Two Worlds Between Stars: the Seer

The arrow was inches from Aamir’s chest and Yakir was being tied with rope to a tree by another centaur. Adilah knew the best way to avoid upsetting the Remara would be to put down whatever she had. So she removed her satchel but gripped the leash to Dari even tighter. The Girl Centaur cleared her throat and spoke, “who are you, to think you can prance in here like a bunch of horses and take over our forests.” Aamir spoke surprisingly calmly though the threat of his life is on the line, “Aren’t you half horse?” The centaur put the arrow even closer to his chest. Aamir continued, “we mean no harm. Just passing through, saving Remaria, you know the usual.” The centaur looked at the boy centaur who shook his head in confusion. “Who is this Seer you speak of.” “Well you, him, and that Mandra over there are being controlled by a powerful force that is wiping your memory and we want to help.” The centaur broke out laughing. “A powerful force. There is nothing more powerful than us centaurs. This time Adilah spoke up, “you know what yes, yes there is. But you are too full of yourself and have such a big ego you don’t realize that if you left this forest you would be crushed like a bug. The Remara are in trouble but you don’t care. Now move your arrow away from my friend’s chest and we will be on our way.” The centaurs were in shock. But the girl had no issue cutting Aamir across the chest with the arrow. She lowered her weapon and Aamir collapsed to the ground. Without thinking Adilah ran over to him.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” Blood was now pouring from Aamir’s chest. Adilah reached into her bag but already knew there was no first aid kit.

Yakir was trying to say something but was gagged by a vine. Adilah ran over to him and took the gag out. “Check my bag. Ma Mandra made me promise to bring a first aid kit everywhere so I figured why stop now.” Adilah ran over to the tiny bag that Yakir brought from home. She reached in and grabbed the first aid kit then ran back to Aamir.

“It’s okay. Please Aamir talk to me.” Adilah started to cry but was still stable enough to take Aamir’s shirt off and examine the cut.

The centaur walked over and Adilah stood up, “GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!” the centaur continued to walk over to him and place her hands over the cut. “Holy shit why won’t you listen. Get. Away. From. HIM! the centaur ignored her again. Something poured out of her hands. Magic perhaps. It was a light, sparks of all different colors danced around the cut. Aamir winced and then his face relaxed.

Five minutes later, Aamir’s cut was not gone but healed over so no blood poured out though it was still fresh. He sat up, and winced, and Adilah got down on her knees and hugged him.

He spoke softly into her ear, “Careful that centaur has some anger issues.” Adilah laughed through tears. “Don’t scare me like that EVER again!” It was Aamir’s turn to laugh, “Well you know, what can you do when you are getting cut by angry centaurs.” Adilah tried to stifle the tears but they kept coming. Aamir continued to hug her and didn’t let go. She wished she could stay in his arms forever. This was where she was safe right now. Adilah finally let go. She stood up and spoke, “Who the hell are you?” The girl spoke, “My name is Spark, and this is my partner Flame. Now it’s your turn, where are you headed?” Adilah sighed, “We already told you. My friend that you almost killed explained that we are going to find the Seer.” Flame and Spark exchanged looks. “We want to come.” Adilah went wide-eyed, “What? NO! You almost killed Aamir, why should we trust you?” Spark spoke, “One because we ALMOST killed your friend we didn’t kill him. Two, if we save the Remara we’ll be heroes. Three, This Mandra over here normally doesn’t leave the village as far as I know and Flame and I have been all over Remaria. Four, you people need someone to save you if dragons and dangerous Remara decide they are hungry for human flesh.” Adilah thought this over. “Fine, but no more killing people unless it is needed. Flame keep your hands off my dog! Also, untie Yakir please.” “Who?” asked Flame “THE MANDRA!” Flame trotted over and undid Yakir’s knots while Adilah helped Aamir to his feet. “I’m fine A,” Aamir winced, “On second thought I may need a bit of help.” Spark grabbed a stick and some vine and used her magic to weld together some crutches. She handed them to Aamir. “Sorry, for trying to kill you.” She said awkwardly. “It is fine, just please I am begging you don’t do it again. Believe it or not, it isn’t the first time I have almost died.” Spark chuckled. Aamir forgave way too easily but she guessed it was just because Aamir didn’t want to get cut again. Adilah walked over to him. He was now sitting on a rock petting Dari who was sniffing him curiously. Adilah grabbed another shirt of his out of the bag. “Here put this on, your other one is soaked in blood.” Adilah handed the shirt to him. “Thanks. Hey, A, I was pretty close to unconsciousness but you know screaming at me wasn’t going to fix the cut right?” “Alright Mr. Cool, You mean a lot to me and I can’t think of a place where you’re not there.” Adilah leaned her head on Aamir’s shoulder and continued, “I owe you a lot. You took a beating for me, you stepped into the arch without even thinking, you came to check that I was still alive even though it meant running through bombs, and lastly you listened to my crazy nonsense.” Aamir laughed. “You don’t owe me anything. I did that knowing it was going to help you. You mean the world to me too, A. I can’t think of what I would do without you. The world needs you and I am lucky to have you.” Yakir bounced over and started jumping up and down. Adilah came to full attention. “Yakir, you seem happy, what is it?” Yakir calmed down enough to speak, “Flame figured out what the key is for!” Adilah and Aamir exchanged looks. “That is, well amazing! We’ll be right over.” Adilah reached her hand out and Aamir took it. She helped him get situated on the crutches because though he was smiling Adilah knew it hurt to move around. “Okay, I am fine now thanks. What do you think the key is for?” “I am not sure but we’re about to find out. But do me a favor and stay away from Spark. I don’t trust her.” Adilah and Aamir went over to where the Centaurs and Yakir were. Dari was playing in between Flame’s legs. Flame asked Adilah, “does she always do this?”

