Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia
Kaisa's POV
"Goodnight, Mom," I called out while pulling up my warm blanket.
"Goodnight, sweetie."
With the oil lamp in her hand, she gave me a peck on the forehead before gently closing the door to my room. I laid in bed and watched for the telltale sign of flickering yellow light disappearing from the small gap underneath the door. The house was instantly plunged into darkness. I heard Mom shuffle about before everything went quiet. I waited for a few more minutes, carefully listening for any sounds of activity outside. Once I heard Mom's light rhythmic snoring, I hopped out of bed and put on a black jacket with soft white fur lining the collar area. Dad's gift for me when he came back from his work in Ionia. And for good measure, I wrapped a shawl around my shoulders. With this, I won't be frozen to death. I gave my outfit a quick once-over before tiptoeing out of my room.
Honestly, it was nerve-racking. Having to sneak out without being caught. It's as if everything was hell-bent on working against me. Like how my breathing seemed so thunderous and obvious. Or how the creaking of wooden planks beneath me was loud as heck. I frequently looked back at Mom's presumably sleeping figure in the other room. Miraculously, she didn't react to any of this ruckus at all. But I didn't have time to celebrate my small victory. Because there's still one more enemy standing in my way. I stopped in front of our rusty front door. Swallowing nervously, I pressed down the handle and pushed the wooden door open. Without warning, a loud creak pierced through the silence. My shoulders jolted and I whipped my head around. Fortunately, Mom didn't react. Only turned her body to face the other side. Her rhythmic breathing still remained the same, except it's a little muffled now since she buried her head in the thick blanket. I let out a quick breath and slipped out of the house.
Unlike during the day, at night, the southern desert was cold. Chilling, in fact. The night breeze blew in my face, bringing along tiny specks of annoying sand. The only thing remotely interesting around here were the tumbleweeds rolling across the bare sand dunes in the horizon. Just a typical mundane life of a Shuriman. I squinted and scanned the nearby huts. A bunch of small shadowy figures could be seen coming out of those houses. Some through the main door, others through backdoors and windows. Our ragtag gang of mischievous children that refused to go to sleep that early into the night. And to be fair, it's not really our fault. We've always been allowed to stay out late just because everyone in the village knew each other. So there wasn't any foreseeable danger even when we're in the sandy territory of Shurima. Also, there were more eyes to keep tabs on us. So nothing could possibly happen. In fact, if some stranger were to mess with any one of us, the adults would likely come rushing out with their cleavers and pitchforks. But all these change the moment they come.
Snap. Snap.
I looked up. One of the taller figures pointed at the nearby rocky clearing, close enough to still be within the safety of our homes and far enough to not alert the adults of our secret expedition. We nodded and silently made our way towards the gathering spot. Within a few minutes, all the village kids were here. The younger ones were looking around sleepily, their eyes half-closed. Actually, there's no need for them to come out at this late hour but I guess they didn't want to feel left out. Everyone was bundled up in multiple layers, huddling together as they shivered in the windy night. Meanwhile, I'm over here standing proud since Dad's gift was proving to be much more superior than any one of their layers of thin cloth. A fair little trade since my dad was the only one who had to constantly leave for his job. It could range from a few weeks to several months. But one thing's for certain, it would never be a few days. The only part of his work that I hated...
"Kaisa," the one who snapped his fingers called my name.
He was hanging by the edge of the rocky clearing, hiding behind a giant boulder that's overlooking a sort of sunken valley surrounded by sand dunes. On the opposite side of the sunken pit was a giant canyon. The village elder said that there used to be a river running through there a long time ago. Green leafy trees, like the ones you see in fairy tales, used to surround that area, providing the nearby inhabitants with ample supplies of water and fresh fruits. But noticed the words 'used to'. As you can see, from the cracked earth and dead branches, it's not really an oasis anymore. More of a dead and dried up place. Just like everything here. It blended right into its surroundings now. It's right at home.
Anyway, I also don't believe in such a myth. How can nature survive in this wasteland? Besides us Shurimans and the occasional poppings of hideous desert monsters, nothing could survive in this blazing heat. The sun would kill most things. We only managed to live by rearing some farm animals and growing our own vegetables. Ones that could survive in this dry land. Oh, and the almost dried-up well helped a ton too... I guess we're gonna have to dig up a new one soon. Which meant more work for us. Argh.
