"Sometimes it's hard to move forward as a community, sometimes it hurts. Sometimes, it's necessary."
Chapter Seven- The Ancients.
Year 12,300,609BC
Sema woke first and was frightened by Nierra, who looked like a towering tree as she stood next to them. T'toc sat on the other side of the pathway to the city.
Nierra bowed down low and presented herself with her arms extended outwards. Even the length of Nierra's arm spread frightened Sema.
“Ambrus!” Sema screamed and pulled the cloth they had been given over her head in hopes of hiding. The thickness of the cloth blanket was lacking and Sema could see through it. She closed her eyes, smacking and pushing Ambrus till he woke.
“What is it?” Ambrus said, irritated about being violently woken, until he realized where they were and the trouble they were in.
Nierra gestured again, with a smile this time. “How can we communicate with them when they cannot hear our thoughts?” she asked T'toc.
T'toc spit out the remainder of the shell from an exotic nut he had been chewing on. “I don't know; try to give them food and water. I guess we're stuck with body language.”
Nierra dug into her leather pouch and handed them a large handful of red colored berries and smiled.
Ambrus tried to stop Sema from eating one of the berries but he was too slow. “Mmmm, Ambrus, these are sooo good.”
She gave him one, he ate it reluctantly, all the while eying the tall woman. She must be ten to eleven feet tall. “We're not home anymore, Sema.” Ambrus said, eating the very chewy and sweet berry.
“I figured that out. Mom and Dad are going to kill you.”
Nierra walked over to T'toc, sat down and observed Ambrus and Sema. “They adjusted in just a little over two days.”
“I know. That would mean they are not from as far in the future as we first thought. Not from the origin of time travel, at least.” T'toc said.
“Hear that?” Nierra asked. “Hurry, we have to hide them, someone is coming.”
Nierra and T'toc jumped up and ran towards Ambrus and Sema. Sema screamed and Ambrus, thinking they were going to attack, rose quickly and punched T'toc in the stomach. Unfazed, T'toc swung Ambrus and Sema under his arms effortlessly as they ran into the forest for cover.
“We must take them to the Satis now.” T'toc said.
Nierra nodded.
“Are they going to eat us?” Sema asked.
“No, I don't think so. They are taking us somewhere.”
The walk through the woods looked different to Ambrus and Sema this time. They were no longer feeling the effects of time awe and were able to enjoy the strangeness of the plant life, flowers and occasional forest rodent that ran past them, curious at the new smell of Sema and Ambrus. Even though the view was from up high being carried by T'toc, it was still mesmerizing as everything seemed more lively than before. Plants and trees, flowers and bushes stood stationary for the most part, or their movement was so slow it was not noticeable. Yet, through this forest everything seemed to move, sway and flap.
Sema managed to grab a flower as they walked by it. “Ambrus look at this. Its flapping its petals.” she said as a strange flying insect landed on the flower. She wasn't frightened at first, until its large green eyes shifted its attention towards her. “Eww!” she said, throwing it on the ground.
T'toc put Ambrus and Sema down, gesturing to them to stay put with a strict look on his face, he pointed a finger to the ground.
A village off in the distance took their attention. It was small and looked to house only a few, yet above it, a gigantic treetop city.
“We're way far from home. Look at that strange village,” Ambrus said.
“Why do we have to wait here while he goes alone?” Sema asked.
“I don't know. Maybe he's asking permission to pass?” Ambrus said.
“Why do you think the lady is staying with us? Do you think she's afraid to go there?” Sema asked.
“She looks worried to me,” Ambrus said.
The Satis Sage had sensed T'toc's presence and was awaiting his arrival. "T'toc, what a pleasure to see you," he said grinning.
"The pleasure is all mine, Hu."
Hu gestured T'toc to come into his hut, and sit with him. "I understand why you're here," he said.
"I'm sure you do. The children have arrived as prophesied."
Hu took to feeding the kettle with water, "yes, a prophecy from the Shakrana. Not a prophecy from the Satis."
"Hu, the prophecy is from a time when both our peoples were one,"
"How many times must we speak of this prophecy, T'toc?" Hu asked, while struggling to set fire beneath the kettle.
T'toc lay his hand above the kindling beneath the kettle; fire. "We speak of it today, because you can see I have brought the children, the prophecy is true."
"Guranith leaf tea, T'toc?"
"Yes, thank you."
Hu proceeded sprinkling dried crushed leaves into the kettle, "if the prophecy is true, T'toc, won't that mean the awakening of the protectors, and the eventually destruction of all things?"
"Such things come with all prophecy, destruction, apocalypse, it is not possible to understand exactly what these things can truly mean. Perhaps, it just means change. Change is destruction of what was."
"That's true," Hu nodded, and gave T'toc a cup to hold, whiling pouring his tea. "I am reluctant on many levels T'toc. First of all, the warrior band may never accept the children, they will be brutalized before accepted. Maybe even killed. You are aware of this, yes?"
"I am. I can aid them in this area, potions, certain alchemy for strength and endurance."
"Second. I'm not so sure change is what the prophecy speaks of. I believe, if true, these children signal the end of our civilization. You do understand, even within our society, travelers are to be killed on sight?"
"Hu, how long must we continue to live as we do? Thousands of more years? Just waiting for nothing to happen, or something to happen? To bring something to our world is better than to have nothing."
