1.3 The White Rabbit

        The aribu of Atlan, more commonly known as gens, were the working population of highly skilled artisans and engineers. Gens were raised in Institutions that honed and developed their natural talents and abilities from infancy to maturity, creating an endless supply of happy Cogs of the Great Machine. 

There were numerous Educational Institutions in the Atlan Empire, not all of them located in the heart of the empire. South of Kergal, bathing on the sunny cliffs of Gorias, Culloom Institution lay nestled between the evergreen forests that carpeted the northern half of the island and the vast countryside beyond. Culloom was where the Goldens and Panthers were raised, aribu bred from the Serpent bloodlines. These aribu were the more creative examples however they were also more complicated. The Panthers were gifted with esoteric artistry, they became the best Astrologers, Healers and Scientists. Panthers were extra special because they generated a vision of the future that guided the Atlan Empire. Goldens were the more physically gifted, becoming great Architects, Engineers and Artists. Goldens were extra special because they generated a special energy that sustained the Atlan Empire. 

    ... Nel woke up, drenched with sweat, the room was dark and humid, the smoke was almost choking her.. "Help..." she could barely make a sound, she was going to die, she could feel it coming....

        Suddenly a figure appeared in the fog... It was the god of Death... He was reaching for her... "Nel.... Wake up!" 

    Nel lunged forward, gasping for breath, her heart pounding hard.... She looked around the room... Her dorm room... She wasn't dead.... It was just a really bad dream...

        

         Zara was a Golden but she didn't really feel very golden. She opened her Mythology book, for the last time before writing her Final Exams, a dreadful ordeal that would seal her fate, she couldn’t wait for them to be over. Still uncertain of what direction her future would take, she knew there was little hope of being selected as a Golden Goddess, but hoped at least for an architectural placement of sorts, all she really felt good at was drawing lines. She turned the pages to her favourite myth; The Phoenix and the Golden Egg, the first myth in the book, so beautifully illustrated with real gold leaf highlights on the flames. She had read the myth so many times she almost knew it by heart...

         … The Phoenix built a great nest on Gaia. But the twigs were gathered from a poisoned tree, so poisonous the tree burned to the ground leaving only a mountain of ash and embers in its place. From the glowing embers all that was left was a Golden Egg. With the Phoenix gone, the world was shrouded in darkness.

         Many moons passed while the egg lay all alone. When The Time arrived, the sun rekindled the embers, still glowing beneath the Golden Egg. As the embers grew hotter, they began to melt the shell, until the egg erupted in flames and the Phoenix arose once more.

         The Phoenix rebuilt the nest with twigs from the cinnamon tree, which were sweet, and beauty blossomed forth. Once again the Phoenix rose to the skies, to reign over the universe with Love and Light, to bring sweetness and joy to the lives on Gaia, so they could be free and joyful as life was intended to be…

         Smiling, Zara stroked the page before turning to the next. The image of the god of Death on the following page was a reminder to be grateful, she didn’t like the idea of death all, in spite of his handsome attire and pretty Unicorn. She knew the truth. The god of Death was a Sorcerer, his beauty was an illusion, his pretty white Unicorn was an evil demon, just looking at it was rumored to bring about one’s demise.

         Quickly, she leafed farther through her Mythology text book, pondering the Real World that lay ahead as she studied these allegorical life lessons being taught and stopped again as the page turned to The Goddess of the Earth, perhaps the scariest of the ancient gods in her book. 

         …The Goddess of the Earth lived in a cave, lit by a blazing fire in a giant fireplace made of golden skulls, complete with ornate, red velvet furniture, a stark contrast to the rough hewn rock of the cave walls in the background caverns that faded into the black… 

         She studied the image closer, she hardly resembled a goddess. She was more like a huge amphibious octopus, her skin was warty like a toad… Was that a slimy trail?  The Goddess of the Earth made the myth of Aquilla and his dogons seem tame.

         The bell rang, reminding her that the Real World was waiting for her. She closed the book and glanced around the classroom for the last time, feeling relieved to be reminded these things she learned in school weren’t real. She knew these characters, myths and legends of the past were there only to teach her morals and values, to mold her into that valuable Cog she was born to be.

         After class, Zara made her way to the Cafeteria for dinner, where she met up with Nel, her roommate. Gifted with intuitive talents, Nel was a Panther, destined to be a Scribe or an Oracle of the empire’s destiny some day. The girls had shared a dorm and grown up together since birth, so over the years they had become best of friends, they even shared the same bed. Zara slept there during the night and Nel slept there during the day.

