The Woodland Communicators : Dicaleon Dynasty

Many centuries ago, there was a realm called Nemia. It had many kingdoms, one of which stood out from the rest. It was the Nuimerean Kingdom. This kingdom flourished with mystical woodland creatures. It had a dragon that lived in the clouds and occasionally flew down for ceremonies and rituals. Mermaids lived by the enchanted rivers and swam all day long. It also had werewolves that hunted for food from the other kingdoms. All these creatures lived in the forest above the surface. Below the surface, was the Centaurs reigning as kings and rulers. The fairies were their advisors. They both lived in a castle. Then there was the great phoenix that watched over the Dicaleon Dynasty. The dynasty was also known as the woodland communicators. All creatures lived in peacefulness.

On an annual springtime day, all creatures and Dicaleons of Nuimera gathered. Including the fairies and kings. The forest had just blossomed with beautiful flowers. The trees had fresh green leaves once again. Everybody was walking and playing around the open fields of tall green grass. The Dicaleons shouted, "Let this day be appreciated and cherished, for we have survived this year and have made it to springtime. The flowers have blossomed. We unite once again in our kingdom!"

 While one of the Dicaleons was running around, she accidentally stepped on a fairy since they were barely noticeable in the tall grass. She never knew what she had done. However, this made the fairy furious since she had gotten no apology. She also could not tell who it was until after a few months. From that day on, anger and hatred built up in her heart. She was furious and wanted revenge. She brought it up to herself to see the demise of the kingdom of Nuimera. "I shall see to it that every Dicaleon suffers under the Centaur's rule, I will pollute his heart too! He will become greedier and heartless. He will be feared and not loved anymore."

And so that was when destruction came upon the kingdom of Nuimera.

 During that season, Akira, the great-granddaughter of Arabella, had left the ceremony. She went to the more quiet part of the forest to bond with her great-grandmother's spirit. Arabella was the first communicator to be hallowed by all creatures and crowned with the enchanted flowers. She was kind-hearted, humble and loving to all. Arabella even acquired the ability to heal through her voice. If she sang a song, any creature in pain would be alleviated. She passed on after a century of being hallowed. Although her physical form was no longer there, her spirit lived and guided all the Dicaleons that came after her. It was then Akira's time. Akira had to go to the Nuileria forest to be equipped by Arabella. It was a process that took an entire year since there was much to study. Akira would be in a constant trance of training.

Arabella noticed something distinctive about Akira. She was as kind-hearted and humble as she was. Akira acquired information at a faster pace. She quickly learned how to communicate with the flowers too. After three months into her training, Arabella then decided to tell Akira the history of the Dicaleons with the Centaurs:

"A long time ago, all the creatures and beings of Nemia roamed the realm. No one fought with anyone. There was no need for a king or a queen. We didn't even need to separate each other into kingdoms. We all accepted and embraced our differences and abilities. Until we, the communicators, were recognized a lot more because of our superior powers. When this happened, we decided to make ourselves less visible. We even stopped using our abilities. Even then, jealousy grew for us. Only a few creatures continued to love us, such as the dragon that lives in the clouds. The phoenix with which we share a strong bond, the werewolves whom we restore every springtime, the centaurs who appreciate our wisdom, the mermaids who love to hear us sing and lastly, the little fairies that love to play with our hair. The Dicaleons of that time came across with a daunting solution. They loved and adored all the other creatures, but it was time for them to leave, so they did. So tell me, do you know why we crowned the Centaurs as rulers? Akira replied, "No, I've never really thought about it. Why?" Arabella continued to tell her, "The reason why Centaurs are our equals and rulers is that...

"You have to go! The kingdom is in trouble! Let the flowers guide you! Go now!" Akira got up in confusion, tried to speak but couldn't complete her sentences. "What now...but training has...What's wrong?" Arabella replied, "It is time for you to carry on this dynasty and do what you were born to do. You have a kind heart and are humble. You are clever and brave. Don't let the confusion dismay you. Take this necklace with you. It has a dragon's tooth. Only use it when you need it." As Arabella said those last words, her voice faded into the wind and ultimately disappeared.

Akira had a decision to make. Was she going to stay there and be confused, or was she going to follow Arabella’s instruction?

It was then when the reigning Centaur King was made aware of her location. The moment he set his eyes on her, he knew that she was to be hallowed. Same as her great-grandmother Arabella. He sensed that Arabella's spirit favoured Akira.

Akira had begun her journey back to Nuimera. She was in constant thought as she took each step. "I wonder what went wrong at the kingdom that needs me so urgently? I haven't gotten enough time with Arabella. What am I going to do? I'm not strong enough. I'll just be a failure." Arabella developed feelings of doubt about her abilities, but the flowers kept her cheered up.

Upon arrival at the river, she met a mermaid, Maressa. Her scales were bleeding because of the sea rocks. Sea rocks aren't always clear to see and avoid. By instinct, Akira placed Maressa's hand on her chest. Close to her heart. Maressa's scales healed. Akira communicated with Maressa by placing her hand on her right cheek. That was how she knew how to treat her.

