The Wraith of the Woods: A Gods Isle Story (The Seeker Book 1)

by Steve Spalding

  "What ... is this...what happened here? Close your eyes, get out! This is..."

  "Why?"

  "Because they're dead! Your parents are dead."

  "No they aren't."

  "Oh little one, but they are...I'm so sorry."

  "I think you might be confused Seeker..."

  "I'm not confused! They're right there, on the ground. No please, don't look! Oh,I'm such an idiot. You can't look, it's not good for you, just believe me, something, some animal ... it ripped them open."

  "I'd certainly hope so."

  "Certainly...what are you saying?"

  "I'm saying that I would hope they're still on the ground. That is where I left them this morning, and it would be sort of a weird if they got up and walked off, don't you think?"

  "You ... did this?"

  "You already know the answer to that Hollow One. Now, I'm sure you understand that there is no point in running, even if you weren't half dead."

  "Are you...no, that can't be, it's just a fish tale."

  "Not all tales are tall, Seeker. Speaking of which, I promised you my name, but now I think it would be more fun if you guessed it!"

  "No...I won't. I won't play your game!"

  "Seeker ... I rarely ask nicely, and I never ask twice. Now, say my name..."

  "You're...you're, Little Red."

  "There you go, that wasn't so hard. Now, sit down, I'm hungry..."

  “MOONSDAY, 11TH MOONRISE, NIGHT”

  34

  "Lets play the question game..."

  "Uh ... alright."

  "Lovely. Now, why are you in these woods, Hollow One? I'll know if you're lying."

  "I already told you, I'm on a pilgrimage. I'm with the Order of the Aspect, just a Monk, nothing special. I'm here looking for the Wraith of the Woods."

  "The Wraith of the...oh, I see now, that does explain a few things. Moving on, moving on, it's your turn."

  "I don't ... want to..."

  "I told you, I don't like repeating myself..."

  "Yea...right...wha..what are you doing to them? That's my question."

  "And a fine question it is young man. You see, the skin is where all the hair and stink live, that and the bowels. You have to remove them first to get at the nibbles. I'm sure you understand. Show me you understand...good. OK, my turn again. Why did you join up with such a joyless band of prigs?"

  "They saved me. I was an orphan in Sky, living on the streets. They rescued me, brought me to Valhullen, raised me."

  "Oh no...oh no, oh no...and there we have our first lie. Well, half-lie, so I guess I don't have to eat you."

  "Wha...What do you mean?"

  "I mean that you are lying to me Seeker, and I just can't have that. I understand you need to keep up appearances for that little bit of shiny around your neck, but you are my dinner guest Seeker, and if you wish to retain the 'guest' portion of your title, you will sing true and not waste anymore of my questions. So again, why did you join the Monks of Valhullen?"

  "I needed to get away from the Court of Sky."

  "Much better. Your turn."

  35

  "Why are you doing this?"

  "I was wandering about the Winding Woods, thinking of not more than daffodils and sweet meats, when I happened upon a boy with eyes of a beast. There was hunger in those eyes and for a moment, one shining moment, he reminded me of days when the world was young. When I was young. I thought I saw something in those eyes Seeker, though I regret to say that so far the man attached to them has been a complete disappointment. So tell me, why would a young man graced to be in the presence of the Court, choose to live in a Threetalon back alley?"

  "I'm tired of your games!"

  "So there is a bit a steel left in you -- good, good. Fear always makes the meat go sour. That answer is no lie at least, much better than before, but it's also no fun. Ask your question."

  "Are you going to eat me?"

  "That, my lovely piece of gristle is left to be decided. There is something to you, something burning in that blood of yours, and I want to know what it is, but I see now that you won't tell me as long as that jewel hangs around your neck like a noose. So how about you and I make a deal, I will quiet that little charm you hold for long enough for you to sing to me of your childhood. If I like your tune, I promise that you'll see the morning, and many mornings beside. Do we have ourselves a compact?"

  "I'll do it."

  "Wonderful."

  36

  "You are something, aren't you? No wonder you ran away from the world."

  "Are we still on about your game?"

  "Questions? No. This is far more delicious, and to be frank, it doesn't seem like your heart is really in it."

  "And you're going to keep our bargain?"

  "I'm too old to break my promises Seeker."

  "So can I leave?"

  "No, we still have so much more to talk about. Before that though, there is a boy in the kitchen whose getting cold. Would you mind bringing him here for me? My hands are a bit full."

