Forgotten History

Kallum surveyed the interior of the wreckage. It was much worse than he previously thought. Shailene and Quinn’s side ate most of the impact upon the first spin, and while a rain of cuts sprayed all but Kallum, Quinn suffered the most brutal injury. The bone in his left arm snapped completely and had the image of an extra joint in his forearm. But what surprised him wasn’t Emi’s immediate snap to medic mode despite her gashed leg. It was Shailene holding a pistol ready underneath the wheel, focused intensely on the girl despite the blood trickling down her face; it’d been seconds since the crash.

“Wait,” Kallum said, pressing down on Shailene’s tense arms. “Let me. I can’t get hurt.”

The evident lack of cuts on him must have been a strong enough argument for even Shailene to let it go, because she made not a peep as Kallum pushed on the door handle. Didn’t budge. Instead, he pushed through the shattered window with a recklessness only possible because of Quinn. He slid out of the totaled Lexus and into the biting cold air.

Kallum nonchalantly strolled across the road towards the girl, as if he and his friends hadn’t just been through a wreck.

“Hey, you okay?” he called out, unsure of what greeting would be appropriate in this circumstance. The girl kept her strange eyes on Kallum as he approached, but not moving an inch—save the jostling tail behind her.

“What is your purpose,” she said firmly, halting Kallum just a few paces away from her. Left and right, not a single headlight poked through the cover of darkness, but he felt uneasy pausing in the middle of the highway. The girl clearly did not.

“Just checking if you’re okay. Did you get hit?” Kallum asked. He stepped forward trying to demonstrate his concern, but he stopped after her nose twitched and face turned sour.

“Your cowardly scent draws my ire. Halt your advance.” She said with a scowl.

“What?” Kallum asked while watching her fuzzy ears twitch ever so slightly. It was kinda cute.

“Fear drips from your pores and sings to the beat of your heart,” she said. “I have no fondness for cowards.” The voice was filled with malice, but Kallum couldn’t absorb it through the thick layer of Victorian English. Instead he was drawn to the cuteness of her button face and wobbly tail.

“That’s ‘cause we’re in the middle of the highway,” he said after taking a moment to comprehend the girl's words. “Can we move before a car comes?” Kallum stepped past her and off the road, motioning for her to follow. For a second she remained, staring at the ruined car, but then swiveled her head with a look of modest surprise.

“You bear no fear from my presence?” she asked, standing up and walking toward Kallum. She was surprisingly tiny. A thin build that was by no means malnourished and a full head shorter than him. She was petite; in an adorable doll-like way.

“No,” Kallum replied, watching her tail swing to and fro. It never stood still. “I’d hardly call you scary.” He duly noted how inappropriately lax he was considering the situation. But the ship had set sail. Her ears drooped forward as she looked down, arms folded and finger on chin in contemplation. It honestly looked performative. Stumped, she looked up at Kallum.

“You fear the black strip of land. Why?” she asked, eyes full of a new fierceness: curiosity.

“I don’t wanna be hit by a car?” Kallum replied dryly. It felt silly to even explain that.

“Car?” she asked. Her head cocked slightly.

“That thing,” Kallum pointed across the street to the wrecked vehicle containing his friends. Another note of his laxness birthed a sapling of survivors guilt, seeing Emi working in the back seat on Quinn. Shailene had exited the wreck though, leaning against the wreck and watching Kallum like a hawk.

“I don’t want that to happen again,” he said, turning back to the girl.

“But you are unscathed,” she said, her tail wagging a bit faster. “So what causes such worry?”

“I dunno,” Kallum said, growing slightly irritated by her benign questions. “I don’t want other people to crash and get hurt.”

The girl nodded to herself as if his words finished the missing piece of a theoretical puzzle, then turned to face the empty road, alone in the chilling desert. “The black strips bear no end to the novel scents they carry. It fascinates me dearly,” She turned further toward the wreck, “that it can insight such powerful terror.”

She turned back to face Kallum with a softer—but still mostly firm—expression and gave a nod of acknowledgement. “I shall be off now, but I must grant you at least my name.” She puffed out her chest and stood as tall as she could manage. “I am Rhia, daughter of Talitia. Hold that name with regard, and pass it to your children’s children. Do not forget.”

