My screams echoed through the temple. I couldn’t breathe, and my back arched as my feet lifted off the ground. I stared in horror as black and white wisps of luminescent air swirled around me. I tried to breathe, and more pain erupted through my shaking body.

I’m dying.

“Focus on me, Aila.”

I could hear Asunru’s voice in my head as the black air closed in on me. I managed to open my eyes and I sought out Asunru. Through the blackness that swirled about me, I found him. His eyes radiated warmth. As I concentrated on him, the air began to change. More white air slid in with the dark.

When I thought my lungs could no longer bear it, I screamed again, and the white and black air rushed inside of me. It filled me completely. I felt the magic. There was light and darkness, creation and destruction, Twuilhe and Viagni.

I began regaining some control and I looked down towards my hands. Light of all colors danced across my fingertips. Slowly, I was lowered to the ground as the swirling air dissipated. I gazed around the room and I could no longer find Asunru. There was some fear and more than a little awe on the faces of those around me, yet probably no more than on my own at the experience.

Master Vikold stepped forward and tipped his head. He seemed a little angry at first, but he smiled and held out my necklace which I grateful took and placed around my neck.

“May I be the first to greet you, High Priestess Aila. There is still more to do before your ascension and to you receiving your full powers and title, but know we are here for you and will help guide you on your next steps.”

“Will the guidance be as lacking as to what I was to go through this morning? For I have never felt such tremendous pain.”

“No one can fully prepare you for receiving your magic and the experience is unique for each person. Your experience is not uncommon for a High Priestess. This temple is a sacred place and it allowed you to absorb what you needed within the safety and control of your people.” He handed me a wooden stick. “As is customary, the new High Priestess must choose their primary faction. Concentrate on the stick and let your heart guide you. Light, darkness, life, death, it is your choice.”

I held out the stick in my hand and glanced around the room once again. Syette smiled and I caught the slightest hint of red light floating across her lips. My hands followed suit and soon red light began moving between my fingers. The stick burst into flames and in the light of the fire I could see Master Vikold’s smile.

Then, just as the fire began, it died and white light came forth from my fingers. The burned scars on the stick faded and vibrant green leaves erupted. Seeing the stick burst into life gave me joy and as the scent of a violet flower came to mind, flowers appeared on the stick like a bouquet. It was the most exhilarating thing I’ve ever felt. To feel within me the ability to destroy and create.

Vikold took the stick from my hand and looked at it angrily before throwing it off to the side. “The results are inconclusive. Your quest to find your animal companion will establish your primary faction.”

Syette frowned. “But she chose dark magic first.”

Vikold turned quickly to the crowd. “You will leave us. All except for Syette.”

Once everyone had left the temple, Vikold paced back and forth. “I should have prepared you better, High Priestess Aila. The Great Culling was a failure on all our parts. Many people were killed. Because the Twuilhe faction rebelled and attacked us, the remaining people of Amaru Meru fear the outcome of your primary choice. The people believe the High Priestess should be Viagni to show the worlds you are not in favor of the violent Twuilhe and that we’re united. There are two prophecies regarding you. The first is that you will unite us all, the second, that you will utterly destroy one of the factions. It’s my belief that your choice will set one of the two prophecies into motion. I leave you in Syette’s hands to prepare for your quest to find your animal companion.”

“What of Asunru?”

Syette frowned.

Vikold turned and walked away. “He has not been seen for several days, High Priestess Aila.”

Syette reached for my hand and I felt unsure and pulled mine slightly away.

“You reject me now that you’re High Priestess?”

“No… It’s just that I thought…” I shouldn’t say any more. “I’m pleased to have you as my guide in this next step.”

