Open Up, Let the Light In

Had a nation existed within the entire world who was not hostile and oppressive to his people, Elliot would have walked there by now. He imagined that such a place could never exist in the world because of the tension they caused. Everywhere they went, someone was there to oppress them. For the past century their plight had been the worst it ever had been. From a kingdom that, although small, had influence over the entire world, to desolation and rubble. The Luxan people were miserable, enslaved in the land they once ruled. Their history was disappearing but some still kept hope that everything would return to normal like a prophecy said. Few still lived who remembered it other than his family. Not even grandchildren of those who lived in the age of peace still live now.

All Elliot knew of was the black and purple flag flowing with the usual dusty dark magic that all Vaalga flags had. It looked as if sut or dandruff were shaking off of it as it flowed in the wind. The flags hung everywhere from every rooftop letting everyone know that Vaalga had conquered the world. Elliot labored on allowing his thoughts to mellow out into the sound of chopping as he continued to reach his quota of 1,000 trees for the month. Every once in a while a thought would sneak into his mind breaking the silent, mental lull that had kept him going. Only on occasion would the longing for freedom rise up in response to a heinous act of cruelty against his people. The thought of rebellion grew more real everyday. For the time being though, he is able to stifle this pervasive thought and continue working. “Someday” he thought to himself.

He remembered the promises his mother made to him. The promise of a land of their own not ruled by evil desires or darkness. It was as if she were describing something that currently existed. She insisted that the world was changing, but she died when he was young and no one else held that same hope. The people of Luxafos were born to be slaves it seemed, because freedom was a foreign dream held only by the Vaalga Order. To think about freedom was to stare directly into the face of grief.

So he did not think about freedom. He labored on, hoping the lull would drift him slowly into the time when they would conquer the conquerors.

It was early spring in Eliot's 20th year when the little bit of peace the Luxans knew of was fully snatched from them. A Vaalga official was in his small lumber town inspecting the once-was forest. Elliot’s sister, Fosa, was tending to the hands of the laborers when the official noticed her beauty and offered the slavemaster a price for her.

The slavemaster agreed to the price and grabbed her hair, dragging her out of the lodgehouse. The Vaalga official named Gergos, smiled at her with the look of hunger as he introduced himself to her as her new master. Elliot watched from a distance terrified for his sister. Fosa, knowing her fate would be grim, started to fight back in her chains, screaming for help. They started dragging her away but Bif, Elliot and Fosa’s father, sprung to action. He started running yelling for Fosa as she was dragged to a carriage and collected light as he went. When he got close enough, Elliot watched his father take only a second to conjure and launch a solid ball of light that flew past the slavemaster and Gergos, ripping the carriage in two before Fosa could be placed within it.

Gergos turned around angry and released a sphere of shadows at Bif. It moved slow enough so everyone could take in and witness Bif’s death before it actually happened. It struck fast enough that when it met Bif, there was no doubt that he was dead. Elliot, still watching from a distance, cried out and fell on his knees.

Fosa screamed in grief and frustration as the sight of her father’s lifeless body overcame her. She collected light so fast that the direct area around them turned dark for a few moments as if someone were turning the sun on and off. Fosa released the light in a wave that ripped through the trees and struck Gergos and some of the guards so hard that they all collapsed in pain. Multiple guards stepped forward with weapons drawn aimed at Fosa but the other Luxan slaves had armed themselves and got into attack positions in reponse. Almost 100 Luxans were gathered by Fosa in a standoff between the 20 guards, the slavemaster and Gergos.

Elliot attempted to gather light as well to arm himself but he felt nothing so he pulled out his ax. The slavemaster yelled to the slaves to get back to work but none moved from their stance. The light around them dimmed as if the sun were blocked by clouds. Gergos looked around confused but then grew pale in realization. Feining assurance, Gergos walked forward arrogantly, saying “If you worms do not get back to your places, prepare to feel the power of Vaalga.” He got down low moving his hands upward as if he were pulling something up from the ground. As he did his hands were open, palms facing each other.

Out of the ground came a tendril of shadow that released a wave of darkness that corrupted the grass around him. Gergos closed his eyes in concentration as he began hovering a few inches above the ground. The guards lined up around him armed with their yellow batons in the shape of a hexagonal cylinder. The two sides grew silent. In the silence there was a low, electrical hum of the weapons the guards wielded. Gergos opened his eyes and stretched out his arms, open palms towards the salves. From his hands came a torrent of purple flowing liquid energy that turned the ground black and engulfed a man standing in front of Fosa. They all scattered from the dark tendrils, out of reach. The man collapsed and laid on the ground screaming in agony and writhing as if he were on fire.

