Though I was happy to be human, the transformation was hard to swallow since I had been a neko my entire life. For a while, every time I walked in front of a mirror, I was startled by my own reflection. I was staring into the eyes of someone else. I couldn’t tell if it was real or not because it seemed too good to be true. To stare at the mirror and look into the eyes of the man I was meant to be, lacking the demonic features I have had my entire life, was so far out into the depths of a fantasy come true, that I couldn’t deny the principles of Äbaka’s theory. Sui and I prepared to go to bed. I washed my new skin and hair in the heat of a misty bathroom and questioned many things after realizing who I was; a stranger to myself, holding no bonds to the old body I had shamefully held for so long. It was hard to believe that I was still present in the world. Through my new body, I could not see a bit of my former self, besides the memories wandering in my head. It was time to settle in for the night.
As I lay in bed, with Sui’s warmth to sooth me, I looked back at all of the sins I had committed, with the demon inside me, before meeting Sui. I thought to myself, How could I have been so foolish and uncontrollable back then? I never thought I’d change it all, but she had done it for me. I now had something to live for. I realized that I had to learn the art of war in order to protect the woman I loved. Never shall I die a broken shield. I shall avoid death for as long as I can strike down Sui’s enemies. When I drifted off to sleep with her, I began to consider becoming a mage, like Sui.
I woke up feeling a dark presence. When I turned to warn Sui, she was gone. I lay alone in the bed with a monster hiding in the shadows. As I was about to get up, I heard a hissing voice whispering from the closet.
“George, why have you abandoned me? You and I were sssuch good friendsss.”
“No!” I shouted, “I’m done with you, demon! Sui has exorcised you and we are going to destroy your master too!”
“You think ssso?” the demon cackled sickly, emerging from the closet. It was a large, cat-like demon with large, striped horns; glowing, yellow eyes; a snake nose; and thick, knotted, white fur all over its body. “Without me, you can only fight at half your ssstength! You know that when I wass in your body, your physssical ssstrength wasss doubled! Faccce it, George! You need me in thisss fight!”
I shook my head and looked around the dark room for any sign of Sui, but no one was there except for me and the thing that had once lived inside me. It used to taunt me just like this; egging me on until I gave in to its cruel words and either did as it said or huddled in a corner to try and ignore it. But that night I wasn’t going to do either of those things. I was a free human being thanks to Sui.
“I am no longer a slave of your curse!”
The demon scowled and hissed at me. A flurry of moaning winds burst through the open window and the monster leaped right over me to exit. He escaped out of the window and disappeared into the night. I was breathing heavily and ran out of the bedroom to look for Sui. When I entered the living room, I saw Sui lying dead on the floor, impaled by what appeared to be three giant claws. A horned figure made completely of shadow and smoke stood above her, breathing heavily like an animal. His rotting mouth opened and let out a thunderous roar that shook the planet.
Suddenly, I was back in the bedroom, I awoke in a cold sweat next to Sui. I checked to see if she was breathing and sighed with relief when I saw her chest rise and drop. Immediately, I crawled out of bed and went into the living room, where I cried myself to sleep, on the couch. The sensation of that nightmare was too awfully real. I now feared Jobik more than ever.
Any day as a neko I would wake up with my ears twitching and my whiskers itching. But that morning when they didn’t, I almost fell off of the couch in alarm. Picking myself up off the floor, I realized it would be a while before I got used to this form. When I got back on the couch, Sui’s sister, Molli Su, was standing over me. She was staring down at me with her big, blue eyes and a broad grin; like that of a maniac who takes pleasure in frightening unwary sleepers! I screamed and fell on the floor again. Having startled me, she laughed as if it was the most hilarious thing ever.
“Hahahaha! You’re so cute now! How did you change? No, lemme guess! Äbaka changed you? Hehe, you’re too cute.”
“Ha-Ha-Ha,” I said in a droll and sleepy tone, “very funny. I don’t know how I wound up like this but please don’t stare at me like that ever again, Molli.”