Syette smiled and took my hand to lead me back out to the deck overlooking the land. When we got outside, she pointed towards the valley guarded by two giant stone faces. “The faces of light and dark guard the entrance to our most sacred valley, the Valley of the Chosen. In three days, you must travel alone deep into that valley. There you will be confronted by the creatures and minions that reside there. You will be tested, and you will use your magic to fight until your chosen companion animal yields to you. When you return, you will present your companion animal and five days later, your title will be magically assigned through enlightenment. Eight days after that, you will be fully ascended to the role of High Priestess.”

“Are there meanings to the days? It seems like my milestone events are following a pattern. I arrive on the first day, then two days later I gather my magic. Three days after that I must start my quest and five days later I’m magically assigned my role.”

“You’re correct, High Priestess Aila. Creation follows patterns and mathematical sequences are the foundations of all life. It is our tradition to reflect these patterns in our various rituals.”

“On Earth this pattern is called a Fibonacci sequence.”

“These patterns are in all life.” She held up my hand and gently stroked my fingers. “From the tip of your finger to the first knuckle is one segment in length. To the second knuckle, is two, and to the third is three, and fourth at your wrist is five.” She reached up and touched my face. “Even the placement of your eyes, nose, and…” Her fingertips brushed my lips and I could feel her fire magic tingling them. It was a slightly arousing feeling. “…lips are mathematically proportioned.”

I turned away knowing I was blushing.

“When I first saw you choose dark magic, fire magic, it greatly pleased me, High Priestess Aila.”

My heart was beating faster than it should until my eyes alighted upon the stick still full of violet flowers. My breathing normalized, and I felt at peace. There was no question I felt drawn to Syette. The way she was responding to me was better than Samantha ever did. It was alluring but I struggled with it. My mind told me I was still male, but my heart knew otherwise.

Now feeling back in control of my emotions, I turned back to Syette. “How do I prepare for my quest?”

***

Syette had spent countless hours with me over the past day training me in how I could use my magic. I felt an urgency within my spirit that the results of my quest to find my animal companion would be crucial for determining my future. This urgency helped me focus on the task at hand rather then being pulled into an emotional web or continuing to focus on my new body.

I had noticed that Syette had increased her flirtation with me but, if anything, I felt myself slowly pulling away. Perhaps it was the violet flowers that I found on my pillow each morning. Maybe it was my dreams that had returned with greater vibrancy and realism than ever before; dreams of Sharian.

I thought back to my life on Earth and how I felt trapped. Knowing what I have already learned, I felt foolish for all the years I spent in school training for a career that I was never destined for. I thought a lot about Samantha and now that I was a woman I could understand more of her motivation. Ever since my arrival here, I had felt insecure. While Samantha had been self-absorbed, deep down I believe she was looking for security in the form of a husband and good provider.

Syette, on the other hand, seemed overly aggressive. Her presence continued to stymie me. She seemed eager to touch me and she often used her magic to enhance the feeling of her touch. When I dreamed, however, I dreamed of Sharian.

Tayodh entered my room and curtsied to me. “Please excuse me, High Priestess Aila. Syette informed me that she will take you outside today. Might I suggest an outfit for you that would be most suitable for time in the jungle?”

“That would be wonderful, Tayodh. Thank you.”

Tayodh’s smile was infectious. She pulled out clothing that would be closer fitting, and the dress had much less length to it. To me this appeared more like a short skirt and I would have more skin showing than ever before. I had become accustomed to the feeling of the dresses and I began to enjoy trying on each new outfit.

Tayodh smoothed out the dress on the bed and picked up the violet flower that was on my pillow. “You have a lover, High Priestess Aila?”

“A lover? Not that I’m aware of.”

“This specific flower is a symbol of eternal love. It is often given to the person someone intends to marry.”

“I’ve had one on my pillow every morning since I first arrived.”

“A secret lover then.”

I frowned. “I think I would rather they just come speak with me. It’s a little frightening to think someone is coming into my room every night while I sleep.”

“Oh… That’s not likely. Can you imagine waking a High Priestess up and startling her? They’d be nothing but ash. I think they’re sending you the flowers by magic. Of course, that would require a Master or Manu caste to do such a thing.”

