Chapter 7 tattoos 

Few hours later after I was ok to move again I followed Asterya too a good spot to be alone were she can teach me in peace. following Asterya up to a shady spot that over looked the oasis she quickly checked for any one in the surroundings. Thin she began the lessen by revealing her tattoos that wear circling her body like seaweed that was sticking to hear skin. looking at it a bit closer I could tell the patterns were made up off smaller and even more intricate patterns that makes the bigger ones.

"the tattoos tells the life story of the dryad that they are bestowed on... they will change with every new major life experience... it is said that they will only get more complicated over the life of the dryad. I just got min a few months back now"

she said with a healthy blush while absently tracing a spiral shaped tattoo with her thumb. she seamed a bit lost in her head for a few moments before She continued

"everyone in the tribe gits there tattoos ween there entering adulthood. it would be for you humans' in your teens... but for us it would be in our twenties"

after saying this she started to blush harder which caused a hint of a rosy green color to creep into her previously red face. looking at her red face I realized that I was staring at her nearly nude body now for quite a while. quickly closing my mouth I tried to move past the blush that I didn't notice I had. trying to divert my attention, I looked off towards the waterfront trying to hold on to the little composure and dignity I had left

"How old did you think I was"

she whispered. which seamed to be right up against my ear. I shrugged and responded not realy looking back at her

"16 maybe 17 about the same age as me I thought"

after hearing my honest response her blush seamed to spread down to even her neck. she seamed to mouthed thanks towards me which confused me.

"Anyways if you look at your tattoos there will be three spots that they will commonly appear for someone that just got there's. one on each corresponding limb and one on the chest usually around the heart"

she said reaching towards my hands looking over them. When I turned my palm there was a strange tattoo it was a blackish green tinge, and it was shaped like a multi ended point inclosing down to a collective singular point.

"each tattoo signifies something different the people whose job is to know is known as a tattoo showman or also known as a tattoo reader. They spent lifetimes of learning, seeing, and making tattoos. They know what every single tattoo means even ones that are thousands of years old. I personally only know some of the must common. If I remember this is a variant of healing or power"

it did remind me of a small pool or boll of sorts. Then she gestured at the one in my right palm.

"ok that all is interesting but how does that relate to making them ethereal"

I asked presenting my other hand.

"you must understand them and yourself to control anything, its the basic teachings of any magic control"

she said with a toon that a older sister mite do to a younger sibling. I pondered on it thin said " ok that doesn't make much sense to me but I trust you"

she seamed to like my response.

" anyways let's find the others"

she looked at my other hand turning it over scrutinizing every emerald streak that is embedded in my skin. thin she fallowed up my arm roiling up my sleeves

"Ok this one is the same as the other but these up hear seam to be a variation on either power or strength"

she said after a while of pondering on the markings on my bicep. they resembled columns holding up the sky. or more literally a number of I's that were between to solid lines that were on either end of them. She turned towards my chest which caused her hair to lightly brush up my are. she started to blush a little but it seemed it was not from her accidental tease but from the thought off me removing my shirt for her.

"the last one should be on your chest. can you please take off your shirt"

when I started to do what she asked of me. she seamed to be a bit taken back for a moment before she continued to watch me with a barely noticeable blush.

ween I got my shirt off and straitened my self she started to cercal me studding the marking that was engraved into my skin.

"I don't know this one I've never seen it before. We should see my grandmother she is the best tattoo showman of our village"

she said with an expression of confusion, curiosity and a touch of annoyance.

Few minutes later after tilling my aunt and convincing my mom to let me go. Asterya took me to her grandmother's house which was in their usual way of construction. It was an dissent seized one story shack that was constructed with what looks like clay bricks, wooden plaques and long thick strands of seaweed which I have no idea how she has some. she had fish swimming around the hut and a decant patch of smaller and younger strands of seaweed and other aquatic plants in the front of here house like a vegetable garden. There was some type of fill around the house that is keeping a large air bubble around it. Ween we entered the house there was a small pill of coals that was cooking a small bundle of seaweeds and what looked like a fish. it seamed to be the only form of illumination in Asterya's grandmother's house. the master of the house was sitting in the corner. She was completely covered from head to her toes with tattoos, even the walls behind here seemed to have scrolling of different tattoos all over them.

