by c a king
“I know this story, I can see it. You shared it with me.”
His eyes starred back at her. He blinked a couple times. “Something new I will have to be careful of.”
“But this is a gift you can share with everyone, you need to...”
She was cut off again. “No, I don't want anyone to know. Now promise. Willow, please promise me you won't tell.”
“I won't tell. But promise me, when no one is around, you will show me more stories,” she said looking at the second book. A perplexed scowl came over her face. “Nathan this book isn't written in any language I have ever seen before.”
He took it from her, placed it in front of him and repeated the same process. Again the white light connecting hand to book appeared and a few moments later he smiled and said, “I understand it! Zoz ta'qu rogram! I understand it!”
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Did you just speak a different language?”
“I did,” he replied with a smile so big it took up most of his face. “Here,” he offered.
She extended her arm. The light bound the two again and when it was finished, her eyes darted back and forth as if they were trying to help process information.
“Amazing!” she blurted out “Zzz'hq!” She spun around in a circle, grabbed the boy and hugged him. “I can speak another language.” Looking as if searching for information she added, “An ancient language used by only those who were present at the beginning of our time. Do you know how incredible this is? And the story, the meeting between the guardians and the ancient snakes, the arguments over territory, over power, leadership, the need to be recognized as more important, stronger and better than subjects below them. It's riveting, compelling...treacherous yet beautiful. Do you think it's real, a history of sorts?”
“More likely a story, to teach a lesson about corruption, the good and bad in everyone, and choose the right path kinda deal. It's a big theme in many of Gran's books. But it's the oldest book here and it's not written in Gran's hand writing. I think it probably is a very old forgotten language, anyways it means we now have our own secret language, which is brilliant.”
“Brilliant! This is the ultimate! Are you sure you don't want to share with others? I think they would be impressed from beyond.” Willow could hardly control her excitement and spun around again.
“Yeah well you are a geek.”
She stopped mid spin. “I am not.” She couldn't avoid the look of disagreement on his face and burst out into a little giggle. “Okay, I guess I am, a little,” she added. “But you have to admit having our own secret language is exciting.”
The two moved away from the table just in time for the doors to open.
Diana Waddington always looked as if she had been royalty. Not because of fancy clothes or gemstones, but a true regal look about her face. Her hair was dark and always tied up in a bun, without a single strand out of place. She had naturally stunning features like no other in town. Her cheek bones were high, but with soft lines which traced upwards to her cool baby blue eyes, spaced perfectly and topped with long eyelashes. Her nose was small with a curved point at the end sitting above full and naturally red lips. When she smiled she showed off her pearl white teeth all correctly spaced and sized. She was posture perfect with a straight back wherever she went, showing off a beautiful figure with curves in all the right places...none too big and none too small. Diana always wore full length dresses, in one solid pastel colour, that were clean and crisp. There was no doubt she attended to her appearance daily in some ritualistic form. When she spoke, she pronounced every word clearly as if they formed off her tongue and lips perfectly. Her voice lifted and fell with emotion in all the right places, creating an almost musical tone.
“You two look like you are having fun. Continue on. I am just getting ready for tonight,” Diana said.
In all the excitement, Willow had completely forgotten about her conversation with Jessie “What is so special about tonight's story? I was told you wanted me to hear it.”
“Patience my child. You will hear it with others. Private readings might be construed as treacherous in some way by the Council. I don't think either of us need to be considered as a threat by them, now do we?”
Diana had a point that couldn't be denied, so Willow and Nathan grabbed a pillow and blanket from the piles and chose a place to sit before the others arrived. Over the course of the next hour the room began to fill. Jessie, Dezi, Pete, Victoria, Clairity, and Ashlyn chose the seats directly around them. Other children filled the remaining spots. There was the metal smith's son and daughter and two of the wood worker's daughters.
The boy in the corner caught Willow's eye. She nudged Jessie beside her and motioned towards the corner. It was Arnold, the boy from the orphanage, and he had his eyes locked on her again.
“He must have heard us earlier when we were talking. I hope it's worth it because I wouldn't want to be him later when someone notices he isn't at the orphanage,” Jessie said.
Diana Waddington took her place in the chair. On the table beside her were candles with glass covers that illuminated the area perfectly for reading and a book, with a cover that was plain and a brownish red shade, covered with dust.
“Everyone, settle down and find a comfortable spot now. We are about to begin,” she said blowing the dust off the book in a direction no one was sitting in and opening it to the first page. Silence fell across the room in anticipation.
“Once long, long ago, there was one world, which contained all of the different realms and every type of being or creature one could possibly imagine. There were small pixies whose wings would light up at night, no bigger than the size of your pinky finger and pointy eared elves dwelling in the trees of the largest forests, faeries who dusted the skies with playful magic and large ugly trolls who hid in the darkest caves of mountains, witches who could practice the best and the worst magic had to offer, half beast half man creatures with enhanced senses of sight and sound, mighty giants with one eye, goblins and gnomes, beings who lived under water, wizards and winks, dwarfs and men of all natures.”
