O Saga: Part One: Book of Origins

Rovan gasped as he sprung forward to sit up in bed. He was disoriented and confused until he realized his wife was still lying next to him. He didn’t want to wake her as he attempted to get out of bed.

Rovan stepped outside to the glittering stars shining on the ocean. Even in the middle of the night, the island heat stayed slightly cooled by the breeze. The crashing waves drowned out the buzz of the insects in chorus.

Rovan felt a hand gently on his shoulder and turned to see the soft features of his wife, Amaya. “What is it?” She asked.

“I keep seeing Akiva in my dreams.”

“You’re old, Master?” Amaya asked, puzzled.

“I keep seeing her in pain, suffering. I try, but I can’t help her.”

“But you haven’t seen Akiva in years. Why now?”

“I haven’t seen Akiva since…” He searches his mind, “Since that business with that child.”

“I know you can’t tell me more about what happened with.” Amaya lowered her voice to a whisper, “The Witches. I’m sure whatever it is, it’s just old memories.”

“I’m sure you’re right. I’m sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep. I’m going to stay out here awhile.”

Amaya had the best compass to integrity that Rovan had ever met. She was a full-figured woman to Rovan in all the right places. Amaya had thick, frizzy black hair, smooth mocha skin, and a keen eye for personal fashion. Amaya didn’t dress fancy; she knew how to make everything look good.

Amaya kissed him on the back of the shoulder and went back inside. Rovan went for a late-night stroll on the beach to think.

Rovan loved his life. He had a family that loved him. The village was small, and everyone felt like an extended family member. The tropical winds kept the climate warm all year. He lived fifteen feet from the ocean. The pace of life was slow and relaxing. Why were these dreams disturbing all of that?

Rovan wasn’t as sure that these dreams were just memories. He felt like it was his Master calling to him. Summoning him on a quest, Rovan didn’t know what that quest was. Maybe Akiva needed help somewhere, and he was to find her. He couldn’t escape these images and thoughts.

All these years later, Rovan had thought Akiva was dead. Why else would she have abandoned him? The last thing she had told him was that she had to go away. The Masters of the Oracle had given Akiva another task. One that she couldn’t bring him along with. He never saw her again.

Rovan had tried to look for her at once, but he could never locate the Masters of the Oracle to find out where she went. There weren’t any breadcrumbs for him to follow. It all leads to a dead end. She better have a good reason for her absence if she was alive.

One of the last things Akiva had done was make him a knight in The Order of the Sun. They were the only two members of a long-extinct order. He had traveled for a time to help people with his abilities, but he felt lost without his Master. He returned to his home on the Island of Tara to refresh but stayed permanently.

He had met his wife, and they had two kids. He couldn’t just go back to being a knight. He felt his place was here, protecting his family. His dreams were telling him a different story of late.

He wasn’t just seeing his old Master in his dreams. He saw dark visions of war and conflict. He could sense the powers of the darkness were rising throughout the world. What could he do? Undoubtedly, the Masters of the Oracle were people the world needed more than he. That is if anyone can find them.

What about that child they had found that disturbing night? Rovan risked his life to rescue the child, only for the Master and him to disappear. They had said it was a weapon from the heavens, but maybe it was just a false vision. Whatever the case, Rovan would stay here. Indeed, his kids needed a father more than the world needed him as a warrior.

——-—

The following day, Rovan brought the dugout canoe to the shoreline. He would teach his two little ones how to dive for them. He’d mentor his kids like Akiva had mentored Rovan in all things.

He thought about how Akiva had taught him since he was a little boy. She had sensed his abilities and connection to O element. She became almost like a second mother to him. Akiva always believed in him even when he didn’t believe in himself.

He was just a skinny kid when he first met Akiva. If only she could see him now. Akiva might scarcely recognize him now. Taller and more robust than most people he ever came across, he didn’t need to use special powers to intimidate. Master Akiva, she would have still been able to put him in his place.

Rovan kept his long black hair in tight braids to avoid getting in his way. Shirtless, his traditional tattoos were usually on display as his skin seared in the intense sun. The hot tropical air made it more comfortable to be on the water in the breeze. Rovan spent most days in the lagoon fishing, getting what they needed for food.

