Second Born

by Lance Wilson

  “I understand your fear of all this, the loss of your sight is a rather large change in things. But you will have to trust me. You will see again, I have some tea here for you. It will help you sleep” Fuma says and Attonnan can hear him stirring something, he is sure it is the tea.

  “I would rather not drink it” Attonnan says calmly and smiles up at where he thinks Fuma is.

  “You will drink it. That is a direct order, you are my apprentice and you will do as your master says” Fuma says with a light and commanding voice

  This thought runs though him quickly. Fuma is his master and he is the apprentice. No matter how much he feels about working without his sight, he must obey his master. Calmly he reaches out his hand waiting for Fuma to put the tea in it. Just as he thought Fuma places a hot cup in his hand. Fuma smiles at Attonnan’s obedience, he is close to finishing his training and though he still has a bit of a stubborn streak he is still obedient and will do as he is told. Like an obedient apprentice he drinks the tea. He drinks it in a few gulps, it is not much tea and it is not boiling hot, just hot enough to burn a bit, but not so hot that it burns his tongue. Before the tea is even finished he can feel the affects of the herbs that Fuma must have put in. He can feel his eyes grow heavy and the world seem to take on a distance from him. Without thinking he lies down and lies on his side getting comfortable. Fuma gently takes the cup from him chuckling.

  “Rest Attonnan, when you wake again healers will be in the room and we shall remove those bandages, and you will see that everything I told you is true, you will see again” Fuma says and walks out of the room.

  The word face in Attonnan’s head as darkness overtakes him and he is again whiffed into dreams of war, violence and hate.

  Just as he has done the last several times Attonnan wakes with a fright and shoots up from his bed. His body glistening with cold sweat, his sheets soaked in it. Why is this happening, why is he dreaming of war, is it the elf wars that are going on as he speaks, or is it another war, one to come, maybe one that has already come and gone. He couldn’t tell you cause like all the other times, the dream remains elusive to him. It is like the thick autumn mist, thick enough you feel you can touch it, hold it in your hand, but then as you go to grab it, it always just slips through the fingers. Just as these thoughts run though his head he hears it again, the wind. But it’s not the wind is it, it changes pitch and tone just as it always does, something is trying to talk to him but he can’t hear it, can’t understand it. The pitch and tone become more frantic, it sounds as if what ever it is desperate to try to talk to him. Attonnan tries to concentrate, tries to hear it, but still nothing, just the wind, the wind that changes its sound. Just as the dream, the voice begins to face, fade into the wind that brought it. Lowering his head he swings himself on the bed so that he is now sitting with his feet hanging off the side of the bed. There must be something, something that it is so desperate to tell him. Does it go hand and hand with the dreams of war, and why now, why after he has become so helpless. His thoughts are suddenly broken with a tap at the door. He hears it open before he can answer and from the sound, at least two people enter, maybe three. As he listens he is sure that it is three, one continues to walk tell it is right in front of him, the other two split tell one is at the head of his bed and the other at the foot.

  “Attonnan, are you prepared to see if you can see” It is Fuma’s voice; Fuma is the one that stands in front of him now.

  “Yes, but I’m not going to get my hopes up” he says and smiles up at Fuma, but it is a forced smile and Fuma can see it.

  “I don’t see why you doubt it. After all they did restore your tongue, but you didn’t realize that did you. You have had your tongue not long after you were brought to me. They said it was easy since the tongue heals extraordinarily fast to begin with” Fuma says and watches as Attonnan’s smile fades

  He didn’t think of that. He has had his tongue. He has been talking to Fuma for days now. If that much is true, then why did he doubt the regeneration of his eyes? His tongue was removed just as they were. With that he lets his tongue roll around his mouth feeling his teeth. He feels that the back teeth that were removed are back as well, but, but there is something different, his canine teeth, they are larger, not spectacularly so, but they are larger by a good 2 centimeters, the bottom ones as well, and sharper. Attonnan looks up at Fuma, but does not speak; he can only nod his head, his body filled with a new hope now. His teeth and tongue are back; his eyes should be as well. With that Fuma nods to lady ebon, who now stands at the foot of the bed, lady Elana, although now deaf stands at the head to watch. Lady ebon then gently takes a knife and cuts the bandages, then gently takes them off. Fuma watches with anticipation, she told him there would be some change, but she didn’t say what or why. Once the bandages are removed she works on the gauze gently pealing it off. Fuma is shocked at what he sees beneath the gauze. Covering his eyes is a yellow crust. Almost reading Fuma’s mind lady ebon holds up her hand.

