《Nameless》


 Arash - Light Rune

    Arash stared at the small rune before him. His fingers traced the slender lines dancing around a small wooden stick. He had dreamed of this moment, strived for it, but he didn''t feel the joy he had expected. The engraved stick in his hand felt ordinary; nothing like the magic he had dreamed of. Somehow it felt wrong...


    "How long are you going to stare at it?" a voice called out to him. Arash looked up.


    "I... It doesn''t"


    "Doesn''t feel quite like what you expected?" Arman said with a bemused smile. He walked over to Arash. "May I?"


    Arash didn''t want to part with the wooden stick. but seeing the outstretched arm he chose to comply.


    "Not bad." Arman carefully studied the curves of the light rune. Every single stroke seamlessly connected, forming a complete circle. His brows furrowed at the thin notch between two strokes.


    He turned towards the light and squinted his eyes in concentration. He clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Pity it was a such a beautiful rune, Best I have ever seen. Alas, you chose wood to carve. It introduced a flaw in the design."


    "Flaw?" Arash frowned. "Where?"


    "Look right there" Arman pointed at the thin slit in the wooden stick. "I missed it at first, but its there if you look in the light."


    Arash took hold of the engraved stick, his eyes searching for the flaw. He turned towards the light and finally he saw it, thinner than hair, but there it was, hiding in plain sight. His heart skipped a beat as his hands trembled. Arash stared up at the Rune Master. "It''s so thin, it could work. Maybe. We haven''t tried it. It might hold be able to hold."


    "Child, magic is a delicate thing. Everything crumbles down even if there is the slightest flaw." Arman gently squeezed the boy''s shoulder.


    "But you always say that the magic comes from the heart." Arash retorted. He had worked so hard. It was so beautiful. So complete...


    "It does. But we need a base for the magic. We need a strong base. The runes hold them and the flaw introduces a leak in the magic. It would be a failure even if you try."


    "But..." Arash noticed disappointment flash over the old man''s face. Even though his heart felt heavy, he still had the sense of when to push or when to stop. He shoved the wooden stick in his pocket and let out a long sigh. "You are right. Magic is a delicate thing. I should have known that wood wasn''t a good a material." Arash could see the immediate results of his acquiescence.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "I am glad, you understand" Arman bloomed with a smile, showing a half-moon of tarred teeth. His eyes held a strange glow to them. "Boy you should work on your lies. I have lived for 50 years. I can recognize bullshit when I see one."


    "I..." Arash cheeks burned with embarrassment. He searched for words but looking at the way the old man was staring at him. In the end he decided to come clean. "Magic is not a set system. It is not a set of rules. There has to be a way that this would work."


    "Why are you so hell-bent on using this rune?"


    "I...uh. I just am." Arash struggled with words. He set his jaw with determination as he leveled his gaze against the old man. "There has to be a way. Magic is not an invariable thing."


    "That is true and false at the same time..." Arman grinned. "In magic, there is a single elusive truth. It is up to us how we take from it. Our truth is only one facet of the reality. I can say that this rune that you have so crudely stuffed into your pocket is useless. But some might disagree with me."


    "Then why are you telling me that it''s faulty." Arash frowned in frustration.


    "Because you have no truth of your own. Your truths are formed by my words. So unless you find yourself a truth that belongs to yourself. The wooden stick in your pocket will be a failed product." Arman let his words sink in.


    "You are a smart boy. You think about things. You question them and you have a thirst for knowledge. For your questions to be answered, you have to listen first. You dive headfirst with your ideas and when you are met with a problem that rattles your brain. You fumble around asking for questions that I have no answers to. I know talking to you is like banging my head against the wall." Arman shook his head in dismay.


    "I reckon I would sooner break a wall with my head then talk some sense into you." Arman''s hand dug into the pocket of his loose woolen robe and came back with a small sapphire stone. "I believe you know what this is?"


    "Magic"


    "You could say that. But this also something that would turn you into gleaming crystal and I can assure you it isn''t exactly a thing to desire... Are you wearing your gloves?"


    Arash produced a pair of gloves from his leather tunic and snuck his fingers into them. He looked up to see the old man glowering at him. "What?"


    "How many times do I have to tell you? Wear your fucking gloves. These stones are not a joke. They can turn a heedless man into stone. Its a slow and terrible death."


    "But... I can''t--"


    "No buts. Give me your word. No bullshitting. I don''t want the blood of a foolish lad on my conscience. No more lies of yours. I can tolerate anything but not this. If you lie to me, I will find out. You can be sure of it. Swear it!" Arman roared, his chest bellowing under his seething fury.


    "I swear on the life of my brother." Arash solemnly nodded.


    "On your brother?" Arman screwed his forehead in displeasure. "No games. Swear on the life of your mother."


    Arash let out a long sigh as he leveled his gaze at the old man. "I don''t want to lie to you." He closed the distance between them and snatched the stone from the old man.

 Arash - Little Brother

    Strong winds buffeted him as soon he set his foot on the cobblestone pathway. Cold snuck past his defenses, slowly chipping away his precious heat. Arash shivered, shifting in his wools to get what little comfort he could afford.


    Normally a boy of thirteen wouldn''t dare to walk alone on the streets. The winds took anything lighter than 30 kg. But even at the age of 13, Arash stood 6 feet tall and weighed a whole 80 kg. Winds bothered him little, but the cold made it impossible to stand still.


    He wanted to run to the warmth of the house. To sit beside the engraved hearthstone and doze off to sleep. But today the cold bothered him little. He stared up at the dark sky riddled with rivers of burning sapphire light. He heard a slight humming sound at the back of his head.


    "Crying of the souls." People of Harra believed that the soul of man ignited the sky. Providing little light to the land of eternal darkness. Arash followed the rivers from one end to another. They shone down on him with deep blue light. The light humming turned to a dull aching pain until he was forced to look down.


    He clenched his right hand and acutely felt the coldness of the mana stone. He found refuge inside a narrow alley between the tightly packed houses. Little light ever reached the alleys and winds sounded more like the seething river.


    Arash found a strange solace in these alleys. He couldn''t see anything and nothing could see him. He loosened his fist, pale blue light slipped out the crevices between his fingers.


    He opened his hand and stared at the tiny stone. Inside the darkness it looked like a piece of sky river, burning bright with a deep blue hue. He stared at the stone, his eyes prying for the secrets of the stone. But no matter how hard he tried the stone kept his secret. He let out a long sigh and clenched his fist. Darkness engulfed him like a blanket. He closed his eyes and focused on the sound of howling wind.


    His breath aligned with his heartbeat. Soon the sound of the wind was replaced by the low hum of his heartbeat. He focused on the sound of his heart. It felt like a fierce river coursing through his body.


    He imagined himself floating above a terrible river of blood. In his mind''s eye, he stood inside a rumbling sea of blood. The sea roared and seethed around him, but he stood still like a stone. The sea felt real to him. He could feel the blood red water around him, feel its pressure.


    He imagined the alley in which he sat. Suddenly the red sea morphed into a dark alley. Imagined himself sitting in the alley. He looked at the walls, the ground, and the sky. Everything was as it should be but at the same time some things were missing. Everything was vague at the edges. Arash tried to add details to the alley, but no matter how hard he tried something was always missing.


    "What am I doing?" He shook his head in dismay. He willed himself into a black sea of darkness, endless and formless. He envisioned the light rune. Drew it stroke by stroke. But like the walls, it felt vague and incomplete. When he fixed one part, another would become crooked. He tried again and again. Each try met with a new failure. Frustration rose in his heart and his concentration waned. It became harder and harder for him to draw the rune. He slammed his fists on the ground, breaking out of his mental state.


    "What am I doing wrong? What is it? Ahhh!" he gritted his teeth and stared into dark nothingness.  He took out his engraved wooden stick and traced his index finger across the rune. He imagined the rune shining with sapphire blue light. "Why don''t you shine like this? Why is it so hard? Why..." Suddenly it hit him. Just now when he imagined the rune. He imagined it as a single entity. "I have been doing it all wrong..."


    Arash once again slipped back into the trance. This time rather than drawing the rune stroke by stroke. He drew all the strokes at the same time. Slowly, the whole rune started taking form. Each stroke sprouting from a single entity, living and breathing in his imagination. But, Arash found himself mentally strained. Nonetheless, he felt himself brimming with a strange new excitement.


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    He forced himself to concentrate on the whole rune, watching it grow slowly towards completion. Suddenly his head throbbed with a sharp pain. "Ahh!" He screamed in agony, grabbing his head in his palms. The pain disappeared as soon as it came.


    "So close! Dammit..." He cursed out loud, but his lips curled into a smile. Before the rune was always elusive to him. But now he could see it in its true form. He felt himself getting closer and closer.


    "Only a little bit and the rune would have been complete. Ah!" He remembered the true form of the rune, but the one that he drew in his mind''s eye was intrinsically different from the one he etched into the wooden rod.


    He closed his eyes, felt the flow of his blood, and slipped into a trance, but as soon as he tried to envision the rune, the pain came running back.


    "Dammit!" He winced in pain, got back in position, but the ringing pain in his head convinced him otherwise. He sat in the silence of his sanctuary, listening to the howls of the wind.


    After resting for a while, he slipped out of the alley, and went through the jungle of concrete and mortar until he stood before a short squat building which he called home. Arash knocked and placed his ear against the door.


    Just as he was about to start pounding the door, he heard the sound of feet shuffling behind the door. After a few moments, the door finally opened, revealing a small boy. He had been wrapped up in so many layers of wool and leather that he looked more like furball than a human child.


    "Where is she?" Arash tried to hide his hatred for his mother. But it still manifested in his tone. He hated the woman who gave birth to him.  Arash closed the door behind him and hung his cloak by the wall. Looking back at his little brother, he couldn''t help but notice that his brother was wearing his fur coat. "Why are you wearing my coat?" Arash couldn''t help but smile.


    "I have grown big. My clothes don''t fit me anymore." Firuz tried to stand tall. But even with his height of 4 foot at 10, he appeared to be a midget in front of his brother.


    "Have you? Then why is there a knife tied to your waist?"


    Firuz stared at his feet, while his face burned red with embarrassment. "But you won''t believe me." He protested.


    "Tell me whats wrong?"


    Firuz looked up with a troubled expression "I... I saw a man, crying for help. He was injured. Something had happened to him. "


    "And what do you plan to do?" Arash said with a bemused smile, staring at his scrawny brother, bundled in layers and layers of leather and fur.


    "¡­I am going to save him."


    "Firuz!" Arash glared at his brother. "You should be able to differentiate between dream and reality. There is no man outside and you are staying here inside."


    "I am not lying. I saw him beyond the mana deposits. He was crying for help. He is still there"


    "Firuz its just dreams." Arash felt exasperated.


    "No, they are not! I have seen it. It''s real. Beyond the mana stones to the left. He was crying. There was blood all over the place." Firuz defiantly stood before him, tears threatening to burst out. "You never believe me. You never do! I never lie to you. But... he is dying. We have to help him."


    "We are doing no such things." Arash felt anger boil over him.


    "Yes, I am. I don''t need you! I am not going to let him die." Firuz tried to open the lock. Arash pulled him backwards, and thrust him towards the bed.


    "You will go and stay there." Arash glared at his little brother. His voice tinged with anger.


    "No..." Firuz tried to resist. But hit was futile under the cold stare. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he ran back to his room. "I hate you! I hate you!"

 Arash - Something Foolish

    Arash groaned in frustration as he hung his coat on the wall. He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled. Seeking some refuge in the silence, but the words of his brother still rang in his ear, tugged at his conscience, frustrated him. He needed something to keep himself busy, his fingers dug into the pockets and he felt the texture of the wood in his hand. A satisfactory smile streaked his face.


    Arash glowered in anger as he saw the tiny flaw on the wooden stick, he shoved it in the deep of his pocket. His leg constantly shaking to a nervous rhythm as he burrowed his face in his palms, peering at his brother from the gap between his fingers. Suddenly it hit him, a mischievous smile played on his face as he scooped the wooden rod from his pocket.


    "Do you know where the mana stones are?" Arash tested.


    Firuz pulled a blanket over him and refused to utter a single word. Arash walked over to his bed and sat across him on the ground. He pursed his lips in frustration and shook his head in dismay.


    "and here I thought he would be interested to meet you" pretending to have a conversation with the wooden stick. Stealing furtive glances at his brother.


    "... Don''t talk to me." a muffled voice came from under the blanket. Firuz shifted a little, pulling his blanket taut over him.


    "I am not talking to you," Arash said offhandedly.


    "So, what I was saying is. I wanted you to meet my little brother. He is usually a good boy, but sometimes he..." Arash noticed some movement under the blanket.


    A smile played on his lips as he increased his volume. " he is angry at me now. So I can''t say anything. I mean you understand why I had to do what I did. I mean you have a little brother. They sure are a handful. How do you do it? I mean your little brothers adore you. They listen to your every single word¡­ I wish my brother was like that too."


    Firuz couldn''t suppress his curiosity. He slightly raised the blanket to peer at his brother.


    Arash sat with a pained expression on his face as he pretended to listen to the wooden stick in his hand. Nodding and shaking his head accordingly. Firuz frowned in puzzlement, he threw away the blanket and came closer for a better look.


    "Why are you talking to a wooden stick?"


    Arash looked up as if he had heard the damnedest thing in the world. His eyes popped out in surprise while his eyebrows stretched so far back that they almost joined his hairline.


    "How dare you call him a stick?" He turned back to the wooden stick. "Please forgive my little brother. He is young and doesn''t know the way of the world. Please forgive him." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "You are acting weird." Firuz tried to look unconvinced, but his eyes kept peering at the Light Rune on the engraved stick. "You are trying to fool me... aren''t you."


    Arash gave him a level stare that made him think otherwise. "Preposterous. Trying to fool you. I wanted you to meet Mr. Stick but you..." Arash wore a pained expression on his face. He stared at Mr. Stick in anguish and started spewing some nonsense about the bringer of light and the great hero.


    "Can... I talk to him?" Firuz couldn''t tame his curiosity.


    "He doesn''t want to talk to the one who hates is big brother," Arash said after consulting with the wooden stick.


    "but¡­ but he is dying. It''s the truth. You won''t listen to me. I saw him... beyond the mana deposits. He was crying for help." Firuz noticed the expression on Arash face and his face turned contorted in pain. Tears slipped down his cheeks. "¡­but you don''t believe me. You never do. I know what I have seen. I do."


    "Firuz¡­ you have never been outside of this house. How can you know what''s beyond the mana deposits?"


    "I do¡­ I was there. I was there I promise. I am not lying. He will die. If we don''t help him. Why won''t you listen to me." Firuz burst out in tears.


    Arash heart broke at the sight of his brother. He pulled him into his embrace and gently patted his back. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his bones.


    "Hey¡­ don''t cry. Don''t cry. I believe you. I believe you."


    Firuz pushed himself away from him, staring at his brother in disbelief. "You do?"


    "I do¡­" Arash nodded in agreement. He let his words hang for a while. Rummaging his mind for an explanation. "¡­but you have to promise me one thing. I am believing you. That means I am putting my faith in you. So I will give a chance now. Tell me the truth."


    "I am telling you the truth I¡ª"


    "I know you are... you wouldn''t lie to me would you." Arash cocked his head waiting for an answer, but the boy stood resolute, not flinching at all. Arash scrambled to his feet and slipped into his woolen coat. He picked a hunting knife from the table by the kitchen. Tested its edge, felt the weight of its black handle."Tell me exactly where you found him."


    "He was lying north from the mana deposits." Firuz put on his own set of cloak and found himself a little pocket knife. "I will show you the way. It''s just beyond the mana deposits¡ª "


    "You would do no such thing. You will stay here like a good boy. If what you say is true. The winds beyond the town are fiercer than you think. It would take you with it. If there is a man to carry. I can''t look after you. So you would be staying here."


    "No¡­ You won''t be able to see him. The wind and the dust make it impossible to see. You need me. I have seen the place."


    "Exactly no one can see in the storm. So how can you?" Arash eyed his brother. But he kept his doubts to himself.


    "Enough¡­ don''t make me regret believing you. I am already risking my life walking into a wind storm. If you keep behaving like a child. I would change my mind. You will stay here and that''s final."


    "But¡ª"


    "No means no and don''t you dare follow me. I will know." Arash picked up a bundle of rope and slung it over his should. "Stay inside. Lock the door and don''t open it for anyone besides me. Give me your word"


    "¡­ I won''t go outside."


    "and?"


    "I won''t let anyone in¡­ but what if its mother. What if she comes when you are out? I can''t let her stay outside."


    "No one means no one. I don''t care if it''s the chosen of the prophecy. You would not open the door." Arash stuffed a soft leather mask in his pocket, felt the knife at his waist. Clenched the rope on his shoulder. He inhaled a bit courage and he smiled bitterly. "I can''t believe¡­ I am going outside the mana deposits. " He shook his head and arranged his thoughts.


    "I swear to the land that we stand upon. Firuz if I don''t find a man. I swear I would throw you to the winds."


    Arash steeled his heart and slipped out the door.

 Firuz - Prison

    Firuz stared at the wooden door as if it was some great adversary. It stood there, cold, distant and unrelenting, barring his way to fulfill his destiny.


    All his life he had dreamed to step on the other side of the door. But due to his weak constitution, Arash had always found a way to dissuade him. All he ever managed to do was to walk a few meters down the street. But that was as useful as spitting on the top of your head.


    In Harra, every house is the exact replica of another. Lying beside one another in a single file. Short squat squares, illuminated by the dim pastel glow of the rivers in the sky. Staring at the unassuming houses was the most exciting thing he had ever done.


    He clenched his fists and gathered courage for his rescue mission. Countless plans shifting in his mind, bringing him closer and closer to the injured man, but then doubt crept in.


    "How would I get past the wind. How would I find him?" His determination wavered with time, but whenever he closed his eyes. He could see the man lying on the ground, his right leg twisted at an awkward angle, missing a sizeable chunk of flesh¡­ He remembered every single detail, but the worst part was the man''s eyes. The sheer horror in them. He shuddered at the thought and the hero in him once again reasoned with him.


    Firuz gritted his teeth in frustration as determination flashed in his eyes. His hands reached for the door latch, but the distance of few feet made his courage falter. It was harder then he imagined. Living all his life inside these walls had made him dependent on them. Tears glistened in his eyes as the coward in him spoke.


    "He is going¡­ he will be able to find. Him¡­ No, I Have to go. I can''t leave him like that. How can I be a chosen one if I can''t do what''s right?" He fancied himself as the hero of the ages, drew courage from it. He stared at the door before him, eyes trained on the door latch. The latch was still open. He hadn''t closed it.


    "If I am supposed to go¡­ the door would open for me. If I am the chosen one. I should be able to open it without touching it." Firuz beckoned towards the door, muttering some gibberish. Hands waving back and forth. "Open¡­ Open¡­ Op"


    Suddenly the door burst open¡­  "Ah!" Firuz screamed at the top of his lungs and ran towards his room. His heart vigorously drummed in his chest, all the sense had left his body. "It opened. It opened" A voice screamed at the back of his head.


    "What the fuck are you doing?" An angry voice came from the other room. "Scared me to death"


    Firuz recognized the voice. He peeked from behind the wall. It was Arash. Confusion riddled his face as he stared at his brother.


    "What are you doing? And why isn''t the door locked?" Arash glared at him.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.Firuz flushed red with embarrassment as he fumbled for words. "¡­you startled me." He said weakly.


    "What?"


    "Why are you back. You didn''t go did you?" Firuz stared back at his brother, anger flashed in his eyes. "I knew it. you wouldn''t go. I Knew it!"


    "I what¡­ I came back for the axe.   We have to pay our monthly quota soon. I am going towards the deposits. Might as well try to mine some stones." Arash walked over to his bedroom and returned with a great pickaxe in his hand.


    Firuz stared at the monstrosity in his brother''s arm. Its handle thicker than his arm, while the head made of black iron, tapering into a mean spike. Countless runes were engraved on the metal head. Runes of strength, Runes of sharpness. It had been passed down from generation to generation, but it never lost its edge.


    Firuz couldn''t even pick it, let alone swing it. All he ever got to do was to touch the smooth grip of the handle, which had been worn out from countless years of usage. He had once tried to lift it. All he managed to do was turn the color of face red and made some serious grunts.


    Arash was different, he had been blessed with a strong physique. At the age of 10, he could lift the monstrosity. At the age of 12, he was hacking away at the mana deposits and bringing back some small stones on lucky days.


    Firuz admired his elder brother, but at the same time, he hated him. It became hard for him to look at his brother. Seeing him doing what he can''t, had always disheartened him. It was not the first time the sight of his brother had made him feel inept.


    "I am going. Lock the door this time¡­ I will check." Arash gave him a look, made sure he understood his words and left. "Close the door. I want to hear the latch click" a muffled voice came from the other side of the door.


    Firuz wanted to disobey, wanted to burst out of the door and save the man. But like the pickax, he couldn''t pick. He couldn''t say the words, he never could.


    "I didn''t hear the latch! Hurry up or your man might die."


    Firuz drowned the voices, steeled his heart and fastened the latch.  He stood by the door, tears streaming down his face. He felt helpless and weak.


    "I should go¡­ I should go with him" he repeated in his head. But in his heart, he knew the truth and it weighed heavy on him.


    He turned around, his eyes trailing at the plaster walls, counting the cracks. He found a new crack, hidden in the corner. He had counted them all. It wasn''t there before. His world had always been confined to the limits of these walls and he knew it by heart. Occasionally he was allowed to leave the house when the winds were gentle. But these excursions were a distant memory. Winds were rarely kind in Harra. While his brother resolute in his protection. He broke down in helpless sobs as he stared at his prison.

 Arash - Three Parts Fool

    Arash squinted at the narrow pathway before him, wind whipping his hairs in wild abandon. He could almost taste the wind. Rich with mud and all the things it brought with it. His nostrils burned with dust and debris. He took out his soft leather mask and fastened it to the back of his face, made some adjustment so that it sat snugly on his nose.


    "Better" He exhaled. His right hand gripped the rope on his shoulder. "Beyond the deposits." He muttered to himself as his lips formed a thin line. He glanced back at his house.


    "He wouldn''t know if I go or not." He grimaced, ashamed of his own cowardice, but he had seen the winds beyond the deposits, watched the dust devils tearing at the land and all the things in its wake.


    "Right¡­ I should just wait here." He nodded to himself as he scuttled towards a dark alley. Finding little comfort in the familiar darkness. He eased onto the ground, staring at the dark nothingness in front of him. His left hand uncontrollably shaking.


    "He is just a kid. What does he know? " He tried to suppress the shaking.


    "Stop it." He cursed at his left hand, grabbing it with his right. Suddenly an image of a scrawny boy came flashed in front of his eyes.


    Determination flashed in his eyes as he scrambled to his feet. His heart still uncertain, but his feet found their way towards the mana deposits.


    "¡­he will die." Firuz''s voice rang in his head, he could almost taste the desperation in his brother''s voice. His chest tightened with anxiety as he broke into a full-blown sprint.


    The wind pushed against him, made it hard for him to see. Blew him back one step when he took three. He clenched his jaw in frustration as he rushed into a narrow alley.


    "Ahh!" He took a few labored breaths, his mind still trained on the land beyond the deposits. His lips pursed into a thin line, his legs trembling to a nervous rhythm. His eyes searching for a way, suddenly his eyes stopped at the narrow space between the squat houses.


    "I could use that. It should work." He dashed diagonally to the winds. The winds pressed against him, but it was not as bad as before, it was bearable. He let out a throaty laughter as he took refuge in the narrow space across the street.


    He rushed north towards the mana deposit by short diagonal rushes. "I am getting closer."  Dust rose in dense cloud, dancing to the whims of the wind, but beyond the thick veil of winds he could see the dim pastel glow of the deposits.


    The wind howled out in the open. There was a distance of about 100 meters between the town and the mana deposits. It was the hardest part of the journey as nothing was there to protect against the wind.


    Arash dragged his feet towards the outer edge of the town, his clothes flapping in the wind. The wind whizzed past him, drowning all other sounds under its wild roar. His eyes trained on the long trail of wooden masts running towards the deposits.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!The dust made the deposits blurry, but he could still see a dull sapphire glow in the distance. He steeled his heart and grabbed the mana posts. His feet slipped under the constant urgings of the winds. He pulled himself towards the mast. He stuck to the pole as if his life depended on it.


    "First done. Another 100 to go." He swallowed hard as he stared the next wooden mast. The distance of one meter appeared infinite to him. His heart drumming in his head, while his muscles taut with tension. He shifted himself to better position himself between the posts, and he leaped.


    His heart nearly stopped as the wind blew him off course. "Fuck!" He felt weightless for a moment as his legs lifted off the ground. Time seemed to have slowed down as he found himself floating to the left.  A strange mixture of curses and cries escaped his throat. Suddenly the wind relented and his feet touched the ground.


    Elation coursed through his body as he felt solid ground beneath his feet. He kicked at the ground and lurched towards the wooden mast. He left hand managed to get a grip on the wooden fast. He pulled himself up and felt the rough grain of the wood against his face. He repeated kissed the wooden mast.


    ''I would never let you go. Never! Never!" He hugged the wood a like a long lost lover. His face plastered against the wood as relief washed over his face. He suddenly felt something poking at his back.


    "What is it." He felt the rope on his back and the pickax he had to fasten on his back. Suddenly it dawned on him. "Why am I not using the rope?" He repeatedly slammed his head against the wooden pole.


    "I am a blathering idiot" He locked his legs around the wooden mast. He made a lasso with one end and tied the other. He double checked the noose and tugged at the rope at his waist.


    He threw the lasso towards the next post. It missed the first few times. But after a few tries, he managed to hook the noose on the mast. He tugged at the rope and closed his eyes to build courage. His body tensed up as he let go of the post. He stood up, tightly gripping the rope. He stomped towards the next post. One step after another, but midway the wind shifted him off his feet. He flailed horizontally for a while, his palms digging into the rough rope cords. He screamed at the top of his lungs as he whipped in the air. He slowly pulled himself towards the mast, hooking his left hand around post while using his legs to cling to the post.


    He wildly shook in excitement he stared at the rope in his hand.

 Arash - Song of Stones

    Mining was to be done at the hour of the shadows. The purple color of the sky heralded the silence of the winds as if by some strange design, the winds eased up on their urgings. Silence fell upon the land, miners dashed with their hammers, their pickaxes, anything they could get their hands on. It was the time of mining, time of peace, but when the sky started to turn. It was a time of hiding.


    Arash scoffed at the cowardice of his people, but being stuck in the raging winds, and being slapped around by the formless hands of the dust. He saw the sense in the old ways. He stared above, beyond the clouds of dust, searching for the rivers. Behind the veils of dust, they shone with a dim crimson hue. He squinted to make out the sky beyond the rivers, but the wind made it impossible.


    "Fucking Hell!" He cursed, as he rubbed out the dust from his eyes. He glanced at the dozen wooden masts, trailing towards the mana deposits; He groaned in exasperation as he peered at his sides.


    The Land appeared to be alive, breathing to a strange rhythm. Small dust devils twirled at the horizon, blinking in and out of existence. He saw one of the devils hurtling in his direction, his heart nearly gave out. Fear gripped his heart, his hands moved like lightning, as he fastened himself to the mast. He could feel the winds picking up.


    "Please work!" He closed his eyes, arms and legs locked around the wooden pole, face jammed into the wood, breathing with short sharp puffs. Suddenly the devil came, the first thing he noticed was the rush of the sound, then came the dust as it whipped him, scratched his skin and then the silence.


    "What''s going on?" He raised his head a little. Suddenly the sounds came back, slamming his head into the post. "Ah!!" he groaned in pain and felt a strange wetness on his forehead. "Blood!"


    His head throbbed with stinging pain, as he once again held the post like his life depended on it. "What the fucking was I thinking?" He asked himself, as the dust devil wrecked havoc around him.


    Arash remained plastered to the pole even after the devil left. The throbbing pain on his forehead, the scratches on his face and arms made him wary of the wind; Afraid even. His face had been cake with a thick layer of dust. He coughed, blowing out a cloud of dust.


    Dust stung his eyes, it was hard to see. He vigorously rubbed his eyes, trying his best to rub away the stinging feeling in his eyes. He felt the wind on his body. "It''s getting milder" He gauged the distance from the mine.


    "I should able to cross it... 5 to 6 meters at most" He unfastened the rope, judged the wind. He held the lasso at hand, ready for any tricks of the wind.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.He dashed towards the glowing deposits as his life depended on it. His heart drumming in his head, he used all his body to feel the slightest changes in the wind, just as he was about to reach the shelter the wind picked.


    He clenched his jaw and lunged for the shelter, rolling towards his destination. The pickax did a mean number on his back, but he managed to roll towards the shelter. Finally, under the security of the deposits did he relax.


    Suddenly, he broke into a fit of wheezing and coughing. He blew out dust that had blocked one of his nostrils and spat our nearly black phlegm.


    He heard a strange droning sound. He turned towards the jagged mana deposit. It appeared to be made of glass. It shone with a deep azure light, slowly alternating between darker and lighter hues of blue. It appeared to be delicate as if the slightest touch would shatter it. but Arash had two years of experience to know how hard was to mine it.


    "Strange. " He frowned at the strange behavior of the mana stones. He had been mining for nearly two years, but he never saw the stones flicker.


    "Where is that sound coming from?" He heard the droning sound again, louder and more pronounced. Gaining momentum with each passing moment.


    He could feel his body vibrating to the same rhythm, a sense of relief washed over him as it became hard for him to stay awake. He stared at his surrounding with a dazed look. The deposits around him responded with their own songs, a strange cacophony assaulted his consciousness.


    "Ah!!" He howled in pain. Holding his head in his arms, but the sound didn''t stop, neither did the pain. It felt as if someone was battering him with a hammer. Slow and steady in his strikes. He covered his ears, but the sound didn''t stop.


    He convulsed in pain as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Blue veins bulged on his forehead, he thrashed around in pain, finally dropping on his back. All his struggles came to a jarring stop, as the rivers in the sky shone on him. He heard the cry of the souls, heard their calls. it brought him relief from his torture. The droning stopped and so did that horrible pain.


    He broke into helpless sobs as he stared at the sky. It felt as if his mind had been shredded to pieces. It took a while for him to get his bearings.


    It pained him to form any cohesive thoughts. He took out his engraved rod and felt the wood with his fingers. The sensation of the wood against his fingers brought him little relief, helped him get his bearings, his fingers danced around the engraved rune as he slipped into a trance¡­

 Firuz - Pillar in the Sky

    Firuz stared at the ceiling, eyes trained on puckered cement slathered unevenly on the roof. Searching for countless patterns on the cement, imagining the bulges and the curvature of the cement as waves of water, rippling to a gentle rhythm. His eyelids drooped with the passage of time, rising and falling like waves on the cement. He slowly drifted off to sleep.


    Darkness embraced him like a lover. He floated inside a formless sea, rippling into eternity. Trapped inside a shapeless body, he struggled for control. He distinctly remembered the helplessness when he first entered this place, but now he had gotten used to it. He surrendered to the strange ritual that happened every night.


    He got used to the darkness, made peace with restrictions, but the weightlessness still unnerved him. It felt as if he had no limbs, no mass, just a floating consciousness guiding by an invisible hand.


    He heard the cries, shrill and desolate, calling out to him. Vague images of men flashed in his mind: standing frozen in time while tears of misery slipped down their crystallized faces.


    Something inside him responded to the calls of misery. His formless body shifted out of the dark sea, floating on top of his bed. Riding an invisible current he drifted towards his destination. Green mist, made up of tiny sentiment particles, roiled around him.


    He floated towards the wall on his left, passing through it as if it didn''t exist. It was dark outside, but it bothered him little, he could see through the darkness. See the reality of the things, everything around him was made up of intricate little particles. The wind, the earth, and the houses. Each arranged in a unique and ever-shifting pattern.


    He liked studying the patterns they held a unique allure to him. He could watch the shifting particles in the walls for hours, but his journey hadn''t ended yet, and like every night he started on his journey. Firuz tried to resist, reluctant to leave to the patterns, but his actions were futile. The strange force relentless in its urgings guided him towards his destination. He made a beeline towards his destination, passing through countless houses.


    He saw Darya sleeping on his bed. Saw Arman frowning at the polished stone in front of him. The strange journey continued as he passed through countless empty houses. He saw a woman sprawled on the floor, her skin pale, eyes unfocused. A little girl hid in the corner, wearing tattered clothes, grime stuck to her face like a second skin. Her skin stretched over her bones as she stared at the woman with lifeless eyes.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.His stay was short at the house soon he reached the outskirts of Hara. Staring into the raging storm in front of him. He passed through dust devils, saw the land bellowing in rage. Havoc wrecked all around him, but nothing could harm him. He was like a specter passing through.


    He glided through the plains at a startling speed. Soon the winds stalled to a gentle rhythm, and rolling pastures appeared into the distance. Long stalks of pampas grass came into view: stems made of soft fibrous wood, leaves shaper then knives, plumes riddled with small beads of mana stones. A glowing sea of sapphire rippled before his eyes.


    Firuz stood in awe of its beauty. He shifted through the sea of light, guided by an invisible hand. Whenever his body touched the mana stones on the plumes, sharp pain assaulted his consciousness. It felt as if someone had drained him of his energy.


    The sea soon parted and gave way to a purple grassland. The land before him dappled with enormous slate colored gibbous masses, crusted with green moss.


    As he wafted past them, noticing small grooves on the bulging mounds. Suddenly one of the mounds shook with a mighty roar, revealing deep-set eyes of emerald gold, languidly staring towards him. His heart throttled as the thought of being found out by the giant, but soon the strange create hobbled past him.


    He sailed through the purple grassland, admiring the scenery around him. He had never been here before. All other dreams ended at the sea of sapphire, and he would wake up with stinging pain in his head. But today it seemed as if the journey would never end.


    "What is that?" He could see a huge pillar of sapphire, shooting towards the sky. It nearly covered a quarter of the horizon, shining with the same blue hue of the mana stone, but at the same time, it was different. Mana stones were supposed to be small jagged deposits, sprouting from the ground, waiting to be mined. They weren''t giant pillars, rising towards the sky. He could see the rivers of the sky stretching from the great pillar like branches of a great tree.


