CHAPTER 35: GODS AND MYTHS

She stared at him, eyes steady and calm—so clear, so deep, that each slow blink felt as though the world shifted with it, moving at her pace. There was a weight to her stillness, a grace like water suspended in the air, somehow falling with grace.

Despite her current size and the fact that she was seated, he technically had the height advantage, yet it didn’t feel that way.

There was something about her—something in the way she looked at him, even in the way she blinked—that made him feel they were not on the same level. It made it seem natural that she should be adored, a kind of supremacy carried in the air.

He looked intensely, trying not to miss a detail. His lips curved slowly, forming a smile that didn’t quite belong to joy—a smile of wanting, of awe, one born of a fascination so sharp it seemed it could consume the very thing it admired.

This feeling—the way she made him feel. Yes. He had to learn that. This wasn’t something to let go to waste. Finally, something that might have been missing from his poise. Just the thought of adding whatever this feeling was to his poise made his lips curve without him even noticing.

One would think this child was in the ’room’, but he had moved to a world of his own.

Now Lilan had to flinch. What was his deal?

Oblivious to the young one’s mind exploration

The King’s hands remained on his shoulders — not resting, but anchoring him.

"Well, Ajab..." he said quietly, breath warm against the side of his head,

"meet Lilan... my Mystic Being."

"Hmm," Ajab nodded. "So, what’s a Mystic Being?"

"Ehn?" The King felt as if someone had dropped a metal plate on his head. "What do you mean, ’What’s a Mystic Being?’"

Ajab remained facing Lilan, unsure of the effect of having his father lift his hands from his shoulders—but he could guess. He wanted to shift, to look at the King directly, not tilt his head backward to respond.

Since that was the case, he kept his gaze where it already was, though his brows couldn’t help arching.

He wondered if this was something common that he had somehow missed.

"Is it common?" he asked.

The King’s gaze dropped, a sharp glint in his eyes. "So, in essence, you’re telling me you never paid attention during your tutoring sessions?"

Ajab’s brows drew together as shadow formed over his eyes. Now he had no problem tilting his head. What did his father mean by "not paying attention"? He always paid attention. The best strategy, he had found, was to grasp things quickly so that everyone could continue on their merry way. What, then, did his father mean? His sharp gaze lifted to meet the glint in his father’s eyes, pinned from above.

"Is Father saying this son of his plays around during unending, nonstopping barade of tutoring?"

His father’s face remained unchanged as he drew closer. "Is this son of mine saying he pays attention and yet—" The King paused, as if recalling something. "Oh, yes. It used to be a tall tale from before your time. Told in stories, nothing fancy. Now it’s advanced study... seems it slipped my mind."

Ajab’s gaze remained upward, tears threatening to form. What? Advanced? So his torture had an advanced? He only gave his best so that he’ll be done and finally be free, now there’s an advance? His eyes shot into a bloodshot "Is father saying there is an advance to what I’m already going through?"

His father fixed him with a steady stare that screamed ’of course didn’t you know?’ "You’re only five, so naturally, your tutoring focuses on the basics."

One of Ajab’s eyes began twitching uncontrollably. "Father I have twenty tutors then there’s You. Are you saying It doesn’t end but I get an advanced even?"

"Ahem..." His father gave a small nod. "So don’t slack off."

Ajab’s lips began twitching too. It seemed just resigning was not going to be enough. He needed to start planning his escape.

"Mystic Beings are often referred to as ’Borns of Nature,’ at least by some. Old tales describe them as gods, though that was a very long time ago. They were worshiped as beings of power, and even old temples honored them. Eventually, they became myths—lots of myths, don’t you think?"

Ajab had lowered his face, but his lips were still twitching.

Well the kid was alive, so he definitely was listening, probably too engraved. He continued "No one has seen them or been in contact with them, being Beings from the Unseen Realm."

Whoosh—the sound snapped Ajab out of his traumatized state.

Lilan had risen from where she was seated. Though her form was small, it felt as if the entire space moved with her. Her flames dangled at every step, Ajab didn’t know how to describe it. The fact also that she was eight legged was taking him time to digest.

After a few careful steps, she settled on a padded snow-covered area, coiling her body, stretching her wings, and closing her eyes for a nap.

Ajab looked at his father—the second time he had to tilt today—with a burning question he didn’t need to voice for it to be understood.

The King smiled. "She said it’s no fun if you can’t speak with her. She has no interest in my story either, so she’s returning to sleep. She asked you come back when you can talk to her—she’d love that. She doesn’t want any ’interpreter.’"

