AZEL
I laid on my old mattress staring at my hands. I still couldn't fathom what had happened back then at the fields. It was night already. Mother hadn't returned yet and I was getting more anxious. After what happened, a few of my old school mates who went for the registration had come flooding the house full of questions and out of curiosity but Freya had drove them all away. She had protected me, yet again.
I clenched my fist in annoyance.
Suddenly I remembered that strange woman's name.
"Kiya....
I kept seeing her in my dreams. I had never seen her face though but I had seen her and I did feel her presence. It was all messed up, I didn't really understand. Maybe I was just overthinking. Mother would probably clear the air when she got back. I sighed and stood up. I took off my shirt and tossed it to a side. I made to take off my trousers but an eerie feeling slapped at me and I sensed someone at the door. I turned to see Freya leaning against the door. I yelped and pulled my pants up.
"What the....! What is wrong with you? What are you trying to look at? I snapped and she snorted.
"It's nothing special Azel, don't flatter yourself. I'd rather stare at a corpse. By the way, was that large tattoo always there?
I raised a brow.
"Tattoo?
"Yes, a really large one. On your back"
"On my back?
I strained my neck to get a look but it was futile. I felt a cramp and winced, holding my neck. I wasn't as flexible as I thought despite all my training.
"I... don't remember getting a tattoo. They're very expensive. Is there actually a tattoo there? Are you joking with me Freya? I snapped irritated. I wasn't interested in a prank right now. I saw her sigh. Disappear in a flash and come back with a mirror. She held it up.
"Take a look"
I turned straining my neck over my shoulders and I gasped at what I saw. I jerked causing my ankles to collide and my body falling to the floor. My heart pounded against my ribs.
There was an enormous golden red tattoo incrested on my back. It looked like an eagle and at the same like fire. The eagle feathers extended through my shoulders to my upper arms. It gave off a firy gaze. I mean at first sight it looked very impressive. The craftsmanship of such art was next to none but where the hell did it come from?!
"Azel! Freya! I'm home, where are my lovely Uniras"
— An Unira was like a unicorn and a hare combined. They were extremely cute creatures but were rare outsiders realms except the Sky realms.
I gasped when I heard the voice. Mother was back! I scurried for a shirt while Freya shook her head from side to side.
"She's going to see it either way"
"Will you just leave? This isn't your room! I snapped as I fumbled my way into a shirt. I heard Freya sigh and move away. She was such a a pest.
I dashed into the open room which served as the house common room. My mum smiled on seeing me as she dropped a bunch of bags by the side. She spread her arm wide open and pulled me in for a hug the moment I got close to her. She squeezed at me so tight that I felt like my rib cage would explode.
"My little Unira. Azzy, how are you?
I flushed in embarrassment.
"Mother, you can just call me Azel....I'm not eight anymore"
She pulled back with a much wider smile.
"You'll forever remain my little boy" She roughened my hair amidst my protests.
"So how are you? Freya wrote to me yesterday and told me you were both going for the knight recruitments. I'm so sorry I wasn't around to cheer you on. So Azel, how did it go? My mother held my arms with glee in her eyes and I twisted my lips. I didn't know if to tell her already. I know she was just being considerate all smiles in case I was heartbroken at the expected turn of events but unfortunately things were more different than she had thought. Than everyone had thought.
"Well...
"Azel manifested a soul stone power today. We were attacked by some vicious people, beasts and were almost killed. Sir Caes was also in danger so Azel rushed out and saved him from the enemy. Azel was almost as fast as me and ended up crushing the enemy's face with just one punch" Freya said in one breathe and I shot her daggers for looks. She shrugged.
'if you're not going to tell her, I might as well do it. Also there's a large tattoo on his back"
"Tattoo? Attack? Beasts? Power? Killed? Enemy? Wait. Wait. What are you saying? Azel...you ....you manifested your soul stone and it gave you a tattoo? And what was this nonsense about saving Sir Caes? What is your sister saying? My mother gripped at my arms, worry etched on her face and I sighed. I had no choice but to bare it all before her here and now.
"You may want to take a seat. I'll tell you everything about what happened"
".....and that was how Sir Xander saved all of us at the end of the day"
I finished my narration for the third time with a sigh. My mother's still clueless looking eyes shot back at me and I felt frustration creep up my bones.
"You still don't understand? I stifled the urge to scream.
"Oh, aye. I understood the first time Azel. I just....
"You understood the first time?! Then why didn't you say so?
"I just...I just couldn't believe it. I mean you manifested some power without a soul stone and now you've suddenly gotten this eagle like tattoo crested on your back by itself and there's a lady called Kiya who you've been seeing in your dreams and Sir Caes is.....Sir Caes's soul stone is deteriorating and the enemy took advantage of it and you saved him...this is all explosive Azel.. I don't know how to react to this. If I hadn't heard this from Freya, I would have said you've gone insane!
