Africa - in the distant past.
The drought had been going on for 3 whole years without any...
The drought had been going on for 3 whole years without any...
Rise of the elemental tribes
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Chapter 1
- Location
- Singapore
Africa - in the distant past.
The drought had been going on for 3 whole years without any signs of stopping, and the tribe of hunter-gatherers had still not found any respite. They crowded around the last watering hole they could find, marching across the plains to find this source of life. The one thing preventing them from dying from the heat.
And day by day, it was shrinking.
The tribe numbered in the few hundreds, now. The rest had either died of starvation, the heat, the lack of water, and exhaustion. They were not eaten nor attacked by wild animals, for this drought was so terrible that the normally ubiquitous carrion eaters and carnivores had both been slain by heat and thirst. As they travelled towards the watering hole, they found the bones of wildebeests and gazelles on their journey, killed by the destruction of their food and the terrible heat.
All of the tribe saw that the watering hole was becoming smaller and smaller. And they knew that that soon, there would not be enough water for everyone. The food itself was running out, with no game to hunt to replenish their food supplies, and the heat was intolerable. Already, fights and arguments were breaking out throughout the camp, as the humans saw that their end was near.
Soon, there would be no more water. The tribe would then consume itself, whether or food or water, and then scatter to the 4 winds. Then they will die in the wilderness as even the water and food they stole from others ran out.
The drought had been going on for 3 whole years without any signs of stopping, and the tribe of hunter-gatherers had still not found any respite. They crowded around the last watering hole they could find, marching across the plains to find this source of life. The one thing preventing them from dying from the heat.
And day by day, it was shrinking.
The tribe numbered in the few hundreds, now. The rest had either died of starvation, the heat, the lack of water, and exhaustion. They were not eaten nor attacked by wild animals, for this drought was so terrible that the normally ubiquitous carrion eaters and carnivores had both been slain by heat and thirst. As they travelled towards the watering hole, they found the bones of wildebeests and gazelles on their journey, killed by the destruction of their food and the terrible heat.
All of the tribe saw that the watering hole was becoming smaller and smaller. And they knew that that soon, there would not be enough water for everyone. The food itself was running out, with no game to hunt to replenish their food supplies, and the heat was intolerable. Already, fights and arguments were breaking out throughout the camp, as the humans saw that their end was near.
Soon, there would be no more water. The tribe would then consume itself, whether or food or water, and then scatter to the 4 winds. Then they will die in the wilderness as even the water and food they stole from others ran out.
Chapter 2
- Location
- Singapore
It was a hot day when the stranger arrived.
The heat was now suffocating, and the lake had shrunk even more, now. Now, it was only half it size, and it was pretty much surrounded by a large crowd of people trying to get water.
Keyword: trying. There was only enough space for around a few hundred people to get water at a time.
The stranger was not seen at first. The first they saw of him was a shadow travelling across the ground. And then a man fell from the sky.
His skin was tanned, and his hair black. He wore strange clothing, compared to the rest of the tribe. They seemed to be made of 2 pieces, made from the same cloth. They were black and grey. He held a strange staff in his hands, one which could push out 2 bits of cloth from the sides.
He landed at the edge of the camp, next to a tent holding 2 children. The younger one was crying from the heat as she was held by her older sister. Their parents were gone. Their mother, dead from the drought. The father had went to the watering hole hours ago, and would not come back until sundown. In that time, the child will continue to suffer.
Seeing the crying child, the stranger looked upon the burning sun and the wasteland around him, and deduced what the child was crying about. All attempts to query the children where their parents were failed, as they did not speak the same language. Seeing this, the stranger made a decision which would change the fate of the human race.
Making a motion to the 2 children to wait, the stranger ran a little distance from the camp. Stamping his foot on the ground and sensing/ hearing/ touching what came back to him, he found what he was looking for. Before the staring eyes of the children and a few exhausted people hiding in the shade, he began to make several strange movements towards the ground.
After several minutes, it happened. A large jet of water burst from the ground, before the astonished eyes of the spectators. With a triumphant cry, the stranger stamped his foot on the ground. And another miracle happened. A massive crater appeared onto the ground, with the jet of water as its center. The water shot into the air; and then it crashed back down onto the ground. And as the water flowed from the ground, it began to fill up the crater.
A new lake was forming. One filled with fresh water. A new source of life for the tribe. Now, the tribe would not die of thirst.
