Rain: A Manifesto
When Life Was Simple
I grew up as a peasant on the mainland of Outworld. Only wealthy Outworlders were aloud schooling; so I spent most of my day working for Secayda. She had a small field of crops that she sold annually.
As a young child, I worked in the field for a majority of time. Dusting, cleaning, fertilizing, planting… it wasn't my kind of work. One day, it was very hot, and our old irrigation channels went dry. Secayda gave me a bucket and told me to run to the well to get some water for the crops. "Enough for ALL of them!" She yelled as I began to walk toward the well.
The well was nearly half a mile down the shore and after two or three trips, I was beat. I threw the bucket against the sand in frustration and leaned over the well. "Time to do this my way," I whispered to myself. I had been practicing manipulating water for a while now; but never more than a few drops. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the well. Nothing crossed my mind but that water below me…
Little by little, the water started to rise from the well to above my hands. "YES!" I yelled, feeling like an unstoppable force. I gathered enough water to feed the rest of the crop and managed to levitate it all the way back to Secayda's house.
I made the water descend on top of the crops. My task was successful. I walked to the front of the house, and sat on the front porch grinning in pride. Secayda then walked outside, first looking at the moist crops in bewilderment, then at me oddly. "Rain, that was… fast."
"Too easy."
She continued to stare at me, as she walked back inside mumbling to herself. I just stretched and smiled as I watched the burning Outworld sky. Most people find Outworld's welkin to be dreadful, destructive, terrifying. To me, it is beautiful. It is always moving and changing shades of color. It is a wonder of the universe... simply sitting above the heads of Outworld inhabitants. To me, the sky of Outworld is the vault of heaven.
By the time I was about ten, I started to go into town with Secayda to sell the crops. I treasured it greatly… for it was usually the only contact with other people I had at the time, besides Secayda of course. I was no salesmen. I've never been very good with negotiations, much less about plants. The small town didn't care much for mediocre fruit at double the price of the general market anyway. Secayda and I tried every year anyway though.
If you didn't already know, us Edenians age very differently from Earthrealm inhabitants. Our childhood lasts about the same time as an earthrealmer. Our teenage appearance lasts about two-hundred years. Young adulthood lasts a very long time… usually until we are about twenty-five thousand. Middle age lasts until roughly forty thousand. Old age ranges from about forty thousand to death. Yes, it is complicated… but my point being: we live longer and age in different paces.
By the time I was fifteen, I could not only manipulate water, but create it out of thin air, right in the palm of my hand. It took hours of practice every day, but I knew I had it in me. Eventually, my work paid off and I had mastered my supernatural ability.
It was around this time that I revealed my gift to Secayda. To my surprise, she wasn't amazed. In fact, she wasn't the slightest bit aghast. "Talents of this nature tend to belong to warriors." She uttered calmly as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "Use it well." She then walked steadily back into the house mumbling to herself like she always was. I think she always knew.
Not a fortnight later, I noticed Secayda sitting by the small fireplace looking unusually cheerless. "Why the vexation?" I asked as I sat in the rocking chair next to hers.
"Nothing, my boy." She said as she leaned forward slowly and steadily.
"Secayda, what's on your mind?"
She sighed, and with a large amount of regret in her voice murmured, "I'm broke Rain. I can't get by with selling crops anymore. I can hardly afford food for me, let alone the both of us. I have to sell the land and house."
I just couldn't let her do that. She loved that house so much and had lived there almost her entire life. As she sat back in her chair again with a tear slowly running down her cheek, a thought came to me. She was always talking about how her husband used to be a fisherman before he died. What if I could catch some fish and sell them so Secayda could keep her home?
"I'll fish!" I told her as I stood from the rocking chair with a half grin.
"Rain, you don't know how. I don't either, and it's not as if I can afford lessons."
"What can there be to it?"
"Skill, Practice, and luck… three qualities which you tend to lack." She stuttered jokingly. "Pole's in the shack lad. You better get started."
I ran out to the shed with all the pride in the world. NOTHING was stopping me from catching some fish. The fishing pole was an old, beat up peace of wood. I grabbed the rod, a large net, and some worms from the soil outside the shed. I then ran to the small boat in the dock.
I rowed out about 100 meters or so and dropped my line in the water with a worm on the hook. My first few tries, I snagged seaweed, got my line tangled, and dropped my pole time and time again. After several hours with no bites, I started to get sea sick. I was just getting ready to give up when I got a bite. I got excited and brought in this fish. I was expecting something big, but it was nothing more than a baby bottom feeder.
"DAMNIT!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I threw the frightened fish back into the sea. "Enough of this!" I screamed, preparing to attempt a stunt that could have a horrible outcome.
I levitated the water off the ocean surface, slowly and slowly lifting more water above my head. I started digging a liquid hole deeper into the surface, until I noticed a school of large fish swimming outside my world pool. I knew that was the catch of the day, lying right in front of me. I moved my black hole of the sea over the fish, and when they span around the boat, I stuck out my net at least ten fish came flying directly into it. I released my hold on the water, and the force of it hitting the boat made me fall backwards. I moved my head back and forth blinking my eyes. I then looked to my left and saw a net that was full of fish that were flopping around. "YES!!!" I roared as I felt the adrenalin of my success flow through my blood. I stood up and again shouted, "YES!!!" Rocking the boat back in forth in all my excitement.
I brought this net full of fish to shore. Secayda was standing on the dock, and couldn't believe I did it. She ran over too me, yelling all sorts of different things at me. She hugged me, and told me that I was simply amazing.
