The Beast and His Tamer

Chapter 29: The Rivers of a Dream

He was four when they attacked. The brutal blundering of men with magic made from evil rather than good. Tamers were all taught magic. For it was in their instruments and tools in which they used everyday for their work. While Tamers brought good to the world, balancing it by helping beasts in need, they did the opposite.

Sebastian had heard of them, in the many stories that were told by his large family. Uncle Glastion had always tried to keep them all away from the really frightful stories, but he also wished to inform them of the dangers out there. So that they would know if there was going to be something bad happening. He didn't think anything would. Not in the forest that he called home for most of his short life. The forest they were in was safe, away from all society and beings alike. There was only one beast for which they knew and saw and spoke to. Sebastian enjoyed playing with him. The bird was just as energized as he was.

Sebastian didn't think there was a reason for the beast to have so much energy other than to play with him. He didn't know why the beast stayed near Uncle Glastion's house. Not until the one fateful day that he would remember forever.

"Touloo, attack!" Uncle Glastion shouted. All the little ones like Sebastian were getting brought into the house. There was a basement that they were all taught to go into when they were supposed to stay in hiding. Uncle Glastion had told them that it was only to be done when they were told, because it was a very important place.

The predicament was that Sebastian wasn't near the house. For he had ventured out with Touloo, the three-headed Toucan, to play with him that day. Now he simply hid behind a bush, waiting for the worst to happen.

Almost every beast had an instinct to fight. They knew what to do and how to deal damage. But Sebastian hadn't wanted to think about that at such a young age. He didn't want to think they were for anything but peace. That harmony could be achieved with any beast so long as one believed that it was possible.

He forgot about the one beast that could only seem to thwart his thoughts of peace and prosperity.

Humans. The race that he belonged to.

"Your young are no match for us, Glastion!" A man said. He wore a thick robe that fluttered in the wind for which he was floating in. "It's time to destroy the next generation, just like you've done for us!"

Fear rose in Sebastian's small chest in that moment. For he couldn't fully understand those words or what they meant, but he could feel the venom behind them. Red mist swirled around the man that stay floating in the air, attacking the beast that Sebastian had called friend. He didn't want anything to come of the bird. For its attacks were able to throw the man off a little, but there were so many other people around, so many enemies. He wasn't sure if he could handle all of those people.

Uncle Glastion took no time speaking. He was only a talker when he was happy. Any other time he was serious and his face that of a stone. Sebastian hadn't learned that until later on, when he had a few more years under his belt.

Glastion moved in just the nick of time. The beams of light that were coming from the enemies were of all different colors. It frightened Sebastian more, because the ground was singed when they were done. He could only imagine what would have happened if his uncle had been held under those attacks.

Uncle Glastion's instrument of choice was a trusty saxophone that he had gotten when he was in his younger years. He knew how to play every instrument known to man beautifully, and Sebastian loved hearing him play all of them, but the saxophone was his strongest weapon. For it was the one that had called out to him when he was little. And that instrument was your greatest ally throughout your life as a tamer.