The Realms of Animar

by Owen Black

  This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

  The Realms of Animar

  All Rights Reserved.

  Copyright © 2012 Owen Black

  v2.0 r1.0

  Cover Illustration by Richa Kinra. Cover Illustration © 2012 Outskirts Press, Inc.

  All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

  This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Outskirts Press, Inc.

  http://www.outskirtspress.com

  Outskirts Press and the “OP” logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.

  For Rebecca, an angel who came into my life and brought me two wonderful boys, a lifetime of

  happiness and a love that I never expected.

  The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth.

  ~ Henry Beston, The Outermost House, 1928

  As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they themselves are like animals. For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Man has no advantage over animals for they all have one breath. All go to one place: all are from the dust and to dust all return.

  ~ Ecclesiastes 3:18-20

  Chapter 1

  Thane stared longingly out the open window beside him, his mind far from the lesson being delivered by the woman at the front of the room. The instincts of a natural sprinter tugged at his will, directing his thoughts towards the lush green fields that waited outside the village walls. He sighed when a faint breeze wandered through, causing his short, sandy blonde hair to dance in the wind.

  The classroom was filled with nearly thirty children that sat on wooden benches, not the finest of quality, but sturdy enough. They ranged in age, shape and size and were dressed in simple tunics and trousers, with a few more colorful dresses scattered among the girls. At just past fifteen years Thane was the oldest and was nearing the end of his education. Although he had not yet selected a profession, he was ready to move on. It was time for something more.

  The walls of the school were constructed of wood and, like the thatched roof above, showed countless signs of repair. Hanging around the room were numerous drawings of animals of varying quality that had been created by young artists both past and present.

  There was only one school in Avryndale and likewise only one teacher. Lady Trussil, as she was referred to by most, was seated on a finely crafted chair positioned behind a small table that was covered by a collection of books and scrolls and, most notably, a stunningly realistic owl that had been carved from wood. It stood nearly a foot in height and was perched on the front corner of her desk, ready to take flight. The figure had been formed with such remarkable craftsmanship that many visitors to the school had mistaken it to be real.

  In addition to her talents as a teacher Trussil was widely known for her skill as a woodcarver and the owl atop her desk was her most prized creation. She had frequently been asked to make pieces for others in the village as her skill was unique and legendary long before she had come to Avryndale.

  Thane was startled when he heard his name.

  “Thane, please pay attention,” Trussil directed.

  He blushed with embarrassment as an assortment of giggles filled his ears.

  To most of the children Lady Trussil was a delightful teacher, younger than most and she carried a pleasant demeanor. Her hair was long, a few inches past her shoulders, and was composed of a mixture of auburn and blonde curled locks that were the subject of many jealous stares from other women. She was adorned in a brown, somewhat worn, dress that certainly lacked in elegance but matched the attire of her students well. Obvious to all, she had a way with the young minds of her students, a natural talent for obtaining respect and order. Perhaps this was due to remarkable patience or possibly the dedication she had to her chosen profession. More likely this could be attributed to the fact that she was stunningly beautiful to even the youngest of eyes.

  Thane shifted on his bench and redirected his attention towards Trussil. She smiled when he whispered an apology under his breath.

  Thane had a hard time paying attention and this was a subject frequently discussed after class. He sighed and watched as she stood up, walked around her desk and looked over the students seated before her.

  “Today is a very special day,” she said before pausing to wait for their attention. “We are welcoming seven new students today.”

  Trussil then motioned toward an assortment of ragged but very alert children seated in the front row. They varied in age and appearance and it was clear that they were not very comfortable being the focus of so many stares and whispers from their new peers.

  Lady Trussil continued, “As is our custom when we have new students in our class, today will be dedicated to helping them understand who we are and some of the rules we must abide by to live here. Those of you that have heard this before, please do your best to listen once again.”

  She noticed the eyes of a few of her new students open a bit wider. This part was always hard.

  “So,” Trussil said, cutting to the point. “Can anyone tell me what a polymorph is?”

  Trussil looked out at the bewildered children seated before her hoping one would answer. A few moments passed and, just as she opened her mouth to speak, the hand of a small, dark-haired girl who was seated among the new students in the front row darted up.

  “My papa told me that we are all…polymorps.” Several of the students snickered at her mistake.

  “Very good Larissa, your papa is indeed right. Now can anyone tell me what it means to be a polymorph?”

  A boy seated next to Thane raised his hand and, without waiting to be called, blurted, “It means we can change our shapes, some of us into stinky things like Mephitis!”

  Laughter erupted across the classroom and the children looked at Mephitis, a boy seated near the front with thick black hair marked by a broad white stripe.

