Steel Butterfly

28

Kalia's POV

I was sitting by a yacata, praying to the Xaratanga statue for my magic to increase and us to survive what will be a very bitter and tough battle with the Beast King. There was wind running through my hair.

"Kalia?" I heard a voice I didn't recognize. I turned my attention from the statue to face her. She was rather lithe and was of average height. Her hair was intertwined with red cloth into a braid that circled around her head. She wore a long white huipil with hummingbirds engraved on it and a long striped skirt of red, green, and yellow.

"Mother?"

She nods. I run to her, giving her a hug.

"Mother, you have no idea how much I've needed you." I tell her.

"I know, my little bird. But you are needed here too. You are a warrior, with magic and fire in her veins." She pulls me away, cupping my face in her hand. She looks like what I imagine an older version of me will look like.

Suddenly, everything fades.....

—------------------

I woke up from my dream, lying beside Ronan. He was stirring in his sleep, mumbling gibberish. Finally, he sat up, looking half-asleep.

"Kalia?" He asked me, eyes half open.

"Yes?" I look back at him.

"What kind of dream did you have?" Ronan asked me, eyes fully awake now.

"Well...I dreamed that I was speaking to my mother's gods." He sighed, looking at the ground.

"Well, I saw my mother in my dream. She told me I had magic and warrior blood in my veins." I started to pull on my huipil.

"Well, your father is a deity of war and magic, right?" Ronan asked me, as he pulled on his shift.

"He is the god of human sacrifice and sorcery." I told him. "And lots of other things."

"Hey, lovebirds, you might want to come out here." It was Lizin. We both quickly got dressed and ran out. There were a few different kinds of energies outside. There was what looked like a few deities outside by the fire. Aetnara looked at them.

"Oh, we have guests." Ronan crosses his arms before giving a bow.

"We have come to give you for your battle with the Beast King." One of the deities, a thing made of tree branches, leaves, and what looked like acorns for eyes spoke.

"And what gifts were we considered worthy to receive?" Sigrid was offering something that looked like deer bones to the deities.

"For my Hunir children, you have been brave and strong. You deserve weapons as strong as you." That deity made steel weapons appear from thin air.

"These were blessed by us for the fight against the Beasts and their King." The deity spoke out. I saw what looked like three robed figures and two of our own deities, Huiltzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca appearing. I see all the Hunir people grab the weapons, which were swords, axes, and warhammers.

"For our Britannai children, we will be granting them strength and speed for the fight." One of the hooded figures removed her hood. She had blue eyes and wore the face marks of a Irechewka. Aetnara grabs a heavy stone from the floor and lifts it up to reveal she could lift it easier. A random Britannai soldier ran around the camp, becoming a blur.

"And for our Ikikunari,Nahuweri, and Irechewka children, we will give them the gift of increased music and charms." Tezcatlipoca snaps his fingers as obisidan charm necklaces appear on the necks of all of the Hunters and foot soldiers of the same group.