Finding Contentus

Chapter 5: Thumping Beats

Hope. Such a powerful thing. The embodiment of strong feelings, expectations and desires for things to happen through faith and belief.

The Racaans had hope. They possessed an infinite supply of hope. They were hopeful people. They had the hope that they could continue on living. The hope that they could continue on surviving. The hope that all their efforts would not be in vain. The hope...

That everything would be alright.

But like a tiny flame resisting against the cold, such hope was swiftly extinguished. All in one instant. All in one timely throw, at the center of that hope. The very center...

Time stopped like it never started in the first place, like it had no existence. Everyone remained still, paralysed in an immeasurable spell of shock, collectively holding their forgotten breaths as they bore witness to the sight before them. With only five more seconds to go, victory was well within their grasps.

Their voices echoed, and their spirits were higher than they had ever been like an army soaring light and flying fire. And in just one moment, all their voices were silenced. All their spirits were shattered, and all their hope was lost, as all eyes were solely fixated on the spear that was driven in Rasie's chest.

"R-Rasie..."

To say that they had never heard the great and wise Amoar sound so defeated was an understatement. The man who had led them and the man who had guided their surviving race throughout the years, was reduced to nothing more than a heartbroken husband, a shell of a man, a husk of a Racaan.

The Wise Amoar, who throughout their existence, did his absolute best to remain strong. Strong for them all. Stronger than any of them, for himself, his family and his people.

Because he had to be. That's what he told his brother Renero, and that's what Renero told him back.

"You're a lot stronger than I am, you always have been. And I know you'll continue to be strong for them no matter what."

Ah.

But all of that did not matter. It did not matter at all. Amoar didn't care about being strong. He didn't care about instilling hope. He didn't care about exercising his right of being their strongest.

All Amoar could feel was a crushing feeling of helplessness, as he stared at his wife with wide eyes, as though not completely comprehending what had just happened.

What did he wish for? He wished that his eyes were deceiving him. However, as he listened to Rasie's ragged breathing, as he saw her coughing up pools of blood, and as he saw her knees starting to cave under the pressure; and as he listened to the several cries of anguish around him, he knew.

Oh he finally knew. This was no deception. This was reality. Grim and dark, reality.

From the twins looking on in unimaginable horror and disbelief. "No...no no aunty no..."

To Banti's soft yet firm eyes filling up with soaking tears as she gazed upon her younger sister in utter shambled sorrow. "S-sissie..."

To the numerous and collective cries of despair that began to increase in volume from the people.

"Rasie!"

"Haibo!"

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!"

"How?"

"Where did the spear come from?"

"Rasie! Rasie please speak to us!"

"We were so close! Oh ancestors why have you forsaken us?"