Whispers from the Moon

I distinctly remember what it was like inside that vessel's womb. That woman whomst most would call my mother, she is a fly to me, and I have never once seen her. Regardless, I still remember the time inside. Sources tell me she was of the sybils, and upon that revelation it all made sense.

Inside the womb, is that bloodied warm goo of creation, a primordial soup - most would call it. To me, it felt like a compression chamber or oven of sorts. Perhaps I was a pizza, I once had this mad thought inside the chamber of first life. Time never seemed to pass, time never seemed to flow.

I then felt a horrible flash of truly maddening information flooding into that still growing brain. A horrible flood of that which is known and all that should be done. I heard a whisper in the womb, I swear it came from the moon.

Child, stay calm

Was all that merely a vivid hallucination my still growing and shriveled pink mass had come to pass? I did not know, but I still knew. That information was a torrent, and my mind was instantly put on the brink of an explosion. I feared for the first time in my very, very, short life already. I fear that my head may explode into a disgusting cosmic bundle right here and now.

Luckily, I was saved. When those compressions came, again and again and again. I was finally freed from that prison, that shapeless and formless hell from which all life came. I was released oh at long last!

I was released from one prison into another.

What an irony that was, when I came out cold eyes stared straight at me. Perhaps I truly may be mad, but I knew what they were saying even then, I felt. That nurse asked the vessel I came from what I should do as she snipped that cord with a pair of metal scissors. I knew my birth mother and I felt her say.

"Just throw him away. Bring him to the house of that man."

Even as an infant, I did not cry. That nurse holding me began too, though. She turned and left that hospice, and walked along the blackened night streets. I reached out to grab her, as if a small attempt to grasp hold of something - anything.

You see, only later did I learn that all creatures born from warmth and blood seek the companionship of their creator. Those that didn't were all cold-blooded reptiles and insects. Of course, there were exceptions to the fact.

I read of the harp seal, who would be abandoned by its mother two weeks in. At Least it had two weeks, lucky bastard. Of course, this all comes later. I'm getting off track.

Forgive me now for my maddened and hectic thoughts, for no mind stays sane for long as they feel waves of knowledge keep crashing against that damn dam of reason that keeps the others smiling and happy as they dance in the rain and eat cream-filled pastries.

Regardless, back to that nurse. I felt her tears on my small little hand, and she gently held it, rocking me and singing a soothing hymn, even though I was not crying. She must have been singing it to herself. This was my first mother, who later died a few years later of a stroke.

She did not toss me, but merely gently set me down upon a doorstep, it was a massive house I saw. 'That man' must have owned it. I looked to the sky and saw my true mother - the moon. I only heard the faintest whispers, but they took me to a place of calm mind.

The greatest struggle was the lack of movement, ohhh, perhaps this is what made me truly insane. I felt my mind moving, no, soaring through the sky and the clouds, my pathetic little infant limbs could not possibly keep up. I struggled and struggled all night, until I fell asleep of exhaustion

The moon was shooed away by the sun, and I took it as my enemy then and there. There was a great irony in this fact that could only truly be described later. As I heard initial footsteps, I turned my head to see a few strangers stepping across the stone-paved path. They looked at me, and I looked at them.

I saw many pass by without a single action. No, all of them passed by with only a glance, some would whisper 'how sad'. What was truly sad was my still incessant struggling. If I could only get up and move, I swear, I could live a fine life as a lunatic in a hut in the forest, mixing together strange herbs to get high.

Sadly, dreams do not always come true. It was now midday, and that vile sun had rose to its highest point. The highest point. In that one minute - My mind melted. The sun blared straight into my eyes and I felt it trying to assassinate the moon's presence within.

Oh the agony. Now I began to shriek and cry terribly, and the people could not help but notice the sight of that baby going mad from the sun. Even as I turned and covered my eyes, a liquid metal sunlight juice poured into the creases inside, and it all melted and twirled. My eyes felt a faint glow, and I died.

Then the minute ended, and the sun fell from its highest point, my mind regained its reason. This is going to be a problem I thought. The sun had made its intentions clear, it either wanted me dead or wanted my head for itself. The Moon and Sun fight inside, a dance of yin and yang.

I chose the moon, because the sun was too painful.

I thought I may die on these steps, as the sun finally began to fall and night came around at last. Then, a carriage was heard, and many steps were taken. Small little plops sounded as boots hit the ground. Jumping with both feet from above.

"The hell is this?" one man asked. "Clearly an infant, dumbass." another one quipped.

