Cherreads

Chapter 11 - Chapter 10

However, the extreme temperature prevented the hungry souls from entering, leaving them waiting for the Individual after seeing him go inside. Five timbers protruded out of the makeshift smokehouse, where the roasted meat could be seen, skewered vertically from top to bottom. Cutting up a piece, dripping from its juice, he put it in his mouth.

Not impressive nor unsatisfactory, the Individual chewed before bringing himself to glance at the Zeiroidians. While tolerant enough for the uncivilized, yet the sight of long and dirty fingernails annoyed him, so much that the Individual groomed it for them.

"Considering how all the Zeiroidians seem unaffected by diseases, even so, does it ever occur to your mind as the chieftain, Sidia?" Vanishing within their sights before appearing in an instant, "Perhaps the time has come for the Zeiroidians to learn of basic grooming." Right at their faces was a huge bubble of water, which the Individual freely controlled.

Some may have grumbled about the new-fashioned appearance, but the Individual was the one who grabbed the meal in front of them, so there was nothing they could do in the first place except going along with it.

Just getting the dirt away from their hands was a great achievement, adapting smoothly as the tribe began to scrub each other's hands. Enamored by the beauty and lightness of the seemingly tedious process, they were now free to grab the feast ahead. The noises they made upon each bite alongside the greasy hands and lips.

Rendering the siren to salivate and chirp at the others who had taken a share, much to her disappointment in their lack of courtesy before landing back at the Individual's feet, again. A small release of breath through his nose as he picked her up, she smiled though, delighted at each serving of meat being brought in.

Growing increasingly annoyed by the savagery, even more so with the uncontrolled drip of her saliva. The Individual laid her down, he had to or she would be choking at the moment he got smeared.

As the feast concluded, the Individual began his words to Sidia's experience. What she observed, understood and possibly learned from it. Having heard that, Sidia couldn't start to begin with, as if something was preventing her from doing so. Despite that, she still had to speak at some point, even if that will rub the back of her throat. Sidia's language had changed into that of a more known tongue, a speech from where he belonged.

Excluding the momentary regard, there was something the Individual was more expectant of. A dialect he wanted to understand, which Sidia also learned and recited some poems for the Individual to perceive. Telling her that there was nothing more he wished, other than to know how to communicate from this specific world.

Beckoning and telling Sidia that he would be taking the memories back, which she complied without question. Laying on the ground, Sidia closed her eyes as the memories of a former world- a race predominantly lived by humans, no longer lingered within a complex and encompassing chunk of a tissue.

Deprived, perhaps stupefied- there was nothing Sidia felt as she opened her eyes, just to see the Individual in tears. Still without a definible expression on his face, but there was something Sidia felt when looking at the Individual. It cannot be specified- a glimpse of something so noble that many electrical impulses flared throughout her body.

Realizing that most had remained within her, only excluding this special world of his that the Individual so wanted. Sidia finally spoke as she welled the same, "Will you remember us, Great One?" Merely passing over as it endured to be unanswered, he simply stood up and walked away, never to be discussed again.

Even though there were other species that ruled at the top of this world's hierarchy, when coming across the Individual's power, they were simply forced to obey in spite of their animalistic tendencies. Nature couldn't be helped as they succumbed to their instincts, devouring and death was a better option than living in starvation.

Having a conversation with him all the time, yet after many years have passed. Sidia really wanted to choose a name for the Individual, instead of constantly referring to him as 'him' or an honorary one. If one were to look at the two, they would agree that Sidia and the Individual were the same age. Nobody would believe the latter being born before Nurne was even created, which was inevitably and undeniably, the truth.

"What are your concerns, Sidia?" He said, after hearing her breathe out. She paused for a moment before finally deciding to push forth her thoughts, "Great One, you've done so much for us that we can't give anything of equal value, yet you haven't, not even once cared of making a name. May we know the reason for not doing so?"

Owing to his title, expressionless at her question. "You could say that I'm simply unaffected by it at this point in time. What exactly is a name for someone like me, when no one is there to remember." Hearing that made Sidia suck her lips inward, compressing the opposites with her teeth. A little unyielding optimism wouldn't hurt, "But names are important to distinguish each other, there must be something that motivates you to have a name.." Now met with silence, it evoked something from him.

Looking at the palm of his hands, turning it to see its back, the Individual had indeed obtained a spark of motivation which made him produce a short warm laugh. He had become fluent and smooth when speaking the newly-acquired language, but found it difficult to write as the Individual had no recollection of Elias ever studying.

There was only a memory of Elias scribbling a stick on the dirt, which the Individual found nostalgic. "A fitting name for myself," Turning his gaze to her, "Would you honor me by giving one, Sidia?" A new found opportunity that Sidia took without hesitation, "I-I will! I shall include everyone so that they may give their own ideas to make certain that it is a fitting name for you!" Although the Individual anticipated that she would spread it to a few people, not everyone.

A sigh upon seeing Sidia rushing to leave, regretting that she did the latter, who now is determined to inform everyone of such news. Continuing on his meditation, while smiling to himself. 'I, too, have been blessed with such an idea for a name.'

Returning later, the Individual maintained the usual spot, not even levitating above the ground- he was just laying amidst the green patches of land with an arm below his left cheek and a shut eye. Easily discernible by anyone. Probably because of the translucency of his back, emanating together with the sun's ray, which was mainly responsible for illuminating Nurne.

Seemingly asleep on the outside, but awake after noticing Sidia's presence. She gently pressed the mark, the one that had vertically extended below towards the end of her sternum.

Though one thing is for sure, and that it looked spectacular seeing his compared to hers, as if someone dedicated their whole life to make such an artistic design. Or at least that was what she expected at first, as the patterns were horrible, like a grisly wound. Perceiving Sidia's silence, the Individual grunted as he turned around while covering it, "How was it?"

Fortunately, Sidia didn't fall into a state of trance as some had after allowing them to see. The Mark he had can and will always try to influence everyone who had seen to touch it, like moths to an undying flame.

"W-wait! I.. would like to inquire more about something else first," Sidia exclaimed. Knocking her fingers against each other as she thought deeply while focusing her dissatisfied stare at the Individual's face. Until she finally did so, which put a smile on her face and an end to her light finger taps. "Time! Great One, tell me your understanding of Time."

After she asked, Sidia avoided his persistent gaze. The Individual sat upright, giving regards to Sidia with a thoughtful expression as the weight of her question lingered in the air. "Do tell me what you understand about Time," he responded.

"An undoubted force which subjects everyone. It feels like destiny.. but different as the outcome constantly changes depending on the actions of an organism." Pausing for a moment before continuing to say, "I wonder.. among all the things that you have shown us, would it be possible to wield Time itself?"

She was prodding at something he didn't want to talk about, so the Individual sighed and just simply answered, "You already have the answer for it, what more could be spoken?" Forcing a hard swallow on her throat, "Your curiosity may present as a good trait for now, I reckon you still remember the promise we made when we first met?"

Nodding her head, "Y-Yes, I still do. You wanted us to follow everything you say.." Reduced to a stare on the Individual's hand, whose fingers remained unmoving on the lowly vegetation, a clench of hand behind.

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