Music Box Ch. 02

Finally, I'm done. It is unclear to me why, but this chapter was hard to draft. I just didn't exactly know how to approach it. My only option was to zoom out and try to think more about my characters and how I want everything to play out in this saga. It took sometime, but I'm happy with what I wrote.

Thanks for the feedback, I would like more.

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Chapter 2

Voices echoed in the old, gloomy hut. Giggles and whoops. Mourns and howls.

All Aliph could do is listen as he stiffly lay beside his wife. Bags clung below his sunken eyes, and a frown clouded his face. Sleep felt like a privilege he would never obtain.

A night and a day ago, just a mere day after he met Luna, Aliph started to hear murmurs in strange tongues.

He tried to dismiss them, but how could he not be alarmed?

His wife stirred beside him. She turned and mumbled, "morning."

Her full lips curled up to a smile that lit her delicate, coco brown face.

At that moment, the voices sizzed. She tenderly stroked Aliph's thin forearm. He jerked it away.

"You okay, Ally?" she asked.

He forced a weak smile. "Yeah, Nalha. You startled me, thought you were a sleep."

Aliph hated that he lied to her, but he didn't want her to worry.

Just need to get my head straight, he thought.

"Um... I want to get some fresh air," Aliph announced as he sat up.

His body creaked like an old door being opened. Aliph heard Nalha sigh.

"Ally, can you tell me what is wrong?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't—"

"Nalha, I said I'm fine!" Aliph argued.

He got up, wrapped a grape purple loincloth around his waist, and draped over his shoulder a patterned thick woollen blanket.

Aliph went on to fetch his sandals and Nto. Seeing he had everything he needed, he headed for the door.

He hesitated for a minute as he unlocked the door and looked over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I just need to clear my head for a bit."

"Okay, but when you come back, can we talk?"

"O-okay."

Aliph opened the hut's door. The wind heaved in, and its cold gush hardened his face.

He dawdled out, closed the old door behind him, and sunk on the cold stoep.

A gloomy, ash grey fog veiled his household and the surrounding grassland. A sign many saw as a bad omen.

Aliph wore his sandal. First adjusting their thick layers of bark brown cow skin sole with his large feet. Then working the straps around his foot and lower ankle, so they could tightly fit him.

He stood up, picked up his Nto. Aliph slogged through his household, passing dingy, conical and thatch roofed huts.

After his father came back from the Revolutionary Wars, he built his household on a hill a river across the homestead he grew up in. Five huts and a kraal packed together.

Aliph headed for the Djanha River. It wasn't far, just a light walk down the hill and then through a narrow dirt path.

When he reached the river, he picked a flat-topped rock to seat on.

The river's murky, mud brown water frothed. Crickets chirped and frogs backed them with their croaks. This was what he needed. A serene symphony orchestrated by nature.

(Aliph,) came a familiar voice.

Aliph's eyes darted about, but he saw no one. An upbeat tune began to play, dwarfing the river and its creatures' ambience with a sophisticated melody.

Luna appeared five arms away from him. She wore a strange, elegant hooded robe. It was night black with small, starry ruby red dots.

Beside her was a tortoise. It was the largest Aliph had ever seen. The peak of its rich coco brown shell reached Luna's upper thigh. Its limbs and head a leaf green.

Its weathered shell lowered to give Aliph what he thought was a bow.

Clearly I'm mad, he thought.

{Young kin,} said the tortoise with a rich voice that oozed wisdom. {I'm Suun, and we have come to assist you. We know what you have been going through. It was the same for many of us.}

Aliph clicked his tongue. "You know?"

He stood and murmured with an uncertain tone, "I'm not mad—I can't be."

Suun bobbed his head. {Correct you are, young kin. No one beside us would understand how queer the last few days were for you.}

(Aliph, please seat down,) Luna said. (We have thought it is better to enlighten you on what you are becoming.)

"What I'm becoming? And what would that be?" Aliph demanded.

Luna's voice softens, (first seat down.)

Aliph was in turmoil. His head told him if he stayed he would understand what was happening to him, but fear of the unknown had gripped his heart tightly.

He finally gave in with a nod and collapsed on the rock. "Okay, it's not like I have a choice. What is happening to me?"

The tortoise bowed its head. {Aliph, young kin, you have become a Realm Master.}

"Reeliam Miester?"

(Yes, a Realm Master,)

{This is the highest honours for a living being. A calling that triumphs all others.}

Aliph tilted his head, lips pursed. "I don't get what you mean? I'm just a cow herder."

