Beyond The Truth

****The following is the seventh installment in a series of fictional stories that is part of a collaborative effort of vocal creators.

Please check out the other parts of the story.

Part I Beyond the Boundary by Lena

Part II To the Realm Beyond by Dannielle Nelson

Part III From the Realm Beyond the Boundary by Lilli Knight

Part IV Into the Boundary by Esmoore Shurpit

Part V In the Beginning by Abby Draper

Part VI Destiny Beyond the Divide by Gerald Holmes

https://vocal.media/fiction/destiny-beyond-the-divide

Beyond the Truth

Why didn't they understand their place? Why didn't they realize that they didn't belong here? They are not equal to us, and they never will be. Those that have existed before me told me of a time before Ikora. A time before the ice, before the cold. A time when there was no Sickness. A time when they had no reason to journey here.

Yet here we are. Countless numbers of villagers dove into the waters and swam to their deaths. Trying to get here where they did not belong. Then there was Ikora. The one who made it. The one who had the strength and the determination. But why did she come here? Why did she risk her life to get here? Why was she so strong? Why was she so determined? Could she have known that there was great power to be awarded for her journey?

Just as strong as her will and determination was her greed and selfishness. She didn't come here to save her people. She didn't come here to help anyone. She came here to be greater than everyone else. To make it here just to return home with her pride. To tell them lies of horrors that she faced. To tell them that she's the greatest among them, both of men and women. She was going to rule over them as their Queen. She had no idea of the real powers that she would receive.

Her determination and strength being fueled by selfishness, found pleasure with the sprits of evil. They were so pleased that they bestowed all of their power upon her. The combined power of all of the evil spirits. So much power that there wasn't any need to return to the villagers. So much power that she created the cold, the ice, the Iblis and the Sickness. So much power that she became the ruler of the realm.

Then the great lie was told. Stories of the destiny of one of them. Dreams and visions of a woman. A woman that had the same strength and determination of Ikora. A woman who had a reason to enter the boundary. A woman who had a greater power than evil. A greater will than selfishness. Something driving her more than her own gain. She was going to save her people. She was going to end the sickness.

The great Saraya! The savior of man. The one destined to end the Sickness. I've been told the stories of her journey. How she traversed the ice. How with Savaric and Ish-ha faithfully beside her, she would easily escape the Iblis. Then with the help of the spirits of her ancestors she would kill the Sickness and save her people. That was her story. That was the dreams and the visions that were sent to her ancestors. That was their truth.

That wasn't the truth though. The truth was that none of them had been here before. None of them had ever made it. Some of them have set eyes on Savaric only to be turned back. Some of them have set eyes on Ish-ha only to be frightened to death. Some of them have felt the cold hands of the Iblis as their souls were ripped from their bodies. Some have even looked into the eyes of the Sickness only to have her devour them. None of them had made it. None of them had ever laid eyes on Ikora.

There she was the great Saraya face to face with Ikora. She was already defeated. Tired from her long journey. Completely discouraged by the fact that it wasn't over. That the destiny that she thought she had fulfilled was about to be abruptly taken away. That all of the prophesies, dreams and visions of her ancestors were all lies.

Ikora could have very easily killed Saraya and resurrected the Sickness, but she didn't. Ikora was disgusted with Saraya. Saraya had surpassed her in every way. Saraya was beautiful. So beautiful in fact that she looked like she belonged here and not with man. Her journey was also far greater than Ikora's. Ikora had to swim. Saraya had to survive. Saraya had also defeated her loyal servant, her greatest weapon against man. So instead of killing Saraya she did something much worse.

She allowed Saraya to take the lie back to the village with her. She allowed Saraya to go home and tell the village that the prophesy was fulfilled. That she had fulfilled her destiny and saved them. She allowed Saraya to bring peace and hope to her people. Saraya was the savior of man. Then she took her away. To the villagers Saraya was a hero. She died saving them. Truth is Saraya never died at all. I've laid eyes on her every day of my existence. Saraya the one that was supposed to save man turned into the very thing that was now killing them. Saraya the Sickness!

When my father created me, he too told me of visions. Things of the future that he had seen. He told me of a time that I was to become ruler of the realm. That I was going to finally defeat Ikora and that I was to sit on the throne with my beautiful bride. He told me that she would come from man. He told me of her beauty, of her strength and will. He told me that she would survive the journey and that I would love her forever.

I however did not leave things to chance. I used my powers to steal the souls of man. All of those that travel into the boundary and perish provide me with the power of their souls and soon I will be strong enough to destroy Ikora. I've instructed Savaric to not turn them away but to feed them to the Iblis. I've allowed the Sickness to infect every village of man in order to get them desperate enough to enter the boundary.

Then there's Failon the fool. When his grandfather showed up here with all of that power. I knew that I was going to need more of that. There was no way for me to get it. It came from the water. The hot springs that protected them. They have no fear of us and no reason to enter the boundary. That's why his grandfather is still here. Sending that poor boy those visions. You're going to be the savior. You're going to help those people. You're going to save the beautiful girl. No, my boy you're going to bring that power to me, and I'll use it to destroy Ikora. Then maybe I'll let you take your grandfather home to live out his last days.

The time has now come. I've sensed the girl in the boundary. I can feel her. I can see her beauty. I can feel the power of her ancestors with her. Savaric has been instructed to bring her straight to me. I will promise to free her people of the Sickness and after I harness the power of her ancestors, I will give her the seat on the throne next to mine. She will be my queen and rule with me forever.

I have also sensed Failon. He is very close. He's already used some of the power of the water. I can feel it. It is so strong. I can see why his grandfather believed he could defeat us with it. For sure with all of the souls that I've collected the powers of the village ancestors and the water I will kill Ikora.

Now let me put on my robe and get my crown. Very soon Savaric will be bringing my queen and Ish-ha will be bringing me the boy. Then I will kill Ikora and my queen and I will take our rightful places on the throne.

I Auron will be the ruler of the Realm!

****Be sure to check out the next installments of the story

written by Linda Rivenbark, C.H. Richard and Caitlin McColl