Detective Comet: An Odder's Origin

Chapter Four: The Spirit's Wisdom

  Is this really Midnight? I looked about my surroundings and this was just like the dream I had in the past few nights, but this time, this was real. I looked back at the giant wolf and he slowly picked up his head. "Why are you filled with fear Comet?" he asked. I wanted to stay quiet and try to avoid answering his question. I already used up the last of my courage just to say my own name. I'm literally talking to a giant spirit. He could wipe me out of existence if I said something wrong. He tapped me with his tail and asked me again. "Why are you afraid?" he said calmly. His tail was incredibly soft and I suddenly felt relaxed. "I-I don't know," I responded. "Then know that there is no reason to fear me," he said. He stood up on all fours and told me to follow him. He lead me to the lake the class and I saw earlier. We walked down this small dirt incline leading to the lake and the giant wolf sat along the edge of his lake. I sat right next to him and he asked me, "Why do you think I've called you here?" "Wait so those howls I heard, was a calling?" I asked. Midnight looked down at me and said, "I don't call out to just anyone." "My champions are never chosen arbitrarily." "They're chosen because I know what they're capable of." "I know what you're truly capable of Comet," he said. When I heard those words, I was lost for words. I was filled with joy just knowing that the spirit doesn't see me as someone who doesn't belong and at the same time, my heart sank listening to what he said because of how grateful I was. "Take this lake for example," he said. "The name of this lake is Lake Talise." "Lake Talise wasn't luxurious when I first found her, rather she was destroyed, polluted, and abandoned." "She was in no condition to provide for those who lived in these woods." "The water shifted into a brown muck and the waterfall continued to dump its rubbish and waste, poisoning the lake." "The air was filled with a toxin that caused the creatures to flee and the air to turn green." "The creatures who once lived in these woods left her and the lake worsened, causing the vegetation to die." "When I saw this lake in its current condition, I couldn't leave her to suffer any longer than she already has." "It didn't take long to get this lake cleaned but soon enough, I saw something special about Talise." "Talise was no ordinary lake." "She could see and show people their past and future." "Sometimes you just have to clean and polish the polluted in order to bring out what truly lies dormant within them," he said.

  "A few months later, this lake grew lush with fresh fields, filtered with pure water, decorated with luxurious vegetation, and she was no longer alone." "Now to this day, she's recognized as this nation's landmark for her beauty and ability to see both the past and future," he said. "The point of this story is that I could've picked anyone as my champion, but if I picked anyone based on appearance, popularity, or opinions of others, then the right person would be distant," he smiled. "Comet, I called you because I choose you as my champion." "You, are the champion of Lake Night," he said. I was surprised knowing that I've been selected to become this generation's champion. All this time I believed that I was nothing more than just an ordinary Odder. An Odder who never going to succeed in life and someone who was never meant to exist. "Why am I chosen as your champion?" I asked. "Why choose me as your champion out of everyone else when I could possibly mess everything up and make matters worse." "What makes me stand out to you!?" "What do you see in me that everyone else doesn't!?" I shouted. "I just...I just don't understand." "Well let me ask you this," Midnight said. "What can't you see that I see?" "I see someone who's dedicated to achieving peace and equality." " I see someone who doesn't judge off of the appearance of others or the words of another." "And I see someone whose heart is pure," the spirit said. The spirit tapped my shoulder with his tail and said, "What others may say about you won't change what I know about you."

  After listening to him, I felt tears rolling down my face. He really meant what he said. My friends and I would go to school every day and get bullied for being different. My mom would experience a love and hate relationship with our neighbors. My dad would get shamed for marrying an Odder. What I do when I get home is probably what they do. I can see the anguish in their eyes. When the day is over, sadly, I would release the distress in my room in silence. I never want my parents to worry, but I know they would do the same if they were in my shoes too. This spirit is wise and knows how to tap into people. I was lost for words because there was nothing else to say. "Comet," he called. I looked up at him trying to contain my emotions. I was already a mess; I didn't want to make it worse than it already is. "You're still young, but as you grow and mature, you will witness catastrophe." "Comet, the five nations is in grave danger and will enter into an age of calamity." "Every one-thousand years, grave destruction awakens and the spirit of chaos emerges from his chamber." "Draven craves nothing more than power and takes pleasure in watching those beneath him suffer his wrath." "His desire is to create a nation of his own by taking over the five nations." "Everybody underneath his rule will witness a dictator like no other." "Your liberty will be taken from you and hope will become your enemy." "Draven's reign of terror will cloud over the five nations and war will break if he isn't stopped swiftly." "His army grows in numbers and his ranks fight for power, but only one is the most powerful amongst the ranks." "Your focus isn't about the defeat of Draven until his champion has been defeated," he said. "Who did Draven choose to be his champion?" I asked. "Draven's champion is the leader of an organization known as the Valiant" Midnight answered. "His name is Vex." "He's preparing for war and so should the five nations." "This is no ordinary war Comet." "This war decides the fate of the five nations." "If Draven is successful in this war, the five nations will be brought to its knees and the five nations will be no more," he said.

