The Call to Adventure

The Call to Adventure

Being the last and reigning air in line for the coveted throne, Zosa a young maiden still blooming was in a grotesque scenario. She knew the clock was ticking, her parents deceased, and there was no compromise. The kingdom of Kara existing for hundreds of years was now faced with the dilemma of hurriedly anointing a ‘king’. However, in this case, the king was a woman. Zosa was the only child to her royal parents. Her parents had been assassinated mercilessly by an enemy kingdom that had not yet been identified. She was battling between vengeance of her parent’s death and pressure from the elders to immediately without hesitation assume leadership. All this was in the condition that she must be married off to conform to the customs of their community. Zosa’s mind was clouded. Her thoughts blinded by all the pain she was experiencing; she was helpless with nowhere to turn to. Who are we to blame her anyway? She was facing the biggest crumble of her young life.

With only nineteen years of age, Zosa was left to contemplate on a sole decision that would affect her entire existence forth wise.

Refusal of the Call

Zosa felt the need to say that she wasn’t well framed for her awaiting task. She felt she needed rest, rest that even she didn’t know when she would recover. Zosa needed to breathe. And feel alive after all the emptiness she had been feeling over the past few days. She now spent the whole day lying around, pouring her heart out for the gods to cushion her fall. She just wanted her parents back. She feared her sense of belonging without them, whom she had known her entire life. Her caregiver who had for nineteen years now, been more of a second family to her was her only shoulder to cry on that she trusted. Nila was her name, childless and unmarried for so long, her sole dedication had been Zosa. Nila kept on giving her the comfort she needed. Conforming to her needs, even the extra ones. Just to ensure she was home and dry oblivious of her somber surroundings. A fortnight later, the commander in chief of the Kara kingdom approached Zosa. He had grown impatient of her weary act and needed an immediate resolution to the pending massacre. Or rather yet, he wanted to push for his appointing as the intermediary king. Nila had tried her best to stall him but at last her efforts were futile. They had to have the much-avoided conversation. He came in breathing fire demanding to be let in. Zosa sat up since she was somehow terrified by him, even though she wouldn’t give him the pleasure of knowing this.

They exchanged accolades, and got straight to the point, “Zosa, what plans have in store for your kingdom?” he asked cunningly. She adamantly wanted everything to go away, even if it meant her throne. She just sat their helpless, thoughts racing her head, no one to rely on. No guidance, no emotional backgrounds, she was devastated. He took advantage of the situation hitting the nail on the head asking her for either her hand in marriage or his temporary anointing as king. She was very well aware of the scheme Bira, the commander in chief was trying to pull off. She was perturbed by this because she knew Bira was not a good person. Zosa knew well and good that if Bima had the chance he would suffocate the whole kingdom with his weary intentions, but still, she was indecisive. She hurriedly led on Bima to believe that she was going to make the announcement the following morning so that he could get him off her back. Nila was very excited about this news because she knew that after a long dialogue with her inner self Zosa would finally agree to succumb to her aligned destiny. Bima left the room highly disappointed and agitated. His plans had hit the wall.

Supernatural Aid

That night Zosa experienced the strangest thing in her sleep. She felt like she was moving to a different dimension, an eccentric dream, or so to say somebody from the infinite world was trying to communicate with her. She adequately thanked the gods as she felt the warm presence of her parents. The ambiance it created made her feel at peace with herself.in her dream, Nila was leading her to a room where she had been summoned by one of the kingdom mediums. Having been told it was urgent she left whatever she was doing and headed there. Upon arrival, she was mysteriously met by the faces of all the kingdoms top leaders and the thought of staring at the illusion of her dead parents and grandmother brought her to tears. Her grandmother signaled for her to move closer to the middle podium. Everyone staring at her, she was shaking nervously not knowing what to do

“Moonchild, how are you?” her nana asked. Not a single word could escape her lips at that level of breaking down. “Now now child, you have to brace yourself for what is coming forth demands strength and meekness. Zosa nodded her head in agreement. “We left under circumstances we could not control and for that, we apologize. We are going to be here with you, all the way until you are ready for the world Zosa” her wise father reassured her.

Her mother then gave her a charm bracelet, telling her that it was her sigh of knowing they are with her through it all and that her protection and wise thoughts would be elevated once she knew to control her inner thoughts. She nodded in response as she wore it.

Immediately after Zosa felt some sort of awakening. She was filled with courage and robustness that she couldn’t fathom. Her prayers had finally been answered, she now had the sign she had been waiting to make her big decision. She woke up abruptly from her dream and found the miraculous bracelet on her right hand. The next hours later she slept like a log without shedding a tear since she was somewhat calm and collected after that encounter with her spiritual helpers. That morning she woke up very early, prepared herself knowing very well she was going to disapprove most of the elders. She gathered every tom, dick and harry for her big announcement. “I am going to assume my rightful place as a king and in that line, I have not met anyone worthy of my heart yet so I will not commit to anyone yet,” Zosa stated with the firmness and assertiveness of an agile leader. The elders gasped with shock at her remarks. Sadly, they knew there was nothing much they could do to tame the young king as she was very straightforward with her announcement.

The Crossing of the First Threshold

Zosa’s view of the throne was somewhat low key relaxed. She never thought of it as a full-time job. She had an imagination that leadership was just based on order issuing. Streamlining of rough edges in her kingdom or furthermore chairing meetings and attending congregations. But soon enough all this would make sense. She used the slogan that `sometimes the king is a woman’. As traditional as it seemed the elders disregarded her anointing claiming that she was too young and therefore require masculine influence to rule her kingdom. This was a war erupted in disguise, as her word to some people would never count.

