Ancestral Fire

Kheniya’s feet jutted over the edge of a slender ledge as the sun blazed behind her mahogany back like an explosion of fiery wings. She was closer to the heavens than she’d ever been before standing on the highest building in the slums. The heat scraped against her skin settling in the fine black ceremonial lines that adorned her body. She spread her arms in defiance, pushing through the thickness of the air as if to scream, “Look at me”.

A violent gust of wind whipped past her, assaulting her, challenging her, daring her to make a move. It threw her thick kinky bangs clear from her face revealing large round golden brown eyes that shone like smouldering embers. She could feel her resolve steeling itself inside her chest, hardening her will as their presence pushed in on her. They were here. The gods were watching.

Kheniya inhaled deeply letting the warm air fill her lungs. She focused her eyes on the looming tower that seemed to touch the sun itself. She closed her eyes against the scene before her and conjured the memories of a vast garden with vibrant winding colours. Blue vines hung off strong arching trees like sacred curtains protecting the space from prying eyes.She reached up towards the blooming pink flowers that draped off the vines shifted her weight from her heel the ball of her feet, slowly leaned forward and -

“Kheniya!!!!”

An ear splitting shriek cut through the vibrant colours of her memories. Kheniya’s eyes shot open as she snapped her head towards the source just in time to catch a glimpse of an inclining face, even with the horror filled bulging eyes and gaping mouth, distorting his face, she knew exactly who he was. Before Kheniya could part her lips gravity had already claimed her body and was hurling her towards the ground below.

“Khe…niy...aa”, Zherowk sputtered meekly.

His head felt cloudy and confused. He stared at the spot his sister had just been only a second ago. Maybe it was a dream, he thought, after all there was no way to leave the building from the edge and she was no longer there. How else could she not be there anymore, it had to be a dream he tried to convince himself.

His brain worked hard trying to conceal the reality of the situation under comforting lies and excuses planting him firmly in the world of denial. He couldn't understand the shaking that ravaged his body; he couldn’t understand why his vision was swimming and why air refused to linger in his lungs, after all he was only dreaming. Soon Kheniya would wake him up and he would struggle to even remember what had happened. It would all be just another fleeting dream.

So when his body crumpled underneath his weight and his throat let out one last guttural scream, he was relieved to feel the blackness slowly creeping up the sides of his vision. Soon he would wake up. Soon this nightmare would be over.





“Don’t go too far!” Kheniya screamed after Zherowk as he raced towards an old junkyard that had been converted into a makeshift playground .

“ I know,” he hollered back at her. He spun on his heels to face her and flashed a broad mischievous grin before dashing back in the direction of the rusting yard.

“Let him be. He’s a kid, he’s supposed to be reckless” Win laughed, “He’s safe here, you know they don’t care about the people in this neighbourhood. He’ll be fine.”

Kheniya turned towards Win and let out an exasperated sigh. Win was impressively tall with smooth caramel skin double hooded eyes, a strong jaw and gorgeous dark purple curls cut into a tapered high top fade. Win shook their head and laughed deeper in the carefree way that only Win could. Kheniya turned her head back towards the yard, rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her rounded hips.

“You’re a bad influence on him,” Kheniya grumbled.

She knew it was a lie but she said it anyway. Win was the reason Zehrowk could even smile again and in truth, Win might be the only reason they had survived this world. Win had found them starving, alone and afraid huddled in the corner of an abandoned ally and took them in introduced them to their family of misfits, showed Kheniya how to navigate the streets, make money and feed her brother. They had been in Ertah for so long now that her home world of Anaria almost felt like a distant dream.

A year and some months ago during the height of the great war their mother had hurled them through a star portal, while she stayed behind with their father to defend Anaria. Kheniya begged her parents to come with them but her mother told her, “If we have the power to help then we must.”

“It won’t make a difference, they’re too strong! Please, come with us,” Kheniya had pleaded.