    He felt a strange call from the distant pillar, and the weakness once again came over him. It was going to hurt a lot. He could feel it, feel the pain coming and suddenly the scene shifted and he jolted awake. He rose with a deathly pallor on his face. He heaved for breath: felt the weight of his body, moved his fingers. These little acts of control brought him little relief, but soon the horror gripped his heart as the pain came rushing¡­

 Arash - Sound of Silence

    Waves of exhaustion washed over him as he drifted into a deep trance. Arash floated on top of a formless sea, still like death itself.


    Silver ribbons of consciousness congealed out of thin air, gradually taking the shape of the light rune. At first, they were weak and ephemeral, but with each passing moment. New strands of silver ribbons accumulated together to form the rune. It shone with a dim light, possessing solid mass.


    Suddenly, the rune started to multiply: one became two, two became four, until nearly sixteen runes floated around him. Sentient little beings, moving in small circles, vibrating with emotions.


    One of the runes escaped from its merry group of friends and disappeared into Arash''s forehead. The sea below him trembled to life, small waves rippling out in every direction. Soon, every single rune followed its lead, merging with him one by one. When the last rune touched his forehead, he startled awake, frantically covering his ears.


    It was quiet; the mana deposits still hummed to a low droning sound, but this time it didn''t cause him pain. He stared at the ground, confusion plastered on his face while fear still lingered in his skittish eyes.


    "Why isn''t it hurting now?" He asked himself. "Is it the glowing?" He was about to look, but then the mere thought of the dreadful pain changed his mind. He stared at the ground below, gazing at the shifting lights on the ground. He let out an exasperated sigh.


    Suddenly his eyes popped open in realization as the images of the runes flashed before his eyes. He vaguely remembered the merry little fellows, dancing around him.


    Struck with a sudden urge to visualize the Light rune, he restlessly shifted but the pain was still raw in his memory and the damn stones still hummed around him. It made it hard for him to concentrate.


    He trembled at just the thought of it, tried to keep his mind off it, but staring at the ground wasn''t exactly the most entertaining thing to do. "How long would I have to stay like this?" His back had started to ache.


    "I could close my eyes"


    "What if it isn''t the light?"


    "Then why am I still fine? It''s definitely that weird light."


    In the end, fear won over as he decided to lay prone, slightly shifting for comfort. Laying on the cold hard ground soon took its toll on him, his body cramped all over the place, while his face was caked with a sizeable layering of dust. If not for the mask he would have been the first man to drown in the dust. He chuckled at the thought as he rubbed the mud off his face.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.After a while, his cloak turned into a makeshift tent. He hid under his woolen cloak, trying to remember the feeling when he formed the runes. He remembered the feeling, the sort of detached feeling yet at the same time a strange connection with all things. He drifted into the sea of consciousness.


    Arash searched for that feeling; the feeling of absolute detachment. He closed his eyes, shunned away all thoughts. He focused on the sounds and suddenly they came to life, he could hear the sound of the wind, whizzing away in the distant. Felt the low hum of the mana deposits, listened to the flapping of his cloak, heard the rapid beatings of his heart.


    He concentrated on the sound of his heart until the flapping of his cloak disappeared, the hum of the stones lost its resonance. But the sound of the wind remained. He focused on the sound of his heart. Slowly the whizzing of the wind turned to a gentle whisper. That was not enough, he yearned for the feeling of absolute detachment. Yearned for the absolute silence.


    Arash strained his consciousness slowly filtering out the sound. Soon the gentle whisper turned to a distant hush.


    "Help¡­" A cry of help echoed in distant. His eyes bulged out in disbelief as he strained his ears to listen.  Reason told him to be the trick of the winds, but something inside him knew it to be true. The call held an emotion to it, the deep feeling of helplessness. An image of a man with a mangled leg flashed before his eyes.


    "How is he?" He knew the viciousness of the winds, felt it firsthand. But an injured man was able to endure it.


    "Should I help him?" He bitterly smiled at the thought. Acutely aware of his situation. "How can it be? Is it a coincidence?" He couldn''t help but think of his brother. "how did he know?" The thought of his brother being right confounded him and the tales of the heroes came rushing back to him.


    "No, this can''t be right." He shook his head as he once again attuned to the sound of silence. The wind once again yielded to his will, slowing down, till it drowned in the silence. He blocked out the flapping of the cloth. Strained his consciousness to listen; to truly listen. But the sounds he searched for weren''t there. Just as he was about to give up, he heard it.


    "Help!" silent as a whisper but sure as the land beneath him.

 Arash - Shame

    Arash couldn''t believe his ears. "Is it a trick of the wind? No, it can''t be." He shook his head in dismay. The cry had a character to it, the way it pierced through his heart made him shudder. He could feel the desperation in the voice.


    Arash wrestled with his conscience, but the wailing wind and the droning mana deposits pinned him down. Fear had made him a coward. The droning mana deposits a constant reminder of the pain. Once was enough for him. Arash didn''t want to go through that again.


    But once he had heard the cry it couldn''t be unheard. Arash could still hear the miserable shriek echoing in the dark corners of his mind. He tried to suppress it, tried to take his mind off it, but one way or another he found himself thinking about the man out in the unknown, helpless and injured.


    "There are no wooden mast, nothing to shield against the wind. I would be seeking death. I could use the rope¡­" Arash reached for the rope, gauged its length. "It''s too short." He gritted his teeth. "It''s the right decision. Going out in the open is suicide and this rope is too short. I wouldn''t be able to make it."


    He sighed with each passing moment. Hating himself for lack of courage, even though reason assured him of his decision. Feeling weak and helpless unnerved him. He couldn''t help but think of Firuz forever stuck inside the house.


    Time slipped by as the winds slowed on their urgings and his makeshift tent limply fell on his head. Suddenly the mana deposits around him sang in a rising crescendo. Fear streaked his face as he braced for the sharp pain. Moments went by but the pain didn''t come. Surprised, he slightly raised his cloak allowing the pastel glow of the stones to color the ground beneath him.


    "It has stopped." His lips formed a thin line, cries of the man still prickling his conscience. "He would be dead by now. It''s too late" His head dropped low in shame as he scrambled to his feet. Arash stared at the mana deposit beside him. It shone with bright blue light, humming with low droning sound.


    As expected it was the light that brought him pain. Arash didn''t feel any joy at thought of passing the ordeal. The cries of the man still weighed heavily on him. Anger flared up inside him, fueled by shame and helplessness. His right hand reached for the pickax while the left dug into his pocket, coming out with a small glowing stone. He hesitated, staring at the gloves on his hand; They reminded him of what the mana stone was really for. But the pastel glow of the mana deposits reminded of his shame. At that moment he didn''t feel the glow of the stones to be beautiful. Instead, it filled him raging fury.


    Arash slammed the stone on the iron head. It melted inside the runes as they ignited with a deep blue luster. He tightly gripped the wooden handle, veins popping on his arms. He


    He struck at the mine with all his might. Mid-swing he heard the cry once again. The intent behind his blow vanished but the momentum carried it forward. The black iron head bit into the mana deposit with a satisfying crunch, bringing a sizeable chunk of the stone with it. A deep groove now appeared on the spotless deposit. Arash stared at the groove, slack-jawed, still processing what had just happened.


    "He¡­p!" The cry once again echoed in the distant.


    "He is still alive!" Arash face flushed with excitement, but the mana stones at his feet made it hard to leave. He had never been able to mine so much and the chances of lady luck shining on him again were close to nothing. "It will soon be the hour of shadows. This place will be riddled with miners." He reluctantly stared at the stones.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.Guilt still burnt raw in his heart, gnawing at him. But if he left, there was a slim chance he would see the mana stones again. "I hope you are still alive." He groaned in frustration as he dropped his cloak on the mana stones and dashed towards the cry.


    "Hey!" He shouted at the top of his lungs as his eyes searched for a body, blindly dashing towards the cry of help. Something flickered to his left, he stopped, squinting to get a proper look and there it was a silent beacon of blue light flickering in the darkness. Arash ran towards the light and soon a figure appeared in the distance. A man leaned against a mud wall. Arash frowned. "How did a wall appear in the middle of nowhere?" He noticed the blue light flickering on the mud wall. "Runes?"


    "Hey! I have come to help you." Arash called out to the man as he got closer. But the man turned deathly pale as he heard Arash''s call. He frantically gestured to keep quiet. His beady little eyes skittish around the edges. Arash frowned at the odd behavior but decided not to make a sound.


    "Help!" Suddenly the voice echoed out in the distant.


    "There is another one?" Arash turned towards the opposite direction.


    "Stop!" the man hissed under his breath. Arash could barely hear him.


    "What?" Arash closed in and saw the reality of the man before him. An old decrepit thing garbed in black clothing with half of his left leg bitten off. Somehow there was no blood. The flesh seemed to have folded upon the wound.


    "keep quiet" The old man frantically gestured.


    "What is going on?" Arash whispered to the old man.


    "Don''t you understand." The old man hissed under his breath as he nervously stared at the horizon. "You will kill us both"


    "What?" Arash whispered as tension rose in his chest.


    The old man didn''t deign to reply. He kept peering at the distant horizon. Arash fumed at the behavior of the old man but the old man''s behavior had rubbed off him. He could feel something was wrong, he just couldn''t put his finger on it.


    "We can''t wait here. The hour of shadows wouldn''t last forever and I don''t want to be here when the winds come." Arash hissed at the man, his face tinged with urgency.


    "Blast your winds and blast the hours of the shadow. I would not leave this place as that thing prowls in the darkness"


    Arash face flushed red with anger, ready to pummel the old man. "I came all the way here to save this bastard?" He thought. The ungrateful behavior of the man further stoked his anger.  Arash was just about to leave that the wall behind the man crumbled. It dissolved into fine dust, floating away in the light breeze. The old man blanched at the sight.


    "No! No! No!" he hissed under his breath as he tried to hold it back together. But all he managed to do was grab a handful of dust. His head dropped in disappointment as weariness crept over his face.


    "I am going to go. You can you come if you want to" Arash offered.


    The old man wearily looked up, his lips curled in derision. Just as he was about to open his mouth, words froze on his lips as the color of his face turned deathly white. "It''s here¡­"


    Arash frowned as he looked back. He gasped for air as his eyes bulged out in horror¡­

 Arash - Bastard

    The first thing he noticed was the size of the monster. It rose to a height of 3 meters with long, black, coarse hairs. Its face appeared to be made of hollow concave bones, with two small holes for eyes and a large protruding snout. It sniffed as if tasting the air.


    "Help!" The beast opened its gaping maw as a heart-wrenching cry rippled out of its hideous mouth.


    Arash stood with a deathly pallor, trembling with fear as he incredulously stared at the monstrosity before him. "How can it scream like this?" His mind raced to make sense of things.


    Arash turned towards the old man, who stared at the beast holding a small leather bag in his hand. The old man met his stare and at that time both of them knew the gravity of the situation. Arash reached for his pickax; His hands nervously trembled as he felt the familiar wooden grip.


    "You have to lure it." The old man quietly whispered, his eyes heavy with weariness.


    "I¡­ No" Arash frantically shook his head. He stared back at the monster. "I can''t fight that thing. It''s too big." He thought.


    "Boy! Listen to me¡­ It''s our only shot at survival. You can''t outrun it, can''t fight it. Our only option is to take it by surprise. Listen to me, spread these over there and leave the rest to me" He pointed at the location.


    "What is this?" Arash hissed under his breath, eyes still trained at the beast.


    "Don''t ask questions! Just do as I say. Lay them in a trail, and make sure they don''t get covered in dust. Be quick about it and silent like the stones themselves. It can''t see, it hunts with its hearing; don''t make a sound and you should be fine" He stretched out his hand. "Take it now! It will soon be upon us."


    Arash glanced back at the beast. Screaming with a sound of man, searching for its prey. It was getting closer and closer. He had to act; had to act fast. He forcefully exhaled, gathering what little courage he could muster.


    "This should better work!" Arash hissed under his breath as he snatched the bag. Moving with utmost caution, he managed to traverse a distance of 50 meters. He furtively glanced at the beast sniffing and growling.


    "Don''t look. Don''t Look" Arash whispered as his right hand dug into the bag. He felt coldness seep into his hand. "Mana stones?" Arash eyes widened in surprise, but the surprise suddenly turned to anger as he stared back at the old man. "What if I wasn''t wearing gloves?" He shuddered at the thought.


    Arash slipped one of the stones in the small pocket of his glove and carefully placed the rest in a long trail. Just as Arash turned back the old man screamed at the top of his lungs. "Hey! Over here you dumb beast! Come and get me!"


    "...What are you" Arash hissed under his breath,  but the old man kept screaming.


    Arash could feel the ground trembling beneath his feet as he felt the beast rushing towards him. He ran with all his might.


    "Bastard! I will kill you, you fucking double crossing snake." He could feel the beast getting closer, feel the death baring his fangs at him. It was futile to run; the beast was too fast. Arash braced himself for a fight. He took a long deep breath as he stopped running and turned towards the beast.


    Just as the beast leapt over the stones, sharp spikes of mud shot from the ground gutting the beast in the process. It howled in pain, thrashing around, purple blood oozing out of his body. The beast struggled to get back on his feet.


    Arash knew it wasn''t enough, the spikes wouldn''t hold the beast forever. Arash darted towards the beast, his fingers digging into the grip of his pickax. He raised the pickax at the top of his head, aiming for the beast head. Secretly praying to the souls in the rivers, he struck with all his might. The metal bit into the hard bone with a satisfying crunch. The beast howled in great pain, madly thrashing around. One of its paws took Arash by surprise. He could feel his ribs crack as he was blown away by the mighty blow. He landed on his left shoulder and felt it dislocate on contact. Disoriented, he dazedly looked around. Pain brought him back to his senses.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.The furious roars of the beast could be heard in the distance. Arash felt the ground beneath him shake. He propped himself on his right hand. The tremors increased in intensity as threatening rows of teeth flashed before his eyes. Arash cried in fear as he rolled to the side, barely escaping with his life.


    "Ah!" He winced in pain as he scrambled to his feet. Tears slipped down his muddied face as he let out low whimpering cries. His ribs were broken while his left shoulder limply hung by his side.


    The beast turned back towards him, pickax still stuck in its skull with purple blood trickling down its snout.


    Arash felt the stone tucked away in the pocket of his glove, he wiggled it into his hand and felt the shape of the stone. Arman''s word rang in his ears. His eyes shone with determination as his whimpers turned into a mighty roar. Louder and louder.


    The beast stopped on its advance, suddenly wary of Arash. It glowered at him. "Help!" It screamed with the same unnerving voice of a man.


    Suddenly the beast lunged towards him, baring its massive maw. Arash braced himself, waiting for the right moment, nervously shifting the stone in his hand. Just as the beast came for the kill. Arash threw the stone with all his might and rolled to his side. The stone sailed through the air, shining with a deep blue light. It went straight down the beast''s mouth.


    Arash heard the mighty snap right beside him as the beast closed its jaws. He felt the ground tremble as the beast went hurtling past him.


    The beast roared in great pain, rolling around as the mud spikes bore deeper into its gut. Soon, its struggles slowed down to woeful cries. Its lower body shone with a deep sapphire hue while slowly turning into a crystal. "Help!" The beast wearily cried out in pain, but soon the wretched cries died with the beast as it turned into a lifelike crystal sculpture, shining with the same blue hue of the mana stones.


    Arash struggled to his feet, his left shoulder hung limply. He groaned in pain as he lifted his shirt to see a deep purple bruise over his right ribs. He felt the tenderness of his bruised ribs and stared at the crystallized beast.


    He stood with a vacant expression, eyes glazed with tears. He didn''t cry, didn''t laugh. Just silently stared at the beast before him, trying to make sense of it all. It all felt like a dream, but the burning pain in his shoulder and tenderness of his ribs made it real. He raised his head towards the sky. Dust had long settled down, he could see the beautiful river branching throughout the sky and saw the purple hue of the hour of the shadows. "Time of Peace" He whispered as tears streamed down his muddied face, forming tiny little rivulets.


    "I am alive¡­ I am alive" He whispered to himself as he broke down into a sobbing mess. His fears and anxieties trickled down with his tears. He glanced at the pickax still stuck in the beast''s head. Arash scrambled to his feet and trudged towards the crystallized beast.


    He pulled at the pickax but it was stuck in the skull. "Come on!" He groaned in frustration as he put his leg on the beast''s snout and pulled with all his might. All he managed to do was turn red with exertion and further exacerbate the pain in his ribs. No matter how hard he tried the pickax didn''t budge. Arash cursed in anger as the pain in his ribs made it impossible for him to exert force.


    "Boy!" Suddenly the voice of the old man pricked his ears. Arash turned around, suddenly aware of the old man. Seething rage burned within him...

 Arash - Proper Man

    Arash''s jaw was taut with anger, while his lips formed a thin line. Cold rage coursed through his body as he plodded towards the old man, the memory of what the bastard had done was burned into his mind.


    "We did it!" the old man roared, his eyes fixed on the dead beast. "Serves him right! Dim-witted, shit smelling beast. Fuck you! Haha¡ª" The old man''s laugh stopped in his throat as he noticed Arash''s chilling gaze.


    "What''s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" His mind racing for an excuse, but the young man''s expressionless face told him that it was pointless. "Look, I¡ª"


    Arash swung out his leg and kicked the old man square across the face. The old man flopped onto his back, dazed.


    "Let me explain¡ª" Another kick to the face sent the old man sprawling. He yelped as he felt his jaw dislocate.


    ?


    "Waiif!" the old man protested.


    "Go over there if you want to live. Do as I say!" Arash spat the old man''s word back at him. He kicked out again and heard a satisfying snap as Saroh''s ribs gave way to the tip of his boot. He continued, stopping only after Saroh''s pitiful form had turned into a swollen mess.


    "What''s your name?" Arash winced as he heaved for air; even the simple act of breathing made his ribs ache.


    The old man glared back at him. During the beating, his jaw had snapped back into place, but he still found himself unable to speak; Arash never gave him the chance. He felt his swollen cheeks.


    "I guess you need some convincing. I will ask you one last time. Who are you? What was that beast? And most importantly, what gave you the idea that you could use me as bait?"


    "Saroh¡­" The old man spat out blood, wincing in pain as his body ached all over the place. Arash had been thorough in his beatings. Every single part of the old man''s body was riddled with bruises. He angrily glared at Arash. "Name''s Saroh."


    "Saroh." Arash replied, committing the name to his memory. "What is that beast and why was it following you?"


    Saroh kept his silence, but a slight shift of Arash''s leg made him speak. "Kharas, It''s a fucking Kharas.  It Ambushed us¡­ uh me¡ª"


    "Still trying to hide something!" Arash scoffed in derision. "Stop playing games with me old man."


    "Games? What games? My friends are dead. Killed by that animal. It''s no longer us. It''s only me¡­" He noticed the contempt on the Arash''s face. He trembled in anger. "Don''t you dare look at me like that boy. Beating an old helpless man, you have no right to look at me like that." Spittle flew all over the place as he hatefully glared at Arash.


    "No right? I came here to help you and you used me as bait." Arash once again felt the urge to kick him.


    "I didn''t ask for you to come, did I?" Saroh''s eyes bulged out in defiance. "I had to make a choice, it was you or me. It wasn''t a hard choice to make."


    "What kind of a man are you?" Arash felt sick to his stomach.


    "The kind of man who wants to live! I have seen your kind. Rushing to your death for what? Honor? Pride? Self-satisfaction?" Saroh spat at Arash. "We are the Nameless, slaves to our masters. There is no honor for us. There is no pride. Slaves we are, and as slaves we will die. I don''t fancy death. I am not ashamed of it. I am a coward, no shame in that." Saroh''s eyes glazed for a moment. "I can see the way your lot look at me. I have seen your kind''s hatred and heard their mockery. But they are rotting under the ground or shitted out by some wild beast. While I live and breath..." He groaned in pain.


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    "Coward!" Arash glowered at the old man.


    "An alive coward. There is a difference. We are all cowards in one way or another. I just happen to be the smart kind." Saroh smiled at Arash as if he had said the funniest thing in the world.


    "You don''t have a conscience, do you?" Arash frowned at the man.


    "Conscience? Will it keep me alive? Will it feed me?"


    "It will make you a man. A proper man."


    "Take your proper man and shove it up your ass! Proper Man! Huh!" Saroh spat in distaste, his spit still tinged red with his blood. "tell you what! That trick of yours sure was ingenious. Risky, but ingenious nonetheless. I almost lost it when the spikes didn''t kill the damn thing. I was quite sure of it. But not everything goes as you want it to go¡­" He noticed the way Arash stared at him. "What?"


    "How did you make the spikes appear?" Arash asked eagerly.


    "The spikes? Oh, I prayed to the rivers, and then to the sky. Told them that I would be an earnest man, a proper man! But the souls in the rivers said fuck off to me, so I just farted and poof they appeared." Saroh smiled his broken smile.


    "You must be itching for a beating?"


    "Boy, you would have pummeled me to death if it were up to you. I had seen that look in your eyes. A killer, I thought. But, a man can be wrong more than one time."


    "How did you do it?" Arash asked again, trying to hide his anxiety. He donned a mask of cruelness as he stared at the Saroh. "I won''t ask again!"


    "Stop wasting your breath boy. You ain''t a killer." Saroh smirked. "So let''s put an end to this charade and leave. The winds won''t be quiet for a long time."


    "Not a killer!" Arash wanted to snap the bastard''s neck, right there and then. But something inside him stopped him. He couldn''t help but remember Saroh''s words. "Pride! Honor! Self-satisfaction."  Arash frowned at the thought. ''What is it? Why is it so easy for him to use me, but I can''t do the same?'' He groaned in frustration. The smugness on Saroh''s face made him want to pummel the old bastard. He wanted to know the secrets of the runes. Arash frowned at the old man. "What kind of a man is he?"


    Saroh laughed out loud. "Come on, boy! Ask me something else, and I will be grateful to help. I can tell you about the lands beyond the mines, I can tell you the secrets of the rivers. Anything else, just say it. I can tell you." He said with a carefree smile.


    Arash could see the casual demeanor of the old man, but something felt wrong. He just couldn''t put his finger on it. He studied the old man''s face; saw the smug smile on his face, the broken teeth and swollen face. Suddenly he noticed the man''s eyes. He saw fear in them. ''He is afraid¡­ Afraid of me?''


    "You are not going to tell me about the spikes?" Arash sighed in frustration.


    "Are we doing this again?" Saroh said helplessly.


    "Beating will not work?" Arash arched his left eyebrow.


    "Why ask these stupid questions? The winds will soon pick up and we will die for sure." Saroh said grimly.


    "Not we! You! You will be the only one dying." Arash got back on his feet. He turned towards the direction on mana deposits. "As you say, I am not a killer. But I don''t have to drag you to safety." Arash glanced at the old man with a weary expression. "I guess your secret is worth more than your life¡­" Arash turned...

 Arash - Rune Masters

    "Wait!" Saroh called out in fear. Struggling to get to his feet, but his old age and missing a huge chunk of his leg made it impossible. "Boy! We can come to an understanding." The old man desperately cried. But seeing that Arash had no plans of stopping, he cursed under his breath. "I will tell you about the runes. Stop!"


    Arash finally stopped, a smile crept onto his face. He had been worried that the old man wouldn''t crack. No matter how much he hated the man, it still  felt wrong to leave him for dead.


    "What did you say?" Arash half turned towards Saroh. He could see the old man miserably crawling towards him.


    "Don''t be coy with me boy." Saroh glared as he saw Arash acting the fool. "I have something you want, and I need your help. We can come to an understanding."


    "I am sure we can. Just cough out the runes and tell me how you did you conjure those spikes and you can live to see another day."


    "Bah! I wasn''t born yesterday boy. Take me to shelter first and only then will I tell you about the runes." Saroh said.


    "I don''t have any guarantees either. Not after you used me as bait." Arash uttered. He tried to keep his composure, but he was furious. He clearly remembered his horror when the beast rushed towards him, and all that was the courtesy of that conniving bastard. Arash wouldn''t dare to believe anything said by him.


    "You still hung up on that? Boy, how many times must I tell you. I did what I did to survive, it was nothing personal." Saroh replied with an exasperated expression. "You would have done the same. You just don''t know it."


    "I would have done the same?" Arash said, the words felt like poison in his mouth. He wanted to leave right there and then, but the allure of the runes were too much for him. "Tell me everything that you know. No lies. If I get even a tiny bit feeling of foul play. I will leave. Never to return. Decide!"


    "I don''t trust that you would keep your end of the bargain." Saroh uttered with a troubled expression.


    "Thats your problem." Arash could see the change in the man''s behavior. The old bastard was panicking. Arash had him, and he knew it. "Hurry up and decide. The winds won''t stay gentle forever."


    "Ughh!" Saroh glared daggers at Arash, but he knew he got the short end of the straw. It was either death or a gamble on the boy who came to save him. He didn''t have to think twice. "Fine. I will hold you to your word. For whatever that means." He snarled in disdain. "What are runes?"


    "What?" Arash said, not really sure how to reply.


    "Are you retarded boy? Or are you unable to piece together simple sentences? I asked you what runes are?"


    "Ah! They are words of the ancient, carve--"


    "Stop right there!" Saroh scoffed in disdain.


    "You sure know how to behave when your life is at the mercy of another." Arash chided.


    "And you are an oaf. Who believes runes are words? " Saroh shook his head. "They are not words boy. They are the governing rules of nature, they shape our reality" Saroh picked up a handful of dust. "This dust has shape and design because of the rune that binds it." His fist loosened and dust slowly trickled down. "And we as rune masters user our wills to reshape it.."


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    Arash listened with utmost concentration, even though a part of him dismissed the words of the old man to poetic bullshittery. But there was also a part of him that understood it. Everything made sense until Saroh started talking about will.


    "What is will?"Arash asked with a frown.


    "You don''t know what will is?" Saroh''s eyes widened in surprise. He shook his head in dismay. "What did I expect from a miner¡­ Look! boy, if you don''t know about will. It is useless for me to tell you how I made spikes shoot out of the earth¡­" He looked around varily "The wind is picking up. We won''t be able to leave once the wind picks up."


    "Don''t worry about the winds!" Arash said with all the confidence he could muster, but he could feel the wind stinging the raw skin on the back of his neck. Fear gripped him as his muscles tensed. "Tell me everything you know."


    "Damn you!" Saroh scowled in anger. He took out another leather bag from inside his shirt, eyes fixed on the land around him. The dust had started to rise. He thumbed out a small mana stone from the bag. "Listen boy, I am going to tell you this once. If you know what''s good for you, we will leave. Or I swear, you won''t be returning on your feet." He took the mana stone in his gloved hand. "We all have a power within us, the power that comes from our mind. It is too weak to be of any use, but if you are blessed with this power, you can do wondrous things." He stared at his hand. The stone suddenly melted and formed a strange rune. "Come here!" Saroh urged. Upon seeing Arash hesitating, he yelled "Boy! Hurry up, we don''t have time!"


    There truly wasn''t much time. The hour of peace would soon be over. Arash threw caution to the wind and approached the old man.


    "Raise your shirt! Quickly!"


    Arash quickly raised his shirt, revealing badly bruised ribs.


    "How do you reckon I will reach your ribs?" Saroh remarked. Arash kneeled down in front of the old man.


    "Don''t move!" Saroh warned. Arash was apprehensive of the old man, but he didn''t move. Saroh brought the rune close to Arash''s ribs and gently tipped it over. The rune merged  with Arash''s flesh. He felt a cool, gentle sensation spread across his chest. The bruises reduced at a visible rate, his broken ribs were healed in a flash. Arash stared at his ribs in awe.


    "It was..." Arash glanced at the old man beside him.


    "Stop standing there like a fool and bring your shoulder here. We don''t have time." Saroh made another glowing rune and healed Arash''s shoulder. "I have shown you everything. Now keep your end of deal and get me out of here."


    Arash didn''t dare to dawdle for even a single moment. He picked up the old man on his back and rushed towards the mana deposits.

 Firuz - Strange Boy

    Firuz gasped for breath, his head swimming. It took a while for him to get his bearing. He felt helpless; the visions were getting longer and more unbearable with each passing day. Arash had always pegged them as dreams, but the rolling purple grasslands and the sea of sapphire felt real to him. He could still remember the great beasts with stone shells.


    His stomach growled in protest; these visions always made him hungry. He glanced at the stark, dreary walls and towards the long fur cloaks hanging by the wall before finally stopping at the pantry, a small wooden cupboard with a gaping hole where the handle was supposed to be ¨C courtesy of his brother.


    Firuz clearly remembered the day when Arash had seethed with rage, screaming and cursing at their mother, Saba. She had done something he could no longer remember. It was all a blur now.


    After that, Saba rarely came home. Visiting only when Arash wasn''t around. She was kind to him, and Firuz loved to talk with her. She would hold him and gently run her fingers through his hair. He loved her smell... it soothed him, made him forget the dreams, the pain, and the walls. For a moment, these walls didn''t seem so bad.


    He sighed wearily as he stumbled over to the pantry. With great effort, he managed to reach the pantry. He put his finger through the hole, using it as a hook, he yanked against the pantry''s door. He could feel the wood bite into his flesh, as he strained to open the pantry''s door. ''Come on!''


    The door creaked under his efforts, and with a lazy groan, finally gave way as it flung open.


    Firuz whined in pain as he studied his finger, tiny droplets of blood oozing out of the scraped skin. Tears gleamed in his eyes as he vigorously shook his finger. Inside the pantry, he found two stale loaves of bread, hard as stone, and four slices of dry meat that appeared more like boiled leather.


    He reluctantly reached for the bread. When he bit down on it, he could almost taste its rough, ash-like taste and was overcome with a strong urge to vomit. He had never liked the food and was always left in awe whenever Arash devoured the bread and meat as if it was the most delicious thing in the world.


    Suddenly, he was hit with a wave of nausea, and his vision blacked out for a moment as his legs buckled beneath his small frame. His hands blindly groped for purchase, fingers scraping against the ironwood shelf. Unsuccessful, his knees slammed against the hard floor with a low, muffled thud. The shock stunted his senses for a brief moment, then it seared through his knees, climbing upward. Firuz hissed in pain. Hot tears ran down his cheeks and the walls once again started to weigh heavily on him. Tears turned into helpless sobs as he tried to rub away the pain.


    "Are you just going to sit here and cry?" a voice called out to him.


    Firuz jolted back, three parts fear and one part surprise. The first thing he noticed were a pair of piercing blue eyes. ''Door!'' his head jerked sideways, peering at the door; it was closed.


    ''Oh! You must be wondering how I got in?'' The boy asked as an easy smile played on his lips.


    Firuz hadn''t heard the boy enter, and the door was still locked. Men were supposed to make sound when they move, but the boy had appeared out of thin air, without so much as a whisper. Strangely, he didn''t feel any fear towards this strange boy. Instead, he felt curious.


    ''This sure is a dump! I thought you would be living in a better place.'' The boy languidly studied the room about him, his eyes finally resting on the stale loaf of bread on the floor. He reached for the bread, stopped, then looked up. ''May, I?'' One of his eyebrows arched in question.


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    "It''s hard¡­" Firuz grimaced as he remembered that stone of a bread.


    ''If it can sate my hunger, it''s good enough for me.'' The boy smiled pleasantly as he wolfed down the bread. ''Delicious!''


    "How did you get in?" Firuz finally asked, his eyes still trained on the bread in the boy''s hand. ''Has it gone soft in his hands? He makes it look so easy.''


    ''Well, like how most people get inside a house'' He cleaned the last bit of the bread and nodded towards the door.


    "How did you manage to get here? The wind?"


    ''Wind happens to be an old friend of mine. You see, we made a deal. I don''t bother her and she tends to not make things hard for me.'' The boy glanced at the pantry and his face flushed. ''I am rather hungry. Do you mind if...?''


    "Sure, go ahead." Firuz nodded, marveling at the boy''s appetite. ''How can he eat so much?''


    He couldn''t help but stare at the physique of the boy; a frail little thing as if the gentlest of the winds would lift him off his feet, yet here he sat before him, cleaning the pantry.''Arash would be angry.'' He winced at the thought.


    "Umm! Maybe leave some of the bread and the dried meat. My brother will be back soon."


    The boy''s face faltered the moment he heard that he had to save some of the food. He nodded miserably. ''Sure thing'' He grabbed the dried meat and started working his way through it.


    "What is your name?" Firuz asked.


    ''Azad.'' The boy said as he licked his fingers. The long strip of dried meat had long disappeared, and Azad struggled to get the small chunks that had gotten stuck between his teeth. ''Thank you for the food, Firuz. You have been a kind host!'' He stood up with a flourish. ''But, our lovely little meeting must come to an end. I have places to go.''


    ''I bid you good day.'', He curtsied. and turned towards the door.


    "How do you know my name... Ah what? You are going?" Firuz''s heart felt heavy at the thought of being left alone. He searched for an excuse; a reason for him to stay. ''The wind!'' His spirits rose at the thought. "You can''t go outside! The wind might take you!"


    Azad turned back with a slight frown on his face. ''Might? So there is a chance it won''t. But if I stay here, I am sure I won''t be able to do the thing I must do.''


    "What? No! You can''t go. The wind will kill you." Firuz pleaded in horror. ''What could be more important than your life?'' He frowned at the thought.


    ''The winds may kill me... But these walls would make me a prisoner. I would rather take my chances with death than become my own jailor. '' Azad smiled weakly.


    "...but I will be alone." Firuz couldn''t hold back the truth. Tears pooled at the rims of his eyes. "Please don''t leave."


    ''Sorry, but I must...'' Azad said as his lips formed into a thin line. His words fell heavy on Firuz.


    ''You can come with me if you want.''


    Firuz eyes gleamed with hope. "I can? "''But what about the winds?'' His lips trembled at the thought. "No. I can''t. The winds will take me with them."


    ''No, they won''t. '' Azad said with a confident smile as he reached out his hand. ''Come with me. It will be an adventure. It will be fun.''


    "Fun!" He looked up at the boy before him, smiling his easy smile. Emotions tumbled over him as he choked on the words, "Can I?"

 Firuz - Feels Good

    Firuz stood at the entrance of the door, garbed in layers and layers of wool and fur. Pale blue light spilled inside the house, coloring his lower half with a familiar cold light. His heart fluttered in his chest, the kind of fluttering that forbode good things.


    ''Come on friend, it''s only a step.'' Azad stood outside with his carefree demeanor. The winds held no terror for him. ''The wind is kind today. How can you sit inside these walls? It''s just a single step, like the countless steps you will take.'' He swayed with the wind, eyes closed, arms outstretched.


    Firuz tremulously smiled, courage had not yet come to him. "But, Arash will be mad!" His hands tightly clasping on his furs.


