Chapter 14: the thunder arrow

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Isaac walked around the statue, and found that the entrance behind the statue had long since blocked by rubble due to when the ceiling collapsed. He instead went to the left hall to explore, and when he went downstairs, he saw traces of when the early Zephyr had once lived here. It includes pots and urns, clay figurines that were used as children's toys, textiles that women had weaved, and hand painted murals depicting everyday life. He walked down through the chamber, and he can see few entryways to rooms that were used as homes back when the Zephyr used to live here in Hap Tepe. Then he come across writing that are carved on the way, but he couldn't make heads nor tails on what it was saying.

"This must be the early language of the Zephyr, but I can't understand what it is saying. With two arrows pointing towards this entrance, this could be directions" he said to himself.

He tried going downstairs but the way was blocked by debris. Leaving him no choice, he went upstairs to the first floor. Upon reaching up, he realized that he's at the other side of the rubble that blocked the entrance. He looked around, and he can see statues and pillars that decorate the large room. There's a medium hole in the ceiling, letting in the cold air. From the hole, a curious white mist come pouring in as it lands on the floor. Then it forms into a humanoid shape as it solidifies, revealing a woman in its place.

She has glowing skin, grey colored eyes without pupils, and hair that looked like it was literally made of silver. She wore an ancient looking dress with two shades of purple, a matching headress, and a purple veil.

He knew that she is an Axalthi, a member of a race of wish granting beings from another dimension. She looked at him curiously, as if she was looking for someone.

"Are you there one called Isaac?" She asked.

"Yes I am, what of it?" He replied, suspicious of what she is going to do to him.

"I am Berenice, sent by Governor Argo to assist you" she answered.

"Ah, I figured he would send you. He believed that I need some help here in the ruins, since it crumbles daily" he said.

She nodded, as she knows it's the truth. Then all of a sudden, the ruins shook as it's ceiling collapsed onto the entrance of the stairs, caving in the only known exit.

"There goes the only exit, way to go" said Isaac in a sarcastic tone.

"If you will, you can wish to restore the ruins back to its prime of how it's former inhabitants had built it" suggested Berenice.

"Very well, I wish to restore Hap Tepe back to its prime" he said.

She nodded, before clapping her hands. Then the debris that blocked both exits went back up into the ceiling, as if time had been wound back only for the ruins. Outside, the researchers watched in shock as the once crumbling ruins has been restored in an instant. After that, everything inside Hap Tepe looked freshly carved as if it was brand new. Isaac couldn't believe his eyes, as he looked around in astonishment due to his wish.

"Now that Hap Tepe is restored, most of its areas is now cleared for exploration" said Berenice.

"Well, I guess that means I did a favor for all those researchers" said Isaac.

"They will surely thank you, for opening up most of its areas" she said with confidence.

At the back of the large room is a stair case leading down, so Isaac and Berenice went down to investigate. At the bottom is a hallway that is decorated with painted murals, depicting scenes of what looked like a battle and evacuation into the sky. The duo couldn't help but feel sad upon seeing these murals, and when they reached towards the end of the hall, they turn right and entered a large chamber with numerous graves. This is basically a tomb, where the graves are shallow pits with tarp covering the bodies and there's clay gravestones. Both Isaac and Berenice felt nothing but dread, as if they stumbled into a tomb of warriors from that battle.

"I'm not liking this place, let's go back" said Berenice.

"This can't be all bad, so let's stick together" Isaac assured.

They went to the right side of the tomb, and found the western tomb. Inside is small, containing a damaged wooden coffin that is decorated with carvings of elk, and the walls are carved and painted to look like a sunny sky over a field with horses. At the floor where the wooden coffin is at, there's an inscription written in early Zephyr carved in stone.

"Can you translate this? Because I couldn't understand these writings" asked Isaac.

Berenice read the inscription, and her grey pupil less eyes light up.

"Here is the translation: "Here lies Hotula, the thunder arrow. May his arrows laced with lightning fly and struck his enemies, for he is our hero". I'm guessing that he may be related to Princess Ukok, but I'm not sure if he is her great grandfather or ancestor" explained Berenice.

"At any case, let's check inside that coffin" said Isaac as he walked towards the coffin.

He lifted the lid of the coffin, and inside, he can see that there's a skeleton with bits of flesh stuck on. The skeleton has a bit of black strands of hair, and it's clothing is tattered and reduced to rags as if someone already torn most of the clothing save for a red colored pointed cap with two flaps that covered the ears. Next to the skeleton was a surprisingly preserved wooden bow and quiver of arrows. Luckily, most of the skeleton is preserved along with its teeth.

"I see he died around the age of twenty eight, and his cause of death was punctured lungs and heart due to shattered rib cage from an impact of an unknown assailant. From the look of whatever counts as clothing, he was buried in the time before climate changed as the mountains rose up" said Berenice.

"Hmm... I wish he was brought back to life" said Isaac.

"What!? Don't you remember what happens if you bring the dead back to life!? They would be driven half insane upon revival, very violent and can lash out anyone in range" she warned as she felt fear.

"What choice do I have? I missed my brothers, not to mention that the Black Leaves may go after me. I might as well have more companions" he said.

"I already sensed the presence of two people coming here, it would be wise to consult them. Besides, you now have one wish left. I understand at what you are getting at, bringing someone back to life is a noble thing, but think of the possibilities of that someone who is revived will violently try to kill you" she explained.

"It will be a risk, I may try to talk sense to the newly revived Hotula" he said as his eyes are filled with determination.

Seeing that he's serious, Berenice knows that there's no point in arguing. She clapped her hands to grant his wish, and smoke started to envelop the skeletal remains of Hotula. Isaac watched as blood vessels, muscle tissues, and tendons started to grow on the hand bones before spreading up to the arm and towards the torso at a rapid rate. The shattered rib cage has been mended as it's bone fragments reconstruct good as new, but before the muscle tissue covers the torso, Isaac saw the heart and lungs regenerated. Then the eyes regenerate from the empty eye sockets, revealing that Hotula has brown eyes in life. It didn't take long until Hotula gasped for air the moment his heart starts beating, while the rest of his body regenerates. Even his black hair grew back, showing that he had slightly long hair before his death.

"Welcome back to the world of the living" said Isaac.

Authors note: this is chapter 14 of this book, introducing Hotula "the thunder arrow".

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