by Lyra Shanti
“What do you see, Granja?”
“I see our empty village,” he replied, sad and stoic.
Perplexed, Kren grabbed the binoculars and said, “What do you mean, empty?!”
His grandfather sighed.
“Kren... ever since you and the others were taken, we have been on the move. The elders and I decided it was the only way to prevent further kidnappings from those Ohrian demons. So, we have become a nomadic village made up of three tribes who have now become one.”
Kren barely breathed, shocked at what he had heard. “It's... the prophecy,” Kren whispered.
“Yes,” replied his grandfather as he took back the binoculars, “it has come to that time, it seems; the time of The Great Adin's return, as well as the rise and rebirth of the Sarax. It will either be the end of the universe, or the beginning... or perhaps both, if we're lucky.”
With a knowing wink, Kren's grandfather smiled, then moved along the path, fearless and calm. Kren, however, was terrified.
“What did all that prophecy talk mean?” said Axis, seeming rather chipper, as though he hadn't just time-traveled, shape-shifted, and dehydrated to the point of collapse.
Kren shook his head, not knowing how to explain. “Well,” he began, following his grandfather along the path, “the Sirini have long believed the Gods, and I mean ALL the Gods, not just our own, had sent down The Great Adin to cleanse the world of its evils, particularly the greed of the Ohrians.
“According to the prophecy, when Adin returns, he will no longer be the peaceful God he once was. He will be a warrior of great strength, and all our lost tribes will join together to follow him. He will then awaken the greatest of all the Sarax, the Holy Sarax, who will help free us and purify the universe with its light. Now, no one has even seen a Sarax for hundreds of years, and this is all just prophecy and myth, but my grandfather believes this stuff like it's truth. He's what our people call a Junku.”
“A holy man and spirit seer, right?” asked Srah, remembering the Sirini word from her books.
“Yeah...” replied Kren, a little embarrassed.
“Of course,” Srah whispered, “We both know that Ayn is The Bodanya... and Axis is definitely a Sarax. Therefore, the prophecy could actually be true.”
Axis frowned. “I am not a character in a silly prophecy!”
Worrying Kren's grandfather would hear them, Kren and Srah immediately hushed Axis with their fingers to their lips.
Turning back for a moment, Kren's grandfather smiled. “Are you three coming?” he asked, appearing blissfully ignorant.
“Yes!” said Kren, nodding and smiling, as though he wasn't hiding a thing.
“Good,” his grandfather replied as he went back to walking, “because the sun is setting, and the tribe will be worried, especially your grandmother. They are waiting for us at the bottom of the mountain.”
Nodding to his grandfather, he then moved closer to Axis. “Look,” said Kren, quietly, “you should probably keep who you really are secret for now... at least until the time is right.”
“I know,” Axis said, crankily, folding his arms. “I'm not stupid.”
Srah sighed, then went between them both, gently grabbing their arms. “Let's go,” she said as she made them walk alongside her. “Let's just think about the present for now, and be grateful we are here with Kren's brinja.”
“I'm grateful,” said Axis, still pouting, “I just wish Ayn was here.”
Srah nodded, melancholy. “I do too,” she said while gently squeezing his upper arm.
“He will come,” said Kren with a look of assured pride. “I know he will. He is The Great Adin reborn, and he will find a way to conquer his enemies, and he will find us. Prophecy or not, I know this, deep in my heart, I can feel it to be true. It is just... who he is.”
With lumps in their throats, they nodded, silently agreeing as they walked down the winding path. Axis was the only one who doubted, for he knew all too well how fragile Ayn could be, especially in times of great sorrow or stress. He didn't want to burden his friends with such fears, however, so he kept it hidden from them.
After a little more walking, Kren saw familiar faces at the bottom of the mountain. It was his uncle and his uncle's wife, and some of the tribe's warriors.
“By the Gods!” yelled Vuntu, Kren's uncle, as he raced to embrace his nephew, even harder than his grandfather had. “You're alive!”
“Yes, I am!” Kren replied as he laughed, hugging his uncle in return.
