A story. . . .
"Untitled"
By Diana Moon aka Aiyanna
Two children were walking through a field, only half way
towards their destination.
"You know in all reality, I've always wanted to be a
tree."
I never realized how tough it is to be a tree. Until it
happened to me. Hey, that rhymed. Didn't realize I had
it in me still. I thought most of my human qualities
have evaporated over the years.
Enough rambling, let me properly introduce myself. My
name is Daridar.
And you are? Ah, just a wandering spirit. Not many come
by these parts of the woods. They're afraid of the
Hunters. Aren't you? A stubborn one, eh? All the better
for me. I don't get to talk to many spirits. Well I'm
glad you've decided to stay a while.
Hah! Thought you'd ask what I meant. Yes, I was human
once, almost a millennia ago.
I was so happy when it happened to me. I thought I had
gone to heaven. You see, in my time, I was a lost young
man. The War of Thrita had come and gone and left me
shattered. You see, I was a mercenary in the war. One
of the few that survived actually.
No no, I wasn’t really that good of a soldier. It was
pure luck really. I don't remember much of the details.
I was just lucky.
The war itself was devastating to almost half the planet.
When I returned to my home village, only a few people
remained. Every living being within a few miles had
caught the plague. All the plants and crops were dead. I
was heartbroken, to come home to find out I hadn't a
home left. Everyone I ever loved, were now living in the
eternal fields.
I wanted to die that day, so I ventured out towards the
river. To my surprise, the forest was unscathed by the
plague. Falling to my knees I took in the beauty that
was the forest. It had been a long time since I had seen
anything full of life.
No, it wasn't then that I wanted to be a tree. Actually,
ever since I was a seedling -er toddler, I wanted to be
one. In our village, it was always customary to take a
child of five years and present them to the spirits of
the forest.
It's the first memory I ever had. The forest was
glowing, teaming with spirits. The trees themselves
looked magical, majestic even. At the tender age of
five I was at peace with myself.
Don't laugh, it's true. I was very, mature, for my age.
Anyway, when I was allowed to play outside, I'd find
myself by the forest. I usually chatted with the
spirits. Back then, children did that. Nowadays they
rather hunt them with their parents. When I turned 12
years, I realized that the trees were the noblest
creatures in the world.
So there I was, back at that magical forest, when I
realized why I survived the war. It was to protect the
trees and spirits that once had enchanted me. And so I
did. For many years I took care to ensure the forest
was never cut down. The spirits were thankful to me,
and I to them. It was rare to have a grown human to
still be able to speak to the tree spirits. Well,
except for the Shamans of course, but they were nearly
wiped out by then.
For a long while, I was content. The village that used
to be, became a bustling city. And that, my dear spirit
friend, is when the Chital came.
I would shutter too, if I could. But no breeze to shake
my limbs tonight. Yes, with full force the Chital
demons disguised as tree spirits attacked the city. So
the people, even against my assurance it was not the
tree spirits, attacked the forest.
Fret not, as the battle was not soon over. Even though
the spirits were powerless against the Chital, they
could deal with the humans. Along with my help, within a
moon's cycle, the small battle was over. Alas only a
quarter of the forest was left. The denizens of the city
never came back to the forest, and dealt with the Chital
in their own way.
How? I do not know, for as soon as I was left alone in
the forest, the spirits gathered round. As a gift for
helping them all these years, they granted my wish of
becoming a tree.
Oh it was. I felt as if I was wrapped in the sun's warm
rays. Indescribable really. I felt as if I was becoming
part of the earth, well I was, and that's how it felt.
The spirits were pleased that I was pleased. I thanked
them profusely, not knowing the sacrifice they gave to
have me become a tree. To transform a human to any
natural element takes a lot of power, even with a
collective. I didn't learn of this till a few hundred
years later when the Chital returned.
Yes, it's exactly you've been told. They came with a
force of millions, and they did not spread themselves
thin by attacking many cities at once. No, they went
city to city, village to village. Luckily, this city
was ready for them. From what I had gathered, they
created a weapon that could destroy the Chital.
However, their weapon had a flaw. They needed spirits to
fuel this weapon. And that's when the Hunt began. This
is when I learned of their weakened state, and this is
when I realized they had no other choice. They had to
leave.
No, I could not go. My spirit was grounded to the tree.
To have given me that freedom along with their
transformation would have depleted them completely. So
when the decision was made, they left, and I stayed.
Hah, the poet comes back. . . Nonetheless, it did not
dissuade the Hunt. The Hunters would come by every evening
to catch any stragglers or any passerby spirits.
As you can see, the trees kept living without their
spiritual counterparts, but they were never the same.
Every season, they would wither a bit more than the
season past. Only I stayed "beautiful and green."
So the war with the Chital ended a hundred years after.
During which, I helped any lost spirits to ensure the
Hunters didn't catch them. Ridiculous, barely a Chital
left and they still hunt. The humans have grown to
believe all spirits are Chital.
Yes, yes it has been lonely. The itch for humanity grew
in me and for a long time I despised being a tree. I
began remembering things I thought I had forgotten. Like
the smell of fresh bread, or the soft touch of a
beautiful woman.
Every day I prayed that spirits would release me from
this, jail. No, no I don't think that now. What's come
is come, and I am fine being a tree. But it is tough.
Every so often I long to run through the fields and swim
in the river.
Alas, my friend, it is almost evening. And the Hunters
surely will be out again. I bid you farewell and safe
journey to Heaven's Paradise.
No Hunter's today, but their children it seems. Again,
on me they play.
"Why is that?"
Arla and Corbin sat on their favorite log. Arla waited
for her companion's answer.
