A Nagas tale

As the tide shifts

It's been three weeks since I pulled Audrey out of the caves. Alma and Hector have been giving her reports on the progress and what they have found. Audrey read through all of the reports in the center of the room where I'd stacked all of the pillows we'd accumulated over the past few months. I watch Audrey straighten her back out before taking a deep breath. I can feel the kids flaring their auras in challenge to my aura. I did not like when they did that but I understand it's the way they get to understand the world around them. Audrey sets a document down and picks up a photo that her father had sent to her. It seems the army they worked with on the other side of the rift came here to help in searching for the last piece of the barrier and the spell. I look at the calendar on my wall 'June 15th.' I look at Audrey and her swollen stomach. Audrey groans before laying back on some of the pillows. I set the reports down and walked over to her. She looks at me "Kogen, they are fighting again." she grumbles. I chuckle seeing how much more comfortable Audrey is within my aura. I sit with her and put my hand on her stomach. I feel a sharp kick greet my palm "Hm already challenging this old man?" I ask. I look at Audrey as she laughs "Who do you think would win?" I ask her. She nods "The twins would have you beat." She jokes. I smirk "Hm, that would be a sight." I feel another kick before their auras calm down. Audrey lets out a pleased sigh but stays on her back. She sighs "I need the toilet." she grumbles. I get up to help her. I grab her armpits and pull her up. She gets on her feet and giggles "They love to use my bladder as a bounce pad." she explains to me her discomfort. I help her to the toilet and wait outside in case she needs help. I look at the wall surprised by how much aura these children have been showing. During the last check-up, my mother said they carried auras just as sharp as mine when I was in her womb. I frown as my mind returns to the reports. 'they have already gathered a massive army.' I look at the door to the toilet. 'It's been confirmed their target is Ezra forest.' I hate the danger our children were being born into. 'Would Audrey be able to handle a war?' Roy had asked me a few days ago. I look over at the bathhouse. 'Audrey has lived most of her life not seeing wars up close.' I frown knowing just how fragile Audrey is. That time at The Generals gathering she could only handle that titan due to Don's aid. I feel Roy walk into the gate 'Another report?' Audrey walks out of the toilet with a satisfied sigh. "I should finish setting up the nursery." She points towards her old room. I nod "I'll help you in a little bit." I walk her halfway to her room before stopping at the main door. I opened the door just as Roy was going to knock. "Oh! hey buddy!" He chuckles. I look at him seeing no reports in his hands. "I came to check on you two." he smiled. I step aside knowing that wasn't the truth. I led him into the room and peeked into the nursery. My eyes fall on Audrey standing at the center of the room with her hand on her stomach. The sight would bring my younger self to tears. I turn back to my room and close the door behind me. "What is it?" I ask. He chuckles "My, not even offering me some tea?" He asks. I frown knowing that he never came with good news or just for a simple chat. He sighs turning to the spot Audrey had taken up. "Are they still looking for the barrier spell?" he asks. I nod "They have made little progress in finding the instructions and the spell since Audrey has to rest." I tell him. He frowns. "Thats not good," he mutters. I feel a pit form in my stomach. "Why?" I ask. He turns to me "We have requested aid from the others, and they will be here in two months." He tells me. I nod 'And that's bad?' I narrow my eyes at him. "We've Spotted Lograin and Highrun ships only a month away." My blood drains from my body. 'This has to be a lie.' I take a step closer to him 'Tell me you are joking!' The look in his eyes tells me just about everything I need to know. "what can we do?" I ask. He sighs "I was hoping they had found that barrier spell so we could expedite the process." He frowns "But it seems we have no time." He looks at me. "All we can do is prepare to lose this Island." He frowns. "It takes a week to get to Norsta by ship, Yuri and Aurora are collaborating to offer space for anyone that seeks to flee." He tells me. His eyes looked past me and towards Audrey.  "If you wish for your family to stand a chance, I suggest you get her on the first ship out of here." His words piss me off. "Is there any other way we can..." "Kogen, with a month to prepare, we will be cutting it too close for comfort even if we did find the things we need to create the barrier it would take too much time to execute." He warns me. I frown turning my head away from him. I nod "Alright, I'll get the women and children ready to leave." I feel like I have already failed Ash. I walk to the door of the room and open it. I step back seeing Audrey tearfully standing there. Her eyes are fixed on her feet. "I don't want to go." she huffs. I clench my jaw. "You have no choice!" I bark knowing how hard-headed she was. I could not be soft on her not if I wanted her to do as I asked. I reach for her but she takes a step away from me. She looks at me her eyes dark with anger. "I always have a fucking Choice!" she scoffs. She turns away from me and walks to the dining room. "I knew I shouldn't have stepped away from the cave." she walks out of the back door. "Audrey! You cannot!" I shout following after her quickly waddles. She puts on her sandals and ignores me. "Audrey!" I shout "Audrey! Stop being stupid!" I shouted angry she was ignoring me. She says nothing I frown "Audrey! Just listen for once in your god damned life!" I roar following her to the back gate. She turns to me her eyes sharp in anger. "This is my family home! Even if I make it off of this Island we will all be dead!" she shouts at me. I shudder recalling just why she was so desperate to find that barrier. "Stupid you may call my stubbornness and I am fine with you thinking so." She puts her hand on her chest. "My husband trusts my stupidity! and the person standing here is not him." she growls before walking out of the gate. The hurt in her voice stabs my heart. 'MY husband trusts my stupidity!' I watch a rift open before Audrey. I ball my fists in anger that I hurt her so uselessly. I turn to Roy who had followed us out. I take a deep breath "We will order all women and children to evacuate any able-bodied man will be drafted." I push past Roy. 'Am I being unreasonable about Audrey?' I want to scream in anger but was my anger for Audrey? I shake my head 'No, my anger is at the issue we are facing.' 

