Last of My Kind Ch. 001

**Omenna was beautiful**, awe-inspiring, and had an abundance of life. It had creatures that would be considered extinct in other parts of the world, both plants and animals alike. But like every other place on Earth, it had its flaws... of course, the flaw wasn't in our beloved realm. My people, the Uduma, have lived here for millennia after all. No... the flaw lies in the people.

Many might consider Omenna a paradise on Earth. Many do. Even my people, who have lived here all their lives, do. But for me? It's been hell. I've yearned to visit the outside world, to see how far mankind has come... but I knew it for what it was: a fantasy.

You might think I'm just a petulant, hardheaded child, willing to throw away the protection and joys of paradise for a taste of the outside world. Well, maybe I am.

I was born different from any other. My kind practice shamanic magic--every person having a connection to a spirit animal, or their **core creature**, as it's more appropriately called. On rare occasions, some have connections to two.

The creature or spirit animal you're connected to determines the tier you're placed in within society. Those connected to creatures like domestic cats, dogs, birds, herbivores and the like are at the bottom of this tier system... a system of four tiers. Those connected to mythical creatures like the phoenix, dragons, and the like reside at the top.

Although such connections are rare, our queen, **Lady Naila**, is the only person with a connection to the phoenix in the last century. The last person connected to a dragon was killed about four centuries ago during the Great War. Apparently, he believed he had a right to live in **Elysium**. How ludicrous. Can't blame him though... dragons do tend to have a very big ego.

I have connections to seven different creatures. That would've been cool and all... but I can only access three of them, and only one at a time. This brought me a lot of fear. Fear of the unknown--a very dangerous concept.

That fear eventually bloomed into hate... hate I've spent my whole life enduring. I could have been killed the moment I was tested. But being the princess put a hold on that. It couldn't stop the hate. I was barred from using any of my connections--except one.

These, and a bunch of other reasons, are why I left Omenna. About a month ago... I think. It's hard to say, really--no way to tell time here in the wild.

Anyway, after the last **Naliajuha Festival**--a festival that happens once every two years, a battle between royalty and the top warriors of our land in honor of our ruler--I fled the city. After my inevitable loss and humiliation.

My mother couldn't have me grow stronger, so I got the barest education possible. My mother overthrew her aunt at twenty-one, but who could stop her? She was a phoenix, after all. So me, being connected to seven creatures, was more than enough of a threat.

My kind live up to 300 years. My mother has been ruling for forty. So no child of hers would be patient enough to inherit the throne unless someone stronger rose to claim it. I was a threat by birth... and I couldn't take it anymore.

My journey to no particular destination didn't seem quite as tedious as I thought. Or maybe my powers made it feel that way.

Crawling quietly behind a lone doe grazing in the meadow, I clamped tightly on my aura and dampened my scent so as not to spook the animal. At about 18 feet from the doe, I broke into a sprint... and in less than a second, I was right on it. The animal sensed my presence then--but it was too late.

I grabbed it by the head and snapped its neck before it could even make a sound. I ended the hunt in less than a minute without even channeling my beast. I split-roasted the carcass, dry-roasted a few days' portion, and left the rest for whatever found it. I trudged on, hoping to get a good distance under the wraps before nightfall.

*********

Jason

Light penetrated my eyelids softly as my senses slowly returned to me, my head throbbing in rhythm with my heartbeat. My limbs felt like lead barely responsive. I sat up slowly, with herculean effort.

Linda sat by my right on the bed, looking down at me with a worried expression. Her face lit up with relief when I awoke.

"Heh, look at you. You look like an eighty-year-old," I said lightheartedly.

"Shut it, you. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, mostly... but my head hurts a ton. Where's Uncle Grey?"

"He's probably in the kitchen. He said he has some idea about why you passed out."

"Ohh? How long have I been out?"

"About twelve hours. You've been out since yesterday... and it's almost 2 AM now."

"Wow..."

My stomach took the brief silence as an opportunity to announce its presence with a low rumble, drawing a giggle from my sister.

