Carvations are beings of magic, and sprang forth from the great well of magic and life that was plentiful when the earth first became inhabitable. Though beings of magic, they were also ones of life itself, and so each one reflected animals and creatures of the dawn of life, those yet to come, and still others that haven’t been seen.
These early carvations learned to control their natural connection to magic with spells, and shared knowledge among each other. Then when the earth itself split apart, so did the carvation people. They were divided oceans apart and lived in peace. Once humans emerged, carvations fled to the sky and built their Temple. And from there, they lived above the humans in The Village, living in harmony. Let us look at the dawn of the carvations’ great migration as the species united together…
* * * * *
“Come on, Dier,” urged a woman with beautiful fluffy wings. Her eager eyes tugged him along. On top of her head was cute white hair, making her look a bit aged in his eyes.
“Cuca, I’ve still got another 50 years at least,” the man groaned. His orange-gold hair was waving in the wind, almost giving it the illusion of flickering fire behind his fox ears.
“¾ of your life is gone, and you haven’t even found someone to love!” she judged.
“Ouch. Low blow, don’t you think?”
“I don't know any other 170 year olds who haven’t found a woman,” she pointed out.
“You’re making me reconsider coming with you,” sighed Dier. “I don’t need a kid.”
“But they’re so cute!”
“I don’t see you keeping any of the eggs you lay,” he judged.
“You don’t know what I do with my eggs,” returned Cuca with a sly smile.
“And I don’t want to know,” the carvation groaned, catching up with her. “What did you want to show me anyway?”
Cuca and Dier were on a hill overlooking their small tribe. It wasn’t even dawn yet, and the stars were shining down so clearly in odd patterns.
“Listen, so you know how Cule goes out every morning before everyone’s up?” asked Cuca.
“I don’t sleep in Cule’s room, so no.”
“Well, not that you know, don’t you need the answer?”
“Not really my business, so…”
“Shut up and just watch.”
The two of them looked down at the tribe below, and watched a sight that few ever woke up early enough to see. In the distance, they saw a carvation woman fly into the sky. Her jet black wings and gray curly horns contrasted with her long aqua-blue hair.
She raised her arms, and felt wind ripping through their hair. Cuca even laughed while she watched the woman go to work. The gale rustled the leaves, and yanked fruit from the trees. Apples, peaches, and whatever other food could be swept up in the wind whirled around her, and then at a flick of her wrists, everything was flung downwards. Despite the force behind it, the wind gently placed a ton of food inside of a large basket.
“Impressed?” Cuca asked.
“Ok, yeah,” nodded Dier. “I’ll admit, that was a sight to behold.”
“Hehe, good.” she giggled. “Cule! Over here!”
The flying woman opened her eyes and looked their way. Cuca was waving incessantly, making her laugh. Cule gracefully glided over to where the two were.
“That was quite a show,” remarked Dier. “You really do that every morning?”
“I’d rather take my time than force our people to spend hours scavenging.”
“True…”
“I wish our grandparents didn’t hunt dinosaurs to extinction,” moaned Cuca, leaning on Cule’s shoulder.
“Me too,” Cule sighed. “My mother used to tell me just how amazing dinosaurs tasted, and how there was always enough to go around.”
“Tell Dier about your dream though!” Cuca urged, shaking Cule. “Tell him, tell himmm!”
“You’re still having dreams about the trees throwing apples at you?” Dier asked, sympathetic.
“Pft, no,” she laughed. “I stopped having that dream a while ago. No, I’ve been dreaming about paradise. A land with more food than we could dream of, and room for all the carvation tribes to come together and live in harmony.”
“That’s quite a dream,” Dier said, scratching the back of his head. “You know that there’s no way the tribes are just coming together anytime soon.”
“I think it’s The Great Magic showing me where to take our people. To unite them and show them we can live in peace and prosperity.”
“Listen Cule,” the fox carvation groaned. “I know it’s been your dream to unite us all together and stuff, but that’s a longshot. The fighting among all of us is just too much.”
“I have The Great Magic though,” she argued. “I have the power to bring us all together.”
“Yeah, but what happens if it gets taken from you at the next competition though? When all the tribes come together, who knows if you’ll beat them all again?”
“Stop being so negative,” shot Cuca. “She can do whatever she wants. She’s the most powerful carvation on the planet!”
“I can’t do whatever I want,” Cule laughed, weaving a magic wind around them to carry them down to their tribe. “The Great Magic does have its own say in what I do. I’m just the vessel. If I do something it doesn’t like, it’ll be the one in control.”
“Which is why I’ll never be competing for it,” Dier shivered as they were set down next to the food basket. “I wouldn’t want that inside me.”
“The Great Magic is displeased with your opinion,” Cule said. “It says you had best watch your mouth.”
“How does it feel to have it talking in your ear all the time?”
“Honored.”
“You’re never honored when I do it,” pouted Cuca.
