Days Gone Bye: Part 3 - Epiphany

Days Gone Bye: Part 3 - Epiphany

"Are...you okay?" To Osa's ears, the sound of the girls voice sounded muffled and faded like an old recording. He attempted to look up at the girls' face and he muttered softly in his incoherent haze, "That's how..people..d..di.." He began drifting back into unconsciousness. The girl knelt down by him, turning him onto his back and rapidly tapping her hand against his cheek, "Hey, stay with me. Stay with me."
Osa's eyes fluttered opened briefly and he muttered dryly, "Things..she'll never kn.."

His eyes the opened fully and he looked around him urgently, and the girl put her hands on his shoulders to keep him still, "Careful. Don't move around too fast. You've been out in the sun with no water..don't wear yourself out. Your friends are fine. I can help you, but I need you to help me carry your friend." She motioned her head over to Mara. Osa slowly turned his head to the direction she motioned and saw Mara laying on her side where she had landed when he collapsed. He turned his head back to the girl, and she smiled warmly, staring into his eyes. Osa nodded solemnly, "Alright...alright..thank you.." Osa stood up and the girl slipped the Papoose off his back and onto her own. Osa then staggered slightly over to Mara and picked her up.

The walk took about 30 minutes, and ended with Osa walking up a large grassy hill. As he reached the pinnacle of the hill, he saw almost a mirror image of Maero. The girl turned to Osa, "Well, we're here. Come on. We can give you some water and food for you when we get to my house. As well as a bed for your friend and the baby." Osa nodded, and the girl trotted down the hill and Osa followed. She entered her home in the eastern most part of the village and went off to a different room to explain the situation to her mother. Osa remained standing in the doorway, holding Mara in his arms. The girl peeked her around the corner and motion for Osa to enter, "It's alright. She's agreed to help you get settled in." Osa stepped in silently and to the bedroom.

Osa sat quietly by Mara's bed, watching her sleep soundly, her chest rising and falling with each long and silent breath. Her baby brother was asleep in an old crib the mother kept. The same one the girl slept in when she was a baby, Osa figured. He jumped slightly as a hand came down on his shoulder, and he looked up to see it was just the girl. She smiled down at him and handed him a cup of water. "Thank you," he said smiling and bringing the cup to his lips and downing it rather quickly. Osa turned to the girl, "Thanks again..for helping us."
The girl took the empty cup from Osa's hands and set it down on a chest at the food of the bed, "Well, I couldn't have just left you three out there. I can't imagine the kind of person I know that." Osa nodded, "I know, but..really..I owe you..umh.."

"Shida."
Osa looked at her a little quizzically, "I'm sorry?"
"My name is Shida." She smiled warmly once again.
"Shida...thank you. My name is Osa. That's Mara..in the bed. Her baby brother is Taro."
She nodded, "So..what happened to you three? Why were you out there all by yourselves?"
Osa turned in his chair a little, both uncomfortably and to face Shida more directly. "We..we were running away..from home. Our...village was attacked. They were warriors..from the Sword nation...they were killing everyone. They killed my mother...and Mara's family too..after they helped escape. I think we're the only ones left alive."

Shida nodded, a mournful expression on her face, "I see..I'm sorry. Did you have a place you were headed when you started running?"
Osa nodded, "Yes..we're headed north. Our people are forming an army up there to fight against these people..and I'm going to join them. I'm going to make them pay for what they did. Especially..him..the one who killed my mother. I remember everything about him..his face..his voice..and I won't forget either."

She smiled, like a teacher having just heard the answer she's always wanted to hear from a student for the very first time. A proud smile, almost. "I see..well, rest here for the night, and you can head off in the morning, well rested and fed."
Osa smiled, "Thank you."

The next morning, Osa left with Mara and her brother. He said goodbye to Shida, and that he would always remember her as a friend, and that he hoped they will meet again someday. Keeping to true north, the walk to the main camp took half a day. The sight of seeing this large camp for the first time is one Osa will always remember. Tents, squared off training grounds, and some stages and other areas for entertainment seemed to stretch onward for miles. Everywhere Osa and Mara looked, they could see soldiers practicing in the training grounds and firing ranges. Around the perimeter of the camp, a large group of soldiers were practicing march routines. The camp was decorated with large white flags, with the Longfin coat of arms painted on the center of them, waving rapidly in the wind, as if hailing the two.

They both made their way down to the camp. As they approach, a guard stationed near the entrance they approached stepped forward towards them, pointing his gun at them, alarmed. "Who are you?!" Osa and Mara held their hands out above their heads and Osa pleaded with the guard, "W-Wait! Don't shoot! Please! My village..it was attacked...by Swords. They killed everyone. We've been walking for days to get here..please..I came here to join the fight."
The guard was silent for a moment, and then lowered his gun, "Alright, just one moment." The guard motioned to a few soldiers stationed behind him to come help. A male and female soldier came up and walked around him, approaching the three. The female took hold of Mara's brother carefully and spoke assuringly to Osa, "Don't worry. We have people here who will be able to take of his necessities. Den mothers, you could say..you're not the first children to arrive here. If you follow me, I can show you and the girl to the sleeping quarters we have."

The male soldier next to her brought Mara and Osa to the nearest tent. It was rather roomy, with two bedrolls laid out on the ground, an oil lantern sitting between them. They both sat down cross-legged on the bedrolls and faced each other. Mara looked up at the male soldier who still stood in the entrance of the tent, holding the flap open with his and, "Will..my brother be alright?" she asked him. The soldier nodded, "Don't worry. He will be fine. We're just going to make sure he gets properly fed and taken care of. A baby would be difficult for someone your age to take care of. He won't be too far, of course, so you can go and see him whenever you like." Mara smiled, "Thank you..really."

The male soldier smiled back at Mara. His attention was called away when someone cleared their throat from outside the tent. He turned his head to the left, facing outside the tent, and then he moved to the side. The female soldier from before poked her head inside the tent and motioned for Osa to come outside. He looked at Mara for a second, and then stood up and walked outside. He stood before the tall woman, her face partially hidden by the long bangs of her black hair. "You said your name was Osa, correct?", she spoke very clearly and powerfully. Osa nodded, "Yes." She kneeled down by him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "About..what happened to your village...this conflict has been a long time coming. Tensions have been rather high between us and the Swords, but only now have they actually made attacks within our borders. Which is why we are going to fight back in theirs. Do you truly wish to join us?"

Osa nodded, a look of hatred almost taking control of his face, but not succeeding. "Are you absolutely sure? The training..will be difficult. But that's not even the most grueling part..when fighting..you may seem horrible things and..you may even do some horrible things. Are you prepared for this?"
Osa's gaze was cold, but confident. He nodded. "Yes. I just want them to feel what I felt."
The woman smirked slightly and stood up, "Excellent. Rest up well tonight, because your training starts tomorrow."

End.