“That makes me feel a little better.”

“Any idea on who it might be?”

“I only really know you, Master Vikold, and Syette. I don’t think Master Vikold would do such a thing. He doesn’t seem to be the attentive type. That just leaves you and Syette.”

“As beautiful as you are, High Priestess Aila, I’m already married to a man.”

“And Syette hated me at first, so I would rule her out. Plus, she isn’t Manu, so she would have to place them here physically.”

“You need to be seeking a Twuilhe, not Viangi. This is light magic at work.”

“Thank you, Tayodh. I’ll get changed and meet Syette in the temple.”

“You’re very welcome.”

***

I changed into the new outfit and checked myself out in the mirror. I loved the way the short skirt looked on me and I turned from side to side to get different views. What I had felt at first was a difficult challenge to be a woman, I now loved everything about my new body. I still felt vulnerable around men but having witnessed the power I had at my fingertips it made me more confident.

What remained confusing was that I wasn’t looking upon myself with the same eyes that I used to. Even Syette, with her dark, sultry looks was slowly becoming less arousing to me. I realized that was partly why I was distancing myself from her. I wished Asunru was around that I could test my theories. Was I truly becoming attracted to men?

I was both anxious and nervous to head outside. Growing up, I spent a lot of time outside and took every opportunity to camp and hike, so I was familiar with the outdoors; the outdoors on Earth. Syette had spent some time filling me in on the various types of animals I might encounter but I had no idea what plants to avoid and what hidden dangers lurked here.

I met Syette and she immediately took my hand and pulled me down through the structure. When we reached the bottom floor, she touched a mark and the stone wall vanished. From this point I could see three wide trails that angled off into the dense foliage. One, headed what I considered west towards the lake, one directly north towards the Valley of the Chosen, and a third that went in an easterly direction.

“Try to pay attention, High Priestess Aila. While I have no doubt you can protect yourself, you must always remain alert.” Syette pointed to the middle trail. “This is the trail you will take tomorrow. I’ll lead for now, then you can lead coming back.”

Syette let go of my hand and quickly vanished up the trail. I followed at a quick pace, but it was clear she had left me behind and was nowhere to be found. I continued to move ahead hoping I would catch up while at the same time I was constantly scanning the wide variety of plants and small animals I was seeing.

I moved along the trail until I came to a creek crossing. The creek was of moderate size, but the edge of the trail was the top of a short five-foot drop into a pool of water below. I considered turning around when I was tackled from behind and sent flying over the edge into the pool below. I sputtered as I came up to find Syette laughing and swimming slowly around me.

“You must be careful, High Priestess Aila. Wild beasts can lurk in the jungle and pounce on you from behind; beasts that might choose to take advantage of you.”

I wasn’t so sure I liked this part of the training. I loved swimming and the water, but Syette had taken me by surprise by my lack of awareness.

Syette pressed herself against me and tried to kiss me, but I turned my face away and swam for the shore. At first, she was angry with me then her countenance softened. “I’m sorry, High Priestess Aila. I must have startled you and you’re unhappy with me. I beg your forgiveness.”

She stood and held out her hand. I hesitated to take it but thought better of it and took her hand in mine. Syette reacted quickly and pulled me towards her so that we fell into the soft grasses at the edge of the pond. I sprawled on top of her and in a quick move, Syette rolled us over with me pinned beneath her.

She pressed her lips against mine with much intensity, but this time her magic hurt me. Using a combination of magic and physical strength, I sent electrical shocks through her and pushed her body away from mine. I used just a small amount of magic, but the effect was profound for Syette flew back and landed spasming in the grass some ten feet from me. I immediately felt badly and reached out to grasp her wrist with healing magic to help her recover.

Her eyes went wide before turning dark and yanking her wrist away from my touch. “You dare spurn me! You’re nothing but the spawn of traitors to the Amaru Meru! I should have killed you before you gained your magic and spared the worlds. Watch your back, Aila, for it presents an excellent target.”