"What is it time for more lessons Asterya.....? how's that behind you dear"

said Asterya's grandmother her voice sent shivers up my spin. here voice reminded me of a old speaker.

"no that's tomorrow grandmother. this is my friend he's the one who saved the guardian"

Asterya said presenting me with a smile. stepping forward with a bit of disappointment in my hart I greeted Asterya's grandmother.

"Aaaa the new comer. you want a tattoo reading. hem young man"

I stood there without answering, Asterya's grandmother just laughed.

"Dot wary young man the common response is to run. my granddaughter is a odd one she was the one ho wants to be a tattoo showman"

Asterya pouted a bit behind me. giving a bit of a adorable hruff

"common grandma it's not weird"

Asterya whined. Her Grandmother just smiled

"twenty-three granddaughters and you are the only one who wants to continue the tradition even your father ran away the first time he was supposed to have his read"

"Anyways miss we are here to now what a tattoo means"

I said trying to guide the conversation back on the original purpose before I spend a hour listing to Asterya's grandma teasing here.

"ha. ha. ha. your a brave one aren't you. young man. and so polite too. hes a good one Asterya. keep him close. want you girl"

Asterya gave a small node too here grandmother. thin realizing wat she did she gave a complaint too here cheer full grandparent

"ok lets see these tattoos. young man. come closer" she said reaching for a poker to stoke the cols to provide more light.

"Let's start at the hands"

Asteryas grandmother started

"but grandma I've read them already I just don't recognized the last one on his chest"

said Asterya. Her grandmother looked at hear and said

"you now as will as I do each reader must see the flow of the power to form any understanding. Now young man please show me your hands"

ween I presented my palms to here she looked over them using a old slender almost pointy finger to fallow along with the lines

"aaa amity healer of hearts and bodies within the great inner power"

fallowing along the lines on my hand she slowly traced a faintly glowing line up my arm to were the other batch of markings are

"one how acts as a foundation to those how need you and a beerier to those how seek the harm of those are around you. you are. quite a determine. young man. aren't you"

she finished by gesturing towards my shirt prompting me to remove it. Ween I removed it she did the same thing as here grand dater. circling around me looking at my tattoos closely she eventually said

"hmm this is different. I'm not sure what to make of it"

Asterya's grandmother walked over to one of the walls scrutinizing it. not finding it she continued on throw out the house till she fond the one she was looking for

"found it. now. what was this one."

"grandma what is it"

said Asterya heading over to here grandmother.

"isn't this one fate. but it isn't exactly the same"

said Asterya tilting here head to the side peering at a sketch that was too dark for me to make out.

"Yes. yes. but it different. the wings are. are different maybe"

"What grandma"

"this tattoo. it signifies this young man. mite have a hard fate ahead of him"

she answered after a will.

after that day Asterya would come up to teach me new things and other times she'll come with one of here relatives. even the bull has come up to visit me once. one time after lunch Asteria and her family wanted to talk to all of us. which was unusual for there to be both more thin just Asterya and one of here folks. and for them to request for my mom and aunt as will. Ween we went down to the oasis Asterya seamed to de nerves. Wen she noticed me she acted like a great burden was lifted from here shoulders.

"Ooooo thanks the garden your here"

said Asterya hurrying past here parents to me.

"What's wrong"

I asked win I got there. A large muscular male dryad cam up to me and respectfully bowed his head

"we need your help there has been a great trouble and only you can help us"

he said seaming to bow even farther.

"What's up"

" one of our dead is walking again. only one how is of the old lords can awaken the departed. and only the lords can pot them to sleep again"

said the chief.

"pleas young man pleas help us"

said the worrier groveling at my feet

"fin ill help just pleas get up of your knees"

I said before anyone ells started to gravel at me feet.