Rhia turned to leave, but Kallum, in an incredible act of foolishness, grabbed her arm to stop. It was warm to the touch, but had none of the give typical of flesh, solid and unmoving like iron. That alone screamed to Kallum he was handling something inhuman, but that name, Talitia, meant something.

“Sorry!” he jumped back, surprised by his own body. “I’m sorry.”

Rhia’s tail had furrowed, but when she turned, her face remained firm as ever. She crossed her arms, demanding an explanation for his behavior. That did not need to be asked.

“Sorry,” Kallum pleaded again, “you just said Talitia? Like the organizer of this mage trial thing? I just have a few questions.”

Rhia’s tight lips melted into a frown.

“As do I,” she said.

“Do you know why I wouldn’t get the initial broadcast thing? Am I too inexperienced?” Traces of insecurity fell from Kallum’s lips, but he wanted an answer to at least one of the things bugging his mind. Rhia should be able to answer this much.

“Are you not a mage?” Rhia replied, clearly confused by the subtly cocked head. For what she lacked in facial expressions, she certainly made up for it in body language.

“I am. I got a Guide Stone.”

“Show me,” Rhia said. It was a commanding tone, but the rapid fire tail displayed an overwhelming eagerness. Delighted by an inkling of progress, Kallum bounded over the deserted road back toward his friends. Shailene was out of the wreck, leaning against the car with both hands in her jacket, but Emi and Quinn were still inside.

Quinn shot a sheepish thumbs up from the back seat as Kallum approached. Emi was still deep at work with his arm, but the minor cuts and bleeding were gone—Shailene included. The frame of the car held mostly intact, but it was still an uncomfortable sight.

“Are the doors jammed?” Kallum asked as he reached the shattered passenger window. He suspected the answer was yes, but Shailene didn’t care to respond. Instead her body grew tense, ready to pounce.

“Kallum,” she muttered.

“It’s fine,” he brushed her off. “I’m showing her my Guide Stone.”

Kallum kept the marvelously beautiful stone in his backpack for safekeeping, which was now tucked snug in the corner of the passenger floor. He couldn’t quite reach it without climbing in. Falling inward, he noticed the seat pull away from him and his face met dirt. Rhia toward above with the freshly ripped door held lightly in her hand and a puzzled tilt toward the back seat.

“The two reek of cowardice despite being removed from the black strip.” Rhia glanced down at Kallum, body tinged with curiosity. “Why is that?”

“I think they’re just scared of you,” Kallum replied, getting to his feet and hobbling over to get his backpack.

“Oh,” Rhia said. The disappointment was palpable. “But the girl is not,” referring to Shailene who was behind Kallum as he dug through the front pocket for his Guide Stone.

“She’s just weird,” Kallum said dismissively, then pulled out the purple hue stone injected with perpetually swirling mist. “Here,” Kallum said, depositing it in Rhia’s outstretched palm.

In a small moment of clarity, Kallum realized the absurdity of his action: handing over the Guide Stone. At the same time, the casual tone of their interaction is likely what got him this far, especially considering her reaction to his friends. But it didn’t matter because the look on her face was anything but malicious; it was wonder.

“To think there was a survivor…” Rhia muttered to herself. Wide eyes filled with regard to the stone boosted Kallum’s ego. “This ought to…” Her tail began to wildly crank the spinning gears in her head. This had to be a good sign.

“What?” Kallum asked eagerly. “Survivor of what?”

If there was a spark of admiration in Rhia’s eyes it was doused by a cold contempt that laced her words. “Ignorance of your history, Telekinetic child, is tantamount to taking a piss on the graves of your ancestors and theirs before. Kill that joyful smirk before I do it myself.”

The whiplash stunned Kallum, preventing him from moving a muscle as Rhia apparently decided that was enough to leave—with his Guide Stone. What stopped her wasn’t him, his bodily reflexes, or even a mage at all.

“What do you mean ‘Telekinetic Child’?” Shailene asked. She’d stepped away from the car and took a few paces forward to confront Rhia. Her shoulders tensed and Kallum caught a metallic shimmer from her left jacket as she adjusted her hand.

“For what reason? You are no mage,” Rhia said. There was no hostility or contempt in her voice; it was mostly flat with a bump of curiosity.

