Chapter 7
The light blinded her and she shielded her eyes with her two hands. She grunted out of the intensity of such light but slowly it faded. Maya started to hear the sound of water flowing, like a small river was near. Then birds were chirping not far away. It felt that she already arrived to the destination though she was not sure. Her eyes started to function like it usually would then she saw where she was.
Tretho, a beautiful place that had jungles as far at the eye could see. It also had a mountainous terrain where the top of it, threes could not survive and only rocks that was there. The mountains had waterfalls flow from it; the water was blue and pure. The water flows to the centre of the place where there was stone buildings that had been meshed with the jungle.
"Congratulations Maya." A voice said. "You passed."
"Huh?" Maya looked at her side and there he was, Kharkov.
"Welcome to Tretho Blue Siren. The Realm of The Host is truly amazing isn't it?"
"Wait, where did you came from?" Maya questioned.
"From where you came too." Kharkov pointed the cave with his thumb. "Remember the cave that you came before?"
Maya looked to her left and discovered that the cave that was just behind her. The cave was exactly the same with no different features to say it was not the same. The cave gave the same feeling, dark and unknown. With the snap of a finger, Kharkov got Maya's attention.
"It's call The Null Maya." Kharkov elaborated. "That's where we come from and if you want to go back, you have to get through that place again."
"What is The Null?" Maya was curious. "It seems to be a dark place."
"It is. It's a highway for the soul to arrive from one destination to the other. If you were to fail Maya, you won't realize that you are walking to a certain place. Instead, you would be asleep in the dark till your body rot. That is The Null and not everyone is capable to go through that place."
"Wait what happen to the body?"
"It's hibernating. In time you have to go back into reality to eat, drink and excrete. Prolong stay is dangerous because if the body dies, the soul has nowhere to go and you would be drifting this world for the rest of…. well I don't know."
Maya glanced at the cave again but this time Kharkov stopped her to stare any longer.
"Maya, listen to me closely." Kharkov put his hand on her shoulder and said with a serious tone. "Do I have your attention?"
Maya nodded and was surprised with Kharkov change of personality. He was a person who was calm and outgoing. Now he was serious. It made every word that he would talk heavier than ever.
"Do not go into The Null without Red or me. Now in the days that would come, you would discover many things about your race and abilities, so be ready. But never even have a thought to go to the cave, regardless of what reason, by your own. Do you understand?"
Maya nodded; understanding every word that was said.
"Good." Kharkov patted her shoulder. "That is my only warning and if you follow that, everything that you ever imagine on knowing about your race would go as smooth as the rivers that you see here."
"Finally." Maya let a grateful sigh.
"Sorry for being serious there but it is my responsibility my friend." Kharkov walked from Maya and he walked into the jungle. "Come on now, let's go meet The Host Maya."
Going through the thick forest, Maya obediently followed Kharkov and did not said a word. Not because she didn't want to talk but because the jungle had caught her senses entirely. The greens from the leaves were soft for the eyes to cherish. The chirps of birds and the ambient crickets, it was like music to ears. Every time she breathes, she smelled the freshness that the lung appreciated so much.
This is not real but at the same time, everything is so surreal. Maya failed to compute on how to address on the world that she was in. She touched a leaf from a plant and her sense said that it was truly a leaf. How can this be possible? We are not in real world….
Kharkov looked at his back and saw the blue Siren curious like a kitten. Looking left, right, front, back, up and down. Her interest had not lessen yet it became increases the longer she put her foot in the Tretho. It made a smile on his face, seeing a child in the matured Siren. He turned back on his focus to the path to the stone city at the middle.
There was faint soil path that lead to The City of Stone, where The Host reside. They were getting closer to the destination; Kharkov knew it and he told Maya through signalling his hand.
"Welcome Maya, to The City of Stone." Kharkov spoke.
And they arrived to The City of Stone, where the buildings were made of stone and water flowed through it. The buildings were unique; it had an ancient architecture design with the flowing of water on the top and the side of the buildings. The buildings were no taller than three storeys high. Vegetation assimilates with the buildings, attaching to its wall no matter what the height. The river provided the water for the plant and the open space gave nutrients from the sun.
The buildings were not in good shape but it was still habitable. There were some small creatures walking around the place that was unique and never seen before. Birds with beaks as colourful as the rainbow that changed time to time. Insects with scents that was attractive to the nose. Small furry mammals that hid in burrows and holes that were narrow but deep.
The buildings had the same height but there were two building that took the eye's attention. One was at the middle of the city and the other not far from it that was to its left. The building at the centre had a dome while the other one pointy edges with stone Eridian Guardian with weapons. The buildings had aged well with their intricate design still intact.
