Heroes Rising Fiction: The Jinn Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Transformation

Ottoman Emirate: Near Bursa:

A young man hollered and swatted a sheep with the end of a staff. It bawled at him and then dashed to join the others on the hillside. The boy, satisfied with his effort to contain his flock, joined them at the top of the hill so he could keep watch. Contented with the grazing going smoothly, he pulled out a scroll and unrolled it.

“Greetings.” A voice startled the boy.

In a swift motion, the boy stood up and swung his staff at the intruder.

The man flicked his hand to the side, and the staff froze in place. “Now, now. Let us not be rude. I am not here to harm you or your….animals.” The man, the same one restrained by his kin in Antarctica, said.

The boy’s eyes bugged, and he stumbled back, his staff released from the power that held it. “What are you?”

“I...don’t know yet.”

“Are you a jinn?”

The man smiled, “Perhaps. Is this some kind of powerful being to your kind?”

“Yes. And one not to be trusted.”

The man’s smile faded, “Oh, pity. I do not wish any harm. I am lost, you might say. I need help.”

The boy pointed the staff toward the west, “Bursa is three day's journey that way if you have a camel or horse.”

The man watched a sheep come closer to graze on the green grasses, “Is this a camel or horse?”

It stunned the boy at first and then he laughed, “You must be drunk to think so strange of thoughts.”

“I am new to your world. I have fallen from mine. Perhaps you can tell me more.”

“Are you from heaven? Are you...an angel?”

“Perhaps. I don’t know. Tell me your myths, your tales, that I may remember who I am.”

The boy cautiously looked around, still worried. Finally, he led the man back to the top of the hill and picked up the scroll he had dropped. “This is a tale of the jinn. Perhaps it will bring you insight.”

“By all means, tell me this story.” He sat down with the boy.

The boy impressed him with a story about a boy and a magic lamp. It was intriguing to learn this myth of magical beings that serve people and are thought of as both desirable and fearful.

Once it was over, the man asked, “Do you believe these jinns exist?”

“Oh, yes. There are good ones and bad ones. They are tricky.”

“Tricky, fascinating. Do many people here believe in them?”

“Oh, yes. To be given favor by one is a great desire, but we must be careful of their wrath if they grow weary of us.” The boy lost his fear of this man as he got lost in talking about this subject.

The man laughed, “I like this myth. It is intriguing, and I like your story. What if I told you I am a Jinn?”

The boy gulped and cleared his throat, “Oh, uh, are you good or bad?”

“So blunt a question. If I were bad, then I would say I am good to trick you. If I am good, then I would say so. How could you trust my answer?”

The boy was a little perplexed by that. “I...uh...don’t know.”

“Here, let me prove my power and that I mean no harm to you. Make a wish.”

The boy almost answered, but then looked down at the scroll, “I must be wise about my wish.”

“That is a commendable attitude from one I assume is young among your kind. However, I will tell you I was once wicked, which is why I am here now. I wish to be good, to be kind to people. Whatever you wish, I will grant it without malice or evil. Just be careful of what you wish for, not every blessing turns out so good.”

The boy smiled at him, “I believe you. Now, I have my wish. I fight off beasts who wish to make a meal of my sheep. I am meek and fear I will become the next meal. Make me a great fighter.”

The Jinn stood up and held out his hand, “Give me your staff.” It was placed in his hand. He held it tight, and it glowed, then it turned solid black. He handed it back. “There. I have not given you the blessing, but I have given it to the staff. While you hold this, it will defeat any beast you fight. Do not use it on other people of your kind, it won’t work the same. I do this so you do not use this staff for evil, but for the purpose you wished.”

The boy held the black staff and smiled, “Truly?”

“Here.” The Jinn snapped his fingers and a wolf-like creature appeared out of the leaves and grasses and attacked. The boy dexterously swung the staff around and dispatched the creature in two blows.

“WOW! TRULY AMAZING!”

“Yes, thank you.”

The boy looked out and said, “It is growing late. Come, you can meet my family.”

