NERIPHA
Book One: The Blood Moon Trial
Part 1
By Olivia Ratcliff
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER ONE
This morning, Chase’s footsteps were lighter. He had to camp out in the Mima forest for several days to come to a hunting ground. This was his first time hunting without his father’s help and he couldn’t help feeling a little antsy. He seemed to have matured in that short period of time, his movement more deliberate than usual.
Chase was a young man with bright green eyes, intelligence and youthful energy unmistakable in them, without the negative effect of their presence at once, as intelligence often subdued the cheerfulness of youth and youth often bypassed consulting one’s intelligence. His nose was masculine with a high bridge, somehow indicative of his character, strong-willed and perhaps stubborn. Chase’s big hands had started to get calloused to his delight. It wasn’t because he saw them as a sign of manhood; the calluses simply reduced minor cuts and scrapes on his hands. He was lean, and though he wasn’t particularly muscular, he was flexible and agile.
Due to the nature of his job as a hunter, Chase was heavily affected by seasons. Every season, hunters could catch only a certain number of allowed animals. Strict laws forbade hunting out of season so Chase had to make sure he got his hunts completed before the season was up.
During his travel through the Mima forest, he had slept on Maroa trees at night. The whole Maroa tree family evolved in different parts of Sarum, an eastern kingdom of the Ippa continent, resulting in various trees that looked different but still shared similar traits. All Maroas had smooth bark, thick trunks, and very symmetrical branches and roots. The branches spread straight out and up, creating horizontal boughs. Chase liked to use these flat parts of Maroa branches to sit and get some shuteye.
‘Perfect.’
Chase untied a strap holding his crossbow on his back and set it on the ground. Then he lay on his stomach in front of a rocky cliff where the Rockbacker bats retreated and slept before the sunrise. The Rockbacker bats were one of the most coveted bats for their resilient and durable wings with a sandy, bumpy texture, which was where the name “Rockbacker” had come from. These were found only in the Mima forest, one of the main woodlands in Sarum.
When it dawned, the Rockbacker bats would fly toward the rocky cliff. Their large swarm was hard to miss but the key was to get them down before they landed on their nests. Once they got hold of the rocky surface, their crooked claws dug into the rock, making it very difficult to get them down. Also from far away, their camouflage was undistinguishable.
The sky of the moon Neripha was a true spectacle. The star-studded sky was turning slowly purple now. The largest heavenly body, the planet Tellis, glowed ombre green, the golden moon Zania floated behind wispy clouds like a gold coin, and the red moon Fienor looked down on the earth like the eye of the sky. The planet Tellis’s glorious emerald touch on the earth retreated as the ruler of the Neriphan sky, the star Metilda, was about to claim her domain again.
From a distance, the flapping of numerous sets of wings echoed. Chase gripped the crossbow, loaded with an arrow. The crossbow and the arrow had been handpicked by his father, made large and heavy for precision.
Chase had to wait until the right moment to shoot it, his body flat against the ground. The Rockbacker bats were infamous for their keen sense of their surroundings. They could recognize any slight difference in their surroundings and would avoid getting near it if they detected a difference that could be a threat. Chase wasn’t sure how well their radar worked. He was dubious that the bats would notice him down on the ground, but it never hurt to be careful.
The bats came like a thunderstorm. Their wings swept the air up and down, their rancorous crying giving him a headache. Such a sudden appearance of the bats must have shocked the rest of the forest too; everything went dead and silent other than the bats. The huge bats from below looked almost frightening. Being one of a few carnivorous bats, some of them held their prey such as squirrels and rabbits tightly in their feet as hard as steel wires. They didn’t seem to notice Chase at all. One after another they landed on their nests on the cliff.
Chase raised the crossbow and aimed carefully at the bats, still lying flat on the ground, though the awkward position limited the mobility of his arm.
Pachang
Chase finally released the trigger after a long, methodical aim. The arrow shot straight up toward one of the bats.
As the arrow approached the bat, it lost its speed considerably. The bats were flying at much too high of an altitude. The slow motion of the arrow was apparent not only to Chase but to his bat; it flapped its wings ferociously to avoid being in the range of the oncoming arrow, and went on its way as though nothing had happened. The targetless arrow dropped near Chase’s feet. Frustrated, Chase quickly got up and retrieved the arrow.
However, when Chase looked up the sky, he realized he had made a mistake. In sync, all the Rockbacker bats diverted around Chase’s vicinity, making a large dome of clearing. They were more clamorous than ever. At this unexpected turn of the event, Chase stood there with his mouth slightly open, pondering what he should do. It seemed that he blew his chance today.
“Can I help you?”
While Chase was still pondering, a voice reached him through the cacophony of the bats. Chase jolted his head around to the source of the sound, alarmed. There was a tiny old man sitting on a branch of a Short-legged Maroa, a tree commonly found in the Mima forest.