“Oh, alright. Just don’t be so adorable next time you sleep, okay?”
She skipped away down the hall with her double ponytails bouncing up and down behind her back. She passed Sellina, who entered the living room, still dressed in her night gown. She had bags under her eyes. She glared at me for a second; then leaped back with a gasp. She stood wide-eyed with her hand on her chest, “Gods, you trying to give a woman a heart attack?” She asked, with a nervous chuckle.
She entered the kitchen, still watching me, in the living room, over the counter. I sat up on the couch with my hands politely folded in my lap. I was watching her preparing breakfast, as she usually did every morning. She was a wonderful chef and had recipes that would turn your tongue numb to anything else.
“So, George,” she said, with a blushing grin, “what made you and my daughter fall in love? Did you see the light in each other’s eyes, or was it less sudden? Did you both feel the emotions swelling within you? Go on, tell me!”
She was clearly anxious to know what had happened, but I wasn’t entirely sure how it happened. Since I didn’t have a definite answer to give, I just made up the first poetic thing that popped into my head. It was as close to the truth as I could get.
“It was like Shimbian hawks and how they dance before they mate; the female calls for the male perched on a tree, and they both soar into the sky, clutching their talons together. They fall down in a spinning formation. Just before they hit the ground-” I paused for dramatic effect, “they push off and fly toward the same nest.”
A calm silence filled the room as Sellina happily stared at me. She chuckled and continued to prepare breakfast.
“Wow, George, you two really are in love. There are some things that you’ll need to be aware of though.”
“What kind of things?”
“Oh, nothing bad, I just want you to know that before you decide to move in together, ensure you know exactly where you’re moving. How safe is it; is it safe enough for children? Those are some things you will need to look out for, if you are to get married. There is no room to be inconsiderate of safety. I know that Sui has proven her strength to be above the average mage, but I worry for her safety, even here with us. Jobik is returning and she needs a guardian.”
As she stood there, chopping onions and peppers for the scrambled eggs, I couldn’t help but notice her fear. The subject of Jobik was something I was unable to fully handle. Sui was the chosen one, not I. The only thing that I will be able to do is fight at her side until she fulfills her destiny.
As a man who grew up his entire life being different, in a world with nobody quite like myself, I began to realize that being human was a privilege. In this new form, I was beginning to feel more calm and collected. I know how it feels to be cast out; to be emotionally besieged and eaten alive by the very place you once called home. It is only with great strength, hope for a better future, and perseverance that a warrior can arise and continue with a new beginning: a beginning of his own creation.
Sellina’s questions were inappropriate if we were going to be entering into a war against evil. I knew it was because she was still coming to terms with Sui’s path. She failed to see how having a family wasn’t going to happen any time soon, but I couldn’t leave her there without a response.
“I can only say that it will be some time before I propose to her. Besides, I don’t have a single gold piece, how am I to buy a ring for her?”
“Why don’t you find work around the village? Some of our imports c
ome from Shimbia, and they’ve been giving us a lot more these days. It seems as though the economy is growing larger with each passing month. I suggest finding work in the gold mines over in D’Guños. They always need an extra pickaxe over there.”
“I can look into that.” I nodded, “Where can I grab a boat?”
“Shimbian senators are taking a ship to Bonitheraj to discuss trade with Ingoggidon a week from now. You could probably stow away,” she paused, “provided that you don’t get caught.”
“Stealth is my specialty, ma’am, and if it helps Sui and I get our own home, I shall blend right in on the cargo deck, like part of the crew.”
I smiled, and in return, she gave me the same expression, with a wink. At first, I wasn’t seriously considering the job, but the riches I could reap from it would allow me to return to Bonitheraj to resolve some unfinished business between a few ‘friends’ of mine. This was my opportunity to work again. It was an opportunity that I would have to turn down. Jobik wasn’t going to wait for us to live out our lives. I didn’t tell Sellina, but there would be no stowing away on a trading ship.
