Chrysalis

Chapter One - Meddler Brain

Before you read: Terms and pronunciations can be found in the description.

So here I am, sitting across the table from my little brother, Ollet. This tiny annoyance of an individual is humming some gods-awful tune that the kids of the village had picked up from a traveling bard that was aimlessly wandering the market place yesterday (why anyone would stick around to witness such a horrendous noise is beyond comprehension). I set aside my fury for the time being to dig into a boiled egg.

Being a Meddler sure has its perks.

I can remember anything with ease and time has little to no effect on my memories, unlike the non-natured who struggle with both. Though my advantages are vast, even more-so than my own comprehension, they come paired with just as many disadvantages; like being thrown into daydreams out of nowhere, with no warnings and no way to stop them. The illusions I see are often the memories of my kin, past and present, which can be both a joyful and motivating force and an equally confusing whirlpool of indecipherable pain and despair.

To say the least, it's a mood-killer. There is nothing on this Land that I love more than food, and nothing that I hate more than early mornings. So on top of being half asleep, I'm rudely interrupted before I'm able to finish my food, which really burns my ass!

"Minri?" I hear my brother's distant voice calling out my name as his face begins to falls away; the untimely vision urges to take hold. Between bites he had noticed the usual blank stare I get right before a memory floods my mind, and was for some reason, trying to get my attention... which never works. It can be difficult to notice at first, but these images slowly force their way into my field of view, often taking me to a place I've never before seen or heard of.

Ollet has been mostly accepting of these irregular occurrences. Upon becoming more comfortable with the fact that they are only temporary, he has since stopped screaming for one of our parents whenever I'm unexpectedly pulled into these visions. He now sits and continues whatever he is doing at the time, all while keeping one eye on me to make sure I don't nose-dive into the dirt floor.

"Miiin....." His warping voice becomes distorted before disappearing into the void, and I am now left in silence.

The hazy vision comes together as it fades in. This memory seems to be from an aerial point of view. Sometimes I experience them from a first person perspective, as if I am the person experiencing the dream, not my ancestor.

The images show a bright plot of grain waving in the winds and reflecting the sun's warm yellow glow. It is so inviting that I can feel the warmth of the sun and brush of the wind on my skin, a mostly-welcome side effect. The vision leads upwards through the seemingly large field when suddenly black smoke violently rushes downwards, carried by hurried winds just over the crops.

Great, I thought, this can't be good. If I had control over my visions, this would be a good time to end it. I just have this nagging feeling that this is about to be bad, really bad. If I could, I would never re-visit it, and I would avoid the impending tragedy that was to unfold before me.

Unfortunately still watching against my will, the thick smog quickly cloaks parts of the field and it leaves me wondering where it's coming from. Now I'm getting interested... dammit. As the vision continues in the direction of what I assume to be north, a small village begins to appear.

Just as I thought, chaos has surely erupted. I don't recognize the village, though admittedly, I only know what a few look like.

Through the dark smoke, I can see culled animals running back and forth in their pens as the attached homes and huts are engulfed in flames. Many trading posts and wagons are abandoned and destroyed; products of trade are laid strewn about. I watch in horror as every building I can see burns bright, as if challenging the sun itself. Mothers are frantically grabbing their children and other people's children whose parents haven't found them yet... or never will.