The Light Within: The First Chapter

The

Light

Within:

The First Chapter

A short story by

Heyoka Productions™

Created by Daniel Alspach.



A long time ago there existed a great God by the name of Elad. Elad was a strong, mighty God who ruled over the shores and sea alike. He was able to control both humans and creatures of the sea with his amazing mind-bending abilities. He could command death upon his enemies and good fortune upon those who he associated with. Elad wasn't like the normal Gods heard of only in ancient fables and transcriptions. He didn't want his gifts and he opposed them. He would rather have been born a mortal man with nothing special about him. That wasn't possible for Elad though. His father, Poseidon wanted to leave his ancient kingdom under the sea to Elad when the time was right and Elad really learned to control his gifts. It was his birthright and inheritance. He visited the land often and studied the mortals whom he envied so greatly. This is the story of how Elad came to abandon his gifts in the name of love.

It was a hot summer day and the prince of the sea, Elad had decided upon taking a stroll on the land, which he had done quite often. Birds chirping and the song of the ocean waves smacking against the rocks lining the sea could be heard echoing in the wind. Elad walked down a long and crowded paved road with humans chatting away and going about their daily lives. Carriages filled the street and horses behaved erratically as they pulled them. Passing by a market stall to purchase meat off a vendor using money that he had found on the sandy beach his eye was caught on a beautiful young lady. Her hair was long, wavy and brunette in color. Her eyes twinkled in the sunlight shining brightly from above the clouds. Elad then decided upon making conversation with her.

"Why, um...hello miss. I was just observing your workmanship and it's quite impressive. Would you be so kind as to tell me your name?" Elad asked the lady with a slight smile etched onto his face.
The lady looked very taken aback and surprised by his question.
"I wouldn't want to do that without knowing yours first, sir. After all, you are a complete stranger." replied the young lady.
"I apologize. I could have been a bit more prompt with my introduction. Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Elad. And yours is?..." asked Elad once again.
The lady let out a quiet giggle.
"Pleasure to meet you, Elad. My name is Aurora. Now if you don't mind; I have work to tend to." Said Aurora as she grabbed a large basket of apples perched on the market stall in front of her and walked away.
"Wait!" Yelled Elad as he rushed to catch up with Aurora. Grabbing her gently on the shoulder; She stopped in her tracks. "Would you be kind enough to accompany me for dinner on the shoreline this evening?" Asked Elad with desperation to get to know Aurora.
Aurora got silent for a moment.
"Certainly, Elad. I'd like that." said Aurora with a pleasant smile. She then walked away.
"I'll be there at dusk!", Elad excitedly yelled after her.

A light breeze knocked waves against the shoreline. The moon could be seen rising over the expanse of the sea.
"Looking for somebody?" asked a voice from behind him.
Turning around to face the stranger; There stood Aurora.
"I was...and as it turns out, I found her." said Elad with a smirk as he held out his hand to grace her.
They then walked off along the beach. As they neared the end of the shoreline, Elad stopped and turned to Aurora.

"Aurora...there's something I have to tell you. I'm...different. As in I'm not like you humans." said Elad seeming almost embarrassed by what he was saying.
"What do you mean 'you humans' Elad? What do you need to tell me?" asked Aurora as she neared her face to the face of Elad, making contact with him through her breath.
"I'm...a god." said Elad. Aurora did not seem to pay any attention to what he had said. She then made lip contact between him and her, passionately kissing him.

The aura in the air had suddenly changed. Thunder began to roar from across the sea line as bright yellow flashes lit the water of the ocean. Waves had suddenly formed and tides began to thicken. Whirlpools and ginormous tornados formed across the sea.
"Elad, what is happening?" yelled Aurora across all of the distractions.

The noise had suddenly seized, as well as the storms that had formed on the water. Elad looked at Aurora with relief.
"I have the power to control the oceans and seas far and wide...and well as several creatures, including humans.", Elad said as he turned to face the water.
Aurora stood looking at Elad with absolute terror across her face.

"I...have to go. Don't try to make contact with me ever again!" said Aurora as she took off running across the beach.
"Aurora! Wait!" yelled Elad. She did not stop, even as Elad begged for her to come back. Elad stood in the same spot, gazing at Aurora as she went farther and farther along the beach, eventually vanishing from view.

