Slowly, she opened her eyes. There was smoke and the smell of gunpowder, her head was foggy but things were soon to become clear. Kira woke to the shouting of men outside her cabin. Kira had been travelling the seas since her parents had disappeared on their last voyage looking for a new land. She had searched far and wide and now had wandered into uncharted waters. The risk was known of man and monsters, all of which she hoped where myth and children’s tales not to be met with ever on her journey. The shouting outside her cabin continued, she quickly dressed herself and peered through a hole in her door. She could see twelve men on the deck some were pillaging her supplies, others gathering her weapons and the rest stole her rations and water. Devastated by their piracy, she quickly made a plan to gather as many weapons, supplies and rations she had left in her room and make a break for the frigate.
Kira ready herself at her door, the only thing standing between her and the pirates. “On the count of three”, she told herself, “one, two…three!” Kira pushed her door open with all her might and began to run to the frigate, the pirate captain saw Kira and began shouting commands for the crew to take her as well. There was gun fire and fighting, Kira ran and pushed, kicked and shot her way out. There was the frigate, as she made her move for it, a man who was more beast than man adorned with many scars, one in particular that caught Kiras eye. It had travelled from the top of his skull and angled its way down to his chin, this was a terrifying sight but she had no time to be scared, she just needed to escape. The giant man began to make his way to her, grabbing rope and taking a knife from his baldric.
Kira quickly responded, she aimed her gun at the monstrous man, she shot once and missed, he leapt forward and caught her. Trying to tie her with one hand, holding his knife between his teeth, Kira began to kick her back into the man, fighting to get loose from his grip, Luckily she always carried a pocket knife. She struck his leg with the blade, he shouted and loosened his grip, this was her chance to shoot. Kira saw the large man fall to his knees, “you never bring a sword to a gun fight” muttered Kira. This was her moment, Kira leapt over the side holding on to a rope, she slid down and landed in the small boat. Cutting the rope, the boat fell free. It landed in the rocky sea and soon the waves began to throw the small boat around. Kira held on for dear life, with the little she had, she began to paddle away from her burning ship and from thieving pirates. She was soon far away from any known danger and staring into the harrowingly dark night sky.
Kira knew there was no way back and to go forward would be perilous but she had no choice, as long as she was alive she couldn’t wait for the tide to take her where she wanted to go, she needed to devise a new plan, one for survival. She pulled both oars in and lay down in the small boat, it was too late to make a plan and she felt that maybe for a minute there wasn’t such a need. The ocean is a big place and she had put enough distance between her and the pirates. With eyes closing, thoughts drifted, Kira prepared herself to accept her fate at the hand of the waves. Days passed and no one was to be seen, there was no land in sight and she had no food or water. All the while she noticed the currents changing, as of something was seeking her. Closing her eyes once again, she felt a change not only in the current but the very water itself. It became like water of the north but filled with the cold touch of death, only talked about in folktales.
She prayed it would not be the great monster of the deep. All children in Kiras small township had heard the stories told to sailors warning them to stay away form the deep waters. They were all about a one man in particular who was cursed by the protectors of the sea, he was filled with blood lust and envy and was never satisfied. Always wanting more and bringing death and destruction wherever he chose. The beings watched him and saw many spirits cross over, too many had suffered at his hand. Their patience tested by his deeds and by the powered by the many prayers and cries of those he destroyed, they placed a terrible curse upon him. They threw him to the bottom of the ocean, his human form taken from him and in return he became the creature of the deep, forever to live out his days in the same darkness and destruction he created.
