Chapter 16: Chapter 11 Sala

The Breaking? When The Source appeared, so did she. Her portals appeared and the world nearly tore apart. They’re related I think, but few died from actually breaking though the world should have torn itself apart, something holds it, hold us together. It was the eruptions and tsunamis that came after that got everyone, and of course, the monsters.

 

Chapter 11 Sala

 

              Sala walked through a well cultivated garden fill with luscious flowers and other plants that made her curious for the first few days she had explored this hidden gem. They were very aromatic: roses, vanilla, mint and more plants grew along a cobble stone path. Small bridges would arch over small ponds filled with fish that would swim right up to her and into her hands. At the end of the path was a small gazebo constructed by interweaving roots and flower filled vines.

              Unnerving at first, Sala grew used to the constant slithering around her. Two stone chairs sat across each other separated by a stone table. She studied the material, it felt like stone, but it looked more like clay that hardened up to something denser, so she figured it must be some type of stone she had never seen before. Sala was very aware that she was no geologist, so she did not hold strongly to that theory, and the more she pondered it, the more she realized that she really did not care.

              She was sitting studying at the table when it hit her, it was a tea garden. Walking through the garden with new eyes, she would kneel and smell and imagine the lands where they came from, the people who picked them.

              “Most people will drink tea, I find.” A soft voice spoke.

              Sala nearly leaped out of her slippers. She reached for the spirits out of habit, but just like each time before, nothing was there.

              She turned to see a short human woman with long brown hair and a kind smile. Her deep brown eyes stared into Sala’s. This was the first being here that had spoken to her, save for the strange man she fell into just before loosing consciousness. The refugees were here, making a camp far from here, but the others just frolicked. That was the best she could think of it, there were people of all races here except for her own, along with every animal she had ever seen and more. They ran around and played with each other, joy filling their smiles and hearts. When Sala had spoken to one, she just smiled. She reached for her hand, and Sala had drawn back. The woman didn’t show any emotion from that reaction. After a moment, she turned and danced around the trees with others. The people reminded her of the wind spirits, always happy and playful and… completely mindless.

              With her hand on her chest, trying to slow down her heart, Sala looked down at the woman taking a deep breath. She smiled then plucked a few stalks from the purple plant Sala had been studying. She dropped then in a handbag; had she been holding that before?

              “But very few appreciate the delicate balance.” The stranger said.

              “Wha…” Then Sala realized that she was finishing her earlier thought.

              “Oh… I… well…” Sala stammered.

              The woman looked back at her with that genuine smile. It made Sala feel warm, this was a real person, a real person, and a good person.

              “You are wrong.” She told Sala.

              Wrong about what?

              “I’m sorry?” Sala said.

              “About what?” the woman replied.

              “Oh, I meant that…”

              The woman let out a little snort, her head fell back as she laughed. Sala tilted her head but couldn’t help but share the smile.

              “Ohh, such mystery I must be emanating.” The woman said thick with sarcasm. “You know, Jamylle thinks that I should act more, you know… godlike, but sometimes I think she forgets where we came from.”

              It hit Sala as hard as a boulder. She quickly lowered her gaze and knelt. Sala was still taller than the woman even kneeling, it made for an awkward feeling growing in her chest.

              “Oh please.” The woman replied.

              She turned and walked away, plucking leaves and flowers here and there and she made her way towards the gazebo.

              “Don’t want to know what plant that was?” The woman asked.

              Sala still knelt there but looked up.

              “Plant?”

              This was a goddess she was speaking too, but she felt… well, Sala did not really understand what this one felt like.

              “Yes, the plant.”

              The goddess’ fingers flourished, and the purplish plant grew from the tips of her fingers. She stopped walking and turned back.

              “I really don’t like people, I thought you were different than most.” She told Sala.

              Sala stood, and cautiously walked towards the woman.

              “Why?”

              “Well, I thought you were trying to get my attention, but soon realized that you were just avoiding everyone.” She explained.        

              “I don’t understand.” Sala replied.

