Finding Contentus

Chapter 2: Opening

Amoar continued to be lost in thought on the true nature of their very existence and how exactly he would even begin to explain everything to his young niece and nephew.

For ten years they had somehow managed to live a life of seclusion from everything else; being shunned away from the rest of the world. Or at least, what remained of what can be considered a functional world.

For ten years the enchantment barrier that surrounds our land has remained unbroken. But now with these two awakening, and our fleeting conditions, it's only a matter of time before...

Before...

"Yoah, yoah, yoah, look at that!"

Amoar was brought back from his thoughts at the gleeful sound of his niece joining him on the highest branch. She gazed upon the rising sun of gold, basking in it's light and warmth.

"And to think this is a sight we've always been missing out on, from this high too, yoah!" Neosa gleefully said in childish amazement.

Oh the wonders of youth. Amoar thought to himself with a smile. Indeed, it is quite a pretty sight.

"Ya that looks really beautiful and all, but if you stare at it for too long your eyes are going to burn." Genesia remarked upon joining the two and shielding his eyes from the rising sun as his pupils adjusted by constricting.

Ema. Wait, he thought. Then she could go blind.

"Actually, I take that back. Carry on staring at it, maybe your eyes will get all fired up and you'll be able to SEE things differently," he said in an extremely sarcastic yet serious tone to which his sister stared at him blankly.

"I know that you can become blind from staring at the sun for too long fool," she turned her head back to look over the savanna in which all the land was available to them.

"It just feels really good to be on top of the world for once, and the sun really makes you feel like you can almost reach out and grasp its power. It feels so hot! I'm burning up with so much fire! Yeah! Give me fire!" Neosa reached out with her outstretched arm and open palm, feeling the rays of the sun surging through her veins like liquid fire, illuminating her body like a sunflower.

Amoar studied her with deepened eyes, as though the very curiosity and fascination of his niece was both a treasure to behold, and a lost gem that would have been better staying lost in the land of ignorance and innocence.

With a heavy sigh, he spoke. "Do you two remember the story of Sankwade?"

Neosa was brought back from her trance as she dropped her arm to look at her brother, who, like before, also noticed a change in mood from the way their uncle asked such a question.

"Ewe uncle, that's the one that became too ambitious for power, jumped too close to the sun and killed himself," Genesia answered.

Amoar nodded at the answer and shifted his gaze back to the rising sun. It took its time like Nyame, the Father God of creation.

"That is right, and you are obviously wondering why I would ask such a depressing question to you both as you bear witness to such a beautiful sight correct?"

The two simply stared at their uncle, wondering where exactly this was going.

"Uncle, you don't normally talk like this unless either we messed up so bad that we don't just get beaten, but are instead given a lecture on how disappointing our actions are. Which is even worse than the beatings because at least the pain is physical, not everlasting that your soul feels crushed." Neosa replied, emitting a soft chuckle from Amoar.