Very rough material from "The Blood Crown" part 1
CHAPTER 5
DAEN LUMA’DHRYS’LOMA JONNSA ů DAEN LUMA ME’ADHI JONSSA
The light will in, the truth will out, This is no time for fear and doubt. A health/y future, a perfect past, We’re catching up, we’re gaining fast. ~ Shriekback “Cleartrails”
Both Vampires were ravenously hungry by the time they reached the outskirts of Albania. Cadmus bade Orphaeus stay in hiding while he hunted.
“I’ll bring the chalice with your meal in short order. We must be careful, we must be discreet. These people know more about our kind than anyone else. They held on to the Old Ways despite their embrace of the modern world. Some wisdoms run deep and the wisdom of how to spot and destroy a Vampire runs thick in their blood.
Orphaeus didn’t argue with Cadmus. He could tell by Cadmus’ earnest instruction that the Pariah knew what he was talking about. The last thing he wanted was a stake through the heart or to be beheaded, or set on fire. No, he was happy to wait for Cadmus to return with the chalice.
It wasn’t long before Cadmus did return with a chalice brimming over with Blood.
“Drink…” was his one-word command.
Orphaeus didn’t question Cadmus about the hunt or why he seemed a little frazzled. He simply took the chalice and he drank. It was almost immediately that a deep memory bubbled up from his well of wisdom. Orphaeus fell into a swoon and Cadmus just caught the chalice before it fell with the ginger Vampire, spilling all the blood to the ground. What a horrible situation that would have been, Cadmus couldn’t even fathom the ramifications. Clutching the chalice to his breast, he knelt beside Orphaeus and listened intently.
Ů sa dorken na’aaůlor kenropfehli
And I remember well in the deepest realm of memory…
It was that in the crafting of Eterah, Lord Htanna suggested to the Queen Mnemiva that the essence of creativity be placed within the heart of the planet. And so Mnemiva breathed Her own spirit into Eterah, creating a soul that, through its dreaming, would guide the forces of Creation into new shapes and forms of life. This entity embodied Eterah and was called by the Tarmi Meneterah - Mother Earth.
Even today we can see Meneterah’s imagination and skills at work in the lush gardens and forests, or in the grace of the jaguar and the noble beauty of the whale. Or we may see her creations when we look at ourselves.
Now it was always known to the Tarmi when Meneterah gave birth to a new life form. Always some natural enigma would be noticed by the Dalni, the Tarmian priestesses and priests, that would herald a birth. For instance, when the Deer Nation came into life, holly bushes bore for the first time bright red berries. The deer nation remember themselves still when the holly puts forth.
So it was that one day every tree on Eterah, save for the conifers, lost all their leaves. The Tarmi were surprised and delighted at this new experience. Never before had any tree shed its leaves. Sure a new race had been born!
But no new creature was found. Throughout their five Sovereignties and their holdings around the globe, the Tarmi looked for any sign of a new life to no avail. And, as Summer chilled into Autumn, the trees still stood like bony wraiths, devoid of the leafy raiment. Winter came, and still no leaves.
Depressed by this turn of events, some Tarmi gathered in the huge Grove of the Sovereignty of Thessalonika to try to bring the leaves back through Dolman, Eterahn magick. No new life had yet been encountered and the leafless trees weighed heavily on Tarmian hearts.
In the naked grove some thirty-nine Tarmi formed the Circle and were beginning to make the leaf magick when before them appeared Rhyllhyn the Messenger. Beautiful Rhyllhyn was, and bright, for His face shone with the light of ancient starsuns and His silver eyes twinkled with mirth.
Always was it a joyous occasion for the young God to come among the Tarmi, because He spoke to the Tarmi on behalf of all the deities and to his fellow deities on behalf of the Tarmi. ‘Twas he who built the bridge between the two when language sometimes got in the way. Rhyllhyn inspired happiness in all realms.
“Greeting Hopeful Ones,” He began, His voice the chiming of bells. “I bring to you a message from Meneterah. he is long in Her labour and asks for your patience. She says that these Children are special indeed and are likened to the trees and their leaves in that they will branch forever outward, looking to Mnemiva’s Moon and Htanna’s Starsun to guide their growth, but they will always be deeply rooted to Eterah, who is their Mother. Meneterah asks that the Tarmi protect these fragile ones and teach them, for their natural knowledge is unlike the Elderkin, who are born with all they need.”
Rhyllhyn paused to let the Tarmi absorb the full meaning of what He had relayed. Then He said, “Do you accept Meneterah’s request that you wait for the Children and that you teach and protect them when the waiting is over?”
The Tarmi linked with one another in the Grove and around the world to determine their response. Not long after a Dalna replied.
“We shall always honour Meneterah and all the Gods, Lord Rhyllhyn. May the Mother’s labour be eased.”
