O Saga: Part One: Book of Origins
Chapter One: Unknown

The thunder shook Rovan to his bones as he watched lightning strike an island in the distance. His hair stood in the electrically charged air. Unnatural, eerie feelings overwhelmed him as the ship thrashed through unkind seas. Rovan stood on the Main Deck, contemplating his uncertain future.

He looked down at the dark water the ship was navigating, cutting through them like a knife. He knew that this journey might be his last. Would he survive to tell the tale?

As the waves crashed against the ship’s sides, Rovan heard the planks creaking. The taste of the thick salty air lingered on his lips as flashes of light continued to light up the night skies. His clothes felt damp and cold.

He was young, but these were uncharted waters to most. Rovan had long, braided black hair and kind brown eyes. He was tall with an athletic frame. His dinged-up armor and tattered clothes were soaked and reeked of something awful.

When he left home with his Master, there wasn’t any time to explain the situation to anyone. He wasn’t very sure he knew what was happening. He knew it was necessary, that he could sense. His intuition gave him unique insights, like all Knights who can connect with the O element. It was telling him that strange and vital things were happening.

What could have brought mighty Knights like his Master into stormy waters like this? His Master, Akiva, as she sometimes let him call her, was a respected Knight from Zehra. Even though Rovan was from Tara, they spent little time discussing their differences. They were subjects to Sultan Graeo’gi, ruler of Anahiti, but they were only truly loyal to each other.

The Source of All Things gave the O element and the Knights their powers. Most Knights forged weapons like swords or staffs out of the element. Some just wore jewelry made with it. It served as a conductor of the power, not the origin. They could tap into various abilities if the O element were near them. It made them limitless.

Many schools of thought and Orders dedicated themselves to the O element, but mostly, it was scattered Masters and Apprentices throughout the lands. Rovan preferred that it was just one Master giving him instructions, as his Master was enough of a pain to deal with. He was grateful to have a great Knight like Akiva to guide him. He idolized her.

The Ship belonged to The Masters of the Oracle and wasn’t supposed to travel through Anahitiian waters. Rovan and his Master risked accusations of treason and punishment for helping foreigners. The Sultan wasn’t known to be forgiving or understanding.

Master Akiva conversed with Master Nokomis, the most respected swordsman in the entire Order. It seemed to Rovan that his Master was doing most of the talking. Master Nokomis’s stern gaze lived up to its reputation. Rovan was glad his gaze wasn’t staring at him.

Rovan would flinch and duck down whenever the lighting struck the Island. He knew it would keep happening, but it was an instinctual reaction. He stood firmly on the Ship’s port side and gripped the railing.

Master Nokomis had short white hair that was balding in the front. A trim white beard highlighted his thickly lined face. He wore traditional orange linen monk robes and carried a black staff. The Master of the Oracle spoke a foreign language Rovan did not know, but they used the common language to talk to them.

Rovan and his Master spent most of their time by themselves. Akiva told him that The Masters of the Oracle lived in The Republic of Viracocha. There were many in their Order, but Seven Masters led it.

Each of these seven had a field of expertise. Master Nokomis taught Martial Arts and Military tactics. They were the most feared and revered of any Order.

In Anahiti, each Squire Apprentice just had one Master. It may have been less of a balanced education, but there was a stronger connection between Master and Apprentice.

Rovan spotted two other ships approaching the same Island they were heading for. His muscles tensed in alertness as he didn’t know if they were friends or foes.

His Master walked back over to him.“Rovan, I need you to focus on the here and now, my young Apprentice. You drifted off the moment when we set sail.” His Master said with her usual whimsy.

“Yes, Master. Of course, Master.” He said, straightening up.

Dressed in her traditional golden armor and face painted with warpaint, Master Akiva cut a gallant figure. She was taller than Rovan and more muscularly built. Her dark skin made her traditional tattoos hard to see. She was skilled with a sword and fierce in battle. Rovan felt confident being by her side despite the danger.

Rovan was wearing dull, grey armor. He was confident enough with a sword that he was never too concerned about its weaknesses.

They were close to the Island now and could see the other ships floating in wait. Rovan knew the flags flying on the other vessels to be that of Hanwi and Eladoer. That told him he had no reason to be concerned just yet.