“Sitting in the middle, on top of a hill, watching over all, was an ancient tree named Acacia, taller by far than any tree that could be found. Its beautiful green leaves on large drooping branches gently swept the ground beneath them in the wind. She was one of the first ancients ever in existence. Together with guardians, she protected the right of each and every culture to exist and grow in its own way, in its own time and most importantly on its own path. Their purpose was not to judge what direction a realm chose to take, nor to involve themselves in regulating right and wrong for these realms, but rather to ensure that every type of creature in the realms had a chance to evolve on its own.”
“You would not see the light if there was never any dark. Likewise, you could not distinguish what was right and just if there wasn't any wrong. All things are balanced.”
“It wasn't long until another group of ancients with a darker side emerged comprised of beings, once considered guardians, who had chosen to act on impulse and desire rather than reason. They believed their powers made them better than the rest of the realms and that they should be treated as such, bowed down to, served and worshipped. A great battle began between the remaining guardians and those who had left the order to pursue personal gain and power.”
“Realizing the battle was not advancing and that both sides would be bound in a stalemate forever, the Xiuhcoatle, a race of large serpents began a search that would change history forever. The snakes searched high and low for a weak man who could easily be manipulated, charmed with promises of wealth and power, to wage a war between the realms, so that the guardians would be forced to intervene. Apopp, one of the largest of the serpents, at long last found what they were looking for, a man named Adom and his wife Evila. They were mortal with no extraordinary talents, living a modest life. The couple were offered a drink of the blood of faeries, which Apopp promised would enhance their strength and speed and allow thei
r family to claim other lands as their own, taking riches for themselves. The two drank and war followed.”
“They conquered many lands with the aid of the great serpent's potion. Within the realms, news of the benefits of drinking blood of the magical spread like wildfire and so did a new obsession with obtaining the power granting blood. Men began to try to conquer those who showed signs of magic in any form. Creatures were captured and persecuted. Wars broke out. Forests were burned. Lives were lost. Great kings obsessed with gold and riches were born, with one wish, to extend their kingdoms and enslave those who opposed them. The blood wars were in full swing and such would be the theme throughout much of the world for some time.”
“The remaining guardian races and Acacia decided they could not fight both the other ancients and protect the realms from each other. A decision had to be made and, after much discussion and thought, the one world was split by the realms into many different worlds with only portals left connecting each to the main world. For added protection, all portals required a guardian to activate them.”
“The magical folk were safe again. The men were left to bicker and fight amongst themselves in their own lands. The power of the potions wore off and the ancient races were each given their own worlds to be bound to. The final decision was less than popular with many, especially a few of the kingdoms of men and the ancients.”
“Before creating a land for themselves, the guardians chose a group of gifted and honourable beings to join them. There were many possible choices, but only so many could be chosen based on their disposition to act upon temptation and the emotions that can be found within each of us. As a gift for their service, Acacia granted them and their families to come, the gift of extended life. They weren't immortal but without sickness or war, they would live to the end of time. Their age would not show, nor would their bones ache or body fail.”
“A beautiful world was created with vast forests and gardens. A great house sat overlooking the rest of the world. It was a home for everyone. All were equal and all would train to ensure the safety of every being and to ensure only the guardians and their new friends had use of the portals. There could be no doorways into or out of the main world which could allow corruption to enter or leave.”
“It was soon discovered that by creating the portals the guardians had to syphon off some of their powers and as a result they could not travel through the very gateways they created to the other worlds. They searched for a solution for many cycles. It wasn't until a young prophet suggested that the guardians might merge with another being, that an answer presented itself. Shortly after the prophecy rang true and certain men and women were able to merge with guardians as one. Two guardians was the maximum any one person could handle. In this combined form the guardians could pass through the portals. Once on the other side the two could separate again.”
“The arrangement proved to be advantageous in other ways as well. The host person could take on some of the guardian's traits, agility, balance, advanced perception, rear sight, tracking abilities and they could communicate in a telepathic form, with each other, while merged. There became three distinct groups now in this new home world, the guardians, the keepers and the guardian friends, all still treated equal, each with their own unique purpose in regulating the safety of all life.”
“Teams were trained for their future adventures in the main world and different realms. They had many adventures over the cycles, but that is another story.”
Diana Waddington used a piece of paper to mark her place in the book and placed it back on the table beside her. She looked up at the children who were stretching and starting to move off the floor. From the looks on their faces she could tell they were happy with the tale she had just told.
Jessie bumped Willow's arm as they were leaving. “So? What was so special you had to hear that story?”
“I don't know,” she replied. “Maybe the whole good and bad in all of us thing, you know, the 'you are growing up don't murder anyone, it's just hormones kinda deal'.”
