Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Aurora and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
Magic Of The Golden Flower 2 Chapter 1
In the 300 years Aurora has been alive she has seen many friends come and go. Coming into the world and taking a breath for the first time and being laid to rest on this earth when their time walking it has come to an end. One would think she'd be used to it by now, but she must admit that it never gets any easier. Those close to one's heart always leave an impact no matter how long they are with you.
Off to the side of a flaming pyre Aurora, keeping her hair away from the flames, watches with Shadow at her side as an orangutan called Stefan is laid to rest, the fire consuming his body, smoke and ash rising to the ceiling and seeping through the boards covering an opening to the outside.
His name is Stefan.
The last of two members belonging to the Order of Caesar. An order devoted to Caesar's memory, teachings, and ideals that he held so closely. Determined to keep them alive where others have unknowingly forgotten them.
An Order that Aurora has been a part of since its founding many seasons passed.
Another member, another member called Raka, stands by mourning his lost colleague and friend.
Raka may be getting on in years now, but Aurora can remember the day he and Stefan entered the Order of Caesar as younglings. How their eyes were bright, full of promise, and eagerness to learn and teach.
How time goes by so quickly.
Stefan's death never should've happened.
He was caught outside when the Masks, a tribe, following the leadership of an alpha male bonobo called Proximus Caesar was passing through. Usually, all of them are inside their home when strangers trespass, but this time Stefan was caught unprepared with little time to react.
By the time Aurora, Raka, and Shadow made it outside it was too late and all they could do was hide.
Only when the last of them disappeared did they risk coming out.
Less than an hour ago they were interacting and going about their day and now Stefan's life is snuffed out, never to see the sun again.
It's a level of grief and sadness that Aurora is all too familiar with.
Shadow approaches Raka, leaning against his leg, whining and licking the orangutan's fingers to offer what little comfort he can.
Aurora slowly approaches to lean her shoulder against us.
Releasing a heavy sigh, shoulders slumped, Aurora said "It's just us now."
Huffing angrily, Raka said "The Imposters arm grows ever longer. Twisting Caesar's teachings to his own end."
"I know. It makes me angry, too. Everything Proximus Caesar is doing is not what my Caesar would've wanted at all. If he were alive to see what this one is doing today…his heart would weep. The Laws he held so close misused so terribly," said Aurora, sorrowfully.
"Someone needs to stop him, but we are only two now. Well, three, if you count Shadow," said Raka, stroking Shadow's ears fondly.
Shaking her head, fingering the medallion with the Caesars symbol on her neck, like the one Raka, also, wears, Aurora said "That's not nearly enough to stop him. Somewhere out there is the one destined to take Caesar's place."
"But when will he come? We've waited so long," said Raka, solemnly.
"Patience," said Aurora, softly. "Patience is what leads to salvation."
Little does Aurora know how true her words are.
No sooner is this spoken that a horse that doesn't belong to them is heard outside these walls.
All at once they assume the strangers in the Maska have returned to find them.
Whoever it is up clearly isn't minding their footing. Not long after hearing the horse, a screech announces the intruder plummeting through a hole from above. The vines beneath him and the ground slow his descent, but not enough to the point where he'd avoid the fire. In the process a recognizable electro staff he carries slip from his grip.
Raka is quick to retrieve it so the stranger doesn't have this weapon to aid him.
Thinking fast, and reacting instinctively, Aurora throws her long hair out. She manipulates it so the long strands catch him in midfall just as he slips from the last of the vines at the same time. This leaves the intruder dangling over the flaming pyre by his leg. He struggled to break himself free, but the strands are too strong form him to do so, not realizing what they actually are. Not wanting his predicament to get worse Aurora swings her hair until it puts him to a point above away from the fire. Only then does she release him.
An adolescent male chimpanzee is their visitor.
The impact from landing so hard on his back leaves him winded and gasping for breath. As Aurora stays back for safety reasons Raka and Shadow go to confront the stranger.
Shadow is barking and growling in the adolescent's face, showing his teeth, and Raka wielding the staff. Raka points it at the adolescent's face, yet not touching him, in a threatening manner. Shadow does not bite him, waiting for a signal.
The adolescent raises his hand in a submissive and nonthreatening manner behind his fear.
"How young you are without your mask. Without this," said Raka, jabbing the electro staff closer.
The young one jabbers trying to speak, but is too scared to find the right words.
"Speak up," said Raka in his booming voice. "Speak up."
Calming down enough to speak through his pants, eyes fearful, the adolescent said "Not mine. No mask. I am not one of them."