  “Do not fear my lord, it is like any wound and has a scab. But the healing is done and it can be removed, carefully. Would you like to do the honors” She asks and steps to one side knowing his answer without it even having to leave his mouth.

  Slowly Fuma reaches out and feels the yellow scab over his eyes. He can see that Attonnan is trembling, what is he so scared of. Slowly Fuma takes one of his long nails and lets it touch the edge of the scab to see if there is any reaction. Attonnan does not move or wince. With a slight smile he lets his finger work the edge of the scab, carefully he moves it over the next side, then, carefully once he can get a grip on the edge he begins to peal it back. As he peels it back he can see that there is some kind of clear lubricate under the scab letting it slide right off once the edges are undone. The scab slides off and Fuma tosses it to the ground. Lady ebon then hands him a soft cotton towel, with trembling hands he wipes the clear goo off of Attonnan’s pearl white face.

  “Is it okay, can I open my eyes now” Attonnan asks calmly his voice trembling and cracking.

  “Yes, please do, show me that you can see” Fuma says calmly and smiling at the work so far.

  Slowly Attonnan opens his eyes, at first everything is bright and blurry, then slowly things begins come back into focus and start to take shape. Like a mirage things begin to come to him. Soon he can see his lord and master standing before him, lady ebon at his side. He looks around to take in the whole room, he sees the table that he knocked over so many times, and it is nowhere near the door. Seeing this he can’t help but chuckle. He then sees lady Elana. Her eyes stare at him with shock and a tinge of fear. Even Fuma now looks at him curious.

  “Is there something wrong?” Attonnan asks looking around to see if there is a mirror.

  Getting up he goes to the mirror over the dresser to see his eyes, what has happened to them, they still see perfectly. That is the important thing right. As he gazes at his reflection he is shocked. His eyes have changed, the blue, it is the blue of royalty, a deep penetrating blue, but now, even he can see the fire inside of them. Like small flashes of lightning in them. He’s not sure how the happened but he has to admit that he likes it.

  “Lady ebon, were you the healer that cured all of this” he asks calmly looking at her.

  “I am.” She says holding herself high

  “Then I must thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have done me great service and I shall remember this” Attonnan says and bows low to the woman that has given him back his sight and speech.

  “I was only doing as I was told, there is no reason to thank someone for following orders.” She says, but Attonnan can se a bit of color flush to her cheeks.

  “Attonnan, do you feel that you are ready for your final test” lord Fuma says with a cold soft voice, but those that know him better, like lady ebon and lady Elana, they can hear the anticipation and excitement in it.

  “I believe I
am my lord” Attonnan says with a bow. Of course he is. After what he has just faced there is nothing that they could throw at him that he is not ready for.

  “I do hope so, I really do.” he says and with that he turns around, they all turn with him.

  Like a small unit of troops they walk through the hull of the ship, lord Fuma in the lead, both ladies behind him and Attonnan behind them. Together they form a tight diamond formation as they walk through the hull, they walk further and further until Fuma comes to a door that Attonnan knows all to well. It is lady Elana’s door. Attonnan smiles and lowers his head all at once, figures, back to the black pit that smells of blood and sweat. Fuma opens the door and takes a deep breath. Everyone slowly walks into the pit. Here lady Elana doesn’t need her sight, this is here home her lair, here she is god, but not today, today Fuma is god. Fuma looks around and smiles at his work, for the last two days he has set up for this test. In the middle of the room there is bed that looks like it was rigged to be a kind of scaffolds. If a person were to lie on it they would be in the direct center of the room. All along the edges of the rooms are cranks with chains, some would bring the chains tight from high, and some would pull the chains tight from a low angle. There is a table near the edge of the room; on it is a large bowl of clear liquid and a sponge.