Syette scrambled up the bank and back to the trail before taking one last hateful look at me. She ran off towards the temple structure.

I sat back down feeling rather dazed by the whole encounter. I had so little knowledge about this place and the culture. Could I have breached some societal norms or led Syette to believe that I was attracted to her. Granted, at first there was an element of sinful seduction, but I attributed this to my sexual confusion and the need to feel wanted, secure, and loved.

I was very tempted to not go back but I realized I had little knowledge of the land and I wasn’t prepared for an extended journey. I stood and made my way back up to the trail. I paused a moment and considered the feeling of freedom before realizing I would probably fair better being dropped off in Antarctica. Turning back towards the temple structure, I walked at a slow and deliberate pace so that I could take in my surroundings.

I had almost made it back when half a dozen people led by Master Vikold found me on the trail.

“I’m glad you’re safe, High Priestess Aila. When you didn’t return in a timely fashion, we decided to come find you.”

“I’m grateful for your concern, but as you can see I’m perfectly fine.”

“Syette informed me that you attacked her.”

“Did she also tell you that she tackled me off a waterfall then pinned me to the ground to take advantage of me? Did she inform you that after I repelled her attack, I healed her to make sure she was all right?”

“She failed to mention those things.”

“I’m sorry if I somehow led her on, but I have no romantic feelings towards her. I thought she was merely being friendly and I’m ignorant of the customs here.”

“The good news is that you’re unharmed.”

“I will take this experience to heart. If nothing else, Syette taught me a valuable lesson to be on my guard out here. Perhaps I could use someone to teach me social customs.”

“There will be time enough for that after you find your animal companion. Let’s get you back so you can be well rested for tomorrow.”

***

I woke early and found a similar outfit to the one that I wore the previous day. Tayodh had brought me a pack filled with supplies. Other than that, I was ready to go. Syette had yet to show herself and for that I was grateful.

I found another flower and considering I had magically locked the door after Syette’s threat, I was led to believe my secret admirer had to be someone that I had never met. The obvious choice would have been Asunru, however Syette stated he was of the Onal caste and wouldn’t be capable of such a feat.

There was little pomp or ceremony to my departure other than Master Vikold deciding I should not risk the necklace and I should leave it in his protection. Since he had given it back to me once before, I thought little of it.

The hike to the entrance of the sacred valley would take several hours and once past the creek where Syette had tackled me, I was in new territory. Knowing the magic I had at my fingertips I wasn’t too frightened, but the images I had been shown of potential animal companions resembling lions, wolves, and even large fanged birds left me skittish and slightly jumpy at every sound and rattle of a bush.

I had travelled several miles by my own estimation when I began noticing smaller statues of faces on either side of the trail. When I suggest they were small, they were in comparison to the ones carved on the cliff faces, but these vaguely reminded me of Easter Island.

The further I travelled, the more monuments and statues I encountered. When I rounded a bend, I saw a stone bench with a single violet flower on it and a letter. I looked around suspiciously but found no evidence anyone was near.

Hoping the letter contained the answer to my so-called secret admirer, I sat down and read.

Aila,

Today you embark on your quest to find your companion animal. I’m sorry I can’t be with you to guide you through this important milestone towards your final ascension. I have no idea what you’ve been told but know that your choice could possibly mean the end of one of the factions and with it the lives of millions of people.

Don’t worry about what animal companion you should choose as the right one will choose you. You have the ability and power to make any animal yield to you but understand the right animal companion will not hesitate to challenge you. Even though you may feel threatened at times, you must wait for them to attack first.

You have no reason to accept what I have written here as anything other than hearsay. For many reasons your return to Amaru Meru was not as it should have been and those around you are attempting to manipulate you. Trust your heart.