"Hey! It's not funny," I protested.

"Yeah, I know, sorry. I couldn't help myself," she replied, trying and failing to hold back full-on laughter.

The smell of bacon preceded Uncle Grey's arrival, cheerfully bringing along its good tidings.

"Hallo, strong lad. I see you're back amongst us. What news do you bring from the gods?"

"Well, they said something like *clears throat* Your cabin shall be overrun by unimaginable creatures of the wild, for thou dwelleth upon the holy land of the gods... except thou give this servant of mine 80 bucks.' That's the, uh, important one."

"Hehe, that was rich. I didn't know you could do that," Linda said with a sly grin. "So Uncle Grey, what do you say to the gods' message?"

"I didn't know the gods were such greedy little bastards," he replied with a scoff. "I see you're well now, lad. So why don't you tell me what you saw?"

Grey casually lit a joint and pulled out an oakwood chair.

"Well, I saw some stars, a lot of them, and then... well... nothing. Like you saw, I blacked out. Why would you ask that?"

"This shouldn't be hard, I hope. Transitions have never been easy," Grey said with a sigh between heavy puffs of smoke.

**"Rau Seth Kalith,"** Grey chanted.

Suddenly, a roaring ball of fire materialized over his outstretched palm.

It took a few seconds, but the realization finally hit.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!" Linda yelled.

"I second that! How the hell did you do that? That must have cost a ton," I said incredulously.

"Damn right it must've. I mean, I can feel the heat from here," Linda quipped.

"It does cost something. Not much, and not money... but it costs something," Grey replied.

"Well, what does it cost? 'Cause I'd very much like one. And could you turn it off? The heat is starting to build up."

"Sure... *Uruth.*"

The flame vanished as soon as it appeared.

"Now, that flame is called Hell's Eye. It isn't tech, and it isn't a trick of the eye so don't ask."

"What was it, then?" Linda asked.

"Simple. It's magic. And the Hell's Eye costs mana. A very insignificant amount. So, to phrase it... magic is real."

Apparently, something Uncle Grey said hit us right in the funny bone, because Linda and I started laughing hysterically.

"Wait... you're serious?" I asked.

"Of course I am. Think about it does tech exist that can do that?"

"Okay, let's assume you're telling the truth which, by the way, I know you're not, you should be able to do the Hell's Eye thing anywhere, right?"

"That's correct."

"So why don't we go outside, and you do it once more? Maybe then I'll believe you. What do you say, huh?"

"Unfortunately, due to circumstances you'll understand soon... that will not be possible," he said, letting out a thick cloud of smoke.

"Ha! I knew it. I won't fall for your tricks, old man," I said, wagging my finger at him.

"There is another way I can prove it. Cupcake, can you get me a knife from the kitchen?"

"Sure... I guess. Here you go."

"Thank you, lass. Now scoot over, you. Look closely."

He drew a deep, fine line on his right arm, extending from wrist to elbow, and more than deep enough to draw blood.

Linda recoiled sharply with a yelp at the sight.

"Why would you do that, it coul--"

"... Shhh. Just watch," Grey cut in.

Slowly, to my surprise, the cut began knitting itself up. The blood pulled back into his flesh like a living blob of red slime. In a few seconds, the skin was completely healed... restored to its previous state.

I was stunned to silence, and so was Linda, apparently. She just stood there like a deer caught in headlights. My rational brain tried to process what I just saw in a logical way, but it kept coming back blank.

Magic couldn't be real. I mean, science... but the evidence was staring me right in the eye.

This could also be an elaborate prank by the old man. I'll tan his ass if it is.

But if magic is real, that would explain my visions... especially the one by the... wait... the runic etchings on the door?

"Ha! I like that look of realization on your face. Now boy... will you tell me what you saw?" Grey guffawed.

"-sigh- Alright, I will. Last summer, after my eighteenth birthday, I had a dream. I was on a battlefield, over a hundred thousand soldiers, dead. They were all from one army."

"Hmm? How could you tell?" Linda asked.

