'Moon Child'

[Sl'askia]

Ok I know I said I wasn't going to repost my first three fics here, but I got to thinking that it wouldn't be fair to have new protental readers having to search for them on the old forum, so here is Chap 1 of 'Moon Child'

Chapter 1

She looked toward the Mudokon camp. She didn't like what she was about to do, but had no choice, she had to eat. Quietly she crept up behind one of the huts. She checked her cloak to make sure it wasn't caught on anything. She paused a moment to look at her hand,her bluish/white skin catching the moonlight. She looked up at the moon, its hand-shaped crater plainly visible. She raised her hand until its silhouette filled the crater.
Oh Odd, she thought, Why can't I remember who I am? Why must I look so different from the others? Why won't the normal Mudokons accept me for what I am?
Her stomach growled, reminding her why she was there. With a sigh she lowered her hand and continued on her way through the rows of huts toward the eating area. She picked her way along, hiding in shadows whenever she spotted another Mudokon. Eventually she reached the eating area.
Whoa, she thought, There's a lot more people around then usual. Is there a festival or something?
She surveyed the scene while making sure she was well hidden, they all seemed to be around one individual, but she couldn't see who.
ell if they're all paying attention to that one person then there's less of a chance someone will spot me. she thought as she eyed the food table, Not that anyone cares about me.
Slowly she crept towards the food table, watch for anyone who would look her way. Once she reached it, she quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching, then grabbed one of the baskets and ran.

Abe looked at the crowd surrounding him. He had just returned from rescuing more Mudokons and blowing up another factory, and as usual he was being mobbed. He felt really tired and just wanted to grab a bite to eat and hit the sack, but everyone insisted on having a feast in his honor.
"You look beat Abe." Alf said.
"Yeah, I felt it too." Abe said wearily. Then he noticed two Mudokons arguing over something at the food table. Not wanting a fight to break out he walked over(which took some effort considering the crowd still around him).
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Oh hi Abe," the one said, "I had prepared some specially seasoned scrab meat in your honor and this idiot seems to have misplaced the basket it was in!"
"I did not!" the other said, "I had put it right there." he pointed to the spot where he had placed the basket.
"Well it isn't there now now is it?"
"Uh no its not. Someone must have stolen it."
"Who would steal a basket of food?" Abe wondered.
"Ghost would." someone said.
Abe turned around to see the heaviest built mudokon he's ever seen. "Ghost?" he asked.
"Yeah Ghost, an outcast mudokon."
"I didn't know we had outcasts."
"Well we do. And if you happen to see him, let me know. I've been trying to catch him for 2 years now."
"Why is he called Ghost?" Abe asked.
"If you see him you'll know why." the mudokon said and turned to walk away, "By the way, the names Irun."
"With a body like that he might as well be made of it." Alf whispered to Abe. Abe laughed, yet wondered.
Ghost, he thought, I wonder what his story is.

Chapter 2

Running, she was running. She felt like she was being chased. Another was running with her, one that was different like her. An older female, she was falling behind, her age catching up to her. She was calling to her, telling her to kept running and not to look back. Her voice seemed to get farther and farther away, but she did as she was told. Then there was a scream and she felt sadness, but kept running. She stopped at a cliff, nearly going over it. There was a lake beneath it. Seeing no other choice with her pursuer closing in fast she jumped. She felt pain as one of her feathers was ripped out when her pursuer tried to grab her. She continued to fall, then there was darkness.

She sat up with a scream. Panting she looked around. She was safe in the cave she had chosen to sleep the day away in.
What was that dream? she thought, Was it a memory trying to resurface?
She tried to recall it but couldn't. Frustrated, she got up and walked outside. It was dusk, so she decided to head out and see if she could find herself something to eat.
I hope I don't have to steal again. she thought as she walked along. She still felt guilty for stealing that scrab meat the night before, but she had no choice. The first time, nearly two years ago since she woke up one day without her memory, she was chased out of a village and all she did was ask for food and shelter. Everything she tried to do to be accepted failed. She had even covered herself with green dye so she would look more like the others. But no matter what she did to discuse herself, they always saw through it and they always chased her out afterwards. Two of them had even thought it would be funny to start playing cruel jokes on her. And those two always seemed to find her when they wanted too.
What were there names? Xan and Cuf. I always have to keep an eye out for those two. she thought, shuddering at the time they placed a conventually easy-to-grab food basket that was filled with Fleeches. She had to run quite a while before they gave up the chase. Another time they managed to trap her in a net and hang her up in a tree. She barely managed to get out before the mourning suns rays started to burn her highly sensitive skin.
Because of them, I can't stay in one place very long. she thought.

