At first light, Genesia and Neosa met in the middle of Mettro, greeted by the humid air, accompanied by Ramiya and Musa. Using the full extent of their stealth stalking to weave through encroaching primals, they stumbled upon the base of a lush U-shaped valley that conducted the winding current of the snaking Nyra river.
"This, is where Kwakuu found, this pendadent," Musa explained to his wife, pointing at the serpentine stones that lined both sides of the valley.
Ramiya took in the gentle sound of the river as if it spoke to her. "I had a feeling there had to be something special about this place. I passed by here with my guards on camels when I searched for you. Something... lured me here, back then, like a magnetic horseshoe. Sadly the suspicion was short-lived. I didn't linger to explore it."
She gazed into Musa's hazel eyes. "Do you feel something, being here? Some sort of... ancestral pull perhaps?"
Musa nodded, hands clasped behind his back as he scrutinised the river like he was analysing how safe it would be for his army to travel in.
Ramiya gnawed on her bottom lip, cupped some water in both hands and splashed her husband in the face. "How does that feel?"
Musa waited until the water had its moment in the approaching sun. "Historical."
Masimba watched Azizi lapping the water like his life depended on it, grunting in disgust. "Is that all you're capable of doing? Getting drunk on water?"
The wild cat ignored the jaguar and continued to drink his sorrows away.
Mosi and Lapis wrapped themselves around the waists of Genesia and Neosa like belts.
"Here," the black mamba said.
"Our eggs came from here," the green mamba clarified.
The twins exchanged looks. They stepped into the river until the water reached their kneecaps. Then they produced a series of pulses that neither Ramiya or Musa could detect.
A gargantuan mythical creature responded at once. It blitzed through the depths and broke the surface of the river, drenching them all in water.
It was the Nyami Nyami. It had the scaly body of a snake and the head of a catfish. And it was a hermaphrodite.
"Why have I been summoned?" The Nyami Nyami squinted its beady eyes at Genesia and Neosa. "It has been centuries since my last summoning. You must be the descendants of Asamoar and Naledi."
Genesia pointed at Musa. "And him?"
The Nyami Nyami flicked its beady eyes on him. "The descendant of Munatsi and Farisai."
"Her?" Neosa pointed at Ramiya.
"The descendant of Atomb and Isees."
The sinuous Nyami Nyami moved its barbels as though detecting fresh food. "I do not see the descendants of Pey and Peymakilir. When are you going to see them?"
"In due time. Our visit isn't going to be long. We just need you to answer some questions for us," Genesia and Neosa said, moving their heads from side to side like snake charmers.
The polite gesture appeased the Nyami Nyami who did the same side to side movement in return. "Ask."
Genesia glanced over his shoulder to see Musa and Ramiya staring up in silent wonder at the mythical creature.
"The Nyra river gets its name from you, neh?" Neosa went first.
The Nyami Nyami made a snorting sound.
"Of course. The Nyra river is my domain. I keep it alive. I sustain the flow of sustenance to all organisms. I am the lifeblood of Mettro and beyond!"
"Is the Grootslang your equivalent in Kimba with the Sayas river?" Genesia asked.
YOU ARE READING
Finding Contentus
FantasyWhat does it mean to Find Content? This is the question that Genesia, for "New Beginnings" and Neosa, for "One Sanctuary", seek to answer. As identical twins, and as survivors of their gifted race of supernatural humans known as Racaans. In one da...
