“Muara, what are you doing?:

  Muara held a cold stare, then cut in a downward strike, severing the girl’s left arm at the shoulder.

  She screamed at Muara “You’re not my sister, and you’re not worthy to be a princess by my side!” Then gave a loud shriek of pain.

  Muara woke up in a cold sweat, the details of just a day ago haunting her as she ran from what she did. She sat up, and didn’t move. How could she? How could she move when she cut off her sister’s arm and doomed her to a life of difficulty beyond compare?

  Her head hung low. Just then, an owl flew down in front of her, and looked up at her. She almost smiled, seeing her favorite animal. But she still couldn’t. The owl then seemed to speak. “Muara, you have been through much. I have a proposition for you.” It said, it’s voice deep and reverberating into her very bones.

  Muara just shuffled, facing to the left. She didn’t say a word, but tried to shoo the bird away with her hand. “It seems you don’t want to talk. You don’t have to. Just listen.” Muara covered her ears with her hands, blocking out the voice.

  She stayed like that for an hour, before uncovering her ears. She heard the voice again. “I’m glad you’re OK now. What you just had is called a panic attack, and they’re not normal. During those times, you need to shut out noise for a while, in a preferred place like something that reminds you of childhood.” The voice seemed caring. She turned back to the owl, and looked down at it.

  “I’m alone. You’re already cursed, you better leave before I hurt you too.” She replied finally. “Birds don’t talk, and they certainly don’t make offers.” She said.

  The bird stood up, and spread its wings. “Oh, this form? It’s not what I look like. Here is what I look like.” The owl’s form changed and morphed, into a circular book with no cover or back, infinite pages cycling. “Look up me, this is my truest form.” The voice said. Muara looked up. Books were the one thing she enjoyed perhaps more than owls.

  “Are you perhaps, the god of knowledge?” Muara asked with a voice just a little deeper than the average for a girl of 17. She wiped away some tears.

  The book turned into a tall man, dressed in black robes, with black hair, and teal green eyes. He was holding a book. “I am. My name is Nercusamaito, the god of all knowledge.” He held his hand out to her, and she took it as he lifted her up with a slight grunt. “I can give you knowledge.” He said.

  Muara just nodded. “Tell me what you want from me, I don’t want to be around people right now.” She didn’t sound angry or sad.

  “What if I told you I could provide you the ability to check on your sister from any distance, and that upon completion of your task, the knowledge of your birth and origins will be made known to you.” Nercusamaito said.

  “I don’t trust you, that sounds too good.” Muara said, distrusting but not dismissing.

  “That is covered in the contract, but I will tell you now. Should you fail, the knowledge of your birth and origin will come to you at the worst possible time, and you will not be able to handle the stress. That is the stipulation.” He said.

  Muara nodded. “Seems reasonable on the surface. What would my task be?” She asked.

  “You would protect me.” He said.

  Muara nodded. Either way, she gets her wish. “Where is the contract? I will sign it.” She said.

  Nercusamaito took a single page from the book he was holding, and ripped it out, handing it to her. “Just a simple sign of your agreement to the conditions. It will bind you, acting with or without my hand. Should I wish to change course, I can void the contract. How will you sign?” He asked.

  She took a strand of her sandy blonde hair, and laid it on the contract. It fused with the contract. Then Nercusamaito took a strand of his own hair, and it too fused with the contract.

  “Grab the contract now. It has left my body, and so is now not bound solely to me.” Muara took it. Then tears fell down her face.

  “So how is my sister doing? Is she alright?” Muara asked. Nercusamaito pulled her into a hug, but the top of her head didn’t even reach the middle of his chest. She cried into his robes, as he rifled through his book.

  She pulled away finally, and watched his eyes. They seemed uncaring. The book he was carrying changed covers, to one with a spiral that looked wind-like. He took a page from it, and presented it to her. “This is how to control the wind. Try it.” She read it, and couldn’t make sense of it.

  “I can’t read this language, how do I do it?” She asked.

  Nercusamaito nodded. “Of course you can’t, it’s a language dead to most of the gods, only a few can still read it. Try this. Eat this page whole. Don’t let it tear in your mouth.” He pulled a singular page from his sleeve, it was written entirely in the language she couldn’t read. It took her minutes, but she finally swallowed it down whole. “Now we must wait for a few hours, for your body to digest that page. You should be able to read every language after it does.”

  Muara nodded, trying not to throw up. “Can we go?” She asked. “I imagine you have a place for me, near to you.” She asked.

  Nercusamaito sat down, his robe on the damp grass. “No. Sit down, tell me all you know about your past, starting as early as you remember.” Muara sat down, and was forlorn.

  “If I must.” She said, looking down. “I could only remember an orphanage, and I was young. I don’t know how young, or what age I was, or am. I don’t remember my birthday. But I remember Jailee, who ran the orphanage. She was kind, and treated me and the other kids as family. One day I ran while playing hide and seek in the Forest of Ilo, and I hid. When I wasn’t found for hours, I finally went back to the orphanage, to find it destroyed completely. There was no fire, and I can’t remember there being any sign of breaking, it was as if the whole thing fell to the side. I remember seeing the back of Jayden’s head. He was my slightly older brother, yet he treated me better than anyone else.”