The ocean changed, it was no longer still and began to become very unsettled. Kira began to hold onto her most precious possession, a necklace her mother gave her as a child and call out to Leora. It kept her thoughts from getting away from her, she refused to let her mind be tested by fear. Whatever was down there was going to have to ready itself for a fight because a fight she would give. There she began to see the splitting of the waves, a large shiny black tail began to emerge from the sea. It had one hook on it, poisonous and very sharp from the many blades seen every so slightly against the moonlight. It was Kaiju the cursed man. He had watched her ship be taken over by pirates and followed her until she was in his waters again. He rested his head just above the water so she could only his see his sparkling, glass like eyes looking back at her. He chuckled and laughed causing the water to shake. He began to speak to her, “Hello tiny girl, what a predicament you found yourself in, along way from home and in my water.” Kira, bracing herself to the frigate responded, “Who are you? A water snake come to steal my boat?” She said mockingly. This angered Kaiju that he would be referred to a common snake. Like a strike of lighting his large claw emrged from the deep grabbing the young woman, he pulled her under so quickly Kira had no time to take a final breath. In this split second of hopelessness, Kira screamed out to Ahone the Great Being before taking her final breath. There was no fight, there could be no struggle. Kaiju was too strong for her, for anyone to resist his strength. He pulled Kira further down than anyone had ever gone before, there was no air, the was no life. There was only darkness and the stench of death that moved past Kaiju as he dove deeper into the depths of the sea.
It got darker and colder the deeper Kaiju went. He was stopping for nothing and kept pulling Kira further. Kira cried inside, thoughts playing through her mind like the films her father used to take her to. They were a little broken and exposed but they meant something to her. Kaiju looked back at Kira and notice something strange, she was still conscious. How could this be as no human could survive being taken so far down into the sea. This made Kaiju mad, so mad he stopped swimming and turned his monstrous head towards the small girl and began to speak. Kira, uncertain of all things decide now would be the best time to hold onto his claw just in case. “Tiny human, how do you still breathe when no other predecessors have? How do you alone survive such terrible feats and still maintain your soul?” Kira did not know how to respond to the beast, so she thought carefully and said, “When I was a child my mother gave me her necklace, she said it magic and that it would always keep me safe when her and papa no longer could.”
The mighty beast moved his head closer just with one of his eyes to peer at this magical necklace. Kira put her hands over her necklace and held it tight. “Move your hand!” Demanded Kaiju, “No! I know you! You will not take this from me!” This enraged Kaiju, he was so angry he began to change the colour of his scaly skin from black to glistening red. He stretched out his body and became very large, trying to intimidate he squeezed her just a little harder and began to speak again. “Listen to me small girl, I know everything that happens in the sea. All that is dark and evil that lies in wait her is because of me. I know your parents, I know they both were great ships captains.” Kiras heart began to sink, as he continued, “I know how they died and I know who is responsible for creating such a tragedy.” Kira became emotional but did her best to hide it, she clawed at the courage she had left and held her necklace tighter as Kaiju began to speak of things that she had told no one. “It was all me.”
Kira was broken but she shouted back at Kaiju, she would not gove him the response he tried to pry from her. “No! You’re a liar! You just say these things so you may hurt me but you can’t! I won’t ever give you the pleasure of feeding of my pain” Kaiju was taken aback and began to chuckle again, “you silly little girl, you will understand it was in my great power they were taken from you and now I will take your life!” With no escape, Kira squeezed her necklace and closed her eyes, Kaiju lifted his giant claw ready to strike the girl. Suddenly the water began to shake. Kaiju looking around was confused there was no else there in those depths, Kira just kept her eyes closed. If there was to be another terrible monster she would not want to see it. It was not another monster though, a light so bright began to consume the darkness and it pushed through down into the depths to find Kira. Feeling the warmth on her back, Kira turned to see the light, it was Leora! She had heard Kiras cry for help.
Leora was a great being, very powerful and very compassionate towards the humans who needed her. She wore armour that was made from precious metals of the heavens, it absorbs the darkness and turned it to light. Kira had never seen something shine so brightly before, Leora smiled at the girl and reached out her armour platted hand. Kira reached for it. Kaiju blinded by the great light had loosened his grip just enough for Kira to wriggle free from him and ascend to the surface with Leora. As they reached the surface of the sea, Leora sat with Kira for a little while. She had hoped to talk with her about her journey and where she hoped to go. Kira thought about this deeply and responded with a desire she had to find safety, a village where she would not be alone, a place where she was not seen as an orphan but as apart of their tribe. Leora smiled again at the small girl and told her she knew where she belonged. “Close your eyes” said Leora, “Hold on tight to my hands and don’t let go!” There was a great flash of light once again and when Kira opened her eyes she had awoken to find herself back in her trusty boat washed up on a shore.