I reread the letter before using my magic to burn it to dust. I was both frustrated and intrigued. Why offer me hints and tell me I was being manipulated without explaining more? Other than Syette’s odd behavior, I’ve been given no reason not to trust Master Vikold, however, I admit that my lack of understanding of this world could easily lead me to being misled. The questions that come to mind are why manipulate me at all and who is the one doing the manipulation?

I stood and looked back down at the flower with a mixture of frustration and wonder. The extraordinary violet flower spoke to me and I hated to leave it there. Picking it up, I put it into my hair and continued along the trail.

***

After another hour of walking, the jungle opened as I approached the mouth of the Valley of the Chosen. A slowly meandering river of crystal-clear water exited the valley between the massive carved faces. Looking up from where I was standing, I could barely make out the tops of the cliffs. Beneath the eastern carved face, a small boat was tied to a stone dock.

I made my way to the dock and ran my hands over the intricately carved gunwales of the boat. They appeared to be made of ivory and the hull of the boat seemed to be formed of a single enormous leaf. For all the magic and technology, I marveled at the simplicity of design.

I looked up the valley and river and the sheer cliffs made walking from here impossible. I stepped into the boat, released the rope, and sat down on the single seat. At the stern I saw a magical mark and I touched it lightly. Since there were no paddles, I expected this mark to propel the craft forward and wasn’t too surprised when it moved on its own accord into the current.

The little boat had no rudder, but it headed upriver between the carved cliff faces as if it knew exactly where it was going. I took the opportunity to eat and drink while I passed through the steep canyon. Periodically, I looked up as the sounds of deep bellowing roars of dragons flying far overhead gave me concern.

As I rounded a bend, I could see what appeared to be a temple carved out of the cliff face. There was no obvious path to it for from the water to the first ledge of the temple was nearly five-hundred feet of slick, smooth stone. Dozens of dragons flew and circled the temple. I was surprised that the deep bellowing roars came from dragons that were, in my estimation, quite small. Most were not any larger than I was. That was until I spotted one golden-skinned dragon perched high above the others. Even from this distance I felt its eyes following me up the river. I was a snack, a mere morsel to such a creature and I was pleased the boat turned a corner putting the dragons and the temple out of sight.

Slowly, over the next hour, the valley walls became less harsh and steep and the jungle plants began to take hold along the river’s edge. After another bend, the valley flattened out even more and the boat docked itself on the far side of the river.

I stood on the stone dock and stretched. Before the situation with Syette yesterday, she had managed to describe the trail for me. From here I must hike another two hours until I come to a large circular platform carved out of the stone. I was to light a fire in the center of the platform and, in her words, survive the night.

I shook my head and felt my long hair slide over my back. It was less than a week ago that I was a man in Peru. I had been completely oblivious to this world that seemed more like fantasy fiction than reality. I slid my hands down my lean hourglass figure before holding one hand up and causing my magic to flit across my fingertips in colorful bands of light. No one would ever believe this back on Earth.

I began walking along the jungle trail and quickly established that there was far more wildlife here than near the temple structure where my bedroom was. Birds of all colors and sizes darted back and forth across the trail and I could sense large predators paralleling my path as they made their way through the dense underbrush. Occasionally, something very large would rustle a bush.

To keep my fear under control, I concentrated on the path and thought about the mysterious letter. If what was written was true, then the animals wouldn’t attack me unless it was to be my animal companion. That was all except for the one that would be. The little birds and animals weren’t the ones that concerned me, it was the larger ones with talons, fangs, and might normally hunt people for breakfast.

It was dusk when I finally came to the platform. I hadn’t realized it, but I had been steadily climbing in elevation and from the edge of the platform, I could see the river several hundred feet below me. The stone platform appeared to be carved from a single massive rocky outcropping. The diameter was roughly one hundred feet and the stone surface was carved with intricate whorls and patterns that led one’s eye towards the center.

To the back of the platform and away from the edge that fell towards the river, a vertical cliff rose several hundred feet and the far side from the trail gave a breathtaking view of a smaller tributary that cascaded down a series of stone steps. I noted the trail ended here.