  The age of calamity was soon to begin and I didn't have much of a choice. I had to accept who I thought I wasn't to be. "Even if I did accept becoming your champion, I don't know where to start nor do I know where this organization is located," I said. "I'm not even ready for war, I can hardly defend myself against the class bully." "I mean like sure, we do combat training, but that doesn't mean I win every battle." "I'm usually the second one out." "I'd be lucky if I was third," I said. "I have someone who will train you before the calamity," Midnight said. "As you grow and mature you will meet him and he will soon become a member of your party." "But know this Comet, the person I have that will train you is very much alike compared to you but is different and feared." "You know the saying, never judge a book by its cover?" "He's quiet and independent, but he's wise and reliable." "This individual will be far more than your ally." "He'll be your friend," he said.

  "Now in order to win the war, you must build an army of your own," Midnight said. "When you're ready, go out and seek the four champions from the other four nations to fight along your side, but heed my warning to you Comet." "Time waits for no one, so be quick, but patient." "The fate of the five nations is all in your hands," he said. Yeah, it was concluded. My destiny was set and I was soon to enter war as Midnight's champion. I looked down at the lake seeing myself reflected from the water. I saw myself as a pitiful pup who's always lost and needed instruction, but Midnight tapped the water with the tip of his tail and the lake began to ripple. I didn't see me, but I saw me. I looked proud and confident. I had the eyes of someone who was ready to take on anything in their path and I grew to look like my dad. There were other people behind me and they looked like they came from different nations. The reflection began to fade and I saw my present self. I looked back up at Midnight, but he was gone. I looked around trying to see if I could even see a glimpse of him, but all I saw were the trees and the glow orbs soaring the air, but he was nowhere to be seen. I looked back down at the lake seeing my reflection. I started questioning if that was really me. The look in his eyes, the confidence, and how proud he was. Was that really me? I wanted to see him again, but I couldn't. The lake wouldn't show me. I sighed and decided to take my leave. I didn't want to be out here for too long. My teacher was probably still waiting for me outside the woods.

  I walked down the same path to the entrance of the woods and the totem's eyes began to glow white again as I was walking by. I made it to the entrance and saw my teacher, Mrs. Harp, and called out to her. She turned in my direction and was in an immediate shock. "My goodness," she said. "What?" I questioned. "Is there something wrong?" "No no," she smiled. "Do you feel different by any chance?" "Now that you ask, I feel kind of lighter" I responded. "I also feel different than usual, like my abilities feel different." "Other than that I feel like nothing's changed." "Why?" I asked. "Well, when you came out of the woods, your appearance changed," she said. I looked at my hands, my legs, and my feet, but everything was normal. "I don't see anything that's different Mrs. Harp," I said. My teacher just gave me a smile. I was confused and wanted to know what was different about me that I couldn't see. "Let's not worry about it," she said. "Let's get you home." My teacher and I walked back to the village and she took me home. I showed her to my home and she knocked on the door. The door opened and my mom was there with my dad behind her. "Mrs. Harp, hello," my mom said. "Comet, where've you been, the trip should've been over by now," she said. "Oh, don't worry about that, I had a special trip for him," Mrs. Harp said. "I must say that this was a trip I will never forget," she smiled. My parents looked at each other, but they were confused. "Well, why don't you come in Mrs. Harp and we can maybe talk about this trip," my dad said. "Oh, yes please," Mrs. Harp said. "This is so exciting; I have to tell you this." "My goodness these are wonderful news that the two of you have to hear, you both are such lucky parents," she cheered as she entered the den. "Oh, well I'll prepare some tea as we discuss what happened," my mom said. I followed right behind them and saw my dad and my teacher sitting on the sofas right across from each other with the wooden table in between them. My dad had the coasters ready and my teacher was excited to tell her story. I went up the stairs to my room and decided to get some rest. Tomorrow my friends and I are going to the market not far from here. I laid down on my bed, but I couldn't help but wonder what the three of them are talking about down there. I could hear my teacher all the way from up here. The last thing I heard was becoming the change of this generation. This wasn't anything to worry about and I was beginning to feel drowsy. I wanted to stay up just a little bit longer, but everything was slowly turning black. Everything was shutting down and I was eventually listening to the sound of silence.