But that's besides the point. The elder said that all the fresh green stuff didn't die from the scorching sun. They were devoured by the creators of the outerbeasts, mythical monsters that dwell beneath the sand. Creatures said to be able to wipe out entire villages within a few hours. The harbingers of death in this wasteland. Or that's what he said. Not that I've actually seen one since that would mean I'm dead according to his tales. Because of this epic legend, our village has been constantly on the move ever since I could remember. The elder would be the one to judge if we're currently in danger of being eaten by giant ugly things. But I don't know how he could tell by just looking down at the sand and feeling it though...
Anyway, back to the legend. The elder told us that the ground here suddenly shook and cracked, opening an entrance way to the outerbeasts' lair. Their home was said to look really purplish, void of any touch or breath of living organisms. When the earth split open, it released a bunch of outerbeasts into the area. Every organic sustenance, including the previous inhabitants of this place, was swallowed by the purple forsaken land, forming a part of their territory of no return. Because nothing that's touched by those forbidden stuff would be able to live to tell the tale. Just like this, all signs of life were instantly wiped out, leaving nothing in its wake. Then there comes the question of why we're even moving into a graveyard as our new residence. I guess it's the same logic as lightning never striking the same area twice?
This little story was used to explain how this giant canyon came to be. I mean, it can't exactly pop out of nowhere in the middle of seas of sand. So it must be the remnants of the end of the world, right?! No. No it isn't. If I were you, I'd take everything the old man said with a grain of salt. Look. I know the elder's the oldest and supposedly the wisest around here, but I personally think he's weird. Always doing funny rituals to the sand before we moved out for the umpteenth time. But this time, I think he really missed the mark. How could anything be strong enough to crack literal tons of sand and stones??? Even desert monsters aren't strong enough to do that. And don't come at me with the outerbeasts logic thing. I don't believe in any of that crap until I see it with my own eyes. Otherwise, it gets the same treatment as dragons-fictional creatures that belonged in story books, not reality!
I sidled next to the boy by the boulder, "What Kai?"
Yes. That's his name. Almost the same as mine. That's why we're the closest with each other. Because who could beat someone who almost had the same name as you, save for a few more alphabets? Anyway, he's my good brother. We usually stick together, playing pranks and tricks on the other adults. And of course, constantly running to escape the dangerous wooden staff of that grumpy village elder.
He gestured towards the small valley, "Look."
The other kids noticed the commotion and gathered around the boulder, looking at a random pen of goats erected down there.
"They're from those weirdos that came to our village."
I remembered them. The group of hooded figures that came to our village a few days ago. They're really... peculiar, wasting money to buy a bunch of goats from wandering nomads and leaving them tethered there to rot. No one came to collect these animals. They're just left there. These weirdos frequently disappear in the daytime, only coming back during unholy hours at night. Now, we weren't strangers to new people coming to our land as a pit stop. But this time, it's different. The moment they appeared, it's as if the entire village got spooked by them. The adults became oddly paranoid, always urging us children to not stay out late and come home early. And to especially avoid those strangers. Even Mom was the same. She would constantly have a look of fear in her eyes whenever night fell, always coming out to personally drag me all the way back home. And I highly doubt the adults were afraid of the mysterious cloaks and whatnot.
This was the first time I really disliked having outsiders coming into our village. Usually, I wouldn't mind since they're the rare source of entertainment available in this boring desert life. They were like Dad, always bringing along many strange treats, as well as tales to tell us kids. This was the only time I got to learn about the interesting world outside of sand and rocks. They've been to many other regions. Ionia, the place that's all about keeping the balance between the material and spirit realms. Filled with actual wild forests and mountains. Home to strange chimeric creatures and assassins. Noxus, a powerful empire with a fearsome reputation. To those beyond its borders, it was brutal, expansionist and threatening, yet those who look past its warlike exterior see an unusually inclusive society, where people with strengths and talents were respected and cultivated. In short, a place occupied by war-crazed men in metal armours 24/7. And Piltover, the progressive city whose power and influence was on the rise. The place where Dad's at now.
But this time, I didn't appreciate the presence of this new batch of strangers. Why do I have to go home early just because of some weirdos??? This wasn't even their land. It's ours. So why must we skirt around like rats in our own territory? If we don't like them, just chase them out. Our numbers would definitely overwhelm their small group. So why do all this pointless stuff?
