Chapter 7: Incorrect Predictions

“I said no, screaming!” Without warning, the taskmaster’s sword separated the mother’s head from her shoulders.

Goosebump covered Ginika’s skin as he shrieked, but the hands of Bola, which covered his mouth, kept the screams trapped in his throat. His eyes were hot with tears that were gushing out.

“You, the woman behind her husband,” The taskmaster pointed again to a couple.

“That’s my mother!” Ginika hurried to meet them, but Bola’s muscle was an obstacle that he needed to beat.

He tried to fight through the strong arms, but they were too big for him. All he could do was watch helplessly.

“If you cry,” The taskmaster threatened Ginika’s mother, “I will kill you and the child.”

“Please, don’t do this,” The woman tried to say, but her blood and that of her baby stained the brown face of the sands.

Ginika’s father jumped on the taskmaster and tried to wrestle with her, but he disintegrated into ashes from the fireball she shot him.

‘No, I will shred your skin to pieces, ’ Ginika tried to say, but Bola’s hand kept his scream back in his throat. The hate and rage that was burning inside him heated his body.

He could feel every bone and nerve, arching to avenge his family. He knew it was dangerous, but he couldn’t bring himself to stand here and weep like a helpless maroon. The only desire in his heart was to kill the taskmaster.

Without knowing what he was doing, Ginika focused on the hate and rage that blazed like a fire inside him.

That was when he heard a loud outburst and a wave that went out of him, sending Bola flying into the air.

His heart was thumping heavily in his chest, with eyes and body burning with a blue flame and giving a brilliance that has never been seen before.

Every strand of hair on his head was in flame. It was a mixture of yellow and blue.

The activity in the village square had stopped, and all eyes had elevated to behold the blue flames which were burning in the air. Its brilliance outshined even the burning building.

“Shoot him down, now,” The taskmasters commanded her soldiers and repeated, “Shoot that thing down!”

The archers were ready as if they had been waiting for this moment. Nocking their arrows, they took aim and let their arrows fly.

***

Bola grumbled and shook his head. He made to stand, but a sharp pain pinged his left rib cage, making him bend away from it.

‘You are a mage. Do try to learn the art of meddling the wind and directing which side of your body you will land with.’ The voice of his master seemed to say in his mind.

That was the fifth law of the wing mage dancer. His master had credited him in all skill, but the wind mage dancer, was one skill he didn’t think anybody could learn. Even Jinta, his master, had not mastered the skill himself.

Dried leaves crushed under his weight as he walked his weight up to a seating position. With his right hand, he pulled out the twig that had pierced his side.

If the leather coat he wore had not cushioned his fall, he was sure the flesh wound would not have been the only thing he would be worried about.

A blue light flared, and Bola’s brown eyes elevated into the sky to behold the source. The radiance emanating from the light was eye-blinding.

It was hard to see the center of dark blue, which seemed to be the nucleus of the splendor. He knew who it was without being told.

For the first time since he became a mage, he was wrong in his predictions. Maybe because he had let his own emotion cloud his judgment, but until now, he was sure that Ginika’s brother was the child born with the power of Gini. He was still confused, though.

If the younger boy—the one born with the power of Gini—had died, who then is Ginika.

The book of prophecy never mentioned him. And since the taskmaster had succeeded in killing the child with the power, what then is the fate of the three kingdoms.

‘Perhaps we would remain slaves forever.’ Bola frowned and added pressure to his wounded side. ‘What is the need to raise the hopes of the people when false prophecy has become the order of the day?’ He placed his free hands on the tree behind him and stood.

The other day it was Pa Ike, who had announced to the people that they would have free corn from the master before the first moon, it had elevated the spirit of the people, but in the end, it was a false prophesy and had led to death.

Most people had consumed the little reserve they had, all because a man had seen wrongly.

Bola muttered irritably and stroked his jaw bone. His head was aching, but he was sure it would pass, at least for now.

Maybe this would serve as a lesson. He probably should return to the wood of knowledge and learn the wing mage dancer art.

From the light emanating from Ginika’s body, he was able to get a glimpse of what was happening in the village.

The killing had stopped.

The taskmaster and his soldiers seemed pretty occupied in shooting down Ginika, who was still elevating into the sky. The boy was combining wind and water, and that’s why he was able to rise into the sky.

That may also be the explanation of the blueish light that glittered his body.

Bola was not sure. Perhaps if he had paid enough attention to the master mage, he would have understood better about the complex subject of wing mage, which Ginika was making so simple.

‘If only I can get to the villagers, I am sure I would take them out of here.’ His legs wobbled as he staggered out of the forest.

Fear and awe still rooted the villagers to the ground, but he was sure he could help the people out of the village before the taskmaster could realize what was happening.