Elad stood in shock for a minute as a small drop of water emerged from his left eye. Brushing it away with his hand, he looked down at it.
"What is this? Why is there water coming from my eye?", Elad asked himself as he continued to look at it.
"That is a tear, my dear boy. They come about in a time of great sadness and emotion." said a voice coming from a man, emerging from the water. The man was very muscular with no fat protruding from his body. He had shoulder-length white hair and a beard that came down to his chest. On top of his head sat a mystical-looking crown and in his right hand was a tall trident.

"Father...the way she looked at me. Like I were some sort of dangerous animal!", cried Elad to Poseidon, his father.
"Humans are not accustomed to our abilities, Elad. To them we are nothing more than creatures of the sea. Legends; Fables." Poseidon said with sympathy to Elad as he laid a hand upon his shoulder.
"I've never met a woman so beautiful, father. So full of life and charisma." said Elad.
"We need to be strong, Elad, and do what those who came before us set out to do so long ago. We are protectors of the ocean and who inhabit it. When the time comes, it will be your duty to protect the sea. After you will be your brother, Nhoj, who will soon be born. My time is almost up." said Poseidon as he began to walk back toward the water. "Now come, Elad. Back to the sea with me where we belong.", Poseidon continued.

"I can't do that father. Not if it means sacrificing the ability to love." said Elad. "I'm sorry.", he continued as he too took off along the beach.
"Elad! I order you to come back here this instant!", yelled Poseidon. Elad did not turn back though. He continued to run from his father.
Finally coming to a halt in a large opening with some slight vegetation growing, Elad began to look around the open area. His eyes were then captured upon a large shell that sat in a large bed of weeds.

Elad picked up the shell and looked down at it.
"Me and you will be together soon enough, my dear Aurora." said Elad. Walking away from the vegetation, Elad stopped at the shoreline and looked out upon the sea. The shell that was rested in his hand began to glow very brightly.
"I command in the name of my ancestors and all the creatures of the sea to transfer all of my gifts into this object in hopes that no one may ever find it!", yelled Elad into the large horizon. The shell then lit up brighter than ever before. Elad held it in the air and then cast it far out into the sea.

He suddenly had felt a sense of relief. Elad was now powerless and the only gift that had remained was immortality, which had been in his bloodline forever.
"Now I must find Aurora and let her know of this blessing..." said Elad as walked off back towards town.
Entering town, Elad walked down the paved road in his search for Aurora. The road was fairly empty aside from market vendors at the occasional shop that lined the street. Elad then had captured his attention to a woman that walked with a large basket in her hands far ahead of him.

"AURORA!", Elad yelled at the woman. She stopped for a slight second to turn and look at Elad. When she had seen him, she began to walk away at a much faster pace, eventually turning to go into a small hut that sat next to the road. Elad ran in an attempt to stop her before she had entered the building. Grabbing her on her shoulder, he stopped her.
"I told you to leave me alone, Elad!", Aurora shouted as she struggled for Elad to let go of her.

"Aurora! Listen to me! I gave up my abilities for you! I want to be a part of your life!" Elad desperately yelled to her. She had then stopped fighting.
"You...you did?", she asked as she looked to Elad for support.
"Aurora, my life was empty until I met you. I would much rather live my life meaningless and simple if it means letting go of the one I love. I..." said Else as he was stopped mid-sentence. Aurora had grabbed ahold of Elad and began to kiss him.

She then stopped kissing him and said: "You're a good kisser". Blushing from the kiss, Elad then said "You're not too bad yourself". The sun began to rise over the horizon and all was finally well for Elad. He had found love and learned the important lesson that power means nothing if it means to sacrifice the right to love and live a free life.

The story of Elad is one of many stories to be told. His story is one of love, sacrifice, and power. Several months later, Nhoj was born. When of age, he had taken over the kingdom of the sea and became the new ruler. His memory was eventually wiped blank from his mind by the witch of the sea and she had taken over the kingdom as Nhoj lost every ability he had to her. Keep an eye out on the oceans. You just might find the shell that Elad had cast out to sea on that fateful day.

THE END
(Or is it?...)