“Who are you?” Chase asked rather pointedly.
“Hi, I’m a researcher. I was in the area when I spotted you. It’s rare to see people this deep in the forest. I apologize if I startled you,” the old man said with a smile. He had wrinkles around his mouth and eyes that creased pleasantly when he smiled.
“……. It’s okay. I didn’t notice your presence at all. You just caught me by surprise.”
“I understand. Are you a hunter?”
“Yes, I am. This is my first time hunting the Rockbacker bats. It’s quite tricky.”
“If you want, I can help you,” the old man said, jumping off the tall tree with feline grace. His knees and back bent as his feet touched the ground, minimizing the impact. His long slick ponytail swayed rhythmically as he walked toward Chase. His remarkably blue eyes were kind and wise.
“I’m Eric Jovani. Call me Jovani. It’s good to meet another one like myself in this forest,” said the old man as he stuck his hand out.
“I’m Chase.” Chase shook Jovani’s hand uncertainly. After all, this was the least anticipated scene Chase’d had on his mind about his hunting. Now a good portion of the bats had already safely landed on their nests, out of Chase’s reach. The planet, the moons and the stars all faded as dawn broke. The sky turned from pitch black to purple. The Rockbacker bats’ commute would soon end.
“Okay, I don’t have very much time,” Chase said urgently.
“No need to rush. We can’t really do our best when we feel nervous, can we? I saw you used that arrow to catch the bat. I think you would’ve had better luck to shoot it down from the cliff instead up from the ground. But I do see that it would’ve been challenging to retrieve the bat even if you shot it down.” Jovani rummaged inside his shirt to fish out a small hand knife that would normally be used for peeling fruits. “All that matters in this are speed and force. The bats
are skittish and the arrow’s too slow. In principle…” Jovani trailed off and hoisted his arm with the knife as though he was about to throw it.
He froze in that position, his unwavering eyes fixed on the swarm of bats overhead. Then he hurled it in that direction. The knife left his hand like a bullet and lodged itself deeply in the chest of an unfortunate bat. The bat instantly lost control and plummeted to the ground.
“…You just need to be faster and stronger than your target,” Jovani finished his sentence.
Chase looked at the old man in front of him in awe. This old man was not an ordinary researcher, it seemed.
“Don’t you want to fetch it?” Jovani asked. At that, Chase, without saying anything, ran to check the bat. The knife was right in the center of its chest, a very clean kill, with little blood on the wound. If he were to pull it out, the wound would bleed then. He took out a bag he’d brought and put the bat in it.
“You must be a hunter as well, aren’t you?” Chase said.
“No, I’m a researcher.”
“What do you research?”
“Things that interest me.”
“It looks to me that you research hunting,” Chase said with slight annoyance in his tone. “How did you do that? That was not what an ordinary old man could do.”
“You would be surprised to find out what an ordinary old man can do.” Jovani chuckled.
The star Metilda’s blue face had peeked over the horizon. All the bats had returned to their nests and had become part of the cliff. Now no one would be able to tell that the cliff had thousands of bats clinging to it. The gleaming eyes of night animals all disappeared and the forest was filled with the sounds of birds. Metilda’s light illuminated Jovani’s smiling face.
“If you’re really curious, then go to Central City and look for Kevin at the Central Inn. He will be able to train you.”
“Why can’t you tell me now?” Chase asked.
“Because it looks like you have a long way to go and I’m busy. Kevin is a lot more dedicated. Just say my name; he will know why you’re there.” Jovani turned around. “Well, it was fun meeting you, Chase. I hope to see you again.” Jovani waved his hand behind him.
“Wait, Jovani!” Chase called after him but Jovani jumped on a tree and disappeared behind the foliage. “Thank you!” Chase yelled. He looked into the woods as though Jovani was still sitting on one of the Maroa branches. The Maroa’s sweet scent saturated the air. The Mima forest was once again peaceful and quiet, leaving only the afterimage of Jovani in Chase’s head.
CHAPTER TWO
Klaiser couldn’t stay asleep. It was much too hot. He sat up in the bed, drenched in sweat. His thin pale face looked particularly ghostly, his faint brown eyes dilated. He had chest pain that made it difficult to breathe.
“Are you okay?” asked Sadie, his queen, with her half-open eyes fuller of sleep than of concern.
“I’m fine. It’s just too hot. Go back to sleep,” Klaiser replied as he opened the window.
A king’s heart had a place where all the concerns of his people rested, stirring slowly but heavily. His father had often told him that being a good king meant giving his heart to his people, their worries becoming his to resolve. It must be one of those nights that his desire to emulate his father, a good king, beloved by whole Sarum, overcame his delicate mentality.
