Snowy Ashes, Worlds Forgotten
Chapter I: The Beginning
She had tattoos in an unknown language inked across her body. Her pale blonde hair sprawled across the ground, the braids visible in the fading sunlight. Her clothing was tribal as well; but nothing Yusei had seen before. The skins were tanned deep blues and blacks, beads, feathers and charms stitched into the fabrics lining her body. There was a long, snow white feather with blue tips sewn into her hair. Was she from a Water Tribe?
Pulled from his thoughts by the girl stirring and moaning, Yusei bent down next to her, offering her a hand. "Need some help?"
The girl saw his hand and immediately backed away, shrinking into the ground as far as she could.
Confused, Yusei took a step forward.
The girl inhaled sharply and tried to back away more, but a tree blocked her path. Her icy green eyes were terrified.
"What's wrong?" asked Yusei, still advancing.
She began to mutter things in an unknown language and clouds began to cover the sun. Her hair began to float in the small breeze, making her look like she was under water.
Yusei stared in awe as she stood on her own. A sudden gust of wind ruffled Yusei so hard he had to close his eyes and knee just so he wouldn't be blown away.
When he opened his eyes, the girl was gone. In her place as a single, blue bead. It was large and carved into the shape of a panther.
"How odd," Yusei muttered to himself, picking up the bead and examining it closely. Was that a symbol of her tribe? Or a symbol of her family? Whatever the case, Yusei wanted to get the bead back to her.
His head full of thoughts of the girl, Yusei returned home. His tribe was a Thunder Tribe; the colors worn by everyone were gold, white and tan. The people were kind and his tribe prospered under his father's careful rule.
"Yusei!"
The boy looked up and saw his friends waving to him; Jack, Kiryu and Crow.
"What's wrong?" Yusei asked as he drew to a stop by them and saw their concerned looks.
"We have visitors." Crow muttered.
"A Heaven Tribe has asked to stay the night," Kiryu clarified. "Their leader is currently speaking with our leader; your father."
"A Heaven Tribe?" asked Yusei. Why would a Heaven Tribe asked to stay with a Thunder Tribe?
"Shhh!" Crow silenced Yusei with a quick wave of his hand and all four knelt down in the shrubs surrounding the encampment.
Out of the largest settlement emerged an elderly man, followed by three younger men - two in blue and one in gold - and finally his father. They were just in earshot to hear the conversation.
"Thank you very much for agreeing to host us for the night," the elder man was saying. "Nerve, grab the rest of the Tribe so they may begin to arrange their tents."
One of the younger men in blue nodded and rushed off.
"It was nothing," Yusei's father answered. "We Tribes are here for each other."
The elder man from the Heaven Tribe smiled and nodded his thanks.
Nerve returned a few moments later with a caravan of people behind him. They were all dressed in royal-looking attire; just like the elder and the remaining man; purples and reds tinted their clothes.
"So then..?" Yusei began to ask, but then he saw her. She was near the back and nearly impossible to notice. Her hands were bound behind her and her pale blonde bangs covered her eyes as a man in purple strolled by her. "It's her!" he nearly shouted, but remembered to keep his voice down.
"Who?" Jack asked, looking at Yusei with confusion.
"Her!" Yusei pointed. "I saw her collapsed by the river not ten minutes ago."
"She's really cute," Kiryu said, a smirk crossing his lips.
Yusei pretended not to her him, and continued to look at the girl. Indeed, she was pretty. But she was wearing blue, not purple. Was she a slave?
"Yusei!"
Prickling as he heard his name, Yusei rose and walked over to his father and stood next to his tribe leader.
"As a token of our thanks," the elder began, "we would like to host a feast in your honor."
Before Yusei or his father could make any objections, the elder motioned for something and three men carrying crates pushed their way to the front.
"Where may we set up?" the elder asked.
"Over there," the Thunder Tribe leader said, pointing to the spot where festivals were normally held in their tribe.
The Heaven Tribe leader smiled his thanks and began to direct people to different tasks to complete the feast.
Yusei watched the activity from his father's side.
"What is all the noise?" Yusei's mother appeared from inside the hut and looked around.
"We're hosting a heaven tribe, so they're thanking us with a feast," Yusei's father answered.
"I see. So I won't need to cook. Excellent."
Yusei asked to be excused for the moment, and it was granted. He ran back over to his friends who were in a huddle by Jack's house..
"Did you hear his accent?" Kiryu was asking.
"Yeah. He sounded very foreign," Jack agreed.
"How so?" asked Crow.
"They are a Heaven Tribe," Yusei said as he approached. "The Heaven Tribes are scattered across the continents, but they all meet up at the beginning of each year in the Capital where their accent comes from."
"Really?" Kiryu seemed surprised.
Yusei nodded.
"Then, why are they here? Is there calendar different than ours?"
Thinking back, Kiryu had a point. It was close to the end of the year for every Tribe calendar. "I have a bad feeling about this…" Yusei muttered.