Few minutes later Asterya and her father lead me down to the village. they lead me throw the small village that all was billet in the same still as Asterya's grandmothers home. leading me to there home Asterya and here father started to slow down. hesitating more and more closer we get to there home. When we entered there was a strange dryad was standing in the room. ween he noted us he turned towered us. ween I got a good look at him he was definitely not alive. He was a tall muscular dryad that had Meany scars and integrate tattoos. his skin has turned a green caller with slight blotting. along with that he has Meany fresh wounds that looked like he was fighting a large beast. but the most gruesome thing is a eye along with the enter side that the eye sate on was completely torn and eaten throw. to the point that you cold clearly see the skull under Neath the putrid flesh.

"Good you are here"

ween he said this his voice was gargling like there was water still in his longs.

"What do you what"

I said to him steeping in front of Asterya

"all I want is to rest again, but the one that raised me wants you dead"

said the ghoul. grimacing sowing of his teeth including his broken and shattered left side.

"Why does he want me dead"

I asked with an idea of how raised him.

"I dot now and i dot care. I just have to kill you and thin i can sleep" said the ghoul with what seamed to be pity in his one remaining eye.

"If you are doing this you as a former chief must challenge him to a battle to the death in our peoples way"

said the chief.

"He is port of the tribe BROTHER!... But why would I. one of the dead care about tradition. ween you have broken one already brother"

the ghoul said with growing discus toward me and his brother.

"Because even if I'm a human I'm still a tribe member that earned his place in the tribe"

I said steeping up to the much taller dead man.

"Will I can see that you have the tattoos but did you earn it"

"Yes he dead he healed the garden of the oases"

said Asterya with a proud ton but it became a whimper when he looked at hire.

"Will that is a great thing in dead. I will give you this honor. meat me in the arena win the day is high tomorrow"

after he said that he left without turning back to his family.

" will that went will"

said Asterya with here father just shacking his head.

After a few hours later we swam dawn a few mills deeper to the arena. The arena was a deep peat that was inscribed with many tattoos of the old Chapmans' that has been and might be. We swam down to center of the arena wear there is a circling tattoo that was covering most of the floor.

"Why I'm I hear?"

I asked looking around at all the past mementos of the former Chapins' of the trib.

"Your hear to learn the terrain, and I'm here to show you how to fight under the water. even if I'm not as good as any of my uncles I will still show you how to fight"

Ween we started Asterya passed over a weird group of weapons that was obviously used in ritual combat.

"In the arena you can only use 2 weapon. one that you were provided in the arena and one weapon you bring in before it begins. To be inspected and approved, and any magic that doesn't harm the appoint is tepidly aloud as will"

"To begin grab any of this training weapons"

Asterya said grabbing an ornate spear with three points at roughly equal length and width. I grabbed another spear near me that was almost identical except for a strange green hew in it metal, by what I can teal all the weapons wear ether groin from some tip of rock or metal. Wen she saw I was ready she attacked me with quick thrusts straight towered my med section. I was able to Bareilly doge it. luckily for me that I'm a good swimmer, but unlikely for me she was biter. Ween I got out of hear rang she quickly swam up to me with astonishing speed, doing the same thrusting maneuver. After a few times doing this she said after blocking some of hear strikes

"good good your gaiting this fitting under water thing down. how do you fell"

"good but a bit tired and sore"

I answered after dodging a few of here strikes.

"Will you need to now how to fight so will continue until you can make me drop this"

saying that she gestured with the spear she is holding. So we picked back up with the training for the next two hours. we continued with me tried to make her drop the spear, but it never happened.

"Will that was fun and you gout rely far you almost made me drop this at least three times. Let's head back you need your rest and some food wev ben down hear for a few hours"

she said with a grin. We went back to the surface slower then we normally do, and ween we made it back to the surface bath of our families wear there. We spent the next few hours eating resting and Asterya's grandmother showed both me and Asterya how to read the tattoos and how each of the tattoos belong to in the arena.

"Each tattoo. is a title for the one how where's it. for example there will be one you will recognize. the tattoo that your uncle has. it is read as the BEDROCK. which will make this very difficult for you young one"

ween she said this she showed a parchment that had most of the tattoos on them, from the arena. She pointed at a tattoo that was fairly thick and in layers like the bead rock of the earth.