The Luxan morale was broken at the man's screams. Everyone was too afraid to get near the scorched ground that was blackened and corrupted. Gergos laughed as he released a few more torrents of darkness and the people ran and screamed. Some of the Luxans retaliated back and took out a couple guards. Elliot watched in horror as his people fell to the ground in intense pain. He froze in fear watching from behind a large tree until he saw the first man who was struck by the tendrils.

The man who had first fallen was a young man named Lix who was only a couple years older than Elliot. Lix was still alive clutching for any air he could get but he could not speak. His eyes were completely black and he was crying. Elliot saw the pain on Lix’s face and grabbed his hand. Lix squeezed back very weakly, mustering up enough strength to say “Kill me… please.” Seeing the effects of the shadow magic, Elliot steeled his nerves. A dagger was on the ground next to Lix, so Elliot grabbed it and pushed it into Lix’s neck. Lix stopped breathing and for a brief moment, Elliot thought he saw relief on Lix’s face. It only took a moment for him to die. When Elliot looked up, the guards were amongst the Luxans swinging their short-staves while Gergos released more shadow tendrils into the mass of fighting.

About 5 of the guards were hit by the torrents of darkness but nearly 30 Luxans were on the ground either dead or writhing in pain. Whether they were hit by the shortstaves or the shadow tendrils, the Luxans collapsed in pain from both. Elliot walked between the trees out of view to end the pain of his brethren with the dagger he found from Lix. Gergos noticed Elliot end the life of an old man struck by darkness. He turned, indignant at Elliot’s act of mercy and said, “I was enjoying watching his pain, scum. You should take his place.”

Elliot stepped back and fell over the body of the old man he just killed, crawling backward in fear. Gergos smiled and put his palm on Elliot’s face and tried to absorb energy out of him, but none came. In that same moment, Fosa screamed out for Elliot and released another wave of light that knocked Gergos onto his back. Gergos, although dazed, got up and walked directly to Fosa without the joyful overconfidence on his face. Elliot sat back in surprise and fear as he watched the events unfold. The voice of his mother echoed in his mind as he entered into a vision.

Elliot’s mother was sitting on her cot speaking softly to him, gently wiping his face with her hand. He was in bed asking for a bedtime story with his father Bif behind her. She spoke calmly with vigor,

“Luxafos, the nation of light. It ruled the middle territory of the world, bordering every nation and the sea. Our kingdom was special because of the promise it represented between us and our God, the Father of Lights. Our people loved the Father of Lights, until the gods of an island nation known as Vaalga were introduced to us. The Father of Lights, angry at the rejection of our ancestors, deemed it good for us to be conquered by the same people whose gods they followed. Our people went from living in paradise walking with a good and powerful creator to living in slavery. Someday, the Father of Lights said he would free His people. The prophecy says, ‘To the one who opens himself up and lets in the light, he will witness the King of Luxafos be restored.’ Until then, the people of Luxafos will remain enslaved. My son, I love that you are sensitive and strong; open up, let the light in…”

The vision fades and Elliot moves to his knees, longing for the restoration of the King and whatever it would take to let the light in. Filled with strength, Elliot stands up and runs toward his sister struggling to get out of her chains as Gergos approaches. Gergos lifts his arm behind his head and arcs it downward toward Fosa.

Everything freezes.

Elliot looks around confused and notices a figure of pure light walking behind him. Any attempt to look at the being is met with blindness, like looking at the sun. When the being stands face-to-face with Elliot, it becomes less intensely lit so Elliot can see its face. He looks at it and the being smiles bringing him into an embrace.

“Open up, Let the Light in” Elliot hears in his mind. He embraces the being of light as well and is filled with it. All fear and pain is replaced with hope and peace. All is still. The being disappears leaving Elliot with softly glowing skin.

Time picks up again.

Gergos faces Elliot, frozen in fear. Elliot is oblivious, looking down at his hands and then up toward where the being approached, in awe of what just happened. On top of his head he notices the sensation of something heavy. When he reaches up, he picks up a glowing crown. He remembers where he is, and fearfully turns to look at Gergos, feeling his gut wrench at what he may witness.

The scene shocks him.

Gergos has milky white eyes and is crawling slowly toward Elliot feeling the air in front of him. Instead of killing Gergos, Elliot walks to his sister and melts the chains with light. She looks up at him, confused but relieved, crying softly. She embraces him and looks at Gergos. Elliot grabs her face and says, “Fosa, the Father of Lights is here. He wants you to open up and let the light in. It will bring you peace.” Her skin begins to glow.

A year later, Fosa and Elliot walk through the woods where the rebellion began, remembering a time when a dusty purple flag dominated their lives. They lay flowers on their father’s grave. Elliot thinks of his father the night he first heard the prophecy when his mother told him the bedtime story. Did he believe her?

“The Father of Lights really came dad. Mom was right all along.”