The Forgotten Ones


I once saw the god Anu in a TV series when I was six and was devastated when he was killed off. He was my favourite character, and I wished so badly for his return in the series that I even prayed for it. Two weeks passed with me wishing for Anu’s return, and he indeed did appear in the series once again, but something was off…
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It seemed that I was the only one who could see Anu in the series. My parents paid no attention to it; they probably assumed it was simply my imagination. However, things became weirder as the months progressed, as I started seeing Anu in various other TV series, and even in cartoons. I brought this up with my parents, yet they shrugged it off the same as before, saying I was just too attached to the character. I almost believed them, but deep down, I knew there was more to it than that.
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As I grew older, however, my interests shifted, and I slowly forgot about the character I once adored. By the time I was in university, he was but a distant memory. However, what I did not realise was that the main character of the indie movie project I was doing was actually inspired by him. Forgotten memories soon flooded my mind, and I wondered for a moment how nice it would have been to see Anu once again.
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The lecturer praised my work and said I exceeded their expectations. That evening, I opened my laptop and watched it for the first time, keeping the thought of it being my work out of my mind, just to enjoy it as a regular movie; and it was then that something strange happened…
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Anu, whom I had not seen for years, was in the movie. I sat there, motionless, unable to even think straight. How could it be? There was no rational explanation. It was then that Anu, from behind the screen, suddenly turned towards me, as if their gaze were piercing the screen itself. I was about to fold my laptop when he yelled.
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“No, wait!” Anu said.
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My body froze as my hand remained still in the air. “How… Who are you?”
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“I’m Anu, the same one you prayed to as a child.”
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“But you’re…”
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“I know, I’m taking the form of the human actor who played me in the series you loved as a child, but your love for that character melded with your prayers to summon me from the Veil. It’s a rare experience to us Forgotten Ones, one we appreciate beyond expression.”
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Curious about the history of the Forgotten Ones, I asked Anu about his past. Anu had so much to say, both about him and many other ancient pantheons. I learned so much that night about stories that were lost to the ever-shifting sands of time.

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