Mira's POV
We couldn't keep up with our conversation for much longer as the clouds around us darkened. The howl seemed like it was getting closer and suddenly it started raining.
" Let's get out of here. We will talk about this later. I promise. " I grabbed Kian's hand and literally pulled him along with me. I was immune to the rain but he was sophisticated and delicate. I could not put my only companion in that desolate place in harm's way, not to forget that he was also my savior on several occasions.
Kian ducked as I sped up. Branches and leaves from several trees brushed against us. Some scratching our skin and some tearing parts of our clothes.
" Here, use this to shade your head. " I stopped as I saw a banana tree and tore its biggest leaf for Kian to use as an umbrella. It was raining cats and dogs.
" You take it. I'm aaa... al... alright.. tttt... () " , he stuttered, trying to stop the sneeze but it came out amplified.
" The rain never bothers me, " brought my lips close to his ear and whispered, " that's my superpower. "
His skin burst into goosebumps as soon as I did that, he tried to cover his arms desperately trying to hide it.
" Let's find a dry spot, Kian. Hurry. I think we should go up. "
After sometime we noticed a dim light coming from a distance.
" I think there must be a cabin there, " Kian's eyes lit up as we both dragged our muddy boots up as fast as we could.
"Maybe they will be able to call our teachers or the school as well. " I was getting optimistic for no reason.
That cabin was old, tattered and abandoned. But there was a room. The roof was leaking at places but there were dry spots.
There were some firewoods at the base of a cabinet.
I wasted no time in pilling them up and putting them on fire, trying to send a smoke signal.
" I wonder where the others are. " I kept speaking outside in the direct direction where the smoke went, reflexively looking for an answer like we await a reply to our text.
" I don't know. But this fire is nice. It's so warm. " I turned around when Kian talked but I had to immediately turn back.
He was half naked. He had taken his shirt off and was squeezing the water out of it. His pants were off as well. He hung it near the fire, to dry it. He was just in his shorts.
" Mira, feel free to get your wet clothes off. I will do it that way. I am not looking. "
I laughed so loud in my head. His suggestion was so innocent but just imagine this image getting viral. I am sure a lot of people will get a heart attack. That would include my mother, Betty and possibly Braze ... and yeah, the gossip mongers like Stella... I was so lost in my imagination that I didn't notice that he actually was done.
I was sitting all alone in front of the fire, my hair dripping.It was at this point that I noticed that my dress was transparent. It was that wet.
" Kian... Kian.... Ki.. " My words got stuck in my throat. I couldn't even gulp. I was just about to go around the corner, looking for Kian but I came face to face with the wolf.
I don't know how I understood but it was the same wolf that was howling awhile ago. A lone wolf, in the middle of the woods, in a godforsaken mountain. And I was all alone, facing it.
" Calm down Mira. Calm down. It's just a big dog. You got this. "
I tried to breathe because my chest was getting heavy.
The Wolf approached me, one step at a time. It was glaring straight into my eyes.
Our eyes were locked as we turned and switched positions, as if in a mental state .
The Wolf did look strangely familiar.
I tried to calm it down by extending my hand , and letting it smell. But it definitely had the wrong effect.
It pounced on top of me, landing on all fours , right on top of my chest.
I had given up all hopes and closed my eyes to embrace my end when a wet, slurping feel shot my eyes open.
The Wolf was literally licking my face like a dog.
I could feel my heart beat going further up, instead of coming down.
My hands were moving involuntarily, trying to pet its head but then, it took one look at me and leaped into the bushes and was gone.
" Mira. Mira... what happened? "
Kian was back but I was turned over on my stomach. I was looking at the trail left behind by the wolf, his tiny paw marks.
" Mira! Did you spot a wolf? Mira. We must get out of here... "
" Sssshhhh! " I hushed Kian with a loud voice. " Don't worry. It was harmless. "
There was definitely something about this place.
I picked myself up.
" I think we should follow its trail. "
There was something oddly familiar about that wolf. Something enchanting yet sad.
" Mira, are you crazy? "
Kian began but when I turned towards him, he immediately shut up.
" I know we should follow its steps, Kian. Not everything can be explained. "
" But... But Mira... It doesn't seem like a normal wolf... what if... what if it's a trap? "
I almost laughed.
" A trap... who would trap us with a wolf as bait? I know you are rich but kidnappers will have a hard time in a place like this... "
" Mira, no. It's not about money, " Kian almost shoved me at the shoulder.
" Mira I am scared of all that is happening around me. There were people on the bus when we came here. They were looking for someone. They didn't have any names. But everybody forgot about them as soon as they were gone. I know you will probably not believe as well, but I am telling the truth. "
He didn't need to convince me.
This was confirmation. Something was definitely up.
# Chapter 30 Heartstaff
***At the Marine Tribe in Chemora - Queen Asa's palace***
She could not close her eyes. Something inside her was telling her that the powers within her son had awakened. Yet she had no way to confirm. They had the powers which no other tribe in Chemora had. They could talk to the ocean. The waves brought news for them , from the future, past and present.