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  Nercusamaito cut in “This is just what older siblings are like, since you were thought to be the youngest, he alone would give you special treatment.”

  Muara continued, taking no notice. “I walked the direction Jailee told us to walk if anything happened to her. Eventually I was stopped by an older looking woman, and she took care of me for about a week. I think her name was Vant, but I could be wrong.”

  “After a week, she just disappeared. I walked the direction Jailee instructed me again, until I came up on a road. I passed out, and woke up in a carriage with a kind man, woman, and a young girl who looked like she was my age. This would be my new family. The girl especially is named Serta, and my sister.”

  “Just a few months later, there’d be a large fire that burned Renar, my new hometown. My parents died, but Serta and I were saved by a man named Dirk, a knight who used to live in our town, but became the royal knight of a neighboring kingdom, Griad. He and the king of Griad, Geralt, took us in and trained my sister to rebuild a kingdom. When we got back nearly 6 months later, we returned to the burned city, and the crowd got violent. Dirk did what he could, but my sister still had to become queen at just 5 years old. I was listed as her main advisor, and would be joined by this kind young man from a southern country named Gyial. He was not just an advisor, but her sole protector. Us 3 with Dirk rebuilt the base of the kingdom, and now it’s back to its full glory. But near the end of the first wave of rebuilding, Serta and Dirk had a falling out. His only interaction with her, after training her, was sparring in silence as she tried to kill him, or so it seems.”

  “In reality, my sister doesn’t know how to apologize. This was the only way they would interact. She never tried to kill him, and it let him gauge what she’d been learning and growing. He did manage to teach her his secret move, though she more saw it, and copied it. This wouldn’t be enough. That was 3 years ago. Perhaps if he had still been in her good inner circle, and the 2 had talked, he would have had a solution for what happened. She was told by the emperor to tear down the forest of Ilo, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to know what happened, and would often go into the forest, but could never find any extra evidence. I stood up to her, knowing that if she didn’t tear down the forest, she’d be killed. Being queen doesn’t save one from the emperor.”

  “Normally she’d be the better swordswoman, but she was stressed. She didn’t want to tear down the forest. She didn’t want to fight me. But she wanted to live. So I had to fight her. And even after I cut off her arm, I can’t apologize to her. Because I can’t take it back. If I could, I would. I’m not deserving to be her sister, advisor, or friend. And now I’m not any of those things. Even Reynar, from Gyial, could’ve solved this, but he was on a trip to visit a king he’d been waiting to be born.”

  At this, Nercusamaito nodded. “And now you’re here.” He said. “Now, you’ve lost it all.”

  “I don’t wish for it back. I just want to know if everyone’s ok.” She said.

  “It’s been a while. Try reading the page again.” He responded. To her surprise, she was able to read it. “I was speaking in the ancient language. It seems to have taken effect.” He said. Then said. “if you swallow the pages of this book on wind, you will gain all its abilities. The ability to direct it, and learn how to see, hear, and feel what it feels. Or you can read it, and learn with practice.” He said.

  Muara wiped away a few tears. “Can we go now?” She asked. Knowledge nodded.

  “Alright Dista, take us back home.” He said. Suddenly, they were in front of a hole in the ground. The hole was dark. Maura looked scared. Nercusamaito held out his hand. “I know you have trouble in the dark. Just hold on, I know my way around.” She took it reluctantly and let him lead her. After about 4 minutes of walking, they turned a few corners and light was clearly pretty close.

  Muara could hear a voice, deeper far than Nercusamaito. “You have arrived, and brought Muara. Your plan is unfolding well.”

  The path suddenly turned into a tile floor, lit with torches. “This is our base. We don’t have a name, nor need one really. That voice you heard was Tempo, the god of time.” Nercusamaito said.

  “His room is on the right, Dista’s is on the left, so is yours. Mine is straight ahead, past the meeting table. We do have a kitchen and a spring in the cave. I ask that you don’t bring anything inside, or anyone.” He finished. “We’ll have a meeting tonight, I’ll have Dista knock on your door to alert you. Sleep well in your bed until then, we’ll explain the rest when you wake up.”

  Muara walked, sleepily, towards her door. Ornate yet wooden. She opened it, and saw a huge bed, a nightstand, desk, chair, lamp, candle, and dresser. The walls were stone and carved.

  She laid down on the bed, without even getting under the covers. She tried reading the book of Wind, but was struggling to stay awake.

  She managed to read one page, but not memorize it, before falling asleep.

  Some time later, there was a whisper in her ear. “Wake up, Muara! The meeting is about to commence.” Muara got up groggily.

  She turned her head, but saw no one. “Get up. It'll be more clear at the meeting. Exit your room.” Muara listened to the hasty yet soft whisper.

