“Damn,” Atticus cursed.“Way to take a somewhat concerning situation and turn it into something catastrophic.”
“Kingdom of Chaos, Atty,” Nico winked.“Like recognizes like.”
The Kingdom of Hooves Shaman pointed a finger at Nico.“Never call me that again.And, you are not a member of the Kingdom of Chaos.Didn’t Link’s outburst, and Roan’s accusations, just make that clear?”
Nico simply shrugged and said, “To each their own.”
“Then it's decided,” Ada said.“Roan, Nico and Link will do the investigation and report back to this Council as soon as they have sound proof Azure is to blame for the missing females.”
“And if he isn’t?”Link asked, though his words held no conviction.
“Then we will bring the issue to the attention of the police,” Roan spoke up.“Leonidas Global, Inc.has worked with law enforcement all over the U.S.It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for us to bring them something like this.”
“That takes care of the females being returned, but with regards to Azure?”Lyric asked.
“His fate will be decided by the Council as per the Old Laws.”Reese said as he rested his palms on the marble table.
“Alright,” Link nodded.“Then let’s get this done before more women go missing.”
Before anyone could stand, the room became deathly still.Roan closed his eyes as soon as he felt the presence of Visata, their Creator.He knew everyone else in the room had shut their eyes because none could look on the holiness of Visata and live.To be in His presence was hard to explain.There was awe, humility, joy, love, shame and grace.How could One so great lovethem– a flawed species– so much?And yet, Visata did love them.
“My servants,” the Creator’s voice rumbled, filling the great room and reverberating against the walls.Roan felt it all the way to his bones.“You have gathered with the intention of seeking to bring justice where there has been corruption.What you desire to accomplish is honorable, but I ask you this, what about the injustices you allowed to be committed a decade ago?”
Roan’s fists clenched as he remembered when the kingdoms discovered the firstanimi.How excited they’d been to know their species was not doomed!That they hadn’t left one death sentence only to trade if for another.And in their exuberance, they’d foolishly thought they could somehow make these women care for the males of their kind.
“Did you seek My guidance then?”Visata asked.There was no accusation in His voice, but sorrow.Roan’s own guilt over what had taken place resurfaced, though, he was able to keep himself busy enough to ignore it.They’d been trying to right their wrong in the only way they knew how: by giving the females they had a life where they wanted for nothing.
“Did you think I could not help you?”the Creator continued.“Do you think anything is too great for Me?Did you think I did not care?”
Roan’s tongue felt frozen in his mouth.He wanted to plead his innocence, to give his side of things, but really, they would all be excuses.The truth was the Shaman had not put a stop to the kingdoms takinganimiimmediately, as they should have.“I have seen the fighting that has gone on between My children.I see it all,” Visata said, as warmth filled the air.“I see every worry and I feel every fear you have.I have not left you to your own devices, but I wait for you to call on Me for help.I wait for you to recognize that I did not create you because I wanted to be a spectator of My creation.I created you because I love you.Each, and every one of you, from the ten kingdoms, to the Shaman before Me.You are Mine.”
Roan felt warmth wrap around him as his shoulders slumped forward.The heaviness that had been was suddenly gone.
“And because you are Mine, you must endure the consequences of your actions, and the actions of those who you lead.You made a law to stop the atrocious action of taking humans, and for that there is a blessing.But you let them be taken in the first place.And for that there is punishment.”
Droplets hit his face.First, just a few, and then it was as if the sky opened up and the rain poured out.He didn't give a second thought to the fact they wereinsidea building.This was Visata.Making it rain inside a building was nothing.The rain washed over Roan, and he turned his face up letting the cool water stream down his face as it flowed over all of him.He felt cleansed.How many times had he opened his mouth to ask for the Creator’s forgiveness, only to snap it shut, because he didn’t feel he was forgivable?”
“This day, I wash you clean of your past transgressions,” Visata told them.“You will go forward as My voice to the ten kingdoms.You will tell them what you have heard this day.The human females who have become possible mates for the Damara will no longer simply find a male and fall in love.They will be preordained.Each male will have one mate that is theirs and theirs alone.I will not strip theanimifrom them because it is not my desire to see My children perish, but I will make them have an even greater appreciation for the gift that a mate is.The mark she bears will match his own, this is how you will know to whom each belongs.
“The females you have cared for all this time, will be given their mark and sent to the kingdom for which it matches.Their mates might be there, or might not have been born yet.To this end, I will grant them the lifespan of their future mate.As long as theanimuschooses to stay with the kingdom she is destined for, she will be healthy and live beyond a human life span.If she chooses to leave, then her life span will be that of a human, and her mate will have to accept her choice.She will be made a Null, no longer able to bring forth the soul of the animal in a male.Therefore, no beast-walker will be tempted to take her.The male that would have been her mate will forever live without the full ability of his beast.“I hear each of your thoughts.I know your hearts.And I am not unsympathetic to your plight.For that, you will receive a mercy and a lesson.Those that bond will be known as theErossazzi–theOnly Beloved– as you are My Only Beloved.The beastwalkers and theanimiwho complete the bond will carry the essence of the other in their souls, as you carry Me in yours.They will be a beacon to one another for healing and feeding each other’s souls with emotion and touch.Just as I ask you to come to Me for guidance, love and spiritual nourishment.Should the males be forcefully separated from their mates, they will wreak blind havoc on the world until they are reunited.As you would do should you leave My presence.TheErossazziwill bear maleandfemale children, just as I wish for you to bear the fruit of My love.
“You have my forgiveness, but there is always consequence to wrong doing.”
The rain stopped and Roan’s clothes dried an instant later.His head lowered once again, and he felt a gentle hand on his neck.Peace flooded his body along with energy.
“Go now,” Visata said.“Deal with those who are still choosing the wrong path.Help those who need it.I am with you every step of the way.”
The oxygen left the room just long enough for Roan to gasp.His eyes snapped open as he raised his head and looked around at his fellow Shaman.Their eyes were all as wide as his own.It had been a long time since Visata had joined them physically in their midst though He was always there, present inside each of them.He wasn’t sure about the others, but Roan had found ways to drown out his Creator’s voice when he felt he knew better or wanted to go his own way.He heard a sniff and turned to see Ada wiping tears from her eyes.Her gaze met his and she visibly swallowed.
“I felt them,” she said through trembling lips.
“Them?”he asked.
She nodded.“The human females.I felt their fear.”She covered her mouth as she let out a small sob.“Fear we caused by allowing them to be taken.”
Roan felt bile rise in his throat.Had they really become so desensitized that they hadn’t even considered how the human females would feel?The answer was,yes.They’d been so blinded, so eager for a solution of a problem that scared them.The abductions had become a necessary evil they’d managed to reason away.
“We will do what we can to make it right,” Roan told her.