My brows twitched.
"What?! Oh so my words don't bear much relevance like Freya's?
"I didn't say so Azel, it's just.....you've been without a soul stone since...since you were born. Yes, it was strange but then you suddenly manifest some strange power at this age? This is more strange! One capable of defeating an enemy Sir Caes couldn't? I don't know how to react to this? It's frightening" She sat back rubbing her temples in exasperation and looked away towards nothingness. I didn't like making mother worry but I didn't understand what was happening either.
"You said this Kiya lady. You keep hearing her voices in your dream?
"Yes. I see her too but I've never seen her face. I always see her running away from something with a little boy. It always feels like I'm with her. I feel her presence. A man is always calling out her voice. That was how my dreams about her usually went but before I felt that strange power, my dreams were beginning to appear more like trances and I heard different voices. This lady, Kiya spoke and she called me her son. I didn't know why. I didn't know who she was but I knew for a fact that it wasn't you and your name wasn't Kiya so I became more confused"
"You said, she called you her son? My mother asked.
"Yes...I looked to mother. She suddenly had this strange look in her eyes. They had gone grey. Like they were clouded with mist.
"Mother....is there something you're not telling me?
She flinched like she had jolted back to reality and shook her head.
"Of course not. It's just. I don't know who this Kiya is and neither can I tell why she called you her son. I mean I am your mother and my name is not Kiya so I can't tell Azel. I'm sorry. I can't give you answers to the questions you're asking"
My shoulders fell.
"What about Sir Caes? How is he? Mother aksed in concern.
"Emm. He was fine when we left"
"I still can't believe Sir Caes is dying. If he dies what will become of the realms?" Mother chipped in her face clothed with devastation.
"He's not dying mother, his soul stone is just cracked..... he'll live but he probably won't be able to hold his ground like he did before. I can't believe that enemy's soul stone power was strong enough to decapitate him" I said, my chest heavy with grief.
"Don't be an oaf Azel. Of course the enemy's strikes didn't cause the crack. Soul stones don't just crack. Besides are you underestimating how powerful Sir Caes is? That attack couldn't crack his soul stone. Before....Sir Caes fought...I had heard a conversation between him and Sir Xander. I can't say if it's entirely true but Sir Xander had said he came to protect him. He had also glanced at his chest a few times. I also noticed Sir Caes had clutched at his chest a few times when I was sparring with Sir Gaius. I didn't know why till he fought with the enemy. His soul stone must have been cracked from a former battle and he had kept it hidden from everyone. The enemy must have known this, judging how they had charged head in with all confidence. At the end Azel's efforts would have been flushed down the river as Sir Caes would still have been killed by that misty hag. We were only lucky Sir Xander was still standing" Freya said with a firm tone and I stifled the urge to roll my eyes. Was this her just showing off her intense observation and attention to details?
"Oh my. This is terrible. With Sir Caes down...the enemies...
"We don't have anything to fear mother. We have Sir Xander, Sir Philip and the others. They'll always hold Sir Caes hands up high no matter what happens. They've been doing it for years now and I know they won't stop now. This is the time when they have to come together the most. Sir Caes is known in all the realms as a leader of inestimable value. They wouldn't let anything happen to him. I'm sure he'll get better and get stronger and be amazing once again. I believe it! I said with a bright smile and my mother smiled a little. Why did it feel like that smiled was forced? Why could I still feel that grey cloud hovering over her?
"Anyway , I'm grateful that you children are okay. I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened to you. Azel...."
"Yes mother"
"I really can't tell what's happening to you but I'm hoping I can find a way to help you soon. I'll send a note out to Pa' Hod tomorrow and tell him about everything. Maybe he might be able to give some guidance"
Pa Hod was a sage, an extremely knowledgeable wise old man and a beacon of honor to our little village. He was an academic from our village who journeyed all the way round the realms gathering knowledge. They said his library contained an unfathomable amount of books and the shelves stretched to infinity. He was apart of the royal chiefs council of at the imperial Sky city palace and his contributions were said to be as weighty and as valuable as gold. He was also my mother's uncle and a lovable old cooney who loved drinks as much as he loved books. I wondered if he would be able to help with my problem. He lived at the imperial city so it would take two to three weeks to get a reply to any letter sent to him. I would simply wait till then. Those scouted from the recruitment exercises would probably be known and announced in a week or two but I probably didn't have a chance so I'd just sit put till I received a response from Pa Hod. That was all I could do anyway.
I looked to my hand. I hoped he would have an answer to my problem and I hoped Sir Caes was okay too.
There were just too many things to think about.