"An infant?" came a voice from behind. "Yes sir," they bowed their heads and spoke in reverence. I did not understand that concept yet, I still don't. I was amazed these men would bow their heads to another. I would rather it be cut off, personally.

I heard a deep sigh. "Take him, put him in one of the rooms." the voice said as he walked straight passed me, I caught a glimpse of his face and eyes. They were filled with regret and fear.

As the steps faded off, the servants chattered more: "Another bastard, eh? Ha! Dirty dog, that lord of ours."

"Aye, but who wouldn't want all the women they could have?" They both laughed lecherously and enviously. I understood then that it seems these 'women' were desired prizes of the male. I should claim many myself, I thought.

I was shoved into some dusted room, though I can't complain. It was a large, large house, spanning acres of land. A villa of sorts, with many houses, rooms, and gardens in the back. My room was made of old shoddy wood, a simple bed lay there, not suitable for infants, yet I was plopped down onto one.

I saw a glass bulb attempt to mimic the light of the sun, at least it did not melt my mind, but I wish I could turn it off. There was a wooden desk, and a bookstand with red and blue covered books that were worn at the seams.

You might be wondering how, as a child, I knew what this all was. I'll remind you again of that informational flood. The moon taught me from the womb. I sat in this room, struggling so desperately to move still. It was truly terrible. If you have ever experienced paralysis, then you will know, it was a constant state of this for years.

I eventually fell off the bed, hitting my head on the ground. Ah, at least it was some movement. Only a few minutes later did a hand come turn me around, wiping the bits of spittle and blood on the ground.

That woman rocked me into my sleep every night. My Wet Nurse, open whom I suckled the milk from her tit. She whispered her name was 'Jana' and there I met my third mother.

-----------------------------

The first couple years of my life could not have gone any better or worse. That is to say, it simply was. I know not a single soul who excelled from the womb. I struggled to move constantly. Every Single day, as the sun reached the highest point, my mind would melt and I would scream.

Years after years, that melting became the usual. I finally learned to move, and that joy cannot be described through the mere form of words or shapes. I opened my arms wide at that moment, and screamed to the world

"I have appeared!" and the moon whispered to me to be quiet. The sun would come again soon.

Oftentimes I would sit in the minutes before it came, and would prepare myself with everything, still, that sun turned my mind into stew to be eaten. At the tender age of three, I began to formulate a plan to blot out the sun.

First, I would need incredible magical power. This would take awhile. Eventually, they threw me into the studies. There were two others in this house. The true child, a true born heir called 'Kessem', technically my brother, but he did not show it.

Indeed, my father was the lord of this house, the moon's whispers told me. I could no longer hear what people thought as I did as a child. I sorely missed this function.

There was another 'bastard' or so they viciously called us time and time again. Those servants would one day feel the crushing power of the moon, I promised. This other bastard was named 'Taran'.

Kessem was a fanciful kid, handsome, studious, and bright eyed. Taran was much the opposite. Simple, still handsome though - our father would not have an affair with some wench, but the look in his eyes was always a tired or fatigued thing. He looked like a beaten dog, ruffling for scraps of familial love.

At the age of five he first spoke to me. "H..hello." he came to me, gently speaking in fear of another familial rejection. I may have been mad, but still a heartbeat in my body, flooding my brain with those receptors that triggered the emotion we call "sympathy".

"How's it going, brother? The sun is almost about to make its attack, I'll be caught for a minute here." I spoke to him, as the sun was soon going to reach that dreadful 'High noon'.

"Uhhh…" I know what he was thinking, I was crazy. But also I saw his eyes watering slightly, a sad child. The simple title of "brother" meant a lot to him, and he sat next to me babbling on.

"Ohh, boy. Things are hard for us, huh? Galdur?" The boy spoke my name, Galdur, a name I was forced to give to myself. A standard for all bastards. I once took it from a paperback fiction of old gods.

"One day, we'll get the hell out of here, now quiet, high noon approaches." I voiced and Taran caught his first glimpse of madness, as the sun entered its highest point and my hands cradled my head, trying to keep it compressed. As stifled screeches and groans escaped from my lips.

"What's wrong?!" the poor boy got up, and panicked. Only ten or so seconds left, I managed to wave my hand, my hand speaking for me "Just sit down already"

When the wave subsided, he stared at me wide eyed. "I told you, the sun attacks me. One day I will blot it out, one day." I spoke. He tentatively stepped back and sat next to me. Moments of silence.

It was quite nice, actually. I eventually had the strange urge to know what he was thinking, "What do you want to be in the future?" I asked him. Instantly he replied to me, smiling and eyes glowing.

