by A. Mani
Everyone were embraced by their loved ones. I stood there by my self, my two demons came closer to lick my bruises. I knew they were happy to see me. I knew kujo was happy to see me. I also felt the dark beast’s eyes all over me although, I did not look up. I just gathered my demons, my strengths and prepared to move on. This was not the place for me. I had a mission and I could not waste my time on a war, that was not mine.
I was by the lake, when kujo ran towards me, trying to catch his breath.
“Almas, you can stay, dark beast wants you to stay”. he said with a smile.
“I have no desire to stay here” I said to him.
“Almas, please. We need you. The men and women told our leader about your greatness in the dark cave. He did not think there could be a great fighter coming from Bira- Amikta. After all, your village was completely destroyed. But now that he heard it from the wild ones, He was really impressed. He wants you to train us. Teach us everything you know.”
“So he was testing me” I said to kujo.
“Dark beast is our leader. Nobody dare to question him. Not even me. Please stay. We need you” kujo held my hand.
“On one condition” I said “No child would be harassed or hurt by a wild elder!”
“done” I heard a deep voice behind me. It was Dark beast. Something had changed in his eyes. A sincere will replaced his constant arrogance. The truth was, I needed them more than they needed me. I could not complete my revenge without the wild ones. So I agreed to stay.
The next days I worked with the wild ones and taught them some of the arts I practiced. I taught the children to dance with the demons cubs, just like I used to dance with Shadea. I taught men and women how to tame their cats. I also taught them how not to fight them. And how to allow them the freedom they deserve.
“did you know dark demons could fly?”
I asked them as I was embracing Sapron and Narnegi with my arms, allowing them to lead the way. We were climbing a tall rock together. I was in the middle and they were my wings. That event caused the wild ones to get close to their demons and within time, all cuts and bruises on their dark skin, disappeared.
I also taught them how to make sharp stones that can harm a big cat or a human. I taught the younger wild ones how to hang on trees like bats. And taught the young girls the serpentine motion of the forbidden dance.
I used to wash myself in the lake at night time, when the wild zone was asleep. I could not allow anyone to discover who I was. One night at the lake, I heard a big roar behind me, coming from the water. It was Sapron, he noticed kujo was in the water trying to surprise me. Only he got the surprise himself. He did not know Sapron was in the water with me. He screamed and ran out of the lake. I could not stop laughing at the look, he had on his face. My sweet demons were protecting me. Protecting my cover and my truth.
After washing in the lake, I used to take a walk with my cats out side the wild zone, under the full moon. I liked to feel the cool air and collect my thoughts together. One night, I got near Didam valley and noticed a dark figure walking on top of the edge. He was unsteady and rolling from side to side. I came closer. It was a man with a familiar features. It was Sag.
Sag was on the wild side of Didem valley. He probably chewed too many red Gat’s leaves. Gat’s leaves were chewed by men of the wild zone. Sag used to steal them on every battle to his own use. He once told me, it gave him energy but I learned from Sia, a large amount of them, could cause hallucinations. Therefore I felt safe to approach him.
“did you lose something?” I asked him as he was looking down the valley.
“what…?” he turned to me “who is there?”
I sensed he could barely see me because of the darkness and the red Gat’s leaves affect.
“it is me” I whispered. “your yellow diamond”.
“Yellow diamond…” he started crying “my beautiful diamond… I missed you so much… you.. You are a grown woman...” he stuttered.
“You are a coward!’ I yelled at him, as he almost fell into the valley.
I grabbed his arm. His body was hanged between sky and earth. His destiny was in my hand.
“How does it feel?” I whispered.
“Please help me” he begged me.
“like you helped me?” I asked him and pulled him right back to the ground. He was too poisoned to harm anyone or even remember what happened.
“They sleep… I have to know when they sleep…” he mumbled.
“What?…Who?” I asked him
“The wild ones …The final battle…” he said and passed out to the ground.
I understood the civilized zone was planning a sudden attack on the wild zone. I was running out of time.
“Where have you been, you fool?” Emerdi yelled at Sag, as he was entering her room.
“You look like hell… go wash yourself!” she knew her man was addicted to the red poison.
“Emerdi… do you ever think about her?” Sag asked quietly as he was sitting down, his head facing down the ground.
“What are you talking about?” Emerdi asked with concern.
“your little sister, yellow …”
“don’t say her name!” Emerdi cried “We’ve agreed not to talk about her, right?!”
“Sometimes I think I see her… am I loosing my mind…?” he asked Emerdi.
“You have to stop chewing red Gat!” Emerdi said and turned quiet for a moment.
“Sometimes I feel her too” she said, made Sag lift his head up and look her in the eyes. “As if she was looking at me, while I was sleeping in my bed… that gives me the chill”. she whispered and started shivering.
Sag got up and held her:
“It will be fine. Everything will be fine, just as we planed. I promise.”
Night time. Shab square was filled with the wild ones. They were all ready for their traditional gathering. I had information, I had to deliver without getting myself exposed. How would I do that? I had to use the help of my demons.