Her mother stood tall with tear filled eyes, smiled sweetly and wove the sign to close a portal illuminating her ceremonial markings to a brilliant blue. As the edges of the portal slowly constricted and Kenya's essence began to be sucked out of the only home she’d ever known, her mom whispered in an ancient language, “ Memba yusɛf ya, yu na me yon pikin”. Remember who you are, you are my child.

“Are you thinking about your mom again,” Win asked, interrupting her memory.

Kheniya jumped, “how did you know,” she asked while internally questioning whether Win could actually read minds or not?

“You always get this look on your face when you think about her,” they answered, “I still can't believe your mom sacrificed herself to border control in order to sneak you all into this hell hole. Your country must really have been shitty for her to think -”

“Can we not talk about this,” Kheniya huffed, cutting Win off. She wasn’t actually upset, but she had told so many lies to protect herself and her brother from the people of this world, that she couldn’t keep the lies straight in her head anymore. As much as she loved Win, she could not take any chances, not when she had Zherowk.

From what she could tell the people of Ertah did not carry the same ancestral fire. In the early days after their arrival, Kheniya had run into a person performing “magic”. She was elated and allowed her own ancestral fire to rise to her skin. The person stared at her in horror as if she had summoned two monstrous heads a task only the elders could accomplish. He explained, while begging for his life, that it was only a “sleight of hand”. When Kheniya explained she would not hurt him and let the ancestral fire fade from her ceremonial scars he ran screaming into the night. After that experience Kheniya decided it would probably be safer to keep their origins a secret.

Win arched a suspicious eyebrow, “Okay Mrs. Edgey,” they mocked, holding their hands up in an act of surrender.

“It’s just still too hard to talk about,” Kheniya retorted, softening her voice to divert suspicion.

Win smiled and looped their arm with hers, “It’s fine, I get it! Let's talk about my party instead. Just because we live out here in the outer city doesn't mean we can’t party like we are inner city tower royals,” Win laughed while extending a long painted middle finger up to the tallest skyscraper in Ertah. Even from their distance in the outermost edge of the outer city, they could not escape the long shadow cast by the Tower of Gods.

BOOM.

The ground let out a violent rumble and their laughs faded into sharp gasps as they fought to find their balance. Win's eyes met Kheniya’s both holding the exact same unvoiced question, had they done this?

CRASH.

Both of their heads whipped towards the junkyard where a large cloud of dust had kicked up, blocking their view. Kheniya’s heart hammered into her throat. Her ancestral fire pooled at her feet and before she could think, she had leapt in a single step towards the junkyard screaming her brother's name.





“Are you sure you’re okay,” Kheniya demanded while gripping Zherowk by his upper arms and scanning him repeatedly from head to toe.

“I’m fine! I’m fine! Let go Kai,” Zherowk whined, slinking his body from side to side trying to loosen Kheniya’s ironclad grip.

“Not until I make sure you’re fine, bor bor nor mek ar vex” she snapped, tightening her grip and threatening him in her ancient language.

“Win, please make her stop,” he called over Kheniya’s shoulder. She loosened her grip remembering they were not alone. Zherowk took the moment to break free from Kheniya and tucked himself safely behind Win’s long frame .

Kheniya slowly rose to her feet and surveyed the surrounding damage. The makeshift playground had reverted back to a heap of junk, a web of fractures spread across the ground and the familiar landscape of the slums had disappeared. The distant rows of tightly packed houses that had once blocked the view of the inner city's boundary wall, had given way, putting on full display the boundary between the rich and the poor. Kheniya choked on her rising dread, Win’s face drained of all colour and Zherowks grip tightened. They all stood in stark terror, petrified by their uncertain reality.

“What is…” Kheniya stammered, unable to find any of her words.

“We need to go,” Win stuttered while clumsily reaching for Zherowks hand and stumbling towards Kheniya. Win’s face never left the exposed wall. The ground trembled lightly and distant screams filled the air as a raging stampede of people pushed towards them in the distance. Win whipped their panicked gaze towards Kheniya, all traces of the laissez-faire Win that she had come to know and love evaporated. Kheniya instinctively grabbed Zherowk’s free hand, nervous sweat pooling between their fingertips.

