DUOPIA

Chapter 4 - Homestead

James awoke to the sound of voices. He opened his eyes to a ceiling of polished logs, like a holiday cabin out in the wilderness might have. His vision was a bit blurry, he tried to rub his eyes, realising his hands had been wrapped in a cream coloured cloth.
Oh no! The Predatorians!
James tried to jump up but quickly winced at the pain in his leg. He saw that his leg was wrapped in the same cloth, all the way from his knee to his ankle. He looked around at the small room he was in, noticing the bed next to him was empty but of exact make and shape as his. It was of a wooden frame, with a gorgeously carved head board, the ends of both bed posts meeting and spiralling together to create a resting place for an emerald shaped sphere that rested snuggly at the top.
James turned around slowly and noticed his bed head had the same spiral with an emerald sphere as well.
The door to the far right of the room was ajar slightly and he could hear multiple voices coming from further away.
"I want to see him!" a smaller voice said.
"Not now Nelluna! He is sleeping." A woman's voice responded.
"So strange, I have so many questions for the child. Only Gran-dad remembers of tales of a Child Of Woman being present in our land."
James recognised as Riak's voice.
James tried his best to get up, he moved his body to face the side of the bed and grabbed the bed side table he was leaning on to push himself on his feet.
A glass next to his hand knocked over and hit the floor, spilling the water someone had brought in for him.
Silence followed, as James realised the voices had hushed. James heard little footsteps come to the door.
"Nelluna stop!" The woman's voice cried.
A little blue figure peered through the crack at the door and stared at the boy, wide eyed and in awe of James who was leaning on his good leg, his jacket dirty from the climb and the near death attack with monsters.
Suddenly the door was wide open and Riak walked in with a smile on his odd face which put James's fear aside.
"The Child Of Woman awakes with strength and courage! You feeling well my friend?" Riak said, arms wide out.
"I'm alright, where am I?" James asked.
"This is my homestead, My mother Drunna has tended to your wounds as best as she could." Riak moved into the room to sit on the bed infront of James.
The little one they called Nelluna followed close to Riak and hid behind him as she stared with her big black eyes fixated on James. Unable to speak out of shyness, but still too curious to run away.
Riak sat himself down on the bed.
"So tell me, do you have a name my friend?" Riak asked.
"James... My name is James. Thank you for helping me." James replied.
"My pleasure, James of..?" Riak quzzied.
"Oh! James of... Earth? I guess?" James stammered.
"Interesting, strange I've never heard of that village before. Is it very far?" Riak enquired.
"Um... Not really, I went through a cave to get here. I have never seen creatures like you before." James said.
Riak looked at the little one staring beside him.
"As you can see, we haven't seen a creature like you before, only in old stories and tales told by Olders of past lives." Riak explained.
"Nulluna! Will you come here please?" The woman's voice spoke once again from outside the room.
Riak looked at the little one, and smiled.
"Off you go little one, mother needs you."
Nulluna skipped out of the room quickly, her little feet pitter pattering down the hall.
"James of Earth, I must ask you something," Riak said quietly, leaning in.
"Um, Ok... what is it?" James replied.
"Where did you find the artefact?" He said as he pointed as his backpack.
"Oh, you mean the book?" James asked.
Riak chuckled a little. "If that's your name for it then yes. Where did you find this 'book'?" Riak replied.

James told Riak the story about his move to a new house, and how he found the book in his wardrobe, and the cave with the X symbol in it. How he went through the cave with the rock with the same X on it and that he was looking for his brother.
Riak's face was very serious the whole time James spoke, listening to every word he said, taking in James's story like a congregation listening to a preacher. By the time James had finished, he sighed and smiled.
"Well thank goodness I bumped into you first my friend, this 'book' as you have described is a very sought after treasure in this land."
James cocked his head a little.
"A treasure? But it's only a book."
Riak stared for a moment and smiled at the young boy.
"Never you mind my friend, when you speak to my grandfather Bruant, he will help guide you to where you need to be." Riak said with a smile as he got up.
"Wait, what about my brother, I must find him!" James said as went to follow Riak, limping slowly to the door.
"We will ask Bruant these questions soon, but let's get you some food. You must be hungry my friend." Riak stated as he walked down the passage.