Max Reem pushed back the shoulder-length lock of dirty blonde hair which had slid from behind his ear into his face. The little boy watched him as he did so, the large blue eyes focusing on Max. The lifeless stare the boy gave him sent chills up Reem’s spine. Max tried to turn his head, but he found his body incapable of any movement. Instead, he found himself forced to focus on the boy in front of him. If he could, Max would have sighed by now. The lack of choice to do anything at the moment was appalling.
The boy’s straight face turned into a smirk as he evaluated Max Reem. “So you claim yourself to be a Jedi?” The boys’ eyes squinted as his greedy voice continued, “I don’t like Jedi. Does that mean I don’t like you?”
An awkward silence fell between the two as the wondering eyes continued to scan the paralyzed man. A few seconds passed; then a few minutes; the eerie silence between them disgruntled the already tempered man. Finally, the strange boy continued in his emotionless, droning voice. “It’s your fault this has fallen upon you, Max.” His grin faded from his pale face. “It’s all your fault.”
Max clenched his fist, straining from the strenuous effort it took to complete the simple task. The boy’s blue eyes darted to the fist as a sullen look of amusement took place of the emotionless block he had covered his pale face with shortly ago. “I see the paralysis sedative is wearing off. I’ll leave you to decide where to follow this daunting path that had been laid before you.”
“Although, I shall give you my oral assistance in this one matter.” The boy still held the face full of amusement he had allowed to take shape on his face earlier. “Life is like the medical field, conceivably. Upon finding the cure for one disease, a new disease comes to adapt and suck on the weak. Some will perceive this as good, while others will see it as bad. In longevity, this disease will most likely soon find its attempts to expand further, yet its attempt shall be fruitless as a new way to defeat it shall be found. Now, if you are wise, you shall think on this metaphor further. It is your decision though, as I leave it to rest on your shoulders.” The boy started off towards away from view of Max. Just before twinkling out of view, the boy turned back around and made the first innocent smile Max had seen on his face and spoke so softly that the trapped man could barely hear it, “Good luck, Max.”
Suddenly, it felt like the air in his lungs had been sucked out. Gasping for something to fill his lungs, the young man found himself going into a fit of wheezes. His vision blurred up, and his mouth went dry causing him to begin choking on his tongue. Then, the epileptic fit halted, resulting in total incapacitation as his rigid muscles went limp.
Cold sweat ran down the man’s back as he pressed on through the dense foliage surrounding him. The Haruun Kal jungle seemed to be the most dangerous jungle in the galaxy, but to this certain Korunnai, it was nothing compared to the dangers he faced constantly. Fear was something that had seemed to consume him. It had been fear that had forced him to leave, fear that had wavered him from attempting to understand foreign knowledge.
This specific man, a descendant of Kar Vastor was prone to visions that were justified as “force visions”, something his people revered him for. Why did they exile this young man, to live a life of pain and danger and only to know fear? His visions were often those of the Korunnai’s downfall and their imminent destruction. He had frightened the stability the leaders had attempted to confide amongst the population, and had caused several uprisings. Finally, a governmental decisions was made that he would be exiled.
Although, Derek Vaarn did not consider his banishment as a true punishment, but as a relief to leave the people who had feared him as the “comer of the end“. He had formed a new home, and had sought out assistance from the nearby Balawai tribe. Although, where he was… he did not truly know. He assumed he was closer to the Death hollows as vegetation seemed more profuse and instead of sporadic and bushy, it completely obscured the ground. The Balawai did not know either, but they seemed not to be as concerned with that matter as Derek was. Instead, they remained by continuing their daily activities and merely ignoring the constant volley of inquiries Derek made of them.
Lately, it seemed Derek had accepted the indisputable certainty of the Balawai actually disclosing any such information to the hermit who lived on the other side of the hill. Although recently, it seemed he had accumulated a new agenda. His purchases seemed more lustrous and of more quantity instead of the usual singular purchase of a few items. Maybe he had gained a new companion within his mysterious home? It was a possibility, but from what the Balawai tribe knew of the man, an unlikely one. He seemed to prefer to remain solo instead of taking part of any unity of individuals. There was the plausibility that maybe the Balawai were wrong in their formulated opinions of Derek. Maybe he had gained new company?
The water drizzled from the canteen and into the cracked lips of Max Reem. All of the sudden, the man began to choke on the water, sputtering a bit out by each cough. After a few moments of the rash fit of coughs, Max began to calm down. Slowly, his eyes began to adjust to the setting. Taking in the primitive surroundings such as the cracked urns, water pump, and charred fire pit, he began to panic. Although, before he could continue on much longer, a firm hand grasped his back and another wrapped around his shoulder.