“We need to go now,” shouted Win, launching them all into motion with a vicious tug. Win led the charge expertly navigating the labyrinth of panicked people.

“This way,” Win hollered above the chaos of the streets. They slipped from the crowd and ducked into the abandoned alley, where they had all first met. Win raced towards the dead end and felt for the hidden latch behind a leaning steel sheet. The sounds of locks tumbled open and the brick wall shifted exposing a faint glow of light.

“Win,” A familiar voice called from inside the hidden entrance.

“Mookey! We’re here,” hollered Win.

“Thank the world you all are safe,” Mookey exclaimed seconds before his humongous body came barreling at them sweeping, even Win, off the floor into a bone crushing hug. Zherowk let out a pained sob and Mookey immediately released his grip sending them all crashing to the floor.

“I’m so sorry! I was just so worried about you all! I didn’t mean to hurt you Zero,” Mookey apologized, his towering frame bowing with shame. Zherowk sobbed uncontrollably. Despite Mookeys enormous frame he was nothing short of a teddy bear with the softest heart this world had ever seen. People feared him, but Win was different. Win saw his heart and had declared from early in their youth, they would be siblings for life.

“Are you hurt?” Kheniya snapped dropping to her knees and assuming the examination position once again. Zherowk shook his head frantically.

“He’s scared,” came a steady voice over Kheniya’s shoulder.

“Anisa,” exclaimed Win.

Of course he's scared, Kheniya thought. How had she not realized. Today was the second time within a couple of years that Zherowk’s life had been ripped away from him without warning. Of course, he was scared.

Anisa bent down and scooped Zherowk’s small frame into her arms. She had the gift of knowing exactly what everyone was feeling or needing before they even knew themselves. She scared many, especially those who’s greatest fear was being seen. Anisa reminded Kheniya of the wise women back in Anaria. She did not yell to be heeded, she just existed in a way that demanded your attention and respect. She was a matriarch and Win was her fierce warrior.

“Zero, I’m not sure what will happen,” Anisa started, “ I’m not even sure if we will all make it but I am sure that you are strong and we need your strength, now more than ever. You can cry for now because you're right, this is scary, but not forever because we need you Zherowk. It’s not fair, but we need everyone . Do you hear me? We need you,” she stated with a warm sternness that melted and strengthened a person at the same time. Zherowk sniffed deeply, wiped his nose on his shirt and nodded, “Good boy. Do you think you can help Cece with the food?”

Cece was brilliant, shy and born without a voice, Zherowk was curious, brave and talked far too much, otherwise known as a match made in heaven. They made each other better and being the youngest of the group they had formed an inseparable bond. Anisa knew Cece was exactly who he needed to be with at that moment. Zherowk sprang out of Anisa’s hands, wiped the last of his tears, nodded like a good soldier and raced to the kitchen.

“What’s going on” Win asked Anisa once Zherowk was out of earshot.

“They’re coming for us,” Anisa answered with a straight face, “They’re coming for the entire slum”.

“The gods,” Kheniya probbed. Anisa nodded.

“We heard it over Cece’s radio, they’re starting phase 2 of their development expansion. It’s going to come in waves but they’re dropping tiny explosives all around the outer circle. Apparently they ‘no longer need our tax dollars’,” Anisa spat, “CeCe’s aerial trackers were destroyed in the blast, but she flew another one out there and-" Anisa stopped mid sentence.

“And,” Win pressed.

Anisa exhaled, fished out a remote device from her pocket and handed it to Win. Win’s mouth fell open as the device tumbled out of his hands. Kheniya reached down for the discarded device. Illuminated on the screen was the most grotesque scene she had ever witnessed. Blood rained down from the half standing buildings, coated the collapsed rubble and pooled in all of the fractures creating rivers of blood. A charred body laid life less with what she could only presume was its missing head sitting a meter away half burnt and half frozen in terror. Kheniya retched spewing bile on the floor.

