by Beth Hoyer
Who am I?
Edenia Series
By Beth Hoyer
Prologue:
Nikolai’s story as said to the High Council as recorded by the Recorder to the group. His story told to religious order of the High Council believing in that group as their god deity on planet Aire.
Chapter One
Pharaoh sees masked male everywhere.
No one sees that masked male thinks “Pharaoh is crazy like a lunatic!”
Ruler gets too much of seeing that masked male stabs himself with a knife into his chest and lays on floor alone in throne room or bedroom.
Masked male turns out to be his own brother who spoke “You’ve done what I wants the throne to myself.”
He reveals the masked status to pharaoh and forces the eyes of his brother shut then ordered “I want him to be buried into an underground temple!”
Anubis realizes “The Pharaoh is still alive but not really disappeared!”
He gets him out of the grave into the priests' temple. Priests aren't doing much regarding this situation instead plot with Anubis and Pharaoh to remove his brother from the throne. Brother has religious beliefs involving some other gods and goddesses priests don't approve or appreciate of and want him removed.
Ruler gets handed a mask by Anubis and told “You’re to haunt your brother with it.”
He obeys learning how to do that haunting making his brother seem crazy to the city's people and own servants. Servants don't know that Pharaoh is still alive doing that haunting and same with the city's people who ignore beggars and don't know that a beggar is a masked pharaoh haunting his brother to drive him crazy. Priests get the upper hand on the brother's craziness and get him out of the ruler ship's position into a grave to be buried alive.
Anubis tells Pharaoh “You’re to go to the chasm of storms and leave Humania since you’ve been declared disappeared to the people of Zimala.”
Pharaoh spoke “I don't agree-“
Priest spoke “I insist you do that! You’ll find your son taking your brother's place as ruler.”
Pharaoh goes into chasm of storms arrive to planetary world of Aire becoming the soul Nikolai, himself.
Guardian or Nikolai as the soul pretending to be the Guardian of Life and Death eyed the mental gated arch to see if flash an image of a male wearing gonoid skin clothing from head to foot.
The High Council was speaking blaring in his mind ‘The Guardian of Life and Death! What did you see of that God of ours?!’”
He gave the High Council clad in their robes of white seated on their seats a glare and spoke “I’m telling the story as I remember it.”
Nikolai felt a terrible headache hitting him to grimace and laid his form down onto the floor while shutting his eyes thinking to himself “I might as well sleep this headache off.”
Nikolai got in response a hand shaking his shoulder including a voice familiar speaking “Don’t you dare sleep that off! Wake up and continue your story now!”
He spoke in response “I have a headache-“
“Just tell the story and ignore the pain of a headache that’s bothering you.” He got interrupted.
Nikolai opened his eyes and found the headache quit as a result despite finding his mind flashing images into his head to his disgust. He felt disgusted spoke the sound sounding in a familiar voice tone despite confused to why he was sounding familiar.
“Just tell more of the story!” He heard blared in his mind always triggering that odd sense to get into control.
Nikolai felt annoyance take hold obeyed to speak further of the tale despite disgusted to do it to the High Council.
Guardian heard as the travelers’ gate showed an image of a male "You had to show Nikolai didn't you?!"
Guardian heard nothing in response to the female’s question instead kept on watching the soul he figured was named Nikolai. The male walked on the desert sands his feet wearing gonoid skin boots with robes covering him from head to foot. He paused from his walk to exhale a breath staring at the desert sands while feeling the wind blowing softly. He saw a rocky wall ahead of him which he continued walking towards it. He frowned as he felt a burning sensation on the bottoms of his feet looked down to stare at the ground. He felt a hotness feeling which made him yank off his robes baring his form showing him wearing pants with no top revealing his muscular physique. Groaning he tossed aside the robes as the feeling began to dominate him as he walked. He felt his feet burning and looked down with dizzy eyes to see smoke of fire on the ground where his feet were which he followed with his eyes. He stiffened as he saw the fire surrounded him and screamed out a nonsense sound which he ran towards the rocky wall running while feeling the burning going to his legs. He forced himself to keep running till he reached the rocky wall and paused when he spotted a doorway opening in it. He ran in the doorway opening running into a corridor with stone walls which he ran not caring where he went till his lungs started bursting and he collapsed onto his knees on the dirt floor. He shut his eyes panting for breath and discovered the burning and hotness sensations gone from him which he opened his eyes as he continued to pant. He looked up with night vision to see a large sarcophagus statue of Lance Richard asleep, on the coffin in front of him next to the wall of a large room that was high overhead. He exhaled a breath getting up from the dirt floor to stare at the sarcophagus which he saw had a sword spear on top of it, he recognized as a weapon called Mikan. He sighed and walked towards the sarcophagus leaning over with clawed hands on the Mikan which he with great strength yanked off.
He stood holding the Mikan in his hands as he spoke out loud “This place is my home. I won’t leave it and suffer your fate, Father. I refused to let what happened to you happen to me.”
He exhaled a breath then felt tiredness arriving went to a wall and sat in a leaning position closing his eyes. He felt himself sliding into a lying position laid onto the ground falling asleep.