“The fool that I am did not believe your grandfather last night when he said he saw meeting you at the top of the mountain in his vision, but... here you are! Once again, one of his visions has been proven true! It is a blessed day!”
Kren nodded happily, then made his rounds to all who had gathered to greet him with hugs and tears. Most emotional was his grandmother who kept kissing his face. “Come on now, Granjie,” he said through his laughter, “that's enough. I'm fine, I swear!”
“My sweet bookoo!” the little woman with curly gray hair gushed. “I'm so happy that the Gods spared you and brought you back to us!”
“Actually, Granjie,” said Kren with a smile, turning around to face Srah and Axis, “my friends here saved me.” His smiling face then turned to sadness before he added, “There was another great friend who saved me as well, though he did not make it here with us unfortunately.”
She reached for Srah's hands and smiled at the young Sirini girl with all of her soul beaming out through her aura. Srah could see the old woman's kind soul coming through her wrinkled, but lovely smile, and it made her feel instantly good and warm.
Sensing Srah's loving nature, Kren's grandmother hugged her tight. “Welcome, dear heart,” the old woman said as she held her. “My name is Pohna, but everyone calls me Granjie. You can too.”
Srah felt emotionally overwhelmed. She had finally joined her people, though she looked quite different from most who were present. With her pale skin and lavender hair, she hoped she wasn't some sort of albino oddity. On Xen, there were a few pale-skinned Sirini, so she didn't feel so out of place. Here, everyone was either tan or brown and extremely fit. Still, she was happy to meet them all, especially Kren's lovely grandparents.
“Thank you, Granjie,” said Srah.
Granjie nodded, then looked at Axis and went to him with arms wide to give him a hug as well.
Axis was taken by complete surprise. He had never hugged anyone besides Ayn. He didn't dislike her hug, but he also felt slightly invaded. The old woman then looked at Axis' golden-hued face, which was lightly speckled with darker spots on the sides of his bright blue eyes. Despite his gold coloring, he now looked completely Sirini with his body of sparsely covered gold fur and bridged, cat-like nose.
“You're special, aren't you?” she whispered to Axis.
“Um...” he mumbled in return, “I guess so.”
Smiling wide, Granjie turned to Kren's grandfather and said, “Why didn't you say that your vision would lead us to the long-lost princess and her brave spirit-companion?”
“Because I wasn't sure,” he replied casually.
“Well, I am,” said Granjie. Squinting, she took Srah by the arm and looked at her. “You are indeed our lost princess, aren't you, sweetheart?”
“Well,” Srah shyly replied, “it's true that my mother was Hana... so, I suppose I am a princess, even though I haven't been raised at such. I'm just... a normal girl.”
“Actually,” said Kren, “by tradition, since you have already reached Sirini womanhood, you have the right to become our new Hana... if you want to be, that is.”
Srah was speechless. Axis, however, grinned wide.
“Of course she will become Hana,” Axis blurted without thinking. “She was destined to be the queen of Sirin!”
Looking at Axis with alarmed surprise, Srah lightly swatted Axis on the arm.
“What?” said Axis, confused. “What did I say?”
Rolling her eyes, she sighed. “It is somethi
ng that the people have to decide, not I,” she replied, as much to Kren and his family as to Axis.
“Oh, I guess so,” Axis said, nodding, and then adding, “They'd like you to be their Hana though, I'm sure of it.”
Kren's grandfather smiled at his wife, then back at Kren. All of them saw the greatness within Srah, even if she herself didn't quite see it yet.
“I hate to break up our reunion so fast,” said Kren's uncle, “but we need to move on, and set up camp by the Hahsree River... where it is usually a little safer.”
They all agreed and walked on, following Vuntu's lead. According to Kren, his uncle was the most formidable warrior in his tribe, next to his father, and then himself. There was no trace of ego in his statements either, only genuine pride. Both Axis and Srah could tell Kren was honored to be part of such a strong, and yet, spiritual family. Axis felt himself wishing he had such a family, although Kren's seemed more than willing to embrace him and Srah as part of their “brinja.”