“Calm down!” The voice contained an accent Max had never heard before in his travels. “You’ve taken enough physical stress it seems. Best not harm yourself any further, y’know?” The hand on his shoulder released its grip and the one on his back patted him a few times. As he did so, the man found himself chuckling. Max heard the banging of pots and winced as he heard one drop. A considerably foul cuss slipped from the lips of the man as if on cue.
“What’s going on?” Max barely recognized his voice as it seemed very dull and lazy. Max focused his eyes on the dark skinned man in front of him. Studying him closely, Max found a distaste of the lack of fine clothing on the man as he noticed his bare torso and raggedy pants. The man dipped his index finger into a pot and then pulled it out. Max glared at the red substance covering the tip of his finger. Flashing a hungry smile, he sucked the substance from his finger and then turned to Max. “What do you mean?”
Max sighed as irritation had begun to taken its toll on him. “Where am I? Who are you? Why am I here? How did I get here?” The man’s eyes widened and in a desperate manner he lifted his hands and made an abrupt motion, “Cool it. Calm down, best not to stress yourself too much yet.”
Max rolled his eyes to further show his frustration. “I want some answers now. I don’t care if I stress myself out.” The fact that seeking out further information was stressing amused Max, whom had always wanted to know more about everything of the moment. Max lifted a finger and pointed it squarely towards the chest of the stranger. “Now”
The man chuckled softly, and then closed his eyes. The two sat in silence for a few seconds, but the silence was broken by a sigh from the man. “Very well, I shall tell you.” The man pulled a wooden chair from a small wooden table and let it stand across from Max on his cot. Resting his medium-sized body on the chair, he tapped his fingers on the wood as he continued, “I am Derek, and I am a hermit living off of the Balawaia. You are on Haruun Kal, namely near the Deathly hollows, although our location is only based on the environment, not any exact location. I found you in the jungle and nursed you from a variant of Wasp Fever. That is all I know, and all you have asked.”
Max glared at the man with suspicion. “Haruun Kal? Where’s that?” This question seemed to confuse the man, who made a concerned frown and clicked his tongue in exasperation.
“I don’t know the location of Haruun Kal galactic wide, sorry.” Max smirked. “Is this a primitive planet?”
Derek frowned in further confusion. “Not really, but I live a primitive life. So yes, excuse me for my lack of knowledge.” Max arched his eyebrow and pointedly spoke, “You mean ignorance.” Derek shook his head at this remark and stood up from his chair and pushed it back under the table. The strange man made his way back to the pot of red goop and then grabbed a large wooden spoon which he used to get some of the stuff into a wooden bowl. He filled up two, and with one in each hand he turned to Max.
“Time for dinner.”
The boy’s straight face turned into a smirk as he evaluated Max Reem. “So you claim yourself to be a Jedi?” The boys’ eyes squinted as his greedy voice continued, “I don’t like Jedi. Does that mean I don’t like you?”
An awkward silence fell between the two as the wondering eyes continued to scan the paralyzed man. A few seconds passed; then a few minutes; the eerie silence between them disgruntled the already tempered man. Finally, the strange boy continued in his emotionless, droning voice. “It’s your fault this has fallen upon you, Max.” His grin faded from his pale face. “It’s all your fault.”
Max clenched his fist, straining from the strenuous effort it took to complete the simple task. The boy’s blue eyes darted to the fist as a sullen look of amusement took place of the emotionless block he had covered his pale face with shortly ago. “I see the paralysis sedative is wearing off. I’ll leave you to decide where to follow this daunting path that had been laid before you.”
“Although, I shall give you my oral assistance in this one matter.” The boy still held the face full of amusement he had allowed to take shape on his face earlier. “Life is like the medical field, conceivably. Upon finding the cure for one disease, a new disease comes to adapt and suck on the weak. Some will perceive this as good, while others will see it as bad. In longevity, this disease will most likely soon find its attempts to expand further, yet its attempt shall be fruitless as a new way to defeat it shall be found. Now, if you are wise, you shall think on this metaphor further. It is your decision though, as I leave it to rest on your shoulders.” The boy started off towards away from view of Max. Just before twinkling out of view, the boy turned back around and made the first innocent smile Max had seen on his face and spoke so softly that the trapped man could barely hear it, “Good luck, Max.”
Suddenly, it felt like the air in his lungs had been sucked out. Gasping for something to fill his lungs, the young man found himself going into a fit of wheezes. His vision blurred up, and his mouth went dry causing him to begin choking on his tongue. Then, the epileptic fit halted, resulting in total incapacitation as his rigid muscles went limp.
*************
Cold sweat ran down the man’s back as he pressed on through the dense foliage surrounding him. The Haruun Kal jungle seemed to be the most dangerous jungle in the galaxy, but to this certain Korunnai, it was nothing compared to the dangers he faced constantly. Fear was something that had seemed to consume him. It had been fear that had forced him to leave, fear that had wavered him from attempting to understand foreign knowledge.