Later that night, near dawn, she came across a river. She had been lucky this night, she managed to forage enough food to last her another day. She looked at the river, debating.
I guess I can risk it for tonight. she thought as she took off her cloak and waded in. She undid the braid in her ponytail and let her lavender and blue feathers flow free. She splashed water over herself, washing off several nights worth of dust and dirt. The water felt cool against her skin and there was a light breeze. She relished it, letting herself relax and let her guard down.
"Look what we have here?" a familiar voice said.
She turned around to see Xan, who had a cruel smile on his face. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind, by Cuf no doubt. She struggled, but Cuf was too strong. Xan approached her.
"You know, we thought we would help you change your skin color." Xan said, showing her two pieces of rope.
"Yeah we figured that if we leave you in the sun all day, you'll become a lovely shade of red." Cuf said as he dragged her over to two small trees. Xan tyed her between them, one hand to each tree.
"What about her tank top and loin cloth?" Cuf asked, "Should we take those off so she'll end up red all over?"
"Now why didn't you think of that before we tied her up? No leave em. It would be too much trouble to get those off her now. Lets go."
"You can't leave me here!" she protested.
"Sure we can, just watch us." Xan said as he walked away, Cuf following.
She struggled against the ropes, but they were on tight. And the sun was raising...

[Sl'askia]

Chapter 3

"This is getting frustrating." Abe said as he and Alf sat underneath a tree to rest near a river. Abe and Alf had being asking every mudokon they came across if they knew anything about Ghost and everyone either didn't know or didn't want to talk about it.
"You're telling me?" Alf said, "It's like everyone is afraid of this Ghost person. And Irun won't elaborate on the subject."
"I know, I wonder Ghost did that made him an outcast."
"Hey stitch lips!" a familiar voice called out to them. Abe groaned as he saw Munch surface in the river.
"What is it Munch?" Abe asked.
"I found a mudokon that needs your help." Munch said as he jumped out of the river and hopped over to them, "I would've helped but the poor girl is tied up between two trees and I'm too short to reach the ropes."
"Girl!? Did you say girl?" Alf said surprised.
"That's what I said, an odd colored one too. Come on."
"What do you mean be odd colored?" Abe said as he stood up, "All mudokons are green or blue aren't they?"
"This one isn't, now are you coming or not stitch lips?"
"I'm coming, I'm coming."
"Me too, I got to see this." Alf said as they followed Munch.

The noon sun beat on her mercilessly and she could feel her skin burning. Her sensitive eyes also hurt sense she wasn't used to using them in the daylight. So most of the time she kept them closed. She was a bit annoyed at whoever it was that found her earlier.
Too short to reach the ropes, he says. I'm going to get help, he says. Bah he was probably one of Xan's friends sent to tease me. She thought bitterly.
She heard voices up ahead so she opened her eyes to see who was heading her way. She saw a gabbit and two mudokons coming toward her.
Wait a min. she thought, I've never seen those two before.

"There she is." Munch said as they rounded a bend to the spot where she was.
"You weren't kidding Munch. I've never seen a mudokon that color before." Abe said as he looked at her. She had bluish white skin (well the parts that weren't sunburned anyway), skyblue eyes, and light lavender and blue ponytail. She was watching them nervously and when he approached her, she tried to back away. "I'm not going to hurt you." he said to her.
"Yeah right and I'm a tame scrab." she said timidly, "Everyone mistreats me, so way should you be any different?"
"Boy does she have issues." Alf muttered.
"Look," Abe said, "I don't know what has gone on in your life, but you have to trust me."
"I guess I don't have much choice do I? she said, defeated, "I'm not going anywhere unless someone unties me."
She relaxed herself and Abe started to untie her. When he was finished she suddenly groaned and collapsed, Abe barely caught her before she hit the ground.
"Too much time in the sun." she said weakly before going unconscious.
"We better get her inside quick to cool her off and to treat that sunburn." Abe said.
"Might want to cover her up with this," Munch said holding up a cloak he found nearby, "To keep her from getting even more burned."
"Good idea Munch." Abe said as he took the cloak and wrapped her up in it. Then he picked her up and started to carry her back to the village, Alf and Munch following.