“I’m a mage, and I wanna know.” Emi said, climbing out of the back seat, baggy clothes and stylized hair emphasizing her presence as she leapt onto the dirt. “I’ve never heard of Telekinetics.” She gave Kallum a tentative look of confidence. He wondered if she wished her cap was with her right now.

“Me neither,” Quinn called out from the back seat. Apparently, still too injured to crawl through the seats.

Rhia’s ears slumped forward and her tail sagged, but her face remained firm as always. She sighed. “I suppose it is my duty.”

Rhia stood tall and raised her palm, facing the half moon above. Root, of a mahogany wood explicitly not native to Nevada, rose to form low, wide arches around knee height; benches. Four of them surrounded a small bushel of wiry twigs enclosed by larger logs of the same mahogany wood.

Kallum, along with his friends, was astonished. This was real magic, like physical magic. The kind you see as just special effects in Harry Potter, but it was happening right before his eyes.

“How…” Emi murmured beside him.

Rhia stepped toward the middle and stuck her hand into the bushel, out of sight. There was a jostle, and then a trail of smoke and faint embers that quickly consumed the thin twigs. The second Rhia sat on the magical wooden bench, Kallum took the invitation to sit as well. Emi quickly took a close seat next to him, thighs touching and huddled in submission to the increasingly unforgiving cold. Shailene was hesitant, but eventually sat after Kallum pressured her with his stare, and by then, the fire had set the logs ablaze, warming the three of them.

“Is he a cripple?” Rhia asked, indicating toward the back seat of the wrecked car.

“No,” Shailene said dryly, pressing her palms to the flame for warmth. “He’s just stuck.”

Without any words, Rhia strode towards the car and effortlessly peeled the rear door off, revealing a wide-eyed Quinn clutching his broken arm. She yanked his leg, sending him flying into her arms with a yelp, and carried him princess style to the bench opposite of Kallum. Her tiny stature carrying Quinn’s tall, lanky body was an odd sight.

“Your arm smarts, yet it appears healed.” She said, placing him down.

“My arm is smart?”

“Fractured mind begets fractured healing.”

“Who are you?” Emi blurted out next to Kallum. He noticed her balled fist and tense arms, but no fear leaked into her voice.

“Rhia, daughter of Talitia,” she said, sitting back down in a dignified manner. “But such a title is lost on you all.” Kallum felt her tone was almost mourning. The death of knowledge.

“The source of the New magic,” Quinn answered, desperately trying to breathe life into its corpse. “The source of the trial.”

“No,” Rhia said, shaking her head. “His stone proves this false.” Kallum suddenly realized he’d never given his name; Rhia never asked. “Such a blessing deserves merit, so I will take pity and alleviate your ignorance. None of you know The Tale of Five Princes.”

A hush fell over the impromptu campfire. Crackle of flames filled the empty cold air, alone under the dome of twinkling stars. Kallum felt a surge of excitement at this moment, one not shared by his friends—even Emi—evident by their tight lips and furrowed brows. But there was a shared curiosity because when Rhia opened her mouth, all eyes centered on her.

“Some time ago, before the advent of magic, in the blessed Kingdom of Aksum, there were five auspicious princes. The first-born Jone, loved by the masses, toiled day and night under his father, learning to nurture Aksum. The next-in-line, Latwo, rained upon by boundless glory, commanded swift and powerful campaigns against the warring tribes. The middle prince, Threen, was a holy man; devout to Talitia. Forcaus, the penultimate son, shrewdly negotiated the bountiful trades allowing Aksum to prosper, though never receiving due recognition. The youngest prince, ever the inquisitive, yet profoundly aloof, boy, was Estifivi, who would purchase whatever novel tome foreign scribes would peddle through Aksum’s markets.

“Those can’t be real names,” Quinn chided.

Rhia ignored him.

“On a cold afternoon, Estifivi got hold of an ill-touched tome, sabotaged by a rivaling power, ment for the king, but curiosity is a vile plague to the naive. A cruel poison rendered the young prince blind and deaf, but if Jone had learned anything from his provisional rule, it was a care for the people; his brothers especially. A jovial parade sent off the princes, rallied into action by the eldest, on their journey to Sangomala, rumored province of all-powerful healers.