  "You're a monster."

  "At least I'm not the only one in the room."

  37

  "So your family has been lost to you twice over, and you've run away to a monastery with your honor between your legs. Why go through all the trouble of coming out here? I'm sure you could have happily wiled away your broken, little life Reflecting on a field mouse or some sort."

  "I thought we weren't playing questions anymore?"

  "Whose playing?"

  "You can't eat me Red, just let me go."

  "I can't eat you, but I can cut you child, and cut and cut and cut until you will wish for an eternity inside my gullet, rather than another instant in this Isle Cursed wood. So sing or scream, it matters not to me."

  "Because I believe in the Order. When I thought I had lost everything, they showed me how big the world really was. They showed me that I was big enough to Understand it. And they did one more thing, they gave me a real future, which is something the Court of Sky never would."

  "How delightful! You're a believer as well as a deserter, you don't see many of those."

  "I don't need this..."

  "You misapprehend me Seeker. It was a compliment. In this shallow age, people have forgotten what it is to believe in anything but those blighted creatures we call gods. Yours is the steel of soul, not the whimper of prayer, and I respect that."

  "Is what they say about you true? Were you really there when the Isle Gods cast down the Great Wryms?"

  "Oh, you mean like your story? As I've told you, not all tales are tall, and even a fishmonger's song rings true on occasion. The Gods of the Isle are known to me, so are the Wryms and things older besides. More than that I will not say, especially not with that jewel hanging round your neck. That's right, I promised you aid in your quest at some point, did I not?"

  "You promised to save my life."

  "We should probably get on that then, before we lose the light."

  38

  "Come sit with me Seeker. Worry not, you have nothing to fear."

  "I'm not getting any closer to that...to those...."

  "You really should learn to be less squemish, but fine, fetch me a dram of whatever is strong in the cupboard, and as much salt as you can find."

  "Why?"

  "Just do it..."

  39

  "Here."

  "Good. Now come closer."

  "Why?"

  "Give me a moment, you can go hide in your corner right after. I just need to take a look at you."

  "Fine..."

  "Closer! Don't act like such a frightened pup...good, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

  "I guess not...Ow! You bit me!"

  "Of course I did, needed a taste of your blood. Well worth it to have your future told, I'd say. Now, run off and whimper somewhere else."

  "You..."

  "Take care Seeker, you should be thanking not cursing me, I'm wasting a perfectly good meal. Once you mess about in the entrails like
this, mix the blood in, weave the Craft, the rest of the body is not worth a Muirbeast's toenail. Alright, let's see what there is too..."

  "What? What do you see?"

  "I was right, you're heading towards Loch Irwin, that's where that Hexbound cloak of yours is taking you, and that is where you will find your Wraith."

  "Is that all?"

  "Not hardly... you are Fate-touched."

  "I've heard that before, what does it mean?"

  "It means that perhaps I couldn't have killed you if I wanted to. It means that things older than I have need of your boney ankles. It means you're just as interesting as I thought you were."

  "What are you talking about! I'm just a Monk, and a bad one at that. I can't do anything for anyone. I can barely keep myself alive."

  "Which is what all with Fates bigger than themselves have said since the beginning of world dear one, and they've all found that to be a lie."

  "This is crazy..."

  "Perhaps, but watching you wrestle with eternity will put me right off my dinner. All I can say is that in your Path, I see the eyes of Dragons and a sea of corpses. It seems like your future promises me many fine meals."

  "I want to leave now."

  "And I suspect you should."

  40

  "And you're sure that what I seek is at Loch Irwin?"

  "No, what you seek is much closer than that, but you will set eyes on your Wraith there, if you survive."

  "Survive?"

  "When I found you, I knew that you would be dead well before you made the Loch. You had lost something in the hunger, and while your feet could drag you to your goal, your soul would not hold out. I promised to save your life, so I bit you."

  "And how does that help?"

  "I am Finality, the Bloody Child -- my bite is poison young one. Poison that has felled men far greater than you. There is a nest of Griffins close to where your Loch sits, you can make a poultice from a scrap of your cloak and one of their egg shells, assuming you get there before the next night falls. If not, you will die. I've found desperation is like flint and steel for the soul."

  "You ... you promised to let me live!"

  "Oh, you'll be fine... you are Fate-touched after all."

  "You're... I've got to ... got to get out of here..."

  "Before you go, would you indulge one more question?"

  "It's not like I have another choice..."