  “Alright alright.” Muara said, standing up and walking out, barefoot, with her clothes she entered with still on. She left the room, and followed the whispering voice's instruction, coming to the hall with a long table, and several chairs.

  At the head, was Nercusamaito, but not in the regal form she saw him first. This time he looked more normal, dark hair, green eyes, simple clothing, almost like he was a commoner. Next to him on his right, was a… haze. Something Muara saw, but couldn't see through.

  Nercusamaito spoke, his voice rather monotone. “Welcome, Muara, newest member of our cause. Have a seat, opposite me. Your role is most important, after all.”

  Muara sat down at his request. She noticed the seat on his right was empty, and there were several empty chairs on either side of the table. “Is this all? Where's the voice I heard?”

  “That would be me, Dista, the god of distance, at your service.” The voice whispered in her ear.

  Muara gasped in shock, but regained her composure. “I don't think I'll get used to that.” She said.

  She heard a sigh. “You probably never will, but I must always remain distant from everything that could see me normally. In this case, the one door is more than enough.” He said from his room, but still whispering.

  “Enough!” Nercusamaito said. “Dista, bring Yeltsa Kcir and Nekcuf here. They must be present. And bring the artifact as well.” He said.

  Within a second, there was a man, who looked pretty young, in a brown jacket, with brown hair, sitting down. Opposite the man, was a fox. On the table, was an orb, with an opening facing Muara.

  Nercusamaito spoke up again. “Welcome Yeltsa, Nekcuf. The god of music is always welcome here, as is the god natural phenomenon. I have some good news gentlemen.” He said.

  Yeltsa nodded. “What is it?” He asked.

  Nercusamaito smiled. “Jumei has moved. He is now connected to a goddess in the making. The plan is unfolding well, and the time for you two draws near.” He said.

  Yeltsa spoke “Well you know that I'm ready. When it comes to the love of things, I'm no stranger.” He said. Then a question. “Why have you brought a human here? I know the rules, and so do you. Humans are not to be interacted with.”

  Nercusamaito shook his head. “I didn't force her. She chose this. And this will provide us protection from the rest of the gods for a long while. I don't want an incident like the Fae incident happening again.” He said.

  Yeltsa nodded. “You're really determined. You won't give her up?” He asked.

  “No, I will not. And I won't let her, or any of you, down. Not again. I'm fully committed to this. This would help all.” He said. “Keletaliotionaga, will become known, if he exists. If he does not, then that'll be answered for me, and for all.”

  “Now, everyone, introduce yourself to the newest member, Muara of house Renar.” Nercusamaito said.

  The whisper was heard first. “I'm Dista, god of distance, and I'm the one to help the travel of our group. For you, I will bring food, water, and supplies you need.” He said. “Feel free to ask me for anything. I won't be seen.” He finished.

  The loud voice from nowhere was heard next. “I'm Tempo, god of time. I ensure the safety of all involved in this. I can go back, see forward, and have no form. Yet. After this is accomplished, I will have a body.” He said.

  The haze next to Nercusamaito made a sound, but Muara couldn't tell what it said. “Don't worry, this one right here won't hurt you. It's just not trusting. Waiting for it's twin brother. You'll see soon enough.” Nercusamaito said. “Yeltsa, you next.”

  “I'm Yeltsa Kcir, and I'm the god of music. I'm dedicated as they come, and I'm the only god not suspected in the court when meeting with the other gods and goddesses. The world will know the true power of music when my role is done, and the gods will know as well.”

  “Now you, Nekcuf. Introduce yourself.” Nercusamaito commanded.

  “I'm Nekcuf, god of natural phenomenon. Whenever you feel the weather, its usually me. Except the wind. That's not me. But the heat, the moist air, the seasons, the snow, the cold, the rain or other things falling from the sky, that's all me. And I just thought this sounded like fun, so I'm here.” He said, rather fast. He laughed afterwards, but more like a fox than a human.

  “My job here is to simply make sure the weather participates with Nercusamaito. Yup. Imagine you're doing something great, like hunting for the Mask of Stories, Myriodal, the god of Stories. And then suddenly it rains. But the mask is made of paper. Wouldn't that just be so inconvenient? So I'm here to stop things like that from happening. And what do I get out of it? A bunch of entertainment and a bit of food.” Nekcuf said.

  “So then what's with these extra chairs set up?” Muara asked.

  Nercusamaito said “Well, the 2 next to me are for the twins, one of which was wronged by the other. Neither can be perceived, and one doesn't actually exist yet. Next to them are the seats representing Dista and Tempo, my first comrades. Then of course is Yeltsa and Nekcuf. But then close to you, those chairs will eventually be filled with Yánsè, the goddess of colors, and Success, part of the body of Destiny. Success will guarantee my success, and Yánsè can make illusions.”

  “Between closer to you and those two, is for Fae, god of favors and favorite of the author. The other is for my brother, should I ever find him. Iselia, the god of creation. Now. Onto the topic of today.”