The Emerging Part I: Dream

“You wish to enter his aura whilst he dreams again?” Rhino asks with malice, his eyes wide with fury at Vaiqon.

Vaiqon looks down, his eyes hard, his hands tense, squeezed tight into fists. “Yes. After the excitement of tonight and the victory he and the Pentad achieved yesterday, his ego is boosted more than ever. We only need now to seize the opportunity and fully ignite in his mind he is the greatest ire of all.”

“But, Vaiqon,” Shark says, pleadingly, “you cannot possibly know that. Hawk is merely a child still. And who knows, perhaps the greatest ire of all has come and gone and this darkness is the last in a line of great devastation to destroy us all.”

“We cannot talk like that, Shark!” Vaiqon snaps. Vaiqon takes a few breaths before speaking again, Vulcan, Rhino, and Shark gaze at Vaiqon with wide eyes. “Forgive me, Shark. It is just that this darkness feels absolute to the point it frightens me. I do not want to lose all that the Rniti have fought and protected for centuries. We cannot give up hope.”

“We never will, Vaiqon,” Vulcan says, surprising the others, “but we cannot rest all our hopes in a boy that may never live up to the expectations we see in his future. We cannot be too brash, not again.”

Vaiqon looks at Vulcan with troubled eyes. He looks about the Chamber Rniti, gazing out the stained-glass window overlooking the darkened Injhihato. “I do wish everything were easier. I feel everything is wrong. I have ill-feelings of tomorrow.”

“We all do,” Rhino says, “but does the answer lie in prophetic words? What of the facts that we know to be true? The Rniti are stronger than ever. We cannot possibly be defeated. We will overcome any darkness that may attack us.”

“What if this darkness attacks from within us?” Shark says hauntingly.

Vaiqon, Vulcan, and Rhino stare at Shark with fear in their eyes.

“Quiet, Shark,” Vulcan snaps.

Rhino pats Shark on the back.

“Remember, Shark,” Vaiqon says, “you are very powerful and very skilled. And a Daijok of the Rniti. There is nothing that can defeat you.”

“I am not worried about being defeated. I am worried for the Rniti. Yes, we are stronger than we ever have been in decades. But, we have a terse relationship with Teqqc, the Oqoponh, the being many of Munda Luna believe superior to even us. And we have lost contact with so many fellow Rniti,” Shark says.

“You cannot possibly blame yourself for that,” Rhino says.

“I did not say I blame myself,” Shark replies. “I merely mean that though we have strength, we have lost a vital part of our order, a vast connection with all Rniti. Do you not remember the great Daijoks of yesteryear? They meditated everyday, spending hours at a time to connect with each and every Rniti in existence. What happened to us?”

“Shark,” Vaiqon says, authority in his voice, “you are scared for the future, as are we all, but, you cannot allow that to affect your duties and responsibilities. Yes, we have foregone many a duty the Daijoks before us performed, but that is merely because we have adapted. Times have changed and so has the Rniti.”

Shark nods reluctantly. “I still find this manipulation of Hawk unsettling. We should not be doing this.”

“Fortunately for you, you are not. It is only Vaiqon,” Vulcan lashes.

“Do not forget your involvement in this, Vulcan,” Rhino seethes.

Vulcan scoffs, “Minumally am I involved. Vaiqon has yet to even ask for advice.”

Rhino and Shark turn towards Vaiqon, their eyes asking the question in their minds.

Vaiqon nods, “Vulcan speaks truthfully. I have been acting solely on mine own.”

Rhino and Shark nod but their eyes remain inflamed.

Vaiqon droops his head, “Truthfully, when I feel the time is ready to either end this manipulation or inform Hawk of his destiny, I will.

“Nonetheless, Vaiqon,” Rhino says, “be wary of the consequences. Come, Shark.”

Rhino and Shark flash away on the instant, leaving Vaiqon and Vulcan alone in the Chamber Rniti. Vaiqon and Vulcan stand opposite each other around the stone model of Munda Luna. They glare at one another, tension in the air.

Vaiqon closes his eyes and throws his aura towards Hawk’s sleeping conscious. The unsuspecting and untrained Hawk allows the connection without much thought. Vaiqon is revealed inside of Hawk’s dreams.