The Order of Medicine Wheel mixed in with the other crews. Rovan could tell because of the wheel symbols on the surcoats. Everyone seemed to be waiting, but he didn’t know why. The Order of the Medicine Wheel were considered capable warriors, but mostly, they came to battles to heal the wounded.

The seas were calmer as they approached. The lightning was still frighteningly hitting the Island, and the thunder that followed felt like it shook the whole of creation.

The Island wasn’t extensive but seemed covered in unusually cut rock formations. It looked carved by hand instead of natural erosion. He wasn’t sure what kind of rock it was or even where they were in Anahiti. Rovan couldn’t be too sure they were even still in Anahitiian territory.

“Rovan, we’re here because The Masters of the Oracle had a vision. They saw this Island and sensed a weapon of great importance would be there. There is a good chance that other parties with less than good intentions might also have sensed this. We’re here to ensure only The Masters of the Oracle replace this weapon. I’ve known Master Nokomis for a long time, and I trust him as much as he seems to trust us.” Master Akiva finally explains to Rovan. “We have found The Island of the Blessed, and I need to know that you are prepared to give your life for this cause. The fate of everyone in this world might be in the balance, but I have complete faith in you, my Apprentice. Do you pledge to the ancient Order of Anahiti that many thought extinct? Will you join me as the only other member? No longer my Apprentice but fellow Knight?” She asks, offering Rovan’s sword in her hands. Lightning flashed bright above them, and the thunder shook the Ship like an earthquake.

Rovan stabled himself, then kneeled to one knee and bowed his head. “I am prepared, Master. I pledge myself to you and the ancient Order.” Master Akiva took his sword and tapped him on both shoulders while reciting ancient words, then pronounced, “Rise, Sir Rovan, Knight in The Order of the Sun .”

The Island of the Blessed is an ancient name lost to the memory of time. It is a place of mystery and magic. Until now, Rovan thought it to be a myth.

The lightning storm and thunder paused for the first time. The seas calmed, and an eerie quiet hung in the air. Rovan had never seen nature act so strange before. A sudden shroud of deep darkness that even veiled the stars. What sort of madness is this, Rovan thought?

All these warriors are just sitting in the dark but waiting for what? The sky exploded with light as streaks shot through the dark skies. They looked like a raging fire shooting through the sky and illuminating the world like a torch. Rovan had never imagined stars could move with such fury. It was as if all the stars in the sky were falling out of their place. The fire didn’t fall to the Earth, only stretched across the heavens.

Master Hiawatha, leader of The Masters of the Oracle, shouted, “This is it! The sign we are waiting for!”

Two ships sailed around the Island in different directions, looking for light underneath the water. They were looking for an underground entrance. Rovan’s Ship watched for threats and kept an eye on the horizon.

After some time, word reached them to sail to the Southwest corner as one of the ships had spotted what they were looking for. As the Ship approached the southern tip, it struck Rovan that the Island had a serpent-like shape. He saw a glow underneath the water’s surface by the other ships. The light had a shimmering quality, almost like when light passed through a gem. Rovan couldn’t imagine what the source of the light was.

The three ships formed a defensive formation and decided Master Nokomis would hand-pick some knights to dive down. Somebody had hidden the weapon in an underwater cave, Rovan thought.

Rovan and his Master were part of Nokomis’s group diving down. The people of Anahiti were well-known to be incredible swimmers. It dawned on Rovan just then; that’s why they brought us.

They would dive into uncertainty and follow the light, looking for an entrance. As the strongest swimmer, Master Akiva led; the rest were for security. No one knew what they might replace deep into the depths. The skies a blaze above and shimmering light below, Rovan was nervous about what they’d see next.

They all took a deep breath and jumped over the Ship’s side. Surrounded in empty darkness at first and ice-cold water, Rovan located his Master. They all swam, hoping she was leading them in the right direction. Chasing the light, Rovan moves his arms and legs fast through the water. He hoped the next stroke would bring him to the entrance and air. Rovan can start to make out a shape forming ahead of him in the water. As Rovan’s arms tire and his lungs feel like bursting, he gasps with fright as the enormous face of a serpent appears. It is a stone serpent, and he realizes everyone enters its mouth. Rovan reluctantly follows.

