[Story scene post]
Darterra tells me to reach into the crack.
I pull out a level one. The tiny newborn fits in the palm of my hand. Barely bigger than a pebble. I run my finger over the tiny jewel. It glows bright with every color.
"Every color except Gold and Silver," I mutter.
"Xeata-Lidoffad will house those two. Go, destroy the arch. Take this life with you. The remaining Black is waiting. The two of you shall raise this young one, though you shall take primary responsibility. When it is time, I shall summon you to return to this place. More like this level one shall come to you. Teach them well. Never let the hate of the Golds be felt here again. Teach them to cooperate, to be a community, and to treat me well."
The way home feels much easier and faster, as if my feet know the way. Should I tell the young ones about Golds and Silvers? How the world was once divided? Or are they better off not knowing about the pain and hate? And how can I instruct them in the ways of any except the Brown? I only know how we lived.
As my stomach rumbles, I consider that I do not even know how to feed this little life. I have survived these recent times by finding nuts and other raw ingredients I recognized. What about clothing? This little one will freeze if I don't figure out how the Turquoise created those. So much I know nothing about.
The little one fusses in my arms as I reach the village. A tiny cry grows louder. The Black comes running.
"Belp? This is unexpected. Who do we have here?"
"You and I are the last of our kind. Darterra has charged us with raising the next generations, the redesignations. I have much to tell you. We need to name this level one. And, by the way, what is your name?"
Key dramatic question that will take whole story to answer:
Could Belp have prevented all this death, how, and if so-- why didn't he?
And what led Jaildarn to become the cause of such annihilation?
QUESTION -- Have you entered the contest? The newborn needs a name!
https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/2025/04/win-atozchallenge-2025-fantasy.html Enter the giveaway! ⭐🤗❤
My A to Z 2025 theme is a fantasy story. (And some of the process of writing it as well.) 🕮
- J (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Speculative Fiction & Reference Author and Co-host of the April Blogging #AtoZchallenge
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A pebble-sized new one! Quite a precious treasure to have to nurture and teach - there's so much for all of them to learn.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I bought your two "Existence" books yesterday for my Kindle. No idea when I will find time to read them, but they sounded interesting!
ReplyDeleteDonna: Click for my 2025 A-Z Blog
I seem to catch these stories at the end. I'll have to go back and read this from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteA fantasy setting is great for X-words. This is lovely for a new start after the Terrible Tragedy.
ReplyDelete