    ''He will never know. We will be back before you know it.'' Azad smiled mischievously. He walked over to Firuz, standing face to face. ''I know you want to. It''s not that hard... Nobody can do this for you. If you don''t want to, you can go back inside. But, you will never be able to see the world outside of your home, ever make any friends. You will be alone. Forever...''


    "But¡­ I am sick and..." He saw the smile on Azad''s face and his face flushed with embarrassment. The boy before him was sickly, to say the least, skin taut over his bones. Yet there was nothing weak about him. He stood with confidence, dared to leave the safety of the house, and dared to have an adventure. ''Is it that difficult? It is only one step, and everything will be alright. Can I really go outside?'' He just needed to look at the boy before him and the answer came to him.


    "One step?" Firuz asked weakly.


    ''Well, that''s how it starts.''


    "Really?" Firuz asked with uncertainty.


    ''Yeah, sometimes you just need to believe in yourself and you would be surprised by the things you can do...''


    "... where will we go?" Firuz asked while he wrestled with his fears.


    ''To meet new friends.'' Azad''s face shone with excitement. ''Tiny little things, live beneath the ground we stand on. No one has ever seen them, but they exist, living right beneath our feet. Digging little tunnels, exploring, and having fun.''''


    "What are they called?" Firuz''s eyes glinted with excitement.


    ''...'' For the first time, Azad seemed to be at a loss for words. "Hmm¡­ To be honest I have never met them. I don''t know their names. Hence the adventure to find out the names of the friends who live beneath us."


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    "What if they are dangerous?" Firuz studied the expression of the boy before him.


    ''They are not...'' Azad wearily exhaled. ''You ask too many questions. How would it be an adventure if we know all the answers?''


    "But they might dangerous¡­ They might attack us--"


    ''Are you scared of the things that hide beneath the ground?'' Azar arched an eyebrow in question.


    "No..." Firuz said uncertainly, he was afraid, afraid of these creatures beneath the ground, afraid of the dark and the winds which howled in the streets.


    ''If you are not afraid, then come with me.'' Azad paused for an answer, eagerly looking at him.


    Firuz nervously fidgeted at the entrance. ''I can''t go out. I am not allowed...'' but the look in Azad''s eyes made it hard for him. He didn''t want to disappoint the boy before him. Firuz gritted his teeth in determination and dared to take a step. His leg felt like lead as he raised it to move forward.


    The moment his foot landed outside his house, all his troubles melted away. ''Is this it?'' He couldn''t help but wonder. The crippling fear that had chained him inside the house relented, and he felt a strange joy course through his body.


    ''See, it''s not that hard.'' Azad whispered beside him. ''Now just do the same and follow me.'' Azad dashed down the street, his voice carried by the gentle wind.


    "wait..."'' Firuz weakly said as he chased after Azad. He felt the cold wind on his face as it ran through his hair. At first, he ran clumsily, but then his steps became steady and sure as he dashed towards his adventure.


    Soon, however, his weakness caught up with him, and he wheezed for air, gasping as the cold air stung his nostrils. "Wait... I, I can''t run anymore." Firuz doubled over as he was overwhelmed with a wave of nausea. He peered into the darkness before him, looking for a shadow with a likeness of a boy, fear streaked his face as time passed by.


    ''Hey! I thought you were lost.'' Suddenly, Azad''s voice drifted out from the darkness and a skinny figure came into view.


    "I can''t¡­ I can''t breathe." Firuz wheezed for air but soon a smile broke onto his lips. He heartily laughed as his chuckles echoed off the dreary houses around him. He stared into Azad''s eyes. "It feels good."

 Firuz - Dazed

    Firuz gasped for air, chest billowing up and down... His legs, heavy with exhaustion, burned with a sweet ache, screaming for a rest. His frail body broken under the whims of adventure, yet he felt a strange lightness in him. A smile blossomed on a face that was accustomed to displaying looks of fear and uncertainty, his laughter echoing off the dark walls that were as immobile as his past.


    "I¡­ I can''t run anymore." He glanced at his new friend as the suppressed fear in him once again re-emerged and started to whisper ''Is he going to leave me?'' His fingers dug into the flesh of his thighs as tears glistened in his eyes. ''Move! Move! Don''t give up. Please, I ask just this one time, give me this adventure!''


    ''What''s wrong?'' Azad asked with a barely perceptible frown.


    "Nothing..." Firuz forced himself to stand straight, controlling his breathing. "You were too fast for me. I couldn''t keep up." Firuz forced a smile on his pallid face.


    ''Too fast?!'' Azad eyed the boy before him in disbelief. ''Well, to reach the place we are going, we have to move faster.''


    "Faster¡­" Firuz''s chest tightened; suddenly, the walls once again called to him... ''No! I don''t want to go back. There has to be a way. I... I can run faster. I will run faster.'' His eyes shone with determination, but the  burning pain in his legs was a constant reminder of the reality of his situation. "We should move faster. Don''t want to miss our adventure." Sweat trickled down his forehead as his breathing stabilized, but the thought of the journey ahead weighed heavily on him; doubts snuck past his walls of determination; he could feel it weakening, cracking under the onslaught of burning pain in his chest..


    ''Are you sure?'' Azad cocked his right eyebrow in question, his brow furrowed in doubt as he stared at the sickly boy before him. Something felt off to him.


    "We don''t have all day do we?" Firuz forced a smile on his face; limbs still burning with pain. "Show me the way."


    Azad stared at the boy before him; he had a lingering feeling of something being off, he just couldn''t put his finger on it.


    Their adventure began once again, but this time instead of a mad rush, it was a slow and meandering walk through dark alleys and dimly lit streets. Men would occasionally stare at them with a frown on their faces; boys were not supposed to be out, they were to be inside the safety of their houses, and yet a boy appeared before them. Even though they had their misgivings, the hour of peace was precious, and no one was willing to waste it on a foolish boy.


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    ''Firuz! Have you seen something strange lately?''


    "What..." Firuz weakly said, even talking had become a chore now. It didn''t even feel like he was walking, his legs had long turned numb with pain.The ordeal came to an abrupt end when he tripped on a raised cobblestone. His face slapped against the cold hard rock. At first he didn''t even notice the pain, and instead a strange bliss washed over his body. It was as if his body was relishing at the chance of finally being able to rest.


    Soon, his senses returned to him. At first, he noticed the pain; then the sweet coppery taste in his mouth; and at last, he noticed he had fallen down. He looked dazedly around him, not sure where he was at. "Arash... Arash where are you?"


    Azad dragged him away from the center of the street, propping him against the wall. Firuz noticed the piercing blue eyes, noticed the worry in them. The boy before him was trying to say something, but his voice a low and unintelligible. Suddenly, all sounds disappeared and his vision blackened. Slowly, all the sensations turned into an old and familiar feeling. "It''s happening again."


    Firuz found himself restricted in his weightless body, floating in boundless darkness bellowing into eternity. "Did I pass out?"


    These strange dreams always occurred while he was unconscious, starting at the same place, same feeling of helplessness. Soon, the calls will come and his journey would start. Even though all these visions started same they always ended different. They were like a strange adventure of his own. Suddenly the image of a blue-eyed boy appeared before him. For the first time in a long time he struggled against the ritual he wanted to have his own adventure with someone he could call a friend. He struggled, struggled to get free, struggled to waked up.


    "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" He struggled with all his might and felt the restrictions relent a little he felt his head move a little. It was a small turn of head, but there it was. His little victory turned into the motivation to persevere, but soon the calls came. His body shifted out of the darkness and he found himself floating in a familiar street.


    Azad stood before him, horror plastered over his face as he stared at his direction...

 Arash - Loosing control

    The wind once again began to howl, carrying dense clouds of dust with it. Arash found it harder and harder to see through the raging clouds of dust, squinting against the whips of wind and dirt. His heart drummed in his chest, his breathing ragged.


    Arash became acutely aware about the old man on his back as he heard his restless breaths, and felt his fear as he desperately clung to him.


    "Curse you boy, I knew this would happen." Saroh hissed in the boy''s ear.


    Arash''s heart fluttered with anxiety as his legs turned into a blur, and he sailed through the wind, squinting in hopes of finding the bluish glow of the mana stones. His eyes burned under the whipping of the dust. ''Where is it? Where...''


    "I thought you knew what you were doing. Damnable fool, I took stupidity for wits, running around like this. Do you even you where you are--"


    "If I hear one more word from you, I will drop you like the dead weight you are." Arash threatened the old man.


    "Drop me?" Saroh laughed hysterically. His left hand slipped into the small pocket on his side and returned with a small mana stone. "Leave me and you will find yourself with a big fucking hole in your skull." He held the stone close to Arash''s temple.


    Arash stilled for a second, he could feel the familiar cold of mana stone. Miserable shrieks of Kharas, its crystallized body frozen in time flashed in his mind. ''He still has a stone¡­. Shit''


    "Kill me and you are dead too." Arash retorted as he glanced back at the old man.


    "I know that, but I won''t the be the only one." The old man tightened his grip. "So don''t go having any funny ideas."


    "Sh..." Arash''s words were caught in his throat as he saw a familiar pastel glow through the veils of dust. A sudden shift of the wind had made a tiny gap between the clouds of dust. Color drained from his face as he realized that they were running in the wrong direction. Arash shifted towards the glow and whistled through the enraging dust storm. ''Please be there...''


    "What the fuck are you doing?" Saroh fiercely tugged at his neck. "Cock sucking, conniving son of a bitch. You don''t know the way back do ya."


    The old man ran curses and almost choked Arash to death. But a strong elbow to the ribs proved to him quite an effective measure against the old man.Saroh wasn''t wearing a mask and soon it became hard for him to breath. The old man pressed his face against Arash''s back, and found some relief from the coughing, his nostrils burned with dust.


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    Arash heaved for breath, felt it burning in his chest as some of the dust managed to sneak inside the mask. The fierce winds made it hard for him to move, every step becoming heavier with each passing moment, and not to mention the old man on his back made it all the more difficult for him to run. Suddenly, a small glowing pebble carried by the wind came hurtling towards him, it snuck past his defenses and lodged itself right into his right eye. Arash howled in pain as his vision blackened, sending him rolling down the ground. As he hit the ground, the old man was launched into the air with a big "Fuuucck!!!" The old man slammed against the hard ground with a loud thud and lost consciousness.


    Arash felt a strange coldness in his right eye, he heard the same low humming of the mana stones, tearing away at his consciousness. "Argh!!!" a loud wail pierced through the howling wind as he rolled around in pain, hands clawing his face. The coldness crept deep into him, deeper than the flesh and bones. He could feel his eye turn to crystal; its vision slowly turning to darkness. Pain rippled out from his right eye as all the veins in his body bulged out. Soon, his right eye turned into a glowing stone and coldness surged towards his brain.


    In the midst of this soul-wrenching pain he had a moment of clarity, suddenly he found himself inside the formless sea of darkness. He could see blue mist rolling towards him, it was made of tiny little creatures, billions upon billions, humming to a rasping tune that hacked at his consciousness.


    The rolling mist of tiny little creatures spread at a startling speed, filling the great void between him. Dread stilled his thought as he racked his brain for a solution. Suddenly, he remembered the glowing mana stone hurtling towards him. He called upon the runes hidden in his formless body, he could feel their existence. But the grating cacophony of the countless little creatures made it hard for him to concentrate, his thoughts turned sluggish. It became hard for him to make cohesive thoughts. Every single thought drowned under the raging crescendo until the pain was all that he could feel.


    In a blink of an eye, the mist was upon him, engulfing him in its embraces, those tiny little creatures boring into his formless body, screaming with the same grating tune. Arash started to lose his sense of self...

 Firuz - Price of Freedom

    Firuz stared at the thing that stood before him. It was made up of long, purple flourishes weaved together in a human form. Breathing in and out the green mist.


    ''Hello friend!'' a voice appeared in his head, silent as a whisper, and gentle as a mother''s embrace.


    ''Who are you?'' Firuz stared at the strange being with curiosity. Never in his visions had someone spoken to him. His journeys were always alone, taking him to distant lands with strange flora and fauna.


    ''You forgot your friends¡­ Well I look quite different from before I will give you a hint. It''s about an adventure. '' The strange being once again spoke, but this time, Firuz could detect a slight anxiousness from the voice.


    ''Adventure?'' Firuz racked his brain and suddenly an image of a carefree boy flashed before his eyes. ''Azad?'' he asked.


    ''So you do remember me...'' Azad replied with the same gentle whisper.


    ''Why do you look like this? Who are you? Is this a dream? It''s real isn''t it. I knew it. I knew it but he never listened. He never did.'' Firuz trembled in joy. ''It is true"''


    ''Not everyone can see the truth of things¡­ You have a powerful soul. Most can''t comprehend the truth of things without the true sight. You have been blessed in that regard...'' Azad let out a long mournful sigh. ''...But my friend, you have also been unfortunate.''


    ''Unfortunate?'' Firuz asked in apprehension. ''How am I unfortunate?'' he asked this question but the answer came to him as soon as he said the words.


    ''Galvi have taken you as a host. They have leached onto your soul, feeding off your mental energy to live¡­ You soul is riddled with them.'' Azad stared at the countless grey worms latched onto Firuz''s soul.


    ''Am I going to die?'' Firuz asked flatly. Surprised by his own apathy, but a part of him had always known. These visions of his weren''t always so frustrating, the restrictions weren''t there before, nor the voices.


    ''Souls can''t be destroyed or harmed. They are protected by the mysteries of the world. But they will eventually envelop you whole soul and you would be trapped under them. You won''t be able to control your soul at first, and then you will lose control of your body.''


    Firuz''s heart chilled at the thought of being a prisoner in his own body. The walls had previously confined him to his small world, and now what little freedom he had would also be taken from him. Dark thoughts crept into his heart as he found himself wanting of death. He looked at the strange world around him, tiny little creatures sailing through the air, everything alive and free. Suddenly, a long silver ribbon flashed past him; he tried to follow the strange being, but his restrictions made it impossible. ''No one will care about a boy, a cripple in bed. It''s hard as it is for Arash to care of you, but he won''t be around every single moment. It will start with him coming home late, and one day you would find yourself alone, hungry and immobile. Death will take its time... Taking pleasure in the misery of a boy.'' The darkness inside him spoke. He wanted to deny the words, but he knew the truth.


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    Arash used to be home a lot more, but when he felt sick Arash spent more time outside then in the home. His brother had changed and Firuz had seen the way he looked at him. Suddenly, the world seemed a lot more colder than he thought. Its colors dark, dreary and taunting. Silence pierced right through his heart as he stared at his friend; glowing purple ribbons interlaced in a unique pattern that formed a human body. Azad stared back at him with his pupil-less eyes.


    ''...Friend.'' Azad said his voice tinged with uncertainty. ''There is a way--''


    All the sounds faded after Firuz heard the word "way" He stared dumbly at his purple friend. ''Tell, anything. I will do anything.''


    ''Friend choose your words carefully, They are sacred to our kinds and hold power in them. Vows are not to be taken lightly. I will tell you of a way which might be able to help. But my favor comes with a price.''


    ''Price? I will do anything just to be free of this '' Firuz struggled for his body to move. ''I can''t do anything, soon I will lose control over my body. I just want to be able to walk and not get tired.''


    Azad stared impassively, his thoughts hidden deep beneath the purple woven mask he wore.


    ''What''s wrong?'' Firuz asked fearfully.


    ''My kind suffers from a calamity¡­ We are dying. Our world is dying.'' Azad sighed in his gentle voice. ''I will help you, but you must help me in return and this the price you must pay.''


    ''Help you?'' Firuz uttered in disbelief. ''I have no control over my body. I am weak¡­ I can''t even leave the house without Arash. Whenever I walk, it feels like someone is hammering nails in my body. I... I... How can I help you?''


    ''Firuz, this is the price you must pay.'' Azad said, his voice cold and grating. ''Are you willing?''


    ''...I am''

 Arash - Blue Mist

    Arash''s consciousness drowned under the low hums of tiny blue creatures; they swam around his soul, trapping him inside. He felt restrained by their strange song, and any single thought that dared to form in his consciousness brought crippling pain along with it. The blue creatures stole his soul''s energy and multiplied by the thousands.


    He could feel his right eye turning to crystal; it burned like a searing hot fire... He resisted at first, but the countless little blue creatures slowly drained away his soul energy. His desperate struggles slowed down to a halt, as his soul became trapped inside the blue mist. ''Kill me¡­ Kill me...'' Arash screamed, but the death he yearned for never came.


    He cried and cried for help until he could no more. Amidst the pain and misery, a past memory flashed before his eyes. He found himself back in the dank room. Helpless and afraid, he cried for help but no one came to his rescue. He laid helpless, tears slipping down his cheeks; his eyes vacant. It had been four years. The boy had long grown into a man, but he felt the same helplessness that had tortured him that night.


    "Bastard, fucking bastard! I will kill you... I will kill you!" Cold fury seethed inside him as he saw the face of the man in the blue mist. He frantically struggled against the restraints of the mist, the runes in his body responded to his fury and flew out of his soul. Wherever the runes went, the blue mist shrunk away from them. Their songs halted for a moment, allowing for his soul to slip free from the blue mist.


    "They seem to be afraid of these runes." His fury disappeared in a blink of an eye as he grimly stared at the mist around him. His mind raced for a way out. "These runes cover too little area. I need more¡­ more of them." The creatures had drained him of his soul energy. He wasn''t able to form new runes. ''Dammit...'' Arash cursed.


    The swarm raged around, fingers of blue mist hurtling in every direction. Staring at the mist, an idea popped into his mind. ''It could work...'' He willed the runes to change form. They slowly melted and turned into a giant silver net. The net flew towards the mist, pushing it back towards his right eye. But it was not enough some of the mist had slipped down his soul space and went spiralling towards his heart.


    Arash followed the mist down, he flew down his soul space down through his neck protecting his soul from the mist. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his chest, part of his heart had came in contact with the blue mist. ''I don''t have any runes¡­ It''s unable to erode my soul ''


    He steeled his heart and lunge towards the mist. He expanded his soul to its limit and used it as a shield to protect his heart. He howled in pain as the terrible song once again attacked his consciousness, but this time he didn''t let go. The shame of that night was still raw in his mind, he had sworn to himself that he would rather die than be at the mercy of another.


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    The mist vibrated with increased vigour, attacking his consciousness. ''Never again¡­ Never again! Never Again!'' Arash roared as he forced the mist beyond the net of runes. HIs flesh started to turn normal as soon as the mist was removed from his body, but his right eye had been in contact with the mist for too long and had turned into a crystal.


    Arash regained control of his body as soon as the mist was pushed back into his right eye. Even though the net stopped the mist from spreading into his body. It couldn''t block its terrible song.


    "I have to pull it out¡­"  He huffed in pain as he mustered his strength and used his fingers to pry out his crystallized eye, but it refused to even budge. ''Come out!'' Arash glowered in anger as his fingers pried at his right eye. But his crystallized eye had been affixed to his skull. Blood oozed out the corners of his right eye as he tried to pry it out. But soon, the pain became too much for him to handle.


    The song of the creatures made it hard for him to think straight but in his misery he suddenly remembered where he was. He stilled in fear, but when his senses caught up to him he realized that he couldn''t feel the wind on his body. Arash squinted through his left eye and dust cloud raging over him. He found himself surrounded by a cocoon wind and dust. He could still hear the wind under the low humming in his head. ''What is going on?'' He slowly got on his feet and to his surprise found the protective cocoon rising with him. No wind blew in a radius of 15 feet around him. He found the old man lying unconscious near the edge of the cocoon. Arash walked over to the old man and kicked him awake.


    "Argh!" Saroh groaned in pain as he pushed him of the ground. His effort came to a sudden stop as he heard a loud snap from his hip bone, the throbbing pain in his buttocks told him that it had been dislocated. Just as he was about to rain curses on Arash he noticed the cocoon. "What!" His eyes bulged out in shock.


    "It was there when I woke up!" Arash casually said as gingerly felt his right eye.


    "How can this be?" Saroh turned towards Arash, his heart nearly leapt out of his heart as he saw the blue glowing eye hovering in front of him. It took awhile for him to notice the man that stood before him. "You¡­ Its... How... It''s impossible."

 Arash - Melody of Pain

    Arash gently touched his crystallized eye. He could feel the familiar coldness on the tips of his fingers, feel the stone which used to be his right eye. The terrible hymn of the blue creatures still buzzed in his head, turning each thought into an instrument of torture. He breathed in to attempt to shun away all stray thoughts; it brought him some relief, but the pain was still there; slow and steady in its strikes, driving him to the brink of madness.


    Ever since the old man woke up, he had been fascinated by the cocoon of wind around them. He stood near the edge of the protective barrier, grimly staring at the boundary between the barrier and the dust storm. "Why can''t the wind come inside this." Saroh nervously stretched out his arms, his eyes widening in surprise as his hand easily passed through the barrier and felt the beating of wind. He immediately jerked back his hand. "There is nothing there. Nothing." He turned towards Arash, who was sitting in the middle of the protective barrier, eyes closed. Saroh grumbled something under his breath and went back to his probings.


    Arash floated over the sea of darkness, his eyes trained on the silver net in the distance. In an instant, he flew over towards the blue mist. The swarm of blue creatures rippled behind the silver net. Their songs reminded him of the helplessness he had felt. Anger flashed in his eyes, but with it came the pain. He grabbed in head in agony as he flashed away from the net. The pain alleviated a little with the distance, but it still felt like as if someone was flaying him alive. He smothered his anger under his iron will and the pain alleviated became bearable. He looked back at the net, but this time his eyes contained fear in them. The song of the creatures used his emotions as a device of torture. He had to remain in the perpetual state of detachment for the pain to be bearable. Any slight slip in his mental state resulted in soul-wrenching pain.


    "How long do you plan on sitting there?" Saroh complained. Arash opened his eyes and stared cooly at the old man. Saroh''s heart lurched as he saw the crystallized eye, but he didn''t dare to show it on his face. "It might be fine that the wind doesn''t bother us anymore, but sitting here doesn''t do jack shit." Arash''s impassiveness  unnerved him. "Did you hit your head or something? Why are you looking at me like that"


    Arash studied the man''s face and drew a little pleasure from his uneasiness, but his little victory was short-lived as the bitting pain came rushing back. "We will go." Arash uttered as color drained from his face. He scrambled to his feet and stalked, it felt good to feel the ground beneath him.


    "What are you going to do about the wind?" Saroh asked as his eyes darted towards the raging winds around him.


    "Walk through it." Arash said casually. He waited for the old man to start cussing, but the old man solemnly nodded in reply. He easily picked the scrawny old man and started towards the distant glow. "Don''t need this anymore." Arash pulled down the thin skin mask as he plodded towards dim glow of the mana deposits.


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    "It''s the eye isn''t it." Saroh asked as his eyes studied the winds. "I have never seen something like this. It''s as if the wind is afraid of you. There is nothing that stops it from coming here. I have checked, but it splits open for you¡­ How do you do it?" Saroh said with a gentle tug of his right hand.


    Arash didn''t deign to reply and kept pushing towards the dim light flickering through the ever shifting clouds of dust. He glanced at sky and could barely make out the glowing rivers. His right eye violently shook under the dim pastel glow of the rivers. The song of the blue creatures changed to a softer and gentle rhythm. He could feel their yearning and the pain stopped for a while. It felt as if he had breathed for the first time in a long time, tears of relief streamed down his cheeks as he felt relief for the first time. The cries of the souls rang in his ears, loud and grating; but it was nothing compared to the pain of the cacophonous tune he had suffered.


    [Authors Note : The cries of souls is actually the ringing sound from the blue rivers in the sky, mentioned in chapter two.]


    "Stop staring at the rivers foolish boy, the souls would make you muddled headed." Saroh barked as he saw Arash staring at the sky.


    "Let them take me." Arash whispered to himself, he wasn''t afraid of death. Suddenly the image of a young sickly body came to him. ''I can''t leave him. Who will protect him...'' He gritted his teeth as he peeled off his gaze from the rivers, the cries faded and pain came back to him.


    Soon they reached mana deposits, his legs burned with fatigue as he eased the old man beside the mana deposits. Arash searched for the stones he had left, but as he had expected there was not a single pebble he could find. Even the cloak had been taken by someone, he ruefully shook his head and his fleeting regret turned into piercing pain. ''How long can I go on like this?'' The thought of living his life with this constant pain chilled his heart.


    "It hurts doesn''t it?" Saroh nodded towards the crystallized eye. Arash answered him with a barely perceptible nod. "You ought to be dead¡­ yet here you stand. I wouldn''t have believed it if I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes. Everyone knows a man who touches a stone is a dead man¡­ Why didn''t you die?" This time he got a blank stare for an answer. "...Maybe I can help." The old man''s face flushed as soon as he said the word. He cursed under his breath.


    Arash wanted to smile, but as soon as the emotion bubbled in his heart, color drained from his face as he gritted his teeth as the song once again began.

 Firuz - Like Ashes

    ''What do I have to do?'' Firuz asked.


    ''First get back in your body.'' Azad raised his purple striped hand, pulsing with life, and guided Firuz''s soul back into his body. Firuz heaved back to life as he regained control of his body. He stared at his fingers, flexed them, relishing in the control that it brought him. Azad stood before him in ragged clothes and his carefree smile.


    Firuz scrambled to his feet, the wind howled around him, carrying clouds of dust with it, yet all he felt was a gentle breeze. "Why doesn''t the wind affect us?"


    ''Because, I am the wind.'' Azad''s words spilled into Firuz''s mind; soft and gentle like the wind around him.


    "You are the wind?" Arash''s eyes widened in surprise. "But wind doesn''t has shape it howls over the houses, carrying dust and children with it¡­ but you. You are."


    ''You don''t know anything about the world you live in. But soon you will; a promise has been made and a promised will be fulfilled.'' Azad''s body disintegrated, purple ribbons dancing in the air, merging with it. A soft gentle wind pushed Firuz off his feet and carried him towards his house. He could feel the dust storm ragin around him but nothing came near him. He flew over the cobblestone pathway, sailing over the short, squat houses that looked like tiny squares from above. Everything was so small and new. He saw the distant mana deposits. Glowing with a deep blue hue. The wind cradled him like a child, rustled his hairs. He felt a lightness in him; all the worries faded under the new world beneath.


    The wind brought him back to his house, gently placing him on his feet. Azad once again weaved into existence. ''Galvi tend to stick together. There should be a swarm in your house. We have to destroy it'' He turned to towards Firuz, his voice filled caution. ''They are connected by a single consciousness, and what one feels, every single Galvi in the swarm will feel the pain¡­ They are connected to you. You will feel their pain, feel their death, and experience the deaths of every single galve in the swarm. It is a terrible thing; you might lose your mind. I ask you again, do you want to be free?''


    Firuz''s heart chilled as he imagined dying a million times. Suddenly, being a cripple didn''t feel such a bad thing. Tears gleamed in his eyes as he imagined two different lives one a life of adventure and another a life of a cripple. He closed his eyes and felt the lingering vestiges of his adventure through the sky. Determination flashed in his eyes, he had the answer. It was always there, lurking beneath his frustrations.


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    "I want to be free." Firuz solemnly nodded. He stared at the boy who called himself the wind. Azad stood in front of him, his lips pursed into a thin line. Firuz saw something hidden deep beneath his impassive eyes. Guilt. It was only there for a second. Firuz shook his head and discarded the thought.


    They searched through his house for the possible location where the Galvi might have formed their nest. They searched in the dark corners, beneath the beds, and in the old pantry.


    ''Firuz have you seen anything strange lately...'' Azad only had to look at Firuz before he knew the answer. ''Things when you are awake., like shifting patterns? They like to hide inside the patterns. It makes it hard for them to be found out.''


    Firuz sat on his bed, thinking. "Something strange¡­ When I am awake" He reclined on his bed, racking his brain for an answer. Suddenly he saw something shift on the ceiling. He stilled, eyes trained on the roof. "Did you see that!" He pointed at the ceiling.


    ''See what?'' Azad asked


    "There! At the ceiling above! The cement rippled for a moment. I..." the cement shifted in the slightest. "There. It moved again"


    Azad grimly stared at the ceiling. ''Firuz leave the house. I don''t know how many are there in this swarm. It will be dangerous.''


    Firuz hesitantly nodded and slipped out of the room and dashed outside the house. He could feel the winds getting stronger and stronger. Suddenly he heard a loud explosion and felt terrible pain across his chest. He lost his balance and collapsed face first at the cold cobblestone pathway. He pushed himself off the ground and saw his house ripple with life. The short squat house scattered into rolling clouds of grey ash. Firuz could see a frail figure standing amidst the grey cloud. Azad grimly stared at the grey ash circling around him...

 Firuz - They are coming

    Azad stood poised amidst the rolling clouds of grey ash. Sprilling spears of smoke lunged towards him from every direction. He whizzed through the air, his form shifting with his every turn and move. ''You have broken the accords...'' His voice rang out, high pitched like the howls of a thousand wolves. Silence fell upon the town of harra as all the winds converged towards him, disappearing into his body. Purple ribbons flourished on his right hand as it slowly turned into a sharp blade, thinner than a cicada''s wing, shining with a deadly glint.


    ''You will rise against us for a Nameless?'' A cacophony of a million voices sounded out from the grey clouds, as they converged towards a single point. The Ash turned into a man, old and gnarled, like dead wood. A loose robe of grey ash fluttered around his wiry body. He stared at Arash with pitch black eyes. ''They trespass on our lands, kill our kind, and yet you stand against me for this thing.'' The thousands of voices rippled out to the melody of disbelief.


    ''His kind is not the enemy. They were once our friends.'' Azad said. The wind converged towards his right hand, the sword grew longer and sharper with each passing moment.


    ''This thing is not a friend. It works for them!'' The old man''s skin slithered over his bones as he spitted out the words. He flexed his fingers and the ground beneath his feet rippled to life.


    Green vines spiraled out of the ground, curling as tiny flowers bloomed on its edges. ''They took away my children. Killed them like everything they do.'' Pain flashed across his face as the flowers wilted to grey dust. ''Nothing grows anymore. We are dying, and when we finally found a way, you want to take it way from us. Our own kind!''


    ''I only want him, you can do whatever you wish with the others.'' Azad relented. ''Let him go and I don''t care what you do.''


    ''Do you think we like being stuck with this boy? We have tried others, but they die within days.  Only he can sustain us.''


    ''You are killing him. I can''t let that happen. He is too important.'' Azad''s eyes hardened.'' A promise has been made and a word given.'' Azad''s right hand turned into a long broadsword, humming to a deadly rhythm. He clenched his left hand and the wind around the old man constricted him, made it hard for him to move. The old man sneered towards him, hatred burning deep in his eyes. ''Decide!'' Azad said as he raised his sword towards the wiry old man.


    The old man turned toward Firuz, his skin writhed over his bones as his skin turned to ash. Firuz howled in pain as tiny grey spots appeared on his skin, his eyes rolled to back of his head. The grey spots slowly spread across his skin, turning his skin into solid stone.


    Azad lunged towards the old man, his sword gleaming with a purple blue hue. He sent a long, vertical slash towards the old man. The thin blade let out a loud shriek as it hurtled towards the old man. The old man tried to dodge, but the sword slash was upon him in a flash and blasted him through the buildings. Pain flashed across the old man''s face, but other then that, not a single hair was harmed on his body. Instead, Firuz screamed out loudly as his body arched back in pain, and a large gaping wound appeared on his chest, greyish-red blood oozing out of his body as he limply fell backwards to the cold ground.


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    Dread washed over Azad''s face, as he rushed towards Firuz. He pressed his hand over the wound, thin purple ribbons shooting out from his hands, weaving around the broken skin and slowly closing the wound. Soon, the gaping gash turned into a thin white line running across Firuz''s torso. Azad looked up to the old man, anger gleaming in his eyes.


    The old man laid had been blown past almost twenty houses. Even though he looked fine on the outside almost millions of his brothers had died under that terrible purple slash. His chest still


    throbbed with the pain and the feeling of his brothers dying still fresh in his mind.


    Sounds of misery and pain spilled all around them. Men and women were rushing out of their homes, dragging their dead with them. Fear plastered over their faces as they ran with all their might.


    The old man''s body disintegrated into clouds of ash, hurtling towards the men around him. The grey ash drilled into their bodies through their mouths, noses, and ears. He could feel his brothers increasing as they slowly multiplied inside the bodies of the countless men around him.The men and women slowly disintegrated into grey dust, drilling into the ground below.


    Azad''s right hand turned into a blur as he threw countless purple arcs towards the men howling around him; turning them into red mist. He managed to kill some of them but most of the men and women had merged with the ground.


    Giant pillars of mud shot from the ground, rushing towards Azad. He turned into a blur as he dodged countless spikes. His right hand sending out countless purple slashes, slicing the mud spikes in half. He managed to cut most of them, but three still managed to impale his body. He groaned in pain as his body disintegrated into countless purple ribbons and reappeared 100 meters up in the sky. A giant''s face face formed into the ground below staring at Azad with grey pupil-less eyes.


    ''What happened? Don''t you want to save your little friend?'' A giant hand rose from the ground, holding Firuz in its palms. Half of his body had already turned grey. He helplessly stared at Azad.


    Azad growled in anger as his body merged with the wind. Countless tornadoes merged together to from his giant body, he held a monsterous purple blade in his right hand. He raised it high above his head.


    Suddenly a loud horn pierced the deadly silence around him.


    ''They are coming'' Azad grimly thought as he stared towards the direction of the horn.

 Arash - Giant in the Sky

    Arash stared at the pulsing blue mist rolling behind the silver net, heard its melody as it battered his consciousness. Staying in the perpetual state of detachment was harder than he imagined. It felt unnatural to him. He looked at things, and they would bring up a memory in him, and with which came emotions. He forced himself to ignore these images, but every now and then his concentration would slip and the pain came rushing in. Getting angry was futile, being afraid was useless, and death he couldn''t afford. A memory of a young boy appeared in his mind and the ritual of pain once again began.


    He became acutely aware of the rivers in the sky; could almost hear their hymn of sorrows and the relief the brought him. Arash was tempted to act on his thoughts. Anything was better than the melody of the mist. ''I can''t die. Not yet. Not now'' He steeled his heart and put a leash on his emotions, and the pain once again became bearable.


    ''What are you?'' Arash stared at the pulsing mist before him. Mana stones were supposed to be dead, yet he had seen the tiny little creatures trapped inside the stone, singing their wretched melody.


