Mhlaba had recuperated the energy she had expanded to bring forth the Terra formation and, hidden in the now rich and luscious jungles of what was once KZN, she managed to fill her vessel with Spiritual Energy. On the sixth day since the rebirth of Earth, she was woken up from her slumber, sensing three familiar energy signatures approaching her hideout.
Mhlaba unfurled herself from atop the tree in which she had spent the past six days, sleeping like a jungle cat. The beasts did not dare to approach her for she exuded the aura of an apex predator, reeked of unnatural power. She stretched her body and lightly jumped onto the soft ground at the same moment when three figures appeared, floating towards her from the calm blue skies.
"Is it my brother and sisters I see? Praise be the gods would never forsake one of their own. Much less their children." She exclaimed, sarcasm dripping from her poisonous tone.
The approaching figures were in fact, Mhlaba's siblings. The fellow Azurai gods. There was Mkhathi, Oshun and Nkanyezi. They had hidden their divinity, adopting human forms in order to enter this realm as they were foreign gods after all.
When the three figures landed before Mhlaba, there was a long silence that followed as they gawked at their sister with mixed emotions.
Mkhathi, the young god of the skies who looked no older than 13, with a thick head of afro hair, wide hazel eyes and beautiful caramel skin, regarded his sister with a weary gaze. Suspicion swirling deep within them. Oshun and Nkanyezi had beaming smiles, truly happy to be seeing their sister again.
"We...didn't think you...how?" Came Mkhathi's confused words.
What he had been trying to communicate was the fact that they had searched for their sister's energy signature in their dimension. After failing to locate her, they had thought her gone. All gods of the Ancestral Plains had a special signature etched into their very beings, a spark of divinity that remained even if one renounced their godliness. Mhlaba's signature had been nonexistent since she revoked her own divinity and when the siblings finally sensed her power, after all these years, they just had to come and see if it was really her.
Mhlaba cocked her head, focusing her attention on her dearest brother. As a young god, Mkhathi was still unused to his divine nature, let alone that of his siblings. She also had a deep familial love for the young god. He showed promise in caring for others. If only he could act outside of his siblings' direction.
"Oh Mkhathi, you thought just because I renounced my divinity I would forget my vengeance? You know how deep my pain is." she replied, nonchalantly, with a disarming smile on her face.
"Mhlaba, ayilunganga lento oyenza la." came Oshun's soothing voice. As serene as ocean waves lapping the shores. Her form was that of a more mature woman compared to Mhlaba. She stood tall with a head full of cascading white nappy hair. Her eyes were the deep blue of the dark depths of the ocean. She wore a cerulean blue dress that seemed to shimmer and sparkle like the surface of the ocean on a sunny day.
"Hello to you as well sister. Glad we could catch up. Now forgive my hearing but are you saying sitting around and watching my children die is more 'right' than saving them?" Mhlaba spat at her, venom laced in her words.
"You know what we'll be forced to do if you continue like this right? Big sister I don't want us to keep fighting like this. I promise we'll find a way through this together. However, interrupting the fate of this realm will have dire consequences." Oshun replied, oblivious to Mhlaba's harsh words.
There was another moment of silence. The lazy wind blew past the group of gods, carrying a buzz of energy in it. At this point, Nkanyezi spoke for the first time since arriving. The goddess who orchestrated the stars was a divine beauty. Even her human disguise proved this. She had beautiful dark skin and stood tall, her body was finely shaped under an undulating pitch black dress that seemed to be created from the darkness of a starry night. Her eyes glinted with cosmic lights upon her finely sculpted face. She had dreadlocked hair that hung down to her waist, in a deep shade of purple.
"Mhlaba, uyabona ukuthi wenzeni la?" she asked in a worried tone.
"Uke wabheka? Your energy has wrought destruction, sisi. Ubonile? Is this really what you want to do? If so, you realise you're not that different from the gods that encroached upon the Azu..."
She didn't get to finish her sentence as a thundering lighting bolt suddenly struck the ground in front of her. Nkanyezi didn't flinch one single inch, her eyes calmly watching the hyperventilating Mhlaba.
"Don't you...dare...compare me to those soul sucking scavengers!!!" the ex goddess snarled at her sibling.