  “Remove your garb young apprentice” Fuma says with a soft fatherly voice

  Attonnan does without hesitation, taking off all his ropes. Fuma smiles at the sight of his bright porcelain white skin. It is perfectly white and not a scar on it. Lady ebon had done her work well enough that nothing could be seen of all the times they had tested him. Today that vary body will be the test. Which is stronger this time, the body or the will. Fuma smiles and walks over to the small table. Attonnan on instinct follows, the woman wonder if this is right but they do not hear Fuma protest they only go about standing, waiting for there orders. Fuma turned to ask for Attonnan to come to him, but to his surprise he is already standing there waiting patiently. Fuma only smiles and then dips the sponge into the bowl. Slowly carefully and even tenderly he takes the sponge out of the bowl and with all the care of the father Attonnan so desperately wants, he moves it over Attonnan’s body. The liquid is cold and Attonnan shivers at first.

  “Shh, this is vary important, normally I would not bother with it, but your test is a bit unlike any other I have given. And I think this is a good way to begin.” Fuma says as he takes great care to coat Attonnan’s whole body with the liquid, not missing a spot.

  Attonnan only stands there letting his master do, as he wants. It does not take long, only a few minutes. Then once it is finished he puts the sponge back into the bowl and pucks up a large metal stake. The tip of which his sharpened. Is perfectly round and smooth, Attonnan’s eyes widen but he only takes a deep breathe as his body trembling.

  “Do not fret Attonnan, this will not hurt, that is the purpose of the liquid” he says and spins his finger to let Attonnan know he needs to turn around.

  Attonnan not once thinking of questioning his master does exactly that. Carefully Fuma traces Attonnan’s skin, then digs a nail in letting a few droplets of blood run down his smooth white skin, there is no twinge of pain. Perfect, this is just how he wanted it. He then takes a firm grip on the skin of the right shoulder and pulls it getting a good fold at about half an inch thick. Without hesitation he uses the metal spike to slice a hole through the skin, piercing both sides of the fold. Quickly as the spike is in he nods to lady ebon that quickly comes to him, her hands full of large metal rings. On each ring is a gap, Fuma takes the first of the rings and slides the skin through the gap and then guides the ring so that the gap is on the opposite side and the ring is through the skin. Fuma then places his hand on the ring and gestures to one of the chains. This time it is lady Elana that brings the chain to him, this is her lair. Fuma gently takes the chain from her and then slides it so that it now is within the ring. Then calmly he places the gap of the ring inside the hand, he then whispers something, but the whisper was so soft so low that no one but he can hear. The ring then burns bright green and then goes back to its normal dull gray color. When Fuma removes his hand the ring is sealed the skin and chain inside it. Attonnan doesn’t even stir, he has felt none of this, the spike the ring, nothing. With a chuckle Fuma continues to go about the test, a chain and ring attached to the other shoulder, four along the spine, two on each of the inner thighs, one behind each knee, one on the tendons above each heel. Then once Attonnan has turned around he continues to attach chains, two on the chest, above the nipples, one just above the naval, one on each bend of the elbow, one on the back of each hand, and one on the top of each foot. By the end of all this the liquid begins to wear out and although he does not feel pain but he is beginning to feel the pressure of the chains and rings now linked throughout his body. Fuma and lady ebon then guide Attonnan to the rigged scaffolds. Taking care not to hurt him they lift him onto it lying on his back. Attonnan’s body trembles, he is beginning to feel slight twinges of pain; carefully they bring each chain to a crank, carefully measuring which crank to which chain. Wasting no time he moves through the room and begins to tighten all the chains. He tightened each of them, not to the point of breaking the skin, but enough that it stretches it just short of it. Carefully measuring each of the chains as he tightens them. By the end of the tightening Attonnan is in tears, doing everything in his power to not scream out. The liquid has completely worn off and now all he feels in a burning pain all over his body. But that is the point of this isn’t it, this is a final test, he’s just not sure how the test will take place. Once each chain is tighter to Fuma’s satisfaction, he quickly grips the scaffolding and pulls it out from under Attonnan. Fuma’s face lights up with joy to see that Attonnan does not budge. His body held in place by the tight chains linked throughout his body.