    He couldn''t help but remember the crystallized beast. Its howls. ''Why do they cause me pain?'' Arash racked his brain for answer. He found himself with a lot of questions and very little answers The silver net was his only ally. It was a bane for blue creatures. He had tried forcing them out of his head but no matter how hard he tried he couldn''t push them out, they were glued to his eye and the silver net was not strong enough to push them out.


    ''I have to do something about the song.'' He stared at the thin net and suddenly it came to him. ''I could cover it... would it work?'' He focused on the light rune he had, imagined it shining in front of him. He felt lighthearted. The shine of his soul dimmed a little, but a tiny wisp of silver coalesced into existence.


    Arash stared at the dim glow of his soul and a dark thought came to him. He shuddered and the pain came unbeckoned. His vision turned black as the pain it him as he convulsed in pain. He hissed under his breath, trying to gain his bearings. He drowned the fear under his will, shedded his emotions and finally the pain receded. ''It''s getting stronger.'' Arash blankly stared at the blue mist, fear struggled to break free. But he knew the consequences. The pain was too much he didn''t knew if he would be able to survive another onslaught.


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    Arash stared at the silver wisp of will floating in front of him. Suddenly an idea came to him. He called to it and it came rushing towards him and merged back into his soul. His soul regained its previous brilliance. He pursed his lips as realized. ''It wasn''t that the pain got stronger. I was the one who got weaker. I have to be careful in the future.''


    Suddenly a loud explosion startled him awake, he scrambled to his feet and saw a dense cloud of dust rising in the direction of his house. His stomach lurched at the sight of some. ''Firuz!'' Arash ran with all his might, sailing through the wind.


    ''Where are you goin...'' Saroh voice drowned under the howls of the wind. Arash followed the mast trail, protected by an invisible cocoon. Soon he reached the outskirts of the town. His feet slapped against the cold cobblestones as his chests screamed for air but the burning in his chest was insignificant when compared to the battering pain in his head.


    ''Don''t feel. Don''t feel'' He kept reminding himself, but the fear and anxiety were relentless and dust cloud in front of him made his heart restless. Suddenly the wind stilled around him. it became eerily silent. He could hear the woeful cries of people. ''Please be alright. Please be okay.'' His legs turned into a blur as he hurtled past the forest of concrete. Suddenly the cries halted to a jarring silence,he strained his ears, searching for a sound any sound. But all he could hear was the sound of feet shuffling. ''No! No!''


    Every single moment made him anxious and the melody was merciless in its onslaught. Suddenly the silence broke with a loud explosion, his eyes turned wide as he saw a giant floating in the sky, holding a monstrous purple blade in his hand, ready to slash the world in half.


    ''What is this?'' color drained from his face as he saw the giant in the sky.


    A loud of horn blared in the distance as he rushed towards his brother.

 Arash - Right Eye

    Arash hid behind the building, gobsmacked, staring at the giant before his eyes. Fear had poured lead in his feet, as they refused to move. A voice inside him constantly called out to him. ''Firuz, will be in danger. You have to save him. You have to go now. He will be alone.'' But the thing before him was out of his league. A monster he could kill; a man he could beat; but what stood before him was neither a man nor a monster.


    The purple giant hacked at the ground below, the wind screamed under its sword as it came crashing down towards the ground. For the first time Arash noticed the giant grey hand rising from the ground. Something moved in its palm. His heart skipped a beat, his breath caught in his throat. ''Firuz! No, it can''t be.'' Arash shook his head, tried to reason, but the resemblance was uncanny. He remembered the black cloak, the tiny body. But it wasn''t the cloak or the body. Even though fear clouded his mind and reason told him otherwise; He knew deep inside, knew who was inside the grey giant''s hand. His right eye once again sang the melody of pain and by some strange design he slipped into the state of perpetual detachment. Arash blankly stared at the giant''s sword as it came crashing down.. The land beneath his feet rumbled like an angry sea, the ground rose to a height of 50 feet. The black wave of solid ground still rising towards the sky.


    Arash stared blankly at the at raging tide, his mind racing for a solution. He glanced back and suddenly, an image of being squashed by the giant tide flashed before his eyes. Determination flashed across his face as he ran towards the tide. The ground was almost vertical beneath his feet and the rubble from the broken houses rained down on him. ''It will soon crest!'' His legs turned into a blur as he raced against the rising tide. His left foot slipped as the rubble beneath his feet gave way.


    "No!" His stomach lurched as he felt the pull of gravity. His hands dug for purchase as he slid down the slope. It was so close, 50 more feet and he would have been on the other side of the wave. The distance of 50 feet turned to 100, and 100 turned to 200. Suddenly, his right hand found a handhold and the descent came to a startling halt, his left hand reached for the protrusion; it was round and somewhat soft. He look up and found a familiar face poking out of vertical slope. Arman stared back at him with lifeless eyes, his face distorted with fear as his jaw loosely hung by his face.


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    Arash lived most of his life with the old man, but at this moment he found little familiarity with the dead corpse. Death had changed Arman somehow. Before, he was a fatherly figure and a mentor; Arash only knew him by his impatience and fiery anger. The sight of the old man had always filled him with a sense of ease, but within a single moment, all that had turned into a meaningless mass of blood and flesh.


    Arash felt a hollowness in him he progressed further into the state of perpetual detachment. All emotions seemed to have been cut off, his left hand grabbed the old man''s skull; it felt


    tender under his touch. Arash ignored it and pulled himself up, dug his hands into the loose earth, and climbed higher and higher.


    His right eye vigorously shook. The song of the blue creatures suddenly changed; turning into a low guttural growl. But the song was not directed at him. Its target something else, something far away. The wave of the black soil suddenly stopped in it''s progression and instead of toppling over the city of Harra, it collapsed onto itself. Arash once again felt the pull of gravity as he


    dropped from a fall of almost hundred meters. For a moment, as the massive wave of the black soil collapsed, he could see two giants fighting against each other. One made up of purple winds, while other formed from dull grey earth.


    Arash noticed that the black soil around him was slowly turning to the same ash grey as the great giant before him. But, as the grey color came in his vicinities. The blue mist rushed out if his right eye and attacked the grey soil around him.


    As soon as the grey soil touch the blue mist. It turned in blue crystal. In a blink of an eye the massive wave beneath him turned into a crystallized mana stone. Arash slammed hard against the mana stone mountain and slide down against its smooth surface. Arash slid all the way down to the ground. It took a while for him to get his bearing. His left leg was twisted at an awkward angle and his left arm had been snapped into two. His eyes opened wide in shock as he saw the...

 Arash - Blessed

    Arash''s eyes widened in shock as he saw a sapphire giant standing above him. The upper part of its body was missing. Grey ash shifted around its missing upper body, bellowing a deep, guttural roar towards the blue mist that relentlessly chased after it. Arash pushed himself up with his right arm and found himself sitting in the middle of deep crater; its surface was made up of smooth mana stone. Small dunes of finely grained mana stones were present all around him. Realization dawned on his face as he saw the shifting grey mist in the sky. ''Where is the purple one?'' Arash looked around and found nothing but empty air.


    He once again heard the sound of the horn, but this time it was closer. Arash looked at the lip of the crater and saw a group of men sliding down the crater. They were rushing towards him. "Blessed!" Arash blankly stared at the them as the men got closer and closer to him. Arash could see their glistering armor of mana stone, constantly shifting as they moved closer to him. He had always wondered why the mana stone killed their kind, while it protected theirs. Arman always that the blessed were under the protection of their gods.


    "What about our gods?" Arash had asked the old man. Like always, he had answered with the same bitter smile which he wore when the answers eluded him.


    "Hey Boy! What''s your name?" One of the blessed asked him.


    Arash had never seen a blessed before, all he knew about them was from the stories from the miners. Only a select few had the honor to meet them in person. They were supposed to be giant hulking masses of mana stones, who were cruel and hard like the mana stones, but seeing one stand before him, he knew how wrong the stories were. The blessed that stood before him rose to a startling height of seven feet with long slender arms and a lithe body. A translucent armor of blue crystal gleaned on his body, he barely wore any clothes. A supple black leather was wrapped around his lions, but other than that he stood as naked as the day he was born. "Arash" he said as noticed that the blue armor didn''t covered their whole bodies. There were tiny slits on their joints which enabled them to still move easily.


    "Look at his eye..." One of the blessed said. "How is he still alive?" He picked Arash with ease as he inspected the crystallized eye. "Strange!"


    "Must be a half-breed"


    "Half-Breed? I would like to see a nameless wretch who could take one of ours."


    "Then how is he alive?"


    "Why don''t you ask him?"


    "Hey boy, how do--" Startled by the sudden influx of the blue mist; the one holding Arash threw him away. All of them stood awe-struck as they saw blue mist drilling back into his eye. Arash


    screamed out loud as he landed on his broken leg.


    "Deo, have you seen anything like that before?" The one who threw Arash asked the one standing at the back of the crowd.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Deo was a short lean fellow, considering the giants standing beside him. He coldly stared at Arash; surprise flashed across his face as he saw the composed look on the boy''s face. "Ezio,I don''t know what it is, but I am sure out little slave here knows what it is." Deo nodded towards Arash. "Don''t you?"


    "Speak up! What was that blue mist?" Ezio spoke in a tone that came from a lifetime of being served and obeyed.


    "Is anyone else alive?" Arash asked.


    Anger flashed across Ezio''s face as his left hand turned into a sword. Just as he was about to end Arash''s life; Deo parried his sword with one of his own.


    "What is the meaning of this Deo?" Ezio asked as the blue mana armor gained more mass.


    "Nothing, I am just curious about our little friend here. He is different. Different from any other I have seen."


    "Different how?" Ezio frowned.


    "He isn''t afraid of us?" Deo smiled as he studied Arash. "Every Nameless I have seen grovels before me. But, this one stares right back at me. Like we are equal."


    "Equal?" Ezio snorted. "I can end him without--"


    "Did you see anyone else? A little boy." Arash cut off Ezio as he stared evenly at Deo. He knew what cutting off a blessed meant, but being in a state of perpetual detachment had made death seem insignificant. His thoughts were clear and his actions certain. Whatever little chance he had for living were in arousing the interest of Deo.


    "See? What did I tell you? He isn''t afraid of us." Deo beamed as he heard Arash''s words, but his smile soon curdled as he saw Ezio attacking Arash. His body turned into a blur as he appeared in front Ezio.


    "Get out of my way Deo! This wretch needs to be taught a lesson. He dares to disrespect me. I will not have my honor tainted! Not in front of my guests, never!"


    "Are you going to kill the man who killed a Ruh!" Deo raised his eyebrows as he nodded towards the crystallized giant.


    "Kill a Ruh!" Ezio scoffed. "Deo, who are you kidding, this thing can''t kill a Ruh! Even with our strength we might be able to drive him away rather than kill it."


    "Yes! He can''t kill the Ruh! But what about you, Calix and Damen. Mighty warriors killed a powerful Ruh!. Think about the honor it will bring you and to your families."


    "What about you?" Ezio asked with a frown as his hand turned back to normal. Killing a Ruh was a great honor for a blessed and none can claim to have killed a Ruh as big as the one standing before him.


    "Me! you know I don''t care about such things. Spare him and you three can have the honor of killing a Ruh!"


    "What if he talks?" Dame asked with caution.


    "Who are they going to believe a slave or three upstanding blessed like you?" Deo said with a sly smile.

 Arash - A lesson

    Arash found himself in a bed; it was the softest thing he had ever laid upon. The room was alight with the white light of mana runes. Deo sat beside the bed, admiring the light rune etched onto a slate stone.


    "I have always admired these little trinkets of your kind. And, even though they are so weak," Deo crushed the stone in his hand. "They can do fascinating things..."


    "Are you sure there was no one else?" Arash asked once again, even though he already knew the answer. But something inside him told him that his brother was still alive. Call it a feeling or an intuition, but he knew it to be true as the soft bed he laid upon.


    Deo groaned in frustration. "I am starting to wonder why I tried to save you? Ask me again and I might change my mind. There was no boy. Everyone else was dead. Everyone else but you..." Deo said as his eyes shone with interest. "Now it''s time you start answering my questions. Why doesn''t the stone kill you?"


    Arash stared at the mosaic pattern on the ceiling in silence as the image of his brother laying in the palm of a giant grey hand played in his mind. He let out a long sigh as he closed his eyes.


    "...I sealed it."


    "You can seal the stone?" Deo''s eyes widened in surprise. "How did you do it? Can others do it?"


    "I don''t know."


    Deo groaned in annoyance. "What was that blue mist?" he asked brusquely.


    "It''s not a mist but a swarm of creatures. Tiny, tiny creatures."


    "It''s alive?"


    Arash nodded.


    "How did you get it?"


    Arash tapped at his crystallized eye.


    "Can you control it?"


    "No. Why are you so interested in this?"


    "This again, you are quite strange for a nameless. Most struggle to have a simple conversation in front of me. But you don''t fear me, do you?" Deo paused for an answer.


    "Why should I fear you? and why do you call our kind Nameless."


    "You don''t know why you are called Nameless?" Deo sighed as he shook his head. "A man is know by three things. The name of his father, the name of his Sword, and the Name given by the Gods."


    "Father, Sword, or a  God... I don''t have any of those." Arash laughed despite himself.


    "What''s so amusing about this? It''s a great shame for a man to have no name."


    "There many things more important than shame."


    "You are not that different from the fools of your kind. Nameless, what could be more important than honour?" Deo said with displeasure.


    "Pain, Fear, Hunger and Helplessness. I would always trade them for a bit of shame." Arash replied.


    "They are all symptoms of weakness. I am not weak Nameless."


    "You are not weak and yet you still hide behind your lies." Arash regretted the words as soon as he said it. But his weakness had made him bitter. The melody had once again returned and it was stronger than before. Scraping at his consciousness, pulling at his nerves.


    "Watch your words Nameless. You have seen my kindness, you don''t want my fury." Deo sharply exhaled as he threw a leather bag towards Arash. "You have been helpful to and take this as my gratitude." He stood up and stared towards Arash for the last time. "I have my own fears Nameless, but instead of running away from them. I face them. Overcome them. I earned my place by these very hands" Deo raised his hands towards Arash. "Pitted my life against theirs and came out victorious."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Give me a sword and take off your armor. We will see what you have earned." Arash''s eyes bore daggers at the man that stood before him. The melody of pain once again tortured his soul. He hissed in pain as he slipped back into the state of perpetual detachment. "You talk about Names and honor, have you ever been so hungry that you would chew the very leather you wear? Have you ever felt the pain that never ends? Have you ever felt a fear that your bones turned to dust and the helplessness as your life dances at the whims of another. There is no honor in my world."  Arash sneered at Deo. "Blessed, very little honor can be found in the line between life and death."


    "Funny, because honor is the only thing that''s keeping you alive at the moment." Deo eyes turned for a moment as he studied the man before him.


    "I..." Arash wanted to say that he had no need for such honor, but his thoughts turned towards the skinny boy laying inside the hand of a giant. Tears pooled in his left eye as dark thoughts crept into his heart. ''No! he is alive¡­ He is.'' He turned towards Deo, studied the Blessed before him, studied the intricate lines on the translucent armor, studied its form and how it sat on his body. "...You have opened my eyes." Arash said offhandedly.


    "Argh!!" Deo groaned in frustration as he rubbed the back of his with his right hand. "I don''t know what to call this. Sometimes, I see it as courage, but other times it''s just plain foolishness." Deo lifted his right hand. It slowly turned into a sharp blade with a deep blue luster.


    Arash could hear it''s edge thrum to a dangerous rhythm.


    "You need to be taught a lesson." Deo said casually. "You see, I am awfully interested in that blue mist in your right eye. At first, I wanted to play nice. But now, I have changed my mind."


    "...What do you mean?" Arash tried to get up, but his broken arm and leg made him think otherwise. He dreadfully stared at the blade as it came closer and closer towards his right eye. "Please, please don''t. Don''t do this. I will tell  you everything you want to know. Everything."


    "Come on, It''s just a dead eye. It would do you no good. Let me rid of it." Deo pinned Arash down with his left hand. Arash thrashed around, but his efforts were in vain. Deo slide his sword in Arash''s right eye and slow pried it open, the sword slowly cut the bone and flesh.


    Screams of agony echoed off the dreary walls. It took a while for Deo to take out the crystallized eye.


    "Phew! Finally done¡­ See, it wasn''t that hard." Deo smiled at Arash, who laid lifeless on the bed. A dark whole had been left where his right eye was supposed to be, dark red blood pooled into the empty socket.

 Arash - Survival

    Arash laid motionless on the bed as red-hot blood oozed out of his empty eye socket. His left leg throbbed with pain and his left hand was bent at an awkward angle. The pain was still raw, clawing at his consciousness. The scraping sound of sword against bone still rang in his mind, like a mole that had dug a tunnel through his eye. He closed his left eye as the silence engulfed him and left his scared and terrified. Even though he dreaded his right eye, he had become dependent on it within a short period of time. The right eye had granted him protection against the wind, against the Giants.


    In the silence of the room, for the first time, he felt alone, truly alone. He laid on the bed like a piece of broken porcelain. The words of the Blessed rang in his mind.


    ''A man is known by three things... Father, Sword, and God.'' His clawed at the soft bed beneath him. ''I don''t have a father. I have no God. Sword...I have nothing.'' Arash reached for his empty eye, the blood had stopped by now. ''My eye... I can turn my left eye into stone.'' Arash thought, but he once again heard the scrapping of the sword against the stone and the thought drowned under the horror of the event that had just occurred. He had been wrong. He broke into a sobbing mess, heaving. ''They will take it away...''


    Suddenly the scene around him shifted, he found himself in a dark room, and a familiar smell assaulted his consciousness. He jolted awake as his eyes furtively glanced at his surroundings. "What is happening?" His left arm and leg had been miraculously healed. He reached for his right eye and there it was. Nothing like the emptiness that he just felt, nothing like the terrifying crystal eye. He could see from his right eye. It all felt like a dream, tears pooled in his eye as he cried in relief.


    Suddenly the door flung open and a short squat man appeared before him.


    "What are you doing here?" Arash glowered in anger, but deep beneath his raging fury laid a bottomless pit of shame. He had sworn to wash away the shame of that day. He had been waiting, silently waiting. Sharpening his fury with each passing day.


    "You know why I am here? Lass. I can''t get that night out of my mind. I can still smell..." Babak smelled his fingers as he pervertedly smiled. "But it seems that fate wants us to unite. It has brought you to me once again"


    Arash howled in anger as he lunged towards the short squat man. But just as he got on his feet, his legs buckled as he slammed against the ground, he tasted blood in his mouth as his head rang as a wave of weakness washed over his body.


    "You have grown so big. I had to make some preparation for our fateful reunion." Babak squatted before him, a women''s dress suddenly appeared in hands. He tenderly lifted Arash''s head by his chin with his left hand. "You would look lovely in this dress, I got it just for you. Cost me a fortune, but it will be worth it." He brought the dress close to Arash''s face. "See, it matches you. I knew blue was always your color." Babak gently caressed Arash''s face with his right hand.


    Arash weakly stared at the man before him. ''No!'' He howled out in pain as the cruelty of his past once again happened. He became a prisoner of his own body as Babak exhausted his lust. Every single moment etched into his memory as fate played a cruel joke on him. He tried to shut it out, descend into the state of perpetual detachment, but something always pulled him back, back to the pain and shame. His desire for vengeance had always kept him together, but he couldn''t bear the shame, not again. He descended into the deep recess of his consciousness as he felt his humanity slip away.


    He sat alone in his consciousness, his mind broken. Silver runes buzzed around him, dancing to a nervous rhythm. As if trying to warn him, but Arash had given up. It was too hard and the reality was too painful, in here he was safe, safe from the world and from its cruelties. He only wanted to rest, but with each passing moment, the runes around got restless.


    "Go Away!" Arash shouted at the runes. They became quiet for a moment, still as if afraid of Arash''s chastisement. They let out weak helpless whines as they gently nudged against him. Arash could feel his humanity slip, his emotions and memories slipping out of his consciousness. One moment he knew the face of his mother; the next she became a stranger, and within few moments she turned to nothingness as if the woman who gave birth to him never really existed. One by one he started to forget everything, his eyes slowly lost their brilliance.


    Suddenly the runes hummed to a strange rhythm. They formed a net around Arash and dragged him out of the deep recess. "What are you doing?" Arash asked, but this time the previous anger couldn''t be felt even the sadness and fear he felt had melted away to some distant place. For the first time in a long time, he appeared calm. "Stop it...Why do I want you to stop?" he asked with a baffled face. "What are you?" He curiously looked at the silver net around him, cautiously touching it with his fingers.


    The runes brought him out of his body as he floated over his body that was dressed in a female dress. Babak stared at Arash with fear in his eyes. "How can this be possible?" he uttered as he tried to scramble to his feet. He scrambled to his feet as he ran towards the wall, his figure turning into a white shadow as it lunged towards the wall. But before he could leave, the runes were upon him, they formed a net around him, trapping him in the process.


    "Let me go!" The black shadow screamed in horror, but it didn''t dare to touch the silver net around him.


    Arash stared in confusion at the scene around him, which slowly turned. The boy on the floor with a women''s dress disappeared and Arash''s body appeared on the bed before him, his right eye still bleeding as his left arm was twisted


    at an awkward angle.


    "Who is he? He looks familiar." Arash''s soul moved towards his body, staring at his body with a perplexed expression on his face. "Why do I feel like I know him?"


    Seeing the strange behavior of their owner, the runes hummed in anger as they closed in on the black shadow. "Stop! Stop! If you harm me your master will stay like this forever." But the runes refused to listen to the pleadings of the black shadow. The silver net slowly closed in on him, burning his body as it touched him. "Argh! Dammit!" The black shadow spat out tiny white globes shimmering with iridescent lights. Each globe represented a different memory. His body shrunk at a visible rate as he vomited out the memory globes. He reluctantly sighed as the tiny globes floated towards Arash. "Damn! If I knew he was spirit wielder. I would have never come here. How could I have been so stupid? Damn!" The shadow screamed in agony as the silver net enclosed in on him. "I have returned his memories. What else do you want?" The shadow asked miserably. But the silver runes still had yet to form a complete consciousness. They couldn''t understand his words. They only knew that their master had been reduced to this state by the black shadow and they would kill it.


    The black shadow howled in misery, cursing at his own misfortune. He glanced at the globes moving slowly floating towards Arash, who was still looking perplexed as he hovered over his own body. The shadow knew that his only chance at survival was if Arash regained his intelligence.


    "Hurry up! Hurry up!" The shadow cursed at the languorous pace of the memory globes.


    Just as his body was about to disappear, Arash regained his intelligence. He stared wide-eyed as his memories came flooding back to him. He remembered Babak, remembered his helplessness.


    "Make them stop!!" The black shadow screamed at Arash.


    Arash looked up bewildered, but nonetheless, he willed the runes to stop. He floated over near the edge and noticed the tiny little shadow trapped inside the silver net. The shadow heaved a sigh of relief as he saw the net finally stop. Anger flashed within him, but he knew it wasn''t the time or the place to show it. The silver runes were the bane of his kind and he didn''t have any card to play. His mind raced with a plan.


    "What are you?" Arash asked. He had no memory of this little black shadow.


    "I am a Ruh! My name is Najwah!" Najwah said with all the courage he could muster, the buzzing net still unnerved him, made it hard to form a single good excuse. "Can you ask them to let me go?" The runes buzzed with anger as they


    threatened to close in on him. Najwah flinched back in fear as he cursed under his breath.


    Arash frowned at the strange behavior of the runes, suddenly he remembered floating above his body and he remembered seeing Babak. His memories were still hazy, he groaned in pain the memories of the past merged back into him.


    Najwah face filled with dread as he saw Arash gaining back his memories. ''He will never let me live if he remembers. What should I do? What should I do?'' His mind frantically raced for an answer. Suddenly it hit him. "Friend, I came here to inform you of your brother!"


    "Firuz? he is alive?" Arash eye widened in shock as he quickly asked.


    "Yes! Yes! Firuz, He is gravely injured, we need to hurry if you want to save him." Najwah was overjoyed by the reaction shown by Arash, he knew that he had him. "...but you see these little guys are hostile towards me. I only came here to help, but they attacked me as soon as I got near you." Najwah said with all the sadness he could muster, but deep inside fear gripped him. He was on a short leash and as soon as Arash got back his memories would mean his death. "We have to get to him, he was barely alive when I saw him. We have to hurry!"


    "Where is he? Tell me quickly" Arash urged the runes to release Najwah, but they refused to listen to him. The runes hummed back at him as if trying to warn him of something. Arash groaned in pain as once again another part of his memory


    came rushing to him. "What am I you doing? He will die I don''t go." Arash frowned at the behavior of the runes, they had always listened to him but suddenly they have started to rebel. He stared at the strange little shadow trapped inside the net. Something about it felt off, but he dismissed it as the image of injured Firuz flashed before his eyes. He commanded the runes to open a path for Najwah. They resisted at first, but in the end, they reluctantly gave up. They let out a few urging whines as they opened up a path.


    Najwah was immediately overjoyed as he saw the chance to survive, he lunged towards the direction where the runes had started to open up, but just as the net opened, one of the runes vibrated with fury. Suddenly all of the runes brimmed with killing intent and instead of opening, they went for the kill.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.As the runes were connected to Arash by the vague connection, he could feel their hatred as they rushed towards Najwah. Suddenly, he remembered the sight of Babak grunting over his body and the moment as the turned into a black shadow. Overcome with great fury he ordered the runes to kill the black shadow.


    Seeing the maws of death, Najwah lost all faculties of reason and in fear, he shifted into a complex rune. Arash immediately stopped the runes as he saw Najwah turning into a black rune, his years and years of yearning got the better of him and Najwah''s last gamble at life finally played in his favor.


    "What is this?" Arash asked, his voice strained.


    "It''s what I used on you. It enables me to put whispers and thoughts in your head. Making you see what I want." Najwah said as he turned back to his original form.


    "Turn back!" Arash threatened. He had barely studied it when Najwah had shifted back to the shadow form.


    "I can''t do that. You will kill me as soon as you have the rune."


    "What''s keeping me from killing you at the moment?"


    "Arash, I know everything about you, everything single thing. Even things which you have forgotten. I have seen them. So, I know it''s my only shot at survival." Najwah said timidly. It was true that he knew everything about Arash, but knowing the memories of the past is quite different than predicting their actions in the future. "You want power? I can give it to you."


    "What kind of power?"


    "You know better than anyone, you have tasted it yourself. I can give the power over the minds of people. All I want is a chance to live. Form a soul bond with me and we can benefit each other or you can kill me and die a dog''s death in a few moments later. If you had my power, no one would have been able to pluck out your eyes. They wouldn''t even be able to see you if you didn''t want them to."


    Arash was faced with a dilemma, even though anger and fury still reigned over his heart, but the words of the little shadow still rang true to his heart. He knew first hand how terrifying the power Najwah promised can be. It wasn''t the kind that shattered cities but it was the kind that governed hearts. But understanding the power of that Najwah possessed, he felt naked against the little thing and couldn''t help but put his guard against him.


    "How do I know if this isn''t one of your tricks," Arash asked with a frown.


    "Fair enough, you have no reason to trust me," Najwah said bitterly, he sharply convulsed as he vomited out a tiny black globe of memory. Najwah size exponentially shrunk as he formed the tiny globe. "This is part of what I know," Najwah said weakly as his existence flickered in and out of existence. "You will know what to do?" He gently pushed the globe towards Arash.


    The silver net slowly opened as the black globe passed through it. Arash hesitantly stared at the black globe as it stopped in front of him. His eyes shifted from the pint-size Najwah to the small globe before him. Determination flashed in his eyes as he decided to take the risk, he grabbed hold of the black globe and it slowly melted inside his body. A complex rune appeared in his mind. It was made up of millions upon millions of lines. Arash was overwhelmed with awe as he saw the rune appear in his mind. But, at first glance, he knew that it wasn''t complete. The rune before him was only half of the true rune. He wanted to know more as he looked back to Najwah.


    "It''s only half, where is the rest."


    "I am the other half and you will only get it if you form a soul pact with me..." Najwah''s body turned transparent with each passing moment. "We have to hurry. I have split myself in half and won''t live for long If you don''t form a soul pact with me. I need to be complete to live."


    "How?" Arash became anxious at the thought of losing the other half of the rune. But just as he asked, he knew the answer. The memory globe contained the information about soul bond, he used the runes to create the soul-bonding rune from his memory. Even though he knew rune like the back of his mind. It still was hard for him to form it. Because the rune was to be made of the green mist that floated around him. Najwah called it "Mother" It was made up of tiny green globes that danced in a predefined way. The rune was to be made up of these little globes.


    He needed 9 of them to form the rune, but it proved to be a colossal task for him. These little globes could only be touched by the silver ribbons and they weighed like mountains. Arash gritted his teeth as he squeezed out the last bit of his soul strength to create new silver ribbons, his head ached with a blinding pain, but madness was upon him. He had tasted the knowledge of the divine and he would do anything to get it. Under his persistence, the green nodes slowly started to fall into place, and when finally the rune was formed, Najwah rushed towards it.


    The rune burst open in a blinding light as everything around them turned white.


    Arash felt a strange connection to the world around him as a new set of memories appear in his mind. Arash remembered being born from the green mist, he remembered the life that Najwah had lived and the memories of the people he had fed upon. At the moment Arash lived a thousand different life, each and every single moment of their lives played before his eyes. He felt their sadness, felt their fear, their anger, and their desire.


    He noticed a black rune flashing in front of him. It appeared in front of him in the shape of a little snake. At first glance, Arash knew it was Najwah. but suddenly he felt anxiousness wash over him as he noticed that the sixteen little runes were nowhere to be seen. "Where are they?"


    "They have become the bond that binds you and me." Najwah noticed Arash''s thought through their soul bond and shut his mouth before saying anything else. But he was happy to be free of those hateful bastards.


    Arash felt a sense of loss at the thought of never seeing those little runes. He stared at the strange new world around him and noticed the patterns in everything around him.


    "Beautiful isn''t it--" Najwah''s word stuck in his throat as he received a deathly glare from Arash. "You still hung up on that? I did, what I did to live. It was nothing personal. You kill countless things to survive. Like that Kharas that you killed on the Fields. It''s all for survival."


    "Survival!" Arash snorted, he still felt anger at the reliving that horrifying memory and the thought of someone else knowing the truth unnerved him. "You promised me great powers, but I don''t feel different at all."


    "My powers are powerful if you know how to use it. I know the secrets deep within the heart of men--"


    "and hide like a coward and play on their fears and don''t forget that I am fucking useless at everything else," Arash said with a hint of sarcasm.


    "I know you are angry. To be honest, something like this never happened to me. So it''s a first for me too." Najwah shrugged with nonchalance. "Knowing the secrets of the world around you can be pretty powerful. I know it''s not as effective as a sharp sword or the ability to command winds. But, it''s more subtle. Everything works for a reason. We all have something we want, imagine manipulating the very essence of the people. You were lucky as I was caught off guard by your runes. Or, I would have told you that I am your dearest friends and slit your throat and you would still be thanking me. When you are me, you have no enemies. Everyone is your friend, dancing at your whims."


    Arash silently listened as he heard the little snake prattle on. He couldn''t help but shake his head as he noticed the difference between what the snake said and what the reality was. Najwah was connected to him by soul-bond. So Arash knew the truth about the little snake''s words. It was true that he had the power to peer into the minds of another and suggest thoughts. But, it was not as grand as he had described it. Firstly, his powers didn''t work on blessed as they were protected by the mana stones. Secondly, he could only suggest thoughts into the mind of another and it was completely up to another person if he decided to act on it or not. But, the ability to peer into the mind of another and feed on their emotion was the truth.


    "What use is trying to lie to me?" Arash finally spoke. "Your powers can''t work on the blessed."


    "That would have been true, but now it is not," Najwah said with a mysterious smile on his face.


    "What do you mean?" Arash frowned, but the moment Najwah thought of the answer he knew it too. The Ruh were weak against the Blessed, but to Arash that wasn''t the problem, but to form Najwah''s rune, Arash needed thousands upon thousands of those green nodes. ''Controlling nine nodes was close to impossible, how will I control thousands of them?''


    "For that, you need to strengthen your soul and as much as I hate to say it you need thousands of those little bastards."


    "How can I strengthen my soul?" Arash asked curiously.


    "I don''t know," Najwah said with a shrug. "...but you should stop that bleeding if you want to live." he pointed Arash''s body.


    Arash soul disappeared into his body and soon he regained control of his body. The pain came rushing back to him as soon as he regained consciousness.  He groaned as he propped himself against the bed''s headrest, blood still oozed out of his body. He ripped a tiny cloth from the bed sheet and used it to staunch the bleeding.


    "What are you doing?" Najwah asked sarcastically as he brought back the memory of Saroh''s healing rune. "Use this."


    "I can''t..." Suddenly he felt a connection to a tiny wisp of will that he had formed before. He called for it and it came running towards him. ''Mana stones?'' He remembered the mana stone bag, that Deo had thrown at him. Arash forced himself off his back and searched for the leather bag, he felt a tiredness in him with each passing moments. Finally, he found the bad at near his leg. He took out a tiny fragment of stone and used the tiny little wisp of will to give the form a healing rune from his memory.


    Even though he remembered how the rune looked like; it was still hard for him to form it for the first time. He failed the first few times as the stone refused to take the form of healing rune, but at his 11th try, he managed to form the complete rune. It shone with deep sapphire light as it hovered in front of him. Arash heaved a sigh of relief as he saw the glowing rune before him. He called out to the rune and it came rushing towards his right and disappeared into his flesh. He felt a coolness in his right eye as the scrapped flesh squirmed to life and healed at an incredible pace. The blood stopped as soon as the rune disappeared into his right eye. Arash gingerly felt the empty socket of his right eye as his thoughts wandered to a distant place.

 Arash - White Mist

    "Hey, I am kinda hungry. By any chance can you spare me some of your memories?" Najwah flickered in an out of existence, sometimes appearing in front of Arash''s face, and sometimes on his broken arm.


    "You want to eat my memories?" Arash replied with a frown. The recent events had left a bad taste in his mouth. He still felt anger at the sight of the little black snake.


    "Yeah, but only the useless ones which you will eventually forget anyways. It won''t do any harm to you, but you will be helping me out a lot... So can I?" Najwah asked with excitement plastered on his face. Arash could even see a little bit of saliva dribbling at the sides of his mouth. Arash was about to rebuff him, but suddenly a thought occurred to him. ''I can forget that. It will be like it never happened before.'' Arash pensively stared at the little black snake.


