Chapter 9: Tribes of Bavilan pt. 2

<p><br/>Chapter 9<br/><br/>Wren<br/><br/>Geilas listened quietly as each of us told our sad tales. When we would flinch at a memory, anger would flash in her eyes. When we would cry out of pain, she shone brightly with compassion. She didn't interrupt. She just listened.<br/><br/>For the first time in our lives, someone just listened and cared about our troubles.<br/><br/>When we had all told our stories, Geilas sat back in her chair and pondered how to respond. A few long minutes passed while we sat there in awkward silence, flooded with emotions of a time long gone.<br/><br/>"First let me say, I'm truly sorry for what life has thrown at you four. There is no excuse for the actions of your wards. They chose to leave their families, their life to support their Tribes. IF your parents were alive and had heard how you all barely survived after all they sacrificed, they would have dealt with the wards themselves."<br/><br/>She was angry about the situation. Hell, we all were, but we found peace in our past when we found each other. We were complete strangers, broken by a past we had no control over. We had no idea just how deep this past went, but here was this magnificent woman here ready to tell us our story. The story that was forgotten to be taught to us.<br/><br/>"Your wards were to protect you from all of this. I see that they did not. Something must have changed, and I will send someone to find out what happened. But fate brought you here to me this day. Your destiny was always to return to this land" she looked between each of us. When we didn't speak, she moved on.<br/><br/>"I know this is really hard girls. But I really need to tell you the tale of how you came to be. When I have finished you can ask all the questions you want. After I tell your story, you will find out more about your wards. We will figure this out together." We all nodded, sulking from the memories we just shared. Geilas had nothing to worry about with us interrupting again as she proceeded to finish her story.<br/><br/> "By the time your parents realized what the 5th family was planning, it was already too late to stop it. The 5th family had weaseled their way in the ears of others that belonged to the other Tribes. These powerful people joined the 5th family. They marched against us all. People that had grown up next to each other, now found themselves on opposite sides. The war began with a complete massacre…of my Tribe's home base. We Amazons were Tribe to fall. Those of us that worked in the castles or as City guards, survived the massacre, but we would soon face our own troubles." She paused briefly, calming her breath as anger began to take over again.<br/><br/>"With the Amazons home base annihilated, we knew help would never come. The only hope for the people of Bavilan was for each of the family's Heirs to survive. That's why they sent you away. You see, no matter how man Warriors we had or if everyone worked together, we were no match for the Darkness or the creatures that lied within. We were just not strong enough. We tried our best to defend the 4 castles and those within their walls. We lost so many or our warrior sisters. We were wiped out."<br/><br/>A single tear drifted down her high cheek bones, resembling a single drop of rain in a beautiful desert. She was clearly in pain still, after all these years. We looked amongst ourselves and wondered if this was what it would be like if we had ever lost each other. The pain of that thought was just too much to bear, we turned our attention back to the story.<br/><br/>"With the Amazons nearly depleted, the task of protecting the Tribes was left to each of your parents and those strong enough to stand by their side. It just wasn't enough. Your parents and those that fought with them on the front line were captured and tortured to learn of your location. None of them broke. They made an example out of them publicly, so that every single being alive feared harboring you. No one knows what happened to your parents, but one thing is certain, the light has gone from these lands. The 5th family has been searching for you since, aligned to the Darkness and bringing turmoil to all of your birth places."<br/><br/>She stopped, half expecting us to bombard her with questions. We held our tongues and waited for her to tell us she was done.<br/><br/>"This great battle that brought the end to our way of life was called the Battle of Aspyre. Because it was the 5th family, the Aspyre who had started the first war in our known history. The Aspyre were once a great people with tremendous abilities within their Tribe. Like the other Tribes, there was a societal balance. The responsibilities of the Tribes varied based off the abilities of the Tribe."<br/><br/>I perked up to this part. It seems the story was finally getting interesting. "I wonder what family I belong to" I thought to myself.<br/><br/>As if she read my mind, Geilas smiled and said "You all belong to a different family, therefore your abilities will vary. What makes you four unique is that each of you were born at the witching hour on a Solstice or Equinox. The energy surrounding your births was so powerful, that when you were to come into your different abilities, there would not be a force strong enough to stop you." Pride gleamed in her eyes as she continued.