Great cries came from those who had seen the miracle, and they stood in astonishment at what had happened before their eyes. A man, manipulating stone and earth, and creating springs of water from the dry ground? Impossible! But it had happened before them, and in celebration the wondrous thing they had seen, they began to shout and dance, as rain fell onto the Savannah for the first time in 5 years.
The heat was now suffocating, and the lake had shrunk even more, now. Now, it was only half it size, and it was pretty much surrounded by a large crowd of people trying to get water.
Keyword: trying. There was only enough space for around a few hundred people to get water at a time.
The stranger was not seen at first. The first they saw of him was a shadow travelling across the ground. And then a man fell from the sky.
His skin was tanned, and his hair black. He wore strange clothing, compared to the rest of the tribe. They seemed to be made of 2 pieces, made from the same cloth. They were black and grey. He held a strange staff in his hands, one which could push out 2 bits of cloth from the sides.
He landed at the edge of the camp, next to a tent holding 2 children. The younger one was crying from the heat as she was held by her older sister. Their parents were gone. Their mother, dead from the drought. The father had went to the watering hole hours ago, and would not come back until sundown. In that time, the child will continue to suffer.
Seeing the crying child, the stranger looked upon the burning sun and the wasteland around him, and deduced what the child was crying about. All attempts to query the children where their parents were failed, as they did not speak the same language. Seeing this, the stranger made a decision which would change the fate of the human race.
Making a motion to the 2 children to wait, the stranger ran a little distance from the camp. Stamping his foot on the ground and sensing/ hearing/ touching what came back to him, he found what he was looking for. Before the staring eyes of the children and a few exhausted people hiding in the shade, he began to make several strange movements towards the ground.
After several minutes, it happened. A large jet of water burst from the ground, before the astonished eyes of the spectators. With a triumphant cry, the stranger stamped his foot on the ground. And another miracle happened. A massive crater appeared onto the ground, with the jet of water as its center. The water shot into the air; and then it crashed back down onto the ground. And as the water flowed from the ground, it began to fill up the crater.
A new lake was forming. One filled with fresh water. A new source of life for the tribe. Now, the tribe would not die of thirst.
Great cries came from those who had seen the miracle, and they stood in astonishment at what had happened before their eyes. A man, manipulating stone and earth, and creating springs of water from the dry ground? Impossible! But it had happened before them, and in celebration the wondrous thing they had seen, they began to shout and dance, as rain fell onto the Savannah for the first time in 5 years.
- Location
- Singapore
Here ya go.And then...
Well, we're waiting...
Chapter 3
- Location
- Singapore
Of course, the emotions of jubilation and celebration could not last long. After having their fill of water, and filling up every single skin and pot with the life-giving liquid, the people of the tribe now looked upon the stranger.
It was intriguing for them, to say the least. Despite the fact that he had, through seemingly magic, had managed to save the entire tribe from a horrendous and painful death from thirst and heatstroke, he had still demonstrated powers and abilities beyond ordinary man. The man was an unknown, wielding powers they have not seen before, and they did not know his intentions.
This was made worse by the fact they did not speak the same language.
The tribe crowded around the stranger, leaving a large space between them and him. The talks and noises became louder and louder, and tensions rose high as the people wondered at the stranger before them.
But before any violence could break out, there was a sound of people being shoved aside. A small group of elders, who had survived the drought and had recently been informed of the miraculous spring that had appeared, had come up to see the stranger for themselves. In those olden days, the elder were respected for their experience and wisdom, and so these elders were the tribes leaders.
The lead elder, an old man with a walking stick and graying hand, motioned to the tribe to move back, clearing a large space between the stranger and the rest of the tribe. He then attempted to speak with the stranger. But it was no use. The language was too different. And without a common language, how could one communicate and relay their intentions? And without knowing intentions, how would they know what to do with this stranger, who had used his magic to save them?
Several minutes went by, as the elder and the stranger fruitlessly attempted to converse with one another, to no avail. Until at last, the elder seemed to get an idea. He motioned to one of the young men, to fetch 2 things from his tent. The young man then ran off in the direction of the center of the camp. And returned with 2 things. A weapon, and a piece of meat.
The elder took the weapon in one hand, and the meat in the other. And offered to the stranger. Gesturing them to him, telling him to choose one. At last, the stranger seemed to understand them. And chose the meat. At this, the elder smiled. And splitting the meat in half, gave half to the stranger, and kept half for himself. Raising the meat, he ate it. And the stranger ate his too.
