Bright Future
Prompt
For years, the children of Aisha suffered with a shadow of failure. Their once-sisters turned extremist fled after stealing a sacred seed from their mother tree. It was a betrayal that shamed them, even moreso when they learned that the seed had been planted, cultivated, and bloomed a new race of Aishans.
The idea never had occurred to extend the reach of Aisha, the potential of extending her embrace unbelievable until now. As the Elaria tribe grew in the south, the Alkidikes sought guidance from their matrons and mystics, praying for another seed that they could use to their advantage. It didn't take long until Aisha answered their prayers.
Sending their strongest and swiftest to protect the seed, the Alkidike sisterhood set their eyes toward Belrea. They knew of an island near the north, uninhabited and ideal to plant a seed and test their luck. And so, they sowed their future, and a new tree began to grow.
Use this prompt to discuss your character's hopes around this seed, this tree. Maybe they are on Chibale, waiting for news. Or maybe your character joined her sisters as a protector of this growing tree. Do you expect a similar result like the Extremists...or do you expect more?
Tyiva studied the bustling marketplace. The Alkidike was leaning against the corner of one of the many stone buildings lining the dusty streets and sunbathing in the scorching rays of the desert sun. She had come from the lower regions of Sulburi where the height of the taller buildings allowed breezes to brush through, cooling the lower streets and actually causing a slight chill for those who stayed in the shadowed alleys. The Alkidike had lingered in the lower area of the city and felt as if some of the chill had entered her bones. It was why she took the time to enjoy the sunlight and observe the city streets.
Much better.
Tyiva stretched a hand towards the sunlight before finally shifting her body and moving forward. Her antenna were fully out and she didn’t hesitate to toss coin to a merchant and take some fresh bread. The action was still strange to her if not welcome. Before when she was younger and in the strange earthling lands for the very first time she could remember how a cloak had always masked her appearance. Her height was still prone to giving away her foreign heritage, but at least for an Alkidike she was petite so that she didn’t hover over earthlings as much as her other Sisters. Now she could move more freely through the streets and mingle in with all the other races who had visited the Oban capital.
The effects of the last five years, of the battles fought by all the earthlings and of new discoveries and open borders, were quite visible in the mixed crowd. Like the open borders, Tyiva had found her open perspective of the earthlings changing. Before she would have gladly stayed in the jungles of Jahaur and not ever ventured into the earthling lands. The same would be said of her Sisters but now they were going to a new land to even try and raise a new tree, a seed that would hopefully produce cousins. Another race of Aishans who would surely grow to be more like them and not like their haughty Elarian cousins raised by the Extremists. Just thinking about the young race and their attitude towards earthlings made Tyiva’s lips purse into a frown. Surely a tree raised by her Sisters who hadn’t been corrupted by the allure of power and conquest would produce faithful guardians of the land who would be able to share in their customs and even visit Chibale one day. At least that was Tyiva’s hopes for the new tree.
“Thank you.” The woman smiled at Tyiva and broke the Alkidike from her wandering thoughts before going along her way down the street with her newly freed cart. Admittedly not everyone would give her such a reaction, but Tyiva appreciated the vendor’s willingness to let her help. It was a growing point from when she had first stepped foot in Oba over five years ago. Back then the Alkidike had worn cloaks and tried her best to keep to the shadows. I actually remember this area. Her gaze shifted as she studied the busy market street. Someone had fallen and asked for help all those years ago, but she had simply walked past with a shrug. If the earthling couldn’t help themselves then they were truly too weak. Shame decorated her cheeks at the memory.
And now to think that she had been through several different countries and helped several different races. A small smile crossed the Alkidike’s features as she continued reflecting on the past. She had been on an airship, fought alongside earthlings to fight off the Dretch, fiddled with new trinkets and been amazed by new discoveries while experiencing different cultures for the first time. She had even stood up to her family to defend an earthling - something she would have never done in her younger years. It was that earthling which brought her back to Oba now. I suppose this place will always be full of nostalgia for me. Out of all the earthling countries this was the one that had affected her the most in the last five years.
Or rather someone here had affected her the most.
Out of all things to bond with an earthling.
It was why she had chosen to stay in the area despite recent events. While some of her Sisters went overseas to protect the new tree, Tyiva had felt tugged towards Oba. She had something important to resolve here and she was determined to see it through. She just prayed to Aisha that her Sisters would understand that she couldn’t ignore her heart anymore. She did plan to go see the new tree one day and to even perhaps become one of its protectors if necessary. However, she first had to address the feelings that haunted her all the way even in Jahaur. While she couldn’t physically be there with her Sisters she could still offer her hopes and prayers for their safety. Hopefully this new tree in Belrea would bloom cousins that would help them to protect this precious world full of different cultures and races that she had learned to love.
862