Eyes crinkled in suspicion, humming underneath his breath, Raka allowed "Explain yourself."
Calming down some more, the adolescent said "They kill my father. Stole my village. I follow their tracks."
No longer viewing this youngling as a possible enemy, lowering the electro staff, nodding in the direction of the pyre, Raka said "He was my village. They killed him. The Masks." Raka then relaxes his stance, making a hand movement to Shadow for him to stand down. Shadow reluctantly complies. Raka holds the electro staff in one hand and extends the other in welcome. "I am Raka."
"I am Noa," said the adolescent, quietly, extending his own hand.
Noa then lets Raka assist him in finding his feet.
Tapping a hand on Shadow's back, Raka said "This is Shadow."
Swallowing thickly, extending a cautious hand, Noa said "Hello, Shadow."
Shadow briefly sniffs Noa's fingers and turns his head away, a deliberate snub.
Raka then gives the electro staff back.
Shaking his head in amusement, Raka chuckled "Apes falling from the sky." He then turns to Aurora's hiding place, waving her out from the shadows. "It is safe."
A confused expression crosses Noa's face until he sees Aurora step into the light.
"An Echo," said Noa, perplexed. But not like one he's ever seen before.
Smiling gently, Aurora said "My kind were not originally called Echoes. I am a Human."
Noa's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief.
It's really quite comical.
Authors Note:
At this point in time Aurora's hair is the exact same length Rapunzel's is in Tangled.
For those of you on fanfiction I'm sure you've been facing the many unwanted ads when you're reading a story. Well, yesterday, I finally had enough, and I got an adblocker app. It worked! No more ads on any level! The one I got is Adblock Pro: Safari Ad Blocker. It really works. Just follow the instruction video that it attached to it.
Heads up everyone there's someone on fanfiction you need to seriously watch out for. Early a couple of months ago after I woke up I was checking my email and I saw I had a new guest review on my A Dog's Purpose Is Strange Magic 2 sequel. I took a look at it and got a very big shock. Some random person I've never spoken to before on here or anywhere else in my life was basically threatening me. Intimidating and practically ordering me to write a threatening letter to someone on their behalf, telling to stay off of for life or else they and everyone else close to them would be killed, disgustingly telling them to kill themselves. And at the bottom of the message this crazy person wasn't done. Warning me that if I don't send the letter then they would kill me and for confirmation to email them to make absolutely sure I complied with their demands. Of course I did nothing of the sort. Instead of doing what they wanted I reported them to the website, sent copies of this deplorable guest review message to police officer cousins of mine so they could have it on file, and I went to a nearby police station and reported it.
When I spoke to the police officers and they checked everything on the message they saw, that while the address and names of business were accurate the people and their names were not. They agree it was more than likely a scam because of the email address on the bottom in order to perhaps get access to personal information or potentially hack my computer. Despite that I'm still very happy they took it seriously as I showed and told them everything. All the same I'm still very happy that I brought this to the attention of law enforcement. Even though the entire thing might be fake I'm still very happy to have brought this to the attention of those who can do something about it if it was legit in some way. This may have been a scam, but it's obvious these people are beyond irresponsible if they try to goad people into sending death threats to random strangers just to get access to info.
Be that as it may if this does unfortunately happen to you do not send any messages to the email addresses they put down and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you bring the message to the authorities immediately whether it is legit or not.
Because it's a guest review it might not be visible for a couple of days as it loads if it is sent to you. But when it does you should definitely pressing the report abuse button and send it to the email that leads to the support staff that is available.
Just a heads up to those of you who aren't aware of this yet, Email alerts for this website are now only active if Email opts is enabled in account settings.
I hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D
For those of you just starting out with my stuff there are other works on my profile that may catch your interest. I highly recommend you take a look as soon as the opportunity presents itself to you. Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
Stay safe everyone. Especially with all of these crazy natural disasters occurring a lot lately due to global warming and climate change everywhere for sure. I swear it's like they're getting worse and worse all the time and it's like officials are simply just ignoring it or pretending it doesn't exist entirely just to go on with their daily lives. Especially those in multi-million dollar companies that rely on certain elements of our planet that we rely on to naturally keep us safe instead of adapting and finding new safer ways to keep in business. There are so many options out there where they can adapt, but they just refuse to see it because all they care about is money. Climate change is altering so much faster than anyone can really keep track of.
So, in light of all this, it is important to live life to the fullest as much as anyone can.
I know I am. ;) See you guys next time.