The Spirit Within

Memories, with a Hint of Destruction

Fists thrown with strength and speed are difficult to avoid, but I managed to dodge my opponents hits. I punched his chin and then to the side of his nose, causing him to stumble back a bit. He charged right back at me, and tried to hit my side, trying to cause me to stumble and show vulnerability. I side stepped him and kicked the back of his knees to bring him down. I touched the back of his neck to show I had 'won,' this act was to symbolize we were slicing the throat of the opponent with our hunting knives.

My father watched on the stands. His red eyes gleaming with pride, which also soaked into his wide smile. "Donovan! That was great! You did amazing! Oh, by the way, the town's lunch is almost ready! And the meal is Juggen!" Our town is small, so for lunch we all eat at a sheltered area with tables and benches. For breakfast and dinner you ate with your family. Juggen is our town's infamous soup. "Okay, coming Father!"

Once I got to the town's dining table underneath the pavilion, all the town people looked at Father, like they were expecting a big reveal. I waved to Zane, Jacinda, and Paithoon, then glanced at my father quizzically.

My father looked away. "Do you ever question where your mother is?" He asked sheepishly.

"No, of course not. You said that she was a traveler." I replied, grabbing two bowls for Father and I.

He sighed. "Donovan, after dinner, come with me."

After dinner we walked over to an ancient ruin, and he looked at me.

"This ruin is blessed, but cursed, with the ability to bring back memories so deep, you never knew you had." I looked at the ruin, then back at my dad. "It doesn't look too impressive." He just shook his head. "Donovan, looks can be deceiving. On each side are small holes, correct?" I looked at the 'wall' of the collapsed sand building, which surprisingly used to be a temple that everyone went to. Sure enough, five holes on each side of the wall. "Put your hand on the wall, with the fingers aligned with the holes." I did what he said. I'm impressed! Nothing is happening. He did the same on his side.

I felt something prick my ring finger. I jolted back, looking at my finger, which had a glowing yellow-to-blue-ish color.

"I think something's in there!" I yelped. Father, not moving his hand, replied, "Nothing is in there, Donovan." I looked at him with utter surprise. "But something pricked my finger!" He sighed. "Yes, I know, just keep your hand there." I mumbled a retort and walked back to the wall, putting my hand in the same place.

The prick hit my ring finger again, but I left it alone. That feeling of pricking something quickly left, but raced to the index finger, and little finger. Every time the feeling ends on one finger, it begins on the next one. It raced from the little finger to the middle finger, and ended at the thumb.

My heart quickened as I felt something like spiders crawling to the back of my head.

My life literally flashed before my eyes. I saw how people attacked my homeland. I saw how my mom defended me with her very last breath, even if I didn't physically see it. How my biological father loved to hunt, and brought home animal babies if he had mistakenly killed their mother.

After that, I glanced at my father, and saw him with a miserable look on his face. Everything went black, and I felt my legs wobble and my knees start to give out, and I came crashing to the ground.

My mother isn't out travelling. She was dead. Murdered by men dressed in red.

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I jolted awake in my hut. To the left, my father was crushing some basil. "Father, you were the man who took me up after the battle, right?" He just nodded. He hesitated before turning to look at me. "Donovan, I'm not your father, and you know that now. If you don't want to stay here, or don't want to call me 'father,' I'd understand."