Once 2 people have shared a meal, if they are not friends, they are at least friendly acquaintances.
Lifting his hands to the rest of the tribesmen, the elder announced:" Now the stranger had chosen the food, instead of the sword. Let it be known that the stranger comes to us in peace, and that we all owe him a debt, for saving us from thirst in this time of drought.".
And with a single shout, the tribe yelled their agreement with the judgement of the elder.
It was intriguing for them, to say the least. Despite the fact that he had, through seemingly magic, had managed to save the entire tribe from a horrendous and painful death from thirst and heatstroke, he had still demonstrated powers and abilities beyond ordinary man. The man was an unknown, wielding powers they have not seen before, and they did not know his intentions.
This was made worse by the fact they did not speak the same language.
The tribe crowded around the stranger, leaving a large space between them and him. The talks and noises became louder and louder, and tensions rose high as the people wondered at the stranger before them.
But before any violence could break out, there was a sound of people being shoved aside. A small group of elders, who had survived the drought and had recently been informed of the miraculous spring that had appeared, had come up to see the stranger for themselves. In those olden days, the elder were respected for their experience and wisdom, and so these elders were the tribes leaders.
The lead elder, an old man with a walking stick and graying hand, motioned to the tribe to move back, clearing a large space between the stranger and the rest of the tribe. He then attempted to speak with the stranger. But it was no use. The language was too different. And without a common language, how could one communicate and relay their intentions? And without knowing intentions, how would they know what to do with this stranger, who had used his magic to save them?
Several minutes went by, as the elder and the stranger fruitlessly attempted to converse with one another, to no avail. Until at last, the elder seemed to get an idea. He motioned to one of the young men, to fetch 2 things from his tent. The young man then ran off in the direction of the center of the camp. And returned with 2 things. A weapon, and a piece of meat.
The elder took the weapon in one hand, and the meat in the other. And offered to the stranger. Gesturing them to him, telling him to choose one. At last, the stranger seemed to understand them. And chose the meat. At this, the elder smiled. And splitting the meat in half, gave half to the stranger, and kept half for himself. Raising the meat, he ate it. And the stranger ate his too.
Once 2 people have shared a meal, if they are not friends, they are at least friendly acquaintances.
Lifting his hands to the rest of the tribesmen, the elder announced:" Now the stranger had chosen the food, instead of the sword. Let it be known that the stranger comes to us in peace, and that we all owe him a debt, for saving us from thirst in this time of drought.".
And with a single shout, the tribe yelled their agreement with the judgement of the elder.
- Location
- Singapore
Elder Cato was beginning to feel his age.
He remembered when he was a young man, strong and quick. He remembered his wife. His children. His family.
But as time passed, and after many winters, they all disappeared. His first son, died when gored by a bull. His second, died when a cut on his leg became infected. His head became hot to the touch, and he died seven days later. His wife passed away too; one day, she fell asleep, and never woke up.
After many winters, his limbs began to weaken. He now needed a walking stick. His hair became grey, and his eyesight became blurry.
But he was still an elder. One whose experience in the ways of the world outmatched almost all the rest of the tribe. He knew the ways and paths and means by which the tribe could go to different places for food. The different plants and fruits that were good to eat. How to stalk a herd of buffaloes, and how to avoid being slain by lions. And where the locations of the different watering holes and rivers were.
And of course, this was how the tribe had managed to find the watering hole. Cato, looking upon his memories, remembered coming across this watering hole when the tribe had hunted the migrating herds of beasts a dozen winters ago.
He had led the tribe here, guided by his memories of the stars and the landmarks. Here they stayed, next to a source of water and hunting the animals that had come here to drink. There was food and water aplenty, enough to let them wait out the drought.
And they waited. And waited. And waited.
The heat had become unbearable, like a weight pressing down upon them. The ground became parched. The number of animals coming to the watering hole decreased, and what came, was only skin and bones. Their supply of food began to shrink, along with the size of the watering hole.
Now it was too late. The nearest watering hole, which also was near a forest filled with game, would take several weeks to go on foot. With the tribe's dwindling supplies, the lack of water, and the heat bearing down upon them, the tribe would die halfway along the journey if they tried to get to that location. Their only hope now was that the rains would come back, giving them enough water to survive the journey.
And the rains did come back.
In a fashion.