“They won't stop until the entire slums have been levelled, we have a couple of days until they reach the edge but soon nowhere will be safe they’ve increased border control and closed down the borders,” Anisa whispered.

It wasn’t an expansion, it was an extermination.

“They .. cant,” Kheniya wheezed, “good people live here! Good honest kind people trying their best. They can’t do -”

“Have you been fucking paying attention,” Win snapped, “They can do whatever the fuck they want. Weee,” Win gestured to Mookey, Anisa and himself, “don’t have the power to do anything!”

Mookey recoiled covering his ears protectively, Kheniya shivered under Win’s murderous gaze and Anisa rested a firm hand on Win’s shoulder. As if given a silent command Win immediately, stormed past the gathering and retreated to a secluded room in the back of the bunker. Kheniya searched Anisa and Mookeys face for answers, each shook their heads in quiet resignation. Something was shifting and Kheniya knew as she walked towards the room Win had just entered, there was no going back.



“You know,” Kheniya asked.

Win sat on a rolling chair facing away from the entrance, his hands resting on a desk littered with maps. Their back stiffened as they slowly spun to face Kheniya.

“What do I know Kheniya,” Win asked rhetorically, their face set in hard lines. Kheniya said nothing.

“Okay. Let’s run through what I do know, shall we… I found you and your brother starving in that dusty ass alleyway outside. Then I brought you into our home with our family because I thought you couldn’t protect yourself, because I thought you were like us…except that might not be the case! What the actual fuck was that Kheniya! You glowed, flew and Zherowk survived an entire junkyard collapsing on him? Explain that shit to me because I am seconds away from losing my ever loving mind,” Win barked.

“I had to protect us. I had to protect the only family I have until our parents could come back for us,” Kheniya reasoned.

“We are your family too and you did not protect us! Do we not matter or were we just a place for you to wait out the horrors of the slum until you could escape back to whatever magical place you come from,” Win yelled.

“It’s not -”

“You have watched us starve, be beaten, used and abused. We have taken beatings to protect you and Zero, given up the last of our dollars so you could eat. We loved you! No one ever believed your bullshit story but we didn’t care, because you were our family and family accepts, supports and protects each other no matter what,” Win raged.

“You knew,” Kheniya croaked.

“I don't care where you come from or what abilities you have or don't have. That’s not the problem. For years you watched us suffer, had the power to do something and chose to do nothing! Even if you had just been honest, we would have fucking understood! We would have protected you and you know that,” Win spat, Kheniya’s chest tightened the truth of his words settling on her like an uncomfortable skin.

“You are a fucking coward,” hissed Win as he shoved past her towards the main room.

Kheniya turned to call out towards Win and spotted Zherowk slinking away from the room's entrance. He had wanted to be honest. He had begged her to tell them the truth and she had told him no. She had been a coward, she knew it, Win knew it and now Zherowk did too. Kheniya sank into the chair Win had been sitting in and scanned the desk. Red circles were littered all over the map and the words “escape route” was written on the side of the map. Wins red pen laid uncapped. Despite the desperate situation Win was still trying to keep their family safe.

Kheniya thought back to the last moment she had with her mom, her words lingering in her head, “If we have the power to help then we must”. She rose from the seat and walked towards the main room. The bustling conversation halted. Anisa and Mookey studied Kheniya. Win fixed their eyes on the wall directly in front of them refusing to shift their gaze.

“I have to go,” Kheniya announced to the room, “I'm sorry, please take care of Zero”. Win scoffed.

“Win,” Anisa warned sharply. Win rolled their eyes.

“If she wants to go out there and die because she's too much of a coward to face us let her go. Zherowk will be fine. We'd never abandon our family,” Win jabbed.

Kheniya smiled warmly, her eyes full of sorrow, “I know,” she whispered.