"Their uniforms. The weirdest thing though... I killed all of them. And I still felt strong afterwards. I felt a deep sense of regret... and then bam. I wake up. It's been recurring since then. I had it this morning."

"Interesting... Tell me boy, what color was the armor worn by the soldiers?"

"Scarlet red for the cloth parts, and gold for the hard ones."

"Aye... that was the last Great War. You dreamt about your father."

"WHAAAT?!" Linda and I shouted in unison.

"Dad has magic... and he did that?"

"-chuckles- You misunderstand me. John isn't the one I'm talking about here. He's your father, yes... but I'm talking about your... well, your magical father, I suppose."

"I don't get it. We've got two dads?" Linda asked, sitting on the bed.

"Not quite. This'll be a long discussion. We'll continue when we get there," Grey said, getting up.

"Get where? Where are we going?" Linda asked, scooping up the forgotten plate of bacon.

My stomach rumbled its disapproval. "I'm still starving, you know. And I'm weak too."

"Oh, that. Let me fix you... *Azrath Mendre.*"

An emerald-green light shot from his outstretched palm and struck me square in the chest, drawing a very ladylike yelp from me.

The effect was instantaneous. My grumbling stomach quieted, and my fatigue vanished completely. I felt relief in places I never even knew I was sore.

"Jason, you alright?" Linda asked, worried.

"You kidding? I feel brand new. What was that?"

"It's called healing magic... or Gaia's Light. Now chop-chop we've got to move."

"We're leaving? Now? I don't even have a passport yet," Linda called out from the kitchen.

"Oh, right... you won't be needing that. Just get a few clothes and come with me."

"You might want to take some shoes too. It's sandy out there," he called out.

We left the cabin's compound and headed into the dense forest, our baggage in tow.

We're not really headed to Egypt on foot, are we?

I got my answer a few minutes into our walk. We came to a depression in the ground... a brief reprieve from the thickness of nature. The depression was covered with shrubs and grasses.

And we stopped.

I saw this coming.

"Here we are, kids," Grey said, spreading his hands dramatically.

"Really? This is Egypt? Very funny, Uncle... veery funny," Linda said, arms akimbo.

"I'm outta here."

"Hold ya horses, kids. You don't wanna miss this."

A short chant and a quick cantrip later, the whole depression started to ripple... like someone had dropped a stone into the pool of reality.

Well, I didn't see that one coming.

The frequency of the rippling rose until... CRACK. The *fabric of reality*. Now i know that sounds terribly cliché, but that's what I'm calling it, tore horizontally against the surface of the earth. A giant tear in the air.

And as soon as it started, it stopped. Folding in on itself like it was being sucked by a black hole.

In place of the depression was a little opening... like the entrance of a cave. Tall enough for my 5'7" frame to fit if I crouched a little, and wide enough to fit two average-sized people side by side.

We entered the little cave, totally awestruck by the sights and scents emanating from this pocket of nature.

Thankfully, the cave opened up enough that I could stand upright and still have considerable headspace.

The interior of the cave was covered with bioluminescent plants of various colors, ranging from green to red, and even some traces of blue-green being the most abundant. They covered nearly every surface: the walls, the roof, and even parts of the floor.

The plant life extended inward, deeper into the cave, before thickening and converging into some sort of archway... or a doorframe, perhaps.

"Why are we stopping?" Linda asked, eyes glued to the archway.

"You'll find out in a minute," Grey replied, clutching a bluish-green rock with an intricately carved runic symbol on it.

He dropped the stone under the archway, taking a few steps back.

Linda and I instinctively followed suit.

Grey stretched out his right arm toward the stone, muttering undecipherable words under his breath. Blue light traveled from the elbow of his outstretched arm down to his palm, then shot--lightning-fast--into the stone.

Aside from a slight ripple in the air, there was no change... until Grey stepped through the archway and vanished.

A few seconds later, he poked his head back through to address the frozen duo.

"You guys coming?"

*********

That's it for now, fellas. I hope you like it.

Do well to write down your honest opinion and follow. So you'll be notified for the next installation.