Spirit Animals: The Giver's Legacy (Under Editing)

Chapter One: Into Nilo

As the sun started to rise, it had caught the colors of a blazing, aflame ember as it rise in the east. The faint outline of the moon was in a pale circle of silver, glowing faintly in the dawning sky. The shadows of the night had faded into a new dawning day.
But jumping lightly on the waves of the sea was a single handmade raft. But dozing lightly on the mentioned raft was an eleven year old girl. She is... or rather was a Princess of Stetriol. But she has been banished by Zerif and chased onto the handmade raft at the docks by his pet jackal.
Zerif. Nora let out a fierce, animal-like growl at the thought of the mysterious man. That sneaky, good for nothing jackal. He's the main reason why she has secretly exiled from her homeland and why her father has been killed. The mere thought of him caused her blue eyes to glow with the light of an enraged, trapped animal.
But she soon realized that getting mad at him when he's miles away from was pointless. Nora calmed down with deep breaths and continued watching of where she's heading to. Her beloved homeland was long gone behind her, and the sea lay in front of her. Nora could hear the sounds of the sea, but when she looked down she saw all sorts of sea life underneath the shimmering waves of the sea. She saw a pod of dolphins herding a school of fish underwater. Nora caught a glimpse of a group of seals playing in the water. She watched as the handmade raft sailed through a thick fog and heard the cries of a flock of sea gulls. But once the fog parted, Nora was stunned at the sight before her.
Nora stared across the dark, rushing waves at the shore slipping past them. The afternoon sun was warmed against her skin and cast bright golden sparkles along the ocean, but the wind was colder than it seemed like it should be. All she could see of it was a strip of beach and a great savannah beyond the beach. This part of Nilo didn't look anything like the paintings of the wet jungle from artwork hallway, but it was still as close to the continent as she had been in a long time.
Looks like the legendary rivalry between Cabaro and Uraza has taken its toll on the lands of Nilo, figured Nora.
Feelings of fear and curiosity went through Nora as she gazed at the continent of Nilo. She is aware of the history of Erdas when there was nineteen Great Beasts. King Feliandor was an eleven year old king, old enough to have a spirit animal and summoned a saltwater crocodile spirit animal, by Kovo convincing him to drink the Bile by Gerathon's creation. King Feliandor was famous when he had launched multiple attacks on the rest of Erdas while stealing some of the talismans and dishonoring everyone's lives. But thanks to the aid of the courageous Fallen Four, the team of the green clad resistance has been known as the Greencloaks. Many people have forgotten about the continent of Stetriol since the war. But she's nervous about how people will react at the sight of her. Nobody has seen anyone like her since the First Devourer War. But some people seen King Feliandor as a hero of Stetriol for trying to bring some much needed resources back to Stetriol.
But some people don't feel the same way as some of the Stetriolians. And honestly, Nora agreed to their angry and disappointed opinions about King Feliandor. It's thanks to him, everyone living in Stetriol is afraid of having a spirit animal since it's accompanied by the horrible bonding sickness. Jhi the Great Panda was gone, as is Briggan the Great Wolf, Uraza the Great Leopard, and Essix the Great Falcon due to the First Devourer War. The Greencloaks soon found a new cure, with thanks to Ninani the Great Swan's sacrifice of her talisman and had created the Nectar that'll help children summon their spirit animals without receiving the bonding sickness. And that's what made her angry. The Nectar was sent to all of Erdas, except Stetriol. The Greencloaks had decided not to give the Nectar to Stetriol, out of revenge for the war or unable to reach Stetriol.
Nora was so deep in her feelings and thoughts, she didn't notice a giant wave raging towards her and her raft. But once she noticed the raging wave, it was too late. A startled cry was heard from the ocean.
                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the sea, a dark wave rose on the rolling river, and from it lifted a hand. As the wave surged higher, reaching toward the smoky gray sky. A blanket to float swirled around the wrist, while desperate fingers were searching for something to hold onto. It was the hand of someone young and feminine. It was the hand of someone weak, too weak to fight any longer.
It was the hand of a girl.
With a deep sucking sound, the wave began to crest, tilting steadily toward the shore. For an instant it paused, between water and earth, between the brooding sea and the unpredictable, dark woods of the Niloan savannah. Then, the sucking swelled into a crashing roar as the wave toppled over, hurling the girl's limp body onto the beach. She lay completely still, except when the whoosh of air from the next wave tousled her soaked, honey blonde and beige hair.
The girl remained motionless for a moment. All she could feel was the painful throbbing of her head, and the cold water chilled her to the bone. Then came another cough, that was swiftly followed by another.
Waves surged and subsided, surged and subsided. For a long while, the small candle of life in her wavered at the edge of the darkness. Beneath the throbbing, her mind seemed strangely empty. Almost as if she had lost a piece of herself. Or as if a kind of wall had been built, cutting her off from a portion of herself, with only a piece of fear has been left behind.
Her breathing slowed. Her fist relaxed. She gasped, as if to cough again, but instead fell still.