The first he heard was the sounds of shouting. And of water landing upon the ground. Rushing out of his tent, he looked outside, seeing water scattering from the sky.
His first thought was:" Where are the clouds?"
There was not a single cloud in the sky; the sun was still shining brightly. But the water pattering down onto his face was not an illusion. There was rain. But from where?
The sounds of screaming and shouting reached his ears. It was from the outside of the camp. Picking up his walking stick, he moved as quickly as he can towards the sound. What he saw there made him open his eyes wide in shock. It was definitely not something he expected.
Just outside the perimeter of the camp there was a small crater, with a strangely dressed stranger standing on its lip. And at the center of the crater, there was a single spout of water. Not the muddy water the tribe had been drinking for weeks, but pure, clean, fresh water, shooting out of the ground in a massive stream. The water shot high up into the air, and fell back to the ground.
This was the rain he had felt. And around him, the younger members of his tribe were yelling and celebrating in joy. He could not blame them. This was the first fresh water they had seen in weeks. Yet, he could not help feeling perplexed. Water did not normally gush out of the ground like this. It normally took several days of work of a dozen men to dig a hole deep enough to access water from the ground. Yet he saw no tools, saw no men, and had heard nothing of this attempt to dig water from the ground. And how did they know where to dig?
Looking at the stranger, he began walking towards him. He probably knows the answer. And he would find them.
He remembered when he was a young man, strong and quick. He remembered his wife. His children. His family.
But as time passed, and after many winters, they all disappeared. His first son, died when gored by a bull. His second, died when a cut on his leg became infected. His head became hot to the touch, and he died seven days later. His wife passed away too; one day, she fell asleep, and never woke up.
After many winters, his limbs began to weaken. He now needed a walking stick. His hair became grey, and his eyesight became blurry.
But he was still an elder. One whose experience in the ways of the world outmatched almost all the rest of the tribe. He knew the ways and paths and means by which the tribe could go to different places for food. The different plants and fruits that were good to eat. How to stalk a herd of buffaloes, and how to avoid being slain by lions. And where the locations of the different watering holes and rivers were.
And of course, this was how the tribe had managed to find the watering hole. Cato, looking upon his memories, remembered coming across this watering hole when the tribe had hunted the migrating herds of beasts a dozen winters ago.
He had led the tribe here, guided by his memories of the stars and the landmarks. Here they stayed, next to a source of water and hunting the animals that had come here to drink. There was food and water aplenty, enough to let them wait out the drought.
And they waited. And waited. And waited.
The heat had become unbearable, like a weight pressing down upon them. The ground became parched. The number of animals coming to the watering hole decreased, and what came, was only skin and bones. Their supply of food began to shrink, along with the size of the watering hole.
Now it was too late. The nearest watering hole, which also was near a forest filled with game, would take several weeks to go on foot. With the tribe's dwindling supplies, the lack of water, and the heat bearing down upon them, the tribe would die halfway along the journey if they tried to get to that location. Their only hope now was that the rains would come back, giving them enough water to survive the journey.
And the rains did come back.
In a fashion.
The first he heard was the sounds of shouting. And of water landing upon the ground. Rushing out of his tent, he looked outside, seeing water scattering from the sky.
His first thought was:" Where are the clouds?"
There was not a single cloud in the sky; the sun was still shining brightly. But the water pattering down onto his face was not an illusion. There was rain. But from where?
The sounds of screaming and shouting reached his ears. It was from the outside of the camp. Picking up his walking stick, he moved as quickly as he can towards the sound. What he saw there made him open his eyes wide in shock. It was definitely not something he expected.
Just outside the perimeter of the camp there was a small crater, with a strangely dressed stranger standing on its lip. And at the center of the crater, there was a single spout of water. Not the muddy water the tribe had been drinking for weeks, but pure, clean, fresh water, shooting out of the ground in a massive stream. The water shot high up into the air, and fell back to the ground.
This was the rain he had felt. And around him, the younger members of his tribe were yelling and celebrating in joy. He could not blame them. This was the first fresh water they had seen in weeks. Yet, he could not help feeling perplexed. Water did not normally gush out of the ground like this. It normally took several days of work of a dozen men to dig a hole deep enough to access water from the ground. Yet he saw no tools, saw no men, and had heard nothing of this attempt to dig water from the ground. And how did they know where to dig?
Looking at the stranger, he began walking towards him. He probably knows the answer. And he would find them.