              “Well, everyone here knows I don’t like people. Each day I want tea, I find her here… in my private garden. Even Andrew doesn’t come here.” The goddess said.

              Her smile fell but turned into an obviously false glare.

              “I… Oh… I am so…” Sala stammered then turned to leave.

              “Oh hush. Come sit. We decided that I should be the first to speak with you. Andrew had to ruin that, but I think he has a thing for you.” She explained.

              “A… what?” Sala was growing lightheaded.

              “He has a thing for tall women.” She let out a light giggle. “Come sit.”

              Sala walked up, slowly at first, but sped up when seeing the goddesses’ glare fall on her. She sat down on the other stony chair and averted her gaze. Sala heard a loud sigh coming from the goddess.

              “Are you going to make me regret this?” The Goddess asked. “Am I your first god?”

              Sala looked up, steeled herself, then forced herself to relax.

              “Umm… no. I have met three others.” She replied.

              “Three? Who were they?”

              “There was Growth, Sky, and Wrath.” She replied.

              “Wrath? You survived that encounter?” She asked.

              “Being able to fly helped out.” Sala said remembering the terrifying experience.

              “There are only seven of us, you know? Intelligent gods I mean. That was new to us when we came here. Most other worlds don’t have gods like this.”

               “What do you mean? Intelligent ones?”

              “You have what, nearly a hundred gods on this world? They are less gods, more essences of… of something. You understand?”

              Sala tilted her head, not understanding.

              “Well, let’s look at your three. Growth, he is the god of growth, things grow around him.” she said that slowly. “Ha, that made me sound like such an idiot. Sky is an easy one also, I’m not surprised you have seen him. Wrath, now she just sucks, but she wanders the wildlands and destroys all in her path. Those gods are just as mindless as those people frolicking in the trees.”

              Sala understood now.

              “You see? On Earth, the only gods that are intelligent besides me and Jamylle, you have your own parent, Manika or whatever she likes to go by these days. There is Skad, Quinzi, Packo and Kil. You noticed the difference?”

              Sala did notice the difference.

              “They have names.” Sala answered.

              “Correct.” She replied with a smile. “There is something else that connect us, can you guess?”

              Sala sat for a moment, absently watching the goddess drop leaves and flowers into a pot of water that appeared from nowhere. Something sat at the back of her mind wanted to come forth, but it just wouldn’t… until it did. She smiled, remembering something that sat just at the tip of your tongue was one of the most satisfying feelings ever.

              “You said when you came here. You’re not from Earth? The other gods, the intelligent ones, they’re from where you’re from?” Sala asked.

              “Yes! Well, sorta. We are not from Earth, well this Earth, but we aren’t all from the same world.” She seemed genuinely excited about Sala coming to that conclusion and Sala felt proud of herself.

              “This Earth?”

              “There are a few others, but most worlds are completely different. We won’t go into that now.”

              She placed something into the pot of water, read it, then shook her head.

              “Too hot…”

              She poured out the water, then more just appeared inside and she restarted the boiling process. There was no visible mechanism that heated the water, which made her think that it was just magic. Sala answered her own question but tentatively placing her hand on the table next to the pot, then looked up at the goddess.

              “Are you making it boil?” Sala asked.

              “Sorta, I mean I am, but I allow for some mistakes.” She spoke. “Need to keep things interesting when you live forever.”

The goddess looked back and forth conspiratorially then leaned forward, Sala did the same.

“That’s just what I tell the others, in fact, I just get so bored sometimes that even goodish tea is exciting.”

Sala did not know what to make of this situation, but she did know that something had been forgotten.

“I am Sala.”

Then the goddess’ eyes went as wide as plates.

“Oh, my goodness, how rude can I be. I live in a weird balance. I hate people but I love to people watch! I love to host, but I don’t know…”

Sala’s mouth dropped open. The goddess was apologizing to her! And she was rambling.

              “My name is Taylor.” She smiled and reached out a hand.

              They shook hands.

              “The tea should be ready.” Taylor said.