But walking cautiously through the woods was a small group of men who happened to be strong Niloan hunters. They each jumped over ledges, climbed rickety fallen trees, and walked single file along narrow ridges. The hours passed quickly as she navigated the many obstacles, and by the time they reached a clearing halfway up the beach, the night was ending and the day was beginning. They soon saw the unconscious girl laid onto the beach.
"Sãhasí!" Surak called out from the beach. "I found someone! And I think she's still alive!"
Sãhasí cautiously approached the unknown figure, one hand hovered over the hilt of his launcher. Sãhasí felt amazed by the survivor's will to live, despite the survivor's situation. He exchanges a look with his younger brother, they started walking towards the fierce survivor. Sãhasí caught a clear image of the shape. Sãhasí felt his breath caught in his throat he saw the eleven year old girl laid on the ground motionless.
The night wind gently ruffled the girl's long honey blonde hair. Her skin has a lightly tanned complexion from her time in the sun and held a few scratches, along with some cold water and wet sand. She was wearing a brown hooded robe on top of her slightly ripped dark green tunic and dark brown pants that ended at her boots. She has a simple a jeweled pendant that's tied to a leather cord around her neck.
Sãhasí relaxed his muscles and kneeled beside the girl, noticing the way her chest rose and lowered with every breath. "She's alive. Fall out. We have to get this girl to the village." Everyone obeyed his order and Sãhasí lifted the girl up from the soaking, wet ground. He felt her shiver in his grasp and his eyes softened with sympathy as he gently cared her off of the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her skin felt ice cold. Her body shivered and trembled uncontrollably as she felt herself sink deeper and deeper into the dark hole, the surface far from her reach. She could barely breathe and when she tried her chest felt like it was on fire. Her last breath escaped her mouth and the faint, distant echoing of voices faded as the cold darkness consumed her.
When Nora woke up, her body was no longer cold. The sun's rays warmed her skin. She sat upright, eyes squinting until she adjusted to the light. Her bed was right next to a window with the curtains pulled back showing a lovely Niloan village. Several cabinets were on opposite sides of the room, with a top one open to reveal various herbs and spices with writing on them.
The door opened and Nora jumped out of the bed. Her hands formed into fists ready to strike whoever dared to intrude upon her. She relaxed when she saw a woman dressed in brown and
wearing an colorful belt around her waist. She wore her dark brown hair in a tight bun and an owl landed lightly on her desk. In her hands, she carried what appeared to be folded towels.
"Oh, good. You're awake." The healer approached the girl, taking notice of her stance. "Don't be scared. No one is going to hurt you. I brought you a towel." The healer placed the item on the bed. Nora relaxed and sat down on the bed, now certain this woman wouldn't harm her and let the nurse helped her dry her face.
"Where am I?" Nora asked warily.
"You're in Vendani Village," The healer replied. "You took quite a hit to the head. Are you sure you don't need to lie down?"
Nora shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Thank you."
"Well, you must be starving." The healer offered her a smile. "I'll bring you some soup. You're in luck, the cook made some soup. You're going to love it."
Nora nodded politely and the healer left the room to retrieve the soup. When she opened the door, she was met with someone at the door. "Oh, good morning. How can I help you?" She closed the door behind her. Nora slowly approached the door, listening in on their conversation.
"Is the girl awake?" asked the stranger.
"—She seems healthy enough, but I think she's pretty wary of us," The healer was saying to the stranger.
"Have the girl ready as soon as she is ready," replied the man.
"Yes, Chief." At that, the nurse headed towards the kitchen and the soldier headed in the opposite direction.
Nora stepped away from the door and a sudden wave of urgency overtook her. All of her senses were on high alert. Nora rushed to the window, as though she were being pulled by an aggressive unseen force, unhinged the lock and looked outside. She shielded her eyes from the sun till her eyes gotten used to it and took in the smell of the rising smoke and the field grass. She saw trees and that there was a valley surrounding the village.
She soon stepped back from the window and sat down on the bed. Nora was perplexed by this. The man who rescued her wanted to see her? Her emotions rolled around inside Nora like a whirlwind. She don't know whether to feel scared or curious or wary or anxious. But her confused thoughts and spinning emotions have came to a stop when she suddenly heard a strange sound and spun around to see the nurse had came back with a bowl of soup.
"Sorry if I took so long. Tiifu was in a tired mood today." Nora nodded and gently pulled her meal closer to herself. Picking up her soup, she spooned a mouthful into her mouth, chewing it slowly. As soon as she swallowed the first bite, her body practically cried out in relief. Nora bent over her bowl, stirring the soup and inhaling its warm, fragrant steam. Her goosebumps flattened out, and she felt much warmer as she ate and drank the broth.
Once she was done, Nora was brought into the meeting room of the village by the nurse. She soon spotted a fatherly, tall man with black hair and his skin is darker than hers. He seemed to be wearing colorful Niloan clothes.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Sãhasí," He said gently. "I trust the nurse treated you well."