Mookey eyes welled with tears, “You can’t go! It’s not safe. We’ll be safer together” he pleaded, blocking the exit with his large frame.

“Mookey,” Anisa called, “...she has to go”. Kheniya locked eyes with Anisa and nodded. Mookey took a small step to the side. Win folded their arms across their chest and tensed their jaw.

“I'm so sorry Moo. I love you. I love you all” she sniffed. After a final glance Kheniya slipped around Mookey pushed open the bunkers entrance and sprinted into the day's chaos.





“Where did Kheniya go,” Zherowk asked. The silence in the room was thick.

“Win, where is my sister,” Zherowk demanded. Win's jaw worked harder as they searched for the right words.

“We need to go find her,” Zherowk yelled, rushing towards the exit. Win caught him around the waist and held him tightly, “Win let me go,” he wormed against Win’s hold desperately punching and kicking. Win tightened their grip. Silent tears fell from their eyes.

“Let me go,” Zherowk cried.

“No,” Win croaked.

CRASH!

Cece stood wide eyed, her metal ladle bounced at her feet, concern etched on her face as she rapidly flicked her eyes between the pair. Zherowk’s limbs stiffened at the noise and his screams subsided into jagged breaths. Win released their hold, gently placing Zherowk on the floor. A feral look spread across Zherowk’s face, Win stepped back, Cece stepped forward and extended a reassuring hand. Zherowk focused on Cece’s face as he forced his laboured breathing into submission. His head throbbed as the threat of self implosion loomed over him. He placed a trembling hand into Cece’s warm palm and allowed her to lead him out of the room.

Cece gestured for Zherowk to sit on the tiny cot in the corner of her room. Zherowk carefully stepped over piles of half finished tech and plopped down burying his head in his hands.

“I have to find her,” he breathed.

Cece shuffled closer, tapped his shoulder and extended a remote device towards him. His face lit up releasing a wide grin and pent up sob, “Cece, you genius! We can use one of your trackers,” Zherowk exclaimed.

“Win,” Anisa commanded, after almost an hour of painful silence had passed.

“I know,” Win sulked. Kheniya was not coming back. Win lifted themselves off the chair that they had been moping in and walked towards the back of the bunker. They would tell Zehrowk that they would go look for Kheniya and bring her back.

“SHIT,” Win’s voice bellowed throughout the bunker. Mookey and Anisa launched into motion bursting into the room. Win stood absolutely alone, pale faced holding the ripped pieces of the large poster that hid the only other exit out of the bunker.



Time slowed. Zherowk was not supposed to be there, he was supposed to be safe in the bunker with Win, Kheniya thought frantically. Panic rose as her body fell.

“Memba yusɛf,” her mothers words sounded in her head. It was too late for regrets. She had set her plan in motion and like the moment Win saw her ancestral fire for the first time, she knew, there was no going back. Kheniya breathed deeply.

“Memba yusɛf,” The words echoed in her head. Every word Win had uttered had been the truth. She had been a coward, but not anymore.

“Memba yusɛf,” she let the words ring from her lips, she would face this path head on.

“Memba yusɛf,” She screamed ferociously. She was the child of a warrior, and the legacy of powerful ancestors she would protect them all. She would fight and she would win.

Her body lit up brighter than it had ever shone before the ceremonial lines blazing as brilliant as the sun. She wove her hands just as she had seen her mother do. The air shimmered and rippled around her, the power leaking from every pore. Kheniya called on her fire, her lineage, her ancestors, “Una Kɛr mi go na os. Take me home,” she yelled.

A portal ripped through the sky. Her essence flowed towards the hole, “Zherowk, Cece, Anisa, Mookey, Win, a dae kam,” Kheniya roared as the portal swallowed her remaining essence and blipped out of existence. Kheniya’s promise to return reverberated throughout the outer circle, she did not know what awaited her on the other side, but she knew as soon as she returned with the power that she needed, all the gods would die.









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