The sky immediately darkened and a strong wind kicked up, bending the trees in the vicinity. Another lightning bolt struck the ground between the opposing gods. The tension in the atmosphere was visibly causing the air to shudder.
"This, what I'm doing here, is necessary. You didn't leave me any choice. Had we worked together we could've found a way. I gave you all that option yet I was turned down. Now you dare compare me to heretics?" Mhlaba's anger was evident in her whole demeanor. Spiritual Energy was leaking from her in frightening waves, causing nature around her to swell and move like living creatures, fuelled by her rage.
Mkhathi moved to stand in front of his sisters and faced Mhlaba.
"It's not too late Big Sis. We only didn't find you because your energy signature disappeared. We all searched hard for you but we never thought you would've ran to another dimension. Please. Let's go home." He pleaded with her, his childish features twisted in great pain.
When he had suddenly felt Mhlaba's energy after centuries of mourning her disappearance, Mkhathi had been overjoyed and wasted no time in trying to locate his elder sister. He wanted her to come home. Even though she could not reclaim her divinity, she still had a place in their realm.
Yet the current situation was not going that way.
Mhlaba glared at her siblings, one by one, intently studying their expressions. She would not return to that dying Azura. She had a plan and if they still wouldn't help her, then she didn't need their interference. She collected her rampant emotions with a deep, long sigh.
"I suggest you all return home and report my existence to elder brother as I'm sure you were instructed to. When you do, tell him not to interfere. If none of you will offer a helping hand then I will change everything with my own power." her voice held no anger this time around but a deep conviction. She would not be deterred. As she calmed down, the violent plants followed suit.
"Be that as it may," Nkanyezi began, putting her left hand on Mkhathi's shoulder.
"The chain of events that you've initiated could prove to be a big problem. The people of this land aren't like the Azurai. The energy you're forcing upon them might just cripple this whole dimension. Is your resolution strong enough to bear that responsibility?"
There was another short silence, during which the whistling breeze slowly rustled the fauna around the gods. Indeed it was as Nkanyezi stated. The land, having undergone an evolution, might not be able to handle the godly energy. The plants and animals might survive.
The humans though were a different matter. The power would surely corrupt many of them, fighting would ensue and it will destroy this world in the process. If the people were not led to properly utilising Spiritual Energy, Mhlaba's efforts could lead to the direct opposite of what she'd intended.
"Interesting you should say that sisi." Mhlaba suddenly sat on the ground with those words. She ran her hands through the grass and looked around her.
"Do you know the history of this land?" She asked.
Her siblings didn't reply. They didn't know the history of this dimension. Their expressions tightened in confusion at the question.
"This country of Africa was once the centre of this world. A Pangaea caused the earth to split and drift apart." She continued in a sombre voice, narrating the history she had gleaned from this Earth.
"The Africans are very much like the Azurai. They possess similar amounts of melanin and they were once able to control supernatural phenomenon much like the Azurai."
At those words, the expressions of the standing gods suddenly turned into one of shocked realisation.
"What?!" came Oshun's voice.
"You're not telling me you found..."
"An alternate universe." Mhlaba finished her sentence with a smile.
"Impossible. The chances of that happening are too slim. Elder sister you might be mistaken." Nkanyezi, whose voice sounded worried, implored.
"Since I was cast out of my home I've slept within this Earth. Gaining power. Learning of it. The Africans were enslaved like the Azurai. They forgot their power, like the Azurai. They are lost and are being continuously culled, JUST LIKE THE AZURAI!!" a spike of anger could be heard in Mhlaba's voice. She then took a deep breath and calmed herself down once again.
"It's exactly like what happened to our children. Yet there will be one difference. I will be here to guide them. This time I will not forsake my children."
"Mhlaba ngiyakucela. Cabanga kahle. If you're mistaken it still stands that you could destroy this dimension." Nkanyezi begged with much less resolve.
The news of Earth being an alternate dimension of Terah was a shock to the gods who had arrived with the purpose of trying to change the course of their sister's actions.
"How...how far along is the colonisation?" Oshun asked with a stutter.
Mhlaba took interest at her words and stood up, lightly jumping on her feet. She looked at Oshun.