"They did," said Nora.
"And I am Surak." Sãhasí's companion stepped forward, speaking with a deep and wise voice.
"Now that introductions are out of the way, perhaps you could tell us your name and where you are from, young lady?" said Sãhasí, trying to sound kind and inviting, but instead came out as a firm parent.
After a moment of hesitation and careful thinking, Nora had finally spoken in a soft and yet determined voice that matches with the summer winds. "I am Nora." She gazed at them warily. "I'm from an island that's far away from here. And I can't return there. Ever."
"Are you eleven years old?" Sãhasí asked.
Nora blinked. "Yes."
"Do you have a Nectar Ceremony?" asked Surak.
"No," Nora replied.
"We'll have a Greencloak to perform the ceremony tomorrow." Sãhasí gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "But tonight, you are going to be our honored guest."
"Really?" Nora was more than surprised by his offer. She just met the chief and he wants to help her. "Thank you Chief Sãhasí."
As night fell upon the village, they had gathered baskets of food, bottles of drinks, and logs for the bonfire in the center of the village. Nora sat down on the colorful carpets with bowls of fruit and bread, along with bottles of water. Many mistrals were holding onto some instruments. Once the bonfire was set aflame, Chief Sãhasí had stepped in front of everyone.
"Welcome our brothers and sisters from the islands around  our home," said Chief Sãhasí. "Now, it's time for us to celebrate and honor our newest guest." At that, the mistrals had started playing warm, beautiful music as Chief Sãhasí started singing.
Everyone watched as he gently stood a greatly woven, brightly beautiful tapestry with the colorful silhouettes of all the Great Beasts surrounding a big tree.
"A single thread in a tapestry.
Though its color brightly shines.
Can never see its purpose.
In the pattern of the grand design."
Chief Sãhasí gestured towards the mountain that stood over them in the distance.
"And the stone that sits on the very top
Of the mountains mighty face
Does it think it's more important
Than the stones that form the base?"
Nora flinched back as Chief Sãhasí stood next to her, a little surprised by his sudden action. It wasn't long till everyone started singing along too with the chief.
"Lai-le-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai.
La-lai-lai-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai-lai."
"Lai-le-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai.
La-lai-lai-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai-lai."
"So how can you see what your life is worth,
Or where your value lies?
You can never see through the eyes of man.
You must look at your life."
Look at your life through heaven's eyes."
Nora looked thoughtful about that, but she smiled and started clapping at the same time as the song and watched as some people had started dancing around the bonfire.
"A lake of gold in the desert sand,
Is less than a cool fresh spring."
Nora had a sheepish look as she remembered she had accidentally slipped into a fresh spring.
"And to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy,
Is greater than the richest king."
Surak and Nirmala both smiled at each other as they both worked on their family's goat herds. Surak kept on lookout while Nirmala tended to the goats.
"If a man loses everything he owns
Has he truly lost his worth?
Or is it the beginning
Of a new and brighter birth?"
Nora helped one of the farmers helped with a newborn lamb and she had help to clean the fidgety lamb.
"So how do you measure the worth of a man.
In wealth or strength or size?
In how much he gained or how much he gave?
The answer will come.
The answer will come to them who tries.
To look at their lives through heaven's eyes."
Nora felt warm inside as she gazed up at the starry night sky, something about this was doing her good. She looked up at the moon and the twinkling stars with a bright smile.
"And that's why we share all we have with you.
Though there's little to be found.
When all you've got is nothing,
There's a lot to go around."
As the days passed, Nora could be seen as she jumped out of the branches of a tree with a basket of fruits and passed it out a to a few shy kids. She smiled at the kids and exchanged a smile with Rani, who spotted Kion.
"No life can escape being blown about.
By the winds of change and chance."
Nora smiled when she saw Rani dancing and seemingly to have disappeared into the flames while Kion clapped and enjoyed the festivities.
"And though you never know all the steps.
You must learn to join the dance.
You must learn to join the dance."
Nora smirked as Rani made Kion dance with her in front of the bonfire. Whenever she puts something in mind, she doesn't let go of it.
Everybody started singing along with the chief.
"Lai-le-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai.
La-lai-lai-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai-lai."
"Lai-le-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai.
La-lai-lai-lai-lai-lee-lai-lai.
Lai-lai-lai-lai-lai-lai."
Chief Sãhasí continued singing again with fierce love and pride.
"So how do you judge what a man is worth?
By what he builds or buys?
You can never see with your eyes on earth."
That's when everyone had started to sing along with Chief Sãhasí too.
"Look through heaven's eyes.
Look at your life.
Look at your life.
Look at your life through heaven's eyes."
Nora smiled at this as she continued listening to the song. She looked up at the stars sparkling like distant diamonds in the sky, while the sky is like deep sapphire blue velvet. As the clouds cleared, a silver circle of the full moon had also appeared in the night sky and had casted its soft silvery light over the savannah. She never felt so free and happy before, but she wonders how long it's going to last.