《Fighting Back》


 Bad Dreams

    OTWOL


    Fire. Everywhere. No¡­not fire. The flames didn''t dance as they should, and the color was a bright blue like the soft, azure noon skies of the Urugari desert. This was witchcraft, I realized.


    The heat was extremely unbearable. Even with my proficiency in using magic to strengthen my body, amplify my senses, and nullify pain, it was still almost impossible to even breathe in whatever hell hole this was.


    "Where am I? Why am I here? And why¡­why the fuck am I naked!"


    Deciding to find out where I was first, I took my first step into the broad expanse of nothingness for the first time since I woke up here. Breathing was difficult, but moving against the abrasive winds was impossible. I suddenly noticed the scalding pain in my feet from standing too long in the white-hot soil. Then followed what felt like a million needles prickling my skin as the hot corrosive air ate away at my defensive barrier of mana.


    "I''m ¡­ running out ¡­ of ¡­ mana¡­"


    The single step I had taken had drained away my mana reserves, leaving me with no protection against the harsh climate. All my mana had suddenly been yanked free of my grasp, and my mind was shrouded by the sudden strain of fighting to stay in control.


    Unbearable pain filled in my chest as the air burned my lungs. The smell of my own hair and flesh burning wasn''t nearly as horrifying as watching my skin melt off my body. Was this the end for me?


    "Aaah¡­I really am in the desert, aren''t I," I thought as I fell to the ground and accepted my fate.


    "Well done! I didn''t think you''d actually figure it out. Not with how hot it was."


    Suddenly losing balance, I found myself immersed in some sort of in-between space filled with a thick liquid. Reflexively, I held my breath as an overwhelming, nauseating feeling crept up my throat, and I found myself unable to tell up from down. But this was heaven compared to the mind-blowing pain I had just experienced.


    Somehow, my skin was intact and the pain in my chest and all over my body seemed nothing but a distant memory now. Disbelievingly, I turned and twisted as I examined my body for any evidence to prove that I hadn''t been dreaming.


    It took a minute to register what had just happened.


    "Who''s there!" I gasped, then suddenly realized I hadn''t gagged on the liquid I was immersed in. I was just as surprised to find out I could breathe as I was by how heavy my voice had sounded.


    "My God, you''re slow!"


    The voice came from everywhere all at once, yet it was also somehow inside my own mind. I was caught off guard by the uneasy sensation and flailed my arms around, wanting to touch whatever the source of the voice was.


    "I said¡­ who''s there!"


    "Relax, boy¡­"


    It felt as though the liquid was the one talking.


    "You try relaxing after having your skin burned off¡­ what the fuck was that anyway!? Was that your doing?" I asked, getting annoyed by the sick prank. "And I''m a man, you effete!"


    "So I have a womanly voice - big deal! I could say the same thing about your -"


    "Who the fuck are you! I''m getting sick of this," I hissed. "Oh wait¡­I know! It''s that old hag, isn''t it? Of course, it is. She''s the only one in the entire kingdom who would dare use witchcraft despite knowing the consequences. Is this her newest trick? Did she put you up to this? Or is it actually you talking, Ngina?"


    "hahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaahhahhahaahhahahhahaaahahha¡­!"


    I was practically boiling over with rage at this point. Deciding to bring this pathetic bickering to an end, I gathered all the mana I had managed to gather from the rich mana pool of the in-between space into my core and prepared to unleash the deadly aura I was dreaded for back at home. I embraced the warm, familiar feeling as the mana from the surrounding atmosphere turned to fire mana - my birth mana attribute - and traced its way through my mana channels, up my limbs, and into my core.


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    Then suddenly and without warning, I pushed it all out with a swiftness that had been ingrained into my body from all my years as a warrior. The liquid around me suddenly jolted to life as the heat from my body vaporized it instantly, while the force from the burst forced the liquid back and created a partial vacuum that was filled with the choking vapor almost immediately after.


    The sudden burst of powerful mana - dubbed the kifo aura - was powerful enough to incapacitate even the most skilled warriors in Magra, the home continent of us humans. If a warrior could perfectly hone their kifo aura technique, they could, theoretically, defeat a whole army of 3 tier morans by simply incapacitating them before sliting their throats. Such a technique was what separated your average warrior from skilled talents such as myself.


    "Whoa¡­ cool party trick. You''re glowing! The kids must love you."


    "Answer me, you pillock! Who are you, and what kind of tricks are you playing?" I asked, trying desperately to hide my surprise when my powerful aura had no effect on the perpetrator.


    "Don''t be so wary, Otwol. I''m simply a messenger. Now, I admit that my methods are a bit suspicious, but please understand that we of the deva race are often bored. It was simply a way for me to amuse myself¡­ and to test your limitations."


    It was my turn to laugh now.


    "Deva? Like the supreme beings? You!?" I laughed out loud. "Not with that voice. You''ll have to come up with a better lie."


    "Trust me, boy¡­ I have no reason to lie to you. And I thought you''d be more surprised I know your name."


    "I''m quite popular with the ladies," I answered back, trying to hold back my laughter.