Queen Asa walked towards the window, watching the waves crash against the rocks, helpless.
" I was once like you. " She was talking with the foams left behind, " powerless and unknown, till I thought of taking matters into my own hand. "
An eerie giggle rang behind her as she jumped and turned back.
" Are you talking about your marriage? " The voice echoed through the emptiness making her toe curl.
She knew exactly the source. She knew where the voice was coming from.
She tip-toed towards the full size mirror. It had a black cloth over it and Asa stood right in front of it and said,
" I thought you couldn't talk with this cloth over your face. What got you so excited tonight, wicked lass? "
That unearthly giggle rang around Asa's chamber and made her take a step back or two.
" You will never get rid of me, woman. Never. No matter how much you try. "
***
The Marine tribe was known for its warrior females.
It was a joyous occasion when the king chose one amongst them as his beloved queen, and the entire kingdom started celebrating.
But those celebrations were short lived because the king passed away leaving behind a pregnant queen.
***
At another part of The Marine Territory-
The girls were gathered around the old lady who was supposedly their teacher. This was at the Female Warrior Training Centre. And everyone present in that gathering had long flowing, silver, gray hair, irrespective of their ages.
It was another hard day of training and it was time for some rest and recreation.
" Do you know the story of the Heartstaff? "
The teacher asked.
The girls looked at each other and shook their heads. It was a tale they had heard many times before. But it was their favorite tale and they never got bored, whenever it was retold.
It was the tale of the legendary weapon that every Chemorian child learnt as one of the very first lessons in their elementary years.
And here is how it goes -
With the dawn of creation, when the universe itself was but a tender babe, a cataclysmic event shattered the very core of existence. From this cosmic upheaval emerged a fragment that was radiant and timeless. It was destined to become something that the entire creation would strive to own,the legendary Heartstaff. It pulsed with the essence of creation,with unparalleled power forged in the crucible of the cosmos.
The nascent universe was not ready for such raw, boundless energy.It was too unstable.
The Heartstaff plunged through the fabric of reality, falling on to Earth, a planet that would be identified by the color of the oceans, serene ,with specs of green and blue. But Earth itself was a round ball of fire at that stage. It fell in a cascade of celestial fire, onto its molten breast. It bore a profound enchantment, drawing the Earth's molten heart around it, creating a chamber deep within the planet's core where time itself seemed to stand still.
For eons untold, the Heartstaff have remained hidden, shrouded in mystery. Its presence whispered through the ages as an ancient secret passed down by sages. It was said that those who possessed the staff would command the forces of creation itself.
Legends swirled like stardust, telling of brave adventurers who ventured into the very bowels of the Earth, seeking the Heartstaff's unimaginable power. But the Earth, keeper of the staff, was no easy guardian. Her core, a churning cauldron of fire and stone, tested the mettle of those who dared to tread its depths.
The Heart Staffs chamber was a place where gravity danced to its own rhythm, where rocks and gems glowed with ethereal light and blaze. It was a realm of dreams, where the laws of physics bent and twisted, and where the past, present, and future intertwined in an intricate cosmic tapestry.
Those who succeeded in reaching the staff were granted a glimpse into the very heart of creation. They felt the hum of galaxies being born, the fiery birth of stars, and the hushed whispers of quasars singing cosmic lullabies. The staff itself was a crystalline marvel, its core a swirling vortex of pure energy, held together by a lattice of precious stones that glittered like the night sky.
But they never lived to tell the story. The Heartstaff's secret never got out. It was a one way path down the deep fiery abyss. The adornment of the path was the myriad remains of several terrestrial and extraterrestrial species.
The Heartstaff's power was capable of shaping reality itself. With it, one could mend the rifts in time, heal the deepest wounds of existence, and ignite the birth of new worlds. But such power was not meant for mortal hands alone; it was a gift from the cosmos to be cherished, protected, and wielded with wisdom.
And so, the Heartstaff remained hidden, a guardian of the Earth's innermost secrets, a symbol of the universe's enduring magic, waiting for the day when a soul pure of heart would unlock its true potential and, in doing so, become a conduit for the very forces of creation.
The story was long over. The breeze from the ocean was blowing over all their faces. But the students still looked at their teacher's face, their eyes and mouths, wide open with awe.
" Have you ever seen Earth? "
One finally asked.
" In pictures, yes. But not in reality my love. " She gently touched the child's head and then turned to address another's concern.
" Why is the Heartstaff hidden inside Earth? Why not Chemora? "
" Well, that's a very good question. But I am afraid I do not have any answer for that. Maybe when you grow up, you will be able to figure out that riddle. Don't forget to tell your teacher as well. "
She winked as the student smiled back.
" It's getting late, children. Time to wrap today's session up and head to your beds. "
She declared as she stood up.