The Ritual

The hands held onto me tightly as I tried to scream, but a very familiar voice immediately stopped me from resisting.

"Lady Sereen. I was sent to retrieve you from the savages. King Leifae Arkson sent me a group of men to rescue you. So far, I'm the only one here."

I calmed down and tapped the hand that was covering my mouth.

"Alright, when I move my hand away, you won't scream?"

I nodded and he slowly backed away with both palms out to assure me that he wasn't going to hurt me.

"Lady Sereen, we are on a rescue mission." He continued to say, "We need to leave at once."

"No, we can't."

"Why? Are you being held against your will?"

"No, I'm not." I replied. We stared at each other through the darkness as the flames from the campfire afar flickered little flashes of light in our faces.

"...and why not?" he asked.

"Because this night is devoted to me. If I go missing, there will be hell to pay."

"We need to leave before they find out."

"They will find out and they will OUTRUN you." I whispered angrily. "Listen to me… I am a part of their tribe now. I have to go through with this."

"Go through with what? You don't have to do anything you don't want to do… especially, with these savages." he sneered.

"THEY ARE NOT SAVAGES! And… and I want to do this. It's an enlightenment ritual and I'm the main event. I. WANT. TO. DO. THIS." I said sternly.

"Alright." He agreed, "...but if anything goes wrong, I'm coming to get you. I'm going to be here watching you the whole time."

"Just know, they have really good senses. They can hear, smell and sense you. Stay your distance, Jerell. I must head back. I've been gone for too long." I turn to walk away, trying to create distance between us, but he grabs a hold of my wrist.

"Lady Sereen?"

I turn my head back to look at him. He pulls the hood of his cloak backwards to unveil his face.

His blue hair interlocks in dreads with some braided at the side. There were scars on his face, signifying his struggles and fights to survive in the world of thralls. He is heavily built, much more than I remember him to be as kids. I think about my recent dream of him in his cloak and our embrace.

"Lady Sereen," he whispers, "How do you know that name?" He asked.

A flash of light from the flames afar blazed up and bounces off my face. I look into his blue eyes, remembering our time together all those years ago and remembering my mother.

"You know me." he stated, "How do you know me?"

"I know you…" I answered him sincerely, "...and I'm trying to protect you. Now go!" I shook his hand from my wrist and ran out of the woods. Quickly, I ran into the hut, out of breath and gasping for air with each breath I took in.

"WAH!" Mooji gasps, "You running from a ghost or something?" she asked as she patted her chest, soothing herself.

I shook my head no and then went to sit down next to her. She shooed her followers out of the hut.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just saw a ghost." I replied and her eyes widened. "A ghost of my past, I guess you can say."

"Well, truth or not, you still need to get this ritual done. Wawa will be coming in to get you. She is a learning shaman and it is her duty to set a prayer of protection around you."

It didn't take long before Wawa entered the hut. She was a short 40 year old adult that looked like a little kid with light brown hair that bobbed around her neck. In the front, her bangs sat half an inch on top of her brows.

"Ready?" Wawa asked in the highest and squeakiest little voice.

I nod.

"Alright." she walks over to me, lifts both her palm to me, and starts a chant. The whole thing lasted no more than five minutes. "Now, we are done. Get out. We will go to the cave."

I stand to follow her as she leads the way.

Upon exiting the huts, I noticed how quiet the campsite had become. A pathway was made for us to walk through. At the end of the row to my right, Giken stood there smiling at me. Giken and his followers trailed behind me with torches as we made our way up a narrow pathway that inclines up into the woods. I don't know why I never noticed it before, but now that I'm walking on it, it's so obvious this pathway has been here for a while.

It was so dark that I could barely see anything. I started to trip on rocks, twigs, and the unleveled ground. Giken rushes up to my side and places my right hand on one of his shoulders.

"Here, hold on to me. I will guide you." He said and, even though I couldn't see his face, I knew those dimples of his were probably indented in his smile. We walked for what seemed like two miles until we reached a cave.

"Now, you go in. We will wait here for you." Wawa demanded. I let go of Giken's shoulder and slowly walked towards the cave entrance.

"There are many paths inside. Choose one and it shall lead you to your destination." Wawa said with a slight bow of her head.

I took in a huge breath and marched forward, telling myself that it is now or never. I can feel the pounding in my chest as my heart keeps trying to convince me that there is danger up ahead.

As I enter into the darkness of the cave, I can smell the moisture. Water dripping sounds surround me and the wet ground is slippery. It was pitch black and I started to overwhelm myself in my thoughts that maybe I was going blind. That there was light somewhere, but I just couldn't see it. Though I couldn't see anything ahead of me, I closed my eyes and slowly continued to walk.

After a little while, I opened my eyes to sun-like warmth, only to see a luminous blue light streaked all around the narrow cave walls. Drawings and handprints glowed beautifully. My eyes followed the sketches as it led to five different entrances.