“No, I think she likes you? I am not sure she has ever met a centaur before. Dari come.” Dari pranced over to Adilah, “Sit.” Dari sat. Adilah grabbed a treat from the bag and gave it to the dog. Dari took it and lay down. “She’ll be busy on that for a while. Now the key.”

Oh right. I think the key is something to do with the Remaran Elems.” Aamir asked, “What are the Remaran Elems?” Flame cleared his throat and continued, “Well basically it is a place in the middle of Remaria.” Flame used his power and created a map, “it is where our ancestors got together and added all the powers. It is an ancient place full of magic. The trees there are in a circle, one for each realm in Remaria. In the middle, there is a box that needs a key. The key is supposed to give the person with it the power of all the realms. This power allows them to take down evil. But the last time it happened was 100 years ago.” Adilah spoke with confidence and a bit of concern, “Does that mean that the person the key appeared for is the one who has to put it in whatever is there?”

“Well, that’s what I think. I assume that it appeared for Aamir just because it has always been a boy. I think it was something back then the ancestors didn’t agree on or something, I’m not completely sure,” said Flame.

“Actually it didn’t appear for me, it appeared for Adilah.” Said Aamir.

Flame went shocked. “W-Well then I don’t exactly know what would happen. It doesn’t work the same way for a girl.” Adilah was confused, “why does it make a difference?” Aamir nodded, “she is just as capable.” This time Spark talked, “because every time it was a girl they never made it home.” Adilah almost fainted, and Aamir dropped his crutches to catch her. “You okay.”

“Fine, thanks, Aamir.” Aamir sat on a rock, “you’ll have to go through me before anything happens to Adilah.” Adilah smiled. Flame nodded, “while that is admirable I think you’ll need more than a shriveled boy and tiny Mandra to save you.” Adilah was taken aback at this statement, “he is not shriveled, it is your fault he is hurt. Yakir has been a huge help to us and hasn’t tried to kill us or anything so I trust him more than I do you. I don’t need protection. I am capable of doing things just as well as anyone else.” Flame raised his hands as if surrendering, “all I am saying is don’t make too many enemies with the Remara.” Adilah went over to grab her bag. She took out some gears and tools, sat on the ground and started tinkering. Flame leaned his head to Aamir’s ear, “what is she doing?” Aamir responded, “shhh she is thinking. She is a really good inventor.” Spark sat down with curiosity. Aamir made her way to sit by Adilah. “Aamir, can you hand me the Phillips head screwdriver please.” “Spark, can you go get a vine, something thick and hand it to me?” Spark got up and disappeared into the brush. When she came back she had a sturdy rope strung across her back. “Aamir hand me that gear.” She pointed to a gear in the far left corner closest to Aamir and without even looking up grabbed it from his hand. After about 20 minutes she asked Yakir to grab a wrench and Yakir was frantic because he didn’t know what it was. Aamir gave it to him and the process proceeded. 25 minutes after asking the centaurs to grab things from the forest and asking Yakir and Aamir to hand her things, Adilah finally said, “done.” Flame was the first to speak, “What is it?” “Well,” started Adilah, “I figured the compasses you use to point to your north. Lately, I have noticed the sun here doesn’t rise and set in the same direction mine does and I remembered reading something in the book that Yakir showed us the Seer monster in. The book had said the Remaran Elems had a strong magnetic pull but it was different from your north’s magnetic pull. I found some stone earlier and it looked like the same stone it said would point to the Elems so I made,” she held up the invention, “the compass that will show us the path to the Elems!” Flame and Spark were in shock and Yakir clapped his hands. “Can I see?” asked Aamir. Adilah handed him the compass. “Yakir you have a compass pointing to your north can you hand me that?” Yakir scurried over to his bag and took out the compass and ran back to Aamir. “Yep, they are different. The compass you have Yakir is pointing in a different direction than the one A just made.” Adilah smiled and blushed. She was just glad it had worked. But the moment didn’t last long; there was a rumble in the ground. Men and Women shouting. Arrows were flying and Aamir and Adilah lay next to each other unconscious.

