A Story Never Told - Part 1 - Under the Holy Tree
#1 of A Story Never Told (Discontinued)
This is the first part of a collaboration between besonik and me. It is a short story that will span about 10 parts. I think this part here will be the shortest of the 10 as part 2 already is trice the size. It makes a good teaser.
The plan was to publish this first part now and then finish all the other parts before we continue to post them. I wonder though, what our readers would prefer. Would you like the parts once done or do you prefer to wait till we can post e.g. weekly?
"Hope is not the expectation that everything is going to be alright, but the certainty that no matter what happens, it will make sense."
In the dense forest of Sorg Skogur, beside the giant holy tree, Aldreda balanced on her tail. Rays of light fought their way through dense treetops, dancing on the ground. The air was heavy with the scent of damp soil, cool and rich. Ornaments of moss covered roots, songs of birds and the sound of rustling leaves all around.
An unloving certainty that fate had decided to take its toll today had woken her and thus she waited in silence for events to unveil themselves.
Aldreda was a Venkat; a creature with a very long and strong tail, elongate ears and horns which grew longer with age. Her's were impressive. She was of a dignified appearance, wearing two earrings and a black dress with a feathered collar. Over her shoulder she carried a bag with vials of colourful fluids and ingredients. Her hands rested upon a skull staff, carrying an old, but beautiful flask.
As she sat in silence, her thoughts wandered; revived memories of days long past and of a promise older than herself. She was a druid and once vowed to serve as a guide of the soul, to ease the pain and shun the fear haunting the dying. The battle for peace within was not a struggle fought with sword and shield, but with words and holy rites, with wisdom and sympathy. Her weapons were forged in the fire of suffering and honed by experience.
Even with those who lived long and were ready to accept death her duty demanded great care, but time and again the end loomed all too soon, causing fear and suffering. Either way her commitment was always taxing and for that she was grateful. She knew, should it ever feel easy to help another fade in peace, then she no longer had the right heart to be a druid. The druids' rule was: 'In equilibrium you shall care. With just balance you shall ease the pain and shield yourself, but when a life ends, their pain ends. Do not carry it on.'
She was expecting her nether dragon, Finlo, to return soon with news of what grim events the day held, but sensed a different presence approach from behind.
Her muscles tensed. Waiting she felt it come closer and closer.
'Now!'
With lightning speed she turned around and got hold of it.
"Got you again, you little bugger! Not even once in 299 years!", she laughed as she caught Vanya, her other nether dragon. The amused little creature rested in her hands and Aldreda felt a warm, loving emotion from her. She took a moment to admire her.
Netherdragons were faithful spirits who preserved their bonded companion´s memories beyond death and kept them company in all future lives. In return the union with a Venkat allows them to exist in physical form instead of bodiless fumes which all too soon fade from this world. Naturally it was a very intimate bond, living literally close to ones heart, sharing thoughts and emotions.
In consolation she hugged Vanya very gently, sharing a warm thought, but their amusement was interrupted abruptly when Finlo returned. No joy shone through the features of his face and he told Aldreda with emotions and images - not words - what he had learned. Her expression darkened as she saw the terrified eyes of the the youngling Vayle. He was lying on a makeshift bed in his family's living room. His parents tried to calm and help him. Three young Venkat - his friends - were sitting in a corner sobbing and holding each other.
The boy was dying slowly and painfully, but the worst was that he had no nether dragon yet. Even souls are born someday and Vayle was a new soul, destined to forget should he not bond with a nether dragon before his death.
Quickly she grabbed the flask from her staff, turned towards the tree and closed her eyes, calming her breath and thoughts. She soon saw the ocean of flames and never ending night of the afterworld. It was a place not meant for the living and what lay behind the black void that protected the mind was to remain a mystery.
She called out into the unknown.
Silence...
Again she called.
Nothing...
Waiting...
Finally warmth arose in her body.
'It is here!'
She exhaled deeply into the bottle, emptied her lungs and slowly opened her eyes. There it was! The bottle was no longer empty. Inside the flask purple fumes did not give much of a hint that they were alive.
"Vanya, Finlo, hold tight!", she called her netherdragons, who turned to haze and vanished into her chest.
With powerful thrusts of her tail she sped off, running onward, dodging trees and protecting the flask. Over root and boulder, stump and stone she jumped, trees rushing past. Soon she reached the edge of Sorg Skogur.
As she burst through shrubbery she startled a few surprised crows that complained angrily.
"Shoo! Keep your distance or I will send Finlo after you!" she shouted after them and felt a tiny, fanged grin within.
Finlo pointed her in the right direction. Hills and houses passed by like events on the fabric of time fading into oblivion. It was a beautiful spring time afternoon with few clouds, but Aldreda knew the hearts of the Venkat she was about to meet were overshadowed by the darkest of conditions.
Soon she would be able to make out their dwelling from afar.