After this load was sold off, I kept bringing fish in. I was getting better and better at it each and every time. After only a few months, I was bringing in entire schools of fish. Not only was Secayda no longer broke, but she was able to buy things for herself to enjoy. She took me to the temple of the elder gods (yes, in Outworld, you have to pay a fee to worship). I was always moved by the ceremonies. They would consist of four priests in red robes chanting ancient prayers. I directed most of my worship to the Elder God of Water. I prayed for strength, knowledge, and mastery of this element that The Elder Gods had graciously given me.
Secayda and I started going to the temple weekly. She was a true believer. Most of the town didn't have any belief at all, considering how few people went to the temple. One time, when we were walking home from the temple, I asked her; "Secayda, why do The Elder Gods allow so much corruption? The priests always say they are all loving and all caring."
"The Elder Gods allow what to happen because it is what their wish…"
"But why all the chaos and destruction?" I asked as she stopped walking and turned to me, placing her hand on my shoulder.
"Rain… The Elder Gods prefer to allow the future to rest in our hands. They want mortals to grasp what is reality and change it themselves. You see Rain… The Elder Gods do not wish evil upon anyone or anything… ever… no matter what happens, they are looking for the virtuous conclusion. But they yearn for us to deliver it. They yearn for us to bring equity the realms. " She then kept walking. I remembered that speech for the rest of my life. I found it… not only a satisfying answer to my question… but beautiful.
A few years later, I was walking around town one day. I heard some fishermen talking about a giant whale that they were trying to catch. A Raven Whale. Its blubber was used for all sorts of things; food, clothing, cleaning, you name it. I decided I'd give it a shot.
I rented a whaling boat and went out to sea by myself. I was out there for days, and ran out of food very quick. I was getting ready to give up, when I heard a high pitched squeal, echoing in the distance. It was then that I saw it. This whale was the largest being at had seen in my life. It was approaching me, gazing me with its piercing neon green eyes. Its colors were very odd. A dark red on top of jet black. It looked fierce and deadly.
These whales were known for knocking over small boats, so I knew I had to think fast as it was approaching me. At first, I tried smashing the ocean water into the sides of the whale with my control over water. It had little affect on the beast. I then tried some of the weapons on the boat, spears and harpoons… but it was no use. The creature was just too big.
Eventually, an idea came to me. I thought of a story I heard, of a tsunami that crashed into an island far away. I gathered my self, and concentrated my thoughts on the water. I pushed it, further and further out into the sea. The whale was getting ready to strike the boat, but just in the nick of time, I made the water come crashing down. My wave crashed over the boat and the whale started to rocket into the shore line. Unfortunately, so was I.
After a large amount of tumbling and rumbling, I beached on the rocks. I got out of the now wrecked boat, with a broken arm, and three fractured ribs. The pain however, faded away, when I saw the whale had beached as well. It hurt too bad to yell, so all I did was stand and smile. Eventually, a man came by and saw. He asked what happened. "Just bringing in the load." I said as I spit out a tooth.
I brought Secayda to see the whale, and she was excited. She then noticed my injuries and became worried. I told her everything was fine, although it was the worst pain I had ever felt, at the time anyway. After a few days, I was patched up, and Secayda sold the whale to a factory for a large amount of koins.
Secayda was now set for life, and I no longer had to do any fishing. That next year or so was one of the happiest times of my life. I had time to just live. Talk with villagers, enjoy the sea, and learn more about my gift.
On my twenty-third birthday, Secayda gave me a nice bottle of champagne. I had never consumed alcohol before, and I think Secayda was more exited about it than me. That night, Secayda and I sat on the beach and drank that bottle down. I was intoxicated very quickly, and Secayda started to wolf down the rest of the bottle. "I would have been lost without you kid." she said as she was wiping her lips.
"Are you kidding me? I would have starved to death out here if you didn't take me in. I owe you my life." I barely managed to say, as I was shaking my head around and trying to figure out this new feeling I had.
"Well if I didn't, I'd just be a dreamy young lady." She muffled as her eyes widened.
"Somehow, I don't see dreamy or a young lady." I yelled as we both started laughing like a couple of tomfools.
"Drink more kid… drink it up."
"I can't…" I barely let out, as I rubbed my head.
"Whelp, drink more!"
"Ok…" I let out as a took another swig. "Oh that's it." I calmly sighed as I handed the bottle back to Secayda.
"Fine…" she started chugging the bottle again. "What do you want to do Rain? What's your goal?"
"I don't know."
"Give me something kid… my son wanted to be in politics all of his life… and he is now. What about you?"
"Maybe something in… kombat strategy or…"
I stopped as Secayda's eyes blinked rapidly, and she gave me her little half grin. "Hmm… figured you'd say that my boy, figured you would. Whatever the Elder Gods may have in store for you Rain, it will be of great status. I know it." She then took another large gulp.
I look back on what she said that night. Sometimes, I think she was right. On other occasions, I think about what she said, and shiver because I feel I have gone the complete opposite way.
After Secayda finished the bottle, she tossed it aside, and we both went to sleep. That next morning, I woke up, and strangely, Secayda was not in the kitchen cooking. I looked around the house, and then walked into her bedroom, to see her still lying in bed. "Secayda, time to wake up." I called to her. But she didn't make a movement. I walked over to her, and put my hand on her shoulder. It was cold as ice. "Secayda…" I said again. I felt for her pulse, but it was not there.
I started to cry, but I couldn't. I told myself over and over again that I couldn't cry. I would not weep. No. Secayda was too strong for that.
I buried her behind the house and left a headstone with the words:
"The future rests only in our hands. To bring equity is a mortal's duty"
That day, I locked her house up, and hid the key under a rock by the hillside. I didn't have the heart to sell the house. Later in the evening, I took a sack of clothes and koins, and set out on my journey. My simple life was over. My time had come to bring myself within the great conflicts. Conflicts of war, terror, and treachery.