Anyway, I did also say that Dad's job required him to be on the constant move to other regions. So he's often not home for long stretches of time. I did like hearing exciting tales of adventures Dad brought back. But the leaving aspect was enough for me to not like his job. Even if he brought home fascinating new toys for me. He's always away for months on end. Every mealtime would just be Mom and I. Not three people. During daylight, Mom's too busy with the household chores to spend time with me. And I definitely don't want to play with sand and rocks like a dumbo. I've seen plenty of those for basically my entire life. No more. The moment Dad left, the unbearable boredom and loneliness would follow me like the plague. The way I stopped myself from descending into utter depression and madness was to hang out and cause mischief with my friends. And this coping mechanism had been going well... until those strangers wandered into our turf. To make matters worse, they refused to leave! They just stubbornly loiter around here, being all creepy with their capes and stuff!
Another guy popped up on my other side while snickering, "Wanna do something fun?"
I raised an eyebrow.
He pointed at the pen of goats, "Let's release them."
A girl shifted her weight uncomfortably, her voice quivering a little, "I'm not so sure, Lucius... We might get in trouble with those strangers... Mommy told me to stay away from them. If she finds out about this, we will definitely be punished."
Lucius rolled his eyes, "C'mon. Stop being a scaredy-cat. Are we really going to let these outsiders come into our turf and ruin our fun??? It's because of them that we had to always go home before sunset. I want to at least try to get back at them. Right, Kaisa?"
I nodded, "Yeah. I don't like them. They're scaring everyone here. We should teach them a little lesson to not mess with us."
"B-But-"
Kai smiled reassuringly and patted her shoulders, "It's fine, Helen. It's late now. No one's awake. Anyway, we can just cover our faces with cloth. Even if we do get caught, we can always run home. They won't be able to recognise us. So you won't be scolded.
She pursed her lips and looked at me with uncertain eyes, "You sure this is a good idea, Kaisa?"
I patted my chest confidently, "Trust me. It will be super quick. We will be in and out before you know it."
With my assurance, she sighed and nodded.
Kai looked at me with an annoyed expression, "How come Helen listens to you and not me???"
I smirked and smacked his shoulder, "Because I'm smarter than you. C'mon. Let's get cracking."
The others nodded and covered their faces with handkerchiefs and random bits of cloth. Meanwhile, I pulled up my shawl and got to work. The younger ones were tasked to stay back by the rock and keep a lookout while us older kids got into the thick of things. We slid down the gentle sandhill towards the bottom of the giant indent. Dusting sand off my pants, I gingerly walked towards the pen, my ears peeled for any sounds of footsteps and voices. Once we got closer to the enclosure, that's when I realised something was odd with these animals. The goats were acting all skittish, restlessly pawing the ground and bleating. As if they couldn't wait for the chance to bolt out of here.
Even the goats were spooked like the others!
This made me all the more determined to teach those outsiders a lesson.
"Ready, Kaisa?"
Kai's voice broke me out of my stupor. I nodded.
Best not to overthink things. Just do it and we're out.
"Yeah. Ready."
I drew out a dagger from the sheath at my waist. Its silver metallic surface shimmered beautifully in the bright moonlight. The gift Dad gave me on my eighth birthday. My favourite one out of the bunch of fun little souvenirs he brought home from his adventures. I signalled to the others to be on standby at the gates before climbing over the wooden fence. The goats all looked at me, their horizontal oblong-shaped pupils staring right at my soul, as if I'm the harbinger of death.
Don't look at me! I'm not the one that trapped you guys here!
Fortunately, those strangers weren't cruel enough to leave these animals to dehydrate and starve here. They did supply them with some dry hay and water. Though I can't guarantee the freshness since the hay had some suspicious black spots on them while gross stuff stained the sides of their water bowls. So I guess my prank could also be considered as setting them free. Dying to desert monsters would definitely be a much better end than slowly withering away from illness. Over here, illness often meant death. In Shuriman, it's either you live healthily or die miserably from the lack of proper medical facilities. No in between. Because not only was there no effective medicine, you can't outrun monsters in that state either. You're essentially a dead breathing person. Dad often brought up this issue to the village chief. That we needed to buff up our medical aspect. Because our primitive ways were atrocious when compared to the prosperous city of Piltover. Praying doesn't help the sick get better, he said. But the stubborn mule of a chief refused to abandon his long outdated traditions. He'd rather pray someone to death than offer them proper medicine.