“Danger is close” I said to the dark beast.
“What do you mean?” he asked me.
“We have to attack the civilized zone sooner than we planed!” I said firmly.
“Why would you say that Almas?” kujo asked me.
“My cats… they are not peaceful. They sense danger is coming” I said and pointed at my demons. They kept roaring with no rest. I asked them to act this way. I had to. There was no other way.
“You have to trust me” I turned to dark beast and kujo. “We are ready for the battle. It is time”.
While the wild ones were troubled by the fact of another bloody battle coming there way. I was troubled by my conscience. I kept thinking about my father, my mother, my sister, my kingdom, all the places I knew as a child. All the places I used to play, run, dance in...
And Shadea. I kept thinking about Shadea. I decided, I would visit my kingdom for the last time before it was destroyed. It was the last time but not the first. I used to visit my kingdom once in a while. At night time. I used to sneak to my sister’s room and watch her, while she was sleeping in her comfortable, warm bed. I was looking for my Shadea everywhere but could not find her. This last time, I intended to succeed.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaa” my sister screamed at the sight of the black mud covering her clean sheets. She was washing herself when I had arrived at, what used to be my kingdom, and I decided to surprise her.
“Hello sister” I whispered as I was covering her mouth and pushing her to the wall. The sight of her dead sister caused her a great panic, I had to hold my hand so tight, so she would not scream again and awake the kingdom guards.
Finally, she calmed down and I could let go of her.
“You are alive?” she stuttered.
“I am sorry to disappoint you, dear sister” I whispered with a smile.
“How…? What…? Why are you all covered with mud…?” she did not know where to start so I decided to help her.
“Once upon a time, there was a l
ittle girl named diamond. That little girl was about to become the leader of her father’s kingdom, only her big sister….” I shouted.
“Fine! I get it! How did you find out about me?” she asked.
“Does it matter? You took nine years out of my life. You took everything that was mine. You sent me to hell, in hope I would not survive and all you care about is how I found out about you?!? Guess what sister? I survived it, I came back and now I am about to take back what is mine!”
“Ha…..” my sister laughed and started clapping her hands. “Nice speech, little sister… who taught you how to speak like that? Your stupid cats?” she turned her back to me.
“Ko-Ey-Nor’s kingdom is mine. I am the leader of the civilized zone and there is nothing you can do about it”. she said.
“Why you? What happened to father?” I asked her with concern.
“Our father became very ill right after…”
“Right after what?” I asked her.
“Right after… you were gone.” she answered.
“What did you tell him, Emerdi?… never mind! I will ask him myself!”
“No! you can not see our father! She yelled.
“What are you afraid of? The truth? Losing what was never yours? You know what is funny sister? I never wanted Ko-Ey-Nor’s kingdom. I did not know our father planed on passing it to me. Had you asked me for it, I would have given it to you. You did not have to steal it, dear sister!” I shouted at her.
“you don’t understand, do you?” Emerdi talked to herself “It is not the kingdom! It is the love! You and your stupid cats… you were always first in his heart! Always! Even mother used to say all the time ‘he loves her more than me’. And then Sag…”
“Sag is a poisoned coward!!!” I yelled at her.
“Sag is my love. And he started to fall for you, diamond” she said with tears in her eyes.
“So you decided to punish me. My only sin was being worthy of love and I got a life sentenced for it. By my own sister! My own blood!”
“Nobody cared about me” she said “I had to take care of myself!”
“And I am taking care of myself! Dear sister, your time as a leader is about to end!” I said to her with a smile.
“What are you talking about? The minute you walk out of my room, the guards will kill you” she laughed at me.
“I don’t think so, sister” I whispered to her “You see… I brought my own guards” I made a sign to my demons, to come out of their hiding place.
“Get them away from me!” my sister shouted and walked back. “What are you doing with these demons? Who are you?” she asked with fear.
“Who am I? You don’t recognize me? I am the Sun Stealer” I whispered.
“Sun stealer? There is no such thing as a Sun stealer!” her voice was still shivering due the sight of my demons.
“You believed it nine springs ago. It was your belief that destroyed me. It would be my belief that would rise me back up. You own nothing Emerdi! You just kept it safe for me all these years!”
My sister kept quiet and sat on the ground with no movement.
“I will now go to meet with my father. Do not attempt to leave your room and call the guards. My loyal demons will be watching you” I said firmly and walked out of her room.
My father was lying in his bed with his eyes opened. He looked so weak and old. Not as I remembered him. I came closer to his bed.
“Father” I whispered. “I missed you so much, father”.
I did not think he would recognize me after all those years. But a father always recognizes his child. His soft, big blue eyes widened with joy:
“diamond… my sweet little diamond…I thought I would never see you again…”
“How are you father? Emerdi said you were sick…” I said to him.
“Don’t worry about me, my child. I will be fine.” he whispered.
“Father, I do not have much time. I came here to worn you. Ko-Ey-Nor’s kingdom is about to be destroyed. I want you to find a hiding place for you, mother and Emerdi. I want you all to hide there until the storm is gone.”