Stalactites angled at him like fangs, an unwelcoming sight, to be sure. To be swallowed by a serpent, even a stone, is enough to make anyone feel uneasy. The struggle to reach air goes on, for they seem to be in the esophagus of a cavernous tunnel heading deeper into the belly of the beast. Rovan is at the edge of how long he can hold his breath, yet the tunnel continues. His mind feels as if he’s about to fall asleep at any moment.

Channeling light energy to their swords, they connect to the O element, and the tunnel illuminates. The tunnel arced up and down, but still no sign of air. Then, a bright blue light streaked by him and circled his vision. He cannot see the others as it is too bright. He feels as if he’s flying or falling. He cannot tell the difference. He had the sensation that he was moving at a tremendous speed. Darkness took over his vision, and he lost consciousness.

Rovan awoke and found himself lying beside a pool of water and in some long grass. It was nighttime, the last he remembered, but it was bright and sunny here. Where were the shooting stars in the skies? Before, a cold chill and wind ripped through you, but now it was warm and calm. The wind gently caressed the grass, and the flowers were in bloom. The air smelled sweeter than any place he had ever been. It was almost dreamlike. He heard birds chirping and touched the soft ground.

All the others seemed to be as confused as he was. He located his Master, who stood with her sword and focused on a giant mound before them. Long grass and flowers covered it as well. Rovan was shocked to realize the mound looked like a female human lying on her back. Two hills that looked like breasts and two higher peaks that looked like legs with their knees bent. The mid-section of the mound was big and round. He saw the entrance was between her legs. Rovan became slightly embarrassed by what he was looking at. A stream of water flowed from the womb-like entrance into the pond they arrived by. He realized it was a pregnant lady of grass, and they had to enter through its womb. Things kept getting stranger.

The mound’s shape made a certain kind of sense to Rovan. Most creation stories he had heard said Mother Earth birthed us, but he didn’t take this to be so literal. Was life created here?

“What happened? Where are we?” One of the others asked in a haze.

“We are on a different side of the planet altogether.” His Master stated shockingly.

“If we’re even on the planet or even a place in time and space.” Master Mahkota stated.

Rovan had heard Mahkota was the Master who studied the metaphysical connection to the O element. Rovan sensed her connection to the element was deep.

“How is that possible?” A voice from the back asked that Rovan couldn’t see.

“I don’t know how, but we can all sense the truth.” Master Mahkota calmly replied.

“Now what, Master Nokomis?” Quizzed one of the Masters.

“Two of you wait by the entrance in case someone comes through the way we came. The others will come with me through the mound entrance, as you will be the ones to help me replace my way back. It is said to be a labyrinth, so I’ll need someone to stand at every turning point.” Rovan and his Master again went with Master Nokomis.

They entered through the womb-like opening, which led to narrow tunnels overgrown with dust and vegetation. Aside from the water running underneath them, it seemed like it had been undisturbed for a long time, perhaps hundreds of years. Using their swords to generate light as they made their way through this claustrophobic environment, they slashed at cobwebs as they descended. Every so often, as the tunnels split, one would stay behind.

Rovan was the first left behind at a tunnel split. He watched as their light grew dim and moved away. Crossing his arms in disappointment, Rovan threw his back against the wall.

He waited for them to come back for some time. The air smelled of mold and rot, which attacked his senses. He would use his sword for light now and again when he heard a loud noise, but he was mainly standing in the dark. He would feel something crawling on him and try to resist the urge to be creeped out. He thought about his training and how to concentrate one’s mind to block out the world. He was almost falling asleep and forgetting why he was there.

Rovan was startled back from his haze. He saw some light coming closer, and a voice shouted, “Go!” Rovan started his way back out, and you didn’t have to ask him twice. By the sound of the footsteps behind him, he knew he had to move quickly not to get run over. He saw the light of the entrance and was out in the green grass in no time.

The others came spilling out, and he saw his Master come out last. Rovan didn’t see Master Nokomis, though. Shortly after, Master Nokomis came rushing with something wrapped in cloth. The cloth looked like part of Master Nokomis’s orange robe. He was holding a baby, to Rovan’s great surprise!

He was initially confused, as it was supposed to be a weapon from the heavens. By looking at the other’s faces, they were just as confused. They didn’t have time to think about the significance of the child or whose child this might be.

“Now, what do we do? How do we get back?” Someone pleaded.