Belly of The Whale

The elders of the Kara kingdom threatened her betrothal to leadership by trying to scare her off with warfare issues but Zosa would here none of this. All she knew is that she was ready for whatever being king had in store for her.

Initiation

The Road of Trials

Zosa has been summoned by the council of elders. It’s now time for her to begin her training. The journey of a thousand dimensions; spiritual, physical and emotional. A fight between her thoughts instincts and feelings. She is told that a series of tasks are for her to prove that she can lead the Kara kingdom. The elders explained her quest as being more of a masculine task, so basically, she had an even bigger challenge, putting up with all the chauvinism and negative attitude she was facing already. Her first task was to in all ways acquire some sort of sacred torch from the wilderness. Many so her as a spoilt child and knew she would fail miserably.

She gathered all the necessary aids and set out to her awaiting ordeal. She was scared and terrified, but she knew she had a lot of people to disapprove of. This gave her the zeal and braveness of a lion. Knowing very well that her daughter would one-day face gender discrimination in leadership, Zosa’s wise father had secretly been training her to hunt, fight and survive. Her mother adversely disagreed with this, but she was quite sure it would come in handy one day. Zosa knew it was time for her to showcase her skill. She set out powered by all the negative energy she was getting. Zosa was led to the kingdom’s border, thinking it was a trap she diverted to a simpler route. New routes or not she was determined to go. Within the split of a second, she fell to the ground with a thud. Drenching in pain, she wailed to raise her head towards the light beaming from the opening of the cave-like structure. It was another dimension probably a spiritual one again.

The Meeting With the Goddess

.Zosa immediately turns to her charm. Restless for answers she manipulated it trying to make something out of it. An image of her grandmother appeared astonishingly. “Child, what seems to be the issue? “She asked. Zosa was relieved that she was there. She asked about her whereabouts and explained about the quest. She was having a different understanding of the war. Her grandmother explained that the quest was more of a spiritual journey. She would have to seek her innermost desires and satisfy them to acquire the peace she would need to rule the vast kingdom of Kara. She is warned of a series of forfeit spirits set solely to divert her attention and kill her spirit from within. She feels warm knowing that her grandmother is there with her. Giving her strength and wisdom to go on.

Woman as Temptress

Zosa goes ahead with her quest, the search of the sacred torch continues. With her grandmother on her side, she is more than confident. She fights wild animals on her way. Survival for the fittest was the mantra. Uphill to a place should never believe would have existed, she hears a call of her name. Turning her head, she sees a young boy helpless and in tears, his hands in his back. The boy sobs and claims he is the lost brother that had been buried in her memories. All this was peculiar to her, even though her mother had mentioned her only sibling had been kidnaped years ago and would have probably have died. She was shocked but adding one plus one, implied that things were not adding up. She felt some temporal satisfaction of her family being there for her. She wanted vengeance for her parent’s death and reconnecting with her brother drove her farther away from quest.

Atonement with the Father

.Zosa is now faced with a ticking bomb. The boy reaches out to Zosa, stretching his hand to her. She is hesitant as she knows it may be a trap from the lectured from her grandmother. She debates whether to trust her instincts. A shining light shuns her eyes forcing her to turn the other side. It’s the kingdom’s seer, the greatest man on the land. She bows in respect, not knowing what to do. The little boy had disappeared or rather transformed into the seer.

He thanks Zosa for accepting the quest but also warns her of the dangers of straying from the original plan. He leads her to a stream flowing off the hill and asks her to touch the sparkling water. The waters were magical and would reveal her deepest desired truths. But all these were a cost because the outcome would somewhat affect her journey.

Apotheosis

Without wasting a second she touches the water, not thinking of the repercussions. She is filled with hatred and anger with what she is seeing. Bima was the murderer of his parents. Her spirit is crushed and all the energy from within her is lost. She is drained and can hardly handle all of the overwhelming feelings she has. She wanted an escape. A blind eye to all the hurt she had succumbed to. She needed to restore herself. Weak and weary, the seer commissioned her spiritual cleanse to purify her heart from the addiction to vengeance. She falls into deep slumber a torch lighting above her head. She was blessed, royal and sacred.

The Ultimate Boon

Feeling some sort of sanity, Zosa wakes up inside her dream within her dream. The shining torch gave her a little bit of hope for the future. She sets forth to obtain it, being lead on by the torch, her trail is within a maze-like cave. Dangerous and certainly hard to the core, she has to be tactical in her workings. Gladly her charm cushioned her trail, it lit whenever the direction was wrong. Zosa is now at the center of it all. She sees the coveted torch of fire. Grabbing it without hesitation, she pounces out of the room for the door. The maze is caged. She rolls out between the grills in the nick of time and her parents and the ancestors before she is there applauding her success. It all feels so right. Her beloved parents, all together with the successful quest. She was happy. The fire torch emitted mortal energy and spiritual strength set for a royal king.

Return

Refusal of the Return

Knowing very well of the capabilities of the fire torch, Zosa felt the selfish need to stay there where she could be with her family, guarded by the seer and advised by her grandmother. She wanted her parents too to be immortal, which would drastically affect the kingdom’s energy source. She was being selfish to the people of Kara. The seer got a wound of this and warned Zosa that if she was to try to reverse the death of her parents then she would have killed the entire Kara kingdom as it was prohibited.

The seer advises her to return to the kingdom of Kara and honor her duty to her people as a king. Although it was the right thing to do, Zosa had trouble agreeing as she was caught in between vengeance and protecting the torch of fire. It was going to be dangerous knowing very well that there were others on the quest to obtain the torch of