I stand inside the library, Ash forms next to me. "Audrey." he coos as I wipe away my tears. "Call everyone to the center of town." I bite out. He nods "Please relax sweetheart, you don't need." "Grandpa Ash, We have less than a month to find and put up the barrier!" I scold. He frowns before leading me to the center of town where Yuri had set up the anchor. I spot Sam and Dan talking with Yuri about the pillars. I walk past the large pillars wondering how on earth we would get to set these up. Yuri locked eyes with me as if he was already aware of what I came here for he turned away from me. As the others gathered under Ash's order "I assume you understand what I am here for," I murmur resting my hands on the table. He nods "Miss Audrey!" Sam beams. I manage a weak smile to them both. "So they have told you." He sighs. I nod "I cannot sit around waiting for results." I look around at my friends and family. "Yuri, We have no time to be riffling through all of these old documents." He nods "And you want me to work something out?" He asks. I shake my head "I need all hands on deck to find the spell." He looks at me "What!? what is the spell if we do not have the mediums placed around the Island!?" He asks. I pull out my notebook with the sketches of the petrified Nagas. "This will put a strain on the ancestor's seal but." I drop it down in front of him. Grandpa yanks the book out of his hands "Audrey! NO! That is too dangerous!" he scolds. Yuri looks at me "What!? Wouldn't that just leave us in the same mess!?" he asks. I nod "I'd rather risk this world by trying to protect it instead of sitting on my ass." He locks eyes with me wordlessly challenging my choice. "Audrey you need to stop being an idiot!" Dad takes the book from Grandpa and throws it out of sight. "Audrey, that's too risky!" Ash speaks up. I look at the work Yuri had been doing till now "It's sad that even you, Dad, would consider my choice Idiotic." I look at him with a sad smile. I look at everyone in the area their faces mixed with worry. "Listen up, we no longer have time to search for the pillar's directions, We have a month to create a protective barrier around the Island." I explain my urgency. "what!? a month!?" Dad and Grandpa shout. I turn to them "We have less than 2 weeks to get the information we need for the barrier, are you willing to risk an attack just to get the pillar's Instructions?" Dad frowns before turning away from me." who's up for a good gambet?" I look at Alma who steps up. I smile as Hector steps up with her "I, Alma as acting leader of the snake tribe stands by Audrey on her choice!" She walks over and takes my hand. Hector smirks before taking his spot next to Alma.  "Even pregnant you still risk shit." Sam and Dan chuckle. I smirk "If we find this barrier spell we are halfway to our goal." I don't get any pushback from Grandpa or Dad. "Audrey, won't the children cause you discomfort?" Ash asks. I wave him off "My children understand I am not in the mood for their shenanigans." I walk to the library removing my headpiece I open my third eye and look around the library. 'There has to be something here.' I go to the area I had not read through before as the library is flooded with groups forming. Yuri stuck with me along with Sam and Dan. Sienna took a few of the snake tribe members while Alma and Hector went on their own. I watched Dad and Grandpa take their groups. 'This is it Audrey, we have to stop history from repeating.'