Chương 25: B1 Chapter 24

After leaving E'ru's side I found Eyowon and Joa beside one of the wounded hunters. Pema had a deep cut along his thigh and Eyowon was pressing cloth against it while Joa tied another strip around the leg.

"Hold this," Joa told me. I took Eyowon's place, putting pressure on it, ignoring Pema as he groaned. Blood soaked quickly through the cloth beneath my hand.

"Press harder," Joa said. I did and the warrior cursed. Eyowon remained beside us, her serpent headed cane lying upon the dirt while her hands moved across Pema's leg. Her fingers searched around the injury, touching the muscle above and below it. As Joa tightened the wrapping, the lights returned stronger than before.

"I can see them," Pema said. Joa frowned as he stared at the warrior.

"Then don't read them." He said.

"Why?"

"You know why," Joa replied.

"Those words belong to the gods. Eyowon is the only one meant to read them." I glanced at the old woman and saw that she had gone still. For a second I expected her to agree with Joa. Instead she tilted her head toward him.

"I have never told you that," she stated. Joa stopped tying the bandage and stared at her.

"What?"

"I said the words of the gods are sacred," Eyowon replied.

"I said a man should never take words that were not meant for him and pretend the gods had given him the right to them." Her hand returned to the wounded warrior's leg.

"But these words are appearing before each of you." Joa's lips bunched up like he had ate something sour.

"But… You're the prophet."

"That is what I am."

"And you read the words that appear before you."

"I do, but the words I read are meant for me. It is not my place to say if words that appear before you are or are not meant for you." All of us went silent for a few moments.

"But are we allowed to read them?" Pema asked. Eyowon's blind eyes turned toward him.

"I cannot answer that for you. Only you can decide that."

"But if you cannot answer that question, who can?" Joa asked.

"You're the prophet."

"That gods will have to tell you," she replied.

"But that isn't helpful," Joa protested. She laughed and nodded.

"The gods are rarely helpful in how you want them to be." The warrior laughed despite his injury. Eyowon reached out and placed a bloody hand against his knee.

"Our teachings were given to us before the sky changed. They were given before words appeared before every man and woman who fought today. I will not toss away what our ancestors taught us simply because the world became strange." Her fingers tightened slightly.

"But I will not claim the gods have forbidden something when they have not told me that." I stared at her confused and unsure what to do.

"So what are we supposed to do," I ask.

"Decide for yourself."

"That's it?" Joa asked, looking at me as if I could offer him some advice.

"What would you have me do?" Eyowon asked.

"I cannot chose your faith for you." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"Mine says something about healing," Pema stated, shifting beneath my hands. All of us turned our attention toward him.

"What does it say?" Joa asked. The wounded warrior grimaced as he laughed.

"I'm reading it," Pema stated. Joa looked toward our prophet, yet she didn't stop him.

"Eyowon?"

"He has made his choice. I am not his mother." I almost laughed at that. I could see his eyes moving, and as they did, the wounded man's lips moved as if he were speaking. I couldn't help it, my eyes darting towards my own words.

[FOUNDATIONAL ASSESSMENT COMPLETE] I blinked and looked away, my heart pounding in my chest. I read it! Part of me wondered if storms might form above and something from the sky might strike me dead. Yet nothing came. The jungle didn't swallow me whole and no voice called out condemning me. Then the wounded man gasped and his leg spasmed under me.

"What did you do?" Joa demanded.

"I chose the healing!" Pema's face contorted, twisting and bunching up. Without thinking about it, I pulled the cloth back and watched as the wound began pulling together. I stared in shock, watching is the wound changed on its own. Blood stopped flowing, and he screamed, his voice filling the area. Joa moved backward and I expected Eyowon to do the same, yet she didn't. Instead the older woman leaned closer.

"What is happening?" she asked.

"The skin is closing," I said.

"It's pulling together."

"How quickly?"

"Fast," I replied. Her head nodded slowly, the tight lines that had been there on her forehead slowly fading. I couldn't believe what I witnessed as the Pema's skin pulled together and finally stopped, creating a fresh pink patch of new skin against the dark, dirty flesh of his leg.

