The two meters tall Muzi twisted its body as its left fist lunged at Nai. Arching backwards slowly, Nai grabbed the fist that had missed his face by the wrist. He intended to pull forward the body of the Muzi, helped by its own force of the fist throw, trip it by the leg and make it fall forward.
The muzi would have smiled, its body didn't stop its motion. Twisting by the hip and its legs, He let Nai pull him forward as he did a rotation. Nai saw the muzi's back then it's extended right arm being swang backwards. It landed along his chest and face taking the breath from him.
His impact on the ground caused a tiny dust cloud. Ian made to press his hands against his chest and stomach to claw at them to take in air. He , however, saw the muzi's clawed "foot" descend upon him. It had no intention to give him a moment of respite.
Ian raised both his arms to cover his head. The dreaded impact, however, did not come. Slowly moving his hands from around his head, the shadow of the "foot" and it, covered his face about ten centimeters from. He grabbed it and pushed it aside to be met with the grinning face of the Muzi.
Two days had passed ever since they were brought here. The "creatures" they had come to learn were called muzi by the help of the granny muzi. April had been stuck with her. ' she also has a mind manipulation aspect ' , April had told him, 'I can learn their language basics fast considering I'm also one and maybe more about this aspect'
He did mind being separated from the only other human but he did not envy her. The muzi granny's house not only had unpleasing smells but her but her "death" breath had left a strong impression on him. ' did she eat the things in her house too?'.
Ian on the other hand had been stuck, from being forced, in the "training" with these muzis. To his slight envy, Nai's body was quite fit and lean. Its muscles and shape sharply defined. ' he liked to be strong where he could ' April said.
' I currently have this body though, so should I be jealous?' Ian would muttter to himself. The Muzi's had made a confusion ruckus when they concluded Nai did not have any manipulation ability. This was not abnormal, they had been arguing about something in their language however.
April had let him know that in respective "home" planets, Warpers were not the common. In relation to an entire population, they were, in fact, the minority. Both the specialness to this and the obvious real power to it was what gave most warpers high standing in each civilizations. Reps of a species on the galactic stage also have to represent its strength, hence most offworlders were Warpers.
In this regard, it had a slight calming effect on Ian. He had previously imagined a perilous journey ahead of him filled with powered individual that would simply steamroll any decisions of his they disagreed with.
Getting up he dusted himself. So far, the form of communication was aggressive hand signing and sharades. Occasional frustrational shouting would come to him when he failed to comprehend their intended meaning. The muzi he had "sparred" with would repetitively shout a word in their tongue to him while pointing to himself. Ian understood he meant his name, but it could not roll off his tongue.
Putting on his shirt and jacket he saw the female captor approach them. She signed for him to follow her and he sighed knowing where it was he was going.
Passing through the skin hide door, Ian saw April sitting crosslegged in front of the Muzi granny. The female muzi did not accompany him inside. Stiffly, he went and joined April.
They had both observed him. The granny muzi grinned and to Ian's shock, "Nai Terrian."
Instinctively he turned to April who only gave an exhausted smile. Her hoarse voice came again, "Nai, meet, Elkradhermburi".
Turning from April and eyes wide open in an almost reluctant manner he nodded, not really knowing what else to do.
"I tried grasping some of their language but it was harder, and this easier ... though, now we won't be able to communicate with the others"
"So she can fully understand?" Pointing to the granny muzi, Elkradhermburi, with his eyes he asked.
"With time, she could easily understand it all, not currently ... no" with a soft laugh April continued, "I just call her Elkra."
"Okay, so what did you learn? Why am I here now?"
With a given up look April looked at him before sighing and turning to Elkra. Elkra leaned forward making creaking sounds on the wooden platform she sat on. Her long finger stretched out and pointed at Nai, "Naur Aspghet"
Nai's brows creased and his head turned to April. Without facing him, "She means no aspect;you have no ability"
Elkra laughed and pulled her hand back, her head tilted slightly to the left, "Tried awakening?" . April face almost winced. Her lips pinched and shoulders relaxed.
"April; what does she mean?"
"I didn't want to tell you ... "
Elkra leaned back against the wall and let them speak.
"I-I don't understand, Nai tried for seventeen years right? That's what you said ... " He was not at all angry, not once did he feel entitled to any knowledge about this world. He took everything April had said in their plain value.
