Fourth Cycle-The Beginning Part 1

From: Cheryl Baumgartner(C Baumgartner, Posted Date: May 28th, 2011

 

The Warrior's Code:


*A warrior's only possession of worth is his honor, I will act with honor at all times even when honor demands my actions be contrary to what others may think is right.  

*I will act with honor even when it conflicts with my own interests, the well being of my people is more important than my own.

*I will use all the tools and gifts I possess as a warrior to protect my people, I will stand and fight beside my fellow warriors to my last breath. I will avenge the fallen as my brothers and sisters of the Bloodlines will avenge me.

-The Fifth Cycle of Time

 


Chapter 1

                Kai  woke up filled with excitement.  Today was his 5th birthday.  He bounded out of bed and ran to the bathing chamber climbing up on a small stool to examine his reflection in the mirror. 

                Five was an important age for a Brunnen G child. He had received his final haircut yesterday.  Well not exactly a haircut, his head was as smooth as a river rock.  Every single hair had been shaved off.  But never again would his hair be cut.  It was a new beginning for him.  He was no longer a baby.

                He quickly dressed in his new clothes.  Today marked more than one new beginning, for the first time in his life he was going above ground.  For the first time he would see the sun, and forests and the ocean!  He literally skipped into the central chamber to find his parents standing there smiling.

                “Kai, how handsome you look in your new outfit.” His mother said as she knelt and opened her arms to him.

                “Quite the little man.” His father agreed.

                “We are going to the beach.” She added.  “And you can see the ocean.” She smiled.  She stood and took his hand as they left the family’s space and entered the public area.

                It seemed like everyone had to stop them to wish Kai well on his fifth birthday.  After all this was a day celebrated by all Brunnen G.  Birthrates among the Brunnen g were just as low as infant mortality was high.There were a few stops that needed to be made before they actually went aboveground.  The first was at a small shop that sold head coverings.

                “Someone has had a birthday I see!” The shop owner greeted them.  “Well young man, I’m sure that you will enjoy your first time in the sun, but it can be dangerous.  We will need to cover your little head so the sun does not cook it!  Come and pick out a hat.”

                The next stop was at the apothecary.   Kai’s mother purchased a jar of cream to protect his skin.  “The sun can burn you.  You must remember Kai, always be careful.  Danger lurks everywhere and you must be aware of it.”

The last stop was at a small shop that carried a variety of different goods.  Kai stopped and looked up at the brightly colored floating orbs.  “What are they?” He asked his mother.

“They are balloons Kai.” She replied.

“What do they do?”

“They are simply pretty objects, they don’t do anything.” His mother answered.

Kai’s father approached carrying a long box.  “Okay we are ready to go above ground.  Let’s go.”  Kai’s parents turned to leave the shop then noticed Kai was still standing there, fascinated by the balloons.  The shopkeeper also noticed Kai’s fascination.  He walked over and plucked a red balloon from the group and handed it to Kai.

“Hold tightly to the cord or it will fly away.” The man said with a smile.

Kai remembered how bright everything was as they stepped out of the cave, he also remembered the warmth.  The trees were huge! He had no idea that trees could grow so big.  The trees in the underground gardens were tiny compared to these.

“Come along Kai the beach is just a short walk from here.” His father said.  “And when we get there I have a surprise for you.  I bought you a fishing rod.  I’ll teach you how to fish.”

 

Kai awoke remembering the dream of his fifth Birthday.  He remembered how wonderful that day was, so filled with the innocent enjoyment of childhood.  Those days were over.  He like others had noticed the weak spots in the shields and seen things that indicated other worlds beyond Brunnis.  Like other Newborns he had questioned and had his questions ignored.

There was one who may have answers, the old crone who lived in the deep lower levels.  Kai knew the stories and tales told about her, he also knew that they were not true.   The elders said that she ate children, but she hadn’t eaten him when she found him wandering around lost in the lower levels when he was 10.  Instead she had led him to the upper levels and sent him on his way.  It was also said that she was from the original Brunnis, but of course that could not be.  They were all long dead.

He dressed quickly unwilling to disturb Aura.  It would just upset her if she knew what he planned.  She often berated him for his curiosity saying it would get him killed one day.  Perhaps she was right, but not today.  He knew the crone would not harm him.

 

 

Kai had been wandering around the lower levels for some time when he heard the voice behind him and turned to face the nameless crone.

“Ah my young interloper returns, and all grown up into a handsome young man.”  She stepped forward and took his arm.  “Come Kai, you have sought me out for a reason, let us return to my dwelling and you may tell me your reason.”

They walked for a few minutes in silence until they reached a sparsely furnished chamber. 

“Sit.”  she said as she took two cups and poured tea from a waiting kettle.  She placed one in front of him.

“How do you know my name?” Kai asked.

“I know many things Kai.  Things that have been forgotten since we arrived here after The Exodus.  Not all of the stories about me are false.”

“Are you really one of the Originals?” He asked.

“I was born on Brunnis, yes.  I came here during the Exodus.  I was one of a handful of Originals who took the first immortality shot.  It had not yet been perfected, it only worked for me.  Or perhaps my will had something to do with it.  Perhaps I knew the day would come when you would come to me for answers.

She said gesturing indicating the upper levels .  “You are not like them.  You are more like me, a true Brunnen G.

You remind me of my younger brother.  Like you he was curious, rebellious; unwilling to accept ‘because’ as an answer to his questions.  He was also courageous like you, he did not fear danger.”

She stopped to sip her tea.  “Ask me your questions.”

“What is out there? Beyond the shields” Kai asked.

“Glory, destiny and danger; everything that the Brunnen G now fear and deny.” She answered.  “But for you it is there for the taking, along with the answers you seek.  The one who sees through Time is out there.”

“The Time Prophet? But that is a myth!” Kai blurted out.

“All myths start with a grain of truth, Kai.  For you, truth means seeking her out.  I know that breaching the shields is forbidden.  It is forbidden because of fear.” She gestured over her head again.  “They live in fear, it controls their lives-they do not live, they exist.  Perhaps because they never die they have forgotten that life is to be embraced and experienced simply because it does not last forever.  They have convinced themselves that life lasts forever, but they are proven wrong every time another one of them suffers an accident.  Their immortality is an illusion.

Embrace your life Kai, take advantage of every moment you are given.  Do not hide behind fear.”

The crone grabbed a sheet of paper and a stylus and wrote out coordinates.  “Start your search here.”  She said handing him the paper.  “My brother walked the path to the Dream Zone before the Exodus.  He did not live forever, but he lived a full life embracing new experiences and savoring the bounty that the universe saw fit to place before him.  That is all any of us can hope for-to live fully and to appreciate the life we were given.

Now go.  Your destiny awaits and it will not be found down here.” She said with a smile.

Irina watched as young Kai stood and left her small chambers.  She had often wondered why she still lived when all the rest had died.  Why the immortality shot had worked on her and not the others.  She had gotten her answer 30 years ago when she han found the young child wandering around lost in the lower levels.  She had found herself looking at the very image of her adored baby brother.   She knew this was the Kai her mother had told her about, the child of her bloodline-The prophecy.

That’s when she understood that she was here for him, for this small boy who had grown into a man and sought her out.  She had done what she could for him, it was up to him now to search out the Time Prophet.  This child of my bloodline must make his own way from here.