Rhyllhyn smiled and was immediately swept away on the winds of the world.
Three months passed - the brightness of the Earth Renewal Moon, the purity of the Cleansing Moon, and the power of the Storm Moon. Spring arrives to warm the naked branches of the leafless trees. It had been a year and a day since the leaves had fallen, and the Tarmi were about to give up hoping for their lovingly remembered beauty. But it happened upon this day, as twilight began to caress the horizon and bring forth a full moon, that a young Tarma named Danaewen spied the soft fullness on the branches of a maple sapling.
Closely did he look at the branches and he sensed within them tiny leaves! He quickly sent the happy news by linking with his people throughout Eterah: “The promise of leaves!” Danaewen sang. “The branches of the trees are pregnant with leaves!”
Around the world Tarmi frolicked about the trees, marveling at the mysterious buds. And they celebrated beneath the great moon and breathed joyously the flower-sweet air.
Then the festivals were silenced by the plaintive cries of children - cries that were heard in the forests of El’Tour’Adhoa, the gardens of Thessalonika, the oases of Khemeth, the mountains of Omanola, and the orchards of Meybhelahn. And so the Tarmi searched, following the cries with their keen ears. Finally Danaewen, he who had found the first leaves, discovered at the base of a great oak that was bursting with leaves a babe unlike any Tarmian infant. He took up the girl child and, in the Tarmian tradition of Naming, he called her Dhrys’Rholura, Child of the Tree, and he sung to the baby her name before the witness of all of nature. And so she was Dhrys’Rholura.
So it was that the Tarmi encountered the first humans, and the name that Danaewen sang remained the name of the whole of humanity for millennia after their birth. And ever since, the Tarmi honour the Dhrys’Rholura by naming the first full moon of Spring, the moon of April, Luma’Dhrys’Loma, the Budding Trees Moon.
Orphaeus opened his eyes and looked at Cadmus. Cadmus sat lotus amidst some shrubbery, looking at his companion thoughtfully.
“Could this even be true, or is it simply myth?”
“How could you know?” Orphaeus asked. “These stories are older than creation, it seems. And Kelat has referred to humanity as Children of the Trees before. Should we take it at face value or value the mythic qualities? Who’s to know?”
Cadmus cocked his head to one side. “Children of the Tree… and the first babe was taken from an oak. I take it at face value and I think I know why you shared this memory in particular.”
“Why?”
“Because…” Cadmus paused and took a deep breath. “One of the main ways to kill a Vampire is to drive a stake through his heart, a stake made from either oak or ash in particular. My guessing is that more children were found near oaks and ash trees than any other tree. The Vampire’s weakness lies in the heritage of humanity because it was a human who wrought the curse upon the Original Ten.”
Cadmus fell silent and looked at Orphaeus as the younger Vampire mulled over this information. It was monumental if it were true. Orphaeus still had his doubts. The memory had more than a hint of mythic quality, which made him think that the story was more allegorical than fundamental. Believing this would be like believing outright the foretellings of John in Revelation. It was just so fantastical. Then again, he was traveling with an entity that was alchemically conceived and born of a dragon. Cadmus as fundamentally a fact of life. Why couldn’t the story of how humanity came into existence be equally true?
“Perhaps,” began Orphaeus. “It would be wise to equip ourselves with stakes before entering the catacombs beneath the Vatican. Even if the effect isn’t the same as when a Vampire is staked, I really don’t know of anyone who responds positively to a stake through the heart.”
Cadmus met Orphaeus’ gaze with a blank shark stare. “What do you think this staff is for? It’s made of oak and ash, and it comes to a nice point at the end. I think that’s pretty much all we will need, considering the magickal charge upon the Tarmian-wrought staff.”
Orphaeus ducked his head shamefacedly. “Sorry, Cad…didn’t remember your staff.”
“Don’t call me Cad. We need to now discuss our route to Rome. We have two choices, one of which will take us through the most dangerous land to make it to the Holy See. The other is to fly over water and land on Latin soil. I’ll go with any choice your make, but bear in mind, each route carries its own risks. The choice will be yours as I do not care which route we take.”
After a long ponderance, Orphaeus looked up at Cadmus. “You do realise the dangers water poses to us? We’ll sink like stones and will starve on the sea floor, fully aware of our fate. Then again, if we travel through the heart of Eastern Europe just to make it to Italy, there’s a good chance the people of that part of the country will peg us for what we are and crush our ashes beneath their boots. I think that we are in agreement, Swan. Tonight, we’ll leave Albania and travel West as quickly as possible, feeding as we go to maintain our strength. Our destination is Foggia. It’s far enough in that we won’t have to be near the beach and the stadium there will give us safe shelter until once again we’re able to travel. Our next, and final destination, will be Rome. Are you ready for this, Swan?”