  Mephitis turned red, looked down at his feet and frowned at being the subject of yet another joke. This was something he frequently endured. “Well at least I don’t eat bark,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Children that’s enough!” Trussil said, quickly quieting the laughter. She turned to the outspoken boy seated near Thane. “Castor, come up beside me. You can entertain us all from up here.”

  Castor sighed, stood up, and walked to the front of the classroom. He rolled his eyes and groaned when the teacher placed her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face the rest of the class.

  “Thank you Castor,” Trussil said with a smile. “Now, it may not have always been the case, but every living creature on Animar is indeed a polymorph, with each capable of assuming a human and an animal form. The two forms of each polymorph seem to have evolved together as time has passed, with each adapting with the other. In other words, when in our human forms we have some benefits of our animal side, or per
haps some drawbacks. Now, can anyone tell me what the four main realms of life are that inhabit Animar?”

  She eyed the classroom patiently and then looked to Thane. Having heard this lecture many times she knew that he could provide the answer.

  Thane rolled his eyes and then reluctantly stated, “The four main realms of life are the birds, fishes, carnivores and us.”

  “Very good!” Trussil exclaimed. “We commonly call these the Avian, Aquan, Carnic and Herbic realms. Of course there also exists the lesser realm known as the Reptiles but they are quite rare and usually keep to themselves.”

  Lady Trussil glanced down at Castor who fidgeted impatiently in front of her, clearly not focused on the lecture. He winced when she pinched his shoulders.

  She continued, “The people of Avryndale are mostly made up of herbivores, with a few exceptions who chose this diet and way of life. I myself am a member of the Avian realm but I would not trade this culture, or my precious students of course, for anything.”

  A large smile broke across her face as she looked over the children seated before her. The sculpting of young minds was difficult work, but she loved it.

  “Now class,” Trussil continued, “we have concluded so far that we are all polymorphs and thus we can all change our shapes.” She then looked down at Castor who was standing in front of her, “Castor, can you demonstrate for us how this is done?”

  He peered up at Trussil, clearly unhappy with her request. “Do I have to? It hurts sometimes.”

  “Oh now Castor, it doesn’t hurt,” she replied, then reached out the palm of her hand. “By now you should hardly feel it anyway. Come on, take off your necklace. It’s metal.”

  The boy removed the small necklace that was draped around his neck and placed it in her outstretched hand. He then turned back to the class and stuck his tongue out at Mephitis, who promptly replied with a gesture of his own.

  Castor then closed his eyes and began to tremble, as if chilled by a northern wind. Without warning, he jerked forward and placed his hands on the ground, now balanced on all fours. He moaned awkwardly as his ears seemed to shift back into his head. Some of the children gasped and looked away.

  Lady Trussil tried to comfort him, “Very good Castor keep going, just relax.”

  His clothes slowly faded into a thick dark brown fur that grew remarkably fast and eventually covered his body from head to toe. He then began to shrink in size, starting gradually and then speeding up as it progressed. His face became distorted and seemed to blur as his nose receded into his skull and whiskers grew out from the sides. Behind him a thick, bushy tail formed. Within seconds, all resemblance to the young boy he once was vanished. The transformation was complete.

  No longer distracted, the students were now all focused on the creature before them - curious minds dazzled by the magical ability that they all possessed. Where Castor had stood was now a small brown beaver whose large black eyes darted around the room as he attempted to regain focus of his surroundings.

  Lady Trussil reached down and gave him a gentle pat on his head. “Very good Castor, thank you,” she said. “Quite impressive.” She then turned her attention back to the class. “By now most of you should have learned to control the morphing process. Of course you will most likely slip up and change from one form to the other on accident but in time you will all master it as any other talent. Just remember—”

  The teacher interrupted herself and gazed down at the furry creature near her feet. “Castor you can change back now.” Trussil paused and watched as Castor slowly transformed back into a boy.

  A puzzled look briefly blanketed her face. “Ok now, where was I...oh yes! Just remember you cannot change your form when in contact with any metal object. We can morph any matter organic in origin, but metal of any kind will prevent the transformation. Does everyone understand?”

  She looked out over the class and then handed Castor, now in his human form, back the necklace he had been wearing. He paused a moment while he regained his balance and then returned to his seat beside Thane. Suddenly Mephitis raised his hand and she motioned for him to speak.

  “So how did we get here?” he asked. “Where did we come from?”

  “Excellent question Mephitis!” Trussil replied. “Actually most of us came from different parts of the world. The majority of the people that make up this village were led here by Avryn Pendergast, who also happens to be Thane’s father.”