              Sala reached over to the cup that filled itself with a pinkish liquid. She lifted the cut and took a sip, and her eyes went wide once more. Taylor sat there smiling as she took a sip herself.

              “The temperature has to be just right for herbal teas. That plant you were smelling; it was called lavender.”

              Sala felt her long blond hair tickling her neck as it began to move freely. She reached her hand up and found her hair in a thick braid interwoven with small bits of the purple plant.

              “Lavender?”

You are reading story Earth Reforged at novel35.com

              “Yep. It grew everywhere in my world, I used to take it for granted. Now, it only exists here.” Her voice grew somber. “It makes for a great tea, along with other things now lost to us. The rose helps draw out…” The goddess took a deep breath then stopped speaking.

              Sala looked at her, and saw her for what she really was, a person, a lost person.

              “My home is… is gone also.” Sala told her. “What happened?”

              Taylor looked up with tearful eyes and a forced smile.

              “She came, just like she did here. Sala… we need your help.”

              “I thought we were going to wait on that?” another voice said.

              Halfway through a sip, Sala suddenly found herself sitting on a third chair. She knew that it didn’t exist before, but her mind told her that this was normal, so she finished her sip.

              “Andrew will be upset that you let her here and not he.” The other woman said refusing to make eye contact with Sala.

              She was short like Taylor, but with much darker skin and an odd accent she did not recognize. The two of them each wore a flowing sun dress with moving figures. Taylor’s was covered in colorful flowers, while the other one had animals running all over the place.

              “J… Jamylle?” Sala asked.

              The new one crossed her arms then tilted her head towards Sala.

              “Bold one.” Then turned her gaze away from Sala.

              “Oh hush.” Taylor told her. “Don’t be this way.”

              “Tay… I can’t see her. We can’t…”

              “You know that this was going to happen… the prophecy…”

              “I know what it says, doesn’t mean I don’t have to like it.” Jamylle replied.

              Taylor rubbed her forehead then spoke through gritted teeth.

              “I can’t believe that I am the one saying this, but you can’t judge her for something she hasn’t done…”

              Jamylle sighed and nodded.

              “You’re right…”

              She turned towards Sala and raised her hand.

              “I am Jamylle. Sala, right?” She asked.

              Sala nodded.

              “Umm… I don’t mean to pry, but you can’t see me?” she repeated what Jamylle had said earlier.

              “Yes…”

              “Is it because my people are not from here? That my people’s goddess isn’t from Earth?”

              Jamylle’s eyebrow rose, still crossing her arms.

              “Alrght, I can admit when I’m wrong. Yes, Malla…”

              “Manika.” Taylor interrupted.

              “You’re kidding me?” Jamylle asked.

              “Nope…”

              “That woman needs to settle on a name.” Jamylle said.

              Sala shifted uncomfortably. They were so flippant with her parents. It was not her biological parents, but her people, the Scholars, were spawned from the Goddess they call Cognition. Or was it… nope that was before… Sala realized that even in her peoples own histories, their goddess had different names, so maybe they had a point.

              “Oh, we mean no offence, we are quite close with her.” Jamylle said.

              “Close? She hasn’t spoken to us in nearly a thousand years.” Taylor replied.

              “That was only because…” Jamylle began.

              “HOW! About we don’t talk about that right now.” Taylor said over her.

              They looked at each other with serious expressions, then erupted in laughter.

              Sala sat there still uncomfortable. She sipped at her tea because it was the only thing she could do and was glad as the cup never seemed to empty.

              “Alright, you need to grow up.” Jamylle said through bits of laughter at Taylor.

              “I’m older than you!” Taylor said.

              “Yeah, by like two years!”

              “Yep. When you reach twenty thousand and two, you will understand the way of the world.” Taylor replied.

              “You have been saying the same thing for forty thousand years…” Jamylle said shaking her head.

              “Hey, I will be twenty thousand for the rest of my life.” Taylor said with a grin.

              “You mean twenty thousand and two?” Sala said with a smile.  

              They stared at her; it was silent. Trying to hide her smile behind a cup of tea, Sala burst out in laughter in which the two goddesses followed suit.

