“Wake up, wake up, June!”, a voice calls out.
I awake to the echoes of my name amidst the shattered glass that lay above me. It is as red as the fiery steeds that is closely tailed by the blackness of a moonless night. I look around but see no one. Are the voices in my head?
I look up once again to see the pictures that I earlier saw of a red sky are no longer there. Everything is quite, and stale but dark...still dark. I try to stand up but am too sluggish to do so. What had I done to be so tired? Where am I?
I summon every ounce of strength in my tiny looking body and this time I am able to stand up. I crouch for some minutes to catch my breath. The journey from my back to my feet had taken too much out of me. With arms stretched as though robbed of sight, I attempt to check my surroundings only to feel curved walls of rocks before me. It is too dark and so I make my way slowly towards the direction my feet could take me.
As I walk it becomes easier to breath as though I was leaving the stale air behind me. After what feels like an eternity, I emerge from the mouth of a cave. The moon shun above, filling me with a relief that was akin to hope. I look around and see a pathway that leads from the cave all the way to a road. At least I think its a road, what with the lights moving to and fro.
As I make my way down the path, I try to remember who I am, what I was doing here but the memories seem so far away like a treacherous feeling at the back of your neck waiting to pounce. I see a compound with a house inside. I figure in order to have a chance or the strength to find my home, it would be best to ask for help.
Upon opening the gate, I walk into the compound towards the house, it’s light drawing me closer and closer. I knock on the door expecting either an angry voice or a sleepy one but got neither. After several knocks, the door creaks open.
“Hello!” my voice must have been too weak because no one responds.
I reluctantly enter the house but immediately doing so, the memories quickly flood back in. This is my house. My sofa, my living room, my kitchen...yeah, my kitchen. I quickly rush into the kitchen but as I eat the peanut butter sandwich in the refrigerator more memories come rushing on.
The cave is a portal that brings me back from all the other realms. On earth we call them planets but I know better. Earth is just one of the nine and although I was born here, I feel more at home on some of the other realms.
I try to remember the names of the other realms.
Ashar or Earth, the realm I was born on. Humans were oblivious to creatures of the other realms and so we claim to be the centre of the universe, naming places that had existed long before life formed here.
Fogo is the closest to the Red Star and is the dwelling place of the fiery ones. I have never visited Fogo but I could see Shapkta’s eyes glow with excitement as he told me about the fiery ones. Big beautiful fiery creatures one could only see through the rune communicator. Their’s was the hottest realm and to venture there was impossible. The fiery ones were a reclusive bunch only sending one delegate to talk to the council through the rune communicator.
Sahra’ is the realm second closest to the Red Star. I enjoyed my time there. With blue sand all over, the Sahraians are some of the most honourable in all the realms. They are brutish but have built the second strongest empire on a world that has just patches of fertile land and masmarun or water as humans call it.
Bakarariya is the realm immediately after Ashar. It is home to the runts of the realms. The Bakarariyans were despised across the realms due to their duplicity and cunning. Shapkta always says, trust a Savāran to conquer you, but never trust a Bakarariyan for anything.
Bola Xigante is next to Bakarariya and the largest with trading outposts across the entire realm. It is the richest of the free realms and has the best of luxury. Wine, halls, games...anything that you want could be found in Bola Xigante. It is best place to be and I have lots of friends there.
Nsato yaikulu is the 6th from the Red Star and home to my closet friend, Shapkta. It is the most beautiful and the noblest. The greenest of all realms and the last stand against the Savārans.
The Savārans, who originally hail from the 7th realm, Savāra had conquered the 8th realm centuries ago and now call it Kāḷī duniyā. They had attempted to conquer the 9th, Øde but quickly understood that the harsh frozen wasteland was difficult to keep and was too barren to help their effort to dominate the entire 9 realms.
I now remember. I was in the hallowed halls of Alto Xefe, ruler of Bola Xigante along with Shapkta and the Nsato Yaikulu delegation. We needed help to ward off the incursions of the Savārans. Money alone would not do anymore, we needed more support. As the richest, Bola Xigante could summon a force that was almost as strong as the Savārans and with the troops of both the Yaikuluzites and Sahraians, we could drive back our would-be conquerors.
As the only human in the delegation, Alto Xefe, leader of the Bola Xigante had asked what the Asharians - or humans as we call ourselves – thought and if we were willing to bring our enormous population to help.