Vaiqon feels tension at the sight of him in Hawk’s dreams, but is not deterred. He manipulates Hawk’s dream to his will as he creates a world showing Hawk all the greatest ires before him.

The great ires are hidden behind iron doors, sealed from the rest of the dream until Vaiqon wishes to release them. Vaiqon stares at Hawk, doubt in his mind. Hawk glares at Vaiqon, anger in his eyes, face, mind, and heart. Vaiqon can feel Hawk’s blood racing.

“Hawk, before you, behind these four doors, are the greatest ires that ever existed,” Vaiqon begins. “I have brought them here to showcase their skills and perhaps enlighten yours. You have doubted yourself before, but after the events of today and yesterday, you must be confident in yourself now. I am here to aid you, bring you to the epitome of your skills.”

Hawk only nods, his teeth bared as if he had fangs, his fists clenched around his sword and axe that have appeared out of thin air. Vaiqon sees Hawk’s aura surrounding him, coalescing into a great power behind the boy. Vaiqon gulps.

Vaiqon quickly moves to open the first door. A middle-aged man steps through the darkness. He wears simple robes, armor only on his chest. He bears symbols of the Rniti on his skin in black ink. Hawk immediately feels at ease and drops to his knees.

“Mkehoyhok,” Hawk says aloud.

Mkehoyhok and Vaiqon nod at Hawk. “Yes, I am Mkehoyhok,” Mkehoyhok speaks. “Allow me to show you why ire is truly the purest of all the zoltind connections.”

Hawk nods in awe. Mkehoyhok conjures multiple air masses from behind them and coalesces them into tight streams. He sends them at Hawk with such great velocity, Hawk knows he will die.

Just as Hawk accepts his fate, all he feels is a cool breeze barely wafting his hair on his head. Hawk opens his eyes in disbelief. Mkehoyhok smiles, standing as if he had never moved nor conjured such a great power.

“Ire is pure not because it is nearly invisible, but because ire can be directed, redirected, and manipulated as its connector sees fit,” Mkehoyhok states. “This is because ire truly derives from the air within your own lungs. Ire is closely embedded with your emotions. If you have anger within you, your ire will be cloudy, weaker. But if you have peace within you, you will find your ire invisible to all but you, and stronger than you thought possible, for the air that rushes into your lungs is a part of you.”

Hawk contorts his face in confusion at the vast knowledge told to him. Mkehoyhok merely nods appearing as if he has seen the expression many times before. The Rniti brother turns towards Vaiqon with a nod as he walks back into the darkness. Vaiqon closes the door and raises the ground, forcing Hawk, the remaining three doors, and himself to be risen ten feet in the air.

Hawk looks down at the ground they are now floating above, wonder in his eyes.

“Hawk,” Vaiqon says, “this next ire has rarely been spoken of, in fact his name was almost lost to time. He is none other than Iroko, a great ire even I never had the privilege of meeting.”

At the sound of his name, Iroko’s door opens, revealing the old man. Hawk marvels at the man, feeling an immense surge of power within him, as if something is awakening inside of him. Hawk looks at his fingers and his body, feeling vibrations inside of him.

Vaiqon notices and smiles, ‘It is working,’ he thinks to himself. ‘His Qigid is trying to connect with him, and so young. Excellent.’

Iroko steps from the door and gazes directly at Hawk with a smile and an expression that seems to be chuckling. Hawk notices Iroko wears no armor whatsoever and bears no symbols of the Rniti at all. Hawk scratches his head at the sight.

Iroko smiles, “Yes, Hawk, I was never a Rniti. Though I passed the tests in my twelfth year, I left the Injhihato soon after, never to return to the place that stole me from my family.

“But, nonetheless, I stumbled upon my connection to the zoltind force ire, and developed it further than any ire has in history. I will show you what I learned, that ire is ever evolving, you cannot contain it, for as many that breathe air, air is altered by that multitude as well.

“Everyone has their own story, their own life, all of this adds to ire. Ire allows one to connect to each and everyone’s aura, allowing one to feel the emotions of anyone and everyone. And, because ire can change depending on one’s emotional state, ire can also be drastically expanded in scope depending on the connection to others.