“That’s because you shout in her ear,” Dier corrected. “Usually excitedly about something minor.”
“Bah,” she spat, taking an apple and biting into it.
“Don’t eat them all,” Cule warned. “We need enough for everybody. It’s bad enough some of us are starved enough to not be able to use magic. Another reason to find that paradise I’ve been dreaming about.”
Slowly, the other carvations woke up and emerged out of their tents and small shacks. A lot of them were only getting up for the food; the rest didn’t want to waste their energy. One shook Cule’s hand and thanked her; another woman hugged her, got a few fruits, and went back to sleep.
“Thank you,” a woman said gratefully.
“It’s just my job,” Cule nodded. “Think nothing of it.”
“Still… we would be so much worse off without you.”
It made her sad to see. Carvations were fierce warriors, but now there was nothing to hunt besides small animals that were more trouble to catch than they were worth.
Cule had thought for weeks about how to find some way to feed her people. Moving around and finding new fruits and vegetables to forage was only getting them so far, and they wouldn’t last for long. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how much the other tribes were struggling without having The Great Magic. Even being so powerful, she had never felt so powerless to do what was right.
* * * * *
“Not yet, Cule,” begged Cuca, locking her arms around Cule’s shoulders. “I don’t want you to go yetttt.”
“I’ve got duties,” she laughed, pushing Cuca off of her. “Dier can keep you company.”
“But Dier’s a nen’nier.”
“I’m right here,” Dier complained.
“Pleaseeee!”
“I’ll be back later,” Cule promised, kissing Cuca’s forehead. “Promise.”
“But-”
“There is work to be done,” reported a magical voice in her head.
“I have to go,” Cule repeated, ripping herself out of Cuca’s grasp and spreading her wings. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
Cule used her wind magic and propelled herself into the sky. Hosting The Great Magic came with a few duties to her people. It demanded she went around the entire planet to as many tribes as she could to help. It was so exhausting, but that’s why she had The Great Magic to supply her with the energy to do so.
“We’re making good time,” Cule said.
“There are still more carvations.”
“When can we seek out the paradise you show me in my dreams?” she asked. “Where is it, and how do we reach it?”
“We shall discuss after your duties are finished.”
“Fine,” she said, dissatisfied.
“Do not believe you can save your race in one day.”
“I would if I could,” she sighed. “I would if I could…”
Cule arrived at the last of the tribes to help them get food, then went back to her own people. Secretly, she was tired of all the work it took to keep everyone going. The physical and mental exhaustion was getting to her. She would be sleeping for a few hours straight after today’s rounds. When Cule arrived at her tribe though, everything was in disarray.
“It’s the champion!” someone shouted.
Everyone looked up at her in the sky; some hopefully and others fearfully. Below her were carvations with weapons, stopped mid fight. They were injured and crying, hiding and cowering, and some running away upon seeing her. Through the air, an arrow whistled right for Cule, but was snapped in half mid-air.
“What is going on here?!” she demanded, her voice booming for them all to hear. Cule knew what was happening; she just wanted to hear it for herself.
“They attacked us!” one of her tribespeople said. “For our food!”
“We asked peacefully!” another barked. “You all lashed out!”
“We were defending ourselves!”
“You were-”
“ENOUGH!” Cule shouted, sending a harsh gale over the battlefield as she descended down. “Everyone, disperse!”
All the carvations took sides, both grouping together with their tribes. Nobody wanted to challenge Cule’s power. She could see the mean looks in their eyes too, like they were thinking of eating each other for survival.
“You don’t fight for survival,” Cule said furiously. One of her tribesmen spoke up.
“We didn’t start-”
“I don’t care who started it,” she snapped. “You don’t fight each other to survive. You work together for it!”
“Well, we’re all starving, champion!” someone spat. “You’re supposed to be our guardian for all and take care of us, but we’ve never been struggling more!”
Cule was about to shoot back, but hesitated. Something in her knew it was true. Maybe all the struggles weren’t her fault, but she wasn’t doing near enough to try and solve their problems. Everyone was starving and she was busy with her own tribe.
“You know what?” she said. “Yeah, you’re right. Everyone is suffering under my own watch. But no more.”
“What’re you going to do now that you couldn’t do for us before?!”
“I’m going to find a paradise for us, unite the tribes, and put an end to fighting and struggling for us all.”
Everyone fell silent, not sure to take her declaration as an ambitious dream or a mocking joke. One carvation from the other tribe stepped forward and pointed at her square in the chest.
“You’d better find one good paradise and fast, love,” she spat. “Because at this rate, nobody’s going to be around to live in it.”
After that, all the other carvations left her tribe, leaving the rest to pick up the mess leftover and prepare to move somewhere else for the night. All the while, Cule thought about how to find a place for her people.
“You cannot save your race in one day,” The Great Magic repeated.
“I’ll have to,” she mumbled. “Can you do it?”
“Our power is limitless.”
“Then we have work to do.”
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