Chapter 4

When she woke up she found herself on a bed, inside a hut. She looked over herself, a bunch of bandages covered the areas where she was burned by the sun. She could smell some sort of medication on them. Her ponytail was up in a bun, apparently to keep it out of the way when the bandages were applied. She moved carefully, she could still feel the burning sensation on her skin. She heard a door open and she tensed up. She didn't know where she was or who's hut she was in. A blue skinned mudokon walked into the room she was in. She recognized him as the one who had untied her. His kind smile eased her tension and she relaxed.
"I'm glad you're awake," he said as he walked up beside her, "I was beginning to get worried."
"How long was I out?" she asked.
"Nearly a day. We found you yesterday."
"That long?"
"Yep, by the way my name's Abe. What's yours?"
"I...I don't know."
"You don't remember?"
"No, I can't remember anything starting from about two years ago and beyond."
"Nothing has come back to you during those two years?"
"No, nothing. I do get dreams sometimes that I feel are memories, but I can never remember them when I wake up."
"That sucks. So who left you tried up anyway?"
"Two other mudokons named Xan and Cuf, they've been doing things like that to me for about a year now."
"Why?"
"Just because I'll different. And sense no one will accept me for who I am they get away with it!" she said as she started to shake.
"Whoa take it easy." Abe said as he put his hand on her shoulder.
"I wish I knew why they hate me, I wish could remember my past! Maybe then I would know what I did to deserve such treatment and start taking steps to fix it!" she put her head into her hands and sobbed.
"I haven't mistreated you have I?" Abe asked gently.
"No..no you haven't. Why is that?" She looked up at him.
"Because I believe that every mudokon deserves to be treated fairly, no matter what they look like."
She looked at him shocked for a moment, then she smiled. Abe smiled back. Then they heard a stomach growl, and she laughed weakly, a little embrassed.
"Jeez that's right, you haven't eaten in a day. Let me get you something to eat."
As he started for the door something clicked in her mind.
"Abe." she called out to him.
"Yes?" he looked at her.
"My name is Cili."
Abe smiled and walked out.

[Sl'askia]

Chapter 5

She was in a village. There were many more like her there. She was playing with a friend her age, while her mother watched. She was 5? 6? Suddenly an alarm sounded. Her mother picked her up and started running. She saw glimpses of the green skinned mudokons that were raiding her village. She could hear the sounds of pain and death. She could smell smoke...

Cili woke up with a scream. She looked around a sighed with relief that she was still in Abe's hut. It had been several days sense Abe found her and her skin was almost completely healed. Abe ran into her room, apparently her scream had woken him up.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yes, it was only a dream." she said.
"Do you remember it?"
"No."
"Drat." Abe started to check her bandages. His gentle touch relaxed her.
"Wait..," she said as she rubbed her forehead, "Somethings coming back to me."
"A memory?"
"Yes. I remember I was in a village. I was very young at the time." she looked at her hands. "There were many more like me in the village."
"Really?"
"Yes, I...I think I was a member of a tribe where everyone had the same skin color as mine. I...I had a mother."
"Was she a queen?"
"No, in fact I don't recall there being any queens in the village."
"Interesting, never heard of such a tribe. Do you remember any more?"
"Yes," she surpressed a shudder, "The village was attacked by another tribe, a tribe of green skinned mudokons. But why did they attack? What has my people done to deserve such hostility?"
"Hmmm." Abe thought a moment, "I wonder if Bigface would know anything about this, he's been around for awhile."
"Who's Bigface?"
"Our local shaman. I need to get more bandages anyway. Its morning now so he should be up. I'll be back" Abe said as he headed for the door.

"Hey Abe!" Alf said as he ran up to him.
"Whats up Alf?" Abe asked.
"I managed to get more info out of Irun about Ghost."
"How did you do that?"
"Well I kind of got him...drunk." Alf said sheepishly.
"Alf!"
"Hey I couldn't think of any other way." he shrugged.
"Ok so what did you find out."
"Well when I asked all he said was something about white skinned mudokons being evil murders. Actually he used the term moon skinned, like theres a difference."
"What! That can't be. From what Cili was able to recall this morning that can't be true."
"Maybe we should talk to Bigface about this."
"Actually I was heading to his place now."
"Great I will go with you."
As they walked Abe couldn't help but think: Who's the real victim here? Cili's people or us?

