Laws - The Beginning!
Written by David McConico
Edited by Aniria Williams, Ruquayya Sajjida, and Kaleb Knowles
When I tell you this story you’re probably not going to believe me at first. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you thought I were crazy, however I swear on everything I love that this story is true. Just please to listen ok? My name is Blaze Smith, not the most original name I know, thanks mom for that one. I’m an archeologist of some renown and it’s a modest occupation, but that’s beside the point. Every year I usually have to take a trip to some god forsaken dig site or ruin in order to uncover pieces of lost history left behind by our ancestors. Please don’t misunderstand me. I absolutely love my work, it’s just after staring at dirt or a decaying wall for more than 72 hours you start to miss the comforts of your home.
My last trip, however was… special to say the least which is why I’m telling you this now. I was traversing the wilds of Havana forest in Cuba, on an expedition with about thirty other people. We were looking for the bones of a rare species of dinosaur and so far the dig site was bearing no fruit. I decided to go on a nature walk to take a break from the hours of sifting through dirt. I didn’t go far, I was following a trail not far from the campsite we had erected. I was eating grapes and had just turned down a path I thought would lead to a creek we’d seen earlier when I discovered it. A ruin of a magnificent castle just sitting in the middle of a meadow as though it had been there the whole time we’d been digging.
I had to rub my eyes a few times just to make sure the grapes weren’t spiked with something and I was on some sort of acid trip. The outside was vined and decayed with tendrils of foliage wrapping around its walls and yet I felt a mysterious pull towards it. I hesitated at first surely I shouldn’t go investigating this place on my own without any back up, however my curiosity got the better of me and before I knew it I was standing right in front of the castle doors.
I pushed on the behemoths thinking they wouldn’t open, but with a loud creak and a dust cloud that nearly killed me they moved aside only just barely for a person to squeeze through. I entered into the great hall expecting a broken down building, but when I looked around that’s when I truly believed I must be high. The inside was completely intact, as though people still lived there and if someone suddenly came down the grand staircase that lay before me I wouldn’t have been surprised or so I thought.
I hesitated at first, but then began to cross the marble floor when a breeze suddenly ruffled my hair from nowhere, and then she appeared in front of me. Just for a moment I was frozen unable to move, then I found myself running towards the door, my voice locked in my throat and smacking my head against its frame a second later. I hadn’t noticed the doors had closed behind me when I squeezed through just moments ago. Breath Blaze you got this is, is all I could think as I turned back to the woman who looked like she was holding back a laugh and doing a poor job of hiding it.
After a few seconds of deep breathing and re-centering myself I began to notice the woman more clearly. She was an anomaly to say the least, she was old and yet looked so young at the same time. Her silver hair was vibrant like a sparkling meadow and her eyes were the brightest shade of green I’d ever seen. Not to mention she was one of, (if not in fact) the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. She smiled at me and after regaining my composure I croaked out “Who… who are you?” She chuckled softly and said in a sweet voice “It’s been some time since anyone alive would know who I am.”
I swallowed hard and said “If that’s the case then go on then. Tell me.” She paused in thought for a moment as I gazed nervously at her then she chuckled again and said “I suppose it’s about time…” I waited with baited breath as she waved her hand and suddenly I found myself in a chair. I stiffened and looked down, it was made of vines so finely laced no crafter in the modern world could copy it. I noticed then a chair had been conjured for herself as well and she sat facing me with intrigue.
“Tell me… who are you?” she asked. “The name’s Blaze” is all I could muster. Silence followed as she continued to stare at me as though examining my soul. Then she cracked a grin that nearly broke me with how beautiful she seemed surely I was starting to go mad. “Yes, you’re the one I’ve been waiting for. I’ll tell you about this place and myself if you’ll listen?” I nodded and averted my gaze not being able to look her in the eyes. “My name is Ezmera, and a long time ago I was the queen of this entire island. The world was a much different place back then, and well… peace was always a fleeting thing.” “I’m sorry, but that’s kinda hard to believe given I’ve never heard of you and no history books of Cuba I know of mention a Queen Ezmera.” I said.
“It’s alright, they call this island Cuba now? Well it’s a nice name, though I assure you I’m telling the truth. The people here wouldn’t know of me anyway… I made sure of that.” Ezmera sighed looking sad. “Say I do believe this, how’d you make people forget you existed and why for that matter?” She smiled softly at me and said “Well… It kinda started the day I was born…”
******
BOOM! “You dirty dogs won’t even know what hit you when I’m through with you!” The sound of battle could be heard raging around a village along the coast of an island. In a gray hut about 60 yards from one of the outer battles a woman lay in bed, next to a healer having just given birth to a baby girl. “If you think I’ll die like some animal then your wron-! Gah!” A man fell, throat slit open by an assailant who was charging toward their next victim. “She’s so calm, wait until your father sees you I…I think it will be alright” said the woman wearily.
“The baby’s from strong stock miss, but given the circumstances…” the male healer trailed off coughing. “Corrin, thank you for all you’ve done.” the woman clasped Corrin’s shoulder smiling. BOOM! The floor below them shook slightly as the battle waged on outside. The door to the hut suddenly burst open and a man carrying a sword with blood on his shoes, came in wheezing from exhaustion. “Honey! Are you alright?” exclaimed the woman. “I’m…fine, damn those bastards!” the man said, regaining some breath.