My father kept quiet, as he knew more than I thought he knew.
“You do, what you have to do, my child. Do not worry about us!” he whispered, as my mother came into the room.
“Who are you?” she turned to me as she saw me for the first time. As we were strangers. In a weird way, we were.
“You don’t recognize me, mother?” I asked her and looked straight into her eyes. “I am your young daughter, diamond” I said with tears in my eyes.
“My daughter is dead!” she said without hesitation and began covering my father with more layers, as she was trying to cover the bitter truth.
“… then I guess you are talking to her spirit…” I whispered.
At that moment, I understood every member of my family had an equal part of the guilt. There were no innocent in this place, I once called home. There was nothing for me save there except for my cat, my Shadea.
‘I came for Shadea” I turned to my father.
They both were quiet for long moments until my father whispered with tears in his eyes:
“My sweet child… I am so sorry… Shadea is dead. She died the same day you were gone”.
I knew the truth could hurt, I never knew how big was the pain. Not until I heard my father’s words ‘Shadea is dead’. his words were so unbearable, I left his room with no words, called my demons, and the three of us ran out of the civilized zone. Next time, I would go there, it would be to destroy everything that caused me so much pain. Next time I would go there, it would be in the name of revenge. Next time, would be the last time and I would appear as a proud fighter as opposed to a lurking thief.
I could not remember the last time I had cried. I had not cried, since my meeting with Sia at Didam Valley. Pain was a lost memory and tears were the enemies, I fought so well. But the sad news about Shadea just broke me down. I had lost the last memory’s shred of my childhood. If I had any good memory of, what once was my life, it was now gone. If I had anything to keep me going, it no longer existed. And for the first time, after so long, I cried. I cried hard. I fell to the bare soil of Anomaly and cried a river of lost, sorrow and pain. I was not sure whether I had cried for the lose of Shadea or for the lose of me. The old me. I would never cry again.
My lose made me careless. I did not mind the burning soil under my feet, as I was walking barefoot to the wild zone. I did not mind the eagles circuiting over my head, waiting for their prey to surrender. I did not mind my demons jumping up and down my arms, cutting my skin, making it bleed as if they were trying to tell me, I was still among living.
As we arrived to the wild zone’s lake, I got straight into the water. I took my cloths off and left them on the ground. I washed away the dark mud, that was covering my skin. I was trying to wash away my pain, as if I was tired of hiding. I did not care if anyone would catch me naked, uncovered. I was not worried about anybody knowing who I am. Until… I was.
“Who are you?’ I heard a deep voice in my ear. I knew that voice. It was dark beast. He was in the water lake, standing behind me. I turned my head to him as he grabbed me by my waste and brought my exposed body close to his chest. He held me so tight, I could not breath. I did not know whether I had been nervous by the fact, he uncovered me or by the fact he was so close to my uncovered body. it was the first time a man saw me naked. He looked me straight in the eyes and while I was sure, I would find anger and rage in them, all I saw was disappointment. It seemed like he wanted to believe my lies, more than I did.
“You are white!” he said while passing his dark fingers through my skin. “You are civilized!” he kept repeating himself.
“I used to be” I said to him “until I stopped!”.
“What do mean? why are you here?” he asked me “Are you a mole?”
“No!” I yelled “I am not a mole! I used to be civilized. I used to live at their zone. Until one day, my own family threw me
down Didam valley, in order to get the leadership of our kingdom. The kingdom that was promised to me by my father. I am about to take it back dark beast” I said to him.
“So you are using my people in order to fight a war that was not theirs to begin with?!? You were ready to send my people to their death in the name of your revenge?!” he raised his voice.
“This is not just my war dark beast. This is a battle between evil and good. Between darkness and light. Between injustice and rightness!”
“Why should I believe you? What does the wild zone get out of it?” he asked me.
“I was accused of stealing the sun. I am the sun stealer” I turned around to show him the back of my neck with the stealer burned mark on it.
“I can put a stop to the long lasting animosity between the civilized zone and the wild zone. I have the power to do that.” I whispered.
Dark beast looked me in the eyes and grabbed be with his arms again. only this time, I saw no way out.
“You are possessed!” he cried out and started carrying me towards Shab square.
I was tied to a tree in the centre of Shab square. The wild ones were able to walk around me and spit on me, as an act of disgrace. I was the traitor. I was the enemy. That was their belief. And any sense of family we had shared ever since Cave day, was gone. My hands were tied. My legs were tied. My neck was tied. I was lying on the burning soil of the wild zone. I could not move. The thought of being trapped all over again made me demented. I tried to fight it. I tried to release my self from the strong stripes that had stolen my freedom.
Suddenly, I saw a familiar face coming closer to me. It was my dear friend kujo.
“Almas…” he whispered “What have you done?”
I did not answer him, I just kept looking at him. He looked deep into my yellow eyes and although the sun swam in them, he could see nothing but darkness.
“Are you the girl that was thrown to Didam valley?’ he asked me.
I nodded. my head was now facing down the ground.