“I would like to find this city, Bursa, and continue my journey.”

“I will lead you there with my father. We leave tomorrow to bring some of our flock to market.”

“Then, you have granted my wish. I will join you.” The Jinn followed the boy and his animals back toward the farm.

The sun rose high above the green lands. Morning mists swept out from before the travelers. A man and his son rode on camels with a third man riding alongside the father. They led a small selection of sheep gently toward a bustling metropolis.

The father held his hand out, “Master Jinn, may I present Bursa, the capital of our Empire.”

“How...lovely,” Jinn answered.

“Yes, it is.” The boy eagerly said, “We are a young empire, but our city is greater than any other in the world!”

“Now, son. Boasting is for generals and Beyliks. Be humble. I’m sure our illustrious guest has seen many great cities.” The father answered.

Jinn laughed, “I assure you, what I have seen is beyond anything you will experience in this life. But, nonetheless, this city is marvelous on its own.”

“Come! Market is already busy!” The father guided his camel and the sheep along the way.

Jinn followed behind, gaining as much wisdom about this new place as he could. The father and mother of this child did not believe the fantastic stories their son told. So, the boy decided it was a secret between them. Jinn promised him one more wish if he kept the secret, so the boy asked for wealth. They will find their sheep go for a high price today, and this amused Jinn.

No sooner had they entered this sprawling city did Jinn find himself in crowded streets filled with loud people. Primitive barter was carried out at every corner and doorway. Stands filled with fruits, and vegetables were next to shops selling carpets, fabrics, and pottery. Once the farmer and his son found their buyers, it was time for them to part company.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Master Jinn.” The father said.

Jinn bowed to him, “I offer my gratitude and thanks for all of your help. I pray your animals bring you much wealth.”

The man leaned in and whispered, “I’ve already had five offers, and I was just walking down the street. I have underestimated the value of my flock.”

“I’m sure you have.” Jinn knelt down to the boy, “Be good and keep our secret. Thank you for giving me an identity.”

The boy hugged him, “Thank you for the wishes.”

“Good luck.” Jinn bid his final farewell and moved through the busy market.

Jinn walked through the market, passing a slave auction, and then came to special shops for the richer clientele. Brass and bronze objects were displayed along with jewels and other precious metals. Wealthy men of this area purchased trinkets for their brides or daughters...or camels. Unlike the lively market he left, this was more calm.

Something caught his eye. He stood before a shop that had delicate items made of glass and other fragile elements. This was one of the most ornate shops he had seen. However, it wasn’t the golden jewelry or gem-encrusted mirrors that piqued his interest. A tall, black bottle sat on a shelf. The bottom of the bottle was twisted while the neck stretched high. He lifted it and found it much heavier than he expected.

“Oh, you like the black bottle?” A craggy old woman said.

He held the bottle up, letting a little sunlight shine through it. “This is impressive.”

“It is also one of a kind. That is no ordinary glass, it is pure obsidian. It was traded to my husband by Captain Omar, who discovered among treasures from a captured pirate ship. We do not know where it comes from, but it is in excellent condition. Sorry to say, it contains no fine wine.”

He pulled the black stopper off the top and peered down into the empty body, “This is perfect, absolutely perfect. I have never seen anything like this.”

“And you shall never again. Make me an offer, stranger.”

Jinn, still enamored with the bottle, said, “I am afraid I do not know the value of your currency, so I don’t know where to begin. Give me a price and I will pay it.”

“No, that is not how it works. We bargain. You give me a price and I counter. This is how we make deals here in Bursa.” She smiled at him, her golden jewelry glinting in the sunlight.

He smiled at her, “I like you. Here is what I offer. I am a Jinn. I can offer you a wish, in exchange for this unique item.”

She laughed, “That is a new one. I have never heard such foolishness from one who seems to be in his right mind. Do not play games with me, I deal in gold, silver, or barter for valuable items. Now, make me a deal.”

