"Ouch!"
I landed on my butt.
"What the fuck was that?"
In disbelief I went to open the wooden planks again that led to the…. another world. Nothing. There was nothing other than a pool of darkness. We circled around it. Everyone hesitating to go inside. It was still daytime out here, which meant that the time went faster out there.
Sobul was the first, he jumped in, and I followed. This time, it was a library, one filled with critters and roaches and cobwebs and a mountain of dust.
"Anasa!"
Ilira called from above. I responded back.
"We're still here"
They jumped in too, regretting moments later for not having any source of light. My phone!!! I clicked my tongue and tsked. Now I had to redo some of my projects.
"Does your brother know about this?"
Ilira asked.
There was a heavy chance. No one knew what went inside that head
"Don't know. Don't care"
When we were back in the mansion, Abhay filled us in with the discoveries. The Soulstar war was an enigma, no historians or researchers knew how it started and for what objective. The name was originated when the sole leader of the Serebanas, a tribal group, was killed and how the fight ended with him.
In the books, that war led to nothing, but there must be something we were missing out. Today just confirmed it.
"Does the President know?"
Enin brought up. We chuckled and went down a pool of conspiracy theories.
"That's enough, guys. Let's get to business"
We all agreed. For hours till sundown, we worked with the scripts and the books Stella had. Finally, we had a complete coordinate on the table.
The transcripts showed somewhere around in the Northern part of the South Sea.
"What have you all been up to?"
My brother asked in the dining table. Everyone's attention went towards me. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.
"Research"
He said nothing after that.
"We will be leaving tomorrow morning"
He looked dead in my eye, making me flinch and nodded his head.
"Good luck"
Like he knew something. He should know something. See, my brother was sharp. If he'd come out and say he saw an alien, I'd believe him not because I trust him but because his eyes were everywhere. His mind exceeded most.
Tomorrow morning was a hassle. We left at eight o'clock in the morning and midway, the private plane ended up suffering from lightning and heavy rain. We had to stop for hours, mid-air, but nonetheless, we touched the shore. The mysterious island that wasn't verified on the maps.
The board on the shore, read
'To those who seek,
Seek those who found'
What an odd proverb. After our landing, five people came forth to greet us, or stare us down. We bowed towards them, they neither smiled nor cursed. They wore soft linen, most of the males were half naked, with tribal tattoos while the woman wore a shawl covering their privates. They had tattoos and piercings as well.
We were literally the assholes who disrupted their normalcy. However, we made sure that we were respectful of their culture. We didn't touch anything, and we pestered nobody. The only thing we did was explore and click pictures.
The island had palm leaves, and juniper tree. It had rows of flax seeds as well. I clicked the picture. They lived in huts and there were hunting equipment next to each house. I felt unnerved under their stare. They stood in a group, staring at us, like they were about to maul us.
I looked behind me and there was no one. Might've gone searching for clues. I resumed my search, their eyes following me, and I found a temple. The villagers parted their ways. All eyes on me. Once I reached the temple doors, they beat the ground with the wooden staff they held and sang. To the earth, to the waters. Goosebumps rose on my skin.
I walked further into the temple and found a book opened from the middle, held by a wooden stand. My mouth moved before my brain followed. I spoke the words written on the book and I fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes, I met eyes with the king from before. I screamed and thrashed. Was this a nightmare?
"Calm down! Calm down!"
"Somebody please, give him a shot"
I quickly stopped moving when I heard what the lady with curly blonde hair, wearing a beautiful pink gown, say.
How was this possible?
The man from before sighed and rubbed his forehead. He sat at the chair ten feet away from mine.
"Is he really the one?"
He asked her, to which she gave a coy smile.
"I can explain-"
"Quiet!"
For a minute longer we only stared at each other. Before through the roof, Ilira, Enin, Sobul and Abhay fell with Stella hovering mid-air.
The lady laughed when the man looked like he wanted to die.
"Anasa!!"
We hugged each other. We were inside a room where the walls were half white and half golden with a bed and some chairs.
"Every one of you, be quiet!"
He stood up and went to the large floor to ceiling window and stood, back to us, overlooking the skyscrapers with flying drones and speeding cars.
"It's a long drenched in blood. However, you were the one, I have my doubts"
I frowned. The lady chuckled and walked towards me. I was still held down to the bed by the robots. She brought her hand forth.
"Mizuna"
She said.
The robot loosened its hold for me to shake her hand.
I looked at my friends, all standing awkwardly then back at him.
"I was born in blood too. Tell us"
"For a thousand years this tale had been on the tip of our tongues but never freed. Tell me, can you all bare the curse of truth?"
Curiosity was a poison we were ready to drink. We nodded our heads.
"It all started with a soul... "