"Cause they live forever..."
By Diana Moon aka Aiyanna
Two children were walking through a field, only half way
towards their destination.
"You know in all reality, I've always wanted to be a
tree."
I never realized how tough it is to be a tree. Until it
happened to me. Hey, that rhymed. Didn't realize I had
it in me still. I thought most of my human qualities
have evaporated over the years.
Enough rambling, let me properly introduce myself. My
name is Daridar.
And you are? Ah, just a wandering spirit. Not many come
by these parts of the woods. They're afraid of the
Hunters. Aren't you? A stubborn one, eh? All the better
for me. I don't get to talk to many spirits. Well I'm
glad you've decided to stay a while.
Hah! Thought you'd ask what I meant. Yes, I was human
once, almost a millennia ago.
I was so happy when it happened to me. I thought I had
gone to heaven. You see, in my time, I was a lost young
man. The War of Thrita had come and gone and left me
shattered. You see, I was a mercenary in the war. One
of the few that survived actually.
No no, I wasn’t really that good of a soldier. It was
pure luck really. I don't remember much of the details.
I was just lucky.
The war itself was devastating to almost half the planet.
When I returned to my home village, only a few people
remained. Every living being within a few miles had
caught the plague. All the plants and crops were dead. I
was heartbroken, to come home to find out I hadn't a
home left. Everyone I ever loved, were now living in the
eternal fields.
I wanted to die that day, so I ventured out towards the
river. To my surprise, the forest was unscathed by the
plague. Falling to my knees I took in the beauty that
was the forest. It had been a long time since I had seen
anything full of life.
No, it wasn't then that I wanted to be a tree. Actually,
ever since I was a seedling -er toddler, I wanted to be
one. In our village, it was always customary to take a
child of five years and present them to the spirits of
the forest.
It's the first memory I ever had. The forest was
glowing, teaming with spirits. The trees themselves
looked magical, majestic even. At the tender age of
five I was at peace with myself.
Don't laugh, it's true. I was very, mature, for my age.
Anyway, when I was allowed to play outside, I'd find
myself by the forest. I usually chatted with the
spirits. Back then, children did that. Nowadays they
rather hunt them with their parents. When I turned 12
years, I realized that the trees were the noblest
creatures in the world.
So there I was, back at that magical forest, when I
realized why I survived the war. It was to protect the
trees and spirits that once had enchanted me. And so I
did. For many years I took care to ensure the forest
was never cut down. The spirits were thankful to me,
and I to them. It was rare to have a grown human to
still be able to speak to the tree spirits. Well,
except for the Shamans of course, but they were nearly
wiped out by then.
For a long while, I was content. The village that used
to be, became a bustling city. And that, my dear spirit
friend, is when the Chital came.
I would shutter too, if I could. But no breeze to shake
my limbs tonight. Yes, with full force the Chital
demons disguised as tree spirits attacked the city. So
the people, even against my assurance it was not the
tree spirits, attacked the forest.
Fret not, as the battle was not soon over. Even though
the spirits were powerless against the Chital, they
could deal with the humans. Along with my help, within a
moon's cycle, the small battle was over. Alas only a
quarter of the forest was left. The denizens of the city
never came back to the forest, and dealt with the Chital
in their own way.
How? I do not know, for as soon as I was left alone in
the forest, the spirits gathered round. As a gift for
helping them all these years, they granted my wish of
becoming a tree.
Oh it was. I felt as if I was wrapped in the sun's warm
rays. Indescribable really. I felt as if I was becoming
part of the earth, well I was, and that's how it felt.
The spirits were pleased that I was pleased. I thanked
them profusely, not knowing the sacrifice they gave to
have me become a tree. To transform a human to any
natural element takes a lot of power, even with a
collective. I didn't learn of this till a few hundred
years later when the Chital returned.
Yes, it's exactly you've been told. They came with a
force of millions, and they did not spread themselves
thin by attacking many cities at once. No, they went
city to city, village to village. Luckily, this city
was ready for them. From what I had gathered, they
created a weapon that could destroy the Chital.
However, their weapon had a flaw. They needed spirits to
fuel this weapon. And that's when the Hunt began. This
is when I learned of their weakened state, and this is
when I realized they had no other choice. They had to
leave.
No, I could not go. My spirit was grounded to the tree.
To have given me that freedom along with their
transformation would have depleted them completely. So
when the decision was made, they left, and I stayed.
Hah, the poet comes back. . . Nonetheless, it did not
dissuade the Hunt. The Hunters would come by every evening
to catch any stragglers or any passerby spirits.
As you can see, the trees kept living without their
spiritual counterparts, but they were never the same.
Every season, they would wither a bit more than the
season past. Only I stayed "beautiful and green."
So the war with the Chital ended a hundred years after.
During which, I helped any lost spirits to ensure the
Hunters didn't catch them. Ridiculous, barely a Chital
left and they still hunt. The humans have grown to
believe all spirits are Chital.
Yes, yes it has been lonely. The itch for humanity grew
in me and for a long time I despised being a tree. I
began remembering things I thought I had forgotten. Like
the smell of fresh bread, or the soft touch of a
beautiful woman.
Every day I prayed that spirits would release me from
this, jail. No, no I don't think that now. What's come
is come, and I am fine being a tree. But it is tough.
Every so often I long to run through the fields and swim
in the river.
Alas, my friend, it is almost evening. And the Hunters
surely will be out again. I bid you farewell and safe
journey to Heaven's Paradise.
No Hunter's today, but their children it seems. Again,
on me they play.
"Why is that?"
Arla and Corbin sat on their favorite log. Arla waited
for her companion's answer.
"Cause they live forever..."