When Adilah woke up Aamir was still unconscious but she could see that the cut had started to bleed again. They were bound by rope and it was hard to even move. Adilah struggled. Dari was next to her whining tethered to the nearest tree by shackles around her feet. Aamir started to stir and when he was fully conscious he cried out in pain. That only made the wound bleed even more. “Aamir, stop struggling, you’re going to get hurt.” “A, it already hurts.” Adilah hated seeing them tied and in pain. Yakir was on the other side of Aamir and was trying to wiggle his way out of his ropes. Tears were on the verge of running. Adilah’s face but she had to stay strong for the others. “FLAME, SPARK ANYONE! LET US OUT OF HERE!” As if she had summoned them, hooves banged the ground and Adilah suddenly knew where they were. “The centaurs they’re coming.” Aamir stopped struggling and went limp. Dari lay down but was still shaking with terror. Yakir tried to lean over just enough for him to see Adilah. “Hey Adilah, how are we supposed to help Aamir?” Adilah knew Yakir was right and she allowed the tears to fall. If they weren’t tied up she thought it would be a peaceful place. There were flowers of all kinds, nests for birds hung in the trees, an archery area with many holes in the bullseye. The birds wove through the trees with grace and there was a creek and pond the furthest from them. The hooves got louder then suddenly 20-30 centaurs emerged from the brush. Adilah said through tears, “LET US OUT OF HERE! My friend is,″ she looked over at Aamir and sniffled, “is hurt I need to help him please, please.” Towards the end of the collection of centaurs Flame and Spark were in shackles. Flame reared up, “you said you wouldn’t hurt them, Chief you--- you lied.” The centaur by the name Chief eyed the foursome tied to the trees. “The boy will die in a few days, that is not my fault.” Spark charged forward. “Let me heal him. He is of great use. The girl will not help if he is dead.” Adilah shot an evil glare at Spark. Flame was surprised at what Spark had said but he was already charging towards Dari. Who sadly but happily wagged her tail. Aamir groaned and then winced. More blood poured from the wound, “Aamir please, stop moving!” “A, I can’t, everything hurts,” then Aamir drifted off into a state of unconsciousness. Chief nodded and Spark pranced forwards to untie Aamir who fell limply to the ground. In a disgusted tone, Adilah spoke, “I knew we couldn’t trust you. You, you traitor.” Spark healed Aamir and helped him to sit up. He automatically tried to make his way over to Adilah but Chief held him back. Aamir looked skinnier, and paler too. Adilah was hurting but only because she despised seeing him like this. “A, I promised.” Adilah smiled and continued to cry, “Aamir stay with me,” Aamir said again, “Always.” Chief drew Aamir closer to him and held a knife to his throat. In his commanding yet gravelly voice he said, “this is a wound we can’t always fix. You help us or your friend gets it.” Adilah screamed, “you are all monsters. You used to be the saviors of Remaria but your are murderers now. No wonder the books warn us to look out for centaurs. You disgust me.” Chief pondered this as a few of the centaurs gasped. A centaur, about Adilah’s age, moved forward by the whispers her name was Ivy. Ivy spoke calmly but seemed concerned and confused, “There are warnings about us?” Adilah went sober and nodded. Ivy continued, “Pa let the boy go. The girl is right, we used to be looked up to but the Remara now fear us.” Chief held his position and moved the knife a bit further from Aamir’s neck. Aamir stayed calm and spoke, “you know if you kill me my Grammy is going to whip you with hard candy.” Adilah smiled softly. How was Aamir staying so calm? Ivy chuckled. “Pa you don’t want to anger the elderly and her hard candy do you?” Chief didn’t laugh, in any case, he became a bit angrier. But, he released Aamir. Aamir ran over to Adilah and collapsed before Chief could change his mind. Flame was still trying to untie Dari. When he finally got the dog undone, Dari licked his face. Flame kneeled down enough and Dari seemed to get what he was doing and jumped onto his back. Flame, carefully, made his way over to Adilah and Aamir. Yakir grew impatient, “WHAT ABOUT ME!” Chief had a quick answer, “Shut it Mandra. Flame is this where your loyalty lies?” Flame nodded, “Spark has made her decision and I have made mine.” Ivy made her way over to Flame. Chief wore a look of shock, “IVY? What-what are you doing?” Ivy already had an answer for her father, “doing what is right. We’re feared Pa and you have taken quite the liking to try to kill-- What is your name?” she said to Aamir, “Aamir.” Ivy nodded and continued, “Aamir, I think he deserves a break. I am going with them and Flame.” Flame was quick to blush. Ivy walked over to Yakir and undid his binds. Then she got all of their bags. Chief was angry, “If you are not back in 5 days, Flame and Ivy, you will be banished from the tribe,” This seemed to break Ivy, but she nodded and Flame straightened up. “Well then we’ll be back in 5 days,” said Flame. They all turned around and started to walk. Aamir hugged Adilah again quickly and dried her eyes, “I am okay. But those centaurs have serious anger issues. No offense Flame, Ivy.” the centaurs said at the same time, “None taken.” Adilah knew this was going to be harder than she thought. She better be back and has saved Remaria in five days or she is going to be the reason that her new friends are thrown on the streets.