Before True Light: The Awakening 2nd Edition

by Sarah Buchynski

The creature shrouded in the light was charging towards Izanami. Izanami looked up. Her face was expressionless and her eyes were sunken, with dark rings beneath them. She did not move as she waited for the arrival of the creature. She just stared at the blinding image. The closer the creature came, the more intense the light became. Being afraid was not the reason why Izanami was immobilized; instead, she felt a strange sense of warmth in her heart that intensified the closer the creature got. It was the warmth of comfort and tranquility, something Izanami had never felt for much of her life. The creature was now very close and, emitting an extreme blinding light, stopped suddenly, only a few inches from Izanami. Their heads were almost touching. In a low, faint voice Izanami spoke one word in confusion, “…chimera?” The breath of the chimera warmed Izanami’s skin, but it did not feel like the breath of a monster, anticipating the attack on its prey. Slowly, Izanami closed her eyes as if giving her spirit permission to leave her body. Before she could close her eyes completely, the chimera spoke to Izanami.

  “Get up, child. Your time has not come yet. It is only the beginning. In time, you will understand. Do not be afraid, and remember the Light. Let the Light guide you through the darkness,” the chimera spoke in a low, soothing voice.

  “What do you mean? I do not understand,” Izanami whispered. The light surrounding the chimera gradually began to fade. The actual body of the beast was emerging and shaping into what appeared to be a large feline – like a lion – but with one distinctive difference. This beast had a pair of massive silver wings with black tips. The chimera wrapped its wings around Izanami and let out a frightening roar. Instantly, everything turned into swirling clouds of black and white. Izanami’s vision became blurred. A piercing pain struck her chest as all the air in her lungs was ripped out instantaneously. Her body was then being pulled under. The dark abyss had transformed from blurred black and white into an eternal hole. The crushing force being put on Izanami’s body and the piercing pain in her chest made it impossible for her to resist. Izanami felt as if she was falling for an eternity. After mustering enough strength, she let out a scream. Tears fell from her eyes. The pain was becoming more unbearable by the second. Izanami could feel her life source fading, but in the instant before she would have been lost, she heard a great roar. “Chimera, what did you do?” Izanami pushed out the words, with very little strength left. The chimera did not say anything. Once again it was veiled in a vibrant light. Izanami reached out for the beast. With all her strength, she forced her body upright and grabbed one of the wings. The light around the chimera exploded and blinded Izanami.

  “Izanami, are you okay? Izanami! What’s wrong? Answer me, Zu-Zu!” Artemis hysterically cried out. Izanami was sitting upright on the bed, covered in sweat. An expression of fear and pain was on her face. She did not say anything or move. Izanami had a firm grip on Artemis’ hand and her other hand was clenched in a fist. Izanami looked down at her clenched fist. In it she was clutching a silver feather with a black tip. Seeing this, Izanami fell backwards onto the bed. She still had not said anything and was breathing heavily. The Elder of Herbalism and the Grand Elder walked into the hut.

  “So, she finally awakes after almost two weeks,” the Grand Elder said. Artemis nodded her head as she wiped away her tears. “Do not cry, child. Izanami is one that is strong with our ancestors and…” the Grand Elder suddenly stopped in mid-sentence. His eyes had confusion and wonder in them as he looked upon the feather Izanami was holding. “Impossible… how can this be?” muttered the Grand Elder. The subordinates of the Herbalism Elder had started to examine Izanami. Izanami still did not speak. She felt devoid of energy.

  “There doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with her physically, Master. However, it would appear that this girl is suffering from severe mental trauma,” one of the herbalism subordinates explained.

  “What do we do about…,” the Herbalism Elder began to ask.

  “Hush, Reem. These girls do not need to worry about anything more than what they have already endured,” the Grand Elder interrupted the Herbalism Elder. The Grand Elder walked towards Izanami’s bedside as he pulled an article of clothing from under his arm. Standing over the two girls, the Grand Elder unrolled a black cloak with a golden symbol on the back. The symbol was the emblem of the Red Mage Warrior – a Pentacle, with two swords crossed in the center. The Pentacle symbolized mystical powers, health and harmony, the heaven, earth, and the human body and mind. When these qualities are used together, great power is unleashed. A Red Mage Warrior is a representation of the Pentacle. They are granted great power that was considered sacred by their ancestors. The swords represented the obligation of guardianship and protection. This was the main duty of Red Mage Warriors in ancient times.

  “Well, Izanami, take this cloak. Consider it a late birthday gift and congratulations on succeeding to the path of a Red Mage Warrior,” the Grand Elder smiled.

  “Red Mage War… Warrior?” Artemis whispered. Artemis stood up slowly and put one hand over her forehead as the other still held Izanami’s hand. “This is what a Red Mage Warrior is capable of? It’s not natural for a mere mortal to be able to do what Izanami did. How could our ancestors see those kinds of people as heroes? Now look at her. Look at her! Look at Zane! We are taught that when a Red Mage succeeds to the status of Red Mage Warrior, they receive great honour and glory. Well, then someone tell me why my best friend was almost killed by her own reaction, and now is acting like she’s lost her sanity. Where’s the honour and glory in that?!”