"Kharkov." Maya called.
"Yes?" The man answered.
"Why is the place so empty? Is so quiet around here…"
"The only person that lives here is The Host. Red and I come here for important reasons only. Also to be reminded, this place will be the place that you will learn all that need be, so no distractions."
"Why so? I mean look at this place, it's a beauty."
"Beauty? Of course. But it does not mean we can go here as we please my friend. Like all beautiful things, you can look but you can't touch."
"Oh." Maya nodded. "So are we there yet?"
"As matter of fact we are." Kharkov glanced at Maya. "You see that building; that is The Temple of Truth."
"In the middle or the other one?"
"In the middle of course. The other big building is called The Academia, where you could learn about the history of The Siren."
"Amazing."
"Red usually hangs out there, if there any question concerning your race, then Red is your best bet."
They arrived to the temple; standing in of the door made out of silver and bronze. The door had symbols and marks that were too familiar for Maya. She remembered of what she had seen and looked at her left arm. The Siren mark was etched to the door in pristine accuracy. Beside her, Kharkov was smiling wide knowing that the blue Siren was amazed almost at everything that she sees.
"There are many ways for you to open this door, why don't you put your hand on it." Kharkov said.
Maya moved her right hand and put it on the centre of the door. Nothing happened.
"Hahaha." Kharkov laughed. "The other one my friend."
Maya blushed; she looked silly. She took a deep breath and moved her left arm. She anticipated something will happen and was eager to see it. Her fingers touched first then slowly her palm rested on the door. To her surprise, her Siren marks started glow and the glow flowed to the door. Like water in a pipe, the blue glow had spread the whole door. Locks started open and the sound of mechanical parts was getting louder.
In a grand way, the door opened and revealed the inside the temple.
"That is amazing!" Maya looked at her hand.
"It is." Kharkov nodded. "Now enter, I'll wait outside."
Without a word, Maya nodded and entered the temple.
Each time she took a step, the sound echoed around the spacious area. The air was fresh comparative to outside and the temperature was comfortably cool. She glanced back to see Kharkov and there he still stood. Kharkov waved his hand then the door slowly closed by itself, leaving Maya alone.
She looked forward continued her journey to meet The Host.
It was just an alley with no right, left or doors in between. Only one destination, that was at the end of the alley. As she got closer, she could hear the sound of water flowing. She moved a bit quicker and could not wait to see the end of the alley and see who The Host was.
The Blue Siren arrived to end; a spacious room with a dome on top. It had three funnels that flowed water to the centre of the room where there was a pond. And at the centre, there was a big statue of a woman made out of stone. Her hand on her waist and her head lowered to towards the ground. Close to the statue, a person was meditating.
A walkway was present; she strolled through it to meet the person that she suspects to be The Host. As she strolled, she looked around the place and fascinated by her surroundings. The pond below had fish swimming peacefully and it was deeper more than the eye could see. When Maya was close to the person, she stopped and thought about how she should approach.
"Are you The Host?" Maya suddenly blurted, her mind was not thinking well at the right time.
The person realized Maya's presence; she glanced just for a moment and stood up instantly. The person then turned to face Maya and with it came a smile. Maya looked at the woman and she was the same as any Siren that she had met. Female, slender body and a Siren mark at the left arm.
"You must be Maya." The woman smiled.
She was the same height like Maya, slender body and a unique Siren mark that she bore. The woman had an Asian face, cute and innocent for the eyes to look. Her eyes were black and with it her hair, blackest as a black tone could be. She was pure; Maya could feel it through her senses and also by heart that the person in front was pure.
She wore a white tunic that was appropriate to the design and culture of the place that she was at. Her tunic covers almost all her body with the exception of her navel and left arm; it was left uncovered to see entirely and clearly. Finally, the feature that Maya could not ignore was a golden Siren mark that she possessed. She had seen many marks in her lifetime, Lilith and Angel were her reference, and the woman had a more smooth and wavy mark.
"Uhh," Maya stammered.
"They call me many names, but eventually there are only two stood that is Akari and The Host." The Host moved forward and held her two hands. The Host hands were soft. "Is that face show fear or curiosity?"
"I don't know." Maya said. "Are you going to teach me about Siren things?"
"Well…." She giggled. "I will certainly teach many Siren things."
The Host walked forward while softly pulling Maya towards her.
"But let us know each other before we get into things, shall we?" The Host said in a welcoming tone.
Sup killers, I'm back writing again.
C'ya Mates_