    "You still insult me even now that you know my true nature. Bold and witty, I like it. Be glad it is I, Shriva, the all-kind and merciful deva you are insulting and not some other deity."


    "Never heard of you."


    "My kindness has limits, boy."


    "My apologies, oh mighty deva! To what do I owe this sudden visit? Surely, a member of the supreme races such as yourself didn''t come all the way down to this Godforsaken continent to relay a message to this lesser being. I am unworthy of your great sacrifice."


    "I do not appreciate the sarcasm either. But seeing as there is no way you will believe me, and I have no interest in revealing myself to you, I might as well just get on with it," slight pause. "Despite your great success on the battlefield, your bedroom accomplishments are¡­mediocre. And that''s being polite."


    "Hey¡­.I didn''t get personal with my jibes, you know."


    "Six wives, two daughters, and no sons. And that''s in the harsh patriarchal society you humans so absent-mindedly lead. We''ve decided to gift you two sons and a daughter. That should compensate for your inadequacy."


    "Pass! I''m more than happy with my daughters. Thank you!"


    "You should be overjoyed."


    "Why!? I have no interest in carrying the burden of another man''s loins. I raise my own children."


    "These ones are different."


    "Oh, so it''s a deva''s loins then?"


    "Would that make a difference?"


    "Yeah¡­it''d be an even bigger no."


    "Thought so. But think of this as a favor to the Mighty Shriva¡­"


    "Still never heard of you."


    "You''ll find them in the desert in your little adventure tomorrow¡­"


    "I''m not agreeing to this."


    "Would you stop interrupting me already? You''re annoying."


    "And would you please stop trying to shove kids down my throat!?" I smirked at my clever joke. "That desert is no place for children. If you left them there¡­they''re already dead. Baked. Or torn to shreds by that cursed wind."


    "Don''t worry about that. You will find them, it''s set in stone. Now, I have to go¡­ you''re a headache to deal with."


    "This one does not deserve the compliments, Great One! And like I said, I''m not taking any children¡­"


    ...


    I woke up with a start and took a minute to register my bearings. The room was a mess. I was on the floor, beads of sweat drenching my entire body and the schenti loincloth wrapped around my waist. My blankets were scattered across the room, the bed was broken, and my first wife, Aisha, was crouched in fear in the corner. The room looked like it''d been torn apart in a battle.


    The door burst open, and in rushed my younger brother, spear in hand and with his mana flaring aggressively in an attempt to appear intimidating. He scanned the room quickly before noticing Aisha and me on the floor, then he came rushing to my side.


    "Brother! What happened here? Were you attacked? By whom? Where are they?" he prodded as he paced around the room, looking for any signs of foreign mana.


    "Relax Musa, nothing happened here. I had a bad dream, that''s all," I replied.


    "A bad dream!? I could feel your aura from my side of the compound. You basically knocked out all the guards and everyone within range, and you''re telling me you had a bad dream?" he had stopped pacing and was now studying my face, looking for answers.


    "We all have our fair share of nightmares, brother. It was nothing, no need for concern. Go back to your house, tend to your wives and children," I dismissed. He didn''t need an explanation. Heck, I didn''t even know how to explain what had happened. "It won''t happen again."


    "Tsk! A bad dream!" he scolded as he walked out into the night. I could tell he was annoyed.


    I stood up and walked up to my discombobulated wife.


    "Hey, Aisha...are you okay? Wake up."

 Off To The Desert (i)

    "What was that last night? I''ve never seen you like that, you always sleep so peacefully."


    I could hear the worry etched in Aisha''s voice, and I felt guilty about the previous night. She had only just fully come to about an hour to daybreak, and yet here she was serving me my usual breakfast of yam and a heavy mug of hot, steaming porridge.


    Despite the harsh after-effects of being exposed to my perfectly polished technique, Aisha had already regained her usual pleasant mood. I smiled, remembering now that she was no wimp on the battlefield herself.


    Her steps were slow but purposeful as she moved from one end of the dining table to the next. She set up everything that was needed for breakfast, then took a seat at her assigned place - the first chair to my left - and sat waiting for everyone else to join us.


    "I tried telling you that you didn''t need to make breakfast today, the servants could have done that" I answered back, trying to steer the conversation away from the events of the previous night. I still wasn''t sure whether it had all been just a dream.


    "Oh please! We both know you hardly ever eat when anybody else makes your food. And besides, I''m perfectly fine now." She reached her hand over the table and gave my hand a quick squeeze.


    I could see she understood that I wasn''t ready to talk about my episode. I also knew how caring and understanding she was, but I didn''t want to worry her - or get her excited - over some crazy story I didn''t even believe in myself. It was for the best that I wait and see how things would unfold.


    I squeezed her hand back, then turned my gaze to the door when I heard the approaching cheerful laughter of Makena and Imani, my only daughters. They rushed in, almost running into the chairs as they fought over a hand-sewn doll Aisha had made for them. Their mothers followed closely behind, gossiping about whichever village lady they were interested in today.


    Everyone took their seats, and the cheerful banter slowly turned into muffled whispers. It was customary that we express our gratitude to the god of the harvests, lest we suffer his wrath and perish from hunger.


