09: Progenitors

"The story of the progenitors is long one, thankfully we have a long walk." I fell into step beside him with Marshall trailing behind.

He began to tell the story of the Progenitors, the most powerful Demi-humans to grace this plane, created from the flesh and bone of the gods themselves. "After the creation of the planet, the gods watched as animals grew and evolved. Our animal ancestors were blessed with intelligence and evolved into the demi-humans we are today.The gods watched over the world, admiring their creations. But our gods were not the only ones watching…

The devil realm, which neighbors our own, was not happy. Their gods abhorred the abominations they created and abandoned their world. The devils, without the protection of their gods, descended into chaos, and the balance of the devil realm was upset. This imbalance led to the degradation of their souls and as a result, their vitality began to wither away. As vitality decreases, so does one's ability to harness mana. The residents of the devil realm relied heavily on magic and began studying runes to stop the degradation.

During their study of the rune magicks they accidentally summoned a Demi-human from our realm. The story goes that the sorcerers of their realm kept the demi-human as a pet and used him for experiments and mana harvesting. They were able to create mana stones from the blood of the Demi-human, which they used for magical energy.

This was when the real trouble started. They used the runes and were able to summon one Demi-human at a time, but this rate was too slow and consumed too much mana. they amassed great power from the mana stones they created and with the help of the runes, they tore open a gateway to enter our world. They began ravaging the planet, taking anyone and everyone they came across, and turning them into slaves.

The Demi-humans lived symbiotically before the devils invaded. We had no weapons or combat skills, we were completely defenseless. Our gods could not bare to see their creations being tortured, and thus, the progenitors were created.

Four ancient beings created by the gods, made with the purest mana, and instilled with knowledge from these great beings. They came to the planet to turn the tide of the war and unite the demi-humans. They did exactly that. It is said that our ability to utilize mana, knowledge of medicine, and battle sense was all passed down to us by the progenitors.

They were specially designed by the gods, you see. One for each biome: desert, water, sky, and forest. There was the desert panther; said to stand 8 feet tall in panther form and had fur the color of the desert sands, they were able to summon great storms at will. The Water Kelpie; took the form of a black horse in battle and was able to speed through water faster than any mer-person. the kelpie was also able to summon lesser water spirits to fight along side it in battle. The great golden wind dragon was sent to aid in the skies, they had impenetrable armor when in dragon form and were able to summon wind blades that could cut though anything - even mountains.

Finally, the progenitor of the forest, who was sent to aid us dire-wolves and other Forrest dwelling demi-humans. The fire kitsune; one of the gods' greatest creations. The Kitsune was nimble, swift, cunning, and to top it all off, she was capable of using fire magic." Doctor Harris told the tale as we walked towards the Stonehenge.

"So what happened to the progenitors? Was this a long time ago?" I asked.

"Hundreds of years ago this all happened. Unfortunately, the progenitors are no longer around. They sacrificed themselves to end the war and seal the rift between worlds. But that is a story for another day. We have arrived." He gestured towards the center of the Stonehenge. "Please sit in the center, over there."

The stone henge was made of 8 pillars, roughly as tall as 3 story buildings, which were engraved with runes and intricate carvings. In the center of the 8 pillars was a giant flat stone. During the festivals there are so many people that I couldn't see it, but now I can tell that it is one giant, perfectly circular, flat rock. It's the only spot in Hilraine that has fireflies, and tons of them.

Between the fireflies, the full moon, and the clear sky, the Stonehenge seemed quite ethereal. I sat obediently in the center and just enjoyed the view. Marshall stood outside the Stonehenge by the trees while his uncle began placing totems and other items around the circle.

"I think we are all set. I have everything in place. Okay." After triple checking his work his approached me, "Mira, you just have to sit there and clear your mind. If you know how to meditate it will speed up the process. If not, then just do your best to not let your thoughts wander. Focus on your breathing." He walked away towards the outer edge of the center and stopped to add, "Don't be surprised if it feels strange. At best you might feel mild warmth."

