Antuhra (I)

It was said that he was awakened not among the Firstborns for he had his parents Eidhon and Tierath, both perished by accident. Antuhra was only five at that time and his thinking outgrew his age. For five days he mourned over the deaths of his parents and sought after his great teacher Idhrigor for shelter and food. When Antuhra's came into a point where Elves called it the 'Passing' or 'Emire'an' which was a time when Elves developed a keen sense and intelligence, and the ability to give birth and reproduce, the Elves called him the Passer (Emire'ain) for the reason that someone of king had to pass to the Heavens (Ainreth).

'Who's that whose heart desired for a Passing?' he asked.

'Why, my dear Antuhra, it's Deusdana the Bright!' Idhrigor told him. Antuhra knew who's Deusdana. He is the Three Ethereal Lords, the 'Heina'a'. One of the Heina'a, called Starsea the Fair, had left the world after a few days the Firstborns awoke. She claimed that the creation of the World (Othripus) was far too satisfactory to be dwelt in. For all Elves, she was the most radiant beauty of all: she dressed in silver robe with her deep violet hair waving down to her breasts and her eyes portrayed such blessings that anyone who stared at her would get confidence a thousandfold. And either fortunately or unfortunately, a few Elves had a chance to witness her departure to Ainreth.

Another Heina, called Flaurna the Wild, had left after the world could sustain a sensitive balance between producer, prey and predator, and those creature it created had a value of life. Flaurna is a beast that most Elves feared. It is black as midnight with a tiny tint of golden fur along its long body. It had a snout that housed an upper beak and a lower dragon jaw. There is no visible eye for Flaurna, only a white rune drawn across its empty facial features (and another rune that strewn around its magnificent black tail that rustled harmonious music in the wind).

And then for Deusdana the Bright, Idhrigor brought him to see the Lord to witness his departure. A huge number of Elves surrounded Deusdana as he waited for the right time to come: the Eclipse of the Moon. At this time, the Elves (or whoever or whatever) there could ask him any guidance or questions and he would answer them accordingly.

But Deusdana mystical feature made everyone afraid. He had a long black robe that dragged on the ragged rocky floor and his face was shielded from his hood, shimmering with designs nobody could understand. There was his staff drifting at his side by an unknown force. He was very, very strange indeed and nobody came upon him.

'What is the Eclipse?' Antuhra broke the silence.

Deusdana lifted his head and looked at Antuhra with his faceless head. 'The Shadowing of the Moon or the Sun...' he replied. 'Come here, young one. Come sit with me and wait for the Eclipse.' Deusdana's staff pointed to the cloudy sky above.

'I can't see the moon,' Antuhra said.

Deusdana stretched his gloved hands and picked Antuhra up. Everyone gasped. Deusdana placed Antuhra on his lap and let out a laugh, 'Don't worry, young one. I can see the moon... What's your name?'

'Antuhra, my Lord, son of Eidhon and Tierath,' Antuhra said.

'Why, you are a bold one. I shall call you Antuhra the Bold,' Deusdana laughed. Antuhra coud not see Deusdana face inside the hood, it was totally shadowed. Amidst the crowd, the calling 'Antuhra the Bold' could be heard.

'What is Bold?' Antuhra asked.

Deusdana laughed again. 'Bold is someone like you: have no fear in things that should be feared and yet have fear in things that must be feared but still chooses to act on it.'

Antuhra scratched his head.

'You know death?' Deusdana asked.

The crowd gasped again, hoping the Lord would not sacrifice Antuhra.

'Yes, it's when people never wake up again and their soul will be brought to a beautiful place,' he said.

'Who told you that, Bold one?' Deusdana asked.

Antuhra pointed to the direction where Idhrigor stood. Idhrigor bowed his head and blushed.

'Yes, yes,' Deusdana laughed. 'Some of you fear death because you will be asleep for ages and never to find you loved ones here. But a bold one will face death bravely and do whatever it takes to uphold his life with noblity and justice.'

'Nobility and justice?'

'You'll know them in time,' Deusdana nodded.

'What causes death?' Antuhra asked.

'Any action that takes your soul away,' Deusdana replied.

'Why we must die?' Antuhra asked.

'So that other life can take its place, enhance it and brightening it. Life must move on. If there's no death, others can never have chance to live,' Deusdana replied. He saw Antuhra's puzzled look. Deusdana sighed. 'You will come to understand it soon.'

'My parents are killed in an accident. They are dead, Idhrigor told me. But who has the chance to take their places?' Antuhra asked.

'You. You have taken their place and live your life honourly, which is unlike some people who choose to end other's or their own life. Quite sad, actually,' Deusdana sighed.

'Killing?'

'Yes.'

'Is it an honorable and noble act?' Antuhra asked.

'What did Idhrigor tell you?' Deusdana asked.

'He doesn't like killing. He said it's sinful that we have no right to take people's life,' Antuhra replied. Again, Idhrigor bowed his head in embarrassement.

'Killing is neither noble, nor sinful,' Deusdana said. 'Killing for the sake of own joy and addiction for no purpose accept to make people comply with your own rules and laws is sinful. Killing for the sake of protecting own kin and kind, defending the sacred land and done when it's not much choices left to protect and defend, that's is a bit noble. Anyhow, Idhrigor teaches you well.'

'What about my parents? They got killed accidentally...' Antuhra asked.

'By nature or by force?'

'By nature, I think,' Antuhra replied.

