A World Unlike Any Other
It was a world no one would ever believe existed — a world of its own, with everything provided by the land. It was lush and green, with a lake at the center. This land is termed the Land of Endless Wealth. Those who lived on it lacked nothing; the land fed them, clothed them, and housed them. If you needed anything, all you had to do was wish it and visualize it in your mind, and it would appear. The people had been living happily in this land, knowing no war, hate, envy, or anything evil. They were known as The Unrefined People — a people created as an experimental competition between the Creator and the Devil.
The Bet
The Devil had corrupted the land, and all manner of vice was taking place. People were bonding with animals to produce all manner of beastly children. No matter how the Creator wiped out the Devil's destruction, evil still lurked in the corners, and when his attention was focused on another task, evil germinated and sprouted seeds that grew — and before the Creator could look back, it was too late. He would hear the Devil's gleeful laughter mocking and taunting him, saying his flavour was no longer tasteful.
And so the Creator said he would agree to a bet if the Devil would agree too — and if he won, the world would be his to mold in his own way.
The Devil agreed. "What is the bet, old man?" he asked, grinning as he looked at the latest destruction — a raging fire eating the land and everyone in it. The Devil laughed when he saw the terror on the faces of the people wailing and huddling together to meet their end.
"I want to create an isolated people," the Creator said. "And if they stay good for a hundred years with no evil or wickedness in their hearts, then I win and you will be banished."
"And if I win?" the Devil asked, grinning.
"Then you will have the right to banish them to wherever you wish and play with them as long as you like. But I will leave a window for them to figure out how to escape your clutch," the Creator said.
"Hmmm." The Devil let the sound stretch and tapped his chin as though he was thinking it over. He knew he had closed all doors and windows and left only one open for the Creator. He grinned, and when he saw the anguish on the Creator's face, he couldn't help basking in the glory of his pain. "You're losing your touch, old man," he said.
"Are you in or out?" the Creator asked.
The Devil laughed, then winked. "It has always been the people who suffer when two powerful beings fight. How delightful — more suffering."
"The world should be at peace. People should live in harmony, led by love and togetherness — not this mess you're creating," the Creator said, shaking his head.
"Don't patronize me. You have your calling and I have mine. Stick to yours and let me stick to mine," the Devil snarled.
"Are you in or out?"
"I'm in," the Devil said with a grin. "I will watch, and when they fail your stupid experimental bet, I will pounce on them and they will rue the day they were born."
"Don't be so harsh. They know nothing of our bet."
"Afraid you'll lose already, eh?" the Devil mocked.
"Very well. Since you're in, let it begin now."
"Not so fast," the Devil said, still grinning. "You think I'll just let it go smoothly without rules?"
"What do you want?"
"Since you will be giving them the best and making sure nothing goes wrong — let me burst your bubble. There is no competition if I don't have a line they shouldn't cross."
"And what is this line?"
"A lake," the Devil said, grinning.
"A lake?" the Creator asked, baffled.
"No one should drink from the lake — and yet the lake will grant everlasting life. If they drink from it, then I win the bet."
The Rule of the Lake
There was silence for a moment. The Creator knew he had entered a thin line. How could he make sure no one drank from such a lake? He had seen the way humans could change and wondered how he would prevent them. Should he make them afraid of water? He questioned himself, then shook his head — no one could live without water. What could he do so they would obey?
"Are you opting out already?" the Devil mocked.
"No. I'm in, and so it has begun."
And that is how the Creator made The Unrefined People and placed them in The Land of Endless Wealth. The people were not remarkable — just plain humans with different features, their clothing made of leaves. The land was so good that they knew nothing but goodness. But there was only one rule: no one could drink from the lake. They could only kill any animal that drank from it, so the essence of the lake would enter them through the meat of the animal they ate or the plants harvested by the lake's edge. And whoever drank directly from the lake would die and bring calamity upon the people.