    "Can you eat any memory you like?" Arash asked, his anticipation hidden beneath a poker face. He could feel his chest tightening with anticipation as he anxiously waited for the answer. His worries were immediately relieved by the fervent nodding of the little snake.


    Arash forced a smile on his face as his fingers dug into the soft mattress. "Make the memory of Babak go away. Make everything related to it go away, like it never happened." Arash said with all the courage he could muster, but still, his voice cracked under the mention of that name. It felt like venom in his mouth.


    Najwah could feel his discomfort by his soul-bond. He bitterly sighed. "I can''t do that. Not all memories are same. You can afford to lose some, but losing others will make you a cripple. This memory is like an anchor that holds your identity together. Your whole personality evolved around it; you wouldn''t be the same if I consumed this memory."


    "But..." Arash tried to reason at first, but then his mask of indifference broke and revealed a wounded boy, hiding inside the body of a man. Hot tears streamed down his cheeks as he bellowed. The snake refused to obey him; he begged at pleaded, but every plea was met with a clear rejection.


    "...I have eaten millions upon millions of memories. Each and every one suffered miserably."  Najwah allowed Arash to live through the memory of all those people, whose memories he had devoured. Arash lived as a child who ate the corpse of his dead


    mother due to hunger. He could feel his remorse, feel his hunger and the disgust as he chewed on the rotten flesh.


    Arsah became an old man who toiled as a miner, barely making the ends meet. He saw his family, his daughters, and their love. He also saw the same love shattered under the hands of hoodlums. He watched his daughters get raped and killed, while he was pinned down by one the men. His face chafed against the hard rock, tears of blood turning his vision red as he screamed and cried for his daughters. He watched their innocence torn apart by the vicious wolves hidden in the guise of men, watched the life drain from their bodies, as their bodies laid beaten and bloodied in front of him.


    Countless lives flashed before his eyes, each a tragedy of its own. When the visions finally ended, Arash stared at his own hand, his eyes dazed while his mind still replaying the scenes in his mind.


    "These are only just a few of the memories of I own. You have lived them through their lives and you also know what happened when I took their memories." Najwah said grimly. "You will become nothing more than a bag of flesh and bones. f I take away your core memories." Najwah said solemnly. ''And I will be stuck with you for my whole life.''


    It took a while for Arash to get out of the shock, but even then he sat mutely, deep in thought. His mind raced to make sense of things. Living through the lives of others, his own tragedy felt so minuscule. A strange new conviction formed in the deep recess of his consciousness that even he wasn''t aware of. After laying on the bed for hours, he finally got up to his feet. Najwah expectantly stared at him, but he didn''t say anything.


    Arash studied the room around him, he noticed a barely perceptible glow from the wall. Intrigued, he moved closer to the wall. He could feel a familiar coldness from the wall as his fingers ran across the wall. "Mana stone?" Arash marveled at the thought, he looked around for something sharp and found a metal plate lying around near the table to his left. He used it to scrape the paint off the wall. It took quite an effort to peel off a thick coating of a sticky resin to finally reveal the smooth wall of mana stone underneath. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the dimly glowing crystal. "Who could make such a thing?" He wondered out loud.


    "What are you doing?" Najwah let out a horrified scream as he darted away from the wall, running as far from the dreaded stone as he could.


    Arash turned back towards the horrified snake. "What happened?"


    "What do you mean what happened?" Najwah uttered in extreme horror. "Cover that cursed thing. I can''t stand the sight of it!"


    Arash raised an eyebrow at the weird behavior of the little snake, but he pulled a table against the scraped wall. The little snake finally dared to come closer when the mana stone was covered.


    "What possessed you to do something so stupid? Thank god that thing is dormant. It would have swallowed me whole if it awoke. You can never be too careful with these things." Najwah snapped at Arash.


    "Why are you so afraid of it?" Arash asked the little snake. He could feel the fear of the little thing when it saw the mana stone.


    "You don''t know anything. You guys mindlessly use it. But it''s a disaster waiting to happen and I am not talking about the kind that toppled his town. I am talking about the kind which ends all life." Najwah replied, his voice heavy with trepidation. "It used to be one of us, the noblest of our kind, Zinda." he shook his head in dismay. "You humans did this, killing the world for your greed and what not. With all these wars and killing. You were destroying our world. She couldn''t bear the loss, and in anger and sorrow she changed and gave birth to those wretches you call, Blessed. The great mother..." Najwah looked fondly at the ever-present green mist around him. "The great mother had to do something. Zinda was killing every living thing in her rage. So, mother sealed her in this for eternity. But she grows stronger in her children and she bears resentment against our kind. Our kind has been fighting against them for a long time, but their numbers grow with time and the great war will soon be upon us." The little snake shivered at the thought of the day.


    "Destruction wouldn''t be such a bad thing," Arash said morosely.


    "..." Najwah stared at him in disbelief. "What do you mean?"


    "You know better than anyone what we live through. We are stuck in the midst of the fight between your kinds. Dying wouldn''t be such a bad thing. It would put an end to this madness." Arash said bitterly. "We don''t have any place in your world. We live to serve the blessed and die in our empty houses cold, hungry, and broken."


    Najwah laughed hysterically, his eyes shining with insanity. "It has been a long a time since a Ruh had bonded with a human, but I never knew that I would have bonded with such a coward."


    "...You yourself are no brave soul, feeding on the misery of others and hiding in the dark." Arash scoffed.


    "...I" Najwah struggled for words. "I did what I did to survive, unlike you who wants to die."


    "Who said I wanted to die?" Arash replied.


    "Uh! What? You are wishing for the destruction of everything."


    "Wishing? I wished for many things." Arash said as tears pooled in his eyes. "I wished for strength when Babak pushed me down. I wished for the health of my brother. I wished to save my brother when the Giants took him. I... I wished." He choked on his words as he instinctively reached for his right eye. His fingers traced the shape of an eye over an empty socket. "I wished for many things and nothing ever came. But now the time of wishing is over." Arash brushed away his tears as madness gleamed in his left eye. "They will have to pay. They will pay for everything they have done...Pay for everything!" Arash let out a deep guttural roar.


    Najwah shivered at the sight of the boy before him. It wasn''t so much the words or how he said it. It was the emotions that were brewing inside Arash that had left him shivering in fear. He had fed upon the memories and emotions of thousands, but he had never encountered something so dark.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------


    Deo stared at the blue crystallized eye before him, he studied it from different angles, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn''t find something special about it. No matter how he looked at the eye, It was a normal stone in the shape of a human eye, but he remembered the blue mist that killed the giant and he clearly remembered it disappearing into this eye. "What''s so special about you? What are you not telling me." Suddenly he was struck with a strange idea. He pushed eye over his right eye and it seamlessly merged into the eye socket. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain run through his head. He could hear the sound of a rolling sea as his right eye buzzed with pain. He howled in pain as he tried to pluck out the eye, but no matter how hard he tried the eye wouldn''t come out.


    "Arghh!" Deo dropped to his knees as the pain became unbearable. But suddenly the pain stopped and he heard a sweet melody, his whole body shivered in happiness as he heard a heavenly voice, "My child..."


    ----------------------------------------------------------------


    Arash walked out of the house, everything around him was in shambles. He immediately noticed where he was. It was the town''s square, the buildings around him were barely standing, but the house that he just walked out of stood


    straight without a single crack on its surface. A great wall could be seen to his left. It rose to a startling height of 50 meters and Arash could see the lower half of the giant''s body frozen in place. It shone with a same blue hue


    of the mana stones.


    "Hey..." Arash heard a man call out to him. He had seen him before at the mines. One of the high earners got to live in the best house of the town, close to the residence of the Blessed. ''He must have seen me getting out of the house.'' Arash thought as he walked over to the man.


    The man was a giant among men, his arms were thicker than Arash''s thighs, but as Arash came closer he noticed a thin black string connecting him to the man. He frowned at the sight of the string, but soon he was baffled by the behavior of


    the man before him. "Forgive me, my lord. I couldn''t see you in the dark and made mistook you..." The man kowtowed to Arash, refusing to raise his head from the ground. Disrespecting a blessed was a capital offense and men had died for much less than what he had just done.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "What have you done?" Arash asked Najwah through his mental link. The little snake smugly appeared on his shoulder. ''Give you a taste of what my powers can do. Focus on the string and you would be able to control the rune.'' Arash did as he was told. Just as he concentrated on the string he felt all the emotions, thoughts of the man before him. ''What have I done. How could I have been so blind? How could I. He isn''t talking¡­''''This is bad, I am done for'' Arash could clearly hear the man''s thoughts, feel his fear. It felt as if he was a passenger in the other man''s body.


    "Get up!" Arash said casually, but to the man before him, it sounded like a thunderclap. Arash found it amusing, how fear could turn a giant into a little mouse. To the man, Arash appeared to be giant that towered over him. His body shone with a deep blue luster of the mana stone armor, hiding thick bulging muscles underneath him. Arash marveled at the mastery of the little snake as he saw the frightened man gawking at empty air, refusing to make eye contact with him.


    "What else can you do?" Arash curiously asked the little snake. The snake disappeared in a flourish and Arash found himself surrounded by a sea of memory globes. Every single thing that the man had ever done or seen was present here.


    The little snake happily swam through the memory globes as he gobbled the memory globes at a frightening pace. Arash found himself with a new set of memories. The man before him was called Sami, a miner like Arash. He was married to a beautiful wife, but still had a relationship with the neighbor, Farah. Sami was not a good soul; he had cheated, lied, and killed his own kind for the mana stones. Countless orphans had died by his hand, all for the sake of him maintaining his lifestyle.


    Noticing Arash''s displeasure, Najwah decided to devour all the memories of the man before him, leaving him an empty shell. Sami stood before Arash with a blank expression on his face, staring at the empty air.


    "What will happen to him?" Arash asked.


    "He will stay like this forever, not moving from this place. If he is lucky, the winds will take him." Najwah replied casually as slowly digested the newly harvested memories.


    "And what if he is unlucky?"


    "He will starve to death, while not even knowing what killed him," Najwah replied with a matter-of-factly tone.


    Arash grimly stared at the man and was surprised at his own lack of surprise. Deep inside, he knew that the man before him deserved such fate. He solemnly nodded towards the little snake as he walked towards the great wall.


    "Where are you going?"


    "To look for my brother." Arash casually replied. Najwah wanted to tell him that his brother was dead, but for some reason, he didn''t say anything and quietly followed Arash as they scaled the walls. Countless heads and limbs of dea men protruded out the great wall of earth. Arash searched for hours and hours, digging out countless bodies buried under the destruction brought by the giants. His legs ached with pain, while his hands were bloodied from digging into the cold, hard ground.


    Until finally, he saw familiar cloak in the distance. His heart drummed in his chest as he broke into a run. ''Firuz!'' his heart prayed for him to be alive as he ran with all his might. He stopped a few feet away from the boy, his eyes glued to the cloak that fluttered in the gentle wind. His heart lurched at the sight of the cloak as the way it clung to the figure suggested that the boy was missing lower half of his body.


    Arash steeled his heart as he crossed the longest fifteen feet of his life. He dropped to his knees, his fists clenched tightly while the nails of his fingers drew blood. "Firuz..." Arash weakly called out, choking on his own words. "Get up...I will take you outside. You can go wherever you want... Hey! Are you still angry with me? I went just like you told me and you know what I found the man... You were right, there was a man there. Hey..." Arash gently tugged at the cloak revealing a grey mud figure with the likeness of Firuz.


    Arash cradled the figure as tears streamed down his left cheek, he helplessly looked around. "Somebody help me... Help me!  My brother is not feeling well." Arash fiercely hugged his brother; under the force exerted by his hug the grey porcelain figure shattered into thin grey dust, drifting with the wind. Arash held onto the empty cloak as he cried for his brother. Soon his tears dried as he sat in silence, his thoughts hidden deep underneath the cold face.


    He wordlessly stood up and started walking towards the east. Najwah silently followed him as he scaled the great wall climbing towards the direction of the mana deposits. Najwah noticed something beneath the ground, he felt a strong sense of fear from underneath the ground. "Arash, there is someone buried beneath here!" Najwah called out to him, but Arash refused to listen.


    Seeing Arash''s indifference Najwah shrugged and decided to forget about it, but suddenly a muffled cry of help fell upon Arash''s ear. He froze as he looked back, straining his ear but he couldn''t hear anything.


    "So, you finally decided to listen." Najwah snorted. "There is someone buried over there." He pointed over to the source of the sound.


    Arash rushed over to the place where Najwah had pointed and frantically dug with his hands. After digging for a good 2 feet, his fingers hit against a concrete wall buried underneath the ground. He winced in pain as he studied the broken nail as it limply hung from his index finger. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out the nail and started searching for a place to dig, finally he found the end of the wall and dug around it. Soon, he dug into a little pocket between the broken wall and the ground. He could see two tiny little figures, huddled together in a small space. Frightened eye stared at him from the darkness. It took a while for him to notice, that it was a little girl, holding onto an infant.


    "Come here" Arash called out to the little girl in a soft voice, but the girl was in shock and refused to listen to him. She just held onto the baby in her arms.


    "Cast your rune on her!" Arash bellowed at Najwah.


    "...I am not your slave." Najwah grumbled under his breath but did as he was told.


    Arash was once again disoriented by the change of perspective. He could feel the crippling fear of the girl and the numb feeling in her legs. Her legs were broken. The infant in her arms was cold to touch and there were no signs of breathing. He could see himself through the eye''s of the little girl and feel her apprehension as she tightly hugged her dead brother. She didn''t trust him.


    This time Arash didn''t need to ask Najwah for help. Suddenly he felt silent whispers in the back of the girl''s mind, urging her to trust Arash. Suddenly the man before him didn''t seem as dangerous as before. Najwah worked his magic and the girl started to trust Arash.


    "Come here little one. I will not hurt you. Come here." Arash called out to her and this time the girl showed a response. She groaned in pain as she reached for Arash with her left hand while still holding tightly to her brother with her right.


    Arash reached out to the girl but his hand came few inches short, he groaned in frustration as he searched through the girl''s memory looking for her name. "Mehru, just a little bit more. I will get you to safety." Arash turned towards Najwah. ''Can you dull the pain in her legs?'' Just as he asked, he felt the pain disappear from the girl''s leg. His eye widened in surprise, he had called out to Najwah out of desperation he never knew that the little snake could do this.


    Mehru crawled with great difficulty towards Arash, her hand reaching towards him for help. Finally, he was able to reach her, he tightened his grips on the girl''s hand and slowly pulled her out. The girl looked tightly clung to his broad chest as she soundlessly sobbed.


    Arash gently patted the girl''s back, as she cried in relief. Arash looked at the dead infant, held tightly in her right arm. ''He has been dead for a while.'' Arash lamented. He expectantly looked up to the little snake. He knew how important that little brother of her was and he knew how fragile she was at the moment. She couldn''t bear the death of her brother in this state. "Can you make her forget?" Arash pleaded.


    "Why ask, when you know the answer. If I take this memory away from her. She would be no better than the man we left behind."


    "...There must be something we can do. Not doing anything will break her nonetheless." Arash racked his brain for an answer. He couldn''t help but remember the loss of his own brother and suddenly a wild idea came to him. "If not take it away, can you replace it? Turn me into her brother. Erase this infant and place me in his place... It should be possible"


    "...I don''t know what effect this will have on this girl. She will be changed in some ways. I am not omnipotent, there are bound to be some holes, left into her memory."


    "Just, do what you can, leaving her like this is no mercy to her. I will deal with the consequence later."


    Najwah stared silently at the girl in Arash''s arm before letting out a long sigh. He eyed Arash for a moment and then changed Mehru''s memories. She drifted off to a long sleep and forgot all about her little brother and found herself being spoiled by an elder brother. The image of a strict but loving brother slowly formed in her mind.


    Arash buried the infant in the same pit where he pulled out the little girl and held onto the unconscious girl.


    "What do you plan to do now?" Najwah said.


    Arash looked up to him, the answer still forming on the tip of his tongue, suddenly he noticed slight traces of white mists around Najwah''s body. "What''s this around your body?"


    Najwah tensed as he heard Arash, but seeing the white mist around him he immediately relaxed. "Ah! this is something which I release when I devour emotions."


    "What does it do?" Arash asked with curiosity as he reached his finger to touch the white mist.


    "No idea. I worried about it once, but I have gotten used to it for a long time..."


    Najwah''s words turned to a distant murmur as Arash touched the white mist. It felt cool to touch and a sense of relief washed over him. His soul strength surged a little but soon the white mist disappeared and everything turned to normal. He stood wide-eyed as countless possibilities flashed through his mind.


    "What happened?" Najwah asked.


    "You asked me to get stronger before?" Arash replied as a smile played on his face.


    "Yes, do you know how?"


    "Before, I answer that, how much can you feel of what I feel?" Arash asked.


    Najwah frowned at Arash, but deep inside he had a strong feeling of foreboding. "...pretty much everything."


    "Then you are really going to hate what I have in mind."

 Arash - Wont Let

    "Will she wake up soon?" Arsah asked as he shifted the little girl in his arms. He could feel her warmth, feel her tiny arms wrapped around him. Although he was the one carrying her, she was the one who was holding him together. He studied the little snake before him. ''Did he play with my emotions?'' He bitterly shook his head as the answer somehow frightened him.


    "I am still forming her memories, it is going to take a while. Why?" Najwah vacantly replied. Arash could feel how taxing this job was on the little snake, so he didn''t dare to ask any more questions. He sat on the ground with his legs crossed as he tried to focus on his soul. He formed four little runes with his will. Even though they looked and appeared to be the same as the ones before them, Arash knew they were different. He could tell by their unintelligible mutterings. Each one''s buzzing was distinct. Others might not be able to tell the difference, but being their masters, he could tell the difference. ''I could form a couple more...'' but he decided not to as he would need all his strength for what he was about to do.


    Arash studied the complex rune that floated in his sea of consciousness. He marveled at the exquisite lines and the way different nodes of the runes combined together to form a whole. He couldn''t help but shake his head as he compared his little light runes and the one before him. He studied the patterns of the nodes, and at first he didn''t understand anything. Stray thoughts were making it hard for him to concentrate. He pushed down the thoughts and locked away his emotions as he slipped into the state of perpetual detachment. Time slipped by as he intently stared at the rune in front of him. He selected a node at the center of the rune and decided to follow the patterns outwards.


    He focused on the central node and studied how it connected to every other node around him. At first, it appeared that everything was connected to the central rune, but as he followed the intricate lines connecting the different nodes. He noticed that the rune was made up of layered structures, each structure forming a base for another to stand upon. He managed to identify 1 unique structure at the base. He tried to replicate it with his will, but all he managed to achieve was a blurry diagram and severe headache. Even the runes he had previously created disappeared into thin air and his soul-strength was sucked dry.


    Without the soul-strength, the mysteries of the runes that had just opened up to him shut their doors and once again it''s profundities hid behind a veil that his gaze just couldn''t penetrate. He decided to give up on the rune and diverted his attention to the string that connected him to Mehru. He saw Mehru playing with a figure that looks just like him, countless scene of Mehru playing, sleeping and crying flashed before his eyes. All memories fabricated to replace his dead little brother. Arash noticed a giant memory globe floating in the center of Mehru''s sea of consciousness. All other globes were connected to it one way or another. Arash wafted towards the memory globe and stared at the scene playing on the white globe.


    A tiny face of an infant flashed on the surface of the giant globe. Arash could feel the overwhelming love Mehru had for her brother. Her excitement, her fear and the responsibility she felt weighed heavily on her tiny shoulder.


    Najwah appeared beside him, staring at the scene before him.


    "This is the most crucial memory, we have to replace it with a strong enough memory that can withstand her personality. It has to be a true memory." He looked at Arash, it has to be one of yours.


    Arash didn''t deign to respond as he immersed himself in the scene playing before him. After a while, he let out a heavy sigh as he turned towards the snake. "My brother is already dead, but she is still alive. Take what you must."


    Arash said morosely.


    Najwah gravely nodded as he dug into Arash''s memories. Arash could see countless memories of his little brother flash before his eyes. He even saw the first memory when he held onto his brother, tears slipped down his left cheek as he became overwhelmed with emotion... Slowly, Firuz faded away from his memory, leaving a blank space in his consciousness. Arash''s expression changed to one of bewilderment as he felt a hollowness in him. He could remember the loss of someone important, but he couldn''t remember who it was. ''What is it?'' He asked himself, but no matter how hard he tried to remember the face all he remembered was a dark emptiness.


    "Its done!" Najwah said grimly as he appeared in front of Arash. He studied the boy before him and couldn''t help but shake his head, countless thoughts crossed his mind but none appeared on his lips.


    Arash stared at the snake in puzzlement and suddenly remembered his decision of removing the memory of someone important. "Whose did you remove?"


    "Your brother, Firuz" The little snake replied.


    "Firuz..." Arash racked his brain, but he couldn''t remember who Firuz was. "Where is he?" He asked finally.


    "He is dead."


    "Dead, how did he die?" Arash asked as if talking about a stranger.


    "Arash it''s no use, no amount of questions will bring him back. It''s best if you leave him behind."


    Arash stared at him with a troubled expression, countless questions struggling on the tip of his tongue, but in the end, only one managed to come out. "Was I a good brother?" For the first time, a semblance of emotion appeared on his


    stoic face.


    "You were...you loved him very much" Najwah replied with a forced smile.


    "Oh!" Arash didn''t say another word after that and Najwah didn''t bother him.


    Arash carried the little girl to one of the houses that were still in habitable condition. Even though a family had already claimed it to be their new home, but under the urgings of the little black snake. Arash passed himself as a distant relative and managed to secure a place to stay. He was once again surprised by the mastery of the little snakes as he manipulated the memory of Adam''s family. Adam treated Arash like his own son while Amna stuffed him with food. Even the real children were baffled by the love that their new cousins received.


    Adam was a slender middle-aged man but underneath his cotton tunic. Arash could see corded muscle that hid tremendous power. Only strong managed to survive the hard life of a miner. The town of Harra was no place for a weakling,


    survival was dependent on physical and mental strength.


    "...Amna just looks at him. How strong has my nephew grown? He is barely 10..." Adam frowned for a moment. He was a shrewd man and judging by the physique that Arash possessed he was by no means 10 years old.


    Arash gave a sharp glare to the little snake and the 10-year-old nephew turned into a 13-year-old.


    "Haha... I must be getting old, forgetting the age of my own nephew." Adam said with a hollow laugh "I was really surprised by the sudden appearance of the giants. We were lucky that they appeared near the east and far away from us.


    I have seen that terrible thing frozen in the middle of that giant pit. Praise the blessed that they managed to stop them before they leveled the whole town. I heard there were two of them. Cursed things, one of them ran away as soon as it saw the might Blessed warriors." Adam took a strange pride as he described the story. His family held the same sentiments for the blessed as his four sons; Tamresh, Baled, Khalid, and Moaz religiously nodded in agreement. Amna was the only one who seemed forced in her actions.


    "Cousin you don''t seem to agree with father?" Tamresh said with a frown on his face. Since the beginning, he had been eyeing this new cousin of his.


    ''Can you make him shut up? I am in no mood to bicker with him.'' Arash asked the little snake in frustration.


    ''What''s the hurry? I think this is prime time for you to get used to handling my powers. He would be a perfect test subject. He is young, rash and has some sort of a grudge against you. Make him dance to your tune.'' Najwah said with a sinister smile on his face.


    Arash wanted to retort, but as he saw the curious gazes of everyone around him, Najwah offer didn''t seem to bad.


    "Cousin, why must you slander me with such words?" Arash said with a straight face but deep inside he was cursing at Najwah to tell him how to control the rune. The little snake seemed to have been enjoying Arash''s predicament.


    ''...concentrate on the rune, and imagine a string that connects you to the boy.'' Najwah finally said.


    Arash followed his instruction. He put his consciousness in the rune and concentrated on the Tamresh. Immediately the rune changed into a string that allowed Arash to peer into the youngster''s mind. Tamresh opened up to him like a book. He could feel his contempt and hatred for him. ''What right do you have to be praised by father. Only I am worthy enough...'' Arash couldn''t help but scoff at the reason for his hostility. Arash immediately knew that Tamresh wasn''t the right opponent. It was this new uncle of his that needed to be convinced. He immediately cast the rune on Adam.


    ''Tamresh is right, I ignored it at first, but now that I think about it. This boy didn''t show a single sign of agreeing with me...'' Arash dug deeper into his memories and within a moment he knew each and everything about the man before him. Arash couldn''t help but marvel that how easy it is to fool someone when you know each and every thought.


    "Uncle, I believe there are two types of people in the world. Those who praise the Blessed with their tongues and those that respect them in their hearts. A man can lie with his tongue, but no one can lie with his heart." Arash said. He could see the immediate elation on the face of his new uncle. He didn''t even need to see his face; Arash could hear his thoughts and he knew more than anyone how much these words rang true to the heart of the man before him. Arash turned towards Tamresh.


    "Cousin you say of these two men and I couldn''t agree more with your words. But the man who respects in his heart shows it on his face. But all I saw was contempt and hatred for their faces." Tamresh replied self-righteously.


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    Arash couldn''t help but sigh. ''And here I thought this family was made up of brutes. The father and the son are alike. They both noticed the momentary contempt that appeared on my face. I need to be careful of such things in the future.'' Arash turned towards snake for help. ''How do I change their memories.''


    ''The string connects you their souls, concentrate on it and bring out the memory you are looking for. Concentrate on it and change it to whatever you need. But, be careful humans are strange beings. You can stuff them with fake memories and they wouldn''t even blink, but there need to be no contradictions between what they hear and see and what emotion they attribute it too. If there is even a little discrepancy between their visual and emotional memory. You will reduce them into a state of confusion. Memory manipulation is a subtle art. You need to be meticulous''


    "Cousin, have you suddenly turned mute?'' Khalid asked.


    Arash couldn''t help but curse at this family. ''I should turn them all into a blithering fools.'' He clicked his tongue in frustration as he focused on altering the memories of everyone around him. He easily managed to pull out the memories, but he found it really hard to find the memory he needed.


    ''You are looking in the wrong place. new memories form at the edge of the consciousness.''


    Arash silently thanked the little snake for the pointer and finally managed to find the memory of when Adam was singing praises for the blessed. Arash couldn''t help but curse at himself as he saw himself through Tamresh''s memory. ''I might as well have been screaming "death to Blessed."'' Arash palmed his face and quickly changed his expression to one of devotion. Within few moments everyone''s face was covered with confusion as their train of thought was broken by the new memory. Arash didn''t need to say anything. It was Adam that spoke up for him.


    "What are you talking about? I clearly remember him listening to me intently." Adam said with his eyebrows furrowed in displeasure.


    Tamresh found himself tongue-tied as he wanted to reply. "I just... He was..." He struggled to explain his behavior.


    "Enough! Apologise to your cousin. I would not have any devout of the blessed humiliated in my house." Adam''s face turned red with anger.


    Tamresh shrank back in fear but did as he was told and sat quietly after that. Adam started a fervent discussion about the blessed and how they were akin to gods. Arash only had to say the man''s thought out loud and the Adam would jump in excitement as if he had found a kindred soul.


    Even though memory-manipulation was mentally taxing, Arash found a taste for it. Seeing the person before him dancing to his whims was highly addictive. The best part was the deep sense of kinship that he formed by talking with his new uncle. Adam had started to treat Arash with great respect and discussed topics with him that weren''t privy even to his family. In end, Arash was mentally drained, but not a single trace of exhaustion could be seen on Adam''s face.


    It appeared as if he would go on forever. Adam refused to let him rest and one way or another he would steer the conversation to the blessed and once again they would go down the rabbit hole. Arash looked helpless towards Najwah, who at first enjoyed his misery. But in the end, even the little snake felt vexed by Arash''s fervor. ''You can whisper in his consciousness, like the voice of his heart. But his is a bit tricky and it doesn''t always work. You need to be discreet any contradictory whispers would only cause confusion. They only work when you are subtle and discreet and the key is persistence. Your kind is strange that way. If they hear something enough times. They believe it to be true and act on it.''


    Arash asked about how to use whispers and after failed attempts, for whole 2 hours, he managed to convince the old man to sleep. Tamresh was forced to sleep on Khalid''s bed, he wanted to protest but after hearing the endless discussions between his father and the cursed new cousin of his, he left his bed without a single word.


    Arash carefully picked up Mehru and placed her on his bed, while he himself slept on the floor. Adam wanted to protest, but under the glare from Amna, he swallowed his words and silently snuggled up beside his wife. Amna gave a cursory glance at the new nephew of her husband. But seeing him sleeping on the ground while his sister slept on the bed, her heart softened. She turned back toward her husband and found himself madly grinning. She nearly screamed out loud and gave a sharp blow to wake Adam out of his reverie. "Why are you grinning like this for?"


    "What are you doing woman?" Adam groaned in pain as he massaged his abdomen. "It''s been so long since, I have a really good discussion with someone who understands me. I have been searching a man like this, while all along my sister had been hiding a great man like him."


    A strange glint flashed across Amna''s eyes, but suddenly confusion appeared on her face. "Sleep, you have to go mining tomorrow."


    Adam grumbled for a while as he turned away from his wife and once again started grinning like a fool. Choosing a next great topic for him to discuss with his intelligent nephew.


    Arash was out cold as soon as he hit the ground. Najwah slipped into Arash''s soul space and started devouring all the memories he had harvested. All night, he released small amounts of white mist that nourished Arash''s soul.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Arash groggily woke up, his whole body ached due to sleeping on a hard floor, he shifted to his side to massage the cramps out of his body, but as he turned he felt something soft at his side. A small girl clung to his broad chest. Tenderness flashed across his face as he gently played with the Mehru''s hair. He placed her back on the bed and found the family of his uncle still sleeping. Only Amna was awoken at this hour and by the sweet aroma in the air, he could tell she was preparing breakfast. The aroma had roused Arash''s hunger, he gingerly crossed the room and found Amna sitting in the corner, her forehead was slick with beads of sweat as she shifted what appeared to be a bread in the pan before her.


    Even though Arash tried not to make a sound, Amna still spotted him as soon as she saw him. A momentary surprise flashed across her face, but soon a knowing smile flashed on her face as she nodded Arash to come sit beside her. Arash didn''t stand on the reservation as he sat beside her. He stared at the woman beside him, squinting at the loaf of bread, shifting it over; and when she wasn''t tending the loaf, she busied herself with kneading the dough at her side. Arash mutely observed the ritual of kneading and shifting of the bread. The silence between them was filled with the soft crackles at the fire stove. She didn''t say anything and he patiently observed her actions. Even though he had strong urge to cast the spell on her and pry open her secrets that she hid beneath the mundane tasks she performed.  But a part of him wanted to experience this moment as a human, the rune made him akin to a god. There were no secrets from him and nothing could be hidden from him. As enchanting and enthralling as that feeling was it took the humanity out of his interaction.


    "Never seen a man wake up at this hour." She finally said as she the bread before her had been baked to her liking, she gingerly slipped the bread loaf into a small bronze plate and handed it over to Arash. "Usually they don''t require more than a soft kick to wake them up." Amna smiled fondly as she handed him the plate.


    Arash felt a strange emotion bubble up in his heart, his minds weaved together countless lies that would be plausible under any kind of scrutiny. But there was something in her honest smile that made him feel like a fraud. He silently tore off a smiling piece of bread. "I make my own breakfast." Arash softly said, even though he sounded weak and feeble, he chose to speak the truth. He sneaked a glance at the mother before him and as expected he found her puzzled.


    "What''s your mother doing?" She asked.


    Arash knew the answer, he felt a hatred for him and once again the gap in his memory made him confused. He looked up and weakly smiled. A lie formed on the tip of his tongue and slipped right off it without even a second thought. "She has been unwell ever since my sister was born. It was too much for her to take of her. So, I raised Mehru in her place."


    Amna pursed her lips as she nodded her head. "It must have been hard on you. Taking mother''s place and all."


    "I managed and Mehru is a sweet girl. She doesn''t cause trouble and I like to take care of her." Arash said with a weak smile as he fed her lies and wolfed down her kindness. The bread was sweet and soft. The warmth of the stone still stung at his tongue, but it brought out a strange new flavor to it. He found himself with a sudden urge to share it with someone... Someone he couldn''t remember, so he decided to save a share for the little girl.


    "And what do you suppose you are doing? Is my bread not up to your tastes! Huh!" Amna commanded in a strict yet affectionate tone that only a mother could afford.


    "No... This is the best bread I have ever eaten." Seeing a smile bloom on Amna''s face lightened his heart for some reason. "I was saving it for my sister. She hadn''t eaten anything ever since the giants--"


    "No need to save anything. Do you think your auntie is poor and can''t afford to feed a little girl."  She stuffed the bread in his mouth. "Eat up and I don''t want to hear another word from you."


    Arash obediently chewed on the bread as his heart softened. Tears slipped down his cheeks, as he imagined his own mother sitting in Amna''s place and his brother who he couldn''t remember sat beside him. Laughing at eating, but no matter how he tried he just couldn''t put his mother in Amna''s place. He wiped his tears as he turned back, staring at the back of the little girl on the bed. "You are my family from now on and I won''t let anyone take you away from me."

 Arash - Scared

    Amna didn''t let Arash leave until his belly was about to explode. Even though he felt a sweetness in his heart, being over-stuffed kind of ruined the taste of bread for him. Soon, the men of the family woke up and they surrounded Amna like hungry wolves. Arash was surprised by the speed at which Adam and his sons devoured the bread; but what left him awestruck was how Amna handled these hungry savages. Soon, everyone ate as much bread as Arash ate in a whole month. They washed it down with cold water.


    Being the favorite nephew, Arash was treated to Adam''s special wine. Arash held the bronze cup in his hand as he swirled the black wine in his cup. He could tell by the envious gazes of his cousin, that his wine was a rare honor bestowed by his uncle.


    "What are you waiting for? The air will spoil the wine. Drink up." Adam eagerly urged as his eyes shone with a strange light. He held the wine bottle to his heart as if it was some treasure. Intrigued by the behavior by his family.


    Arash decided to take a sip. As soon as the wine touched his palette, he knew he had made a terrible mistake. He immediately cast the rune on his uncle and made it seem like he had emptied the cup.


    "How was it?" Adam expectantly asked.


    "What..." As soon as Khalid opened his mouth. Arash knew his mistake, but the little snake was quicker than him as he made the illusion same for the whole family.


