Oh dear Lord, I have soooo much work to do! However, I received all these
desperate reviews begging me to continue. Therefore, I am putting my work
on hold for a few hours and am going to finish this chapter for you.
Hoppuschick182: Just to PROVE I am far more evil then you I am going to KILL Daine! Hahahaahahha
Complications
Chapter 10
'Becoming Human'
By: Karigan
Daine simply stared at the girl's hand. A few moments ago, she had thought the girl carried similar looking bands around her hands as were on her ankles. That would have explained the gloves; having to hide such horrible gut wrenching objects would be a good reason to carry gloves at all times. Oh, how wrong she was. The girl's hand was oddly perfect. She could not see one tiny flaw or discoloration in the smoothness of her palm and fingers. What really caught Daine's attention were the silver nails the girl had. 'Silver nails?' she asked herself. 'That would mean - but how is that-.' She tried desperately to grab onto one logical string of thought. Her mouth dropped open in shock.
Numair let the girl go and raised himself up from his kneeling position in front of the red head. A large sigh escaped him and he looked to Daine for a moment. Noticing his wife's astonishment, he said, "It makes sense for the most part. Although, I still have some unanswered questions."
Jonathan came out of his own staring trance and ran a hand through his hair nervously. "There is no possible way that there can be anything positive in this situation is there?"
Numair rubbed his hands over his face as he leaned against the wall. He shook his head 'no' and groaned in frustration.
The red head looked at them curiously. "What is the matter?"
Numair took his hands from his face and stared at the girl in astonishment. "Matter? You are an IMMORTAL! That is what the matter is. How can you possibly think we wouldn't be shocked by this?"
The girl looked confused. "But. I thought you knew I was an immortal. Did you not?"
"NO!" cried Numair. "How were we supposed to know that?"
The girl nearly burst out laughing. "You thought a HUMAN girl could do all the things I have done?" She was bubbling with laughter until she saw the very unamused faces surrounding her. She sobered quickly. "You REALLY thought that? How odd."
Daine decided she had been confused long enough. "All right. Let us just get the basics out first. Because I think, we are missing a few steps. First, what is your name?"
The girl looked thoughtful for a moment. "I do not think you could pronounce my name."
"Could you give us an approximation of the sound, or perhaps a translation of its meaning?" Jon asked.
"Well," the girl said, scratching her head. "I suppose the closest translation would be 'Justice'."
Daine blinked. "That is actually a very pretty name."
Justice smiled at Daine.
"So we have a name for you now. Good. Could you tell us the events that brought you here to Tortall, Justice?"
Justice's eyes shadowed noticeably. "The man who brought me is a human mage. That much I know. He is not very powerful, not with human magic. However, he has magic from the old ones. The old ones made these bands around my ankles. It has there magic in them. That is how he captured me. The 'gift' does not work on me unless it touches my blood."
"Wait. He knows how to use the magic of the old ones?" Jon questioned in horror. The implications of that would be horrific. The things this man could do if he knew old magic were limitless.
"No." The relief from the three listeners was audible. "He got a hold of these bands some how. He put this left one on first when I was not looking. That is why it is always so irritated. I fought it as hard as I could, but he had caught me by surprise. Once the metal had pierced my skin, he sent his magic through the band into my blood. That is how he accomplished control over me. The second one is a reassurance I suppose." She looked at the bleeding ankle and scrunched up her face in distaste. "In case I loose the foot I guess."
Daine winced. "How long ago was that?"
Justice sighed sadly. "I think 2 years ago. I'm not too familiar with human terms of time."
Daine felt awful for the girl. She had to have been barely six when taken, unless they grew at a slower rate than humans like Kitten did. But, it didn't matter. She was obviously the equivalent of an 8 year old right now. 'I wonder how her parents took her disappearance.' Rikash had said Immortals could not reproduce easily. 'Her parents must be heartbroken.'
A sudden pang of familiar pain slammed into her chest. She knew what it was like to loose a child, two children actually. Although she had never met her own children, she could not imagine being able to survive loosing a child you have had for years already. 'I wouldn't have been able to let go.' She thought sadly. Daine felt her cheeks flush with anger. If she ever had a chance alone with this man, she did not think she would be held responsible for any actions. "Then he brought you here, to Tortall?" Justice nodded. "You said he dragged you across the desert. You come from Carthak?"
"South. Far south of the desert. In the forest past the great desert." Justice answered with longing in her voice.
Numair had heard descriptions of the forest past the desert lands of Carthak. The stories and writings described forest far richer and greener then the best forest in the Northern Lands. The forests were so dense and full of life that it could support huge amounts of carnivorous creatures. According to the best scholars and professors, the farther you look up the food chain, the fewer amount of those animals there are, because it takes larger amounts of a one level to feed the next up. One of the ways to judge if a forest is thriving is to see if there are large amounts of carnivores. If there is a good amount, then you could reasonably say the forest was thriving in the most basics of plant life.