"But... I didn’t hear her neigh," Ajab said. "I thought that’s how you two communicated?"

The King laughed. "She only neighed because she thought it would be funny."

Ajab blinked, staring blankly before nodding. He didn’t fully understand their bond, but it was clear—they were cut from the same cloth. Why should that surprise him?

He had other things to ask so he just moved on.

"How do you both communicate then?"

"We’re bonded to each other—that’s how."

Ajab blinked. "How, then?" Whatever he said did not explain anything.

"We’re bound by Bloodwoke; I can simply hear her."

Ajab blinked. Why was it so hard to get a satisfying answer to a simple question? "Through what? How? It is yet to make sense."

"We communicate by sharing our thoughts," he explained

"Oh....so one can just hear the thoughts of those under Bloodwoke with them?"

The King smiled. "That’s just unique to her"

He nodded, though it still didn’t fully make sense. "I’m not bound to her through Bloodwoke—so how does it work? She said ’when I can talk to her.’"

The King exhaled, hands on his chin. "Urm... it’s going to be different for you. All you’ll have to do is awaken and master the Thousand Fathers."

Ajab’s brows tightened as he considered it. "But why is—" He paused, raising his shoulders, realizing he couldn’t feel his father’s hands.

He instantly tilted his head to see his father, one hand on his chin, the other tracing his brows. His eyes widened, expecting the familiar crushing pressure to return.

Nothing came. He opened his eyes—still standing. Phew

His father noticed and laughed. "Stay within a certain range of me, and you’ll be fine."

And he had been stuck here since. If he’d known, what would have made him stand this close with someone towering over him from the back? Causing him to tilt—he counted, three times now.

He wanted to move but wasn’t sure he wanted to risk it... after all, the man had said "certain range" without specifying.

All that aside, he was still unclear from before. "Why is it different for me?"

"Hmm..." The King kept his hand on his chin, gazing down. "You already carry the bloodline. All you need is to Awaken"

It still wasn’t clear. "By that, is Father saying he didn’t have the bloodline at some point?"

The King looked at him. "Wow. You sure have your lines of inquiry."

"Also, if Mystic Beings are merely myths, how do you possess one? And where exactly are we—is this the Unseen Realm?" The last question burned in his mind.

The King chuckled softly. "First, this isn’t the Unseen Realm—it’s called that for a reason. This is merely where Lilan resides. As for how I came to have Lilan..." His eyes drifted into the past before returning. "That’s a long story."

Ajab nodded. "In essence, Father has no plan to answer me fully."

The King bent to his head level. "Some things only come later. For now, you study."

He straightened, his gaze steady. "The High Priestess came to me about a Divine Hear and an Insight. It’s been years now, but even before that, Lilan could sense that some things were out of place."

"Ajab, a single Mystic Being can change the outcome of any battle. What do you think would happen if there were more than one?"

"Aren’t they supposed to be myths?"

"Well, aren’t you looking at one?" He nodded towards Lilan

"Is Father trying to make me understand something?"

He continued stroking his chin. "Lilan cannot sustain her giant form outdoors— it’s not even her true form, though it makes no difference. He exhaled.

"Is Father speaking of an impending war?" Ajab asked.

The King’s lips curved in a smile. "Well, something is coming"

"What is?"

He stared down at him. "One thing at a time. A king can only prepare as best he can, but for now, we handle what’s in front of us."

’And what’s that?"

"You’re in white robes, aren’t you? Come," he said softly and clearly. "We have things to take care of"

In a different place,

a figure lay on a bed. Each turn he took seemed to be the result of a sudden lightning jolt.

He flipped his head to the right, then to the left, then—after a heavier jolt—he opened his eyes. Unlike what one would expect, they opened slowly and deliberately, unusual for someone rumbling the way he was.

He realized he couldn’t see—not because the room was dark, nor because his sight had failed him, but because something soft and silky rested over his eyes.

The sensation was unpleasant. Instinctively, he tried to lift his hands to tear the thing away and relieve himself of its hold. But his arms rebelled, snapping back with a ferocity that sent a harsh current of pain rippling through his entire body.

Pain was no stranger to him, and even though this one felt like a thief of peace, he did not panic.

If his hands were of no use, then he would lift himself instead. The thought had barely formed before he attempted to raise his entire body from the bed.

But his body wouldn’t allow it; it slammed him back down, delivering an even heavier message—more pain.

Where was he?