(Think of it in terms of royal successions. The previous Realm Master is... she is dead and that means all her responsibilities now fall to you,) she explained.

Aliph rubbed his chin. "Oh, so this Miester is like a Chief. I still don't understand what this reeliem is though?"

(Not exactly, a Chief is a form of ruler, but a Realm Master is a protector. The land around us and beyond is under your protection.)

"So a Djanha then?"

(A what?)

Aliph chuckled. For once, he knew something she didn't. "It's a great snake, that protects the souls of our ancestors in the afterlife."

{Oh, interesting mythology,} Suun voiced.

"It's no mythology," Aliph sternly said.

{Oh, I meant no offence upon you and your people,} the tortoise apologized.

Aliph nodded, "um... sorry, didn't mean to be rude. Who knows what's true anyway, my people wouldn't even believe beasts can speak."

Aliph gazed far and sucked in a cold breath. The sun was rising and its arms of light had begun to push the gloom away for the day.

"So everything I felt these past day and night is because I'm changing? I don't get it, why me?"

{That question would puzzle the greatest of sages, young kin. Realms are a mystery, we only knew that someone in this continent had been chosen, it was by great luck that Luna even found you.}

Aliph nodded, he didn't follow half what Suun said but knew his next question. "Okay, so how do I get rid of the voices?"

(Voices?) Luna asked.

"Umm... I can't sleep, they are irritating."

Luna and Suun shared a glance. Aliph felt their unease.

{Oh,} Suun began. {That's queer even to us. Since realms are different from each other, one Realm Master is different from another. Of course, we will go through all of this during your training.}

"Training? What training?"

(As protector of this Realm, you will grow strong and gain supernatural abilities. It's vital you learn control of them.)

"I don't fully understand what this Meister is, but I have responsibilities. I'm a headsman."

(I know, and we are willing to work around them. But you should understand, the road ahead of you will be hard.)

"Okay. When I'm herding cows, I'm alone and far away from my household and the homestead."

{Splending! We will start today with Practical Sound Theory.}

(Practical Sound Theory? Isn't that a little advanced for him?) Luna inquired.

{Nonsense! His ears and eyes are keen. And not to mention young Realm Masters learn through practice, too much theory confuses them. This is the best way, Scarlett.}

(Very well,) she said with an uncertain tone. (Aliph, this will be hard, but if you stick with it, you will be a great success. May Harmouna bless you.)

{Grand day to you.}

Aliph heard a soft melodic symphony as the two vanished. He didn't even get the chance to say his bye.

He gave a light sigh. His future was still foggy, but for the foreseeable future he hoped that his training will help him further his understanding.

****

Aliph strutted up the hill his household lay.

"O'òh Aliph," greeted a chorus of voices.

Aliph's younger brother and sister held large metallic coal dark pots as they marched to the storage hut.

"Àr Sala, Àr Nita. Do you know where Nalha is?"

Aliph's sister smirked. "You guys had a fight, didn't you?"

Sala clicked his tongue. "Nita, mind your business. She's in the dining hut setting up the table for breakfast."

Nita murmured with a curse directed at Sala. Sala replied with his own. Then they started to bicker.

Aliph's siblings were sweet, but they got along with each other as well as snakes and frogs.

"Our parents' ears bleed in the afterlife hearing their blood bicker," Aliph scolded the two.

The two siblings stopped. "Sorry brother," Sala and Nita replied in unison.

"You guys need to be kinder to each other."

Nita huffed and puffed, but bobbed her head along with Sala.

"Now, don't you two have a task at hand."

Sala and Nita continued and marched to the storage hut. Aliph went on to the dining hut ahead.

As he approached, he heard beautiful hums strung together to make an upbeat tune. His wife's voice was beautiful, he may have been biased, but he knew no woman with an angelic voice like hers.

Aliph stopped before the hut's stoep. He wasn't sure what he would say to her.

He swallowed his pride and just marched in, and announced himself with a whistle, trying to match her hums.

Nalha was bent forward, still dishing out soft porridge from a large wooden bowel. She glanced over her shoulder. "O'òh Aliph, what's with you Easterners being so deaf toned."

Nalha was dressed modestly in a traditional patterned, sleeveless dress and her fluffy, curled hair styled to an afro.

The Thala Empire was a melting pot of races. Her wife was Salhami while he an Hina. Two races so far from each other that his people always asked how he met her.

Aliph shrugged. "A'oh Nalha, sorry for not being sophisticated enough."

Aliph eyed a golden brown, short legged table at the centre of the hut. Four wooden plates filled with steaming nectar yellow soft porridge were placed on the table.

