The Realms of Animar

This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

The Realms of Animar

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2012 Owen Black

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Cover Illustration by Richa Kinra. Cover Illustration © 2012 Outskirts Press, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

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For Rebecca, an angel who came into my life and brought me two wonderful boys, a lifetime of
happiness and a love that I never expected.

The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth.

~ Henry Beston,
The Outermost House
, 1928

As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they themselves are like animals. For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Man has no advantage over animals for they all have one breath. All go to one place: all are from the dust and to dust all return.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:18-20

Chapter 1

T
hane stared longingly out the open window beside him, his mind far from the lesson being delivered by the woman at the front of the room. The instincts of a natural sprinter tugged at his will, directing his thoughts towards the lush green fields that waited outside the village walls. He sighed when a faint breeze wandered through, causing his short, sandy blonde hair to dance in the wind.

The classroom was filled with nearly thirty children that sat on wooden benches, not the finest of quality, but sturdy enough. They ranged in age, shape and size and were dressed in simple tunics and trousers, with a few more colorful dresses scattered among the girls. At just past fifteen years Thane was the oldest and was nearing the end of his education. Although he had not yet selected a profession, he was ready to move on. It was time for something more.

The walls of the school were constructed of wood and, like the thatched roof above, showed countless signs of repair. Hanging around the room were numerous drawings of animals of varying quality that had been created by young artists both past and present.

There was only one school in Avryndale and likewise only one teacher. Lady Trussil, as she was referred to by most, was seated on a finely crafted chair positioned behind a small table that was covered by a collection of books and scrolls and, most notably, a stunningly realistic owl that had been carved from wood. It stood nearly a foot in height and was perched on the front corner of her desk, ready to take flight. The figure had been formed with such remarkable craftsmanship that many visitors to the school had mistaken it to be real.

In addition to her talents as a teacher Trussil was widely known for her skill as a woodcarver and the owl atop her desk was her most prized creation. She had frequently been asked to make pieces for others in the village as her skill was unique and legendary long before she had come to Avryndale.

Thane was startled when he heard his name.

“Thane, please pay attention,” Trussil directed.

He blushed with embarrassment as an assortment of giggles filled his ears.

To most of the children Lady Trussil was a delightful teacher, younger than most and she carried a pleasant demeanor. Her hair was long, a few inches past her shoulders, and was composed of a mixture of auburn and blonde curled locks that were the subject of many jealous stares from other women. She was adorned in a brown, somewhat worn, dress that certainly lacked in elegance but matched the attire of her students well. Obvious to all, she had a way with the young minds of her students, a natural talent for obtaining respect and order. Perhaps this was due to remarkable patience or possibly the dedication she had to her chosen profession. More likely this could be attributed to the fact that she was stunningly beautiful to even the youngest of eyes.

Thane shifted on his bench and redirected his attention towards Trussil. She smiled when he whispered an apology under his breath.

Thane had a hard time paying attention and this was a subject frequently discussed after class. He sighed and watched as she stood up, walked around her desk and looked over the students seated before her.

“Today is a very special day,” she said before pausing to wait for their attention. “We are welcoming seven new students today.”

Trussil then motioned toward an assortment of ragged but very alert children seated in the front row. They varied in age and appearance and it was clear that they were not very comfortable being the focus of so many stares and whispers from their new peers.

Lady Trussil continued, “As is our custom when we have new students in our class, today will be dedicated to helping them understand who we are and some of the rules we must abide by to live here. Those of you that have heard this before, please do your best to listen once again.”

She noticed the eyes of a few of her new students open a bit wider. This part was always hard.

“So,” Trussil said, cutting to the point. “Can anyone tell me what a
polymorph
is?”

Trussil looked out at the bewildered children seated before her hoping one would answer. A few moments passed and, just as she opened her mouth to speak, the hand of a small, dark-haired girl who was seated among the new students in the front row darted up.

“My papa told me that we are all…polymorps.” Several of the students snickered at her mistake.

“Very good Larissa, your papa is indeed right. Now can anyone tell me what it means to be a
polymorph
?”

A boy seated next to Thane raised his hand and, without waiting to be called, blurted, “It means we can change our shapes, some of us into stinky things like Mephitis!”

Laughter erupted across the classroom and the children looked at Mephitis, a boy seated near the front with thick black hair marked by a broad white stripe.

Mephitis turned red, looked down at his feet and frowned at being the subject of yet another joke. This was something he frequently endured. “Well at least I don’t eat bark,” he muttered under his breath.

“Children that’s enough!” Trussil said, quickly quieting the laughter. She turned to the outspoken boy seated near Thane. “Castor, come up beside me. You can entertain us all from up here.”

Castor sighed, stood up, and walked to the front of the classroom. He rolled his eyes and groaned when the teacher placed her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face the rest of the class.

“Thank you Castor,” Trussil said with a smile. “Now, it may not have always been the case, but every living creature on Animar is indeed a polymorph, with each capable of assuming a human and an animal form. The two forms of each polymorph seem to have evolved together as time has passed, with each adapting with the other. In other words, when in our human forms we have some benefits of our animal side, or perhaps some drawbacks. Now, can anyone tell me what the four main realms of life are that inhabit Animar?”

She eyed the classroom patiently and then looked to Thane. Having heard this lecture many times she knew that he could provide the answer.

Thane rolled his eyes and then reluctantly stated, “The four main realms of life are the birds, fishes, carnivores and us.”

“Very good!” Trussil exclaimed. “We commonly call these the Avian, Aquan, Carnic and Herbic realms. Of course there also exists the lesser realm known as the Reptiles but they are quite rare and usually keep to themselves.”

Lady Trussil glanced down at Castor who fidgeted impatiently in front of her, clearly not focused on the lecture. He winced when she pinched his shoulders.

She continued, “The people of Avryndale are mostly made up of herbivores, with a few exceptions who chose this diet and way of life. I myself am a member of the Avian realm but I would not trade this culture, or my precious students of course, for anything.”

A large smile broke across her face as she looked over the children seated before her. The sculpting of young minds was difficult work, but she loved it.

“Now class,” Trussil continued, “we have concluded so far that we are all polymorphs and thus we can all change our shapes.” She then looked down at Castor who was standing in front of her, “Castor, can you demonstrate for us how this is done?”

He peered up at Trussil, clearly unhappy with her request. “Do I have to? It hurts sometimes.”

“Oh now Castor, it doesn’t hurt,” she replied, then reached out the palm of her hand. “By now you should hardly feel it anyway. Come on, take off your necklace. It’s metal.”

The boy removed the small necklace that was draped around his neck and placed it in her outstretched hand. He then turned back to the class and stuck his tongue out at Mephitis, who promptly replied with a gesture of his own.

Castor then closed his eyes and began to tremble, as if chilled by a northern wind. Without warning, he jerked forward and placed his hands on the ground, now balanced on all fours. He moaned awkwardly as his ears seemed to shift back into his head. Some of the children gasped and looked away.

Lady Trussil tried to comfort him, “Very good Castor keep going, just relax.”

His clothes slowly faded into a thick dark brown fur that grew remarkably fast and eventually covered his body from head to toe. He then began to shrink in size, starting gradually and then speeding up as it progressed. His face became distorted and seemed to blur as his nose receded into his skull and whiskers grew out from the sides. Behind him a thick, bushy tail formed. Within seconds, all resemblance to the young boy he once was vanished. The transformation was complete.

No longer distracted, the students were now all focused on the creature before them - curious minds dazzled by the magical ability that they all possessed. Where Castor had stood was now a small brown beaver whose large black eyes darted around the room as he attempted to regain focus of his surroundings.