“Isn’t it obvious we go back the way we came?” Snapped Master Nokomis.

“Nothing about this has been obvious.” The Master defended himself. It wasn’t a time to stand around smelling the roses, and they all got in line to wade into the water they came by. They didn’t have any idea what to expect on the other side. They hoped the enemy was nowhere and calm like before.

Rovan woke up realizing he was underwater again and needed to regain his senses quickly. He swam as fast as he could to the surface. When he finally breached the surface, he gasped for air. It took a moment to get his bearings. He returned to a world of confusion as he saw the ships they came on were damaged, and chaos reigned. The world was on fire.

_____

The Witch of Hagar and her Shadow Covenant had arrived. People of every land whispered rumors and dark tales about her. Rovan thought she was a myth, too. Today had been a day when myths stepped out of dreams to become realized nightmares.

The Witch and her Coven waited until the Masters did all the hard work. You don’t have to solve all the clues to the mysteries; follow who might. Then, when they get the prize, you take it.

Rovan looked for a place to go, but the ships were gone. They were burning and destroyed. Rovan didn’t know if the Witch’s forces had killed everyone or if they were captives. He sensed that his best bet was to swim to shore and scale up the island slopes. Staying in the water was certain death. He had to survive.

Rovan saw his Master already on the slopes ahead of him, as it seemed others had similar ideas. He quickly caught up to the rest. All the Masters of the Oracle were there, as was the child still in Master Nokomis’s arms. Just then, a blast from a ship leveled bits of the slope above them, raining debris upon them. They all managed to avoid injury. They needed to pick up the pace.

They were three-quarters up the slopes when Rovan looked down and saw a small boat filled with soldiers dressed in armor he didn’t recognize. They had their swords out; he knew they must be the enemy.

Rovan was terrified as he saw how none of their ships had survived. He had no clue how they would get off this Island alive.

Blasts of energy slammed into the cliffs, but they seemed intended to scare, not kill. Rovan thought it was too late to go back underwater and head to the strange land where they had found the child.

They had almost reached the top, but he wasn’t sure which direction would yield a better outcome. All seven of The Master of the Oracle leaders and a dozen of their knights were with them. A similar number of enemies looked to be climbing from below them.

They reached the island plateau only to replace the enemy waiting there. Women in red hooded clothing supported by soldiers in black held weapons out at them. They instinctively formed a defensive circle around Master Nokomis and the child. They pulled out their swords and staffs. Rovan found his heart full of courage and steel.

The Witches made a gesture that said to surrender. They couldn’t go down, and they couldn’t continue forward. Enemy ships were moving to cut off escape lanes. The Witches’ main vessel anchored in an attacking range below. A fleet filled with red robes, figures, and soldiers. The Masters of the Oracle didn’t scare so quickly, nor was Rovan.

Master Orono stepped forward and said, “I have an idea!” Everyone looked at him as if to say, “Ya, go ahead and say it.”

“What is it?” Master Hiawatha asked.

“It doesn’t matter. I need to meditate, and you all need to keep me safe while I do.”

Everyone just looked at each other in bemused glances. Then they did as Orono asked.

Realizing the Masters were not giving up, the Witches and their legions attacked on the plateau. The Master’s circle moved to the very edge of the slope. Rovan looked down at the soldiers in dark armor crawling up the slopes like ants coming out of a hive.

Master Hiawatha moved to the edge and pointed his staff down at the attacking forces below. He sent a pulse of energy from his staff at them that sent rocks and body parts hurling towards the water. Some of them had disintegrated. Master Wabasha had her staff pointed at the attacking wave of soldiers on the plateau. About forty soldiers were attacking on the plateau; it had been a trap. She sent an energy burst that cut through the front line of soldiers. Blood and body parts separated from their hosts as piles of gore covered the rocky surface. It didn’t stop the waves from coming in either direction. Waves and waves approached them, but such foes did not challenge the Masters. It seemed the witches were saving themselves as the Masters got tired.

Over and over, Masters sent energy from staffs and swords as enemy soldiers cried out in pain as they tore apart. Keeping together to protect the child is all they can do.

Straddling the plateau’s edge, they had nowhere to go but used it to their advantage. How many had died on the ships and how many of them would survive on these slopes was up to fate. Rovan just prayed fate was on his side. He would keep fighting to his last breath.

