12 Years Ago - The Rune Fields - Aiya

“Hold out your hands child,” the Elder said, glaring down at Aiya.

Wondering if she was in more trouble than usual, she dutifully held out her hands. The white haired man stooped down and grabbed them. Yuki, who’d quickly taken her other children to the neighbor’s house, before running after her husband and daughter, burst into the room.

“Sorry,” she said as all eyes turned toward the interruption before going back to what they’d been doing.

The community priest stood between the Elder and Yuki’s husband. Seeing Yuki he nodded his head gravely. He’d been the one to teach her how to see and exercise her Kai. His mouth set in a grim line he turned back to follow the Elder’s actions.

The old man peered at Aiya’s outstretched hands.

“You should make her clean her hands more often,” the Elder said pointing to a small black mark on the back of Aiya’s left hand.

The priest looked over, his eyes widening as he took in a well defined symbol.

“That’s a birthmark, honored Elder,” Yuki said.

The old man grumbled loudly, but carried on examining Aiya’s hands without further comment.

Yuki carefully adjusted her sight to see what was going on. Instead of the fractured hand centers every other resident of this realm had, Aiya’s were perfectly formed. Little round cones pulsed in her palms as the Kai surged through Aiya’s channels. Yuki’s mouth fell open into a little O. Before the Elder could notice and realize she’d been practicing using her Kai, she shut it again. Aiya was in deep trouble. She represented everything their society was against.

“Marks like that often relate to prophecies,” the priest blurted out without thinking.

“What?” The Elder looked up from Aiya’s hands to stare at the priest. “I can’t believe you of all people put stock in fairy tales. This child is dangerous to our way of life. That’s a fact, not some useless mumbo jumbo like a prophecy.”

The Elder let go of Aiya’s hands and Yuki stepped forward and grabbed her, enveloping her in her arms.

“Our land was broken apart by people like this child,” the Elder said, waving in Aiya’s direction. “She can’t be allowed to continue to live in our community. She will destroy us as surely as the ancients destroyed our realm.”

Aiya began to cry.

“Either put her outside the gates now, or I will bring the guard over and make sure none of your family is ever allowed into this community again,” the Elder said.

“It will be done,” Aiya’s father said, reaching for Aiya’s arm.

“No,” Yuki shouted. “I will do it, but I’m going to go back to the house first to grab my staff. You can’t expect a child to survive out there without some way of defending herself from demons.”

“She has her Kai,” the Elder said coldly. “Either she leaves right now, or you both do.”

“Go back to the house Yuki,” the priest said. “Aiya can protect herself. I will take her now.”

The priest picked up Aiya and strode out of the house without looking back. Walking toward the gate, he placed her back on her feet. Taking his waterskin, he hung it over her shoulder.

“Now I don’t know much about projecting your Kai, Aiya, but if anything tries to attack you, that’s what you’ll have to do to defend yourself, okay?”

Aiya nodded, realizing the priest was trying to help her.

“Take these too and keep them safe,” the priest handed her his fire starting kit and a small knife. “Do you know how to use them?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“There are animals out there you can hunt,” he said. “One last thing. Can you read?”

“A little,” Aiya said, my mother was trying to teach me

“Good,” the priest said, pulling a book out from the folds of his robes. “This book tells you everything I’ve discovered about the ancient Rune Warriors and how they used their Kai. Study it as much as you can, it will help you get control over your gift.”

She nodded and took the book, unsure where to put it since her pockets were still full of rice buns. Seeing her confusion the priest tore off a section of material from the bottom of his robes and tied the book and fire starting kit together, before wrapping it around Aiya like a shoulder bag.

They carried on walking in silence until they finally reached the outer gate for the community.

“I’ll do what I can to send you some help out there,” the priest looked down at the little girl.

Letting go of his hand, Aiya nodded, her bottom lip trembling slightly. She lifted her head, squared her shoulders and walked out into the deserted wasteland without looking back.