ROLEPLAY

Here is written the story of an Amazon Mysticia. These events took place weeks before the Second Great Swarming.

Part One: Mask of Kinship Day

Death came for Sisti’s father during the ceremony.

                In the ancient lands the Zorai held a ceremony designed to forge their alliance with the Kami – it was not so much a religious thing as a tradition commenced by the great and wise chieftain Cho, he was the first Zorai to wear a Kinship Mask. In the hundreds of years that have pass, the ceremony had become a rite of passage. It was now called the Mask of Kinship Day -- on this day a Zorai initiate, ideally a young adult, is given to the Kami in an adoption ritual, the adoption ritual marks the transition from childhood to adulthood, in the course of this time the kinship mask is genetically sown into their faces, the mask signifies bearing their soul, and the affinity between the Kami and the Zorai people, distinguishing them from other homins, -- and from this day forward, and for the remainder of their lives, the Zorai will wear the living mask made from bone, cartilage, flesh and sap.

                Sisti stood between her father, Chu, and her mother, Vitae, who held their nine-month-old son Aoko. Her older brother Nung was being presented as an initiated. Aoko and Nung were born of blue skin like the father – he was Zorai, and Sisti was of pallid skin with auburn hair like the mother – a Matis. Her uncle Kato, her father’s brother, had come all the way from Silan and his job as a ranger to take part in the celebration. They were part of a crowd of perhaps 100 Zorai parents accompanying their mask-less children since the last such gathering. It was a day of great joy and communion. Several meters in front of them a raised platform held several Kami priests, one of whom was making opening remarks to the assembled.

                The sun shined down temperately and the air was filled with the sharp sapspice smell that came with spring on this region. Flowers bloomed, trees greened thicker, the cycle of the season renewed itself. There might be nicer places on Atys, but nothing like spring in the jungle.

                Ten meters away from Sisti a man focused his attention upon them. She shifted her small frame slightly to follow his gaze. The man was paying most of his attention to Kato, Sisti saw, and she thought was unusual. Sure her uncle was an impressive Zorai dressed in ranger uniform, he was striking sure enough, tall and muscular, and certainly interesting to look at. But her mother was standing there breast-feeding a sleepy baby, watching anyone else out to be almost impossible -- Vitae was a Matis Hamazon, and in this crowd she commanded attention in the same way that a sudden explosion commanded it. Everybody looked at Vitae, some with more subtlety than others, but if the eyes worked, they would fasten their gaze upon her eventually.

                Only, this guy was staring at Kato as though he were the most fascinating entity in the ceremony. The man flicked a look at Sisti, but resumed his watch of Kato after no more than a couple of heartbeats.

                Chu noticed the men too and quickly said, “Kato, there’s a guy about ten meters to your left staring a hole through you. Anybody you know?” He moved nonchalantly but carefully put himself between the vision of the watching man and his daughter. He didn’t glance at Sisti, but he did put one hand out to lightly touch her arm, and she grabbed his hand.

                Chu’s brother didn’t appear to hear him, but he said, “Nope. Never seen him before. I figured he was just enjoying your wife’s bare breast more than he ought to.”

                “Far as I can tell, it’s you he’s interested in. And his gathering himself to move, too,” said Chu.

                “Yeah. Might be a problem.” He thought about it for a second. “Maybe I’ll just go get us something nice and cold to drink,” said Kato.

                “Good idea.” If the guy meant trouble, and if he were armed, better he should follow Kato away from this crowd of parents and children. Chu didn’t want to think about who might get hurt.

                Kato headed toward the refreshments stands on the edge of the fairgrounds. Adrenaline bubbled in him as he catalogued the man. He was average enough, not quite as large as Chu or himself for a Zorai. The guy didn’t have any obvious tribal colors that leaped out at Kato. He had violet high top hairstyle, and no tattoos. He wore matching black zo’nin-ka armor, and looked like any other local come for the celebration, could be somebody’s uncle or cousin, nothing to mark him as unusual, save his intense attention to Kato.

                When Kato was thirty meters away, the man casually moseyed after him. Yep. There was no doubt to Chu High-top was trouble. He had a bad feeling. Chu said to Vitae, “I’m going to the fresher.”

                She nodded, and switched the baby to the other side, drawing stares from the people around her as perfect breasts flashed whitely in the sunlight, shining like gravid pearls. “Is everything okay?”

                “Yeah. No problem. Back in a couple minutes.”

                She knew something was up but she didn’t push it. Chu appreciated that.

                Chu quickly angled off, and took a similar course somewhat behind High- top. He edge closer to the man tailing his brother, moving precisely and silently. High-top was intent on his target, speeding up a little, gaining on Kato.

                Kato kept his back to High-top, as if he hadn’t a care in the world past achieving the drink stand.

                A few more meters and Chu would be in perfect position to put a hurt on the guy if he even twitched funny. When Chu was still three steps away, the faint, yet indistinguishable, scent of goo struck his senses. Unexpectedly, a woman carrying a newborn slammed into him. He felt a sharp stab just beneath the rib cage. It grounded him – the blade pierced Chu fast, the assassin twisted and snapped the blade, embedding a piece of the blade inside Chu, – it paralyzed him, for a moment he felt time stood still, and he tried to figure out what had happened. He was hit! He was the target.

                Chu spun where he stood looking for the attacker but whoever it was disappeared amongst the crowd. The vision of his family flashed before his eyes. He looked for them - they were safe, right where he left them. His wife seemed intent on listening to the speech and making sure their eldest son followed the instructions, they never noticed the attack, but Sisti, she was looking straight at Chu.

                He dropped to one knee, weakened, his feet too heavy to move, and his breath felt short. Within minutes his mind was lost to the darkness and the void.

                “PA!” yelled Sisti. She broke loose from her mother’s grip and ran toward her father.

                She came to stand next to Chu. She tried to heal him with the magic she had been thought, but her magic was too weak. A stranger tried with a stronger healing spell, but Chu’s life kept diminishing. Not even Vitae, a Celestial Guardian, could keep up less she too be weakened in the effort.

                A crowd began to gather.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Resources:
Tears of Serenity
Interview
Mask of Kinship
Acknowledgment: I want to give recognition to the Sisters of the Amazon Mysticia guild for their help in the writing of this story. My thanks to Zendae, Nadjaital, and Mindae.