Nikolai woke up with a gasp. He got up and looked around the room which he saw a doorway opposite from the sarcophagus. Nikolai entered to see a corridor with open doorways on both sides which he counted each having five of them. He went into doorways to discover that that they were empty small rooms. He found rats scattering in all directions in one room which he feeling hungry captured a rat gagging it to death. He brought the rat to his mouth biting into it eating as he entered another room. Nikolai saw had water dripping from the ceiling landing into a small stone pool of water on the floor. He finished with the rat threw the carcass away and went to the pool kneeling. Nikolai brought his hand into the pool scooping up water bringing it to his lips repeatedly.
Nikolai felt himself better spoke out loud “I’ll stay here with the rats as my food and this water pool as my drink.”
He got up and walked back to the sarcophagus room where he went to the corner of the room and laid his form on the dirt ground falling asleep.
Nikolai jerked himself awake when he heard a sound. He opened his eyes as his eyes sight blinked from night vision to day vision while hearing the sound become louder. He sat up to stare at the doorway was a flickering light that was coming nearer and nearer while hearing sounds he recognized as people jabbering. He got up holding the Mikan in front of him to stare at the open doorway. The light revealed a flaming torch light held in a figure wearing raggedy robes in hand followed by four other figures wearing identical clothing all with turban like headdresses on their heads. He stood watching as the figures spoke words he didn’t understand overlapping jabbering all at once. He edged himself closer towards the figures that darted towards the sarcophagus one leaving the torch lying on the floor as they picked at the coffin with knives in their hands. Nikolai roared some loud nonsense sound which got the figures to stop their picking as he charged at them swingi
ng his Mikan. He heard exclamations of shock from the figures as he used the flat end of the Mikan’s sword part hitting each of them on their heads knocking them out. He stood staring at the figures that lay on the floor unconscious with the torch’s light flickering. Exhaling a breath he picked up a figure by the neck dragging the person out of the room into the corridor passing by doorways towards the entrance where he could see was night time. He with great strength tossed the figure into the air that landed away from him onto the sand into watery like mud that splashed up around the figure. He went inside and repeated the process with the other figures including tossing out the torch light then went to the rats’ room where he could see rats running around in all directions. With quick hand movements he grabbed a rat by the tail and tossed it in the air catching it with his hand around its neck which he squeezed choking it. He smiled a smile of satisfaction as the rat died giving up to death going limp in his hand. He walked out of the room biting into the rat’s body going out the corridor towards the entrance to outside and stood chewing as he listened. Nikolai heard voices yelling exclamations words not understood with overlapping as he listened. He heard horses whinnying sounds as he stood which became fainter and fainter. He once finished with the rat tossed the carcass away went to the pool room going inside to kneel at the pool bringing his hand in it scooping up water which he drank repeatedly.
He spoke once he finished drinking “I’ll stay here and keep people out for it’s my home my place and my sanctuary. No one will enter this place not if I have to kill them just to get rid of the people entering here.”
He sighed and got up leaving the room to the corridor. Nikolai walked entering the large room to stand staring at the sarcophagus. Nikolai walked to putting a hand on top of it.
He spoke again “I’ll guard you to keep others from interfering with your rest. You have my word on this, for I’m not leaving ever. Nothing will bring me out of this sanctuary except death.”
He gave the sarcophagus a rub and removed his hand to go to a corner lying on the ground closing his eyes as he let sleep over come him.
Nikolai dreamed of walking in the desert wearing robes that covered his head showing his eyes peering out. He was following a figure wearing identical robes covering the head which he automatically knew was his Father. His Father stopped and removed the robe from his head showing black hair which he stood next to him removing his robe from his head to stare at him. His Father looked at him before a look of terror arrived on his face which he screamed before looking down. Nikolai looked down to see fire licking at his Father’s robes surrounding him. He darted towards his Father who hit him with a fist in the face throwing him backwards hitting the ground. He lay on the ground staring at his Father with horror on his face as the fire abruptly rose surrounding the male.
He screamed out “Father!”
The fire he saw engulfed his father who gave out a crying wail and then the flames went shooting into the sky leaving a black round soot mark on the ground in place of the male.
Nikolai telling the story admits “I think the male fatherly representation was of a Highlander with the looks twin to the species including same color hair as mine.”
He continued the story as if needing to do it.
Nikolai woke up screaming of terror shaking his form which took him moments to understand where he was. Groaning he rubbed a hand on his head and stood up as his eyes sight flashed from night vision to day vision. He looked at the corridor doorway to see fire light becoming brighter and brighter which he gripped the Mikan in his hands while softly growling. He stared at the light source revealing a figure with a male form holding a torch which he saw had shoulder length sun colored hair while wearing robes that looked angelic like an angel glowing whiteness that came into the room.
He snarled softly as the figure turned to his direction speaking words he understood “Who is there? Show yourself now.”
Nikolai slowly walked forward his eyes on the male’s eyes that widened seeing him.
He stared at the stranger who spoke again “Why are you living here surrounded by darkness instead of being in the light?”