    "Best thing I have ever tasted." Arash coughed out loud as he spat out the wine, but to his uncle, he was religiously holding on to the cup as if it was the best thing in the world. His tongue still burned with the ash like the taste of the wine no matter how hard he rubbed his tongue. "How can he drink something like that? Arash hoarsely said, but his words were privy to no one. All everyone else heard was how good was the wine and endless praises that Adam wanted to hear.


    "Cousin, are you coming with us?" Tamresh said his voice containing a challenge. He proudly raised his pick in some practice strikes. It was a monstrous thing, that pickax of his, decorated with countless strengthening spells. Arash looked around and found each brother holding onto a similar pickax. The one that Adam was carrying was even bigger in mass. He only needed to look to see how heavy that ax was, but his uncle was wielding it as if it was nothing. Arash had little confidence picking up Tamresh''s pickax, but seeing the monstrosity wielded by his uncle. He doubted that he could even budge it.


    "I am afraid, I can''t--"


    "You are a man aren''t you? Come on, let us admire your strength. We brothers would like to see your vigor." Khalid added to the challenge as he wielded his pickax.


    "Stop making trouble for your cousin. Is this how you treat your guests?" Adam said with a frown. He knew that his sons have been gifted with innate strength like him and even though his nephew overshadowed his sons in physique,  strength and mass did not always go hand in hand. He knew that better than anyone.


    "Father, I didn''t mean it like that. I only--"


    "Shut up! Not a word from you. I know what you mean. Go, take your brothers with you." Adam commanded his son. None dared to say a word as they snuck out of the house. Adam turned towards Arash as he wore a troubled expression. "Don''t take your cousin''s words seriously. They meant no harm from it."


    "Uncle, I know what they said was in good intention. You don''t have to worry about it. I was just surprised that''s all." Arash said with a quick smile on his face.


    "Still, no one has a right to taunt a man for what he lacks. I will see to it that they learn that lesson quick." Adam turned back as he glanced at his wife. "Look after your aunt will you?"


    "Hey old man, go worry about yourself" Amna appeared out of the kitchen. Arash could see the weariness on her face. She kicked at her husband. "What are you still doing here. If so much as a scratch appeared on my sons. I will skin you alive."


    "I know! I know!" Adam left the house and his words trailed behind him.


    "...and you!" Amna turned towards Arash. "Don''t let anyone ride you around. You have got such a big body, but you let my son talk to you like that?" Amna shook her head in disapproval. "You live with us, and no cowards live under this roof. Got it?" Amna fiercely glared at Arash as she paused for an answer.


    "I un--"


    "Then why are you still here. Go after your uncle and bring back the biggest haul that they have ever seen." Amna cut Arash before he could speak and disappeared into the room to their left and returned with a giant pickax. It was even bigger than the one Adam was carrying. Arash was surprised how such small women could pick something so big. "I saw you didn''t have any pickax and seeing your size this one seems to fit you. It belonged to my father. Not even that old man can lift it. Take it and don''t you dare dishonor it..."


    ''Strange...'' Najwah appeared on Arash''s shoulder as he studied the fierce little woman before him.


    ''What happened?'' Arash talked to the little snake through their mental link as he pretended to listen to Amna.


    ''Why don''t you see for yourself?'' Najwah replied.


    Arash entered Amna''s sea-of-consciousness as he looked for something strange. After searching all he could find was the inner dialogue of Amna''s mind. Which was a much less filtered version of what she was actually seeing. ''You are looking with the wrong thing. See with your soul.''


    ''Soul?'' Arash frowned but did as he was told. He expanded his soul to his right eye-socket. Suddenly the scene around him shifted. The profound patterns of nature appeared in everything he could see. Arash mouth opened in shock as he says, four tiny little runes on Amna''s right arm. ''How is this possible? How is she doing it?'' Arash asked the little snake.


    ''I don''t know. I have checked her memories, she must be doing this unconsciously.'' Najwah replied.


    ''It that even possible? I have been training to form runes for almost 3 years and she can do it unconsciously?'' Arash asked in shock. But the little snake only shrugged in reply. Arash shook his head as he tried to study the little runes on her body. Each rune was made up of almost 7 nodes. Even though the rune was made up of a seven-node, the way those seven nodes were connected was quite unique. Each node was embedded on Amna''s skin as yellow light pulsed around her skin.


    "What are you standing like mute for? Pick this up." She shoved the giant pick ax towards Arash. He unconsciously grabbed the wooden handle of the pickax, the first thing he noticed was the weight, his muscles cracked under the weight of the wood as his face turned red with exertion. The color drained from his face when he noticed the weight of the iron head was mostly supported by the ground.


    ''She wants me to carry it?'' Arash bitterly shook his head.


    "What are you doing? Pick it up!" Amna scolded as she stood with her hands on her hips.


    "It''s too heavy!" Arash faces burned with embarrassment.


    "Nonsense! If I can pick it up, so can you. Now no more excuses. You are 13 years old. A whole year older than my boys." Seeing Arash slowly lowering the pick ax, she whacked him on the back of his head. "What do you think you are doing? I won''t see this ax hitting the ground..." Seeing Arash trembling, she shook her head in disappointment. "You are too weak! How did you get so big and not able to lift this?" She sighed. "This is your first day so you don''t have to carry it, but don''t you dare leave it on the ground." She shook her fist in warning.


    Arash didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at the absurd demands of the woman before him. He was even tempted to tamper with her memories... He cast the rune on her, but as he dug into her sea of consciousness. He heard her inner dialogues. "Am I being to hard on him? He isn''t like my sons, he doesn''t have the blood in him. But those unruly brats are going to make it hard for him. No, this is necessary. He might resent me, but its for his own good..." Arash felt a bucket of cold water wash over him. He couldn''t help but wonder, how a person''s thoughts and actions could be so different. Even though his muscles still screamed under the weight of the pickax, but instead of running away from ordeal, he decided to overcome it.


    "...Keep this up until the boys come back. I want them to see you holding on to this when they come back." Amna ordered one last time, threatening with her iron fist while praying for him in her heart. She disappeared back into the kitchen to make her sweet tasting bread. "...You need to eat more of this and you will be able to pick this up in no time."


    ''Why are you still holding on to it?'' Najwah couldn''t help but ask as Amna left the room. Arash flashed a weary smile as he slowly put down the pickax.


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    ''Have you seen that rune before?'' Arash massaged his fingers, trying to ease the pain in his joints.


    ''No idea. Funny thing is she doesn''t know it either. She is doing it unconsciously.'' Najwah said with a slight smile on his face. He brought out the memory of strength rune and shoved it towards his master. Seeing Arash''s surprised expression he couldn''t help but smile. ''Oh come on! You should know it by now that I know what you are thinking.''


    ''Knowing it doesn''t mean I accept it. I have no choice in the matter.'' Arash said with an exasperated sigh. ''You know what I am thinking, so why don''t you keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn''t see anything doesn''t need seeing.''


    Arash adjusted his mental state and studied the strength rune before him. He couldn''t help but compare it with the soul rune. The soul-rune had more nodes in it and was more complex than strength rune. But somehow he found it hard to create a strength rune. "Was, it because the soul-rune was one of Najwah''s memories? He knew how to form it and so I knew how to form it." Arash''s conjecture proved to be true after countless failures of forming the strength rune.


    Arash reviewed the memory of soul-rune. He carefully studied it instead of just mindlessly following it. "What if I change the order of the energy nodes?" Arash manipulated the energy nodes in his memory, but this time he reversed the ordering of the runes. He formed the 9th node first and then moved to the eighth node. As expected, the difficulty of forming the soul-rune increased by a thousand times. He could feel the resistance of the energy nodes increase if they were connected in a different order and the rune would be overall unstable.


    Arash focused on the complex rune in his sea of consciousness. Even though he had seen the rune before, it still filled him with awe. ''Do the runes gain sentience when they reach this level?'' Arash couldn''t help but wonder as he thought about the little snake. In the meantime, time Amna came out of the kitchen and found Arash grunting as he used all his might not to let the pickax touch the ground. She nodded her head in approval as she watched him struggle for a while.


    Arash couldn''t help but smile, he saw the little snake weaving a face-flushed grunting version of himself for Amna while he comfortably sat on the ground. He once again focused on forming the strength rune, this time instead of forcing the nodes to come together he chose a path of least resistance between the two nodes. He performed countless iteration in his mind, calculating the best path for two nodes to connect based on the little snake''s memory. Even though Najwah''s memories proved to be a great source of information, they were practically useless when it came to forming the strength rune. It didn''t take long for Arash to recognize that each rune was unique in its structure and the way that it came together. Similar runes could be extrapolated from one another, but Najwah''s runes were about the soul, while the strength rune was of a different category.


    With the passage of time, he found it harder and harder to concentrate, as a failure upon failure resulted in frustration in his heart. Just as he was about to give up, he felt a strange sense of emptiness; the kind of emptiness that came from lack of emotions. Along with the silence, he got a small amount of soul-nourishing white mist. ''He can be handy sometimes.''


    ''Sometimes?'' Najwah couldn''t help but scoff as he appeared beside him in his soul space.


    ''Do you understand anything?'' Arash asked in exasperation.


    ''I... No! Mother''s rules. This rune is all but a yellow fog to me. Easy to spot, impossible to understand.''


    ''Why?'' Arash asked in confusion.


    ''My existence originates from this rune.'' Najwah pointed to his rune. ''It follows a certain set of rules. Imagine, I add this body strengthening rune to this. There would be a conflict in the rules and the stronger one, in pursuit of stability, would destroy the weaker one. We can''t coexist; that''s the nature of our existence.'' Najwah disappeared and reappeared in front of Arash. ''But you, you are born with nothing and yet have the ability to have everything.''


    ''Everything?'' Arash scoffed and pointed at the rune before him. ''I have been at it for about an hour and all I have gotten is a headache.''


    ''An hour is nothing compared to nothing the time that I have spent... But, it''s up to you  if you want to study it or not. You have access to all my knowledge and if you are lucky you might be able to harvest memories from someone who actually knows how to form a rune.''


    ''Luck has never been my strong suit. I would very much like to take my chances with this rather than waiting for a miracle.''


    Arash once again started his experiments as the cycle of failure upon failure thwarted his progress. Soon the men were back at first they were surprised, but no one said anything as they left Arash forcing himself to pick up the ax. It was only during dinner when Arash chose to rest. Although each and every member of the family secretly applauded his determination, the brothers couldn''t help but be gleeful at his inability to lift the ax. Arash excused himself after eating dinner and checked up on Mehru. ''She hasn''t woken up yet.'' Arash asked as his face was heavy with apprehension.


    ''Give it time and she will be fine...'' Najwah was once again upto his habit of weaving lies, but feeling Arash peeking at him through their mental link he shut his mouth and forced a smile on his face.


    Arash carrased the soft skin of the unconscious girl and once again left to meditate on the rune. Hours turned to days, while days turned to weeks. Arash persisted in his pursuit. Even Amna was touched by his perseverance. Adam was disappointed about losing his active debate on the blessed, but after constant glares for his wife and the determined look on his nephew''s face, he chose to keep quiet about it. However, this didn''t stop him from shoving the wine down''s Arash throat.


    Najwah proved his worth as every time the wine mysteriously disappeared and a slightly tipsy Arash praised his uncle''s wine brewing skill. Although the much-dreaded wine was handled by the little snake, Arash was more than happy to shove down the bread.


    Whenever he looked at Mehru, his heart bled as the little girl had shrunk to bare bones, even though he fed her sweetened milk, but it was not enough to sustain the little girl.  Amna had long since started to treat the little girl as her daughter and looking at the wasting figure of the little girl often made her cry.


    ''Why isn''t she waking up? The first day she woke up. I know it. She was sleeping on the bed and when I woke up she was with me on the floor. Why isn''t she waking up now?'' Arash choked on his words. Najwah helpless looked up to him as he bitterly shook his head.


    Arash glowered at the little snake and entered Mehru''s sea of consciousness. He looked at the small vague silhouette of Mehru, floating in a sea of darkness. Her soul slowly faded with each passing moment. He tried to nourish the soul with the mysterious white mist realized by Najwah. It slowed down the wasting of her soul, but no matter how hard he tried, she didn''t respond. He roared in frustration as he saw the little girl slowly drift away.


    ''Why is this happening?'' Arash helplessly turned towards the little snake beside him. Fear gripped his heart as he thought that this little girl would turn into the same emptiness that once was his brother. ''I told you... reconstructing a memory is dangerous. She has shut herself away, she is trapped in the memories that we weaved for her.''


    ''Trapped... there must be a way to get out.'' Arash pleaded.


    ''Arash... she has to come out on her own. We can''t do anything. In the end, she has to decide to live or to die.''


    Arash wanted to say something, but the words refused to convey his feelings. He could almost see that little girl, holding on to her little brother, refusing to let him go. He could remember the fear in her eyes and the way her body trembled when he hugged her. Her tiny little hands wrapped around him.


    ''Hey Mehru, I am here for you. I will protect you... You don''t have to scared anymore. I won''t let anyone harm you. I will protect you...'' He called to her for hours, swearing to protect her, to love her and take care of her. But all his pleadings, all his promises fell on empty ears. Helplessness washed over him as it became hard for him to look at her wasting figure. He closed his eyes as tears of sorrow dripped down his cheeks. ''Mehru... your brother is scared. I... I don''t know what to do. Please don''t leave me... please don''t. I don''t want to be alone. I don''t.'' Arash choked on his words¡­

 Arash - You Little Fool

    Suddenly he felt something move against his chest. He looked down and found tiny little arms holding him tightly. She held on to him, tightly like she done to her little brother. His eyes were met with a determined gaze; he could feel the strength in those fierce little eyes as they screamed at him. ''I will protect you!''


    Arash held on to her like his life depended on it as he bitterly shook his head. "You little fool, I am the one who is supposed to protect you."


    Relief washed over Arash as he felt the frail little girl pressing against his chest. Arash finally noticed all the eyes staring at him. His uncle and his cousin were at a loss for words, they didn''t know how to act or behave around a little girl.


    "She woke up!" Moaz shook in excitement as almost choked Baled to death. Khalid was grinning cheek to cheek and even the usually grumpy Tamresh had a slight smile on his face.


    "Haha... Come here little one. come to your uncle." Adam finally couldn''t hold back his happiness. He was overcome with a strange fatherly instinct. Mehru noticed the strangers around him for the first time, her grip tightened around Arash as she buried her head in his chest.


    "What''s wrong?" Adam asked with a disappointed face, he was looking forward to holding on to the little angel that had appeared before him.


    "Dad, you are scaring her with your ugly face." Moaz teased as he laughed out loud.


    "Wha... Come here you little shit." Adam lunged towards his youngest son like the devil himself. Moaz immediately paled as saw the outburst of his father and ran away from him, screaming for help.


    "I was joking... Ah!" A sharp slap to the back of his head sent him flying out the room. Mehru was sneakily looking at the father and son and couldn''t help but giggle as he saw Moaz flying out the room.


    "You like that..." Adam turned towards her in surprise as a mischievous smile played on his lips. He looked at his sons with a predatory gaze. "I am ugly. Huh!"


    "No!" Khalid ran away screaming. Tamresh disappeared as soon as he heard the little girl laugh. He knew the temperament of his father and his instincts were telling him to run.


    "Father you are the most handsome man." Khalid tried his hand at flattery. While Baled was busy laughing at the misfortune of his brother.


    "Thud! Thud! Thud!" Adam rained down his fists on his sons, motivated by soft giggles of the little girl. Seeing that there was no use arguing against their father. The boys joined forces to face their father. But their plan failed under the brute strength of their father. Only Tamresh managed to escape scot-free, while the other three sullenly bore the beating of their father.


    Amna chose to ignore her husband and brought out freshly baked sweet cakes. "Look how thin she is." Amna deeply sighed. "Come here little one, come eat these delicious cakes." She softly called out to Mehru.


    Mehru warily looked at the strange women beside her. Sweet smell assaulted her nostrils and went straight to her empty stomach. Arash could feel her hunger through their mental bond, but underneath her hunger, he felt her fear towards Amna.


    "It''s okay, eat it." Arash broke a small piece from the sweet cake and brought it close her. She looked up at him with her fierce little eyes. "Come on, eat it. It''s fine." Arash said with a sweet smile. Mehru took the small morsel from Arash and slowly chewed on it. It felt dry in her mouth, but the hunger was driving her mad, So she forcefully chewed on it.


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    Arash tried to get water, but as soon as he tried to move. Mehru stopped eating and clung to him like a second skin. "I am not going anywhere." Arash ran his fingers through her black hairs. He knew it calmed her. "Her mouth is dry..." Arash looked towards Amna and before he completed his words she disappeared into the kitchen and came back with watered down honey. This time Mehru needed no coaxing as she leaped towards the cup of honeyed water and chugged it down. She looked up to Arash as she said in a barely perceptible voice. "More"


    "You need more." Amna bloomed with a beautiful smile as she brought a whole jug of honeyed water. "Drink as much as you like..." She looked up to Arash with a troubled expression as she struggled to remember the little girl''s name.


    "Mehru" Arash helped.


    "Yes! Sweet little Mehru drink and eat as much as you like," Amna said with an affection that only a mother could afford. "You are so skinny, but don''t worry. Aunty is going to make you healthy and strong."


    Mehru warily looked around as a middle-aged man and three swollen boys stared at her with great interest.


    "Don''t you fools have any sense! You are scaring her. Out! Now! The lot of ya!" Amna drove the men away, only Arash was allowed to stay in the room. Mehru finally took the initiative to eat as she wolfed down the sweet cakes. Amna smiled at the little girl the whole time, breaking the cake into little pieces to make them easier to eat. Mehru fell asleep as soon as her stomach was full. Arah affectionately stroke her hair as she slept in her embrace.


    "Such a sweet little thing." Amna finally said as she softly touched Mehru''s cheek. "An angel. Nothing like those little devils." Amna shot a glare at the pairs of eyes that were peeking from the other room. Her message was clear. ''Come here and you will have hell to pay.'' Adam and his son shivered under the cold stare, but they refused to miss the scene of Mehru sleeping.


    Amna once again dawned the mask of a mother as she turned to Mehru. "I never had a daughter," Amna said softly, afraid to wake up the little girl. "I had always wanted one..." She looked up at Arash with a mysterious smile. "I love my sons, I do more than anything else in the world. But..." a flash of sadness flashed across her face. It was momentary but Arash saw it nonetheless. Arsah could feel the struggle within her heart and he didn''t need the help of the rune to know what it was. Her longing gaze at her little sister was enough to let him know what she wanted. "I..." Amna found it hard to say, the words weighed heavy on her consciousness.


    "Mehru can be your daughter if you want," Arash said with a slight smile on his face, but his words true and from his heart.


    "Really... That would be great." Amna nervously started to clean the plates as her hands trembled with excitement. "Good! Good!" She repeatedly said as she rubbed her hands against her clothes. She looked up to Arash with gratitude as he tenderly cupped his face. "Gods must really exist. They have given me a son and a daughter today!"


    Arash stared at the sister in his lap and the mother in front of him. His heart welled up with emotions he never even knew existed before. He thought back to the time where he had felt like this, but all that greeted him was a dark past, a faceless brother, and a mother that was never there. He looked up to Amna as thousands of words struggled at the tip of his tongue, but all he managed to say was. "...there must be."

 Arash - Reason

    In the house which once reeked of unruly boys, a flower bloomed inside it in the shape of Mehru. She was shy at first, but under the infinite love of Amna and her tireless efforts to bring her back to health, Mehru came out of her shell. She would laugh and giggle and play around with the boys. She was treated like a treasure in the small house, but she was also a source of trouble for Arash. At first, the boys were jealous of the attention he got from their father, but now they were angry at the love he received from Mehru.


    Once even, the four decided to beat him up, but with the little help from Najwah, Tamresh became Arash and suffered at the hands of his brothers. These fights became a routine in the household. Sometimes even Adam would join in for the fun. Mehru would cheer from the side, urging them to fight on. Her giggles were like music to the boys and they would exaggerate their actions to make her laugh even more.


    Arash couldn''t but smile as he saw how much his sister loved to see them fight, but in moments like these, he felt terribly afraid. His smile curdled as he remembered how he lost his eye and the terrible hole inside of him, the faceless brother of his long lost and forgotten. Even though he couldn''t remember anything about him, every once in a while, he couldn''t help but wonder what would happen if one day someone would take away Mehru. Arash clenched his teeth as determination shone in his eyes. "I need to become strong. Stronger than anyone!"


    He took a long breath as he closed his eyes and slipped into a perpetual state of detachment. With time he had become proficient in the manipulation of Najwah''s rune. He dived into his sea of memories, each memory globe connected on another by an invisible thread. They floated in the sea of eternal darkness like the stars in the sky. Looking at them, he could see some of the missing links in the memory chain. He couldn''t help but think about his brother and what he looked like. Najwah refused to talk about him while Arash couldn''t remember anything.


    He focused on the memory of strength rune and once again performed countless iterations to figure out the correct sequence to form the rune. He focused with all his soul-strength on a single node of the ever-present green mist around him, Instead of forcing two nodes to connect with each other. He formed a small sphere of will around the node. He strained all his senses to feel the repulsive forces of the green node.


    At first, he felt the shape of the sphere, felt tiny little vibrations of the green node as it fought to once again became the part of the rolling green mist. "No, I need to know more about it." Arash squeeze out every single bit of his will and used it feel the green node. Suddenly, he could feel the invisible field around the green little node. The field moved at an incredible speed. "No...It''s not the field that''s moving it''s the node... But it''s" Arash concentrated his will around the node, trying to slow down the spinning. At first, he felt a strain on his consciousness, but he persevered and forcibly tried to stop the node''s rotation. But no matter how hard he tried, the node wouldn''t stop moving. He strained his consciousness to the limit as black veins popped on his forehead... "Argh!!!" He howled in pain as his will was shredded by the spinning of the node. His head throbbed with a biting pain as he reeled back from the shock. It took awhile for the pain to subside. Even though his experiment ended in failure, he managed to gain an insight. Just before his will was ripped apart, he glimpsed at the true nature of node''s protective field, but, it was vague and unclear. "I need to see it more clearly. But..." He was afraid of the pain, his determination wavered under the thought of going through the pain again. He opened his eyes, and a small doll-like girl appeared before him. His heart softened at the sight of her and just like that, he pushed back the fears as he once again slipped into the state of perpetual detachment.


    Arash focused on a single energy node and pulled it out from the sea of rolling green mist. It buzzed with a strange rhythm. "I could try all different sequences...No! It will take too much time and there is no guarantee that it will work even after that."


    Arash engulfed the green energy node with his will and tried to slow the rotating speed to minimum level without destroying his will. He slowly throttled the rotation speed of the energy. At first, the node was spinning so fast that it appeared as if with was stationary. Within a few moments, Arash managed to slow it down to a level that he could barely make out a soft blur. Still, the node was spinning too fast to be of any help. "I need to... Argh!" Once again his will shattered under the spinning of the soul. This time, the recoil was more painful than before. He couldn''t even think straight for a few hours as he regained his senses. He found a little black snake writhing in pain.


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    "You fucking retard, you ignorant twit. What the fuck are you doing?" Najwah rained down on him in anger.


    Arash blankly stared at him as finally, the incoherent noises turned to tangible words. He noticed tiny silver dust floating around in his sea of consciousness. Arash called out to the silver dust and it conjoined together to form a dense silver cloud. "It got smaller." Arash studied the manifestation of his will. At first, it was the size of a fully grown human head, but now it shrunk to the size of a child''s fist, but it had more substance to it.


    "I was trying to form the strength rune." Arash finally answered.


    "Great fucking job you have done!" Najwah scoffed at Arash as his eye shot daggers at Arash. Being a rune, he didn''t know the concept of pain. He had countless memories of peoples'' suffering, but the sharp biting pain that came from the shredding of one''s will shook him to his core. "Stop this damned thing. Immediately! Let me make some of that white mist for you and make your soul stronger. Nice and easy. What do you say?" The little snake said with a ingratiating expression.


    "It''s too slow. I need to get strong fast." He ignored the pleading of the snake as he once again started studying an energy node with his strengthened will.


    "No! please don''t do that." Najwah screamed in horror, but before he could say anything else, the pain once again came. His form distorted as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. The cycle of pleading repeated again and again.


    "You are doing it all wrong!" Najwah let out a painful scream, his body still twitching in pain. Arash wasn''t better of himself, his will had reduced to the size of a soya bean. But instead of a mist, it appeared more like liquid


    silver.


    "What do you mean?" Arash asked weakly even though his eyes shone brightly, but he was mentally and physically exhausted.


    "You want to stop the essence of the mother. How stupid can you be? She is a god. No matter how much you try, you will never be able to succeed." Najwah said with a mixture of scorn and misery.


    "There has to be a way." Arash said stubbornly.


    "There is... I have been following it for millions of years--"


    "Your way is flawed. It is dependent on chance."


    "Chance is much better than this stupidity. Know your limits... Damn you, dragging me down on your fool''s errand. Dammit." Najwah miserably said as tears shone in his eyes. "You have been looking at it the wrong way. It''s not the sequence. It''s the speed at which they collide with each other." Najwah brought out the memory of the soul-bond rune. "Look at this carefully."


    Arash intently stared at the scene before him. Nine energy nodes floated in front of him. Each of nodes collided with each other a certain sequence. Najah shook his head as he read Arash''s thought. The scene before him replayed again and again as Arash finally noticed the angle and the speed at which the two nodes combined with each other. His eyes opened wide in realization, but soon disappointment flashed on his face as he saw the rune disintegrate.


    Najwah sighed with exasperation. "This technique of mine doesn''t always work. But it works and it has worked for me."


    "But the field--" Arash wanted to protest.


    "Damn the cursed field. What is the point of something when you can''t even see it? You talk about being slow. The chances of you stopping the field are one in a trillion and that''s if you don''t drive yourself insane first. Learn from my memories. They work at least."


    Arash sat silently as he contemplated on his recent experience. Countless images of two nodes connection together flashed before his eyes. He dived into each every memory of Najwah''s failure. "It works like this, but when I attack it diagonally it doesn''t work... But the way these two join together are different and they rotate differently." Arash studied each and every rune Najwah had ever formed. He learned the different rotations of each node. The more complex the rune got the slower it rotated. He studied the structure of each and every bond formed between the two nodes.


    Najwah frowned at the human before him, he grumbled something under his breath but was glad that the soul-shaking pain had finally ended. Arash almost studied the collisions between the runes for a whole year. He would only take a break to eat and sometimes to play with Mehru. Najwah took care the rest of it.


    Even though Arash gained insight from Najwah''s experience, he still clung to his own theory and each day the snake and the man would argue with each other. Soon, Najwah realized the futility of arguing with his master and made peace with the pain.

 Arash - Strength Rune

    In a blink of an eye, three years passed. Arash studied a great mass of floating silver river in front of him. Ever since being bonding with Arash, Najwah gained an access to a limitless supply of emotions. He would sneak away at night and devour memories to his heart''s desire.


    Arash felt troubled at the insatiable desire of the little snake, but the benefits of the white mist greatly outweighed the troubles of his conscience. He meditated like a madman, slowly tempering his will. Even though he managed to cultivate a strong will, Najwah''s word proved to be true; no matter how hard he tried he couldn''t slow down the rotation of the node. Whenever he thought he was making progress, the rotation of the node would immediately change and he would have to start all over again.


    "They never stop. All I ever managed to do was get them to spin opposite." Arash frowned as he stared at the two oppositely spinning nodes in front of him. Suddenly he was struck with an urge to slam them together. The two constrained energy nodes darted towards each other and as soon as their protective fields touched each other they let out loud screech sound and for a split second, the reverse spin counteracted and the fields of the two nodes conjoined together to form a simple bond.


    "Wha..." Arash dumbly stared at two nodes joined together. He smiled bitterly as he tiredly rubbed his eyes. "That was it... reverse spin and slam them together. This was it?" Arash frowned in disbelief. He once again slammed two nodes with opposite spin but this time instead of slamming them together he gently placed them against each other. The two fields fiercely attacked each other, but the two nodes failed to form a bond. "So, they need to have a certain speed for it to work. Are the angles necessary?"


    Countless experiments were performed using different speeds, angles, and different rotation direction. "Speed and rotation speed play an important factor in the formation of a bond, but the angles are surprisingly useless. It isn''t how they collide it''s the difference in their rotation speeds that help in the formation of a bond." He said with a sudden smile as he stared at the countless dual bonded nodes floating in front of him. He focused in his sea of consciousness and brought out the memory of strength rune. Arash split his will into seven different parts. Each part responsible for adjusting the spinning direction of the energy node.


    Even though Arash was confident on his insight and had performed countless experiments before forming a simple strength rune, his heart still nervously drummed in his chest. Arash steeled his nerves and stilled his heart. Suddenly the seven nodes danced to a strange motion. Each and every node collided together at the same time. A rasping cacophony of loud screeches assaulted his consciousness as the different energy nodes started to form a bond. But this time


    Arash noticed a strange phenomenon. His will was absorbed by the new bonds as they formed and made the bonds stable.


    With a loud bang, a pulsing yellow rune floated in front of him. Arash felt a strong connection between him and the rune. He could felt it''s consciousness as it opened its eyes to the new world. The strengthening rune sang to a low melody as it raced through his soul.


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    "h..i....m....st" The rune struggled to form words, but Arash could feel its emotions and somehow knew what it was trying to say. Arash lightly smiled as he saw the strengthening rune dancing around him. Suddenly the rune let out a loud shriek as it tried to hide behind Arash.


    "What happened little guy?" Arash asked the little guy, but the strengthening rune nervously shuddered and refused to let out a single sound.


    "It is afraid of me." Najwah appeared in front of Arash. He curiously stared at the little rune. "It''s natural our kind can''t come in contact with another. We destroy each other. It''s only following its instincts" The little snake looked up to Arash in surprise. "I was waiting for you to realize the futility of your approach... But, I underestimated you. However you don''t seem happy." Najwah frowned at Arash.


    Arash smacked his lips together as he thought of the giants and the blessed who took his right eye. He involuntarily looked at the little yellow rune as a pained expression flashed across his face. "Not enough."


    "It took me nearly 10 thousand years to have my first breakthrough," Najwah said bitterly. "I would say what you have achieved in three years is more than enough."


    Arash pursed his teeth as he stared at the little snake before him. "Let''s see what he can do?" Arash said with a forced smile as he cast the strength rune on his arm. The yellow little rune was happy to run away from the little snake as he ran towards Arash''s right arm and merged with his muscles and bones. Arash''s arm pulsed with a mysterious new strength. The strength rune, transformed his arm''s muscles as they became shrunk in size but gained an explosive strength while the bones in his right armed became dense and heavy. It felt strange, he could feel the difference in the strength between his left and right arm. Even though there wasn''t much difference between the two arms in their appearance, but sheer difference in the strength between the two was like night and day.


    Soon, he created a couple dozen of runes. He only stopped when the last bit of his will had been used to form a rune. 100 runes hummed in front of Arash as he coldly stared at them, each one like an extension of his own. They rushed towards the different parts of his body, strengthening his muscles and bones. Soon, a fight between different runes broke out and only five of the strongest managed to survive. One in each limb and one in his chest. Those who managed to survive devoured other runes and made themselves stable. Even though there were only five runes in his body. Their cumulative strength was greater than the combined strength of the 100.


    Seeing Arash frowning, Najwah couldn''t help but laugh out loud. "What did you think would happen? I have told you before, we feed on each other to become strong."


    "You will get stronger by feeding on it?" Arash asked with a slight interest.


    "It doesn''t work like that, he is of a different kind. Devouring it will make me weaker."


    "So it only works when you are of the same kind?" Arash eyes shone with a strange light.


    "I appreciate the thought. But you would have to make at least millions of little me for them to have any benefit for me." Najwah grinned helplessly.

 Arash - Predicament

    Arash closed his eyes and focused on the strength runes in his body; the delicate web-like runes breathed to life. They felt like an extension of his body, but he couldn''t help but frown as he noticed that the threadlike extensions of the runes were absorbing small amounts of red liquid from his body. "What is this?" Arash frowned as he focused on a single rune. The delicate hair-like extension of the strength rune. Dread washed over him as he noticed his muscles shriveling as the strength rune sucked out small amounts of red liquid.


    "What is happening -- They were supposed to --" The strength rune suddenly released a single drop of yellow liquid, that melted into the shriveled muscles; the fibers in his body vibrated to life and slowly gained mass. Arash''s body brimmed with strength for a moment, but before he could relish the marvelous effects of the yellow drop, the runes once again started to drain strength from his muscles. The cycle of weakness and strength repeated thousands of time with a single moment. He glanced at the giant pickax placed by the wall.


    He clenched his fists and felt himself brimming with a strong desire to test his strength. "Let''s see what you guys can do?" Arash glanced at the pulsing strength runes in his body as he felt the coarse grip of the giant pickax. He couldn''t help but remember the weight of this beast, but the pulsing strength runes boosted his courage as he pulled on the mountain-like pickax. His muscles screamed in pain as the pickax was slowly lifted off the ground.


    "Argh!" Arash grunted as he lifted the pickax higher and higher. "Up! Up! Up..." His face flushed under the weight of the pickax as all the muscles groaned in his body. His legs trembled as he raised the pickax over his head.


    Sweat trickled down his forehead as he stood alone in the middle of the empty room, lifting a giant pickax which neither his uncle nor his cousins could lift. But instead of joy or a sense of accomplishment, he found himself frowning. "This is it..." Arash dropped the pickax and it slammed to the ground with a deafening explosion; the hard floor shattered to pieces under the terrifying weight of the monstrosity.


    The startled roars of his uncle and his cousins could be heard from the other room, and soon a line of groggy bare-chested brutes appeared in front of him. His uncle and cousins mutely stared at the shattered floor and then towards drenched Arash. They looked back at the floor and then they frowned at their giant cousin. Reality dawned upon them as their languid yawns turned to gasps of shock; their eyes bulged out in shock as they understood what had just happened.


    "What did I tell you? Never let down the pickax" Amna scolded Arash, but there was no harshness in her tone. If one looked closely, he could even see a sense of pride glittering in her eyes. "Pick it up and place it on the wall."


    "He can lift grandpa''s pickax?" Moaz was the first among the men to speak. Everyone wanted to ask the question, but they were shell-shocked by the shattered floor and the possibility of Arash... No one among the boys was willing to accept it.