"A mage! A wizard, magi, or whatever you call them!" He spoke with a passion I could not emulate. "Man, imagine, holding the very power of the elements in your hands….we could do anything."

And I caught a dark glimpse in his eyes. A shadow of cruelty, pointed toward the entire outside world. He had taken these early years hard. From that moment onwards, me and taran became known as the "Bastard brothers." as we were often seen together.

--------------------------------

I learned much in history class, the first class we attended. Only three students in the house: the world was explained in a simple fashion.

Three major continents: Ours at the center of it all, Solari. Our continent is always under constant attack, as it has many deposits of valuable minerals. Still we have maintained a steady monarchy for 200 years. A Matriarchy, where women rule. The ruling house was the 'House of Solari' A house of female ruling magi.

The current queen was a child, Athena the third. Her mother currently ruled as Queen regent. Her name was Athena the second.

Magi, a term for mages. Many others existed, but regardless of name they were borderline supernatural beings, who held the very essence of nature inside their palms. I felt a strong pull, like a meteor to a planet. Gravity pushed me on, the moon whispered this was my calling.

There existed many other lords on the continent - we were the house of academics - Scire. There were other houses as well, including the Sanctus knights and their Sanctus house, the House of trade - Auron, One house of ruthless justicars and inquisitors called Stitia, and finally those mystics who produced the gorgeous sybils - Notus.

Two other continents : Tenebri to the North and south, and Streum to the west and north. These two continents stretched around the globe, as we were a stable center of mass at the center.

They say the world was once one massive continent, somehow, it split into three. This was before written history existed, so only theories are born. Some say a massive mass of rock and debris from the cosmos came and crushed it. Others say it was due to a vicious war thousands of years ago. The moon did not whisper to me the truth.

----------------------

Over the next few years, I was only proven to be more and more mad. Everyday at noon, it became noticed in class.

During alchemy class, we learned about boring material properties, the essence of nature in herbs and fauna.

Kessem produced a wonderful potion of healing, Taran produced an explosion, I was able to produce a potion that blinded you and gave you a brief minute of euphoria. An attempt to stop the sun. The teacher took the potion, and after a minute of moaning, the humiliated teacher failed me and told me to never come back.

Science class we learned about physics and gravity, I excelled at this already. The moon had whispered to me wonderful knowledge and theories of physics.

Kessem handed in a nicely crafted paper on simple gravity, Terran handed in a study of how flames burn wood, while I handed in a magnificent paper of newly-born theories of space and gravity, I explained how time and space are connected as a field.

The teacher told me I was crazy and failed me.

Mathematics I excelled in, I could do it all in my head. I often read other books about magic and physics in class. The teacher kicked me out, even when I displayed an instant ability of calculation.

Suddenly, my position became comically well known, not only in the Scire house, but all across the kingdom. Tales of a mad bastard who shirked at the sun began to spread fast. I was an embarrassment to the house.

Many years later, when I had reached the age of 8, they called upon me, and I knew it was the end.

One day, I was called before the lords along with the others. My father and his queen - her name was Anna. That woman had nice golden hair and a full body. She wore a low cut dress, insinuating she knew and used her sexuality. She sat in the higher chair, and spoke first.

This was a matrilineal society, after all.

"Kessem, my child, you are excellent in all things. You have been promised to the queen, you will be prince consort. I expect great things from you."

"The…the queen?! Really? I'm going to be a king?!" he shouted as ecstatic as an 8 year old ever was to hear they were being married.

"You will be king consort, but it is still a mighty position. You will be wed once you turn of adult age, at 18. We are sending you to the academy, on the island." she continued to speak, with pride.

"M..Mother!" he got on his knees, "I will always be your faithful son, I will succeed, become a mage and the King consort." He spoke with a confidence he should not have at his age, I had to admit he was a bit impressive, he stood above others in some manners. Of course, pride had blinded him long ago.

"You." she looked at Taran with no disguised annoyance, who bowed his head in fear, "You will also be sent to the academy, you have done fine." was all she said. Teran sincerely thanked her as he also got on his knees.

At last, my time had come. There was no problem with this, the moon whispered to me my next steps.

"You…." she looked at me with a tinge of hatred, I'm sure because I was a result of infidelity. These people can hold grudges until the end of time. I did not bow my head as she spoke.

"You are an embarrassment to the house, you are therefore expelled."

I could only laugh, I patted Teran on the shoulder. "Good luck, brother." and he turned around quickly, just in time to see me exit the house, and into the sun.

As if a cosmic joke was played on me, as soon as I stepped outside, the sun was at its highest.

I fell to the ground, clutching my head as the moons whispered to me the path that lay ahead.