Mats weaved out of thin, dry long grass were rolled out beside the table, so they all could seat down comfortably.

His stomach growled as the smell of honey filled his nostrils.

When Nalha finally sat down, Aliph drifted forward, eased beside her and placed his Nto beside himself.

"You seem better," she paused then grabbed a spoon and handed it to Aliph, "guess the walk served you well, Ally."

Aliph averted his face and stirred his porridge. "Oh... a bit of fresh air was all I needed."

"Hm, I'm glad it all worked out," she said.

The two fell into silence. A battle began in Aliph's head.

Should I tell her the truth, he thought.

Aliph was diffident. Was it his pride, or he felt self-conscious that she would think he's mad.

What if she doesn't believe him— what if she loses respect for me—what then?

"Ally," she began. "In the last few days, you have been quiet and always deep in thoughts. Are you okay?"

Aliph sighed. "Nalha... I... um, I don't know? The last few days have been... eventful, my tongue doesn't have any word to describe them."

She held a strong gaze, her head tilted.

"Try," she muttered.

Aliph's mouth went dry. He hunched forth. A soft huff escaped his lips.

He peered at her. At that moment, the fear vanquished. Aliph saw that to her all that mattered was that he was okay.

"It started when I saw a woman," Aliph began.

He went on to tell her everything that had happened. Ranted about the voices, his fears of her not believing him and worrying that he was mad and would let his father down.

Nalha nodded after he was done. "I had noticed your changed behaviour a day ago. You are usually talkative and curious, but the last few days you were silent. Always brooding. You are a good man and I believe you," she murmured.

Aliph felt her hand envelope his and squeeze. It stunned him how her words affected him.

"I love you," she said.

"I-I love you too," he replied.

Aliph wanted to lean in for a smooch or two, but was too nerve-racked. He wanted to show Nalha affection but generally struggled to, and he wanted to work on it.

"So this woman and... tortoise, you will meet them today to begin your training?"

"Yeah."

At that moment, his siblings entered the hut. They sat across the couple.

"Did you guys make up?" asked Nita.

Nalha chuckled. "Yes."

Nita laughed, and they all went on to enjoy their breakfast. After their meal, Nalha and Nita gathered the bow and plates and left for the storage hut.

Aliph and Sala headed for the kraal.

"So how are things going with your apprenticeship?" asked Aliph.

Sala shrugged. "Well, I haven't burned down Sih-sha's work hut."

Aliph snorted. "So cynical. It wouldn't hurt to give yourself credit when you are doing great. How is Sih-sha anyway?"

Sih-sha was a family friend. He had served with their father during their service to the Empire. Blacksmith was his profession and Sala had taken a liking to it, so he became Sih-sha's apprentice.

"Fine, you should visit him rather than spending all your time here. Although I'd advise against it, him gloating about his newly born son is annoying."

"Oh, forgot about that. When is the homestead's Naming Ceremony?"

Sala shook his head. "Don't know, maybe Nita knows, but I guess 10 days and nights away?"

"Good, gives me ti—"

Aliph felt light-headed. He staggered forward then collapsed. His brother's cry fell on deaf ears as he convulsed on the moist dirt.

****

<So this... is Expondo.>

<Yes muh Great Lord>

<Hm... it's very black. The Council once had its panties in a bunch for this nothingness.>

<Muh Great Lord. This is the second-largest realm, and ever expanding. Most of it may be dark abyss, but life is scattered across it.>

<If you say so. Have you pinned where the wench is?>

<Um... yes, Great Scarlett's far, but I recognise her pull... took me a while, I don't understand why but my senses are fogyish.>

<Wait, Scarlett? Why? She wants to fight o' something?>

<Well, who can say muh Great Lord. Although I've heard rumours.>

<Rumours? I don't have time for gossip, Ri Siphyl.>

<Great Lord, these concern Great Lyrha. They say she has passed away.>

<Hah ha ha ha huh!!!! My ears are deaf to such foolishness. She isn't just a bitch, but an unkillable one. And I fucking tried.>

<Great Lord, I did say they were rumours. She may be elsewhere. It's not like anyone is foolish enough to Disharmonise her realm in her absence.>

<Never mind, I now see why she is so powerful. I would be too if I was drawing from a domain this large.>

<Don't sell yourself short, Great Lord. Your realm is the 5th largest of a 804 realms under the Council.>

<I never would. How about some exploring first?>

<Great Lord, this may be—>

<I'm no beast to be summoned on some witch's behest. If she's so eager, let her come to us.>