She was exhausted and very dazed from all that had happened, Kira began to look for water. After walking through a small area of trees and shrubs she found a brook. It was a sight for sore eyes, Kira rushed over and began to wash her face and drink. In her euphoria for fresh, shallow water where no Kaiju could hide meant she didn’t take any notice of a strange old woman standing on the other side. This old woman had hair like silver and skin like leather, strong and smooth. She had markings on her body telling of stories from her people, The Sacred Trees. She called out to Kira, shocking her to look up to the voice. Kiras eyes widened, “Hello?” She said. The old woman began to cross the brook over to Kira. She reached the other side and came very close to Kira, standing in front of her, she took Kiras hand swiftly and she reached out to her Necklace. Kira quickly put her hand over it so the old woman couldn’t take it. The old woman just looked at Kira and then reached under her own dress collar. There it was, an identical necklace also made from timber and shell with one precious emerald adorning the centrepiece.
Kira couldn’t believe her eyes. The old woman told Kira to follow her back to her village. The whole way there all Kira could think about was everything that happened after her ship being plundered, everything else couldn’t have been real. Surely it was a dream or did she really have Leora the great light being on her side helping her, did this mean she really did have a “magical” necklace. Kira was more sceptical than confused, especially to stumble upon a place to now maybe call home. There were too many questions that needed answers. They both reached a small village in a clearing of trees. There was everything there the tribes people needed to survive and they all seemed so happy, they lacked nothing. A small boy ran up to Kira and the old woman, “ Wakan Tanka!” He cried with joy, “You’re back! You’re back!” And gave her a hug. “Wakan Tanka?” Kira thought to herself, she was a myth, a legend told only in stories of a brave warrior who saved her tribe from great perils. Wakan Tanka called the tribe and they all came with gladness in their hearts to see their beloved tribeswoman back from her journey.
She gathered them all around the fire to speak of what she learned from Ahone, the greatest being of all. He was the creator and brought all that was life into existence. Wakan Tanka began to speak, her tribe listening eagerly, Kira just sat quietly watching as they responded to Wakan Tanka. “I saw a great fire, it destroyed many lives and broke many spirits, it consumed a great ship. Then I saw the monster of the deep, the perverse Kaiju. He too had turned into fire. I kept waiting, the there was a great light. Ahone told me that we had a special child to take into our family, that they were born of fire and water, light and darkness. They have been chosen to be my predecessor, your next Wakan Tanka.” Wakan Tanka then looked at Kira, the whole tribe looked at Kira in amazement. Kira didn’t know how to respond. “Uh, I’m sorry, maybe there has been a misunderstanding, maybe there is someone else you’re expecting?” Wakan Tanka spoke softly, “Are you saying the great Ahone sent the wrong person on purpose? That you are not the one?” Nervously Kira answered, “Well I thought maybe it was all a dream, that maybe I hit my head and fell unconscious and miraculously washed up here.” The tribe looked to Wakan Tanka for guidance, the old woman looked at Kira and laughed a soulful laugh. She walked over to Kira and hugged her, “To the one who is given hope, let that hope be given to many.”
Kira squeezed Wakan Tanka tightly and began to cry, these were words her mother spoke to her before she left embarking on her last journey with her husband. In Kiras heart it felt like all the messed up puzzle pieces of her life came together and she could now see the full picture. Everything she had gone through, all that she had lost was not for nothing, it was turned into something more beautiful than she could have ever imagined. She had been reborn from the darkness and fire and her life now full in the light. As Kira looked at her new home, she thanked Leora for helping her, she no longer had to feel lost looking for her parents, she had a new home, one given to her Ahone, one that couldn’t be taken away as long as she lived. Kira looked at where she had been placed. This place was her sanctuary, she closed her eyes and felt safe for the first time doing so. The wind danced past her and she heard Leoras voice once again, “Only those who suffer greatly can know the importance of it.” Kira knew what this meant, all the suffering she had been through was not in vain, it was to build her and strengthen her so that she would seek what she lacked and not give up until she found it. She knew that pain was like birth, that she could come through stronger, fighting for her life. Kira breathed in and with a sigh of relief and hope she opened her eyes to see her new future that awaited.
Esoteric Realms 