Jinn laughed at her, “So, you don’t believe me. I suppose the myth of the Jinn is merely a legend to your people. That works well for me, I don’t want too much attention. So, I will play your game...in my way. Here.” He looked around for a moment and then saw a young woman come over and look at a small bauble hanging from one stand this old lady owned. The woman’s husband, an old, wealthy-looking man, came over and shook his head. He didn’t approve of such cheap jewelry for his young bride. Jinn made sure the old woman was watching, then waved his hand in front of the man’s face.

The man became dazed, picked up the bauble, and then came over and paid ten times its value, and then left.

The woman gasped, “By Allah! How...why...who are you?”

Jinn said, “I am what I said, a Jinn. You want currency to make you happy, then you have it. Is that enough for this bottle?”

“More than enough. But...”

“Thank you.” He bowed his head to her and then walked away with his prize.

Jinn walked out of the markets and into a narrow alley where laundry strung between buildings. Large rugs and other clothing danced in the afternoon breezes. He looked around to make sure he was alone.

“It’s about time for me to obey the decree.” He said to himself.

Jinn had confirmed in his mind that he would be more obedient now, more honorable. His ways had gained a little respect back home, and he was lucky to have survived Legion’s decimation of his world. He would obey the order to split his power between himself and a talisman, an object. The object had to be foreign, he couldn’t manifest it with his own power, otherwise, it really wouldn’t work. Besides, he liked this Obsidian bottle.

Holding it close to his chest, he closed his eyes. He would not only divide himself into two parts, he would recreate his image so he appeared as the myth of the Jinn. When he spoke to the boy, his parents, and that woman, and told them he was a Jinn, he took from their mind the image they expected when thinking of this mythical figure. Even those who did not believe him had some idea of what a Jinn would look like. It was slightly different each time, but some elements were the same. He would adapt the image to his own design, to make it unique.

With this in mind, he concentrated on the bottle and began to split his soul. It was no easy task, and the pain was unbelievable. A blue smoke exploded around him and swirled, sending the nearby fabric billowing in all directions. He couldn’t contain the scream of agony as he did this act of division. Power poured into the object. It was taking longer than he expected and the strength of this act tore parts of the buildings off. Jinn was not interested in destroying this place, so he opened his arms and let the power explode upward. He flew into the sky, dragging some fabric with him.

Flying up into the clouds, his body transformed. From the waist up he lost all clothing and gained an impressive physique. From the waist down, he lost all form, and it turned to smoke connected to the bottle. This was part of the image that those people had believed in. Yelling as he transformed the cyclone in the heavens parted the clouds. Finally, he was sucked into the bottle, and it plummeted back to the ground.

Citizens came looking for the commotion and were investigating the alley. Some were in the windows checking the destruction to their laundry. Suddenly a black bottle hit the ground so hard it sent a wave of sandy, hot wind in all directions.

After the winds died down, and the dust settled, one brave man approached the bottle. Before he could reach it, a billowing cloud of blue smoke puffed out of it and a man formed from the smoke. He was wearing sirwal pants with a large blue sash, and nothing else.

Picking up his bottle, Jinn bowed, “Pardon the mess. I didn’t mean to cause such a stir.”

“DJINN!” A woman yelled and people ran away.

“Oh, great. Just what I didn’t want to cause: fear.” Jinn looked around, “Please, don’t scream. I...hey, come back.”

Just then a royal guard came down the street, “What is this?”

Jinn smiled, “Ah, an official-looking man. Please, I wish to be taken to your palace. I want to meet the leader of these lands.”

The guard sneered at him, “What is this? I should take you in for speaking to me so rudely.”

Jinn snapped his fingers, and the man lifted off the ground and was helplessly hovering in the air, “I am trying to be nice, I don’t mean any harm. But I will not be treated like some common criminal. Now, I asked to be shown to the leader of these lands.”

The man sputtered for a moment and then said, “Oh, yes, of course, Lord Jinn, I will do as you wish, please put me down.”

“My pleasure.” He lowered the man and then strutted out of the alley with the guard now reverently directing him.