"I'm healed," he said.

"Not healed," Eyowon corrected him as she ran her finger along his leg. They found the new spot of skin and followed the line.

"You've been… Changed. Perhaps repaired or healed enough. I do not know yet."

"This shouldn't be possible," Joa said, shaking his head.

"No," Eyowon replied quietly.

"It should not but the gods will do what the gods will do." I stood up and moved away some. They were going to argue and I needed a moment. People all around me were talking about the words. Some were reading and others were not. Those who did seemed excited. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to not give in. But as I thought about it, I considered what I really wanted. I want to be strong. Strong enough to not fall. Knowing what I was going to do, I bowed my head for a second.

"Forgive me if this is wrong," I whispered. Then I read.

[FOUNDATIONAL ASSESSMENT COMPLETE] Entity: Makua Species: Human Evolution: 0 – Mortal Level: 1 Physical Condition: Injured Behavioral Patterns Recognized: Direct Combat Hunting Spear Use Pack Cooperation Protective Aggression High-Risk Engagement [Primary Totem Selection Available] [Combat Advancement Available: 2 Levels] My throat felt dry as I tried to swallow. My name… the gods know my name… Part of me felt like I shouldn't be surprised at that. More words came.

[PRIMARY TOTEM OPTIONS] TOTEM OF THE WORLDCOIL SERPENT A path centered upon overwhelming physical power, constriction, battlefield control, relentless endurance, and crushing opponents through strength that grows more terrifying the longer the struggle continues. TOTEM OF THE SUN-EATER BEHEMOTH A path centered upon immense strength, extreme durability, destructive force, intimidation, and meeting attacks directly with a body built to survive what lesser creatures cannot.

TOTEM OF THE ALPHA JAGUAR A path centered around explosive strength, close-range lethality, territorial dominance, stalking, and decisive attacks. TOTEM OF THE TEMPEST ROC A path centered upon speed, perception, violent acceleration, devastating strikes, and overwhelming opponents before they can properly respond. [Other Option Available if Desired] [Awaiting selection] I don't know what the fuck any of those weird things are, but I know what a jaguar was, and everything in the jungle respects one.

It's because they're strong. I didn't need to read about the other totems. The Totem of the Alpha Jaguar called out to me immediately. Strength and the ability to be a powerful hunter was everything I wanted. I turned and saw E'ru still lying on the ground where I'd left him. If I was stronger then perhaps… I stopped myself and didn't go down that path.

Strength hadn't saved us when the bone jaws came. I needed to be more than strong. I needed to be the Jaguar who all in this jungle feared. So I whispered it.

"I want to be a Jaguar."

[Selection Registered] [Primary Totem: ALPHA JAGUAR] [Totem Compatibility: Exceptional] [Calling identified: WARRIOR] Fire roared through my veins. I gasped for a second as my injured arm spasmed, the cut beginning to burn. More words came as my body ignited.

[Combat Advancement Confirmed] Level 1 to Level 3 Base advancement applied. Unassigned Attribute Points: 12 [Current Stats] Strength: 18 Perception: 13 Ingenuity: 11 Dexterity: 17 Endurance: 16 Resolve: 14 I stared at my numbers, unsure how I knew what they represented and how they would affect me. Without needing more than a moment, I believed I knew exactly what I needed to ensure I was strong enough to face whatever might come next.

"Eight to Strength, two to Dexterity, and two to Endurance." I clamped my mouth shut as fire erupted inside of me. My body tightened and the cut along my arm burned. I looked down, watching the edges pull together.

"Fuck," I grunted.

"Did you choose healing too?" Pema called out. Shaking my head, I blinked a few times.

"No, I chose strength." He chuckled and shook his head but said nothing else. I felt my swollen jaw throb and then the pressure began to change. The swelling eased. Everywhere I had been hurt began to burn and then cool, like a dip in the water on a hot day. Suddenly I felt refreshed. More words started to appear but then I saw E'ru, still lying where I had left him.

"Later," I said softly to myself.

"I can read you later."