He had heard stories of cats bigger then lions and tigers, stories of more different colored birds then there are stars. The trees were so healthy, their branches and turned into vines that spanned for miles. In certain parts of the forest, it was always pitch dark; the canopy of the trees so dense, light could not penetrate it. He had even read of the largest waterfall ever known resided in the depths of this 'jungle'. A waterfall said to be a mile high. "I have heard of it. It is said to be very beautiful."
"It is." Justice said with certainty. "We have always lived there. Are magic is what keeps it safe from the disasters that plague other forest, like fires, floods, and earthquakes. Centuries without disaster have made it what it is today."
Jonathan looked confused. "But, the immortals were kept in the Realm of the Gods for centuries up until a decade ago."
Justice looked at the king; and with a steady gaze said, "We have 'always' been there. Humans just never knew it until recently."
"Hmmmm." Numair was deep in thought, most likely pondering his next question.
Daine, however, had a question ready to fire. "Why did this man want you?"
"He did not want 'me' specifically. Just one of my kind. He caught me. It is because I am still young. If my papa had been there, he would have raked the man's eyes out for laying a hand on me. He wanted us for what we can do, because of what we are."
Jonathan tilted his head. 'Funny' he thought. 'We don't even know what kind of immortal she is.' "What are you Justice?"
Justice looked at the king as if the answer was obvious. Then a small smile played across her lips. Her pale skin suddenly brightened with color and her pale blue eyes suddenly flared red with life. Not from anger or pain as before, but of what Jonathan suspected was pure excitement. As if the simple mention of what she was could bring out her feverish vitality.
"I am one of the 'Light'. I am of the kind that burns the sky with our Wings. I am one of the seers and the prophets of the immortal species." He voice had gone melodic again, the words almost flowing together with richness. Her eyes, which had flared before into a red, suddenly blazed brightly.
"I am a Firebird."
To be continued///
A/N: Ha! What do you think? I know it has a bit shorted then my other chapters, but I cannot put it together with another chapter or it would be ridiculously long. The Firebird legend is by far my favorite of all myths. That is why I choose to use it. In my next chapter, you will learn all about the legend. I will try to start the next chapter soon. However, no promises. I have given up an entire evening to this chapter-an evening I will be paying for tonight. Lol. Ok. See ya!
Karigan
Hoppuschick182: Just to PROVE I am far more evil then you I am going to KILL Daine! Hahahaahahha
Complications
Chapter 10
'Becoming Human'
By: Karigan
Daine simply stared at the girl's hand. A few moments ago, she had thought the girl carried similar looking bands around her hands as were on her ankles. That would have explained the gloves; having to hide such horrible gut wrenching objects would be a good reason to carry gloves at all times. Oh, how wrong she was. The girl's hand was oddly perfect. She could not see one tiny flaw or discoloration in the smoothness of her palm and fingers. What really caught Daine's attention were the silver nails the girl had. 'Silver nails?' she asked herself. 'That would mean - but how is that-.' She tried desperately to grab onto one logical string of thought. Her mouth dropped open in shock.
Numair let the girl go and raised himself up from his kneeling position in front of the red head. A large sigh escaped him and he looked to Daine for a moment. Noticing his wife's astonishment, he said, "It makes sense for the most part. Although, I still have some unanswered questions."
Jonathan came out of his own staring trance and ran a hand through his hair nervously. "There is no possible way that there can be anything positive in this situation is there?"
Numair rubbed his hands over his face as he leaned against the wall. He shook his head 'no' and groaned in frustration.
The red head looked at them curiously. "What is the matter?"
Numair took his hands from his face and stared at the girl in astonishment. "Matter? You are an IMMORTAL! That is what the matter is. How can you possibly think we wouldn't be shocked by this?"
The girl looked confused. "But. I thought you knew I was an immortal. Did you not?"
"NO!" cried Numair. "How were we supposed to know that?"
The girl nearly burst out laughing. "You thought a HUMAN girl could do all the things I have done?" She was bubbling with laughter until she saw the very unamused faces surrounding her. She sobered quickly. "You REALLY thought that? How odd."
Daine decided she had been confused long enough. "All right. Let us just get the basics out first. Because I think, we are missing a few steps. First, what is your name?"
The girl looked thoughtful for a moment. "I do not think you could pronounce my name."
"Could you give us an approximation of the sound, or perhaps a translation of its meaning?" Jon asked.
"Well," the girl said, scratching her head. "I suppose the closest translation would be 'Justice'."
Daine blinked. "That is actually a very pretty name."
Justice smiled at Daine.