Anyway, back to the task at hand. I inspected the goats' tethers. A rope was looped around each animal's neck, before they're held down by a long wooden peg. The animals must have freaked out and struggled like crazy, seeing as the rough texture of the ropes dug deep into their flesh. The rope burns were festering with flies hovering about them. Some of the exposed flesh on the goats didn't even look red. They're purplish-black, signs of severe infection.
Bastards.
I tried tugging at the pole. Didn't work. So I squatted down and got to work on cutting the tethers one by one. The ropes were thick, so it wasn't a clean cut. More of a 'saw until it broke' kinda deal. The moment I got through one of the many ropes, I gave a thumbs up to the other guys. They nodded and unlatched the wooden gate. As expected, the goat instantly bolted, running into the canyon.
One down, nine to go.
As I gradually cut one rope after another, every single one of the animals fled. Some ran out towards the distant sand dunes in the middle of nowhere while the rest escaped to the canyon. Once I was done with all 10 ropes, I stood up and sheathed my knife, dusting my hands proudly. While my friends were giggling and giving each other high fives, I heard something odd. It wasn't very loud. Just the soft whispers of cracking and rumbling. I whipped my head around. There's nothing. And it seemed like I was the only one who noticed these bizarre signs.
The hell???
An alarming buzz rang faintly in the deathly silent night air. The hairs on my arms stood on end as my mind was in a full-blown panic mode. Something's wrong. I know it. Something's coming for us. And FAST!
Without bothering to control my voice, I shouted, "GUYS! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"
The rest were looking at me as if I was mad. But I only sprinted towards them, continuing to scream at them to not just stand there like fools.
"DON'T STAND THERE! RUN-"
My warnings were cut short by a violet tremor across the ground. I stumbled and met with a faceful of pebbles and rocks. The rough surface cut the skin on my chin and knees. Crimson-red blood bled into the ground. But I didn't even notice any of this. Because there were more important matters to deal with. Like how everything was shaking. The sand was being tossed about by the sheer magnitude of the tremor. The ominous signs were finally obvious enough for the others to notice. A faint purple hue caught my attention. I looked upwards. Weird flashes of purple light scorched the sky, seemingly flowing about in a pattern.
Aurora... This is the aurora, isn't it???
But what's it doing here??? Dad told me that the northern lights usually appear in colder areas. So what's it doing in the middle of a blazing desert??? I mean, our nights were cold. But not that cold to warrant seeing such things! I couldn't even appreciate the beautiful mysterious sky above me. All I could think of was that we're screwed. I could hear the panicked voices of the rest as they asked each other what's going on. As the ground continued to quake, cracks appeared underneath me. It started off as a tiny streak of black line across the rocky terrain. Then it gradually spidered outwards across the ground. The crackling sound was getting louder by the second. I remembered the elder's unbelievable legend. Of how the ground around here was split all the way to bedrock, revealing the den of monsters. Outerbeasts whose sole purpose was to purge all living organisms.
SHIT! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
I scrambled up from the ground, ignoring the stinging pain on my knees. I just focused on running towards the rest.
"RUN!"
This time, my panicked voice got to them. They all screamed and ran towards our homes. At this very moment, I felt a foreign sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The first time I felt regret. And fear.
Why did I not listen to Mom... Why did I have to mess with those strangers... I should have said no... We should have just obediently stayed at home... Why did I have to go and get all of us into trouble...
But it's too late to cry over spilled milk. The cracks were undeniably there now. And it's overtaking us. The fissure shot past us and encircled underneath all our homes.
No. No. Please no...
Within a split second, solid ground gave way beneath me and I plummeted straight down into the endless darkness. The small fissures were now the width of freaking canyons. From the corner of my eye, I noticed houses collapsing into the rift, along with the bone-chilling screams of people falling into the dark abyss where even the end couldn't be seen. The blood-curdling screams would forever be etched deep within my memory. I would forever remember how I caused everything to fall apart. How I dragged innocent people into all this shit. How my one moment of stupidity was the very reason we're in this mess. The elder was right. The rift did indeed swallow everything. People, animals, sand, giant rubble. Everything. Cries and screams reverberated into the once still and peaceful night. The last thing I saw before being eaten by the rift was the beautiful starry sky... And black unworldly twisted columns erecting from the sides of the chasm, piercing into what might become my last view of the open sky.