Sometimes when I sleep in the warmth of a home filled with loving family, I am reminded that there are plenty of others I left behind, who weren’t as fortunate. After all those long years in the wilderness, and the time I spent in the shadows of the cities, I reflect back on all of my troubles. I reflected on all the hell I raised when invading a croc’s territory by a river, or stealing a loaf of bread from the market place. I cannot help but miss it, and believe that it is a part of me that will always be there, regardless of how much I have changed since staying with the Ozborns.
The eggs were complete and the sausage fully smoked. Sui came out of her room when Sellina began frying the bacon. Sellina always cooked meat with strong seasonings, sending a powerful aroma throughout the entire house. The woman with the flame-colored hair was dressed in a loose-fitting, red shirt and a pair of black, baggy pants going past her bare feet. She complimented her mother on her cooking with a sweetly tired voice. Then she looked at me with worry.
“Bad dream is all,” I informed her, “nothing to worry about, babe.”
She nodded, then turned and walked into the kitchen to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. She returned to sit next to me on the couch, laid her head, with her newly colored locks on my shoulder, and closed her eyes, as she wrapped her softened sleeves around my arm. She started to speak, but then she hushed nervously. She had something to say or ask, but the words would not form on her lips.
“What is it?” I asked, rubbing her back and laying my chin on her head. She just sat there with me, acting as though she was sleeping, but I knew that she was still awake. I’ve slept with her long enough to know how long it takes for her to shut down. Sui was not the type to fall asleep that swiftly. I understood that she was just tired and didn’t want to talk. After all, we got home late and she wasn’t acquainted with staying up. I lay back against the sofa with a sleepy Sui and rested with her until breakfast was ready.
About fifteen minutes later, the first meal of the day was hot and ready. The two of us got up with the rest of the family to feast on fluffy eggs, scrambled to perfection; chunky grits, flavored with a bit of cheese and butter; thick cuts of crispy bacon that sizzled under our nose; sausage patties smoked to the center with a steaming crust of light char; and hearty ham squares that were salted to perfection and carefully put between two buttermilk biscuits on each plate. We feasted until our bellies were full and told stories about interesting happenings in the village. Everything we talked about had us laughing and smiling. For the first time in a long time, I was home.
Right after we ate, Molli Su went to school, Sui’s parents went to work at the farms, and the wise wizard mysteriously wandered off into the hills. Sui brought me into her bedroom and told me more about how Äbaka could teach me the ways of a mage. I was particularly nervous when she gave me the details of how hard the wizard would work me; nevertheless, I knew it was my time to become the man I dreamed of being. I wanted to be the kind of man who was able to guard his woman from any threats that life, or death, may throw at her. Sui and I were both uncomfortable talking about Jobik, but our reasons were different. I hated the subject because it caused Sui so much pain and reminded me of that horrible vision I had the night after we kissed. For her, it was because no matter how hard she trained, she always felt unprepared. Several times, she expressed how she didn’t want to be the chosen one.
Sui learned everything about the prophecy in a matter of weeks and, already, she was concerned that if Jobik were dead at her feet, the Fancore would praise her like a goddess and never leave her alone. I told her that I was willing to be the man to protect her along her journey. Just as her mother was afraid for her, Sui herself believed that she would need an extra hand in the raving heat of war soon to come. An hour after the conversation, I left Sui to do her chores and went outside to find Äbaka, so that he could teach me the art of the mage, as he did for Sui.
The old wizard was always outdoors tampering with some form of mystical art. I suppose it was quite fitting for his position in the village: the seer. His old sun staff’s shimmer could be seen in the crop field way out yonder, below the sun, along with the long-bearded man walking between the vegetables. I ran toward him with Sui following close behind, uninformed of my intentions. She asked me three times where I was going in such a rush, but I wanted her to find out when we made it to Äbaka. Wearing a longer and more stylish robe than usual, and having his hair neatly brushed, it seemed clear that he was beginning to feel love in the air. Sui wasn’t sure of what was going on, but I decided to start out using small talk with the wizard
“So, Mr. Äbaka,” I said, “who’s the lady of honor, and how did you two meet?”