That day the season of the werewolves had begun. Akira happened to be nearby the Werewolves Valley. She howled so she could get the attention of all the packs. "OWOOOOOOOO!" she shrieked in a loud voice. The ground shook as the wolves came running in all directions. When they all gathered, Akira explained, "The kingdom is in trouble! I have to complete this ritual as quickly as possible. My great-grandmother Arabella warned me." The alpha of all the packs, Aarbrok, agreed to have the cleansing process shortened. With the help of her abilities and the flowers, she rejuvenated the werewolf's senses. She increased their immunity against wolfsbane. Spells cast on them by witches of other kingdoms were dispelled. Akira sang a chant to seal the ritual. Her voice went through the ears of the werewolves and empowered them again. For a moment while singing, she felt a split second of bliss. Akira felt at ease.

A fairy nearby had been watching her all the time and had been tracking her down. The fairy was the one that got injured during the springtime day. She flew back to the castle and begged the Centaur to capture Akira. "Please, your majesty, we must seize Akira at once. We know that she is the one whom Arabella's spirit favours. So she must be the last Dicaleon we kill. Those communicators brought me pain, and I never got compensated." The Centaur asked, "Is it necessary that we also take her heart? Don't you think that all the essences we burned have made her weak? Don't you think she felt the deaths of her fellow communicators?" Fairy replied, "No, you were wrong. She doesn't feel anything until she is made known the names of those who have passed on! Now, do as I say!" The Centaur had been taken aback by this revelation. He felt disappointed in himself. He then ordered the other centaurs and fairies to capture Akira. He told them her location. The fairies ambushed her then the Centaurs carried her to the castle. That action was wrong of them to do. No creature in Nuimera was to maltreat a communicator.

Akira went into a state of confusion. She was thrown down to the floor and bound with steel chains to the wall. From there on, all her weaknesses were used against her. The Centaurs proceeded to name all the communicators they had mutilated to obtain their essences. "We have now gathered all the hearts of your fellow Dicaleons. You are next! You are at our mercy now. Where is Arabella to save you? You failure! You can never take the role of Arabella!" Akira broke into tears. She could not believe what she heard. Akira had a decision to make. Either she made herself subject to the Centaurs and fairies or, let them kill her.

Akira regained her power and refused to break down. She knew that with Arabella by her side, she would be strong enough to resist the Centaur. She spoke to him, "Why are you doing this? Why have you let evil control you? Why have you stopped watering our flowers of love, harmony and prosperity, because this isn't you?" She noticed the change of expression on the Centaurs face. She kept asking more questions. "Don't you remember the agreement made by our great-grand ancestors? Is this how you repay Arabella for crowning you as Kings after she was hallowed?" For some time, the Centaur seemed to soften. Unfortunately, that drastically changed. He ignored everything Akira said. The Centaur was under the influence of his greed and the fairies. "Your people were careless on the springtime day. Don't you remember, when one of your own stepped on a fairy? She was never compensated. Now I will have to destroy you!" Akira cried out, “Please, don’t”. But she was ignored.

The Centaur had an enchanted dagger with him. Made from the iron found in the forest of Nuileria. He drove it through her chest to carve out her heart. He tightened the chains that bound her so she couldn't move.

Akira screamed aloud before taking her last breath. It was clear that she would die soon due to the wound in her chest. The forest above shook vigorously. The clouds darkened. All the creatures knew what that meant. So they wept. Flowers that recently blossomed that day all dried and died.

At that moment, the phoenix also heard Akira's scream. Within a blink of an eye, the phoenix arrived at the castle. The pain in Akira's cry made the phoenix weep. It landed on the Centaur. He immediately dropped dead, having the dagger in his hand with Akira's blood on it. The phoenix shed a tear on Akira's wound and left one of its feather beside her. The phoenix soon flew away.

After a few seconds, Akira recovered after she was in a dizzy state. She summoned the dragon using the necklace Arabella gave her. The dragon was called Zammin. Zammin flew down from the clouds flapping his silvery wings. He was surprised to see the darkened clouds and weeping creatures. Zammin also knew that Akira was to be hallowed soon. When he saw the situation, it worried him. He wondered why Akira had summoned him. Zammin flew into the ensorceled portal and saw the evil stricken castle. There he met Akira. Akira told Zammin all that happened. She also informed him that while she was unconscious, Arabella spoke to her. Arabella said the feather needs to lay on the portal. Once it touched the portal, the cleansing of the castle could begin. And so Zammin flew Akira to the portal.

Without further ado, the cleansing completed. The castle rid of evil, and the creatures stopped weeping. Dark clouds were enlightened, and a rainbow appeared in the sky. All species sang songs. Joy filled the kingdom of Nuimera again.

Akira discovered that she accidentally trampled on the fairy. Then the fairy became angered because she did not acknowledge her. Akira understood the cause of all the misunderstanding. She asked forgiveness for her mistake.

It was just in time for the third moon of spring. Akira had an announcement to make: "Dicaleons and other creatures of Nuimera, I am sorry for all that has happened. May we please learn to communicate with each other when there are issues. You all have seen what miscommunication causes. We let evil ruin our hearts. Anger resulted in the deaths of our Centaurs, fairies and communicators. Let us live in harmony once again. Let us prevent such events in future. Now, let us sing and be joyful again. Remember to be grateful to Arabella for her aid."

Akira succeeded her great-grandmother and was hallowed. She was also crowned with the enchanted spring flowers.