I immediately became suspicious, "…And at worst…?"

He cleared his throat and added quickly before starting to chant, "Anywhere between nausea and physical pain. Please hold still!"

He had started chanting before i had the chance to object. I will get even with him later. I closed my eyes and decided to focus on my breathing. In… out…. In…. And Out….. I think I counted 45 breaths before I opened my eyes out of curiosity. I was surrounded by fireflies! The glow they gave off was so unique that you couldn't even see their bodies. I smiled in wonder and reached out to touch them, a few encircled my hand and I felt warm.

This must be the warmth he was talking about, i thought. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the peace and calmness I felt in that moment.

Then I suddenly felt a surge, like an electric shock, course through my body! I screamed out in pain, or I think I did. Because all I remember is seeing the fireflies disappear as my head hit the cold stone and my vision blackened.

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MARSHALL POV:

"MIKA!!!" I yelled as I rushed towards her. Before I could reach her, my uncle was already there, checking her pulse.

"She's okay. She's alive." Uncle Harris said.

"What happened?" I asked, worried.

Uncle Harris stroked his chin thoughtfully, as he replied, "It's as I surmised. She is extremely powerful, my boy. The vitality she currently possesses rivals your mother's… and she has potential to grow even more. It felt like I was looking at a bottomless well, there is no telling how powerful she will be." He smiled at the end.. he must be proud I found such a capable mate to join the tribe.

I picked her upper body up off the stone and cradled her head against my chest. She was so light, and soft. She smelled good too. "What happened to her?" I clarified my most immediate concern.

"It appears her body is still not well enough to control all her mana. The test forces one's mana to the surface, to get a measurement so-to-speak. When I felt that emptiness, I prodded a little too much and it backfired on her. She will be fine with some rest." He pulled a bottle from his satchel and handed it to me. "Recovery water. It's the last of my personal supply but I think she needs it more. Make sure she drinks all of it in one go as soon as she wakes up. Within a month she will be at full physical strength and her vitality will then begin to grow to reach it's potential."

"Uncle.."

"No need to dawdle, son. Just take her home and follow my instructions. I'll check on you tomorrow." He added, before I could finish my thought.

"Thank you." I Stood up with Mika in my arms and bowed my head to show thanks. I took her and the water back to the house. The walk back was a long one and it gave me time to reflect.

I remember eating in the hall with everyone this evening. I tried to decipher what exactly happened leading up to me and Mira laying in the grass outside. I don't remember falling asleep but the dream I had was too vivid to be a daydream. Mira was all over me, telling me how much she wanted me but was too shy to do it. She said she didn't want to wait to start our life together. She wanted to lock arms and say the vows tonight- binding us together forever. I couldn't hold back, I wanted her. I took her outside and…

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. It was indeed a very nice dream, but right now I need to focus on Mika. I looked down at her unconscious body in my arms. She is a little heavier than the first time I carried her like this. She has gained muscle in her legs and her abdomen. Her face looks healthier too. She was so pale when I met her that it was like her skin was transparent. Now she has a faint rosy glow and healthy complexion.

We entered the house and I gently laid her on the bed.

I grabbed the recovery water my uncle gave me and looked at it closely. It looks like regular water. I opened it and took a sniff. Doesn't smell weird either. I closed the bottle and set it next to the bed side. She will drink it when she wakes up.

After covering her up with the woven silk-leaf blanket, I went to the other side of the bed and took my shirt off. I was about to completely strip when I remembered something… She agreed to sleep with me tonight…

It doesn't feel right.. she's unconscious… but we did have a deal. I'm afraid she will find a way out of it. I stood there at the side of the bed, shirtless and hands on the button of my pants, debating what to do next. Should I wake her up? Should I just get in bed since we had a deal? Should I just turn into a wolf and sleep by her side like I always do? As I debated I heard her making sounds. My ears twitched and I tilted my head to hear her better. She seemed to having a nightmare.