<br/><br/>"The easiest way to explain this would be to tell you about each of you individually. So, we will start with our oldest, Meadow." I watched as Meadow put on a brave face and waited for Geilas to speak.<br/><br/>"You were born 18 years ago on March 21st …the Spring Equinox, or what many refer to simply as Ostara. During this time of the year our people would celebrate the balance of both light and darkness. This was a time to celebrate the equality that both provide as light would begin to take its turn to lead after Ostara. But on this one day, both are in perfect harmony, sharing space as if from the same source."<br/><br/>Her words were beautiful. She spoke with such passion that we couldn't help but be there in that moment with her.<br/><br/>"It's quite fitting actually that you were born this day my dear. For it is your family, the Aarde that worked with the Earth for a perfect balance. The Aarde were a humbled tribe of Farmers, butchers, hunters, and woodsmen. The worked closely with the land and all the creatures of it, bringing power to the duality of life. They were a force in the forests and unmatched in the art of Earth practice. They also tend to have the ability to commune with the trees, as if speaking their language."<br/><br/>Meadow looked like she wanted to ask a question but decided against it. They promised this time they would let Geilas finish, so that is what they did.<br/><br/>"Next, there is you Ember, daughter of the Anshul. You, my dear, were born 18 years ago on June 21st, the Summer Solstice. We here call it Litha. During this time we enter a time at which light is over darkness. We celebrated the victory of light as the days grew longer than the nights. The Earth is alive and filled with promised beauty. Your family, the Anshul Tribe, were particularly fond of this celebration, as they controlled abilities of the flame. Litha was their time to shine, literally and figuratively." Geilas chuckles a bit to herself while she lost herself lovingly in memories again.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stop. It's just, we were a family, the 6 tribes. It's hard to think of a time that is now lost." She began to shed a few tears and wiped them away quickly. "But you are back, so perhaps we can find our harmony again." The hope in her eyes gave me hope…gave us all hope.<br/><br/>Hope that we would find a life worth living for us all, Geilas included.<br/><br/>"Let's continue this tomorrow, bright and early ladies and I will finish telling you about your families and what you have to face." She got up and walked towards the front door. "Maybe tomorrow we will have some answers regarding these wards and why they made you suffer as they did."<br/><br/>With that she left the house for places unknown.<br/><br/>"Well guys, this is all nuts if you ask me." Ember said while she helped Alda up from the pillow pile.<br/><br/>"I don't know Ember; something tells me that Geilas is telling us the truth. Something just fells right. I can't explain it. She knows too much about us for this to be a fluke." Meadow chimed in. "Plus, what she said about my family…the Aarde…and the language of the trees. I didn't tell you guys earlier. But I felt like they were talking to me, I just couldn't understand. The trees helped guide me to the clearing. I don't know how to describe it, but Geilas is right, we need to figure out more."<br/><br/>"I agree with Meadow. I think we need to stay. For the first time in my life, I feel safe. I feel like I am home. When I was in the water with the turtle, I had that same feeling. I knew the way and felt like the turtle was communicating with me alone." Alda laid her head on Ember's chest and yawned.<br/><br/>"Well, something just seems off to me. Something isn't sitting right." Ember said.<br/><br/>"Well, you are on your own girl! I agree with the other two. This adventure is too much to pass up on. This is the mystery of a lifetime. We have got to see this through. Besides, if we weren't here, we would be back with that psycho Hanafrey. At least here we have possibilities." I was excited. For the first time since I lost my parents, I was looking forward to something. There was no way I was going anywhere else in this moment.<br/><br/>Alda was the first to move to the bedroom, with Ember in tow.<br/><br/>"Do you really believe we belong here Wren?" Meadow was staring into the flames as she stood there thinking.<br/><br/>"I think that we have each other and that's all that matters. As long as we are together, we are home." She smiled at me. I put my arm around her shoulder. "Come on sis, let's go get some sleep. We apparently have a big day ahead of us tomorrow!"<br/><br/>She laughed at my excitement. Once all four of us hit the pillows, soft snores could be heard from Alda and Ember. I smiled to myself as I got comfortable, knowing I would never hear Meadow snore. She was always the last to sleep.<br/><br/>Ever our watchful eye.<br/><br/></p>