“Do you need some water sir?” Corrin asked while walking over to the man. “Ah Corrin, no no I’m alright. How was the birth of my son?” At this both Corrin and the woman exchanged looks. “Honey your…daughter Ezmera is healthy and strong!” The woman gave a strained smile and the man froze. Then he grinned dropping his sword and rushed over to his wife and daughter hugging them both. “Well… that’s certainly unexpected,” said Corrin laughing. “I’ve always wanted a daughter. This…complicates things a bit, but this is a joyous occasion.” The woman seeming worried asked, “What are we going to do?”
The man got up and looked from Corrin to his wife then said “Things are changing out there and…It’s time to send you to your people. I’ll stay here and try to fix this mess. Corrin there’s a horse out back. Go take both of them and get the hell out of this village.” “As you wish sir.” said Corrin with a bow. The man picked up his sword and ran out the open door calling back “Be safe, and live!”
On the other side of the village, closest to the bloodiest of combat another baby had just been born around the same time as Ezmera and the mother of the infant was overjoyed with the precious boy. “He’s So Cute!” the woman exclaimed holding the baby close who looked on confused. The healer, a young woman giggled beside them. “But he is! Come now Alice, Suirad is adorable, oh wait until your father sees you!” The woman sighed in contempt as Alice patted the woman’s hand saying “Will you calm down please so I can cut the cord.”
She moved to do so when they heard a shout from outside. “Alice, get my wife and son out of here quickly, there isn’t much time!” Alice froze and looked at the woman whose color seemed to go whiter than it already was. “Please hurry! Haaaa, who’s next?!” “We… must go, Alice!” Alice swiftly cut the two ends of the cord as the woman got to her feet and they both made their way to the back of the hut where a man stood waiting for them.
“Thank the gods! There’s no time quickly you must go.” “What’s happened?” is all the woman could muster as fear crept inside her. BOOM! A burst of flames erupted 30 yards away engulfing everything around it. “I have to stay and fight, but I will survive and meet up with you later. Alice, please get the woman I love and my son to the Doku tribe, the chief owes me one so you’ll be safe.” The man walked over and hugged all three of them. He let go quickly and rushed away saying “Be safe, I swear we’ll meet again!” “The horse must have ran away in fear from this bloodshed. We have no choice but to proceed on foot. We… must go, Alice, before someone notices us.” The woman began the swiftest pace she could away from the village as Alice followed, supporting the woman when need be.
They walked as quickly as they could and were about 2 miles away from the village when there was a rustle in the trees and emerged a man grinning menacingly, licking a dagger. “Well hello there my pretties… now where do two young lasses such as yourselves, think you’re going this late at night?” Before either woman could react there was a rustle in the trees and a second later Corrin sprang from the shadows knocking the assailant out with the hilt of a sword. “Corrin!” they exclaimed happily. “Sorry ladies, I was returning to the village to retrieve something when I saw him skulking around. Are you two alright?” They nodded. “You’re leaving aren’t you? Well, it’ll be best if I accompany you. I just helped someone else escape this hell hole.”
“It would be appreciated.” said the woman. Suirad slumbered soundlessly in her arms and Alice smiled reassuringly. They continued along the path and about an hour later the fiery glow of the village was a pinprick to them. They were passing a meadow when a bird swooped down on them carrying a letter. The woman untied it and the bird soared off back into the air. “It’s from my husband, oh I do hope he’s alright.” Upon opening the scroll a white mist erupted from within enveloping the woman and Suirad. The woman fell back as Alice caught her and the baby shocked.
“From the looks of it… it’s a forget mist” said Corrin, picking up the note that had fallen from the woman’s grasp. Corrin read aloud “I’m sorry to do this my love, but it’s better this way in order for you and our son to live a better life. Know that I will always love you both and wish you the best.” “Oh no… I hate that this is happening.” said Alice with tears in her eyes. Corrin sighed saying “Thus is the life of those controlled by fate.” “Well Spoken.” Came a voice from behind them.
They turned to find a short old woman had appeared with a smile on her face. She looked young and yet for some reason old as well, both Corrin and Alice were astonished at her presence. “The poor dears that spell is an incomplete one, but I can fix that.” The old woman waved her hands and the mist left both the baby and the woman’s pours, then re-entered as a clearer substance. “There, now they’ll know nothing of the true village where they came from. Go on get them to the Doku tribe.” The woman turned and began to walk away.
“Wait! Who are you?” asked Corrin. The old woman chuckled and said “Oh I’m sure you can figure that out, however Corrin know that your daughter Alloura is interlocked with the destiny of a young boy.” “But she’s only 2, and how do you know me?” “Ah and so is he. In time, young one the years will bring this boy forth and he will change the life of your young fledgling healer forever. The boy’s name is Dev by the way.” Corrin made to speak again, but the old woman had vanished into thin air. “I…could that have been Madam Pola? We should keep moving” said Alice. Corrin walked over without a word and picked up the unconscious woman, as Alice held Suirad close and they continued on to the Doku tribe.