"It's been over 10 centuries." She declared, flourishing her open hands with a devious smile.
The other gods were struck speechless. Their suprise was clearly etched on their faces.
According to the laws of their cosmos, with the existence of two alternative dimensions, one would serve as the lead dimension. Since events within these dimensions will be extremely similar, the lead dimensions' events will differ in a single aspect. They would dictate the events of it's mirror dimension.
The gods knew of this information yet throughout their existence they had not yet found two alternate dimensions to study. To them, this was a big discovery.
On top of that, if this Earth was the lead dimension, as Mhlaba thought, her plan could definitely work. Azura was currently stuck in its 8th century of colonisation. For the humans, the amount of time that had passed was enormous. If the Africans could be saved now, then it was possible to save the Azurai.
"I don't expect you to believe my words. However, I also don't expect your interference. I will lead these..." Mhlaba was voicing her decision again when she was interrupted by Nkanyezi.
"Then I'm staying too. I will change the fate of Azura."
"What?!?"
Oshun was further shocked. This discovery of Earth being Terah's alternate could be a true saving grace but to lose another sister is not what they came to this dimension for.
"Nkanyezi, Mkhathi, we need to leave here. You know the limits we have. Mhlaba has made her decision. Remaining here in our current forms would only hinder her plan." she calmly explained.
If Nkanyezi remained here, she would further disturb the already changing balance of this dimension.
She was a deity of Azura. As such, her divinity would be too much of an influence in this dimension and it could derail Mhlaba's objective. Thinking about it, Oshun only knew of one way she could remain here if she truly wanted to but she didn't believe that Nkanyezi would be brave enough to...
"Then I'll renounce my divinity." she calmly stated without a shred of doubt in her eyes.
"Ithi uyadlala!!" Oshun blurted out in suprise.
"Ai nakancane." came Nkanyezi's calm voice.
Another goddess had placed her resolve to renounce her divinity. This was an unprecedented event in the cosmos. Gods never gave up their divinity. Let alone for a single species.
"Mkhathi, asihambhe." Oshun sighed, grabbing the young god's hand.
They couldn't stay here any longer. She could already feel her own resolve shaking. Both her sisters had embraced mortality in the hopes of saving their children. She couldn't understand the sacrifice but their drive, that was a different matter. She understood it. Their resolve was infectious.
Mkhathi slowly followed Oshun, his sad gaze still on his sisters behind them. He didn't fully understand the current turn of events yet he could feel the weight of Nkanyezi's decision. There was nothing he could do as a young god. So he followed Oshun while deeply wishing to remain here with Mhlaba.
A portal appeared before Oshun. However, she hesitated before taking a step through it.
"I hope you...no. Make sure your sacrifices are not in vain."
She left those words as she stepped through the glowing gate before her, along with Mkhathi. After that, the portal evaporated.
Mhlaba looked at Nkanyezi who was intently staring at the sky above her.
"So why didn't you use a portal coming here?" she asked the silent goddess. At her voice, Nkanyezi turned towards her.
"The land is overflowing with Spiritual Energy. We had your signature, but it was too faint to pinpoint so we decided to search for the strongest Spiritual Energy signal. However we followed it to a young human man. Now that I think about it, his skin did look similar to that of the Azurai. Why didn't I... notice it... before?" Nkanyezi once again lost her attention to the skies, pondering something.
However, Mhlaba was stunned by her nonchalant reply. There was a stronger energy signature than hers? This came as a shock to her. She had expected herself to be the highest concentration of Spiritual Energy, followed by the mountains, then the humans along with some beasts. How was it that there were humans with a higher concentration than her?
"Nkanyezi, exactly where did you see this man you're speaking of?" she asked.
Nkanyezi turned her attention back to her for a moment to reply.
"I'm not sure of the name of these lands but it was a couple thousand miles northeast of here. A landlocked region that seemed to have been a city."
With that, Mhlaba decided on her next course of action.
"Well, I don't know why you chose to stay here but you will need to do the deed soon. I'm not going to order you around. After renouncing your divinity you can do as you wish just don't interfere with my plan. Is that clear?"
The silent Nkanyezi nodded once, still lost in her own thoughts.