    "Like hell he can." Tamresh was the first one to speak as he walked over to Arash. "You dropped it didn''t you!" Tamresh scoffed at Arash, but he hesitantly looked at the shattered floor. He knew full well that dropping the pickax would at most crack the floor; but judging by how badly the floor was broken, the pickax must have been dropped from a height of at least two feet, which meant Arash had lifted grandpa''s pickax.


    "Dropped?" Khalid asked with a frown. "Don''t spout nonsense. I have seen you drop it countless times, the floor never broke."


    "Yo--" Tamresh glared at his brothers, but one look from Amna made him shiver. No one was allowed to disrespect grandpa''s pickax.


    "Good! Good!" Amna scoffed in anger. Tamresh cursed Khalid in his heart as he could almost feel the thrashing he was about to receive.


    "Moth--" Tamresh said weakly.


    "I will deal with you later." Amna raised her hand and Tamresh shook as if he was struck by lightning. Amna turned towards Arash. "Don''t make me repeat myself. Put this pickax back."


    ''Why are you so angry? It''s just wood and metal.'' Arash couldn''t help but sight as he grudgingly as he picked pickax to knee-high.


    "Pick it above your head." Amna barked at Arash.


    Arash groaned as he struggled to lift the pickax. Everyone silently stared as Arash slowly lifted the pickax. Amna and Adam were secretly hoping for Arash to be able to lift the pickax. Tamresh prayed to the Blessed for Arash to fail. Khalid stood impartially, while Baled and Moaz were too much shocked by the sight of their cousin, lifting the pickax that no other thought crossed their mind.


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    Soon prayers were answered while hopes of others crushed. Arash arms and legs trembled as he raised the pickax above his head. He helplessly looked at Amna who nodded towards the wall. Arash grunted as he took one step after another, barely able to hold his balance as he finally crossed the distance of 8 feet and slowly lowered the pickax and placed it against the wall.


    "What did I tell you? Blood of the greats coarse through my body." Adam roared with a booming laughter as bragged about the strength of his ancestors. "Come here!" Adam was so happy that he bear-hugged his nephew. Amna couldn''t help smile as she saw her husband hugging Arash. It looked like as if a child was hugging his father.


    Arash allowed himself a smile, but soon it curdled as he noticed wherever his skin touched with his uncle''s skin, thin yellow tentacles of strength rune''s wormed out of his skin and latched themselves on his uncle''s limbs, slowly draining strength from his body. ''They can steal strength from another person?'' Arash marveled at the thought.


    Adam felt a wave of weakness wash over him as he dropped on his back. Soon everyone lunged towards him with face''s riddled with worry.


    "What happened?" Amna said she nervously held onto the hand of her husband.


    "Nothing..." Adam said dazedly as he tried to fight back the weakness in him. His face dawned a smile, but deep inside he was in shock. He distinctively remembered as his strength left his body. He clenched his fist; trying to force back some feeling in into his numb hands. His heart fell as he struggled to clench his hand. Suddenly the


    the family was upon him, the boys jested while Amna rebuked her husband for making a fool out of himself.


    "Get up you old fool!" Amna ordered, her voice trembled as she studied the expression on her husbands face.


    Arash shook his head in dismay, he could feel the distrust brewing in the heart of his new family; Feel the furtive glances at him, the frown on their face and hear the voices of their hearts. He called out to Najwah, seeking a quick exit out of this mess.


    "It''s not so simple..." Najwah said as he observed the frantic family.


    "What do you mean? Just remove this memory and replace it with something that doesn''t cast doubt on me and make sense to them. Can''t you do that?"  Arash said


    with a slight frown.


    Najwah stared at Arash with his yellow slitted eyes, something ominous shone in the deep-set eyes of the snake. "I can -- but it will have consequences." Najwah paused for a while as if weighing his words. "I have devoured millions and millions of human emotions and tasted countless different memories. Over all these years, I have come to understand human spirit -- It''s stronger than you can imagine but at the same time it''s the most fragile thing in the world." Najwah zapped over to Adam. "Take this uncle of yours for example. If I take away the memory of what he had eaten yesterday or the day before he wouldn''t even flinch; but if I take away something he truly cares he will break. Strength is important to him, you have taken that from him. Even if I remove the incident from his memory, he


    would find himself confused, frustrated..."


    Arash silently listened, his brow furrowed as he ran his right hand through his coarse black hairs. He opened his mouth, thought better of it and swallowed back his words. "I can''t tell him the truth -- he will hate me for it." Arash finally said. "There has to be a way."


    "There always is. Two in this case. One leads to you being hated and the other leads to the destruction of your uncle."


    Arash lips pursed into a thin line as he stared at the blank expression on his uncle''s face. "He will hate me either way."


    "Wounds of the flesh are much easier to heal then the scars of the soul." Najwah slithered back to Arash -- waiting for an answer.


    "Wounds of the flesh--" Arash stared at thread-like strength rune, felt the surge in strength as his muscles were nourished by the strength that he stole from his uncle. His eyes widened as he found the answer he was looking for...

 Arash - Your Dear Nephew!

    "You are star--" Amna voice cracked as she broke down in tears. She fiercely shook her husband; his arms felt weak and flabby under her grip. Her heart stilled as she felt the weakness in her husband. She knew how proud he was of his strength. He had earned it through hard work; through persistence. He was so strong -- strong of heart and of mind. She didn''t know what to do or what to say, she held onto her husband. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned back, it was Arash.


    "He... he..." Amna broke down in tears. Tamresh and Khalid silently sat by their father''s side while Baled and Moaz constantly urged their father to talk. They were old enough to understand something was wrong but too naive to know what to do. They bawled in their father''s embrace.


    "I can help him," Arash said weakly, his words unsure. But as he noticed the Mehru standing at the corner of the room, staring at him with fear-stricken eyes. "Mother!" He roared. Suddenly, silence filled the room. Arash looked around the room at his new family, his eyes finally resting on the helpless woman. "I can help him but, I need you to leave the room."


    "You can!" Amna latched onto Arash like her life depended on it, a fire of hope burning bright in her eyes. But as reason caught up with her, the light in her eyes dimmed as anger flared in her eyes.


    Arash was in no mood to explain, he urged Najwah and he planted hope in the hearts of everyone around him and soon he was left alone with his uncle.


    Adam sat with his shoulders drooped, his eye''s glued to his fingers that just wouldn''t move.


    "I stole your strength," Arash whispered.


    Suddenly a tremor ran through the body of the broken man. He looked up with a sharp glare, nose furrowed back. For a moment he didn''t look like a broken man, but soon the mask of ferocity broke as tears slipped down his cheeks, and his lips quivered. "Why?"


    "...I can help you get it back." Arash paused, studying his uncle. "You will get back your strength--" Adam looked up to him, uncertain, yet something burned deep


    within his eyes.


    "But there will be a price to pay," Arash said, his voice heavy with emotion. Mehru''s frightened figure flickered past his eyes. ''I will never be able to hold her!'' Arash thought, he knew the consequences of the power he had gained. Part of him wanted to destroy the runes right there and then. The price of power was too much for him, but weakness also had a price. He had paid it once. ''Never again!'' Arash promised himself.


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    "Anything..." Adam said weakly. Even sitting still had become a chore for him.


    "You won''t be able to hold your son... never able to touch anything you love!" Arash warned, his eyes searching for cracks in his uncle''s determination.


    ''Not able to hold Amna?'' Adam whispered almost to himself. His gaze drifted beyond the dreary walls of what he called home, drifted past the fabric of time into the past where he first met his love and what he had to go through. He tried to lift his hand and in the sheer impossibility of it, he found his answer. "What do I have to do?"


    "Are you sure?" Arash asked once again, but seeing the unwavering look in his uncle''s eyes, no answer was required. Arash focused on his soul and drained what little soul energy he had left and used it to form strength rune. All the five runs in his body hummed in joy as they found a new source of nourishment.


    Arash willed the newly form rune and it floated over to Adam and merged into his right hand; the threadlike rune bore into the very fibers of Adam''s right hand.


    "What did you do?" Adam felt his right hand pulsing to a strange rhythm. He would not have noticed it normally, but this weakness in him had made it sensitive and he could


    barely make out the effects of the rune in his right arm.


    "Gave you what you asked for?" Arash said casually as he studied the strength rune on his uncle''s arm. He couldn''t help but compare it to the rune''s in his own body; the difference was like night and day. As his runes had more mass and shone with a bright yellow hue while the one in his uncle''s arm felt as if the slightest breeze would make it disappear. "Now is there someone you really hate?"


    "You seem to be top of that list." Adam felt a surge of strength in his right arm; he flexed and it moved. His eyes widened in surprise. "What are you?"


    Arash stared blankly at Adam, searching for words; part of him wanted to tinker Adam''s memories and be done with it. But, it would break him. Arash drew a deep breath and flashed a toothy grin as he said. "Your dear nephew!"

 Arash - Beacon of Hope

    Fierce winds howled around him. He felt the coldness bit into his skin, felt it steal his heat. ''Three years!'' But it felt like an eternity to him. He shifted Adam on his back and pulled a soft leather mask over his face.


    "Make sure we don''t touch any skin. Fall down if you must, but don''t let our skin''s touch!" Arash warned as he studied the sapphire giant in the distant. It all


    felt like it had all happened yesterday.


    "What will happen if our skin''s touch?" Adam already had his doubt.


    "You will most probably die," Arash replied. "Where does that Majid live anyway?"


    "Die!" Adam swallowed hard as everything after that turned into an indistinct blur. "Why don''t we take Tamresh with us. He is big and strong and doesn''t particularly kill people by touching them."


    "He won''t but you will... Where does that damned Majid live?" Arash asked for the umpteenth time.


    "I can kill people by touching them?" Adam''s jaw dropped as he studied his right arm.


    Arash groaned in frustration; instead of asking him again, he peered into Adam''s memories. He filtered out the inner voice of his uncle, dove deeper into his sea of memories and finally, he found a man. Majid pale, sickly man. Old age had carved countless deep grooves on his pock-marked face and he slouched in such a way that his left shoulder was always raised slightly higher than the right one. All in all, Majid was as dangerous as a 5-year-old child. ''Why is he afraid of him?'' Arash frowned at Adam''s deep hate for this old man.


    Diving deeper into his uncle''s sea of memories he found his answer. Majid was all that his uncle hated. A man who rejected Blessed as gods and was a priest in the house of BadBakht, the god of the wretched.


    Living in the outskirts of the town, Arash never came in contact with religion or any such things. ''I guess even the gods can''t save the outters'' Arash grinned darkly as he dug further for information for this so-called priest. The more Arash found about the old man, the more of a mystery he became.


    No man of his age was able to live in the harsh town of Harra. Those who couldn''t work were considered dead weight. But that rule didn''t apply to Majid, he enjoyed deep respect from the masses and would receive abundant offerings from his followers.


    Arash turned back to his uncle and found him still staring at his right hand in great horror. ''You don''t exactly kill, you steal their strength.'' Arash finally


    said.


    "Steal?" Adam immediately jolted back to reality as he turned towards Arash. "How in the Blessed Name do I do that?"


    "Huh! Runes" Arash said as he started towards the temple of the BadBakht. Adam was relentless in his questioning, while Arash was in no mood to answer. ''Take care of this.'' Arash turned to the little snake.


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    ''What do you want me to do?'' Najwah said.


    ''Just keep him occupied'' Arash said offhandedly


    Najwah nodded as he weaved a new reality for Adam where all his questions were answered.


    Arash pushed through the beatings of the cold winds, his hair whipping wildly against his face. He found his way through the narrow alleys between the closely packed houses; relieved to find familiarity in the dark corners and the deafening sounds of the howling winds. As he moved closer and closer to the center of the city, the alleys became narrower and narrower until he was forced out on the cobbled streets.


    Unlike the outskirts of Harra, men could be seen walking on the streets. Giant bulging masses walking proudly against the harsh winds. They wore thin leather tunics that barely covered their broad chests, while they didn''t wear any masks against the wind and dust. Arash could feel the contempt in their gazes and hear ridicule in their comments as he walked past.


    Feeling the mood of his master, Najwah made short work of the bulging masses around him. The little snake left them drooling, staring blankly at nothing. Arash felt a strong rush as he saw the men around him turned to dumb mutes. He recounted they would never be able to string together a single sentence, would stand here till death if left undisturbed. Amidst his moment of glory, he couldn''t help but wonder what would have happened to him if he didn''t have runes of willpower that were a natural enemy to the little black snake.


    "Never, do that again!" Arash said darkly to the little snake, who frowned at first but peeking in the heart of his master, he couldn''t help but smile.


    "You are afraid of me?"


    "Return what you have taken." Arash enclosed Najwah with silver wisps of will.


    Najwah gritted his teeth and mumbled some words. He reluctantly vomited out the stolen memories which sped towards their respective owners. Soon the silence around them was broken by the shocked men. Even though little could be heard under the moaning of the wind. Arash knew what they were thinking as he had gone through what they had just experienced.


    "What''s the point of being surrounded by such delicious food and not able to eat anything?" Najwah said sullenly.


    "We are here!" Arash exclaimed as he stood before a four-story building, Tower of Hope. Instead of calling it a tower, it appeared more like a giant brick shooting into the sky. Most buildings around here were almost two-story, nothing came close to its height as it soared proudly towards the sky, standing still against the beatings of the wind, a beacon of hope for all the wretched in the world.

 Arash - Golden Leech

    Arash stood before a great double leaf door.The words "House of BadBakht" were engraved on the wind-worn wooden door. He studied the words, fascinated by the flourishes at the end of each character. He couldn''t help but remember Arman, as he admired the calligraphy in old faded texts. He used to call it, "The wisdom of the Ancients." Reading and writing were useless in the town of Harra. Anything that didn''t put food in your stomach or help you earn it was frowned upon.


    ''Wisdom of the ancients..." Arash spat the words in disdain. Images of a twisted corpse flashed in front of his eyes. He could still feel the tenderness in Arman''s skull as he grabbed onto it to scale the mountain.


    "What do you plan to do?" Adam asked sullenly.


    Arash turned back to his uncle. "Get back your strength!"


    Arash pushed open the wooden door and was greeted by a long flight of stairs disappearing into the darkness. The chamber was devoid of sound, save the soft scratching of a person sweeping the floor with a broom. The heavy oak doors blocked all unwelcome sounds and the thick brick walls held their silence.


    "Really?" Adam asked skeptically.


    "No --" Arash stared at the pitch black darkness, hearing the rhythmic crackle of broom bristles against the cold hard granite. "I am struck with a sudden surge to become an adept in the house of hope."


    "Don''t even joke about it--"


    "Ssh!" Arash said. He strained his ears to listen. The one sweeping the floor must have heard him as the soft scratching sound had stopped. Arash could hear the sound of feet shuffling. Soon enough, a bald monk stepped out of the veil of darkness, slowly descending the flight of stairs. He wore a serene smile on his hairless face as his eyes crinkled with happiness. It looked as if the man before him and never been touched by the tragedies of life.


    "Felicitations!" the bald man said with a deep, soothing voice. "The great one has sent us a new brother." The bald man placed the broom against the wall and studied the young man before him. "Brother, you have been blessed by Lord, he has made you strong and vigorous. Enabled


    you to reap from his bounties and has shown you the light." Each word slipped off the tongue of the bald man with a strange cadence.


    A strange warmness poured over Arash as he found himself smiling. Doubts crept into his mind, but under the words of the bald man. Arash let down all his guards, he just wanted to listen. Listen to the man before him.


    "...My brother, accept our Lord as the true lord and you shall never want for anything." The bald man extended his hand, it shone with a golden light.


    "Wake up! you stupid Fool" Najwah cursed out loud.


    "What?" Arash''s brows furrowed as doubt start to form in his heart. Suddenly the man before him shone with a brilliant golden light and Arash once again slipped into a state of delirium.


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    "Dammit!" Najwah tried to tap into his powers, but the golden light released by the bald man was blocking him to access to Arash''s sea of consciousness. Whenever he tried to access his rune, he met with a strong resistance from Arash. Any thoughts violence against the bald man brought pain upon Arash.


    Arash fanatically reached out his hands and grabbed on to the bald man.


    "Arggh!" The old man let out a loud screech as strength rune rapidly sucked life energy from the monk. Arash regained his wits as he heard the frantic cries of the little black snake. He instinctively jerked away from the bald adept''s hand which had been reduced to mere bones. The bald man crawled away from Arash in fear.


    "What happened to me? I was... I was--" Arash mumbled in shock as he tried to make sense of things.


    "You were ensnared by that fat fuck over there." Najwah hatefully stared at the frightened man, but his eyes seemed to be looking past the something beyond flesh and bones. Something is hidden from the naked eye. The little snake disappeared into the old man.


    The bald man howled in pain as he flopped around on the hard floor, black veins popped on his face as he screamed at the top of his lungs. Arash immediately watched through his soul-eye and his jaw dropped at the sight before him.


    Najwah was fighting with what appeared to be a giant golden leach. The little snake was merciless in his beatings as he whipped around the golden leech with his tail and bit large chunks from its body. Within moments, the giant leech was reduced to half its size.


    "Forgive me. I... I didn''t know." The leech howled miserably.


    Najwah snorted at the ravings of the golden leech. "You didn''t know?" Najwah bit off another large chunk from the leech''s body. Tiny golden runes could be seen shining underneath the leech''s skin.


    "You can''t kill me. I have friends. Lots and lots of friend. They will hunt you down."


    "Hunt me down? I would like to see that." Najwah opened his maw and went straight for the golden rule. The Leech screamed in horror as it twisted it''s giant body to protect his original body and barely managed to do it as Najwah went hurtling past him, taking a large chunk of leech''s flesh.


    "They might not be able to hurt you, but they don''t need to when we have your master." The little leech said bravely. Najwah stopped for a second as he turned toward Arash, weighing his options.


    "That''s right!" the golden leech egged on. "They will be here soon and there won''t be a single thing you could--Argh!!" The golden leech let out a terrified scream as he felt a silver rope tighten around his body. "Ru--" Before he could say anything, his core rune was crushed by the silver rope.


    Najwah turned to Arash with a bitter smile. "Did you really had to do that?"

 Arash - The price to pay

    "You were taking too much time." Arash turned towards his uncle, who was still in a state of delirium, using all his strength to drag himself to the unconscious bald man. "Is he going to be alright?" Arash asked as he waved in front of his uncle.


    "Should be fine," Najwah replied as he studied the golden mist surrounding Adam''s sea of consciousness. "His soul is weak, so it will take some time for him to regain his consciousness." He turned towards Arash. "Can I eat this bastard or would it be too scary for you?"


    Arash felt his cheeks burn as he struggled to find the words. "...suit yourself!" was all he managed to say. The little snake scoffed in derision as he dove in for the feast.


    ''Save me... Show me the way. I have been lost. My brother.'' Adam called out to the bald man as he struggled to get off the ground, his hands trembled under his weight and his legs refused to move. Arash picked him up by the scruff of his collar and threw him towards the bald man.


    As soon as Adam''s hand touched the bald man''s face; the strength rune in his right arm wiggled to life, delicate yellow threads bore into the unconscious man''s face and sucked out his life force.


    Soon Najwah harvested all the memories of the bald man returned with a self-satisfied smile. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of Adam sucking strength from the bald adept and turned towards Arash. "Not Bad! you are learning at last. Imagine how strong you would have gotten


    if you had the strength of all those men before." Najwah said teasingly.


    Arash ignored the little snake''s remarks. "What was that thing?"


    Najwah face curdled at the mention of the golden leech. "It was one of my kind. Same as us"


    "Why didn''t you warn me?" Arash frowned.


    "You think I didn''t?" Najwah distastefully. "I was screaming the whole time. You were too busy sucking up to your lord."


    "I... How was I supposed to know the first thing I would meet would cast a spell on me and why the heck didn''t you attack him even if I was


    under his spell?"


    "I tried but you were blocking me. That bastard found me out and with you under his control. I couldn''t do anything." Najwah replied, trembling with rage.


    Arash frowned, something felt off about the little snake. There was something he wasn''t telling him. He focused on his soul-bond with the black snake. He could feel his fury, but that was just on the surface, deep inside he felt shame. Shame at being bested by a being lesser than him.


    Najwah felt Arash''s probing, his heart immediately lurched as his rampant emotions immediately disappeared as he stared at Arash with a hint of embarrassment, but under Arash piercing gaze his defenses faltered. "...He hid from me. Alright!"


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    "Why?"


    "I don''t know. for some reason when he was merged with him. I couldn''t detect his presence. It was only after, he used his spell on you did I find him." He stared at Arash with a disgruntled face. "I could have found out how, but you had to use that deplorable thing and blast him to pieces."


    "Eh -- Does your spell work on your kind?"


    "Don''t be a fool. My true body will always destabilize another Ruh! Why do you think he blocked me from using my true body?"


    Arash was struck by a sudden thought as he stared at the strength rune in his body. He clearly remembered that they weren''t blocked by the spell of the golden rune. "Why weren''t they blocked?"


    "They are not like us. We are formed by mother''s will. But these are different. They are made from your will, so they are basically a part of you. Even I have trouble distinguishing them from your soul. That golden bastard would be daydreaming if he thought he could see them"


    "What the--" Adam screamed in horror as he jerked back to his feet. He couldn''t help but forget how close he was to the fat priest just now. ''we were basically touching noses.'' He shivered in disgust.


    "Good to see you back among the living," Arash said with a smile.


    "Eh -- living? What happened to me? -- Ah! I can stand?" Adam clenched his fist, flexed his muscles. It wasn''t the same as before, but it was still better than nothing. He turned towards the bald adept. It looked as if all of his muscles had been dissolved by something, leaving hollow skin hanging by his face "Did I do that?" color drained from his face as his body trembled at the thought of being able to do such a thing. His fingers dug into the corded muscles of his forearm and instead of pride, he felt nothing but disgust.


    "You did, and you will do it again -- not by choice, but you will do it. I told you there was a price." Arash said coldly, he could hardly believe the words he was saying. But he knew they needed to be said. Not for his uncle, but for him. He needed to hear them. He needed to understand what he was and what he was going to be.


    "This is not right," Adam said with a pallid face, his lips quivering with unease.


    "Just a moment ago, you would have been turned into a slave to that man -- " Arash remembered his thoughts when he was under the enchantment of the golden leech. He gritted his teeth. " you would have forsaken everything without a single thought. Serving this man like a god -- So yeah, this is not right."


    Adam''s figure sagged as he finally understood the price he had to pay.


    "I can take it back, take back this strength." Adam''s head jerked up as he listened intently to Arash. Arash turned towards the adept, studied his melted face and his shriveled arm. "...but weakness -- comes with a price."

 Arash - Piercing Wail

    Arash scaled the flight of stairs, with Adam at his heel. Even though was still unnerved by the image of the adept and couldn''t help but picture his sons lying on the ground with their muscles melted. He ground his teeth. ''They are not strong enough, without me they will starve to death. Tamresh is strong, but he isn''t ready to take my place -- I have to do it. I have to. For them.'' Adam peered at the back of his so-called nephew. Hatred burned in his eyes like red hot coals.


    "You can hate me all you want, but you know in your heart that what I say is the truth." Arash sighed as he crested the stairs. They walked in silence after that. Darkness engulfed them like a second skin. Arash used his soul''s eye to see, but Adam was left to fend for himself.


    The stairs were varied in height and no matter how hard he tried. He would occasionally misjudge and bang his toes or worse, lose his footing.


    Soon, the stairs gave way to a great hall with countless doors leading off to some number of unknown chambers. Adam welcomed the sight of the level ground, he ruefully massaged his banged-up knees as he studied the room about him. The memories of the old adept came in handy while traversing the maze-like structure of the tower of hope.


    Arash had come at the hour of silence. Most of the adepts were sleeping or meditating in their assigned rooms. Only the early initiates were assigned some menial tasks. There were only three adepts at the moment. The dead adept, Basit, was assigned to clean the stairs.


    "Let''s go!" Arash turned towards the kitchen where the other two initiates were working.


    "Have you been here before?" Adam asked in confusion.


    "No, and to answer your next question. Yes, and be quiet we don''t want to wake others." Arash whispered as he started towards the door on his left. Adam was bewildered at the inner layout of the tower. Houses were supposed to be simple, two rooms and a kitchen. Simple and efficient.


    Here in the dark corridors of the tower of hope, he felt like a lost child and did his best to follow Arash.


    Arash stopped as he heard soft chatter spill out from the kitchen.


    "Basit is always sucking up to the seniors. He always gets the easiest of the jobs. Never have I ever seen him in the kitchen." said a woman, with a disgruntled voice. ''That would be Maira'' Arash could tell from Basit''s memory. Basit didn''t have a good opinion of her as he slept with the seniors for favors.


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    "Ah!" Maira let out a bashful scream. "Stop it. We don''t have time, the seniors will soon wake up and the food is nowhere ready."


    "It will only take few moments. We are almost done." Dawod said in a low whisper, his voice heavy with lust. "Let me feast upon you. The seniors can wait..."


    Arash shook his head as he hid in a dark corner. "Don''t move. I will be back in a moment."


    "What--" Before Adam could say anything Arash''s soul moved out of his body. He was greeted with ever-shifting green mist and the countless patterns that formed everything around him. "This is no time to sleep." Adam hissed under his breath, he vigorously shook Arash''s body.


    Arash smiled at the frantic behavior of his uncle and whistled through the walls towards the kitchen. He came upon the sight of a man and women deep in the throes of lust. Arash could see golden leech in their body.


    "Can you see it?" Arash turned towards the little snake.


    "Not a thing. I just see those two stupid things." Najwah said with a frown. "How many are there?"


    "Two. One in each." Arash said. "You take care of them. I will deal with the leeches." Arash formed a giant silver net using his will. He nodded towards Najwah.


    The little snake drilled into the mind of the woman and started harvesting memories. At the same time, Arash wrapped his silver net around the golden leeches, forcing them out of their host''s body and trapping them. In a split second, the little snake harvested the memories of his victims while Arash studied the golden leeches cowering in the silver net.


    "I thought your kind hated to form soul-bond with us, humans." Arash turned towards the little snake with a frown. He couldn''t help but chuckle as he noticed the bloated black snake. "How did you manage to take the memories of so many men while only three have you looking like this?"


    "Eh -- at that time I only harvested the core memories." Najwah appeared in front of the golden leeches. "Look at these ugly bastards." He passed through the silver net and rolled himself around the golden leech. "How do you bastards hide?" Najwah tightened his body around the leech.


    The golden leech hatefully glared at Najwah as it let out a piercing wail...

 Firuz - A New World

    Last time: Firuz had been sealed Galvi (Ash like Ruh!) and during the fight between Galvi and Azad, he disappeared. (This picks up from where the two giants were fighting each other.)


    ----------------------------------------------------------------


    Firuz groaned in pain as his skin peeled off his body. He couldn''t move; not even a finger. It felt as if his whole body had been turned to stone. He could still feel countless insects crawling under his skin. They were everywhere, slowly forming a prison a, taking away his freedom; and the sound, that horrible sound as countless little grey worms crawled underneath his skin. He cried in horror, tears trickled down his sides; he couldn''t even feel them as they ran down his blotchy skin. It was all blurry. He blinked and a purple giant appeared in front of him. ''Azad -- Why does he look like that?'' The great violent sword came hurtling towards him. ''No!'' Firuz struggled in his prison, but the Galvi wouldn''t let him move.


    The sword grew as it fell towards him. Slowly, everything else melted away under its razor-sharp edge. Firuz tried to move, tried to tilt his body, but it didn''t listen. He found it hard to breath as everything drowned under the rapid fluttering of his heart. His eyes turned to saucers as the purple edge reflected in his black eyes.


    ''No -- I don''t want to die -- do.." He closed his eyes as he accepted his fate. WHAM! It hit him right in the chest. His body shattered like glass, reduced to dust by the sharp violet wind blades.


    "Am I dead?" Firuz felt a lightness in him, something he hadn''t felt in a long time.. He opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by darkness and a smell unlike anything he had ever smelt. It reminded him of his mother''s embrace, reminded him of love and happiness. Even though he couldn''t see, he could feel with his body -- and the world that opened up to him was strange and unique.


    He found himself standing in a cave, dry and spacious, its walls riddled with countless tunnels, leading off to the great unknown. Firuz looked up to the ceiling of the cave and somehow, darkness gave way, letting him see numerous holes poking through it,very much like the tunnels around him.


    "Where am I?" Firuz asked as he looked around, suddenly his eyes fell on a small golden dune, glowing with a deep amber hue. He felt a strange familiarity with it. He moved closer to it, he could feel a deep rumbling sound coming from it. He could see something on the surface of the golden dune. "What is it?" He inched closer, and slowly the blurry image became clearer and clearer. He could see a little grey worm on the surface of the golden dune.


    "Galvi!" Firuz ran back in horror, hiding into one of the tunnels. "What is it doing here?" He sneaked a peek at the golden dune, but before he could see anything, fear gripped his heart as he whipped his head back in. Even though he was afraid of the galvi, he found himself reluctant to leave the glowing dune. He could feel a strange call from the golden dune and found it impossible to leave even though a galvi was standing next to the dune.


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    "I... I will stay here, he would have to leave sometime. That''s right. I will wait for him to leave." Firuz lean against the tunnel wall, biding his time waiting for the little worm to leave.


    After a while, Firuz found himself overwhelmed with exhaustion, within moments it became physically impossible for him to keep his eyes open and despite his best efforts, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


    He had the strangest of dreams. He stood in a pool of darkness that rippled out to eternity. "Argh!" Firuz doubled over as he felt a searing pain in his abdomen. Suddenly a small tumor formed in his belly button, it grew and grew, slowly gaining mass. Firuz cried out in horror as he fiercely scratched at the tumor, trying to pull it out. But whenever his fingers touched the tumor, he lost control over his body.


    Slowly, the tumor grew in size, and after 3 dreadful hours, another Firuz popped out of the giant tumor. Firuz backed away in horror as he watched the new Firuz flop around on the ground.


    Firuz stared at his belly button in horror as he noticed a faint grey line running out of his belly button and disappearing into the belly button of the new Firuz. As he touched the grey line, his vision split. He could hear and see through the eyes of new Firuz.


    "How can this be?" Firuz exclaimed.


    "How can this be?" The clone repeated.


    "Don''t copy me" Firuz complained.


    "Don''t copy me"


    "Stop it!"


    "Stop it!"


    Firuz stared at his clone in frustration, seeing him copying everything he did made him angry. Which in turn made the clone angry. "It''s so confusing." Firuz walked over to his clone, while his clone walked away from him.


    "What are you doing? Come here" Firuz screamed in frustration.


    The clone repeated his words but kept on walking. Firuz broke into a run and chased his own clone in the darkness. "Why do you run -- He does whatever I do." He slapped his forehead and heard a similar slap in the distant. Firuz sat with his legs crossed and focused on his connection to his clone. Even with his eyes close, he could still see and hear. He willed his clone to move and to his surprise, it moved. Firuz took a sharp breath as a smile crept onto his pallid face.


    "It works!" Firuz at once closed his eyes and controlled his second body. He could see his original body, sitting cross-legged. As he opened the eyes of his original body, his heart skipped a beat; color drained from his face and he let out a shrill scream "Ahhh!"

 Firuz - Zama

    Firuz gasped in horror as he backed away, his back pressed hard against the tunnel wall. A grey worm stood before him, its body was riddled with delicate black patterns that formed rings around its body. ''Galvi!'' his heart fluttered in his chest as he wanted nothing but to run, run as far away from here as possible. But the tunnel was narrow and his exit blocked by the dreadful worms. The whole tunnel was filled with grey slithering creepers


    "What should I do? What should I do?" His mind raced for an answer, while his eyes were glued to the hideous worms before him. Still as a rock, staring at him with white bean-like eyes. They stood still, stiller than any living thing Firuz had ever seen. He took a deep breath, shifted against the wall, the swarm rustled.


    Firuz froze, careful not to make any unnecessary movements. Fear dulled with time as reason spoke to him. "What are they waiting for?" Firuz dared to move; terrified of the slimy creatures and yet he reached out his hand, slow at first. Seeing the lack of interest from the worms, he became bolder and scrambled to his feet. He studied his hand and glanced at the worm near him... ''Please don''t bite'' he swallowed hard as he reached out towards the worm in front of him.


    The Galvi before him shifted. Firuz''s heart leaped into his throat, once again his hand reached out; this time the worm didn''t move. His hand touched the worm and suddenly the scene shifted. Firuz found himself, staring at the worm, pressed against the wall. "What--" He looked at his body and instead of arms and legs, he saw slimy skin, riddled with black-ringed patterns.


    He looked around, finally noticing a barely visible string, connecting every worm in the swarm. He closed his eyes and focused on the string. His consciousness split over the whole swarm as he felt connected to the millions upon millions of grey worms in the swarm. He opened his eyes, his mind still reeling from the shock as he discovered the reality. He was no longer a human, he had become a Galvi.


    Firuz stood before the glowing dune, he found himself fascinated by the warm glow of the golden dune. It seemed to be made up of silk if you look at it from a  certain angle. Sometimes it appeared solid, like molten gold and at other times, it looked like sand. Firuz felt his body tingle as he bathed in the light of the golden dune. A strange new desire formed deep inside his heart. He must step inside the dune. He must.


    His grey slimy body slithered towards the sand. As his body touched golden dune. A shockwave rippled out, swallowing his swarm in the process. He felt terrible pain as every single worm in his swarm was evaporated under golden shock wave. Firuz opened his eyes, he stood in the middle of a golden plain, his body reduced to a delicate, yet profound rune.


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    He looked around and was greeted by an ever-shifting desert. The sand around him shifted like great serpents. Dancing to the gentle warm winds. He looked above and a great ball of fire burned into the sky. "Where am I?" Firuz looked around, his gaze absorbing this strange new world. He had never seen such bright colors and sky was clear and vast and so blue, stretching out to eternity. "Where are the rivers?"


    [He is talking about the sky rivers. mentioned in chapter 2]


    Firuz had never seen anything like this. He drifted in this strange world of sand for hours and hours, when finally he saw something familiar. Green flowing mist rippled in the distance. Upon seeing him, the green mist rushed over to him. It coalesced to form a nubile woman with a clever face and watery eyes. She jumped around and giggled. Her demeanor filled with natural grace, while her laughter soothed one''s heart.


    "Isn''t it so wonderful," Madr said as she flitted around in the sand.


    "It certainly is." A deep voice rolled out from Firuz''s. "but it''s so--"


    "Oh don''t be such brood... We are lucky to find this place." Madr frowned as she appeared in front of Firuz. A gentle smile played on her lips. "It''s perfect. This will be just perfect. I know it."


