Our Journey: Where Thoughts Rest

Television flickered on as I entered the living room. My mom was in the kitchen, setting food on the table. The news anchor's voice was steady but urgent as she reported on a strange creature — the very same one I had seen upstairs.

"Vaelun taren! Elis en Aetherra!

Enthar elithar len aelathil en vaelun.

Aetherrans, therin elenil valen!

Aetherguard talan velan — elis varen thalan!

Elis tharan vaelun athral!

Thalan vaelon elis, aerithil en vaelun!

Enthar elithar len 7 feet tall, 8 inches wide,

Sulen eyes, gray skin, sylune feet,

Hard, shielded body!

Danger rank A+ — thalan vaelon, prepare weapons for battle!"

(Translation: Sky alert! Citizens of Aetherra!

A strange creature has appeared in the skies.

Aetherrans, stay within safe places!

The Aetherguard will handle the threat — they are the guardians!

Remain within the sky's shelter!

Guardians protect, spirits of the sky watch!

The creature stands 7 feet tall, 8 inches wide,

Yellow eyes, gray skin, furred feet,

With a hard, shielded body!

Danger ranked A+ — Guardians, prepare your weapons for battle!)

"Mom..."

"What?" her voice called from the kitchen.

"Are you watching the news?"

"No. What's the point, when there are so many lies spreading through the city? Don't believe that stuff. Go tell Jasmine and Ashley to come eat."

"But Mom! It doesn't look like they're lying..."

She stormed into the living room, grabbed the remote, and switched off the TV.

"Go tell your sisters to come eat. Right now."

"I will... but shouldn't we tell Dad to come back? I mean, he's working downtown — and that's near where those creatures are."

She walked over and grabbed my shoulder.

"The guards will protect him. Now stop worrying about those things."

Then she turned and walked away.

I sighed and started toward Jasmine's room to tell her to eat first before checking on Ashley. But by the time I got there, Ashley was nowhere to be found. I started calling her name.

That's when I heard soft weeping coming from my room.

I opened the door and found her curled up under my desk. I walked over, knelt down, and gently patted her back.

"Ashley, why are you in my room? What's wrong?"

"Sister..." She hugged me tightly. "I keep hearing screaming and crying... saying they need saving. I don't know where it's coming from, but I'm scared."

I hugged her back and stroked her gently.

"Hey... it's probably nothing. Don't worry about it."

But in that moment, I knew.

Ashley could hear them — just like I could.

Only those with a clean soul can hear the spirits.

My sister is a Vaelora — just like me.

(A Vaelora can hear not just the voices of people, but of wind, stone, creatures, machines, trees… even emotions imprinted in silence. It is considered a rare, sacred gift.)

In the city of Aetherra, only 4 percent possess an Elis Talan — a gifted power said to hold the potential to change the world. But few believe in such things anymore, especially in an age where worship has faded. The stories of our ancestors have vanished into silence, and the Zevrath Vaelar — our greatest elders — passed away before they could pass down their knowledge.

But I had seen a memory — one that belonged to my mother, from when she was still alive.

Flashback

My mother barged into the office chamber.

"Vaelun elira! Aerithil en Aetherrans elenil valen!

Thalar venas en solari — elenil thalen varas.

Vaelun athral, venas aerithil, en elen silenil en doran venas.

Vaelar Thalan, elen varelth sulen,

Elithar en Aetherrans elenil vaelon… sel thalen vaelon.

Ael thariel en varen thalan,

Aen I — Vareth Thalan en selnari —

Talan venas elith velan… elis vareth sulen en elira thalan!"

(Translation: We have to surrender for the safety of our people!

The deep is calling from around the world — asking to be saved.

We cannot continue this battle when we are destroying everything with our naïve minds and our selfish desires.

Vaelar Thalan (elder chief), the water has turned red,

And our people are disappearing one by one… they are vanishing.

If you cannot protect this city,

Then I — the retired Vareth Thalan (guardian commander) —

Will rise once more and end this… with my own bloodied blade!)

"You cannot stop this war!" the elder chief shouted back. "You've stepped down and should stay down! You'll be punished for defying me!"

His voice boomed across the chamber, echoing off the stone. My mother, Nina, stood tall in front of him.

"I made an oath! I swore to protect the city I love, and I will not break that for selfish plans that upset the balance of the world and trample the kindness of our ancestors for your own desires! Zevrak — you are not worthy of the title! It was never given to you by the hands of the royal bloodline."

She pointed her weapon at him, eyes blazing.

"The waters turned red in your name, and I must follow what I was taught — to protect the innocent, to give justice to those whose voices were taken."

"Guards! Guards! Seize this traitor! Take her to the Execution Pool!"

The elder chief's voice thundered with rage. A squad of guards rushed in, stripping her weapon away and locking her arms in restrictive power chains.

"You should have stayed quiet like a dog," Zevrak spat. "But since you pointed your weapon at me — you will be executed for treason."

She screamed, struggling against them, her voice fierce with fury.

"You are the imbalance—!"

A guard forced a cloth over her mouth, muffling her cries, and they dragged her toward the pool — where the blood of past traitors still lingered.

Reality

Based on what I saw… I knew she wasn't alive.

And I knew no one dared to speak up about the wrongs committed by the elder chief who stole his title from a living crown.

There is no balance now. And the voices… they're getting louder every day.

I wiped Ashley's small tears and led her out of my room toward the kitchen.