The island of Tara had steep slopes and rainforests once you moved away from the shore. Its residents lived in simple stilt houses on the white sandy beaches. There was a large natural lagoon where Rovan lived.

The lagoon provided a protective shallow area away from the rougher seas. Storm waters would get so fierce that the waves would spill over the natural barrier of coral and sand, unsettling the peaceful lagoon. Those were rare days.

The lagoon was a wellspring of resources. Endless amounts of fish and mollusks made their home in the calm currents. Tranquil turquoise waters clear as glass exposed all the hiding places. There isn’t land for farming, so the people harvest from the sea.

The natural barrier extended the entire island’s South shore. The barrier connected to the rest of the island in ancient times. Sea levels rose worldwide back then and flooded large areas that never recovered.

The white sand beaches and lagoon floor were due to all the coral in the area. When the coral died, they became bone white, and the tides would grind them into beautifully fine sand. Rovan felt himself lucky to call this paradise home. He didn’t need money as he had all he needed from the sea.

Rovan’s kids came running to him by the canoe in excitement. He patted them each on the head and gave them a big smile.

“Are you sure you’re ready to look for pearls in the lagoon? Some sharks wonder in there; you might be too scared.” Rovan said, trying to get a reaction.

“I’m not scared of some old shark,” boasted his oldest child, Javad.

“Me neither.” Bita, his youngest, chimed in.

“Maybe you are too young,” Rovan said sternly.

“No, we can do it.” His kids both shouted.

“Well, OK. But as long as you stay close to me.” It seemed his trick to get them to listen was working.

They all piled into the canoe and paddled to the lagoon’s edge, where it met the sea. Rovan let the canoe float there for a little bit.

“Who can tell me about pearls? Who knows the old stories?” Rovan queried.

“They are tied to the moon.” His daughter Bita replied.

“They have power.” His son Javad said.

“Well, you are both right. The moon has watched over the Earth since the dawn of creation. It is the mother of all the white pearls. Doesn’t it look like a giant pearl in the sky?” Rovan asked his children.

“When it is full,” Bita said. “Otherwise, it just looks like a shark bit off a chunk of it.”

“True, it does look like that sometimes,” Rovan agreed. “At night, the sea becomes dark like the night sky. The stars shine in the dark as the pearls on the lagoon floor shimmer in the moon’s glow. Like the sea grinding coral into bits, the sky wears on the moon and stars. Star and moon dust fall to the Earth and collect on the sea bed. The mollusks, clams, and muscles eat this dust and form a pearl. The pearls can glow at night because they have the moon’s power to glow. Does that make sense?”

“No, but the ancients’ beliefs often make no sense to me,” Javad said.

“I agree with you, my son, but they are part of our traditions. To forget them is to forget our past and ancestors. After all, they are just stories. They have lessons we can learn from or make for good stories to tell your rotten children while sitting in a canoe.”

Javad and Bita laughed at him.

“Like I was saying, the moon has enormous power, so to wear a pearl necklace is to wear the power of the moonlight. You will have illumination in the darkness.” Rovan finished.

“Illumination in darkness? Are you saying they are just fancy candles? Don’t they have some power to do magic or something?” Javad questioned the logic.

“Fighting against the dark is often more important power than shooting energy bolts. Because darkness is a fight between the forces that lie within in all of us.” Rovan said, but Javad didn’t seem convinced.

“I’ve taught you how to hold your breath underwater since birth. I feel confident that you guys can handle yourselves in the lagoon. Like your ancestors, you are strong swimmers and one with the tides. Today, I will test you harder than before,” Rovan informed them as he moved on from ancient tales.

Rovan grabbed a basket tied to a long rope line and threw it into the water. He fed the line out until he had uncoiled the fullness of the coil. Bita was watching the gulls hovering above them. Javad was washing his face with seawater to recover his alertness.