A cool breeze came in through the open windows, circulating his bed chamber. The hot air was so thick that he could almost see the cool air swirl and mingle with it. His wet silk robe stuck to his back like a piece of dead skin. Opening the windows helped alleviate his headache but it wasn’t enough. He decided to go out.
“Open,” Klaiser said to the arched doors in his bed chamber as he approached them. Then the large double doors opened outward into the hall where two of the four guards held the doors open for him. The other two accompanied Klaiser as usual but he stopped them. “Don’t follow me. I want to get some fresh air.”
His chest pain got worse as he walked past the hall. At the end of the hall, there were large decorative windows. The entire place was like an oven, heating the air, suffocating him.
“Open all doors and windows,” Klaiser commanded with a pained voice. He could hear distant squeaking and clicking of the doors and windows opening but no one came out to get the windows in front of him.
The Sarumese had a reputation for their intricate carvings and statues incorporated into their architecture and accordingly, the palace was the pinnacle of the Sarumese craftsmanship. At night, a use of different lightings amplified the beauty of their artwork, each creating a different mood.
However, none of them mattered to Klaiser now. All he could see were the unopened windows, which needed to be opened to let in the fresh air. It must be done right now, or else he would certainly faint. He was feeling light-headed, his tongue dry, his ribs squeezing around his lungs, which bit by bit shriveled inside him. With an unbelievable force, he shoved a glass statue of the founding father of Sarum, twice the size of himself, out of his way. It hit the floor and shattered into thousand little pieces.
Klaiser gave it no heed. He desperately fumbled for the windows and pushed them open. A gush of cool air flowed in. The air seemed to wrap him with its delicate tendrils as though it wanted to pull him out. All of a sudden, the light went out in his palace and he was left alone in the darkness with the windows wide open, his only source of air and light. It was silent. Feeling giddy and fearful, he climbed out the window through the palace wall. It was miraculously easy, so easy that it made him question the reality of it, whether it was a dream or hallucination. The higher he went up, the easier it got for him to breathe. His hands gained strength and the throbbing in his head stopped.
The clouds in the sky had a tint of red, for it was a Fienorian night; it was when there weren’t other discernible heavenly bodies than the red moon Fienor in the sky. Its enticingly beautiful yet peculiar color dyed the world. The moon was much larger than usual. Klaiser just gazed at it, his sweaty robe finally drying off his clammy skin, his burning cheeks cooling, and his windpipe giving way to the fresh air. He felt like the moon called him out to save his life. He could breathe again, and live.
Soon, drops of rain fell from the sky on his face. Then suddenly it started pouring, even though the sky was oddly clear and the tiny stars and the giant red moon shone as brightly as before. He opened his mouth and swallowed the rain which wet his dry throat and cooled him down. Fienor’s red, white and black eddies on its face were visibly blending together. Before he knew it, the rain had filled up the land and flooded the palace. Now the water was rising to his feet on the roof. He frantically looked around in efforts to find a higher place only to realize he was stuck.
“Anybody! Help me! Guards! Get me out of here!” Klaiser screamed for help. It was a torrential deluge; the raindrops blew in all directions and now they battered him all over; he felt so cold and bruised. Then a white object popped up from the water by his feet. Even with the rain battering his eyes, he could tell that it was a face of a woman he’d never seen in the palace before. Her face was lifeless and pale like his own and her wide-open eyes were as dark as the bottom of the ocean, much like the water that had swallowed his palace whole.
Klaiser gasped and took a step back but soon realized that she was drowning. The water level had risen to his calves. He saw his very near future in the drowning woman.
“Here, hold my hand!” he heard himself say. Why he would rescue the woman when he was going to drown with her within a couple of minutes, he wasn’t sure, but he held out his hand, cold and veiny, but certain.
Then like a shark jumping out of the water and snatching its prey, her pale hand shot up and gripped him by his wrist. The black, lifeless eyes were in focus now, on Klaiser, and her intent to hold on to her dear life was clear. She yanked at it. The rain and her state of near death didn’t seem to diminish her pull. Klaiser slipped into the bottomless water.
“Ahhhhhh,” with a roar, Klaise
r sat up in his bed, drenched in what seemed like that rain.
“Klaiser, It’s okay! Everything’s okay!” his queen was holding him, startled and afraid. His chest was heaving uncontrollably and his unfocused eyes darted side to side, looking for the drowning woman.
“What happened?” he asked Sadie.
“You were grunting and convulsing in the middle of the night. I tried to wake you but you wouldn’t wake up. I was about to summon the doctor,” she replied nervously.
He didn’t say anything. He felt the wrist which the drowning woman yanked in his dream. Oddly, it prickled with pain.
“Would you open the window, Sadie?” he asked, pointing at the window on his side of the wall. She quickly hurried to the window and opened it. The planet Tellis and the moon Zania greeted him. No trace of that flood, the woman and Fienor could be found. It was just another night, just another nightmare.
Neripha - Part 1 Page 1