"So we have a name for you now. Good. Could you tell us the events that brought you here to Tortall, Justice?"
Justice's eyes shadowed noticeably. "The man who brought me is a human mage. That much I know. He is not very powerful, not with human magic. However, he has magic from the old ones. The old ones made these bands around my ankles. It has there magic in them. That is how he captured me. The 'gift' does not work on me unless it touches my blood."
"Wait. He knows how to use the magic of the old ones?" Jon questioned in horror. The implications of that would be horrific. The things this man could do if he knew old magic were limitless.
"No." The relief from the three listeners was audible. "He got a hold of these bands some how. He put this left one on first when I was not looking. That is why it is always so irritated. I fought it as hard as I could, but he had caught me by surprise. Once the metal had pierced my skin, he sent his magic through the band into my blood. That is how he accomplished control over me. The second one is a reassurance I suppose." She looked at the bleeding ankle and scrunched up her face in distaste. "In case I loose the foot I guess."
Daine winced. "How long ago was that?"
Justice sighed sadly. "I think 2 years ago. I'm not too familiar with human terms of time."
Daine felt awful for the girl. She had to have been barely six when taken, unless they grew at a slower rate than humans like Kitten did. But, it didn't matter. She was obviously the equivalent of an 8 year old right now. 'I wonder how her parents took her disappearance.' Rikash had said Immortals could not reproduce easily. 'Her parents must be heartbroken.'
A sudden pang of familiar pain slammed into her chest. She knew what it was like to loose a child, two children actually. Although she had never met her own children, she could not imagine being able to survive loosing a child you have had for years already. 'I wouldn't have been able to let go.' She thought sadly. Daine felt her cheeks flush with anger. If she ever had a chance alone with this man, she did not think she would be held responsible for any actions. "Then he brought you here, to Tortall?" Justice nodded. "You said he dragged you across the desert. You come from Carthak?"
"South. Far south of the desert. In the forest past the great desert." Justice answered with longing in her voice.
Numair had heard descriptions of the forest past the desert lands of Carthak. The stories and writings described forest far richer and greener then the best forest in the Northern Lands. The forests were so dense and full of life that it could support huge amounts of carnivorous creatures. According to the best scholars and professors, the farther you look up the food chain, the fewer amount of those animals there are, because it takes larger amounts of a one level to feed the next up. One of the ways to judge if a forest is thriving is to see if there are large amounts of carnivores. If there is a good amount, then you could reasonably say the forest was thriving in the most basics of plant life.
He had heard stories of cats bigger then lions and tigers, stories of more different colored birds then there are stars. The trees were so healthy, their branches and turned into vines that spanned for miles. In certain parts of the forest, it was always pitch dark; the canopy of the trees so dense, light could not penetrate it. He had even read of the largest waterfall ever known resided in the depths of this 'jungle'. A waterfall said to be a mile high. "I have heard of it. It is said to be very beautiful."
"It is." Justice said with certainty. "We have always lived there. Are magic is what keeps it safe from the disasters that plague other forest, like fires, floods, and earthquakes. Centuries without disaster have made it what it is today."
Jonathan looked confused. "But, the immortals were kept in the Realm of the Gods for centuries up until a decade ago."
Justice looked at the king; and with a steady gaze said, "We have 'always' been there. Humans just never knew it until recently."
"Hmmmm." Numair was deep in thought, most likely pondering his next question.
Daine, however, had a question ready to fire. "Why did this man want you?"
"He did not want 'me' specifically. Just one of my kind. He caught me. It is because I am still young. If my papa had been there, he would have raked the man's eyes out for laying a hand on me. He wanted us for what we can do, because of what we are."
Jonathan tilted his head. 'Funny' he thought. 'We don't even know what kind of immortal she is.' "What are you Justice?"
Justice looked at the king as if the answer was obvious. Then a small smile played across her lips. Her pale skin suddenly brightened with color and her pale blue eyes suddenly flared red with life. Not from anger or pain as before, but of what Jonathan suspected was pure excitement. As if the simple mention of what she was could bring out her feverish vitality.
"I am one of the 'Light'. I am of the kind that burns the sky with our Wings. I am one of the seers and the prophets of the immortal species." He voice had gone melodic again, the words almost flowing together with richness. Her eyes, which had flared before into a red, suddenly blazed brightly.
"I am a Firebird."
To be continued///
A/N: Ha! What do you think? I know it has a bit shorted then my other chapters, but I cannot put it together with another chapter or it would be ridiculously long. The Firebird legend is by far my favorite of all myths. That is why I choose to use it. In my next chapter, you will learn all about the legend. I will try to start the next chapter soon. However, no promises. I have given up an entire evening to this chapter-an evening I will be paying for tonight. Lol. Ok. See ya!
Karigan