“I want you to swim to the bottom of the lagoon and find oysters, clams, muscles, and whatever else you can into the basket. As you descend, please use the rope and only look near the basket. Grab one thing per dive to practice your breath control and diving. Use your hands and senses to feel around in the sandy bottom. When you put something in the basket, tap twice and surface. I will pull up the basket and see what we caught. Is that something you can do?”

“Yes, papa.” His kids both confirmed.

“I want you both to strap these knives to your waists.” Rovan secured belts with the knives to their legs. He then gave them a final look over.

“What’s the knife for Papa?” Bita asked.

“It’s for sharks, part of my job to watch for..” Rovan’s kids raised their eyebrows but tried to pretend it didn’t scare them.

Rovan’s children jumped in as Rovan watched their progress with a keen eye. He counted the seconds to know if he had to help them. The water in the lagoon is so pristine that Rovan can see their every movement. He saw them both digging with their hands in the sand, and the water around them turned cloudy with silt, making it harder to track their progress.

Javad was as tall and skinny as Rovan was at that age. Javad had yet to show signs of having the power to connect to the element. To Rovan’s surprise, neither of his children had. His children had inherited other qualities of Rovan’s, mostly physically. His children’s obstinate attitudes belonged to Amaya.

Rovan’s heart raced a little. He was starting to get concerned by how long it took, but he saw them both heading for the surface.

His children gasped for air as they reached the surface.

“I didn’t feel any tugs on the rope,” Rovan said.

“I didn’t find anything,” Javad shouts as he and his sister tread water.

“Try again, stay longer if you can. The clams aren’t going to find you; you must go to them. Remember, we don’t eat anything tonight unless you find something.” Rovan said with a smile. He watched his children’s faces turn to looks of annoyance. Then, they both flipped themselves in the water to dive.

They repeated this cycle a dozen times until Rovan finally felt a tug on the rope. He quickly pulled the rope out of the water and grabbed the basket. He looked inside to see a yellow clam. The kids were looking to the canoe for approval. He gave them a smile and nod of the head. He was proud of them.

One clam was not going to be enough. Rovan must push them for more. These tests could be the difference between them being able to fend for themselves when they were older. He couldn’t be soft on them.

“This time, I permit you to wander further from the rope. Try to keep your bearings as you feel your way. I will move the canoe to follow you so the basket will also move.”

His children were tremendously successful as they became more confident. They were growing tired. They weren’t able to stay under for as long now. Rovan thought they had done well enough for the day. Three oysters, one clam, and four muscles had reached the basket.

Rovan was paddling and overseeing them so they didn’t have far to swim to the basket. Rovan noticed something out of the corner of his eye and turned his head quickly to look. He only saw waves rolling. He searched the waves slowly and located what caught his attention. It was a fin, a shark fin.

Rovan’s eyes opened big, and he tugged violently on the rope to try and get his kid’s attention. They didn’t seem to notice. He grabbed his knife out of its holster and prepared himself.

Rovan’s kids were swimming to the surface, yet the shark hadn’t noticed them. He shouted to them. “Get into the boat. There’s a shark. Do it now.”

They could see the look on their father’s face was not playful. They swam for the canoe, but it seemed to Rovan that the shark had changed course for his children. He jumped into the water and swam to put himself between the shark and his children. They both reached the side of the canoe but struggled to pull themselves up. Rovan slashed at the shark with his knife as it seemed to be closing in on him, but the knife missed, and the shark broke off to the right.

Rovan swam to the canoe and dove under the water. He aimed himself in a way so that when he was surfacing, it was directly under one of the children. He was going to use his momentum to hoist them into the boat. It worked, and Bita was safe.

Rovan looked and didn’t see the shark, so he dove again and hoisted Javad into the boat this time. He was relieved that his children were out of harm’s way.

It was short-lived as the shark knocked into him. The shark was sizing him up as much as Rovan was of it.

He saw the shark circling back, and he got his knife ready. Rovan dunked his head to see the shark’s eyes and intent. The shark was coming straight for him with its mouth of fearsome teeth showing. As the shark moved to bite him, Rovan slashed at its head and found contact. It sent the shark to veer off in pain. Rovan used the opportunity to get in the canoe. His children seemed to be relieved that he was safe.