“Now, I will show you a simple air current utilizing my own emotions.”

Iroko uses only one hand to summon an air current that blows little more than a few leaves of a nearby tree.

“Now, utilizing all three of our auras and emotions.”

Ire then uses only one hand again to summon the air current, but the current zooms faster than the last, cleaving off half the tree’s branches and forcing Iroko to stumble to his right to cope for the blast from his left.

Hawk’s jaw drops to the ground. He closes his mouth as he gazes at Iroko. “Such strength,” Hawk manages.

Iroko shakes his head, “No, not strength. Focus.”

Iroko then turns on his heels and walks back into the door. Vaiqon closes the door behind Iroko. Vaiqon turns to face Hawk and raises the ground yet again, leaving Iroko’s door behind.

Hawk gazes below to see Iroko and Mkehoyhok’s doors still shining in the sunlight. Hawk turns his head at Vaiqon to see the Daijok standing by one of the last two doors. Hawk rises, almost eager to meet the next great ire.

Vaiqon opens the door and instantly, Hawk’s entire aura seizes in anger, affecting the dream dramatically. Hawk’s anger forces a thunderstorm to sprout suddenly behind them in the distance. A volcano rises from the ground and erupts. A tornado touches ground to their right. An earthquake rages to their left, shaking the entire world.

Hawk remains calm in his expression, but his eyes betray his anger. He glares at Vaiqon inside the door and at the Vaiqon holding the door. Vaiqon feels Hawk’s anger but is not perturbed.

The Vaiqon inside the door smiles as he begins to speak, “Hawk, though I am no Iroko or Mkehoyhok, I have been considered a very powerful ire. I have been your Daijok since day one and I will continue to be. I am so very proud of you and your Pentad. You have consistently shown me that, even though you are children, you are capable of so much. You and your Pentad are well on your way to achieving great things. I know it, Hawk. And you will be a magnificent ire.”

The Vaiqon holding the door then closes it and raises the ground again. The catastrophes rage around them as Vaiqon speaks, “Now, we have met Iroko, Mkehoyhoy, and myself, but, there is one more ire, greater than all the rest. He stands behind this door. He has proven himself time and time again as nothing more than the greatest ire of all. He will surprise you.”

Vaiqon opens the door to reveal a mirror. Hawk gazes at his reflection and instantly his aura changes. The disasters around them cease their destruction. The rest of the world falls away revealing darkness in its wake with a small sun no bigger than a man’s hand in the distance.

Vaiqon looks around the darkened landscape with little more than curiosity and looks to Hawk. “Hawk, do you understand?”

Hawk nods, “I am the greatest ire of all.”

“Yes.”

“But I am in a dream?”

“Yes.”

“How will this affect me when I am awake?”

“You will surprise even yourself Hawk.”

“I do not want to surprise myself. I want to know.”

“Alas, do we all.”

Hawk glares at Vaiqon, “What?”

Vaiqon then severs the connection, forcing Hawk to awake with a start in his bed chambers. Hawk notices it is the middle of the night. His Pentad sleeps soundly around him. He looks out the window above the fire place to see a waning moon.

He hears a rustling to his right. He sees Santhemum has risen from her bed as well. Their eyes connect. Santhemum walks to Hawk and touches his shoulder lightly.

“Is everything well?” she asks, her velvety whisper almost lost in the silence.

Hawk shakes his head but says nothing. Santhemum raises an eyebrow.

“I had a bad dream,” Hawk finally says.

Santhemum frowns, “It is okay, Hawk. I am here.”

Hawk feels his cheeks warm. Santhemum brushes the hair from Hawk’s forehead, causing Hawk to widen his eyes. Santhemum continues to stroke Hawk’s hair until Hawk’s eyes close and falls asleep. Santhemum smiles then walks to her own bed to allow sleep to overtake her.

In the Chamber Rniti, Vaiqon is writhing on the ground with Vulcan looking on, unconcerned. After a few more minutes, Vaiqon quits convulsing and rises slowly.

“It is done,” he says.

Vulcan merely nods before flashing away.

Vaiqon uses the stone model of Munda Luna as support, ‘But what have I done?’ he thinks to himself. He then flashes away in a purple and black light.