              The three of them sat for hours and just… talked. It was of nothing depressing or serious, it was just a conversation one has with friends. Sala had never had friends and didn’t want to look at these two as friends. They were goddesses and would probably forget her the second she walked away, but she could hope.

              “Jamylle, can I ask you a question?” Sala asked.

              “You know, If I say no, then you already made a mistake.” She replied.

              It took a second for Sala to realize what she meant.

              “Can I ask another… two more questions?” She asked with a smile.

              Jamylle smile back and nodded.

              “What is with the things, the animals, and people here? Outside the refugees.”

              “Refugees you saved, do not forget that Sala.”

              Sala nodded.

              “Well, we are the Twins. That was never a name we came up with, but we didn’t care, and we stuck with it. Taylor.” She gestured at Taylor with a cup of tea. “When we died, she was defied and became the goddess of the land. I…”

              “WHAT? DIED?” Sala interrupted.

              “We’ll let someone else tell that story. But yes, and I came back as the goddess of beings. Specifically, beings of this world, which is why I can’t see you. But here, our grove grows around us. This lush forest exists because of Taylor, and the beings appear because of me. They exist only due to our power, I don’t actually create people and she doesn’t grow the forests, we are them. When they appear here, they lack a soul.” Jamylle explained.

              “Sala, do you know what the Entities are?” Taylor asked.

              Sala shook her head.

              “Okay, good thing I have experience explaining this. So, we are gods, think of the Entities as super gods. We…” Taylor gestured to herself and Jamylle. “Exist on a plane or planes of existence on a singular world. Entities exist across all the worlds. There less of them than gods, but their influence span everywhere. They have whole worlds that solely worship them, and no gods exist.” Taylor said.

              “They’re more powerful than gods?” Sala asked.

              “Not exactly. On the material plane on any given world, we are more powerful, but we have such little touch in the universe as they do.” Jamylle said.

              “And they can bridge the gap between worlds. We are at war with one, and she can just keep sending endless armies at us.” Taylor said.

              “She only sends enough to squash any resistance we have built up. We don’t know why she doesn’t take this world.” Jamylle continued her thought.

              “We have fought her for a long time and will until she is stopped.” Taylor said.

              Sala thought about this for a moment.

              “You two really are twins, aren’t you?” she laughed to herself. “So, gods can’t bridge the gap between worlds? Only these Entities?”

              They nodded.   

              “Then how did you end up here?” Sala asked.

              They looked at each other then Jamylle spoke.

              “We don’t know who is helping us, which of the Entities I mean. But one has. We have been sent to three other worlds before here and they all were destroyed. This earth was the only one where we died, and we were deified.”

              “You were humans before.” Sala said not asked.

              “Yes, Entities create the gods Sala, all of us. They see everything, know everything.” Jamylle said grimly.

              “Who are you at war with?” Sala asked.

              “Her name is… Suffering.” Taylor replied.

              Sala played with that name. What a name…

              “Okay… let’s be done here. Sala, Andrew, you remember Andrew?” Taylor asked.

              Sala nodded.

              “We asked him to tell you, his story. I think it will help you see what we are dealing with. He will also explain… other things.” She said gesturing to her wrist and the new golden band that wrapped around it.

              Twenty minutes later, Sala found herself sitting in the gazebo with the man who held her in his hands just before she fella sleep. He one arm; the other and the legs were made up of vines and roots emulating the gazebo. In fact, as they sat there, they fused and grew into the structure around him. He sat there and drank some tea with his only free hand and spoke.

”I was about six when it came, I think, The Source. Luckily, I was on a vacation with my family; we took a plane. Oh? Right, that’s like a carriage that can fly. We took a plane to a place called Colorado, far to the east of here. My parents and older brother didn’t last very long. I wasn’t as lost as they were; I was too young to really know what was going on, I think.”

You can find story with these keywords: Earth Reforged, Read Earth Reforged, Earth Reforged novel, Earth Reforged book, Earth Reforged story, Earth Reforged full, Earth Reforged Latest Chapter