This specific man, a descendant of Kar Vastor was prone to visions that were justified as “force visions”, something his people revered him for. Why did they exile this young man, to live a life of pain and danger and only to know fear? His visions were often those of the Korunnai’s downfall and their imminent destruction. He had frightened the stability the leaders had attempted to confide amongst the population, and had caused several uprisings. Finally, a governmental decisions was made that he would be exiled.
Although, Derek Vaarn did not consider his banishment as a true punishment, but as a relief to leave the people who had feared him as the “comer of the end“. He had formed a new home, and had sought out assistance from the nearby Balawai tribe. Although, where he was… he did not truly know. He assumed he was closer to the Death hollows as vegetation seemed more profuse and instead of sporadic and bushy, it completely obscured the ground. The Balawai did not know either, but they seemed not to be as concerned with that matter as Derek was. Instead, they remained by continuing their daily activities and merely ignoring the constant volley of inquiries Derek made of them.
Lately, it seemed Derek had accepted the indisputable certainty of the Balawai actually disclosing any such information to the hermit who lived on the other side of the hill. Although recently, it seemed he had accumulated a new agenda. His purchases seemed more lustrous and of more quantity instead of the usual singular purchase of a few items. Maybe he had gained a new companion within his mysterious home? It was a possibility, but from what the Balawai tribe knew of the man, an unlikely one. He seemed to prefer to remain solo instead of taking part of any unity of individuals. There was the plausibility that maybe the Balawai were wrong in their formulated opinions of Derek. Maybe he had gained new company?
*************
The water drizzled from the canteen and into the cracked lips of Max Reem. All of the sudden, the man began to choke on the water, sputtering a bit out by each cough. After a few moments of the rash fit of coughs, Max began to calm down. Slowly, his eyes began to adjust to the setting. Taking in the primitive surroundings such as the cracked urns, water pump, and charred fire pit, he began to panic. Although, before he could continue on much longer, a firm hand grasped his back and another wrapped around his shoulder.
“Calm down!” The voice contained an accent Max had never heard before in his travels. “You’ve taken enough physical stress it seems. Best not harm yourself any further, y’know?” The hand on his shoulder released its grip and the one on his back patted him a few times. As he did so, the man found himself chuckling. Max heard the banging of pots and winced as he heard one drop. A considerably foul cuss slipped from the lips of the man as if on cue.
“What’s going on?” Max barely recognized his voice as it seemed very dull and lazy. Max focused his eyes on the dark skinned man in front of him. Studying him closely, Max found a distaste of the lack of fine clothing on the man as he noticed his bare torso and raggedy pants. The man dipped his index finger into a pot and then pulled it out. Max glared at the red substance covering the tip of his finger. Flashing a hungry smile, he sucked the substance from his finger and then turned to Max. “What do you mean?”
Max sighed as irritation had begun to taken its toll on him. “Where am I? Who are you? Why am I here? How did I get here?” The man’s eyes widened and in a desperate manner he lifted his hands and made an abrupt motion, “Cool it. Calm down, best not to stress yourself too much yet.”
Max rolled his eyes to further show his frustration. “I want some answers now. I don’t care if I stress myself out.” The fact that seeking out further information was stressing amused Max, whom had always wanted to know more about everything of the moment. Max lifted a finger and pointed it squarely towards the chest of the stranger. “Now”
The man chuckled softly, and then closed his eyes. The two sat in silence for a few seconds, but the silence was broken by a sigh from the man. “Very well, I shall tell you.” The man pulled a wooden chair from a small wooden table and let it stand across from Max on his cot. Resting his medium-sized body on the chair, he tapped his fingers on the wood as he continued, “I am Derek, and I am a hermit living off of the Balawaia. You are on Haruun Kal, namely near the Deathly hollows, although our location is only based on the environment, not any exact location. I found you in the jungle and nursed you from a variant of Wasp Fever. That is all I know, and all you have asked.”
Max glared at the man with suspicion. “Haruun Kal? Where’s that?” This question seemed to confuse the man, who made a concerned frown and clicked his tongue in exasperation.
“I don’t know the location of Haruun Kal galactic wide, sorry.” Max smirked. “Is this a primitive planet?”
Derek frowned in further confusion. “Not really, but I live a primitive life. So yes, excuse me for my lack of knowledge.” Max arched his eyebrow and pointedly spoke, “You mean ignorance.” Derek shook his head at this remark and stood up from his chair and pushed it back under the table. The strange man made his way back to the pot of red goop and then grabbed a large wooden spoon which he used to get some of the stuff into a wooden bowl. He filled up two, and with one in each hand he turned to Max.
“Time for dinner.”