Jessie laughed. “I could see that.”
“I did read a book earlier that mentioned the same races though. Do you think they could be real? I mean a race of evil snakes is disturbing to say the least and all that drinking of blood. Yuck. Who could do such a thing?”
“That's what makes the story so great.” Dezi stuck his head between them and laughed. “You aren't scared of a little sensationalism are you? You sure you can handle being all alone tonight? Who knows what might find a doorway into our world and attack you. Now, if you need some company to keep you safe.”
“Don't ask Dez cause you definitely wouldn't be safe!” Clairity laughed. The laughter grew louder as everyone else joined in. The trio were dressed similar to each other tonight and had held the attention of several of the girls over the story for most of the evening. They were the three most eligible prospects for young girls looking for a future husband, including several who were living in the castle.
“I think if there was anything, including doorways to other worlds hidden in the forest someone would have found it by now. Think of all the times we have played hide and seek and never came across anything,” Willow answered.
“No one has ever found where the forest ends though, so...who knows what could be out there.” Pete smiled as he teased the girls.
“Okay, enough I am going to have night scares in my dreams.” Clairity had a real sense of worry on her face. Willow understood the feeling, all the talk of monsters and blood was frightening, even if she wouldn't let the others see how she felt.
It was late and she had to be up earlier than the others so she turned to say goodbye catching sight of something out of the corner of her eye that stopped her dead in her tracks. It was Arnold and he was standing in the space beside the Waddington house. It was almost as if he were hiding in the shadows. She motioned again to Jessie who turned and looked. The boy backed up and started walking away as if nothing unusual had happened.
“He was watching us. It's a little creepy,” Willow whispered to Jessie.
“That story really got to you didn't it?” He laughed. “Arnold isn't creepy. He is just another kid. Probably wanted to join in the conversation but was too scared of rejection. I think you should call it a night.”
Willow agreed and muttered, “See you tomorrow,” as she headed to her one bedroom shack for the night. Once inside she changed into her bed wear, lay down and pulled the cover over her head.
Closing her eyes, images of the story haunted her imagination. Sleep wasn't going to come easy, if she kept thinking about frightening things. She put the thoughts out of her mind and concentrated on the forest and its trees. The thoughts soothed her, made her feel better.
'Sleep child, you are safe tonight,' the female voice whispered gently and the world swirled around as Willow drifted off into a deep sleep.
Chapter Four
Willow could feel the motion of her breath rhythmically moving in and out of her chest. A cool breeze brushed against her face. She opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of the town road wearing nothing but a full length, white silk nightgown. Her long red hair hung loose, flowing behind her gently as if harmonized with every breath she took.
A fog crept low to the ground, rolling in from the forest. The eerie mist swirled around her bare ankles. In thinner patches, she noticed the ground was lined with faceless bodies, none moving. She headed down the street towards the tree line to see what she had thought to be fog was actually smoke. The forest was set a blaze in giant blue flames, everywhere. The clouds began to rumble with thunder and lightening lit up the sky as rain began to pour down on her. She tried to scream for help but she couldn't make any noise. Her mouth fell open gasping for words.
Her feet began moving, running aimlessly up the road. There was no other life...no signs of people. She approached the castle gates, but they were destroyed. Broken stone scattered throughout the grounds and only parts of the castle still st
ood amidst the rubble. The coloured windows were shattered, the stone table cracked in half. Disaster and destruction were everywhere.
There was nowhere to go. Then out of the blue she found herself running as fast as she could, climbing the great hill to the top. Sitting there was a tree, dying. She tried to help it, heal it, comfort it. A branch broke off hitting her in the head. She fell to the ground and watched as the rest of the tree burst into blue flames.
Willow tried to scream again. This time she burst out, “Help! Please someone help me!”
“Come towards my voice,” she heard from a distance. Looking around she could see the face of her friend Ashlyn in what appeared to be a hole in the sky. A hand extended through the opening. Willow reached as hard as she could, finally grasping the hand. She felt herself being pulled up, escaping.
Like a jolt of electricity had hit her, she sat up straight in bed, sweat dripping down her face and her heart racing. 'It was a dream, just a dream,' she told herself.
'What was it about child?' The male voice asked with concern.
'You don't know? I thought you were always with me,' she said.
'We can not enter your dreams. Only a dream walker could do that. Dreams are for you and you alone. You can choose to share what happened with us and we can try to help you decipher the meaning if you would like.'
Willow went over the dream in her mind and decided, with the help of the voices, that the visions she had were just the result of her imagination playing on the story from the night before. There was little time to linger over it. She had to prepare for the day, so she got up and dressed as usual and was surprised by a knock on the door. Answering it, she saw Ashlyn standing in front of her, still in her night clothes and holding on to a little rag doll as tight as could be.
