Grounded On Juniper Island

Dom Pudatta

With his eyes glazed over, an array colours rushed to Dom's mind. The wave of new thoughts forced him to let go of Lorne, who watched helplessly as his friend was battered against the trees below. The impact of his fall scattered a rabbit out of harm's way and frightened a herd of deer from the nearby waterholes. Birds squawked at the intrusion, flapping their wings, leaving behind a cloud of mattered feathers. As he looked up at the canopy in awe of the distraction he had caused, a silhouette appeared leaping below to him.

"Dom, answer me. Are you alright?"

The Urthkai was seeing in double vision. The two Lornes eventually moved into one amongst the fading light.

"Lorne," he replied to him. A tear trickled from his eye as he squeezed his face into a state of sorrow. "I wish my kids could see me now."

Dom Pudatta was a warrior who fought many wars for the Urthkai. His efforts were well noted, however his proudest achievement was being a father of two beautiful boys and a girl, Trent, Kyal and Quinn.

His days as a single father were tiring, busy, and filled with plenty of patience. It was a fate he never thought he would have to play a part of, but the unexpected death of his wife, Kaira, threw him into a situation that he took on with no complaint at all. It was only right that he carried on his duty as a carer, much like his wife did whilst he was away fighting to protect Juniper Island.

He had fulfilled one of the two life goals of an Urthkai; to have happy family life. The other goal he had somehow evaded him, despite  believing he did everything he could to achieve it.

The Gift of Grewir had been bestowed on others, particularly those who he deemed not as worthy as him. He felt like there was a conspiracy against him; a pact made by the servants to keep him from ever receiving a gift. At thirty-five, he had never been given the chance to make his life complete.

His frustration eventually boiled over into a confrontation with one of the servants of Grewir. That servant was Erasmus.

One day Erasmus was perched under a palm tree, resting after a hard day of granting gifts to five Urthkai. Dom stomped over to him, fuming with rage, evident with the twisted grimace on his face and veins pulsating out of his neck. Erasmus rose to his feet. He didn't want a victim of a heart attack be laid upon his conscience.

"Stop Dom," said Erasmus pushing out his palm. "I know why you are here." A message carried on the winds from Grewir told him to expect Dom, and the reason why he would come to him."

"Oh yeah man? What is it then you witch!" For a moment he regretted the insult. He couldn't help it. His patience had worn thin. The last grain of sand had finally made its way to the other side of the hourglass.

"You are here to beg me to give you a gift. As you know, I can't do that; you must earn it."

"Earn it! The goddess knows I deserve it. I have been teased with one blessing but denied the other. How is that fair?" Dom's head shook, full of tension and anger swirling inside of him. Heat rushed to his hands. He was scared of what he would do next.

"Look, there is a way I can change that, Dom Pudatta, but I am afraid you may not like it."

"I don't care what it is, just tell me!"

"Very well, I need you need to win a battle against the mighty Yani Kral."

"Madness brother! How am I to beat him? I may be a fine warrior, but he is unbeatable."

"That is for you to find out. I will inform him of the task he must undertaken. Till then I suggest you practise."

That morning Dom gathered his sword and hacked and slashed the air. Beads of sweat formed bubbles across his torso. His dreads became moist to the point where he had to eventually wrench them out. He increased the intensity, sparring till his legs gave out. Walking on wobbly legs, he made his way to a shady palm tree, where his daughter Quinn had been watching him practise the whole time.