"Choose one and it shall lead you to your destination." Wawa's voice repeated in my head. I walked up to each door and listened to the wind blowing from inside.

One of the doors' wind sounded like a woman screaming in horror and another sounded like a woman weeping. The third door had no sound but the wind and then the fourth door sounded like birds chirping non stop.

Finally, the fifth door sounded like the angelic strings of a harp playing. That's the one I entered without hesitation.

As soon as I entered, the cave entrance seemed to swallow itself up right behind me. It scared me for a moment, but I reminded myself that I was safe. Everyone had assured me that I was safe, so I continued on.

The cave expanded in size as I proceeded to walk deeper into its mysteries, following the glow of the blue streaks.

"Sereen" a voice called out to me.

I know that voice, "MOTHER!" I cried out.

"Sereen" a male voice called out, but it's unfamiliar to me.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I asked.

Ghostly figures slowly appeared before me one by one, my mother one among them.

"Mother?" Tears begin to well up in my eyes and my voice becomes stuck in my throat, choking me in sorrow.

Spirits filled up the area slowly and all their eyes were watching me.

"Sereen, do you have it?" The male spirit asked me.

"Have what?"

"My sweet darling, the key. Do you have the key?"

"The key?" I shake my head in confusion. "The key…" then it dawned on me. "Are you talking about the key that I gave myself?"

"The key, any key… Do you have it?"

I shake my head again, "No, it was only a dream." I replied.

The male spirit pointed to me and asked, "..then what is that?"

My eyes follow the direction of his hands. He was pointing at my left hand in which I didn't realize it until now, but I was clutching onto something. I bring my hand up to look at it and behold it was the twig-like key from my dreams.

How long have I been holding onto it, I have no clue.

The male spirit floated towards me and I handed him the key. A door appeared next to him and he unlocked it with the key. It opens and I am blinded by light, so white and so pure.

"Enter." He commanded and I walked in without a second thought.

"You've always had it in you. It runs in your family and it is in your blood." A voice said and emerging before me was a goddess presenting herself to me. Her voice, it was the same voice from the woods, warning me before Bjork's attack. I tried to open my eyes fully to see her, but her light was blinding. Then she drew closer to me and spoke.

"Before Earth decided to evolve mankind, the land was all, but one. The world was lively, beautiful, and full of creatures. But because the Earth was made to evolve just like all of its creatures, it parted its land. The land split, separating species apart to test the life of all creatures and their survival. Humankind became more intelligent and used their knowledge to pass down their mistakes through stories, drawings, and literature."

She then showed me a vision of fire and war.

"But mankind is forgetful. They forget that they are all but one species among the many. The laws of Earth are that when one species becomes too powerful, it will harm itself into extinction to make way for another to rise. You, among the many, are bestowed with the gift to see the past, present, future and the departed. You have always had this power. Today, you MUST accept it and inherit what is rightfully yours. You will make a difference in this world and you are not alone."

"I don't understand what you are saying….what about my life? What about Giken?"

"Men are only men because their women work as a stepping stone to push them higher. Women are only women, because men on a pedestal grant them pain and suffering, until they become greatness on their own. Humankind, are the one species that are superior to others, yet greed and pride gnaws at their souls, blinding them from what truly matters. One day, mankind will kill itself to pave way for another to rise."

"But what about me? What am I to do when I return to The Ma'iingan. I will never be accepted."

"You are not hearing me, Sereen, open your ears and your eyes. Mankind is one species and the Earth split them into different regions of the world. You may look different from them, but in your blood you ARE one of them."

For some odd reason, I understood what she was trying to say. I AM a Ma'iingan. It was before the Ma'iingan were established that the bloodline was already passed down. That I shared their blood from when the land was once all connected.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am the first alpha, Vio, and I have passed my blood down to men in hopes that they may help one another to find peace, love and heal through their pain. Unfortunately, most of mankind has forgotten the power's worth and have used it for personal gain. Sereen, you are a gifted child. I advise you now, to keep your mind on the right path."

After our enlightening encounter, I found myself exiting the cave through the door. I feel awed by her greatness. Her last words to me continue to pain my heart.

"You must be discreet about who you choose to disclose this information to, for, not everyone will accept your answer."

"She's back." Giken said as he rushed to my side. "How did everything go? Are you alright? You're not hurt are you? Did it make you fight something"

I give Giken a weary smile and he places my hand on his shoulders again.

"We must head back now." He announces to the followers.

"She has nothing to say about what went on in the cave?" Wawa asked.

"She doesn't NEED to say anything." Giken barked at Wawa. "Can't you see she is already exhausted? We will discuss this in the morning. The night is dark and all of our energies are draining as we await for the next full moon to come. We should head back now."

Wawa bows her head in acknowledgement and we all begin our hike back, my hand remaining on Giken's shoulder as he leads the way.