"Yes, and it's impossible" surprisingly she snapped back.
"So what is she talking about;Elkra?"
"Forcefully... unless you want your head and body to pop like a flesh blob, just refuse her"
Naturally Ian was cautious and self preservation was highest in his mind, but now, the "maybe" he had held in his heart went through an instant growth sprout as the memory of the feeling of completely being supressed by Merim Ignited again.
"You knew I ... " muttering he started.
"Yes I did and that's why. Why not ask yourself why Nai hadn't ... " She was not fighting back strongly like she either did not care or believe in the words she spoke. An exhausted sigh came out of her, "A few years back ... it was found out that technically everyone has an imprint in the "Astral" , but abilities don't manifest in everyone. A bunch of crazy people driven either by desire or fear tried attempting ways to forcefully awaken ... well let's say their bodies could not accommodate that knowledge and flow, leading them to instant death. Their bodies exploded on the spot"
"This is not strange, this is also the same result If a warper tried to use abilities above their level. With gizas, however, it's not just to understand the first level then try awakening ... no, if you are not born with it , it means you're body could not accommodate the manifestation in the first place or you're astral soul"
"Yes it's just as I thought" With a hoarse laugh and voice Elkra leaned forward. Ian was bewildered at her new grasp of talking like them. April did not seem that much surprised.
Elkra laughed, "Language needs more than one person to take shape; With April I learned the basics and from you two talking right now ... well let's say, I'm just as much as human in this aspect"
' That's ridiculous,' Ian almost blurted out. Currently, however, he was processing what April had said. The danger was evident and seemed absolute, so why did he feel this strong urge and attraction to try this.
"Is this how humans view Aspects?" Elkra now comfortably asked April. "Yes... " Wishfully she answered her. "I see ... " Elkra nodded, "Do you know why everyone's imprint is unique?"
April looked confused, let alone Nai, "Because everyone is different ... " she answered almost like asking. "Yes, but why exactly?".
"I don't understand"
"The essence of the difference?"
Elkra looked at the confused April, "everything is connected, from the sand grain to to you're mind ... once one thing takes a specific shape or form, then the next takes another"
"I've heard something like that before,"To April's surprise, Nai spoke. He turned to her and shrugged at the look she was giving him. He turned to the old muzi, "But shes right, I also don't understand what this has to do with anything right now"
"What do you mean? It has everything to do with everything, everytime"
"Everything is connected, so what? its not a groundbreaking revelation" With certainty April spoke. Elkra smiled to Nai, "You are not you're face". Ian felt his body tense, he had decided to be cautious about revealing this to anyone else after what had happened. For another time he questionally turned to April. April snorted, "What? She asked ... "
"Yes, yes ... she must have explained to you about Astral soul, " Elkra picked up, "in the "Astral" this same law applies..."
"And how do you know that?" April interrupted. Elkra did not respond only smiled at her and continued, "The body is the souls cage on earth; an "astral" imprint. just like the body on earth is the cage in the Astral"
"A lot of them with think the Astral flows through them and manifests in the real world; really it's a communication. A tapping and borrow through the Astral soul. Anyway, what I really needed to say ... just as each body, hair and leaf has it own uniqueness on earth so does the soul on the Astral. You are not who he was. Where one astral soul was rejected, another could be accepted ... "
"A maybe is what you are saying; and a bad one I should say, "April's interruptions did not stop. "Oh great Giza; The beginning and the end, the embodiment of heaven and earth ... " Elkra suddenly shrieked, "What is a miracle? I can feel it; I can see it ... one born from the Astral, to save us all!"
She clasped Nai's hands, "There are a million unreal things and a million unbelievable reasons of why things are the way they are. This , however, one special, so so special. "
April abruptly stood up and yanked Nai's hand from her grasp, "Piety, I told you didnt I? To think one with a Mind Manipulation Aspect would derange to this level ... it must be this place; this planet ... we are leaving"
She pulled at Nai's hand but felt the rejection. "Don't tell me, you believe this? You know nothing of this world or universe ... earth; remember your mom and dad, none of this bullshit"
"I thought you removed all you emotions for Nai?"
"I did... "
"I told you, I need a strong negotiation hand... not just to buy myself off this planet"Ian guiltily sighed to April.
"Off this planet?" Elkra laughed. "Yes, yes ... as the boy said; to buy us all a way off this planet"