Nikolai in response swung the wide end of the Mikan at the stranger hitting him on the knees knocking him to kneel. He angrily grabbed the stranger’s long hair yanking him in a standing position thrusting the sword part of the Mikan at the stranger’s neck.
He spoke “I won’t tolerate visitors here who will be removed by my force even killed if they resist.”
He yanked the stranger into the hallway towards the entrance where he could see sunlight shining outside. The sunlight was appearing to be from a travelers’ gate showing whiteness all around brightly. He brought the stranger to the entrance and thrust his back to the wall.
Nikolai spoke “Tell the others to stay out. This is my sanctuary, no one enters.”
He turned his back and sensed the torch light behind him shining which he continued walking through the corridor entering the sarcophagus room. Nikolai kneeled as his dream of his father burned flashed in his mind’s eye. Groaning he rubbed a hand on his forehead and once again his eyes sight flickered. Growling he got up and turned towards the room’s entrance to see a male with short dark colored hair wearing identical robes as the stranger enter the room with a torch in hand.
He charged at the stranger who spoke “Nikolai, I’m called Trevor.”
Nikolai paused mid charge hearing his name spoken by the stranger Trevor. The image of his father catching on fire came to his mind. He continued his charge swinging the Mikan at Trevor who put the torch in front of his face. As he swung, fire from the torch came blowing at him towards his eyes. Nikolai dropped the Mikan bending down placing hands over his eyes while hearing running footsteps getting fainter and fainter. He removed his hands to blink his eyes which he felt were fine and straightened up his form. He exhaled a breath and looked down on the ground for his Mikan he saw wasn’t there.
Frowning he looked around eyes staring at the ground then he growled out loud “That stranger, Trevor, stole my weapon!”
He roared an angry sound then jogged out of the room to the corridor to the entrance. Nikolai walked out into the sun light to see Trevor holding his Mikan in his hands standing next to the stranger he kicked out holding a torch. Nikolai saw behind Trevor and the stranger were a crowd of people who abruptly went silent seeing him. He darted up to Trevor and yanked the Mikan out of his grip then turned his back to the crowd pausing when he heard gasping sounds from behind him. Shaking his head of disgust he walked back into the tomb entering the hallway again which he again reached the sarcophagus room. His eyes sight blinked again which he spun around to see Trevor walking speedily into the room which he edged himself towards the wall eyes on him. He saw Trevor go up to the coffin and kneel form becoming still.
Shaking his head of disgust he turned away towards the doorway when he heard a voice speaking “Nikolai.”
He turned around to stare at Trevor and widen his eyes when he saw his father standing at Trevor’s side wearing a skirt with chest bare of clothing with shiny jewelry on it and a crown on his head staring at him with all dark colored eyes. Nikolai shook his head closing his eyes. He opened them to find his father gone from standing besides Trevor.
He thought to himself “It was just part of my imagination.”
He turned and froze for inches away staring at him was his father who spoke “You my son are Pharaoh, leader of the people who are counting on you to lead which is what you should be doing. I did not raise you to have yourself isolated surrounded in the darkness living alone.”
Nikolai gaped at his father with shock on his face as his father continued speaking “You should face your fear the real reason why your isolated yourself in this place.”
He closed his mouth as his father paused then continued speaking “Why did you go out in the sun to get your weapon if you are afraid of the light? Speak your fears don’t keep them to yourself my son.”
He stared at his father who faded from his eyes sight as he turned to face Trevor who he heard was chanting words he heard repeatedly said “Go into the light, don’t be afraid.”
He went to Trevor kneeling in front of the man who stopped chanting to stare at him.
Nikolai spoke “I have a either a memory or a dream in my mind. I see my father wearing robes covered up walking in the desert with me besides him wearing robes. I was following him who stopped from walking to remove the hood from his head as I did the same with both of us looking at each other. My father looked at me with a look of fear on his face which he screamed of terror and looked down. I looked to see eater licking at his robes surrounding him. I darted towards him to help which he punched me hard throwing me backwards hitting the ground. I could only lie on the ground staring with terror as the eater engulfed my father.
I screamed out ‘Father!’ as the eater covered him.
I heard him give out a crying wail sound then the eater shot up towards the sky leaving a black round soot mark on the ground in his place. I kept walking in the desert till I got a burning sensation on the bottoms of my feet that I felt a hotness feeling that made me yank off my robes. The feeling took over as my feet continued to feel like burning and looked down with bad eyesight to see eater surrounding me which I screamed and ran to here. The burning came up to my legs as I entered this place entering this room falling to a kneeling position and felt the eater had left me-”
Nikolai was interrupted “It’s just your body warming up from sleeping status.”
He paused as Trevor nodded his head and he continued “I became afraid that the eater would consume me like it did with my father if I was out there so I stayed living here as my sanctuary from it.”
He stared at Trevor who wordlessly handed him a large cloth canteen while speaking “Here, Nikolai drink.”
Nikolai took the canteen and brought the open cap part to his lips which he drank recognizing it as milk and he greedily drank till there wasn’t a drop left for him. He handed Trevor the canteen who slung it over his arm as he grimaced as a headache arrived to his head that felt like a Meritanian’s mind scanning him.