I stood on the edge and watched as the red swirling moon drifted lower towards the horizon. Soon it would be dark and there would be no moons tonight to light the night. I took it all in and didn’t have to imagine myself in an Isaac Asimov story. I was here, living on another planet.

Darkness fell quickly and still I hesitated in lighting the fire. This was the first chance I had to look up into the night sky. As the stars burst forth, I wondered which one might be the one that Earth orbited. Somewhere out there in the vastness of space I had lived another life. A life that seemed more like a dream to me lately.

Moving to the center of the platform, I stretched out my hand and lit the wood in the recessed center. I wondered who might have prepared the wood for this event. Perhaps this all tied into the magic of the Amaru Meru and these rituals took care of themselves in a grander cycle beyond my comprehension.

I sat close to the fire with my back towards the cliff face and partially towards the waterfall. This, in my opinion, would reduce the numbers of creatures from coming up behind me. Syette told me the lighting of the fire symbolized my readiness to the creatures of Amaru Meru. To me it was a beacon. I’m here… come eat me.

It wasn’t long before I had my first animal visitors. Small birds flew in and landed on the stone near my feet. They watched me carefully before flying off. I was amazed by the dazzling array of colors and shapes of the inquisitive little creatures.

Shortly after the small birds arrived and left, small land animals scurried up towards me. Some looked a little more lethal and even hissed at me, but most reminded me of squirrels and weasels. At one point there must have been a dozen little furry animals and birds around the fire and I was vaguely reminded of Snow White.

As the night progressed it was as if the more dangerous and larger creatures crept from their lairs. It was getting more and more difficult to sit peacefully and several times I felt my magic rise within me defensively.

A large blue serpent slithered into the firelight to my left; its scales seemingly luminescent. I stayed perfectly still as it moved close to my foot, raised itself up, and barred fangs that were close to four inches in length. I was preparing for it to attack, when it turned its head away and vanished quickly. I breathed a sigh of relief until I discovered why it left.

I could hear something large moving at the edge of the platform, but the fire kept me from seeing what exactly it was. It slowly circled but turned back just as I caught a glimpse of coarse, bristling fur. I could hear its low rumbling breath.

This felt like the worst horror movie ever to me. Some savage creature paced nearby. At times I swore I could hear its claws scratch the stone surface of the platform. I caught only glimpses and it wasn’t going away like the others.

Minutes passed, and I doubted I even breathed when slowly, a beastly face appeared directly across from me. Its green eyes glinted in the firelight, its rows of fangs dripped saliva. It was neither wolf nor lion but looked like a hybrid of both.

It took a step towards me and I could now see the massive rise of its shoulder and thickly muscled body. I tensed as magic began dancing across my fingers. With a roar that shook the jungle, it leapt for me. I rolled to the side just as a huge wind blew me to the ground. In mid air the massive beast was snatched from the sky by a single set of claws.

I stared up into the night sky to find the stars had vanished and then suddenly reappeared as something even more enormous flew by. I made my way back to the safety of the fire. The jungle had gone silent. I waited; my ears straining, my eyes darting back and forth.

Then I felt it. The ground I stood on shook and the darkness receded as a massive stream of fire erupted from the edge of the platform. In the glow of the fire I could see golden scales and when the blast of fire stopped, and my eyes adjusted once again, the head of a dragon slipped from the darkness as it turned its yellow eyes on me.

***

End of Part 3

>Thank you for taking the time to read this section of my story. Normally, I write complete stories, but I was lured by the January Reader Retention Contest to write a complete story as a series. The contest counts the kudos and reads, so if you liked this part, please offer a kudos.

This story is a complete novel made up of eight parts. I plan to post one part every two days so watch for the next installment on January 7, 2019.

As always, I love to hear from you. Please leave a comment or send me a message.

Casey Brooke