They were so willing, in fact, that the tribe showed nothing but hospitality the entire way to the river. Noticing that neither Srah nor Axis had any shoes on, Vuntu offered them his Zeewah to ride on their journey. At first Axis was hesitant, but Srah helped him to balance his newly made Sirini body while riding behind her on the horse-like animal.
When they all arrived at the river and began setting up camp, Kren's uncle and a few other warriors, brought them their spare sleeping robes, and covers as well. Axis and Srah immediately felt a sense of community and belonging.
It actually amazed Axis as he watched the Sirini tribe pitch their sturdy, yet mobile homes. Made of bendable solid wood and mixed with stretchy, white stick-grass, their homes were erected within a matter of minutes.
As Srah sat down to rest, the view was stunning, and it made her cry against her will. The calm beauty of the Hahsree River running through the holy Hana Mountains was a sight to behold. Even the sky, with its watery, gray-blue and pink sunset, seemed to join Srah in her tears. She only wished Ayn was with them, free of his chains and able to see such wonders.
“Axis...” she quietly addressed him, laying her head on his shoulder while they sat watching the sky.
“Yeah?” he replied, captivated by his surroundings, including Srah's gentle touch.
“Will Ayn break free? Will he make it here? Will he find us?”
Axis gulped, for he truly didn't know.
“Srah...” he softly responded, wrapping his arm around her. “Ayn will always be free, even if he is still in chains. I know he doesn't feel that way, but... his spirit is always free. That, I can promise you.”
Srah sighed as she rested in his warmth, trying her best to believe his words, though she couldn't stop the tears slowly falling down her cheek. She feared she'd never see Ayn again and just couldn't bear the idea. She'd already lost her mother, father, and even Zin, whom she had grown to love as a friend. She didn't want to lose Ayn, though – that would be too much loss for her heart to take.
“We'll see Ayn again. I know we will. He and I are connected... in a way I can't even describe.” Wiping away her tears, he added, “So, don't worry, my princess, we will all be together again.”
She buried herself in his chest and cried, praying that this all-knowing Sarax-man was right. He HAD to be right. He was a god, after all... wasn't he?
Watching Srah hold onto Axis, Kren shook his head and silently restrained his jealousy. He wished she were holding him that way, though he had no idea how to compete with a Sarax. It was simply... impossible. Instead, Kren focused his energy on helping his uncle pitch the other wood and grass homes.
Kren's grandfather, who formally introduced himself as Joh, sat down and told his guests to relax with him by the campfire they had made. Near the fire, Kren's grandmother began making a stew in a large pot, which had been carried on one of the Zeewah steeds.
Feeling better and wanting to channel her energy in a positive way, Srah offered to help. Granjie gladly showed her how to make the Sirini style stew made up of vegetables and Zeewah meat.
“You ride on the Zeewah and make them carry your belongings, but do you also use them for meat?” asked Srah with a slight look of disgust on her face. She was a strict vegetarian and couldn't wrap her head around the notion of being friends with the same animals that would also be eaten in their stew.
“Of course we do,” said Granjie, nonchalant.
“Nothing goes to waste,” said Joh as he sat down and smiled at his wife.
Kren finally came over to them and sat down next to his grandfather who was getting out a pipe to smoke. “So Granja... how long has our tribe been on the move like this?”
Sighing, then blowing out sweet smelling smoke, Joh took his time in answering Kren's weighty question. “Ever since the last raid... when we lost you and Kuva. There were so many who were taken that day, and many who will never return.”
Kren's brow deepened and his sorrow showed on his face. Joh then passed his pipe to his grandson in hopes it would help to soothe Kren's pain.
“You never actually saw Kuva or Father die though, right?” asked Kren after puffing on the pipe.
“No,” Joh replied, “but the plasma raiders came and took her to the mouth of the mountain to Raxas' dark lair... where no one ever returns. Your father went after her and... I'm sorry, Kren, but I do not have much hope.”
Kren curled his lip in defiance. “Didn't any of you go after them?!” he pointedly asked, looking directly at his uncle.