    "They will ruin it once again. They always do."


    Madr turned towards Firuz, the smile she wore cracked for once as she let out a deep sigh. "We are not to judge. I have a part to play and so do you. We can''t worry about what is or what will be." Her strength returned to her she smiled at Firuz.


    "I don''t want to see you get hurt. There is a madness in me... They inherit it -- they won''t stop unless they destroy it all." Firuz could feel the deep sorrow in the voice. "... let''s forget about it. It''s alright. I will hold myself back. I will not let them touch this world."


    Madr eye''s shone with tears as she caressed Firuz''s cheek. "Zama! You will do no such thing. I won''t see my friend suffer because of me."


    "Friend." Zama spat the word, it felt like poison to him. "I am no friend to you! Never have been." and once again Firuz could feel Zama''s troubles. He was afraid, afraid of hurting Madr.


    Madr pursed her lips as he stared at Firuz. Her body glowed with green bright light as her body started to disintegrate. "It has started!" She smiled at him. "Your time will come soon -- don''t hesitate. Let take things there natural course. We are too insignificant to worry about it all." Madr smiled her beautiful smile. Firuz felt himself boil over with emotions, he wanted to say so much. He wanted her to stop, wanted her to stay with him. But, he kept his silence and watch her go. Madr shone with a brilliant green light and her body spread across the horizon, turning into rolling green mist.


    "Goodbye, my friend..." Madr whispered her last words as she became one with the world.

 Firuz - Vicious Cycle

    Firuz was a passenger in Zama''s body; he saw through his eyes and felt through his skin. He drew a deep breath, felt the green mist roll around his body, felt his skin prick under the icy cool touch of the mist. He could feel his old friend in everything around him. Tears gleamed in his eyes as he felt an emptiness in him, clawing at his conscience for what he would do, or rather what his children will do.


    "It will be as it has been..." Zama repeated the words of his old friend as he took in the scene; countless new Ruh forming all around him. He could see the small, gray Galvi slithering through the sand, digging deeper into the earth and urging the life out of the dead soil. Violet ribbons swished through the sky, bringing with them gentle and more welcoming winds. Small sapphire balls danced all around him, singing and dancing and bringing with them rain.


    Countless different Ruh were taking their very first breath Tiny green fireflies, great shimmering stars, dancing white ribbons, slithering black snakes and scarlet deer prancing in the winds. Not one the same as the other, each unique in its own way. Zama could feel her in them, they shared her innocence, herself, and her love.


    "Why can''t they see them for what they are?" Zama wondered, his voice thick with sorrow. He could imagine his children, fighting and shedding blood. A voice in him whispered. ''Everything plays its part...'' he scowled at the words; he had heard them countless times. Zama turned towards his left, The great rolling desert changed, replaced by delicate twirling vines, by soft grass and swaying trees as they held the sand together and shielded the plants from the fury of the sun.


    Zama stood alone for centuries as the world around him shifted. Trees and greenery yawned awake in the smoldering hot desert. Great rivers roamed through the land spreading far and wide, and towering trees swayed with a wind that was warm and kind.


    "Sorry for making you wait." Zama said out loud. Firuz frowned trying to find out who he was talking too, but somewhere deep inside he knew who it was. "I wanted you to see." a smile played on his lips as he admired the scene around him. "Isn''t it wonderful? We could never achieve such beauty, such peace." His gaze hardened as he determination flashed in his eyes. he had his answer. "I wanted you to see what they will destroy and why I must do this." Zama raised his hand, small green nodes trickling around his fingers. He turned his hand cutting through the green mist. This green nodes dispersed for a while but once again returned to him. His eyes softened as a bitter smile played on his lips. "...she always told me that we are small pieces, transitory existence. Let the nature play its course, she would tell me." His nose puckered into a scowl.


    ''What is he talking about'' Firuz frowned; he felt frustrated being trapped in a world so beautiful that it was a sin not to look, and yet here he was struck with this brood, who babbled on about things he didn''t understand.


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    Zama sighed in helplessness as he stared at nothing in particular. "You don''t understand now. I didn''t either. It took me millions of years to understand what they really are..." An image of burning world flashed in front of Firuz. Everything burned in a raging fire, the Ruh fought with everything they had, but the fire was sinister and unyielding. He saw men fighting with each other, killing everything in their wake until nothing remained. "It''s funny that in their desire to live, they die..." Zama kept his silence for another century.


    The rivers around him froze as everything was drowned under the heavy snow. He stood watching the vicissitudes of time as the green around him wilted to brown. As the trees stood naked, with their leaves fluttering through the wind, covering the ground in a thick carpet of red and orange.


    "Someone had to break this cycle. This vicious cycle. I don''t want her children to die. I know a way... but if you are here, know that I have failed." Zama chuckled darkly. "But I hope, I am alone as no other should ever bear this burden." Zama groaned in pain as his hand dug into his heart. He gasped in pain, lips quivering, his fingers searching inside his heart... He wrenched free his hand, spraying a deep red blood. The wound in his chest rippled as the flesh grew and closed the wound. He opened his fist and stared at the dark beating flesh. Firuz felt his heart stir at the sight of the black lump. He could feel terrible hatred sealed inside the throbbing flesh and he couldn''t help but remember the great fire that consumed everything.


    "They are my children... but, but It''s necessary." He looked around, his eyes heavy with sorrow as he chewed on his lips. "Please forgive me." He clenched his fist and the lump in his hand shattered; black dust slipped out of his fist, rising with the wind. It spread like raging clouds, racing in every direction.


    The Ruh ran at the sight of this black cloud. But, no matter how hard they ran the black cloud caught up to him. As soon as soon as they touched the black mist. Something inside them broke, their innocence replaced by something darker, something sinister. They gained consciousness and desires sprouted in their hearts. They started fighting with each other; devouring their own kind


    Zama stared at the berserk Ruh and how they fought each other. He could feel the restlessness in the green mist. Tears trickled down his face as he shone with a brown light. "Forgive me!" His body turned to dust as it spread in every direction. Birds, animals, and insect coalesced from the raging brown dust.


    Millions upon millions of species took their first breath on the planet and among them, the first men saw the light of the day. Zama''s lips pursed into a thin line as he saw Ruh turned towards his children. He could feel their hostility and their surprise and just before he disappeared he look towards the sky, admiring the sun for the first time. A weary smiled played on his lips as he disappeared from the world.

 Firuz - Gold Specks

    Firuz felt his body reduce to dust; it was a queer feeling. He didn''t feel any pain, rather he felt liberated. Even though his body disappeared, he could feel himself the weight of his flesh, feel the warmth on his skin. He frowned it was not his body, but of someone''s else. He closed his eyes, focused on that strange feeling.


    Thud! It was soft at first, like a beating of hooves.


    THUD! THUD! THUD! his mind rang with billions upon billions of heartbeats, raging like angry gods...


    "Arghh!" groaned in pain; a hot knife searing through is consciousness. He reeled back, disoriented. Silence filled where once a million hearts rang in clangor. He found himself falling, diving towards the earth at a startling speed. He broke through the surface, hurtling deeper into the dark recess of the world... and the darkness engulfed him.


    He blinked and the world once again came into focus. He could see the tunnels; dark caverns leading into deep unknowns. Firuz took a sharp breath as he looked at his body.


    The veined whorls on his body were mottled with golden specks, crawling along the delicate black lines. He took a sharp breath as his gaze followed the gold speckles dancing on his skin. ''What are they?'' He asked himself, but deep inside he knew.


    [Editor''s Note:  whorls are spiral patterns ]


    Firuz remembered the strange world of rolling green fields and the ball of fire in the sky and the great blue rivers slithering across the great expanse. He had merged with Zama; the gold flecks and the memories were a proof of that. He closed his eyes, searching...


    Thud! a faint whisper of life breathed into his ear. It was unlike any sound he had ever heard. It didn''t even feel like a sound, but more like a feeling. He opened his eyes, they were different; specked with the faintest trace of gold that almost drowned in the black of his beady eyes. He turned towards the east. Thud! It was there! He could feel it.


    He wormed through the tunnels, somehow faster than he remembered. The tunnel became a dark blur as he hurtled towards the sound. He turned, left, left, right, middle fork; and soon the tunnels opened to a deep canyon. Giant scales flashed before his eyes; lustrous, black, and speckled with grey blotches, rippling as the scales moved past him.


    THUD! THUD! Firuz could hear the call again. He inched closer, slithering through the dark tunnel towards the snake. He felt a strange calling, a distant a memory, and a silent whisper. "Touch it!" startled, he jerked back. His eyes searching for a stranger, but all he found was the dark walls and his unbridled fear.


    "Touch it!" Once again the whisper came, but now it came from deep within. He braved his fears, staring at the overlapping scales, flowing like a dark river. "Touch it!" He lurched forward and his body shone with golden luster. His body slipped past the obsidian scales and merged with the snake. He was no longer a galvi, but a great serpent, poised between the deep layers of the world. He could feel the earth pressing in on him.


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    He struggled and felt the tepid walls close in on him, he found it hard to breathe. He stopped staring at the dark earth before him. The tunnels were gone, no way to crawl through. "How could he move?" Firuz wondered, the pressure on his body and this strange new body made it hard for him to think. He stood stuck between the earth. The longer he stayed, the harder it became. He could feel his body being crushed under the weight of the earth.


    Firuz hardened his scales and found a little relief as the walls stopped in their assaults. He heaved a sigh of relief, but a terrible pain coursed through his body, it felt as if someone was peeling off his scales. He howled in pain as he thrashed around. "Come on!" He tried to emulate the rhythmic movements of the snakes. "Up and down, up and dow...argh! It''s no use. It hurts so much. Why did I do that?" He struggled once again, but this time to get out of the snake''s body. He remembers the feeling when he was dreaming; he closed his eyes and focused on that feeling.


    Suddenly he felt almost weightless. The tunnels around him returned. He sighed in relief as he remembered about the snake, he jerked towards the snake, found it struggling; purple blood oozed out of its glossy scales. He was stuck and the earth was merciless in its assault. Slowly it closed its jaws and the snake was reduced a purple mess.


    Firuz cringed at the fate of the black snake. "It could have been me..." He could still feel the weight of the earth of his body and the tearing pain. He shook his head as he tried not to think about it. His eyes grimly stared at his body as the golden flecks reflected in the darks of his body. They were more than before, swimming in the black whorls on his body. The golden flecks responded to his gaze as they gathered together, forming a strange pattern. They whispered to him and he listened, drifting into a distant place.


    He saw a gnarled black tree, gold veins coursed through its obsidian body. Silver fruits hung from its crook fingers. He felt a strange calling from the tree, calling out to him...


    Firuz reeled back from the vision as the reality once again came to him. His brow furrowed as his mind wandered towards the obsidian tree, with silver fruit. "It felt so real!" He couldn''t help think about the golden veins. He dropped his head and stared at the golden rule on his body which had already started to melt into the river of black and gold. "They are the same. Same as that tree." He pursed his teeth as he turned towards the west. The silent whisper once again came to him, and at that moment he knew what he must do...

 Arash - Stuck!

    [Last Time: Arash with his uncle, Adam, snuck into the tower of hope and encountered a monk possessed by a golden leech. Arash manages to kill the beast and they enter further into the tower. They sneak attack Maira and Dawood and restrained the golden leeches in their soul space]


    Arash winced in pain as his hand covered his ears, trying to block the horrible screech. "Stop!" He hissed through his teeth as the silver net tightened around the golden leech. The leech grunted in pain but refused to quiet down. Arash turned towards the black snake; Najwah hissed in anger as he sharply twisted his scaled body, constricting the golden leech and screaming unintelligible words. Najwah looked towards him and they both knew what had to be done.


    Black scales shimmered in front of Arash as Najwah ripped off the golden leech''s head. Arash turned towards the one trapped inside the silver net and with just a thought; a silver scythe reaped the life of the other squalling leech. Arash drew a deep breath, his ears still ringing with the rasping sound.


    "We have to get out!" Arash said grimly. Najwah nodded as he hatefully glanced at the unconscious man and women.


    "You aren''t going to reap your rewards," Najwah said as they whistled through the walls.


    Arash turned back towards the couple. A promise of strength, his heart fluttered. But others have been warned and they must be rushing towards here. They had to get out! get out fast. He bitterly shook his head as they passed through the solid stone wall.


    Adam stood nervously beside his body, his eyes wild with caution, while his leg trembled to a nervous rhythm. His heart nearly leaped out of his body when Arash placed his hand over his shoulder.


    "Who sleeps while breaking into someone house," Adam said with a voice that would have sent his sons running. He was truly angry, but sense still lingered behind the hateful glare of his.


    "I wasn''t sleeping" Arash couldn''t help but smile.


    "Do you thin--"


    "We have to leave now." Arash scrambled to his feet as he left his uncle seething in anger. Adam gritted his teeth with half a mind to not follow, but something in the voice of his nephew unnerved him. He turned towards the strange granite walls. It was no place to stay and he prayed to the blessed that this boy before him knew what he was doing.


    Arash sailed through long twisting corridors, empty halls, and steep stairs. Basit''s memories proved to quite useful in traversing through this confusing tower. Sometimes he would hear the sound of leather against the stone and would be forced to take a longer route. This tower was riddled with hidden doors and traps for the unwary. Basit knew the first two floors like the back of his hand. So, Arash had no problem in finding his way. But he had underestimated the fat monk''s seniors. Instead of searching throughout the tower. They all had converged at the great oak gate, which was the only point of entrance and exit.


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    "What do you plan to do?" Najwah laughed at the sight of almost 20 monks standing in front of the oak door. Arash stared at his uncle and for a moment thought of using him as a bait.


    "I will scream on the top of my lungs if you decide to do something stupid." Adam leveled his gaze at Arash to make sure he understood before he turned towards the monk in grey robes. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "Too many! we can''t fight them..." He looked at Arash, his eyes gleaming with expectation. "We can''t...right?"


    Arash didn''t deign to reply. He turned towards the little snake, who looked more like a pig than a snake. "I don''t suppose you can harvest any more memories?"


    Najwah scoffed. "Not unless I run off to them, tell them to wait before I vomit out all the memories that I have consumed. Mind you the memories I reach out, return to their owners. So, No! I can''t harvest anymore."


    "Why don''t you harvest only core memories?" Arash scrunched up his forehead as he remembered the vacant eyes of the men in the street.


    "Do you think those damn slugs are going to sit tight and help me take their host''s memories?"


    Arash peered down at the monks, the web-like runes trembled in excitement at the sight of flesh and bones. He clenched his arms as blue veins popped over his forearm. Suddenly his heart stilled. He turned back, peering up the dark stairs. Stretching his ears to the limit. There it was again; the whisper of leather against a stone. Coming closer. "Someone''s here!" He peered through his soul-eye and the darkness receded and


    the stone stairs appeared before him. He turned back and he saw twenty golden leeches, brighter than a man''s head, swimming in the soul-space of the monks.


    "There are twenty of them here and by the sound of it. There are about five coming from above." His clenched his fist and felt the soft leather of his gloves. His eyes glued towards the sound scrapping, he could almost see heads at the top of the stairs. "Can''t fight them, they will alert the ones below. What should I do?" Arash stared at the wall to his left, noticing for the first time the strange patterns...

 Arash - Wet Coughs

    Arash glanced up the flight of stairs; there were five of them, draped in loose gray robes, bald as the day they were born. The one in the front was holding a glowing ball; pale fingers of light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the path before them. Adam stilled in fear as his eyes turned wide as saucers; his lips trembled, but no sound came out of them. Arash didn''t need the soul-rune to know what his uncle was thinking. He turned towards the pattern on the walls, he had seen these before.


    ''Where have I see...'' an image of an old man flashed before his eyes. "Mud spikes!" It had been a long time and the memory was distant and vague, but he remembered the prowess of the vague mud spikes... A small translucent globe appeared in front of him. The scene of mud spike playing on it. He focused on the glowing rune, seeing past the pale blue light and he saw the reality of the spike-rune. It was the simplest rune he had ever seen, made up of 4 nodes. Arash clenched his teeth as a determined look flashed in his eyes.


    "If the light reaches us, Jump at them before they get a chance to alert the ones below." Arash whispered to his uncle.


    Adam swallowed hard. "There are five of them..."  he groped at the darkness, his fingers caressing the cold hard walls, his eyes trained at the descending light. "There are five of them!" he repeated once again, emphasizing each word. He waited for an answer, but only the distant whispers of leather against stone and fluttering of his heart welcomed him.


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    Arash''s will split into 40 equal parts, each engulfing a small green node. Arash gritted his teeth as the green nodes split apart in a group of four. Each node in a group spinning in a different direction. In a blink of an eye, each node in the group darted toward the node with the opposite spin. Blinding pain seared through his consciousness as six of the group burst out in a loud explosion, the silver will around them ripped to shreds. Arash shook away the


    stinging feeling in his head and found little relief at the sight of four brown runes floating in front of him.


    He felt nervous fingers clutching on to him and found his uncle staring at him skittish eyes. "Found you! You bastard! They--" His words died in his throat as the pale blue light touched his skin. In horror, he pushed Arash back and jumped towards monks. The monks were caught unaware as they only managed to let out startled gasps when Adam was upon them. He struck at the glowing ball of light, it darted towards the wall and broke on impact. Darkness painted everything black


    and for a moment only grunts and curses echoed off the walls.


    Arash concentrated on the runes and they flew at a startling speed, and before the monks could raise the alarm, sharp spikes pierced through their throats, reducing their cries to wet coughs...

 Arash - Golden Spears

    Adam grabbed the monk by his neck and strangled him with all his might. The monk struggled, clawing at his arm. The strength rune in Adam''s arm drained the monk of his vitality, while his iron grip made it impossible for the monk to breath. His struggles reduced to weak flailing as his lips turned blue and he wheezed his last breath. Even after the monk''s death, Adam refused to let go of him. Instead, he pulled with greater might. The monk''s neck snapped under his grip and even then he refused to let go.


    Adam stared at his uncle, frozen in fear as he clung on to the corpse, he sat on his heels and gently prodded his uncle with a gloved hand. "He is dead! Let him go. He no longer breaths" He


    whispered to his uncle, his hand urging Adam to release the corpse.


    "Wha..." Adam looked at Arash, his eyes skittish with wear. His lips trembled as realization dawned on him. He looked at the monk in his hands, hidden beneath a veil of darkness. The darkness brought him little relief as he couldn''t see the face of the man he had killed. But he could feel it, feel it through his hand and before the dread hit him, his hands snapped back as he scrambled to his feet. He stood in silence, taking comfort in the darkness that enveloped him.


    Arash looked at his uncle and turned towards the dead monks hanging by the sharp spikes of granite. Blood had painted their robes black and it had started to smell. Sweet, coppery smell. The perfume of death, Arash thought. "Did my brother smell like that..." Arash tried to remember, but the memory seemed to fear him as it always escaped him. He shook his head as he tried to suck the strength from dead corpses; the strength-rune seemed to have no taste for they didn''t even stir. Arash sighed as he pushed the corpses towards the wall, making way to pass through. The steps were slick with blood, but Adam scarcely seemed to notice it; he moved with a haunted look, his steps listless. Arash thought to relieve his uncle from this wretched experience, but in the end, decided to let him be.


    "We have been waiting for hours. I am telling they are still on the first floor. Hiding somewhere. We are only wasting our time." A frustrated voice climbed up the flight of stairs.


    "We have our orders, the master said... What! Where?"


    A man appeared in the bottom of the stairs, while another one appeared at the top.  Arash felt his stomach turn. ''How could I forget!'' He cursed at himself, his gaze dancing between the men at the bottom and on the top. He scoured every bit of will he had at the moment and was able to create 4 more spike-runes. His heart drummed in his chest. The monks would soon be upon him. ''There are twenty of them, bellow... Argh and I don''t know how many of them are above.'' He gritted his teeth as two of rune sailed up the flight of stairs.


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    "Fou..." shouts turned to startled gasps; the granite beneath the monk''s feet shot towards the ceiling at an oblique angle, impaling four monks to death and blocking the path.


    "You bastard!" Men growled at him from above and below. Arash turned towards his uncle. ''Where is he?'' Suddenly he heard a loud roar and saw figure hurtling down the stairs. He saw his uncle mid-jump, sailing towards the bald monks.


    Adam crashed into a short squat monk with a muffled groaned, his arms a rapid flurry of brows as he rolled down the stairs while pummeling the monk. Arash jumped at the chance his uncle had created and lunged through the clear path. On his descent, he heard a loud ululating sound and for a moment his vision blurred. "What happened?" his foot slipped under him as he felt weightless¡­ hard stairs bit into his back as his vision returned to him. He saw golden mist surrounding him, striking at his soul with fiery yellow spears.


    Arash glanced back and saw the monks singing in high rasping voice, their notes rising and falling as the attacks of the mist. Arash tapped into his soul and found nothing but blinding pain. He bitterly stared at the floating brown spike-rune. Suddenly they didn''t seem like a good idea. Once again the golden spears attacked him, he tried to dodge, but the narrow staircase left little room to maneuver. He hatefully glanced at the singing wood. "The spikes!" Suddenly one of the runes flew towards the two inclined runes. It merged with the slanted granite and the songs suddenly stopped. Thick blood trickled down the steep stairs and bald monks stood, skewered by a thick spike of granite.


    The monks below had started to recover from the initial shock. It didn''t take long for them to understand Adam''s queerness. No one dared to come near, near. The monks used their songs to render him incapacitated.


    "Surrender! There is only one exit out of this building and I am looking at it." A slender bald monk stood behind the wall. Arash could see him standing behind the wall. He could see every monk through his soul-eye. He ground his teeth in frustration as he closed his eyes and focused on his soul-bond...

 Arash - Dread

    Arash cursed under as Najwah ignored his calls. The little black snake lay coiled around his soul. If not for the white-mist, Arash would have destroyed the black rune right there and then. He closed his eye''s ignored the monks beneath and the scent of death that lingered in the dark staircase. It was hard to tame the whispers of a frightened heart, the knot in his gut twisting like a great python.


    "There must be a way!" He found strength in those words and it somehow became easier for him to breath. He once again looked at the monks behind the walls, and saw the golden leeches swimming in their sea of consciousness. He drew in a deep a breath, staring at the hanging corpses. His jaw hardened as determination flashed in his eyes. He grabbed a corpse by his leg and ripped it off the granite spike.


    "There is not--" The monk behind the wall shrieked in fear as a mangled corpse appeared in front of him.  It was missing most part of his face and white gooey liquid oozed out of his open skull. Startled gasps gave way to uncontrollable heaving. Few of the monks were strong enough to withstand such shock, but their eyes were wild around their edges, while their lips pursed grimly. They couldn''t imagine, what could drive a man to do such a thing.


    "You Bastard, we will rip you apart. We will tear you from limb to limb." The monk beside the monk howled in anger, as his dinner caked a good part of his loose rob. He turned towards Adam; his face a mask of cruelty. "Bring him here." He barked at the nearby monks. They looked uneasily at the unconscious man before him and then glanced at the headless corpse. They swallowed hard as rasping songs seared off their throat.


    Adam''s body moved, his eyes dancing beneath the eyelids. He scrambled to his feet and trudged in front of the staircase. Arash looked coldly down the flight of stairs his eyes resting on his uncle. The monk cursed out some profanities and the song of the priests turned to shrill screeches. Adam bit into his forearm, his face twisted in pain as he ripped out a chunk and chewed it with a crooked smile. Dark red bubbles formed on the corner of his mouth as he munched on his own flesh while thick red blood oozed out of his forearm, but he scarcely seemed to notice it.


    "Come on, eat some more, you must be really hungry." The monk beside the wall cackled, his ears searching for any sign of life. "Wait till I get my hands on you! Death won''t come easy, I will make sure of that. You will rue the day you laid a hand--" His words froze on his lips as a dark blue shape, flashed in front of him. It hit Adam with a sickening crunch and sent him sprawling over the floor. The monks stared in horror as they saw a corpse leaving a trail of blood and entrails. The lower half of his body was missing, while his face frozen in an expression of disbelief.


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    Arash strained his ear and was rewarded with retching sounds of the monk. They were afraid, he could feel it. It would buy him some time. He picked up the lower half of the monk''s body. "You must be wondering what to do with half a priest. Let me make it complete." Arash uttered in an apathetic voice, his fears hidden deep beneath his madness. He flung the lower half of the monk''s body and watch it tumble down the flight the dark stairs. "Let me, know if you get lonely down there. I have plenty of friends up here. They might not be in the best of shape, but they know something you don''t" His voice echoed off the dark corners and went stabbed right through the consciousness of the men beneath him. "They speak true words, if only you listen."


    "Shut your blathering!" A trembling voice squeezed through the narrow stairway. Arash didn''t need soul-eye to see the face of the man down by the wall. No matter how hard he roared, his voice was riddled with fear.


    "You aren''t listening!" Arash sighed wistfully as he ripped another corpse from the stone takes and send it down in pieces. "I think three will make you understand. Let me know if you need another. Why don''t you come up and we have a comfortable chat."


    "You sick fuck! We will see how long you are going to stay up there! Our master will soon know of it and it won''t be pretty---"


    Arash frowned at the mention of the master. "Won''t be pretty?" He looked around the skewered monks. "Twenty monks hiding from a single helpless boy. Your master would be thrilled--" Arash eyes turned wide as saucers; he saw a hand rip out from the wall beside, he arched back just in time as a gnarled old hand whizzed past his neck. Arash could felt a shiver ran down his spine as he saw a wizened man standing in the wall to his left. A giant golden leech sawm around the old man''s head. It was nearly the size of a grown man, slithering and shifting through the air.


    The old man clicked his tongue in disappointment as his face appeared on the wall. He stared at Arash with deep blue eyes as he spoke in a crackling voice. "Sharp boy!"

 Arash - Fighting Back

    The old man squeezed out of the hard granite wall, staring at him with deep green eyes. He glanced at the skewered monks and let out a wistful sigh. His lips moved and a deep note slipped of his withered lips. A tsunami of golden mist enveloped Arash as he stood frozen in the dark staircase. His thoughts slowed down and his limbs became heavy with each passing moment.


    A smile emerged on the old man''s face as the notes that played on his lips switched to a high note. The tsunami turned to countless needles as they attacked his soul. Arash gasped in fear as he struggled to dodge the incoming attack. ''Move! Move! Move!''


    "Use your will to defend" Najwah whispered.


    White mist immediately leaped out of his soul and formed a thin protective layer in front of his soul. Ting! Most of the golden needles struck the protective and shattered upon contact. The old man frowned and suddenly the golden needles danced around the protective layer and attacked Arash''s soul. It felt as if someone had poured molten lava on his head as the needles disappeared into his soul. Blue veins popped all over his body as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably.


    "Much better!" The old man regarded him with great interest.


    Arash drew a deep breath as the golden mist receded. He scrambled to his feet as he warily stared at the old man and the terrible leech that swam around him.


    "Who are you?" The old man asked in a deep resounding voice.


    Arash opened his mouth but thought better. His lips formed a thin line as he minds raced to get out of here. He glanced at the bottom of the staircase and the thought of twenty monks bellow was less than comforting. Given that he managed to outrun this old monster, with each passing moment, the chance of getting out seemed to be more and more impossible.


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    "I am the man who is getting out of here," Arash spoke with all the bullshit he could muster.


    "Getting out?" The old man laughed a few wheezy cackles before his face turned cold as the death that lingered in dark staircase. "You must be a bigger fool then I had imagined. You won''t leave this tower. You¡¯ll die--" Suddenly the stairs beneath the old man''s feet burst open as a thick pillar of granite ripped his body into half and squashed his head on the ceiling.


    Arash stared down the flight of stairs, his feet a rapid blur. A loud shriek echoed off the dark walls of the staircase. The old man wasn''t dead. It was that damned leech. Suddenly the darkness gave way to pastel blue light of the hall below. His left hand snapped at the monk hiding behind the wall as others reeled back in shock. The yellow web-like rune wiggled in his arm and the monk flopped on the ground like dead fish. In an instant, Arash leaped towards the monk closest to him and sucked him dry. Before he could attack the third, the monks countered with their rasping sounds.


    Golden mist rolled around him as thick fingers of gold assaulted his consciousness. Arash''s feet turned into a blur as he dodged two of the spears, while the third one was blocked by his will. In a blink of an eye, there were three less enemies to worry about.


    "Get out of here!" Najwah whispered uneasily. Arash cursed back in anger and leaped towards his unconscious uncle.


    Adam''s eyes snapped open, as his lips trembled and the terrible needles once again came. Arash dived to his left, barely dodging the swarm of golden needles. The song of the priests merged with the shrill scream of his uncle. The golden mist roiled all around him. Arash scrambled to his feet, face caked with mud and dried blood, eyes darting at the golden death around him. ''You little black bastard. It''s about time for you to shine. '' Arash hissed under his breath, his eye''s glued on the giant golden leech swarming around his uncle. ''Najwah--'' Spears rained down on him from every direction. Arash squeezed every last bit of his soul energy and formed a protective shield. The golden spears disintegrated upon coming in contact with the shield.


    "Runemaster!" The monks around him howled back in fear as the golden mist gave way.


    Adam raised his hand and the monk reigned back their fears. "There is nothing to fear my children. This boy is no runemaster." He turned towards Arash. "If he was, we would have been long dead." His lips formed into a cruel smile. He sang in a high pitch note and once again the golden mist rumbled to life. It shot towards Arash at lightning speed.


    Arash barely moved when the golden arrow pierced through his soul. Everything turned black for a moment and then it hit him. The pain burned his soul as he blinked in and out of consciousness. His screams echoed off the grey granite walls. Arash fought the pain; fought for the control over his body. The pain brought him back to the dark room, drowned into the deep recess of his memory. He had promised himself. Not again. Never. He pushed back the pain, ignore the stinging pain in his head. Suddenly another a golden blur appeared in front of him. He gritted his teeth and the golden mist shot towards Adam. The white arrow pierced through the golden blur and struck right through the blur and went straight for the giant leech...

 Arash - Madness

    The white arrow pierced through the wind, hurtling towards the giant golden leech. Adam''s lips cracked open and a long sonorous song spilled from his lips. His body shriveled at a visible rate and a milky white mist coalesced in front of him. Adam seemed to have aged 10 years in a mere instant. The milky mist congealed together to form a thin protective film. The brilliant white arrow fiercely vibrated as it came in contact with the milky film. The protective film let out a loud shrill as thin cracks spread across it.


    Adam ground his teeth as he sang with increased vigor. Another 10 years seeped out of his body and filled the crack, strengthening the shield. Adam smiled thinly as he sang in a high note. Countless more needles slowly formed around him and hurtled towards Arash.


    Arash''s eyes turned wide as saucers as he saw the golden swarm sailing towards him. He jumped to his left, twisted his body at an oblique angle and barely managed to avoid the burning pain. Seeing him pushed around by Adam, the bald monks chimed in with their songs. He howled in pain as the brilliant white arrow was crushed under the misty white shield. He gritted through the pain. Now was not the time! The golden swarm was on him and after what seemed like an eternity he was reduced to a bloodied mess; his limbs scratched and bleeding, and his clothes tattered. He felt the cold hard wall bite into his back and felt his breath stuck in his throat.


    The monks sang shrilly while a crooked smile played on Adam''s shriveled face. "See my children! He is nothing but a boy. A helpless dead boy." His youthful skin had turned into a grey blotchy mess, while his hairs thin and grey. In a single moment, he had turned from a middle-aged man to a gnarled old man.


    Staring at the old man before him, Arash couldn''t help but remember Saroh. Why had he gone out? He couldn''t remember, but he couldn''t forget the wild beast and its heart-wrenching screams and the blue mist. He looked at his arms and felt the pastel blue light on his hand. His head jerked back to shining sconce. ''Mana stone!'' He jumped and reached for the stone, his fingers snatching the blue glowing globe from the mouth of the sconce. In a blink of an eye, he was back on his feet with a crushed globe. He felt the familiar coldness in his hand, he shifted his fingers and the engraved stone fell to the ground, leaving two small mana stones in his hand. He could hear startled gasps as the monks around him stared at the glowing stones in extreme horror. The golden spears disappeared into thin air, giving Arash a chance to breathe.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "What do you plan to do with it?" Adam trudged towards him, not daring to close. Arash could see the unease in his eyes, he feared the mana stones like the giants.


    Arash stared at the stones in his heart and held the thoughts hidden deep beneath his calm face. For what he was about to do; it took all his might to not throw the stones away. He could already hear the whispers and felt the pain, but last time he had the willpower to contain the blue mist. He drew a deep breath and allowed himself a smile while his heart hammered in his chest; he couldn''t afford to show his weakness. Not now! "I plan to get a crystallized golden leech -- Wait, it wouldn''t be, but I can make do with blue," Arash said casually while his stomach twisted in a knot. He whispered through his soul-bond, calling Najwah for help.


    "Crystallized leech!" Adam spat the words as if they were poison, his nose furrowed into a deep scowl. "It seems the boy is frightened out of his wits." He tried to mask his fears under threats and taunts, but the distance of 20 feet was a resounding cry of his fear.


    "I can''t seem to hear you. Why don''t you come forward!" Arash retorted, his gaze studying the nervous monks around him. He could hear muffled curses and nervous chatter from the crowd; golden leeches frantically swimming their soul-space. He dared to take a step and promptly the crowd stepped away from him. Arash''s step became surer as he pushed himself away from the wall.


    "Oooh!" A loud wail pierced the momentary peace. Arash''s heart stilled with fear as he threw caution to the wind and slammed the mana stone in his empty socket. The dead stone breathed to life as he heard the terrible yawning of the blue mist. He turned toward Adam, his left eye streaked with blood. The blue mist rumbled at the sight of the giant golden leech. The mist rolled out of his left eye and streaked towards Adam. The golden leech lurched out of his body and darted towards the wall. The blue mist thundered in anger and split into tiny streams that streaked towards the monks.


    "What have you done?" Najwah appeared from Adam''s body. "You have doomed us all! You have doomed us all!"


    Arash hatefully glanced at the little snake and it shrunk away in fear. "I will deal with you later!" Arash focused on the strength runes, he snarled he broke all six of strength runes. White little globes of soul-energy drifted back to him and nourished his soul. He glanced at the wild blue mist and frozen monks, slowly turning to mana stones, their fear and pain etched onto their face for all eternity. He grimly studied the raging mist as he braced himself for the terrible murmurs of blue worms...