All three searched the water for the fin to see if the shark had given up. Bita pointed to the fin, cutting through the waves and heading back towards the canoe. The shark swam just underneath the canoe, bumping it a little. Rovan watched as the shark seemed to be conceding defeat because the fin was heading in the direction outside the lagoon.

“That was close,” Javad said.

“We must have been greedy,” Rovan said.

“What do you mean, Papa?” Bita asked.

“You see, there is a natural balance that the ocean keeps. They say that the sharks are the protectors of this balance. When the ocean feels that someone or something is taking more than their share, they send the sharks to scare them away. Sometimes, the sharks eat the fish to keep the population healthy, and sometimes, they kill to keep greedy people from disturbing the balance. So, the shark was reminding us of the balance. This way, there will always be plenty for all.” Rovan explained. His children seemed to be thinking it over.

“So, is the shark gone?” Bita asked, concerned.

“It is; we are safe here.”

“Shouldn’t we head in?” Javad followed up.

“We are brave, and we trust in the ocean. The danger is gone. We will stay out here for a while. I want you to feel the rhythms of the waves and the ocean. You are one with all you see, even the shark. You only need to remove the barriers in your mind that tell you there is such a thing as separate.”

“I thought you don’t believe in the Gods of old and the myths, Papa?” Javad asked.

“It is said that in the mountain, a great smoke came from its top. From this smoke came a burning fire. From the fire emerged the great fireman. He came out of the deep Earth and climbed to the surface. Born in the middle of the Earth and made of fire. The fireman journeyed down the slope until he reached the ocean. He set a fire to all he touched on his way. When the fireman reached the shore, he walked past the coral shallows. There, he turned to stone. In the wake of his fire, it became the most fertile soil to feed the world. The deepest, richest forests grew along with new land. I ask you, does it matter if this is a true story? It is how our ancestors explained the natural world.” Rovan looked to his children to see if they were understanding.

“I don’t know, I guess,” Javad stated.

“It isn’t really if I believe that the Gods are real or the old tales happened. We have many paths to walk. We don’t always have to choose one. We can walk many roads and choose which one is right for us. It doesn’t change that all the roads gave us a different experience. Experiences are life. You both are the best of your mother and me. When your mother and I pass from this world and enter the next, we will live in you. You may not understand this now; I’m not sure I fully understand it.”

They were floating silently in the lagoon; concerns about the shark are long gone as the children consider their father’s words.

They paddled to the shore and looked at their catch for the day. Rovan took his knife and showed them how to open the mollusks properly. They started with the muscles, but they didn’t have any pearls. He wasn’t having any luck as he opened the rest. The last oyster was the final hope.

He popped open the oysters to find their luck had changed. It was a giant pearl, but to their surprise, it was a black pearl. It was a precious and rare find.

“You’ve done well, my blessed ones. It is a dragon pearl—the most sought-after pearl of them all. We can sell it for more than any we’ve sold this year.”

They paddled in as Rovan’s children pawed over the pearl they found. They examined every detail of the pearl. Even Rovan had rarely seen a dragon pearl.

They reached the beach, and Rovan called his wife to come out. Amaya walked over to them and saw what Bita was admiring. Amaya stopped in her tracks at the realization of what they found. A big smile took over Amaya’s face, and she proudly hugged her children.

“Have you heard the story about the dragon pearl?” Amaya asked. Her children shook their heads no.

“The dragon pearl comes from the stars. The great dragon that breathes fire in the universe and gives us the sun in the day sleeps at night. One night, a shooting star went off course and hit the dragon. The dragon awoke in a rage at this disturbance. He breathed fire on the stars because he thought they all were to blame. The dragon’s flame burnt the stars, turning them black. The stars died and fell from the sky. The dragon pearls from that night are few, but they bring the dragon’s power with them.”

“Did you just make that up?” Javad asked his mom.

“No, my Grandmother told me that story. She might have made it up, but I still like the story.”

Rovan just laughed and went to start a fire for dinner.

—-—-

When one of their neighbors called them from the shore, Rovan and the children were out in the canoe looking to pick up where they had left off yesterday. Rovan lived far from anyone else, so he knew it was severe.