“Twas an epic quest,” Rhia said, “one I dearly fond of, but cannot do justice myself.” Kallum almost missed a mote of expression touch her lips, curling them upwards. Her multicolored eyes fastened to the dancing flames “Abridged, Latwo used his might to fend off bandits and barbarians alike, Threen devoutly prayed off a devastating swarm of locusts that tormented a small village, Forcaus haggled with townsfolk for information, rations, and roofs to sleep under—though I truly found that part dreadfully dull—and Jone poured every being of his soul to keep Estifivi and his brothers alive on the arduous travel, nearly severing his arm to nourish them through a tragic mountain blizzard, though Threen’s prayers were answered just before.

“Alas, they arrived at Sangomala, tucked away behind a mountain range after eight months of travel. Though the sight was a tragedy.” Rhia took a deep breath, reminding Kallum to breathe. “Buildings all razed to the ground, air completely still, and not a soul in sight, they had made it too late. Torn with despair the brothers fell to their knees and wept; except Threen. Without a drop of doubt he prayed. Prayed to Talitia that their hope be restored, their struggles redeemed, and Estifivi, an innocent, naive boy, boy be healed. So then it came.”

Kallum saw Rhia turn toward the stars above, and he did the same.

“Talitia herself emerged from the sun and descended upon the princes. ‘Witness of thy travels, Thou shall answer thy prayers’.

“‘To Jone, Restoration; for the nourishment of thee to keep man strong and healthy and cure thy kin’”

“‘To Latwo, Telekinesis; for the toil of thee to effortlessly overpower foes who stand before thee’”

“‘To Threen, Divinity, a piece of raw magic from Thou; for the unwavering faith of thee. Such devotion must be given proper reward.’”

“‘To Forcaus, Transmutation; for the selflessness of thee to metamorph the mundane into the essentials”

“‘And to Estifivi, poor soul. Thou heard thy pleas. Telepathy; for the passionate desire of thee to convey to thy brethren the sheer depths of gratitude buried within.’”

At that moment, the stars had never felt closer to Kallum. He wanted to reach out and pluck one from the sky, feeling the power of Rhia’s words. Instead, arm beginning to stretch, a thump brought his vision earthbound. Shailene had fallen from the bench, head clutched in her hands, distraught. It made him feel crushed and conflicted, because he now felt pain from her pain. It was disorientating.

“But there’s more,” Emi said, leaning in, back taut, forearms on knees. “What makes Kallum a survivor?” She was staring at Rhia. Not up, nor down; forward.

“Um,” Quinn started up, “I’ve never heard of Tel—”

“Hush!” Rhia held a hand toward Quinn, though Kallum couldn’t catch his reaction through the dancing fire. “It is a solemn tale I loathe spreading.” Her piercing red and yellow ringed eyes swung to Kallum, making his hairs bristle. “Yet you must learn the sins of your forefathers.”

“With newfound power, it did not take long for Estifivi to uncover the malicious plot buried in Latwo’s mind; fratricide. Their travels were little more than a chance for ‘misfortune’ to strike Jone and seize the throne, and fate sent a twistedly opportune chance. That same night, Estifivi warned his brothers, but Jone’s heart too soft, Forcaus too meek, and himself too frail, only Threen felt devoted enough to Talitia to seal Latwo away in remote Sangomala, lest Talitia’s holy blessing be tainted by bloodshed. In the veil of twilight, the four princes escaped home, leaving Letwo’s soul forever bound to Sangomala.

“Is it still there?” Quinn asked indignantly.

“Seal your lips and listen, mutt,” Rhia snapped before continuing.

“Seasons changed, winters came and went, and kingdoms fell, but Aksum remained resolute with its power and devotion to Talitia, passing down her blessing to sons, while letting the myth of Sangomala fade away, but never the princes—wretched mistake.

“Santhriti, great great grandson of Threen and pope of Talitia’s church, got word of demons residing in faraway mountains. The most zealous of Talitia’s chosen, he alone had might and willpower to face demons with unwavering faith. And such was proven at the end of the eight month journey where he laid waste to the grotesquely malformed wildlife with melted faces and missing limbs, and the demons who birthed them, in an inferno of purifying flames.

“While praying for Talitia to heal the land, a spirit broached Santhriti with a plea. ‘O’ faithful son, wilt thou free my soul to now join my children’s children. Thy ancestors can not deny that penance has been served.’ Santhriti, fanatical enjoyer of The Tale of Five Princes, immediately recognized his ancestor. In binding Latwo’s soul to Sangomala, it held through the afterlife, meaning he was in Sangomala and the demons, within the charred hellscape before him, were not just relatives, but children of Talitia. A sad, but necessary act of mercy.