When Love Became a Danger
The people had been living on the land for about 99 years with joy and merriment — until Akam fell in love with a woman known as the most beautiful in the Land of Endless Wealth. Her name was Katie. And when she gave Akam a challenge in order to win her heart, it turned out to be a choice that would either doom his people or cost him his love.
A House Full of Wishes
Akam couldn't help thinking about Katie. He had dreamed of her countless times and had even visualized the home they would live in together — and the land had made his wishes come true. He sat there in the house, pointing at different places, imagining Katie at the kitchen, imagining her tending to the garden. He sighed, remembering their last encounter.
He had met her just by the lake, her favourite spot where she liked to sit and sing those melodious lullabies. He remembered their last conversation and how he had tried his luck.
"Katie, I'm the only man who loves you," he had said, even though he knew he was playing his card too early.
"What makes you think you're the only man? Men are plenty and so many have indicated their interest," she had said to him with those innocent eyes he always dreamed of.
"My love is ordained by the stars and the moon," he had told her.
She laughed at that. Even though he took it as mockery, he felt no ill will toward her. Then she asked him, "If it is ordained by the stars and the moon, what can you do to make it real?"
"Anything," he told her as he looked into her eyes.
"Are you sure? Hope you will not back out."
He hadn't thought twice before telling her that nothing would make him back out. She agreed to give him a task the next time they met, and he had gone home with a light heart, knowing she was already his.
The Stranger by the Lake
Katie was thinking about what to ask Akam to do when she felt the air around her grow cold. It had never been this cold in the land. The land had always molded itself to the people and given them comfort — not this cold, and not with dark clouds forming just above her head. She looked up and saw black smoke throwing sparks, and then a voice said behind her, "Oh, what an ugly thing."
She turned around and her breathing stopped for a moment. A handsome young man was standing not far from her, leaning on a tree like he owned the place. She had never seen him before — dark hair and eyes as dark as midnight. His dressing was strange too, with cloth that covered his legs and body. She had never seen a pant and jacket before.
"Who are you?" she asked him.
The young man yawned and looked at her with a mocking stare. "I don't talk to ugly girls."
"I'm not ugly," she said defensively. "I'm the most beautiful woman in this land."
The young man laughed. "How stupid. If you're the most beautiful woman in this land, then this land is full of ugly women — maybe with horns and teeth as big as my finger."
"I'm not ugly," she said, growing irritated. She didn't know how to get angry; that was how the Creator had made them.
"Has anyone told you that you're beautiful in this stupid land?"
"Yes," she said proudly.
"And who is that fool?" he asked, laughing.
"Akam — and he is no fool."
"How about I dare you to let him prove it? Will he do anything for you?"
She remembered how Akam had said he would do anything for her. She remembered the fire in his eyes when he said it, and so she replied, "Yes, he would do anything for me."
"Even with you being this ugly — wow, must be a bigger fool than I thought."
She had had enough. "What is your dare?" she asked him.
"Hmmm — let him prove his love by drinking from the lake."
"That is forbidden," she said. "Bring another dare."
"Well, that's my only dare. If he truly loves an ugly thing like you, that is just a simple task for him."
"That would bring disaster to the land."
"So that proves you are ugly."
"I'm not ugly."
"Then let him decide."
She heard a ripple in the lake and turned to look — she saw nothing. By the time she turned back to where the stranger had been standing, he was nowhere to be seen.
Are you ready for the next part? Indicate below in the comment.
More Dark Tales From The Archive
— From Part One —
☠ If dark deals between powerful forces interest you... The Generational Debt ☠ For another tale of dark corruption and evil spreading through the land... The Devil's Children — A Dark Fantasy Short Story ☠ Love with dangerous consequences also runs through... The Five Grand Charm— From Part Two —
☠ Read another encounter with a sinister stranger... The Blood of the Innocent ☠ Enjoyed this? Don't miss another dark fantasy with an unseen enemy... The Dream Thief's Warning: A Dark Fantasy Story of Ancient Evil
Comments
Post a Comment
"share your thoughts below"