  "Oh calm down, I just want to know why you smell like a hag I once killed?"

  "I...I....wha'...why can't I...I..."

  "Ghast got your tongue?"

  "Wha...What's wrong with me?"

  "As I thought, you have a Hex laid on you. Probably for the same reason you're covered in Dread stink and wearing a cloak that costs more than your life. Ah well, that is a mystery for another time."

  "I pray we never meet again for you to solve it, Little Red."

  "I pray that you're right, but I think Fate has other plans for us young one."

  “ISLESDAY, 12TH MOONRISE, AFTERNOON”

  REFLECTION

  The first time I was on a bird, I was barely bigger than one of its fore claws. If I was any regular child, I wouldn't have been left within a stone's throw of one of those beautiful monsters, I was barely four Winter's old.

  I remember watching Knights, hard men and women, adjusting straps of leather and steel, binding themselves to their mounts. I remember thinking...well, never mind what I was thinking. But I was so proud. Proud of my Kingdom, of my...

  That morning we went to hunt a clutch of Griffins that had setup a nest a little too close to forest edge. For the most part, we left the creatures alone, they're big and nasty if provoked, but are mostly afraid of humans.

  This sorry lot just had the bad luck of getting too close to a trade road.

  The Last Knight, the King's eyes and the Queen's right hand, was leading our Wing. Issak was her name and she shone like the sun against the morning sky. When she looked over her soldiers, I could see in their eyes that each and every one would slit themselves from throat to belly if she had ordered it.

  In that moment I cried, the men thought I was just scared for my first flight, but the truth is that I cried because I knew that soon, very soon, I would have to leave.

  41

  I've been grasping more and more at the soul of the Kiros, hoping that perhaps it may stay the demon's poison.

  I can feel my body failing me -- I'm starting to lose time, and I can tell the Aspect of Stone slipped away long ago.

  No matter though, the Dread One's tunic keeps my steps certain, keeps me moving forward, at least until the rest of my body burns...

  She wants me to find a Griffin's nest.

  I wonder if she knew?

  Huh.

  Aspirant forgive me, for I am a liar, and I fear I will be long dead before I can regale you with the truth of my past!

  And worse, I fear I am too much of a coward to leave my sad tale etched into the stone on my chest.

  But what is mystery but the salt of Understanding? One day you may Reflect on me, on my crippled soul, and then perhaps you will find my Aspect within, and you will know the Truth.

  Perhaps not.

  42

  My arms can barely hold my weight, but to reach the nest, to reach the Loch beyond, I must either climb or walk, and if my eyes still sing true, the walk would drive me past the demon's deadline.

  She was right though, she was right, feeling Indriel's hand on my brow has almost made me forget the hunger.

  So thank you Bloody Child, your wisdom is great indeed!

  Up I go...

  43

  Those Griffins we hunted that day, it was two males and two females, a scouting party.

  To see them from the air, we looked like songbirds.

  But I knew that we were fast, and they were not expecting a chase.

  Issak split our Wing, half of us were charged with flushing the creatures from the open air into the canopy. That low, their size works against them, they thrash about, wings and claws getting bound up in branches and overhangs.

  Once they were hamstrung, Issak's team flew in with blade and bow and talon.

  The fight was done before the blighters even realized they were fighting...

  I know what the Griffins would have done to the first caraven that had the misfortune of crossing their path, but to this day, I still wonder if we could have saved them.

  Sacrifice has never been my strong suit, and you wonder why I ran?

  I don't know why I'm telling you this story, call it a Reflection on the nature of Griffins, a preparation for the battle ahead, or maybe just a way to distract myself from my burning arms and Isle Cursed lungs.

  Havner, if you're there listening to me, I could use your healing touch right about now -- lest your cousin take me first.

  44

  It would be so easy to let go.

  So easy.

  So easy.

  So easy.

  So...easy...

  I suppose that's why I won't do it.

  45

  You know what I've always wondered? Why hasn't anyone ever tried to find the Aspect of a Griffin, or one of the King's birds? You know, something that would let us fly. Now that would a useful talent!

  We're busy staring at rocks and waves and little skittering things, when there is a whole world of power to be had, Seven Kingdoms worth of wild magic.

  I get it, I'm not an Aspect Warrior. I'm too weak, I started too late, but you heard the demon, you heard the Witch -- I'm "Fate-touched!"

  I'm special... all over again.

  Special.

  When I get back, I'll show you all! I can be more than I am, I don't have to hide anymore!