At last, the cold air had sunk into Kallum’s bones. Those demons had been his ancestors?

“However, to Santhriti’s horror, the bond failed to break and magic had left him completely. His faith had wavered. The imperfection of Threen’s binding magic, malignant disfiguring by way of Talitia’s magic, and the cardinal slaughter of blessed kin with his own hands carved his mind. So, as the most powerful, zealous pope of Talitia in Aksumian history returned powerless and full of doubt, the degradation of magic began, and since, failed to cease.”

“Just like that?” Kallum asked, his ears captured by Rhia’s every word. “One slip-up and it falls apart?”

“Doubt is a viral disease,” Rhia replied.

“But it can be fixed right?”

“Kallum,” Shailene spoke up, startling him. She’d relaxed her body but was still sitting casually on the ground. “They turned to other faiths. Ones resistant to doubt. Strange, contorted faiths that don’t need immaterial beings like Talitia.” A bit of venom laced the last sentence.

“She speaks the truth,” Rhia said. “And thus is the reason for my birth. To restore faith in Talitia. Alas, I failed my mission. Miserably” She pressed her palms toward the fire. Kallum doubted if she felt cold, but her demeanor reflected a lost girl seeking warmth; not a demigod.

“And that brings me to now,” Rhia said, bringing her palms back to her lap. Her body relaxed slightly and her tail picked up a slow rhythm. “Something disturbing has occurred.” She fumbled around the base of her tail for a second, then revealed a small linen pouch giving it a jostle, indicating its fullness. Then, she pulled out, unmistakably, a Guide Stone.

“Undoubtedly the work of Talitia.” Rhia said, staring at the stone. “Even I can not apparate matter from air, much less matter born from an individual’s magic.” She put the stone away. “However, the subsequent telepathic broadcast is irregular. Why would Talitia utilize such base magic? Why would she not appear before me? Certainly strange, but more importantly…”

Rhia tilted her head at Kallum, feeling like he was being appraised for authenticity at a pawn shop.

“Why would the broadcast overlook a telekinetic,” She said, “if not the folly of man forgetting their history once again. The trial is sham. I will put a stop to this,” Rhia turned back to the Guide Stone in her hand, “and discover the truth, ” sliding it back within the linen pouch.

“Let us help,” Kallum said, rising to his feet. He felt a well of desperation brimming, but it was capped by gratitude for Rhia’s words. He’d learned more about magic than he could have dreamed: Telekinesis, Latwo, and the sins he bore. And it gave him a purpose.

“Kallum—” Shailene burst out from her seated position, but she cut herself off before finishing. Though the reprimand was clear; he’d been blindly selfish in his offer.

“At least, let me help,” He gently corrected.

“Why?” A genuine confusion. Rhia was blind to his thankful expression and tone.

“Atonement,” Kallum said. “For my ancestors.”

“I do find difficulty in navigating human settlements,” Rhia nodded to herself. “Some help may be beneficial to my search.”

“What are you looking for?” Emi asked. Kallum glanced down at her and she returned with a smile. His knees buckled slightly, relieved that Emi was willing to join him.

“My sister,” Rhia replied. “I believe her to be on this continent.”

“Great,” Quinn said, standing and rolling his eyes. “Got any idea what she might look like? Some kinda instagram or is she also doing the ‘old soul’ bit?” He flitted his eyes toward Kallum and shrugged his shoulders.

“We’ve never encountered. I am hoping to signal her,” Rhia jostled the linen bag twice. “All I know is that she was born from the sun.”

“We’ll do it!” Shailene shot up so aggressively it caught Kallum off guard. Her voice was dripping with tainted fervor. “We’ll find her.”

-----

And so, the sun rose, calling an end to the first day of the trial and the beginning of the adventure for the five. An arduous journey akin to the princes, but with more differences than similarities. However, both would forever leave a vile stain on human history.

Note from Author: If you got this far, thank you so much! This is my first attempt at a novel, so I hope you enjoyed. Please leave a comment stating your favorite character so I know which viewpoints and reveals to cover in the next batch of chapters!