Humans number almost 8 billion, vastly dwarfing the population of the entire 8 other realms. I strongly believe their naivety to the existence of other worlds was a blessing to the other realms. Humanity had always fought themselves since the dawn of the race and I was not sure how long it would take for them...us to want to dominate all beings.
Although, humans have crude methods, they were ingenious and have grown their technology quicker than I ever thought in the past 10 years. Once they get wind of such vast technologies, how long will it take for them to realize that with a population that outnumbers the entire 8 other realms 10 times, that they could squash the Savārans and become the new oppressors of the Red Star Sphere.
I explained this to Alto Xefe but he wouldn't listen. His father, the Great Alto Xefe Xan would have listened. He understood the dangerous potential of the Asharians and although he only provided funds to the blockade efforts, he never wished for the Asharians to be dragged into the ways of the other realms.
“You are protecting the Asharians”, Alto Xefe roared. “I believe they are old enough to understand the risks ahead”.
“Alto Xefe the humans have great potential...terrible potential. I know...I am a human”, I reply, trying my best to convince the council. “If you thrust them faster than necessary how long before they realise this potential and become the tyranny of all the realms of the Red Star Sphere?"
“You are an Asharian and while I understand that you have acted for centuries through the wisdom that you possess, you are only just an emissary”, Alto Xefe said in near contempt. Turning to the rune communicators, “We have been in fear for far too long, when will we awake? Is it when the Savārans have overrun us? Or maybe it is when those Bakarariyan scum have convinced the Asharians to become their allies? We must take action now! My reserves are running slim and if we work swiftly the numbers of the Asharians will be on our side. We can guide them if need be and also unleash them against our enemies if necessary”.
Now looking at me, Alto Xefe threatened, “if this council does not take a constructive action, I will look for other means that will sooth my people”.
This is what I feared the most. A leader in Bola Xigante, who only see humans as a means to get more riches. More humans meant more tourism and more coin. Hopefully the council comprising of the representatives of Fogo, Sahra’, Nsato Yaikulu, Øde and Bola Xigante realms would listen to reason...they have for 300 years.
“I call a vote”, the shrill voice from the Øde delegate rang through after a creeping silence had slowly overshadowed the entire proceeding. I saw the images of the representatives in the rune communicator begin to consult with each other.
“As always, Fogo will support the majority decision as it has done for a thousand years”, the voice from the fiery realm thundered loudly.
“I vote that we send a message to the Asharians to prepare for a peaceful delegation of the council”, representative from Bola Xigante spoke as I caught a glimpse of Alto Xefe smiling.
“Typical”, I muttered.
“Even though the Savārans retreated from our land because they couldn't keep it, the fate of the other realms would affect our livelihood”, the Øde representative said in a shrill voice. “We would nothing if not for the aid of the other free realms and the Savārans would stop this aid. I vote that we contact the Asharians”.
“We have known June for centuries and she has never lied to us...we trust her and if she says the Asharians are not ready, then we must hold on revealing ourselves to them. We from Nsato Yaikulu vote against sending a counsel delegation”.
I could always count on the Nsato Yaikulu. Once Sahra’ votes against the plan of Alto Xefe, the realms could be safe for a little while longer. Even if only to stave off the efforts of the Savārans for a while it...
“We, Sahra' vote in favour of the mission”, the voice of the Sahraian delegate interrupted my thought. “We have fought for generations to protect the realms from all threats and the numbers of the Asharians will help us do so for another thousand years. But we must act, now!”
“What just happened?” I asked Shapkta, who sat beside me.
“The council has made it’s decision”, the council moderator’s voice rang across the room. “June! from the Realm Ashar, you must now go and prepare the iyoo-mans for our visit 10 days hence”.
In my shock I was unable to see the Sage turn the luminite portal and as I fell backwards, the voice of Shapkta rang through drowning the arguments that ensued as he called out to me. “June, June wake up”. The more he called, the fainter his voice got until I awoke in that wretched cave. I hated the blackout that always accompanied the memory loss. The only time I regained my memory was immediately I enter this house.
I must now begin plans to tell the leaders of Earth about the decision of the council. Would they even believe me. They would think I'm mad. I must convince them with the communication runes. Hopefully they are ready.