*********
-Apollo-
So I had successfully completed my first kill.
No, the body did not evaporate in a cloud of goldust.
"I suggest you take it's core."
I was shaken out of my daze, staring at the dead Siren, by the demon's statement. Another core? What is it with his core fascination?
"Where is it?" I sighed.
I had already figured out that this demon would not be a great help. Ever since we made our contract, he'd just remained silent somewhere inside me. I know, that sounds creepy right.
It seems the only time he's willing to talk is when I'm in danger. Notice I said talk, because he still doesn't help. So I figured just accepting the situation as it is would be better.
"Open up the middle of it's chest. You should see some glowing orbs inside." came his nonchalant reply.
"Some? I thought you said it's 'a' core." I quipped as I dragged the heavy Siren carcass out of the fridge. After setting it on the floor, I stabbed through it's chest and cut downwards with the serrated kitchen knife. The sight of blood and gore disturbed me. I had killed animals before as part of tradition back home in KZN, however this felt a little different.
"Well this guy had two cores. You're lucky he didn't use his shadow abilities on you."
My blood froze at that statement. What was this demon saying? This creature still had more in it's tank? I really could've died during that battle.
"You wouldn't have died. I did help you after all didn't I?" He answered my thoughts.
Help? Really? Since when did he...
"You noticed it earlier didn't you? When you suddenly ran faster than usual. Also, when your galloping heartbeat calmed down. Don't both of those responses belong to the distribution of blood? Didn't you notice how clear headed and calm you were?"
Now that he mentions it, that did happen. Wait, did he really help? Still though, it was only when I was at risk of death.
I decided to push aside these thoughts for later as I pulled apart the open chest cavity of the carcass before me. Inside, covered with blood and gore, were two vibrantly glowing crystals. Each was about the size of my pinkie finger in circumference. I pulled them out of the carcass and noticed that only one of them was glowing in a vibrant yellow hue. The second crystal was pitch black with what seemed like shadows swirling inside it. As I held them I felt a warmth envelop my hand, spreading through my arm and body. The energy in them seemed to be drawing into me.
"Basic sound and shadow cores. Weak, but they'll do. Keep them." the demon muttered inside my head.
"Hey, can you like...exit my body? It is very unnerving talking to myself like this?" I pocketed the cores and gathered the rest of my equipment.
"Why do you mind so much?"
"That's actually besides the point. Also, since you've been ignoring me these past couple of days, we happen to have a lot to discuss. I would prefer to do that face to...demon I guess." I voiced my opinion as I slung the camping backpack onto my shoulders. Come to think of it, this pack was actually quite stuffed now. Considering the canned foods, the weight was considerable too, yet I was able to easily handle and move with it. Was this another effect of the demon in my blood?
"Then the realisations finally hit. You're welcome by the way." He retorted.
Granted, since I'd been too worried about my brother and still reeling from the new world, I hadn't yet acknowledged the new strength I felt in my body. I felt lighter. There was this strange, powerful feeling in my limbs. I knew it was still my body yet now that I paid attention to the nuances, it felt different. Stronger.
"We definitely need to have a talk"
********
Having completed my scavenging mission, I walked around Soweto for a while. The survivors ran about, flitting from one building to another. Some maneuvering full trolleys through the corpse strewn streets.
The community had fallen apart but the survivors were slowly picking themselves back up. Now with monsters suddenly appearing, that effort would be for nothing.
As I searched for new lodging, I paid careful attention to my surroundings, wary of another attack. However the only animals I could see now were various birds, some chickens and insects. While they were all evolved into some fantastical new species, they did not attack the humans who were amazed and still wary of their appearance.
Contrary to it, these evolved creatures seemed to keep away from the humans. While some dogs appeared, with various unreal colours and markings on their bodies, they never even approached me. Most of them ran in the opposite direction. I guess dangerous beasts are found in dark places. Which would mean night time was about to be a nightmare.
About 30 minutes later, in the area that was once known as Zola 1, next to a dilapidated Engen garage, I walked towards a face brick house that stood mostly intact. A corner of it lay in rubble and the roof had sunk along with it but it was mostly undamaged.