“Yes,” replied Joh, “many of our warriors, Vuntu included, went searching for them, but those who managed to return found only the remains of the dead, presumably what was left after Raxas had devoured... his victims. Your uncle barely came back alive, Kren, and he now has a permanent scar on his chest to remind him of that horrible day.”
Vuntu lifted his vest and showed Kren the scar, which appeared like a giant claw mark. It made Kren wince looking at it. The red burn-like marks were familiar to him, for his father had been marked the same way when he tried to save Kren's mother from the monster's wrath.
Kren shook his head, trying his best to hold back his anger.
“Uncle, how can we kill the demon, once and for all?!”
“Oh, Kren,” his uncle replied, “I don't know if it can be done...”
“There must be a way!” blurted Kren, folding his arms, full of rage and determination.
Joh put his hand on his grandson's shoulder, attempting to quiet his emotions. “There might indeed be a way, my valiant boy, but we have yet to discover it. However, that doesn't mean we won't discover it. Perhaps we will reveal Raxas' weakness... in time.”
“We don't have time!” yelled Kren as he stood to his feet, his Grandfather's pipe falling to the ground. “My sister and father could be dead, or they might be near dead and hanging on for dear life! I must save them!”
“Enough!” yelled his usually docile grandmother, which shocked everyone sitting at the campfire. “Kren, my bookoo, listen to me. Your father... my son... is dead. I have felt his spirit in the wind, and you must try to accept that now. I know it is hard, believe me, but you must.”
With tears in his eyes, Kren nodded and held his forehead in pain. After a moment, he gathered himself enough to ask, “What about Kuva? Is her spirit in the wind too?”
Granjie shook her head. “I don't know yet,” she replied as she left her pot of stew to sit down next to him. “I haven't sensed her presence in the spirit world yet, but she could be resting first. Neither my senses, nor your grandfather's dreams have told us exactly where she is yet. I'm sorry, Kren. I wish we knew.” Consoling her grandson with a tender arm around his shoulder, she hushed him as he fought back tears.
Axis felt sick. What sort of creature was this Raxas? Was it related somehow to the Sarax? Was this flesh eating demon the reason that all of his own family had abandoned him, leaving him alone and confused in a cage on Xen? He didn't regret being found by Ayn, but he often wondered what had happene
d to his own people and where they were now. Had they all been eaten like Kren's father? What a horrible thought!
“I'm going to the mountain to find Kuva!” Kren blurted out to his grandmother.
“No, you are not!” she commanded back at him.
“But... Granjie!”
“No,” she said firmly,” you listen to me now, my boy. I lost my son, I lost my granddaughter, and I almost lost my other son as well. I will NOT lose you too. Is that understood?”
Looking at her defiantly for a moment, Kren finally gave way to her strong will.
Sirini women really are remarkable, thought Axis as he watched Kren silently agree to his grandmother's commands. Axis then looked over at Srah who seemed lost in her own thoughts as she was staring toward the mountain.
He wondered what was going through her head, and if it was similar to his own thoughts about the Raxas monster. Catching him looking at her, Srah nervously smiled in an awkward, but beautiful sort of way.
There is something so familiar about all of this, Axis thought. The mountains... the river... the talk about Raxas.
“I agree,” Srah thought to him in return.
Shocked, Axis giddily smiled for a moment. “Wait, can you hear me?” he thought to her.
“Apparently, I can.” she thought back. “Strange... Can you hear me too?”
Nodding happily, Axis grinned from ear to ear. Ayn was the only person he shared the mental link with before, yet here he was, able to do the same thing with Srah. It was too good to be true!
Srah, however, was less excited and more unnerved than anything else. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to have Axis hear all of her thoughts, especially when she felt so vulnerable and utterly sad for Kren's family, and for her own. Axis was someone she felt close to, but there was such a thing as too close.
In contrast, Axis couldn’t be close enough. He loved being able to talk mentally; it reminded him of Ayn, and of family. For him, speaking in the mind felt more right than speaking with the mouth. There was something long-lost and true about it, and about Sirin in general, and although he was rather terrified over the Raxas creature, he felt entirely at one with his surroundings. There was an intensely familiar feeling about all of it, and he never wanted to leave.