"What do you mean, bring something? What is wrong with our world as it is now? I see perfect harmony, the Satis hold true to ancient tradition, the Shakrana, the keepers of the secrets of nature and the universe."
T'toc sighed, sipped on his tea, "precisely what you just said. Satis live like Satis have always lived, there is no progression. Shakrana hold on to secrets, never use them nor express them. It is stagnation of our kind."
"What is stopping you from traveling to the the chaos of time then? If you are so frustrated with our existence T'toc."
"I am not frustrated, I believe stagnation will cause us our own chaos."
"Ah, yes. I remember you spoke of this a few hundred years ago. You believe, life, even as a community, is like an uphill walk, and if the community or individual is not progressing up the hill, they are bound to find themselves falling down it."
T'toc smiled, "Yes my friend. I feel we are already falling down this hill. Our ancient past, with such magnificent and great discoveries, creations and mysteries."
Hu smiled back. "What if, climbing this hill, we stumble? Trip up? Are we not doomed to fall as well?"
"Yes, progress is not without it's dangers. That is true as too. But, they are dangers we will recognize,"
"Recognize, perhaps when it's too late."
"I don't see we have much option. The children have traveled here, as prophesied. Destruction, could mean a complete change of how things are now, that could be very good for our kind, both our societies. Let us not forget, the prophecy also tells of a great, unknown enemy, that these children will eventually conquer."
"Yes, this enemy, one the protectors even will battle."
"If the protectors exist."
"T'toc, why not take these children into your Illuminated city instead?"
"I hold no longer strong enough authority to keep them alive."
Hu laughed, "the great and mighty T'toc, have you no strength within your community?"
"No, I left my chair to find the children," T'toc said, stoically, "now I have found them, and bring them to you. The Satis, mighty Sage, of whom has great authority."
"You understand, the women will have the final say?"
T'toc nodded, "and I'm sure your rhetoric will convince them to take the children in."
"Only if I tell them not of the prophecy, so I must lie. You understand you're asking me this?"
"I am prepared to give you the Phoenix," T'toc said, pulling a fiery, vibrant stone from his inside pocket.
Hu held his hand out and T'toc placed the stone reluctantly upon it.
Hu took the stone, and placed it upon a shelf within his hut, next to a collection of stones.
"What would your people think if they knew you were housing dragons, demigods and now a phoenix?"
"What they would think?" Hu asked, to allow himself an extra moment to think and respond, "they would think I am as dangerous as you, naturally."
T'toc gestured from the village. Come
Nierra turned to Ambrus and Sema, smiled, gave them a hug and handed Sema a necklace made from leather skin and rock. She gestured them to go to T'toc.
Ambrus and Sema looked at each other and started off walking toward T'toc slowly.
“I miss Mom and Dad,” Sema said.
“I know,” Ambrus said.
“Is this like how we moved to another home before?” Sema asked.
“Yes, but this might be different than before.”
T’toc looked to be negotiating something serious. He stood with the tall, old woman and man for a very long time. Long enough to make Ambrus and Sema’s muscles ache. Sema decided to sit down, behind T’toc.
Ambrus held his posture.
“You should stand up,” Ambrus whispered to Sema.
“I can’t, I’m tired. Even my teeth feel tired,” Sema said.
T’toc pointed to the sky and the old woman’s stable expression of seriousness dissolved into laughter. After wiping the tears from her eyes and catching her breath, she became serious again. She muttered a few words and T’toc nodded.
“Look how tall she is,” Ambrus said.
“You know, she kind of looks like Indians, don’t you think?” Sema said.
“I don’t know about that, I’d say they look like something from the books Dad used to read. I remember he showed me a picture of a different type of human being, a Neanderthal. But I don’t think Neanderthals were that big,” Ambrus said.
“What’s a Neanderthal?” Sema asked.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Ambrus said.
The old woman peered behind T’toc to look at Ambrus and Sema, then to T’toc again. She nodded and bowed to T’toc.
T'toc did not say goodbye to Ambrus and Sema. He just turned around and walked to Nierra.
“Will they be ok?” Nierra asked, concerned.
“Of course they will be,” he said, smiling with confidence.
“How can you be so sure?”
“I gave them the Elixir of the Sun while they were sleeping and you were off picking berries.”
Nierra, quiet for a moment replied, “Why would you do that? If the Priera found out, you could be cast out of the Illuminated city.”
“The ways of the Satis are brutal, Nierra. Especially for the boy. The Satis boys will test him to near death. And the Satis men and women will allow it. If they are to survive, they need more strength, intellect and awareness. The Elixir of Sun is the strongest of our alchemy and the effects will last throughout their now greatly extended lives.”
“You see there? Behind that stone cold appearance of yours, you have the warmest heart and that's why I married you.” Nierra said.
Ambrus and Sema watched as Nierra and T'toc walked into the darkness of the forest, holding hands, then turned to look at the old woman towering over them. She looked over her shoulder and called out. A man came out from the shadows of the tall trees.
She motioned to the children and turned to walk away from them. The man bent down with his hands on his knees leveling with them and looked into their eyes.
“Ambrus?” Sema said as the man looked at her. He put his hand on her forehead as her knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground.
He picked Sema up and then put his attention on Ambrus.
“Wait,” Ambrus said, just before he too, lost consciousness.