  The students turned to look at Thane who had once again managed to shift his attention to the fields beckoning through the window beside him. A smattering of giggles startled him.

  “What?” he asked, confused.

  “Thane, I don’t want to have to move you to the front of the class again,” Trussil said. “I know how you love the window, but…”

  “Yes, ma’am I’m sorry,” he begged. “Please don’t move me. I’m really sorry.”

  A blonde-haired girl seated several rows in front of Thane blurted, “If you do move Thane, may I have his seat? I would really like—”

  Trussil shook her head and quickly quieted her. “For now we will stay where we are. I think Thane has learned his lesson.” She noted the grin on his face as she continued, “It is very hard for some of us to resist the instincts of our animal form and that is perfectly understandable, it’s part of who we are. However, it is vital that you control those instincts and morph to your animal forms only when told to do so by your parents or superiors. Is that understood?”

  She paused a moment and looked over the assortment of nodding heads before she continued the discussion. “Alright now, where was I? Ah yes, our history. Well, a little over five years ago, Avryn, leader of the Blackhorn Rams, led the migration of a variety of people here and established this village to be a place where we could unite in our efforts for a peaceful life. Prior to coming here the villages we lived in were small, scattered and poorly organized. We were so grateful for his efforts that we named the village after him and it’s called Avryndale to this day.”

  Trussil watched Thane look down at his feet. He was always uncomfortable when she talked about his father. She then continued, “The journey here was difficult, but the reason we came was obvious. Although it is said that there was a time when the four realms were equal in number, there is no doubt that this is no longer the case, mainly due to the large numbers of—” she pondered the last word and then said it, “predators.” There was no hiding from their reality.

  Obviously disturbed, she tried to redirect the thoughts of her students and change the subject. “Learning to morph is one of the things most of you picked up from your parents, much like learning to walk. Do any of you, especially our newer students, need help with this process?” She waited a few moments and then continued, “Your parents have probably helped you along well enough. Ok well—”

  She was interrupted when a heavy set, dark-skinned boy who was seated among the new students raised his hand. Lady Trussil nodded at him.

  “My parents told me not to change my shape so I don’t,” he said. “They said I did when I was a baby but I don’t remember.”

  Trussil was puzzled. The boy had to be twelve or thirteen, clearly too old to not know his morph. “Javan is it?” she asked. When he nodded she continued. “Right, well what is your animal form Javan, do you even know?”

  He shrugged and shook his head, dejected. A quiet murmur trickled through the room. It was highly unusual for a boy his age to not know his morph.

  “Alright then,” she said confidently. “Come on up here where Castor was standing. We can sort this out for you.”

  The boy struggled a bit due to his size but eventually managed to make his way to the front of the class. As Castor had done before, the boy turned and faced the other students. He was obviously mortified by being the center of attention.

  “Ok Javan, just relax and close your eyes,” Trussil said softly. She peered down to make sure he was doing as instructed. “Ok good. Now, just let your mind go blank, let
it lead you somewhere. Think about the various animals you have seen. Picture them in your mind and one will seem familiar for some reason. When that happens, just think about becoming that animal and it will take over from there. Don’t be afraid. You might tingle a bit but it won’t hurt.”

  She patiently waited while her eyes, like those of her students, remained fixed on the large boy, curiously anticipating what was to happen next. The boy’s face was solemn, his mind searching for an answer. A smile then crept across his lips and his body began to tremble.

  “I think I have it!” he proclaimed.

  “Excellent!” Trussil encouraged. “Just keep picturing yourself as that creature. Let it happen.”

  The classroom watched as the hair on Javan’s head gradually crept back into his skull and he leaned forward and placed his hands on the floor. His jaw began to stretch outward and his large mass began to expand even more. The clothes he wore were soon replaced by a thick gray skin that was almost armor-like in texture and covered every part of his body.

  It was then that Lady Trussil realized what Javan was about to become. Suddenly panicked, her heart began to pound and she motioned for the children that had crept close to back up.

  “Give him some room!” she shouted. She then shook her head and added under her breath, “I should have guessed.”

  His transformation complete, standing before them was a large, grey, hairless creature with two horns atop its head, one at the tip of its snout, the other smaller and directly behind the first. The boy had become a rhinoceros.

  Pivoting on a thick neck, his large skull peered from side to side. It was clear that he was petrified by his surroundings. The animal kicked at the ground several times with his hind feet and unleashed a loud yelp as the children near him scattered across the room.

  Trussil tried to calm him with a gentle stoke on his back. “It’s ok Javan, remember you are in school. You just changed your form. It will come back to you soon.”

  It was no use. What was once a wide-eyed young boy was now a frightened animal that feared for its safety and desperately wanted to flee.