Chapter 6

When they reached Bigface's hut, they found him standing outside waiting for them.
"You knew we were coming didn't you?" Alf asked.
Bigface merely nodded and motioned for them to come inside.
"Now," Bigface said as he sat down on his meditation rug, "What is it you wish to ask me?"
"Well," Abe started as he and Alf sat,"we were wondering if you knew anything about a tribe of moon skinned mudokons."
Bigface leaned forward in interest. "Moon skinned mudokons you say?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm, tell me where you came to hear about them first."
So Abe and Alf told him about finding Cili and her lack of memory. They also told him what Irun said about them. When they were finished, Bigface sat back with a saddened look on his face. After a moment he finally said, "So the sin of one HAS caused their near extinction."
"What do you mean?" Abe asked.
"First I'll tell you about the tribe itself. The tribe is or rather was called the Moon Children. They are the separate race from us, though they are related and consider themselves mudokons. They don't have queens, rather they have males and females who form pair bounds. Unlike us, where we all have similar powers and abilities, each of the Moon Children have his or her own unique talent, such as the ability to create fire from nothing. It's not magical in nature so these talents can't be taught to someone else.
In the old days, they would assist us in night time activities since their eyesight was ten times better at night then us. In return we would aid them in daytime activities since their sun burned so easily burned in the sunlight.
When the glukkons came, the Moon Children, fearing for there race, went into hiding and became secretive and weary of others. The other tribes resented this and started to break their ties with them. As time pasted the knowledge of the Moon Children grew less and less and the other tribes began to fear their powers and their ghost-like appearance. It didn't help any when one Moon Child got it into his head that the Moon Children should rule over all mudokons. The other Moon Children wanted nothing to do this and cast him out of the tribe. Not to be undone, he went on a one mudokon crusade against the other tribes. It was said that he killed dozens, some say even hundreds, of mudokons before he was killed.
Fearing that more like him would turn up, one of the tribes demanded that they band together and exterminate the Moon Children. But the rest of the tribes refused and said to let them be. Apparently, that one tribe decided to take matters into their own hands and attacked the Moon Children anyway. And since the Moon Children are a peaceful tribe and had no real fighting abilities, it must have been a massacre, with Cili being the only known survivor."
"I never thought our own kind could be like that." Abe said glumly.
"Like I said, the sin of one can turn whole groups of others against a single one."
"What can we do? If we tell Cili this, she'll get even more depressed then she already is."
"Unless more Moon Children show up, then there's little we can do except to ensure her life is as happy as can be." Bigface said as he stood up."
"What about Irun?" Alf said as he and Abe stood up also, "Surely he'll find out she's hiding in Abe's hut and will try to kill her."
"Then you must protect her from him at all cost!" Bigface said sternly, "At least until she remembers what her talent is. Until then, she's helpless. By the way the bandages you came for are on the second shelf to the left of the door."
"Uh thank you Bigface." Abe said as he took the bandages and went outside, Alf following.
"How are we going to protect her? I mean Irun is built like a scrab!" Alf said.
"Well, we do what we can to keep him from finding out where she is. Until she remembers her talent."
"Humphf, easier said then done."

[Sl'askia]

Chapter 7

"Well?" Cili asked as Abe walked through the door.
"Jeez let me get in first." Abe said.
"I did." she said mischievously, "So did Bigface know anything?"
"Well yes," Abe said hestiatently, "you might want to sit down."
"Its something bad isn't it?" she said as she sat down on the bed.
While he changed her bandages, Abe told her what Bigface said. After he finished, Cili just sat quietly for a moment.
"Am I the last?" she asked finally.
"We don't know for sure." Abe said, trying to stay positive.
"Why..." she muttered, "Why do people always assume the worst?"
"Its part of that 'prepare for the worst, hope for the best' thing, its a survival tactic. Only in this case it was taken too far."
Cili stood up and leaned up against the wall. "So I'm destined to be alone for the rest of my life." she said with sadness in her voice.
"You don't know that Cili, as you regain more of your memory we should be able to..."
"What does it matter if I regain my memories or not!?" she suddenly cried, "If I am the last one it would be better if I don't remember at all!"
"You don't believe that and you know it." Abe said as he walked over to her, "Besides you need to remember what your talent is."
"What good is that?"
"So you can defend yourself against Irun, a mudokon who's been looking for you. And I doubt he just wants to be friends."
"With my luck my talent will be something useless."
"You don't know that."
"Neither do you!" Cili cried as she bolted for the door. Abe managed to catch her and pull her back toward him. She didn't resist, instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in it, sobbing.
"Cili," Abe said as he gently embraced her, "You'll never be alone, not as long as you're with me."