“There’s been a murder in town. The Council needs you to come in and deal with it.” Kolo, his neighbor, informed him.

There weren’t any security forces on this part of the island, so everyone looked to Rovan as the enforcer. Rovan was a trained Knight in The Order of the Sun and had the power to channel the O element. No one came close to his abilities, so he was a natural choice. He didn’t enjoy it, but it was rarely necessary as most people were there to fish.

The Anahitiian people were robust. They were naturally tall and muscular. The people had light tan skin in the South, but dark brown was the most common. Dark, tightly curled black hair was traditionally braided. Traditional tattoos were worn to represent familial descent and tribe, and significant Gods could be found all over the body.

Traveling around the islands was done by boat or foot. Some pigs and pheasants could be hunted on the islands, but the sea was the main food source. Coconuts and exotic fruits, which grew wildly, were free to be picked by anyone. Private ownership was rare, as most things were considered communal.

As the only enforcer, Rovan had to deal with unruly drunks or thieves every so often, but this was the first time a murder had happened.

He came into the village center and asked to see the body. There were some stab wounds on the dead body. Rovan didn’t recognize the victim.

“What happened? Who stabbed him?” Rovan inquired.

Dortea, the local bar owner, spoke up, “We don’t know who stabbed him, just some big fella like you; I think he said he was passing through town. The guy who got stabbed was talking out of turn to the big fella; I think he was drunk. The big fella and he started to fight with fists and stuff. The dead guy here reached for a knife and tried to cut the big fella. That’s when the big guy stabbed him, ending the fight.”

“Where’s this big fella now?” Rovan asked.

“Don’t know. Took off to the South.”

Rovan told them to organize some men to move the body and dig a proper mound for the victim. He then took off towards the South.

It had been a while since Rovan had cause to wear his Knightly things. It took some time to dust off his pearl necklace and sword. He wore the pearls for luck, and the sword was just in case.

Rovan sword handle was forged with the O element so that he could channel his abilities through it. Being near the O element opened his senses and skills.

Rovan was tracking his suspect through the intuition the element provided him. It told him that the big fella is not used to fighting people of equal size and is not being careful about his tracks. Rovan thought the big fella probably never had any reason to fear others. The big fella counted on his size to win his battles.

Rovan’s suspect wasn’t in a hurry, and it allowed him to catch up. He spotted him on the trail leading through the hills to the next village. The big fella must have seen Rovan because he suddenly turned around to face him.

“If you know what’s good for you, go back to wherever you came from.” The big fella warned.

Rovan wasn’t scared off by this. He kept walking towards the suspect but didn’t say anything back. They both seemed to know what their meeting was about.

“This is my last warning, and then I’m afraid I’ll have to hurt you.” He tried once more to deter Rovan. Rovan kept moving towards him, but he had put away his sword.

The big fella was still on the trail but on top of a small hill, looking down on Rovan. Slowly walking up the trail, Rovan kept his focus on any sudden movement. He sunk deep in the connection with the element and let that guide him. He was one with the moment and had a clear mind.

The big fellow was taller than Rovan, which must have led to his confidence that he could defeat him. Rovan’s suspect didn’t make any movement to run or show any notion of concern. They were now standing about the length of a canoe from each other. They were now locked in stillness like two bull rams about to butt heads.

The big fella didn’t know he was about to tangle with a warrior few in the world or heavens could rival. So when the big fella moved to swing at Rovan, it was his second mistake. The first was to engage in a fight. It was like a kitten trying to hit a Lion with its paw. It was over before it started. The big fella found himself pinned and on the ground, before he could contemplate what had just happened.

Rovan took some rope he had brought and tied the suspect’s hands. The suspect had a proper knee in his back and was stretching to find air. Rovan got him to his feet and pushed him to start walking back in the direction they came.

The big fella tried to engage Rovan in a conversation the whole way back, but Rovan wasn’t in the mood. He was angry at the suspect for interrupting his time teaching his children.

Rovan didn’t consider that this stranger would change his life forever.