Somehow, I could tell it was abandoned. There was a lack of...life? Anyway, I clambered over the brick wall surrounding it and walked towards the house. Jumping through the open corner, which turned out to be the kitchen, I walked inside, checking the rooms. When I was satisfied I was really the sole occupant, I sat down on a couch in the dining room and heaved a huge sigh. My body relaxed as I closed my eyes and eased my thoughts.
"Now is good." I uttered a few minutes later.
Opening my eyes, I saw the demon I'd been conversing with in front of me. While it still looked the same as before, it's body seemed to be a bit bigger and those red markings shone brighter.
I fixed my gaze on it's large seemingly innocent eyes. Suddenly, an image of it's mouth opening into a dark hole overlapped in my vision and I had to blink it out of my mind.
What had I gotten myself into?
"So I'm guessing since you and I have what, a contract? I'm guessing that means you can answer my questions this time right?" I asked it.
The creature adopted a meditating position floating in the air. He stared at me intently before nodding once in acknowledgement.
"Who are you?"
"Zekorath, current Demon Lord of the Nether."
What the hell?
I had guessed that the Zekorath I'd heard in that vision could be tied to this guy. To think he is that Zekorath and he's a Demon Lord. My first question was already causing even greater confusion.
"Okay. So why aren't you in the Nether?" I followed up.
"I don't know. I was transported here somehow but that's all I can say on that matter."
"Can say or will say?"
"Can say."
So he's lost. A lost Demon Lord. This cannot be real. This was the stuff that anime series are based on. What was going on with reality?
"Do you know anything about the Terra formation?" I decided to enquire next.
"Of this Earth? No." He replied.
"Okay, so what are you?"
There was a short silence as he, Zekorath, pondered my question.
"I'm a race of the Nether known as a Bloodborne."
"What is a Bloodborne?"
"Beings such as myself who wield the ability to manipulate blood."
Bingo. That explains his fascination with mine. So, he says they can manipulate blood?
"Like...strengthen it and stuff?"
"More than just change it. I can wield blood as a weapon. I can also defend with it. I can greatly enhance my sense by shifting my blood and, once I can regain my true form, I can control the blood of others."
Now that's an overpowered ability is it not? So why was this guy so dependent on my blood? Wait a minute, he's in a different dimension right? Is it possible his abilities don't currently work? Maybe due to a difference in the blood of our species? No that can't be right.
"So if you're capable of such abilities why didn't you just kill me back there? You're not acting like an overpowered character." I laced my question with a tinge of suspicion.
"During my mysterious transportation to this dimension, my abilities, along with my cores, were sealed. I do not understand the method in which this was done but it basically rendered me unable to utilise my skills." he answered, lowering his figure onto the wooden coffee table before me.
So his abilities are dependent on his cores.
"Before you killed me though, you just appeared out of thin air. Wasn't that an ability?"
"Transfer. Yes it's a basic blood art that transports one to a predetermined location."
"Then how were you able to do that if your cores are locked?"
"I snuck a few drops of my blood into your system and drew power from yours. At that moment I also tried to take control of your blood but I couldn't."
Man, talk about bombshells. This guy has snuck his blood into my body? Who even does that?
"Why did you fail?"
"Your blood is foreign to me. I've never had the opportunity to study human blood and so I couldn't integrate my consciousness with your blood."
So the element of humanity saves the day. Well there's something to be glad of I guess. The Q&A session was turning into an interesting one indeed.
The rest of the day passed as I questioned the Demon Lord Zekorath about various things. I learnt a lot of new information.
Zekorath was a Bloodborne Demon Lord who had faced the betrayal of four of his generals. In the midst of it, he had been dragged to Earth. He knew of this dimension from his pursuit of knowledge and he had read of humans, however this was his first time being in this dimension. He supposedly wasn't supposed to be here. Our dimensions were not supposed to interact. They used mana in their realm to manipulate supernatural phenomena, like his blood manipulating abilities. Apparently Earth was full of a different energy that he could not use.
I further learnt that the beast I had fought was a denizen of the Nether. Which could possibly mean more Nether creatures were here on Earth. Maybe through the same way he got here. He also feared that the last two generals were after him though he wasn't fully sure of that.