  “I will ask you, are you in pain yet” Fuma asks calmly and smiles at Attonnan knowing that he is.

  “Yes my lord, vary… vary much so” Attonnan says in a trembling voice as tears roll down his face and drop to the floor.

  “Then I ask you to pass this test. The test is a simple on; you are only four feet from the floor. Pull yourself free of the chains. Pull yourself free of those bonds and all the others holding you back at this moment. Do this, and you are now a full member of the Hojo elite, and your training shall no longer be of the physical pain, but of the blade and mind” He says and smiles raising his hand and then begins to walk out of the room.

  “My lord, please, don’t leave me.” Attonnan says with the soft and small voice of a child.

  But he does not hear it; he chooses not to hear it. Instead he and both lady ebon and lady Elana walk out with him. Slowly he looks around the room his body burning with pain, knowing what he must do now he tries with all he has to pull on one of the chains, the one that is attached to his hand, but the fold of skin is too thick, the pull on it makes him scream in pain. With that he stops, then pulls it again, again he screams, but he doesn’t stop pulling. And with that the skin rips open letting the chain, fall and his hand go limp and blood splash onto the floor. His whole body trembles as he feels the fires of pain rip through him. Focusing he begins to breath slowly, if he’s going to make this, he has to focus. Once he is focused he growls and pulls fast and hard on his other hand ripping it free of the chains, without stopping to scream, ignoring the pain he rips the one attached to his elbows, first the right, then the left, this time the pain is too much and his arms go limp blood pouring down his arms and on to the floor creating a small puddle but growing by the moment. As the blood pours from his body he begins to feel the room spin and grow dim. It was like his mind begins to leave his body. Then only darkness.

  Rin sits on a hard polished floor her four children in front of her. Mellyrunna on the far right, then Attonnan, Maeraer and Byrdi. Beside Rin is Vulge also sitting his cheat puffed up with pride? In front of them is Feff their father.


  “Tell me, how did your grandfather Shang won the battle of Balmora” there father asks his voice stern and cold

  The children look at each other but it is Mellyrunna that stands up and bows to their father.

  “Even though his forces were out flanked and out numbered, he took consideration of the advantages, the wind was too there back and it had been a hot and dry year, there defensives burned to a crisp in minutes” Mellyrunna says with a smile and bows.

  “Vulge, show me their progress” Feff says calmly and watches as Byrdi and Mellyrunna get up and begin to face off against each other.

  As they square off it is incredible, both are fast and furious. The hits are hard and strong. But as always in the end it is Mellyrunna that is standing in Byrdi. He then steps to one side of him and helps him up.

  “Father, I would like to show you what I’ve been practicing” Attonnan says and stands up. Both Rin and Vulge can see a scowl come across Feff’s face.

  The practice starts with him moving his feet in a crescent moon way, then some basic hand katas. Taking a deep breath he begins to throw a high kick. The kick is perfect but he doesn’t land it properly and his foot slips on the slick floor and he falls on his side. Attonnan growls and then gets back up, does a few more hand katas and then throws another kick, and again his foot slips and he falls on his side.

  “Stop wasting time with this whelp” Feff says with a sigh

  With that Rin walks over and sees that Attonnan has a kind of deflated look

  “I failed” he says his voice soft and sorrowful

  “No, I loved watching you Attonnan, that’s who you are, someone who keeps trying even though it’s hard” Rin says and gently places her hand on his shoulder

  Slowly he looks up into his mother’s bright beautiful eyes.