The Nui Empire: Part I
A dream from October’s 1st, 2019
In the vast archipelago world of Nui, a single empire controls the fate of all its inhabitants, Ja’pala.
Under the reign of emperor Ma’uilu, the iron fist, people are ruled by fear. Disrespecting the emperor meant death by drifting: people were left in the middle of the endless ocean with nothing but a piece of wood. Even if they survived the treacherous sea, they would most likely be eaten by one of the strange sea creatures that dwelled underneath the bright blue surface.
It wasn’t always like that. The Nuian people used to be peaceful. As the only intelligent creatures who lived on solid ground, they raised fishing villages and grew all sorts of vegetables with few hardships, and their lives improved greatly upon the birth of a prophecy child.
Ma’iala was a girl with interesting powers. She could foresee storms and hurricanes days ahead when she was two. After she completed nine summers, she was already able to cast fire from her hands, give insightful advice and control the weather.
Her powers were inherited by her descendants, even Ma’uilu, so many centuries later. It is unfortunate that her kindness was lost, somewhere along the generations who never saw real hardships.
This dream focused on Laiana, a servant girl who was able to drive the emperor mad with her strong will and sharp words. Usually she was quiet, always keeping her thoughts to herself, just like Imana, the head of the servants, taught her. That day, though, Ma’uilu’s temper was unbearable.
“You did not fold those sheets to the left.” he said as she finished cleaning his royal room, a place far too crowded with presents and furniture, most of them from a distant past.
She nodded respectfully, and without saying anything, folded the linen the way he liked and headed to the large door.
“No, there’s a small rug over there. See. Do it right.”
Her face was burning red when she turned back at him. How dared him?
“Seriously?” she blurted, and almost instantly covered her mouth.
The emperor gasped in disbelief.
“GUARDS!” he screamed in his lavish clothes and exuberant crown. “She is not worthy of being part of our beloved empire! Take her to jail! Her judgment will be in five days!”
The soldiers were quick to throw her in the cell, where she would wait until the day she would be tossed away like dead fish. She sobbed, cried for help, but none came. At least until the final day.
Imana went to her cell a few moments earlier. Her stern expression showed fear and confusion, but also simpathy. The emperor had gone too far, the maids agreed, though they didn’t have enough courage to stand up to him.
“So you are just letting me die in the sea?” Laiana’s eyes were red. “I can’t believe this.”
“I’m so sorry.” Imana looked down. “There’s nothing we can do, sweetheart, but here, take this bread. Put it under your clothes, yes, like that. And this fruit. Pass over your skin, maybe you’ll have a chance.”
“Imana, the hurricane season just started, there’s no way for me to survive.”
“We’ll pray.” Imana gave Laiana a last glance before leaving the small room.
The candles on the other side of the bars were the only ones shining over Laiana’s red face, and the waves were her only companion, unwilling to listen, they were angrily hitting stone and wood underneath her feet. That was it, she had to accept her death.
This is just an excerpt of a story inspired by a dream I had. I plan to write more as soon as I can, and whenever I have more cool dreams like these I’ll put new stories up.