Then, late in the evening as I was feeding on a can of fish with bread, the talk finally came down to our contract.
"So how does our contract work really? Explain it fully to me." I already knew how shrewd Zekorath was with his replies. I had to word my questions properly.
"The contract I invoked with you is something I only realised after trying to forcefully take control. Something I had read about your kind returned to me at that moment. Since your blood flow is so different from the beings of the Nether, it was theorised that my kind would probably have a much harder time exerting control over it. Due to this, I chose to invoke a temporary bond."
"A bond?" That sounded suspicious. I didn't want to be bonded to a demon for life.
"It's called a bond. It is not a marriage. It's a method my kind uses to contract with certain Nether beasts in return for their power. As per your instructions, I was able to take possession of your blood in exchange for the abilities that you've portrayed so far. As far as bonds go, this is the most basic of them. The deeper the bond, the more abilities and power that can be shared."
Hello. Didn't I say this was straight outta anime series? Abilities? Bonds? Powers?
"So, can I chose to end this temporary bond?"
Zekorath's face scowled deeply as he glared at me.
"True. However you have your part to uphold. You gave me your..."
"Relax. I'm not going to throw you out. You're going to be beneficial to me so I'll stick with you for now."
Critically taking into account the current state of South Africa...or the world? Anyway, with the current state, I needed a way to protect myself. Zekorath offered me that. The reason I questioned the contract is because I was interested in gaining more power from him.
"What is the next level of...dammit I'm not gonna ask it like that. How much more power can I get from you?"
"The next contract would allow for utilisation of my first core. Conversely, you'd be able to manipulate your blood to some extent."
This was getting more interesting.
As the day finally turned into night we continued with our Q&A session tirelessly. The higher the contract, the more of his abilities I could use. Then again, since his cores were sealed, I was only stuck with his blood manipulation. For me, that was already enough.
Furthermore, my blood was able to draw power from the mysterious energy surrounding me. According to his theory, since I developed a core myself, I might be able to wield abilities specific to me. He explained the method which his kind use to draw mana into their cores, which strangely sounded like meditation. I decided to attempt that later.
As I finally ran out of questions to ask Zekorath, we spent a couple of hours in silence. The night was full of strange sounds. Now and again, our conversation had been interrupted by blood curdling screams of terror. As I thought, it sounded like the beasts were hunting.
"I need to find my brother." I whispered to myself. The boy wouldn't be able to survive this new climate. I couldn't forsake him. I needed to find him.
"You know, if you share certain blood related similarities, there's an ability that can help you. While it won't reveal his exact location, you'll be able to tell if he's alive." Zekorath replied to my thoughts.
"Why didn't you tell me that earlier? How do I do it?" I asked, sitting straight up on the couch and demanding an answer.
There was a chance to settle my doubts right now.
"Hold your horses. This human tongue just doesn't make sense sometimes. What does it mean to hold horses? Anyway, we would need the next contract and you'll also need to cultivate your core a little."
"I hereby renounce the binding shared."
"Wait! Hey...!"
Zekorath shouted in surprise as he was caught unawares. I'd instantly revoked the contract we had, using the words he had taught me earlier. I had no time to waste.
"Come on. Come on man invoke the next contract." I impatiently called to him.
The demon belatedly looked at me with an astonished glare.
"What...wait...how...what."
He spent a few minutes like that before finally settling down.
After the new contract was initiated, I detailed more conditions for our bond. Since I was not a beast, the contract allowed a stipulation of conditions for both parties. Firstly, he was not allowed to kill me, under any circumstances. Secondly, he was under strict stipulation to relay information important to our survival. Thirdly, he was not, under any circumstances, except for the threat of death, allowed to take possession of my body without my express permission. The contract was invoked with only two conditions from Zekorath. I was not allowed to nullify any contracts between us until he found a way to make it back to his realm. Also, if we happen to meet any of the generals that betrayed him, he would be allowed to kill them using my body, after which he would relinquish control back to me.
Finding no dangerous loopholes, we accepted each other's conditions easily.
"Now, tell me. How do I use that ability?" I asked as soon as we were done with the contract.
"You are one impatient being. Fine. Listen closely."