Rovan and his Master were sending waves of energy as well. It was the first time he had done so outside of training. It was a feeling of mixed emotions, for Rovan was killing and taking others’ lives. He learned that all life was precious and that he didn’t enjoy what he was doing. He knew the enemy wouldn’t show him the same mercy if they had a chance. He knew he had to fight for this child to survive as well. He sensed the outcome of this could have tremendous cost to countless innocents.

His Master gave him a look of approval and reassurance. They fought back to back. The enemy was being kept at bay so far.

Some Witches stepped forward from the back of the plateau and began to send energy blasts of their own. They must have decided the Masters were tiring. The Masters around Rovan were too powerful. They deflected the Witches’ blasts with shields of energy. They could manipulate the O element in ways Rovan couldn’t comprehend.

Flashes of light from both sides of the fight illuminated the world. The constant battling made it easier to know where the ledge was. Unnatural smoke and acrid smells filled the air.

Just when Rovan thought he couldn’t hold his sword up any longer, Master Orono shouted, “It’s time to make a run for it. Help has arrived.”

What help, Rovan wondered. Was there a backup plan to send more ships to their rescue that he did not know about? Won’t the Witches blow these ships out of the water, too? Only he could not see any vessels waiting down below. Where is the help? Have they been destroyed? All he could see were rocks with soldiers still coming.

Rovan and the Masters descended the slopes and headed straight for the opposing forces. The Witch’s troops on the plateau were now standing on the edge, looking down upon them but not coming down. Rovan could see 4 or 5 enemy ships lying in wait around the Island. He didn’t know how any ships could get in or out this way to help.

Master Hiawatha led the charge down, and the enemy could not stop the powerful Master. He was clearing a path to the sea, but what would be waiting? A boat full of soldiers took turns climbing from the boat onto the slopes. Master Mahkota teamed with Master Hiawatha, streaming their energy blast together, and aimed it at the Ship. It exploded into fire and cleared the area for them to get to the water surface. Master Nokomis had been holding the child the whole time. He had channeled his abilities to create an energy shield around him. He tried to cover the child as much as he could with his own body, anything to protect it.

They had reached the water’s edge again, but no ship was waiting. All Rovan could see was giant rocks and enemies still maneuvering towards them. Master Orono whistled loudly, but to whom it was uncertain. All has been for nothing, Rovan thought.

Then, to Rovan’s surprise, giant rocks began to move. What in heaven and Earth was he seeing? It was as if the very world was coming alive. It suddenly became clear that these weren’t rocks. They looked like giant tortoises.

Rovan remembered hearing stories about them as a child. His mother would tell him stories about the Giant Tortoises that guarded the Island of the Blessed. Rovan pinched himself, but he wasn’t dreaming.

These giants were moving towards them with tremendous haste. Rovan was unnerved by their size as they approached- they were the size of a ship. The enemy was moving some of their vessels in pursuit.

Three of these colossus Tortoises seemed to be communicating with Master Orono. The Master signaled for everyone to climb on top of them. The Tortoises dove low to make it easier for Rovan’s group to get on. The enemy was now trying to send blasts of energy at the tortoises but to little effect. They shot at them from ships and from above. Everyone managed to replace their way on the backs of one of the tortoises. There were deep grooves in their shells where they could grip.

The Witch’s forces keep trying, but the group is moving too far away from the cliffs to be in range. One of the Witch’s ships has moved to intercept them.

Rovan looks onto the deck of the Witch’s Ship, and a chill runs down his spine as he realizes: The Witch of Hagar herself appears to be on that Ship. He doesn’t know what she looks like, but he senses the immense darkness, unlike anything he’s felt before.

Master Hiawatha spotted it as well and took a defensive position. The Witch of Hagar starts to hurl all kinds of dark energy blasts their way. Rovan has never seen such strange ways to manipulate the element. The Witches’ efforts are futile as Master Hiawatha can counter them. It looked like they were running out of an escape route as the Witch’s Ship blocked their path.

Master Orono yelled, “Hold on tight and hold your breath!”

The Giant tortoises were diving down into the water and underneath the ship. Rovan was glad to be heading under the surface for once that day. They came up on the other side of the ship, and before long, they were out of range of the enemy ships. Soon, the battle and enemy were a distant memory. Today, they live.