         For almost sixteen years, Zara and Nel had circled the track after dinner as part of their daily routine, tonight would be their last time. Excited about the Graduation Pageant, they talked non stop about their exams and final presentations, it was the most important day of their lives. 

         Surrounded by tall sandstone walls, the students had only known a life of safe protection from the wild lands beyond; wild lands were hunting grounds for the legendary dogons, the dangerous savages that still roamed free. They had never seen life beyond the walls, but they could certainly hear it. Strange animal sounds often carried across the walls from the distant countryside, rumor was they came from the Animal Sanctuary in Gora. 

         Gora was a small institution on the southwest shores of the island, but no one knew much more than that, there was only one page in the textbook, only one picture, it didn’t look like they were missing out on much. Word was, the Animal Sanctuary was riddled with disease, it was dangerous to go there, no one really wanted to, anyway. It was the embarrassment of the empire, the tabloids wouldn’t touch it and for that reason, a quick glimpse over the wall was the ultimate challenge.

         The girls had tossed around schemes to catch a glimpse for as long as they could remember, it was the thing to do. Those who had managed to catch a glimpse were Culloom famous. Zara and Nel had tried once before, they tried to break into the bell tower of the Temple but had been caught and lashed six times.

         Today, so shortly before graduation, the sounds taunted them more than usual. Zara eyed the orange tree growing close to the wall on the far corner of the exercise track, rumor was it had served the purpose before. It was tall enough, all they had to do was climb it... She studied the trunk as they walked by, it didn't look too difficult, surely from the second bough they would be able to see over the wall?

         Her friend needed little encouragement, Nel was consumed by similar thoughts and chances were running out. 

         "Let's just do it." she burst out, giving in to the temptation. "Let's make a break for it next lap. If we don't do this now, we'll never ever get to see."

         "OK!" Zara scanned the grounds for Prefects when she noticed Zoran, walking with his friend just a few yards behind them. "Let's get Zoran to spot us" she pitched.

         "OK!"

         Zara dropped down to tie her shoelace until he caught up. "Oh, hi, Zoran!" The girls continued to walk with him along the track. "We're going to climb the orange tree. Cover us?"

         "Ha!" Zoran had debated the orange tree opportunity himself, countless times. The friends at Culloom made agreements with one other. Dodging Prefects was done with help from friends and such favors were always returned. Well rehearsed in covering and in no need of coaching, Zoran was all ears as Zara pitched their plan, he had befriended both girls during their years at Culloom. He was quiet and intelligent, an introvert, a secret rebel too. 

         "OK" he agreed. "I'll do the bee thing."

         When the friends neared the tree once again, Zara dropped down to tie her shoelaces. Nel, waiting by her side watched Zoran as he carried on along the track until he made his way to the far end. Suddenly without warning he exploded into crazy screams, slapping his arms, flapping and running in circles as if stung by a bee. As predicted, the Prefects went running over to see what was wrong.

         Without a second to spare the girls dashed towards the tree. Hearts pounding with excitement, hands slippery with sweat they scrambled up the trunk, a much greater challenge than perceived from afar. Finally they reached the bough that would grant them the view they yearned for.

         "Oh. My..." They gasped in amazement at the vista beyond.

         "...WOW..."

         Beyond the cold stone sandstone walls of Culloom were rolling hills, forests full of colorful trees, vast patchworks of farmlands... Fenced fields of mud?

         "That's the Animal Sanctuary?" It didn't look anything like the text book rendition.

         "I don't know..."

         Obviously, there were enormous farming operations going on, they had no idea how large the Animal Sanctuary was.

         "That's where they make our food?"

         "Ewwww!"

         It was too far away to see, there were only vague outlines of animals to be seen, herds loitering by a cluster of morbid looking buildings. 

         "What are they?" Nel removed her sunglasses, straining to see.

         "I don't know..." Zara couldn't make out the shapes either, they were too far away, especially in the twilight. Disappointed, she shifted her gaze closer to home, scanning the wild forest underbrush on the other side of the wall, below. 

         "Look!" She gasped, pointing down below.

         Nel looked down and almost lost her grip from fright. Scattered amongst the bushes below were tufts of bloody white fur marking some poor white rabbit's violent demise. It only confirmed the warnings they had been given were genuine. The wild lands beyond the walls were hunting grounds for the dogons, the dangerous savages that still roamed wild. Now they knew; some myths were true.

         It was a sore reminder of the truth, the world was a dangerous place. Only because of Culloom's protective walls were they alive, safe from the dangers that lurked in the wilderness beyond.