Chapter 8

"Man I'm bored." Cuf said as he and Xan walked along .
"So am I," Xan said, "It's been boring sense Ghost disappeared after that last stunt."
"I think we overdid it last time Xan," Cuf said worrying, "We might have killed her with that one."
"What are your talking about Cuf? Are you getting soft?" Xan said pointing at him accusingly.
"Of course not!" Cuf said defensively.
"You know what, I think you're hiding something from me."
"Whatever give you that idea?"
"You always questioned my more extreme ideas, Cuf. I think with this last one you felt sorry for her and went and freed her without my knowledge." Xan said pinning him to a nearby tree.
"No, no I would never do a thing like that!"
"Maybe not that, but I bet you know where Ghost is now."
"N..n..no I don't"
"That's a lie if I ever heard one." a menacing voice said. Xan saw the biggest mudokon he's ever seen step out of hiding.
"Irun..." Cuf muttered, frightened.
"What business of this is yours?" Xan scowled.
"When it comes to Ghost it IS my business." Irun said as he shoved Xan out of his way and approached Cuf. "Now, little one you will tell me where Ghost is."
"I don't know." Cuf said as he backed away.
"Oh I think you do, and I will make you tell me."
Xan could only watch helplessly as the larger mudokon beat Cuf senseless. After what seemed like an eternity, Cuf finally said: "Abe's place, Ghost is at Abe's place."
"Thank you." Irun said as he dropped Cuf and started to walk away, he paused a moment. "Oh and don't tell anyone about this." he called back with a dangerous look in his eyes.
"What are we going to do?" Cuf asked weakly as they watch Irun walk away.
"I don't know Cuf." Xan said as he helped his friend up, "I don't know."

Abe looked down at Cili, who was sleeping soundly in his arms.
Good she's finally asleep. he thought as he gently picked her up and put her in bed. He had been comforting her all day and he was beat and hungry. Cili, he thought, you've been through so much, I can only hope I can make you as happy as I am with you.
He sighed as he headed toward the door to find something to eat and to bring back something for Cili as well.
"Hello Abe." a familiar voice said just as Abe stepped outside.
Oh no he knows, it's too soon. Abe thought as Irun stepped out of the shadows. He was completely decked out in warpaint and was carrying a spear. And he didn't look happy.
"I believe you have been hiding someone from me." Irun said with a growl, "Now you will either hand Ghost over to me willingly or I'll force my way in and take him myself."
What am I going to do? Abe thought frantically, Cili can't fend for herself yet, and there's no way I can defeat him in combat.

[Sl'askia]

Chapter 9

"Well!?" Irun said getting impatient, "What will it be? The easy way or the hard way?"
Abe took a deep breath and stood tall. "I don't know what you said against her, but I don't care. I am not letting you have her." he said boldly.
"The hard way, very well." Irun growled and rushed Abe, slamming him against the wall near the door.

Cili was awakened when something slammed against the wall outside. When she got up and opened the door she saw Abe in a fight with a large mudokon. A fight Abe was losing.
[iWhy does that mudokon seem familiar to me?[/i] she thought, "Abe what's going on here?" she asked.
Abe looked back with a horrified look on his face. "Cili run!" he yelled.
The other mudokon looked toward her. Then, with an evil grin, kneed Abe in the gut and tossed him aside.
"At long last I will have my revenge!" he growled as he charged her with his spear lowered.
Cili bolted, barely avoiding getting run though by the spear. "Revenge? What are you talking about?" she cried.
"You don't remember?" he said as he swung again and missed, "Very well then I will tell you. You and your mother killed a young mudokon that was in my care."
"What!" she stopped running, not believing what she just heard.
"Don't believe him Cili!" Abe called to her, "Irun is just trying to get you to give yourself up!"
"Oh but its true Abe." Irun said, "I was there when it happened. You dropped a large tree branch on him, it crushed him to death."
"No no that can't be true! Why can't I remember!" Cili cried holding her head in her hands.
"Whether you remember or not it doesn't matter, it's time for you to die." Irun said raising her spear.
"No!" Abe cried tackling him. They both fell to the ground, knocking Cili into a nearby wall. Cili hit her head and she felt a sudden rush of memories flooding her head. One in particular caught her attention:

It was two years ago, she was walking in the forest with her mother.
"You look worried mother." she said.
"I am." the older mudokon said, "You are 13 now Cili and you still have not shown any sign as to what your talent is."
"It's probably something stupid."
"You don't know that my daughter, I'm sure it's something very special."
"How can you be so sure?"
"The night you hatched, the Moon Guardians were very active and excited."
"Really?"
"Yes.." she suddenly stopped.
"What is it mother?"
"Shh...listen. Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Someone's in trouble come on."
Shrugging, Cili followed her mother. Not far away they found a young mudokon trapped underneath a fallen tree branch.
"You poor thing..," her mother said, "don't be afraid little one, we're here to help you."
"But mother that's a green mudokon! Don't you remember what they did to our village?" Cili protested.
"I remember that night quite clearly, Cili." she said sternly, "If the cycle of hate is to be reverse we must show our enemies that we mean them no ill will. Now help me with this, my talent is not as strong as it used to be."
With a sigh Cili walked over to the branch and got a grip on it while her mother started to chant. Slowly the branch started to raise.
Jeez, Cili thought as she struggle to lift the branch, Mother's talent is getting weak. I hope we both last long enough to free the little one.
"What are you doing!" an angry voice said, causing Cili's mother to lose her concentration. Cili was unable to hold on to the branch and it slipped out of her hands. It fell on top of the young mudokon with a sickening crunch.
"Oh no.." Cili said grief stricken. She looked back to see another green mudokon, a heavily built one at that, standing there with his mouth open in shock.
"You..you...MURDERS!" he cried as he charged them with his spear.
"Run Cili!" her mother cried.
"But.." Cili protested as they started to run, "can't we explain!"
"I saw the look in his eyes, he won't except any explanation other then his own!"
"Mother you don't look so good."
"Cili," she said sadly, "no matter what you hear, don't look back and keep running!"
"Mother no don't!"
"Keep running. I love you Cili." she heard her mother stop and the next thing she heard was her mother's scream.

Cili snapped herself out of the memory. She saw Irun throw Abe off him and pinned him to the ground with his foot and point his spear at his throat.
"If you like moon-skins so much then you can join them in death!" Irun growled as he raised her spear.
"No..ABE!" Cili cried as she jumped toward him.

Then there was a flash of silver-blue light...

Chapter 10

Where am I? Cili thought confused. One moment she was jumping toward Abe to save him and the next she found herself in darkness. She could see silver-blue shapes zipping around her excitedly, but they were too fast for her to make out what they were.
*Welcome Moon Child* she heard a voice say.
Who? What? she looked around for the source of the voice, she happened to look down at her body and relized that it was nothing but a white mist. What the F***! What's happened to me!? she said starting to panic.
*Thee need not be afraid Moon Child. We are the Moon Guardians. We mean thee no ill will.* the voice said soathingly.
Moon Guardians, I remember now, you live on the moon. she said forgetting her perdictament for the moment.
*That is correct*
Where am I?
*Nowhere, yet everywhere*
I don't understand.
Thy conscousness is in the astral plane, a place where telepathic minds can meet*
How did I get here?
*We summoned thee here*
Why!? Abe needs my help!
*Do not worry, the astral plane is on a different plane of existance. Here time has no meaning, when thee returns to thy body, it will be as though thee never left.*
Alright why did you summon me then?
*The reason is because thee have been chosen. Once every hundred years we bestow the ability to asume our form and use our powers upon one we deem worthy. However we made a mistake in our choice barely fifty years ago.*
Cili thought a moment, then realized who they were talking about. You must be talking about the Moon Child that went on a mudokon killing spree. she said
*That is correct* she could hear a note of sadness in the voice, *And because of our mistake thy people were nearly wiped out.*
Therefore...
*Therefore, just as Abe is the chosen one for his people, thee are the chosen one for yours. We wish for thee to aid him in saving all mudokons, and thus we bestow upon thee our powers. We will also give thee the knowledge thee will need to use them.*
Cili felt a sudden rush of information flow into her mind.
Whoa!
*Now we return thee to thy body. Fare thee well Moon Child. Use thy powers wisely.*

Once again there was a flash of silver-blue light...