'Then I think Starsea the Fair loves them too much,' Deusdana said softly. He patted Antuhra's back. Antuhra felt like the pat was meant to comfort him. The warmth of Deusdana reminded him of his mother patting him to sleep every night. 'Look, Bold one, the Eclipse is coming. I have to leave you all now...' he pointed to the cloudy dark sky.

'I still cannot see the moon,' Antuhra said, squinting into the thick clouds, hoping to find a glint of moonlight. He hasn't seen the moon for years. Even the sun refuses to come out till now.

'You don't see the moon, you perceive it,' Deusdana said.

'Perceive?'

'Flaurna has created you all well. As long you have this, this and this,' Deusdana touched Antuhra's eyes, scalp and heart as he mentioned each 'this', 'you will only perceive things. You cannot see my face either, because you perceive me as formless as I am only the Bright, the Knowledgeable One. I manifest as knowledge. Knowledge takes no form. But I do have form, it's just that you cannot perceive it properly. It takes someone very vast-minded to see me.'

'Even other Lords have their own forms?'

'Yes. We choose to manifest in a less threatening and more familiar way so that we are more approachable. Even our language is unlike your language, we only say words that can be easily perceived and understood by all of you,' Deusdana said. He stared at the sky again. 'Antuhra the Bold, I have to leave now.' He stared at the other Elves and waved, 'It's been a very good time to see all of Flaurna's creation is growing good. I shall tell him the news. My job here is done here. Farewell, my dear people of Othripus, may we meet again in the future.'

'Farewell, Deusdana the Bright,' the crowd echoed.
Then something happened: Deusdana dispersed into a million sparkling red stars and vanished gradually.

'How did he do that?' Antuhra asked the approaching Idhrigor.

'Don't ask anymore, you make me proud and embarrassed at the same time,' he picked Antuhra's tiny hand and said, 'Come, let's go home. It's time to see something I haven't shown you.'

'What is it?'

'The Lords encouraged us to embrace the Lights but the Lights are too tempting to anyone who has not come to Emire'an,' Idhrigor said. 'Listen before I take you close to the Light: the Light is a powerful thing to keep us alive and guided. There are many forces trying to steal the Light because it is far tempting than anything else. You are Emire'ain. The Elves call you that because your time of Emire'an coincides with the departure of Deusdana. You have to uphold your heart and courage. Don't let the Lords nor the Elves down. Promise?'

Antuhra nodded.

The Archer

He knows he will be the best archer in the world. His aiming target has been penetrated through it heart several times. And that was his six hundred and sixty-fourth target board.

'You are not aiming properly!' his trainer screams at his face,

He fires a shot.

'Missed! You've missed again!' his trainer bellows. His voice is so piercing that somebody might think he is a woman.

He fires another shot.

'I can't believe this!' his trainer let out an exasperating sigh.

The archer knows the arrows did not miss their target that far away. He just wants to stop this. Two hundred and seventy-six boards. He cannot go further. This is not good. It's bad. He has to stop this insane training. Right here, right now.

'Shoot again!' clearly his trainer's voice is thinning out.

He pulls another arrow and fires again.

'Argh!' his trainer groans. His voice gurgles with phlegm and saliva. 'You... you are not the best archer! You... you lousy scum!'

That's it. That's the threshold. Quickly, he draws his arrow, hoping it will be the final arrow (although he knows it will be the final arrow. He pulls the arrow back at the bow's presumed maximum length. His eyes lock on to his target.

He fires.

And there is no more sound of his trainer.

His trainer has finally got his killing blow on his forehead after several arrows have pierced through his body.

Six hundred and sixty-fifth board. That's it. He is going to retire.

'Six hundred and sixty-six,' a deep hoarse voice echoes in the dark corner.

'I am done here,' the archer says, picking up his arrow from his trainer's body and cleaning them off.

'I can persuade more,' the voice echoes again.

'I am done here,' he repeats, with a firmer voice.

'Then, begone!' the voice roars.

Nobody hears a thing because he is too far away. But there's such a girl who is picking on daisies heard a growling noise, shredding sound and a blood-curdling scream.

Moments later, she finds an abandoned warehouse and walks in.

She smiles.

'Good Cody, how many?'

'Six hundred and sixty-six.'

'Good, good boy...'

Demon Child

Richard is afraid. Very afraid. The demon is coming after his two-year-old child, Cody. His wife has persuaded him to move to somewhere sacred, like North India or Tibet, or maybe even Thailand so that the demon cannot touch their son.

Nobody knows how the demon finds them. He appeared in Richard's bedroom while they were having sex, just before Richard ejaculated, he commanded Richard to give him their firstborn before the child reaches age 5.

Richard and his wife were terrified, thinking that it was only a bad dream. Till today, the demon harrasses them till they could bear it no more. They go to consult a demonologist and are given a lore book.

"Tyrinath, demon of all children, consumes the life of the firstborn for eternal life. Tyrinath is either alive or dead. Feed him a child and he lives, feed him a bleeding child and he dies."

That is according to the lore. But die forever? If so, previous people who read this lore should be able to kill him.

"He will hunt for another prey," the demonologist says.

That will do.

He cut Cody's arm very slightly to induce a tiny bleeding when the demon appears before them a twelve midnight. Cody cries so terribly that Richard's wife weeps like a howling witch.

The demon sees Cody's blood and vaporizes. Richard's family is never harrassed by the demon forever.

3 years later, Richard's entire family go missing, only leaving behind bloody trails and police make an early conclusion: they are abducted and killed.

6 months later, a demon appears at the demonologist room and the old demonologist dies of shock and old age.

The demon has Cody's face.