    To my left was Aisha, my first wife, and to her left were Kisa, Nala, Layla, and Lerato. It was the tradition that everyone sat in order of their assumed hierarchy in any form of gathering, and meal times were no exception.


    Makena and Imani usually sat to my right. In any other home, this would have been considered taboo and deeply frowned upon. It was the sons, the heirs to the father''s name and riches, who would normally take these seats. Seeing as I had no sons of my own, I saw no harm in letting my beloved daughters take their rightful place as the heirs to my bloodline - the Saeed bloodline.


    After Aisha had said the prayer, everyone dug into their breakfast. I was glad to see that there had been no lingering effects of my mana outburst. The children must have been shielded by their mothers, I realized.


    After a rather quiet and uneventful breakfast, I headed to my armory to prepare for my journey. I found all my armor and weapons already laid out on a bench with a note from Aisha wishing me good luck. "What would I do without her," I thought with a smile.


    Musa arrived shortly after with his heavily armored guards. They were all on horseback, and I could see through my window that Musa himself was adorned in fine leather armor made from the tough yet elegant scales of a slain mana beast. As usual, he had his long spear in one hand and two daggers on either side of his waist. I quickly finished up and walked out of the armory to meet him and his men.


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    Everyone stiffened up when they saw me approaching.


    "General Saeed!" they saluted in unison.


    "At ease. No need to be so official yet, it''s boring," I replied.


    "Always so laid back, it''s a wonder you made general," my brother teased.


    "If the council assessed warriors based on how uptight they are, you''d be the general and I''d be the captain," I shot back, then smiled apologetically when I realized he was still quite sensitive about missing out on the previous promotions.


    Fortunately for me, Makena and Imani came rushing toward us in their usual playful manner, dissolving the awkward atmosphere that had been building up.


    "Daddy! Daddy! Mother said to give you this," Imani said, brandishing a charm pendant.


    "No fair...! I was the one supposed to give it to him!"


    "Hey, hey...cut that out. I told you two to stop fighting," I said as I tried to separate the two girls.


    "They''re just children, Saeed. Children always play-fight," my brother eased. "And hey! I''m so heartbroken...no greetings for your uncle?" Musa teased as he dismounted his horse and gave the girls a warm hug.


    "Sorry, Uncle Musa!" Imani said, then went back to arguing with her sister.


    "I wish it was playful, they''re so competitive," I said with a sigh.


    "We should get going, brother. Those damn royals might get pissy if we keep them waiting," Musa said, no doubt sympathizing with his men who were not accustomed to being in my presence. They had been quietly observing all along, but I could feel the nervous air hovering around them.


    Right on cue, Ali - one of the stable boys - came into sight as he walked around the corner from the stables with my horse following close behind. He bowed courteously toward everyone, then handed me the horse''s lead and walked back to the stables without a word.


    "He''s still as shy as ever, I see," Musa said as he climbed back on his horse. I could tell he was just trying to make conversation, but I quietly mounted my horse and ushered for the gateman to let us through. His men''s horses gave way to let me take the lead as we commenced our short excursion to the castle.


    ...


    Magra was one of the four continents in this world and the home continent of humans. But instead of having a single monarch to rule over the entire continent, the people of Magra had long ago chosen to be governed by The Council, which was composed of a bunch of self-righteous nobles and royals.


    The royals and nobles who made up the council were all monarchs of their own territories within Magra. They could decide the fate of their individual territories without the interference of the other royals and nobles or the council. However, all decisions regarding the entire continent were made by The Council, which was regarded as the supreme authority in Magra.


    Magra was the smallest of the four continents, but it had the largest number of cities and towns as the humans prided themselves in being the most technologically advanced of all the races. But Arakone wasn''t like other typical cities in Magra. Not only was it the biggest city in the human continent in terms of population, but it was also the most economically successful.


    Any ignorant observer would assume that the economic success was a result of the large population of able-bodied humans in the city. But after having personally interacted with Sir Horus, Arakone''s monarch, I knew clearly that everything good or bad that happened in the city was according to his wishes.  He was astute and decisive, and I was sure that we owed the economic success of the city to Sir Horus.


    Despite the beauty and prosperity of the city, there were a few negative aspects of Arakone that I did not like. Nobles and Royals bore a deep hatred for the poorer and less fortunate citizens, and this caused their segregation. A wall had been built to divide the city so as to prevent the interaction of nobles and citizens.


    On one side of the wall, there was an affluent and wealthy neighborhood of royals and nobles. Everything on this side was always spotlessly clean and had been engineered with keen precision to ensure a smooth experience for the nobility. Mansions mushroomed throughout the place, but they were nowhere to be seen on the other side of the wall. But perhaps this was no topic for me to empathize on, I realized, seeing as I myself was a noble.


    As our horses trotted through the stone pavements of the city, I was frequently interrupted from my train of thought as we paused to exchange greetings with other nobility. It was early morning, the sun had just risen, and everyone was on their way to their assigned stations.


    As we arrived at The Castle''s gates, I decided to stop lamenting my lack of power to bring about any significant changes in the country and instead focused on the day ahead.