“What lady?” he asked suspiciously, “whatever are you talking about? No one told you that I was in love did they?”
“No sir, neither did I insinuate it. I merely asked who you were dressing up for. It has to be a lady. I know it because you never freshen up like this on a regular basis.”
“Yes, I am, alright,” he reluctantly admitted, “she’s an elf from the eastern continents coming to visit tomorrow evening. But don’t tell anyone. Do I make myself absolutely clear?”
“Yes, sir.” said Sui and I simultaneously.
“Now what is it that you two wanted? I’m sure you didn’t come disrupting me from my concentration for nothing.”
“Mr. Äbaka, sir, I request you to teach me the path of the mage. I want to be Sui’s shield, her protector, and her guardian angel. I shall do whatever you ask of me, sir, just please have me as your student and I shall follow your teachings to the end.”
“Hmmm…” He stood there, studying me intently as he stroked his neatly brushed beard. I bowed my head to him and continued, letting out a puff of breath beforehand. “I love this woman standing here beside me, and if she’s going to go to war, then so am I. I cannot allow her to be unprotected; I won’t. Words cannot describe how much I want this, how much I need this, sir.”
“Well, my boy, you have come to the right place,” he said, merrily. “It is time that you and I have a month of bonding, Son. Don’t call me sir or mister. From now on, you shall refer to me as Äbaka.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What is my name?”
“Äbaka.”
“Yes, sir, it is!” he agreed, putting his calloused, wrinkly fingers upon my shoulders with a proud expression. “Welcome to a larger world.”
Äbaka called me sir! For not wanting to be showered by formalities, he sure was the type to pick up the sponge and lather me with sirs and misters. I guess it was his way of humoring me. Sui pulled me aside, “Do you understand how much stress and restlessness you are about to endure, George? I can tell you all the frustrations it takes to learn how to be a mage. You go with very little sleep, you have numbing soars, and more! I can’t
even begin to describe all the struggles you’re about to-”
“I guess I’ll find out for myself.”
In a cold tone, Äbaka got in my face and whispered, “There is no guessing in sorcery.”
We were all silent for a moment. Sui bowed farewell to Äbaka and walked away, leaving me to speak with the old man alone. Her father was calling her in the fields not far from where we were, requiring her ability to hasten the growth of crops through sheer willpower; an ability she had known even before the training. The groomed old man brought me out of the crop fields to sit under the old oak tree just outside of the village. For many hours that day, he taught me the first things that I needed to know; some of which, non-mages will never understand. I was open to learning his Fancore theory right away, having no religious affiliation to stand in the way before I came to Rïdeneer.
Like Sui, I trained with Äbaka for a little over a month. He made me read many books, some of which Sui handed over to me. The new spells and curses I learned filled my head with endless dreams and colors that started to unlock a whole new meaning to the world in which I lived. There was a black empty hole inside of me, and I didn’t know it until I started learning spells and such wonderful sorcery from this seer’s judicious teaching methods.
Along the way, Äbaka’s elf friend agreed to give me a few pointers as well. Her name was Stella, but she didn’t stay for very long. After a few days of trying to be with the old man, I think she got bored and wandered off back to wherever she had come from. Elves were very picky about their mates and often went for the wise types like Äbaka. When she left him, he didn’t seem bothered by it. While she was there, I learned how to cast water magick like a professional and even discovered a new spell based on one that she had created. It was a shockwave blast powerful enough to level a tree. I decided that this attack would be saved for the much more powerful jaqae.
Äbaka gave me new and old books to study, provided open places to practice casting incantations, and even allowed Sui to be my co-teacher. She gave me many useful books that she had received when she was a child along with the books given to her for her training. Äbaka stood by my side while I cast fire balls and ice thorns at wooden targets shaped and painted as fearsome jaqae. Sui sat at my side to give me support with my homework every night, as I had done for her in her time of apprenticeship.
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