my powers at that time were meager and weak, but it also showed that I had potential. I collapsed right after that however, unable to sustain myself with all my injuries. I collapsed into a heap on the ground and all the people seemed to gather around, completely forgetting the guard whom I had just blasted.
I awoke the next day in a room, from what I could see it was a child’s room. That woman from the other day must have brought me here, but I didn’t care. With how I felt at that moment, my entire body numb with pain, laying in bed seemed like a good idea. I didn’t move much as I knew doing that would only upset my injuries, and since my wounds weren’t healed, I was guessing either this was a poor village or just a poor family who couldn’t afford a healer. To keep my mind occupied, I looked around the room as best I could from my laying position. A small bookshelf, wooden dolls, a closet with kids sized clothes, a dresser with a small mirror, and a night stand near the bed I was on with a candle lit on it. I also noticed a window and from the look outside, it was early morning and light only just began to shine it. ‘Damn light.’ I thought as I squinted from it unwelcomingly. ‘It could be worse.’ I thought, ‘I could still be lying on the ground near the gates of the town.’ I sighed audibly, and that hurt my side a bit. I could feel that my ribs must have been broken when the guards beat me. It didn’t matter to me though, whenever I would recover I was planning on leaving this place and moving on since it didn’t appeal to me to stick around.
About an hour of laying there awake in bed, the door to the room opened slowly and I looked over to see who it was. It was a boy, looking bout maybe ten to twelve years old, he was a bit short but I could see he was well taken care of. I guessed this was his room I was in, but as soon as he saw that I was awake, he ran out of the room calling to his mother. “Mom! Mom, he’s awake! The birdy kid is awake now!” Oh great, now I was called the birdy kid instead of winged child. Perhaps these people have never seen a Torian before, but then that one question ran through my mind again; ‘How long was I sealed there in those ruins?’ I shook my head a bit, which made me sting a bit from other bruises that I had. I felt like I was wrapped all around in bandages, but at least I was alive.
Soon the boys mother came, and I was correct in assuming that it was the same woman who tried to help me the day before. I didn’t want her sympathies, but at the moment I had no choice but to stay there. My body was in no condition to go anywhere and even if I could move, I couldn’t survive on my own, so I pushed aside my pride and allowed this woman to help me. I may have regretted it later, but at the time I couldn't argue. I admit I was in need of aid and that without this woman I wouldn't be going anywhere for quite a while. She walked over to me with a tray, on it was a damp cloth, some fresh bandages, a few pieces of bread, and some water. She came over to the bed and placed the tray on the stand near the bed, then turning to look at me as she took hold of the damp cloth and started to pat at my head with it. It stung as the bruises I had there were cooled by the cloth and I winced slightly. She knew it hurt, but I knew it was the only way for me to recover. “Damn...it stings.” I said coolly. The boys mother didn't seemed to mind, she only smiled as she pulled the cloth away. “You just rest now, I'll be taking care of ya until your wounds heal.” I just sighed and laid there, unable to do anything else. “Fine. But when I am healed, what will you people do with me?” she remained quiet after that and began to help me sit up so that I could eat. She probably didn't know what was going to happen to me. I had attacked one of the village guards, though out of self defense of course, still it did not worry me. If they tried anything I would just fly away, they didn't have the power of flight so I am the one with an advantage. Still, I did have to watch out, some of these people were afraid of me, that makes them dangerous to my continued existence.
This went on for several weeks, this woman, whose name I learned was Chyme, took care of me. She fed me, kept my wounds clean, and provided care for me. But at this time, my heart was lifeless, I didn't care for her or for the people of this village, I was cold and I was just using her until I recovered. But after several weeks, most of my injuries seemed to heal, and I could move around on my own. However my first day out of bed was nothing short of pathetic as I felt as weak as ever when I tried to move from the bed, my whole body felt numb from laying down for so long. I needed help during the first day, but after that I refused their aid. Moving around on my own became easier after that and soon enough, it was time to decide on what was to be done with me.
It was a quiet sunny day, in midsummer, the sky was clear, and the air was warm. But this calming scene was not the issue, it was the day in which I would be given a choice. At the time, I didn't know what the choice was. All I knew is that I would be given one. I was standing in that boys room, whose name was Gabe, when Chyme came in. I was looking out the window towards the sky when she said “The village elders would like to see you now, it is time my little winged one. I hope that whatever they decide, you will be happy with it.” I sighed lightly as I turned from the window and walked out of the room. She followed me out of the room and took the lead as we walked out of the house, heading in the direction of the home for the village elders, which to me looked like a mansion, and we headed up to the main doors. As we walked, I could see every villager, men, women, and children, all looking at me from their homes. They didn't like me. Some feared me and others hated me with a growing passion. I ignored their looks and stares as I walked into the elders' home, walked through the foyer, and entered into the audience hall. In there, the elders of the town sat on pillows along the marbled floors, all with white beards, balding heads, and wrinkled features. They didn't even look to us as we came in, they just sat there, quiet, not speaking a word.
The quiet is not what was getting to me, it was the waiting. I didn't care much what they decided, but they seemed to enjoy dragging it out. So, we waited for a time before they finally broke the silence of the room, the elder in the middle spoke out with his aged voice. “So, you are the winged child who has come here. Tell us, why did you come here?” I stood there with my arms folded across my chest now, I didn't think they'd be so callous as to blatantly ask me questions that they should know the answers to by now. “Simple, I have no home nor family. I needed a place to come to to live until I could become strong enough to survive on my own. The place where I awoke was a distance from there and this was the closet town that I could see from above. If I could have seen any other towns, I would have gone there, but this apparently was the only one for miles.”
After I said that, it was my turn to remain quiet while they spoke with each other quietly before asking me another question. “Well then, what is your name boy?” Hah, boy. Yes I looked like a child, but who knows how old I really was now. “My name is Rei-Kai. Is there anything else you need to ask me, old man?” The elder just laughed softly after I said that, knowing it to be a true statement though taking it as a joke. “One more thing child. What will you do when you are strong enough to survive alone?” I answered that without a single thought on how my words sounded. “I will move out to find the one who placed these markings on me and learn of my true destiny.” As I said those words, I spoke them with a sense of passion and fire in my tone and these men knew in that moment, that I was special in some way. Now, soon after I spoke those words, they went back to talking amongst themselves until it was time for my final question. “Ok Rei-Kai, we will ask you this once. Do you wish to stay here in this village with us until you feel it is time to leave?” This was last question as it would be my decision on whether or not I should stay. The thing is, I really didn't have much of a choice. “Yes. It is my wish to stay here until I feel the time is right for me to leave you all in peace.” After I said that, I lowered my head and uncrossed my arms, my wings fluttered lightly on my back as I turned to walk away. Just as soon as I started to take a step down the hall did the elders speak up. “We feel that you are telling the truth, so it is our honor to grant you your wish. You may stay here in our village, as one of our own.” And that, as they say, is that. The decision has been made, and a turning point in my existence was soon to reveal itself. It is here where I begin my first eight years of life as myself, as Rei-Kai.