[ April 29, 2001: Message edited by: Dragadon ]

[Sl'askia]

Chapter 11

Abe couldn't believe what he was seeing. A moment ago Irun was standing over him about to kill him, the next a large silver-blue creature had knocked Irun down to the ground. It was 20ft long and stood on two strong legs that each ended in three toes. The toes each ended with a large hook like claw. It's head was long and narrow with white pupilless eyes. Two rows of horns starting at the back of the head ran down its back to the base of its tail, a single row continued to the tip of the tail.
It stood over him, seemingly confused for a moment. Then it swung its head down towards him. He froze, not knowing what to expect.
*Abe?* a familiar voice said in his head, *Are you alright?*
"Cili?" he asked, and when the creature nodded he said, "I..I'm fine."
*Good* Cili said as she turned her head toward Irun, who had just gotten up.
"I don't know how you did that, but it doesn't matter, I will still kill you for what you have done!" Irun growled.
*That's what you think* she said as Irun charged her. She side stepped him easily and sent him flying with a whack from her tail. Undaunted he got up and attacked again, only with the same result. Again he attacked, only this time Cili snapped his spear like a twig in her jaws. Even weaponless, Irun would not give up and tried to tackle her. This time, she caught him in between her head horns and tossed him aside. When he got up again she whacked him with her tail again, slamming him up against a wall. He stood there a moment trying to catch his breath.
*I been easy on you believe it or not.* she said, taking a large rock and placing it in front of her, *I really wanted to,* she blasted the rock with a clear liquid that came from her mouth, then, with just a tap of a claw the rock crumbled into dust, *I could just to that to you* She calmly walked over to him and, while balancing on one foot, pinned him against the wall with the other.
"Then why don't you just kill me and get it over with!?" Irun scowled, too weak to fight anymore.
*No,* she said, *Death is a release, not a punishment. Instead I will show you the truth and let your own guilt be your punishment.* with that she locked eyes with him.

Irun reeled at what was just feed into his mind. He could see and feel Cili and her mother's true intention. He wanted to call it all lies but he knew it was true. He felt his heart sink and the terrible feeling of guilt raise up. When Cili released him, he sank down to his knees and sobbed.
*You see know? You understand?* he heard her say, *Two mudokons would still be alive if you hadn't jumped to conclusions.*
"I understand," he said between sobs, "I do not deserve to live for what I have done."
*Like I said, I will not kill you. What you do with your life from this point on is your choice and your choice alone.*

Abe had been watching and listening all this in disbelief. He saw Cili back up and with a flash of silver-blue light, changed back into her mudokon self. He saw her sway and he just managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
"Cili, are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, a bit drained though. I just need to rest a bit." Cili said weakly as Abe helped her stand up again.
They looked up to see Irun stand up, and with a sad look in his eyes, walk away.
"What do you think he'll do now?" Abe asked as they watched Irun leave.
"That depends on how well he can handle the guilt he now feels." she said.
Abe looked down at her and he noticed something in her that wasn't there before: Confidence. It was like a fire had been lit inside her.
"I remember my past now," she said as Abe helped her walk back to his hut, "Some of the memories hurt and always will hurt, but I know I must move on with my life. A life I wish to spend the rest of with you Abe." she suddenly give him a quick kiss on the cheek. He looked at her surprised at first, then he smiled when he saw her smile sweetly back at him.
"I would want nothing more..." he said as he kissed her in return...

Epilogue

Its been four months since Cili regained her memory. She and Abe were relaxing by a steam, gazing at the stars and the moon. Occasionally they saw a streak of light going across the sky.
"Look there's goes another one." Abe said pointing at the sky.
"Yes I saw it." Cili said, a note of concern in her voice.
"What's wrong?"
"The Moon Guardians are restless tonight, even angry. I wonder what has gotten them so upset."
"I don't know..." Abe said looking up at the moon.

Mean while in a hidden labratory, two Vykkers were very excited about there latest catch.
"This new specimen is quite unlike any other." one said.
"Yes it is, just imagine what we could learn from it!" the other said.
"It has such great power for one so small. It doesn't even seem to need to breathe!"
"Yes and if we can find out why that is, we would be one step closer to discovering the secret to immortality!"
As the two Vykkers laughed, a young Moon Guardian watched them helplessly from its cage....

To be continued in 'White Goddess'