  “Please try to calm yourself, young one. Such expressions of emotion will not help your friend return. The life of the Red Mage Warrior is complex. Honour and glory are not gained by right, but earned through experience and hard work.” As the Grand Elder explained this to Artemis, Zane, still in the other bed across from Izanami, began to show signs of life. His head moved from side to side continuously. Zane’s mother quietly pleaded for her son to open his eyes as she cried over his scorched body. Zane gasped for air, partially opening his eyes before falling back into a deep slumber.

  “This is all her fault! My son lies here almost dead because of her, and she is untouched!” Zane’s mother pointed at Izanami in fierce anger.

  “Marine, our son is among the gifted. It is to be expected that something like this could happen. It will prepare him if there ever is to be a real battle. Don’t blame the girl,” the Elder of Black Heka declared from the doorway, where he had just appeared. Artemis and the subordinates gave a quick bow as the Elder walked further into the hut. He walked towards Izanami and put his hand on her head. “Do not fret, young one. Take your time to come back.” He looked over to the feather Izanami was still grasping. “Hmmm… now that is interesting”. He looked over to the Grand Elder and the Herbalism Elder. After exchanging looks, the three men left the hut. Upset that her husband defended Izanami and did not even stop to see his son, Zane's mother left the hut as well.

  “Izanami, where did you get that feather? You didn’t have it when you were first brought here. It seemed to worry the Grand Elder, and intrigue the other Elders. I wonder why it is so important,” Artemis questioned.

  “Chimera…,” Izanami replied.

  “What?”

  “Chimera… it was real. What does this mean? What’s going on?” Izanami turned her head and Zane was in her view. Her eyes grew sad when she looked at him, and she drifted back into a hypnotic trance, struggling to recall what had brought her to this moment. Izanami was running the events through her mind – the reaction that flowed through her blade, the events that occurred in the abyss, and the Elders’ reactions to the feather she clutched – what did it all mean? Were these events all connected, or was it just a dream? Many questions swam in Izanami’s head at this time. She looked at the feather while turning it between her fingers, and then brushed it against her cheek.

  “What are you thinking about, Zu-Zu?” Izanami turned her head towards Artemis and shrugged. “Oh, c’mon! I know that look… what’
s going on in that mind of yours?!” Artemis demanded.

  “Well, if you really wanna know… WAIT!”

  “What?”

  “Where is it? Where is my pendant!?” Feeling around her neck, Izanami could not find her mother’s pendant. She began to panic.

  “Settle down, Miss Red Mage Warrior. I have your pendant right here,” Artemis handed over the pendant to Izanami. Relieved, Izanami lay back down in bed with her hands over her face. “So, are you going to tell me what you were thinking about before your meltdown?”

  “I’m too tired.” Izanami turned on her side, facing away from Artemis while holding on to the pendant. Tears began to run down her face. Moments later, Izanami could feel Artemis pulling the blanket over her body and listened to her footsteps as she left the hut.

  Meanwhile, in the hut of the Elder’s Council, every Elder and the Grand Elder met that night. Four Elders and the Grand Elder sat in a circle, the five of them equidistant from each other. Each of their chairs bore a carving of the alchemic symbol that best described their position. Within this Council, all important decisions regarding the society were discussed until a mutual resolution was reached.

  “Grand Elder, is it true? Has a Warrior of Light really appeared before us?” the Elder of White Heka asked.

  “How can it be possible? She is much too young and inexperienced. And why would a Warrior of Light come now, after only a thousand years?” the Combat Elder stated.

  “Both of you calm yourselves. We are not even sure if she is the next Warrior of Light, and there is no specific rule anywhere in the Emerald Tablet that would forbid it based simply on age. She is a Red Mage Warrior – that’s all we know for certain. Much of what was known about any previous Warrior of Light has been all but lost, but we cannot be misled by our own presumptions,” the Grand Elder articulated. "We will act accordingly, as have our ancestors, in a situation such as this. We will watch young Izanami, but let us not trouble her with such accusations. She does not need to know the existence or duties of the Warrior of Light unless we are certain she is, indeed, the chosen one,” the Grand Elder spoke authoritatively.

  “Can we really risk keeping silent on what may be expected of her?” the Elder of Herbalism declared. “It could be dangerous not only for our people, but for the outside world as well.”

  Zane's father, the Elder of Black Heka, stood up from his chair and proclaimed, “If young Izanami truly is the chosen one, the Warrior of Light, then we all understand what this means. It is true that the world has been at rest for only one thousand years… but we cannot be led into complacency simply based on this. It is our responsibility, as Red Mages and Red Mage Warriors, to protect mankind; and we will be ready if called upon…”

  Chapter 4