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The Sentinel's Feather Part I
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The Sentinel's Feather Part I |
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Krishankins
since 2002-06-23
Posts 972Texas 
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“The blackness was so absolute it seemed to have mass. No light had ever pierced the walls of the abyss we now call Shevon, our galaxy. Legend has it that Akpos, The High One, sent his heart in the form of a beautiful bird called Thacarden into the darkness to bring forth his light. Thacarden needed no light, for he had no eyes. Akpos gave him the ability to see and be guided from within his own heart. Thacarden was said to have been the most beautiful sight that was ever created. A bird of great size and strength, and even greater beauty. His feathers were of all colors. His wings shimmered of saphire and silver. His breast as crimson as velvet blood. His crown as gold as the sun, with coverts and nape seeming to catch the lights spilled from a prism. The majesty of Thacarden in flight would have made all who saw him weep. It is told that his cry could bring the tallest mountains crumbling down. Thacarden was sent to fly from Akpos’ hands until his last breath. That would be the birthplace of our ancient ancestors. Once Thacaruden had flown for a thousand years his wings grew weary and his breath faint. His thundering wings began to beat slower and slower until Thacarden could fly no more. Akpos called to him and said “You have arrived my friend. Let your spirit live in the worlds you shall create, for in time I shall call upon you again.” With these words Thacarden’s wings gave out. His heartbeat ceased and Thacarden burst into millions of stars, creating everything you see in the sky at night. His last breath fell onto our world, Sintos, and brought forth all life that we know. A single feather from his breast fell to the ground and turned to blood. The scrolls say that the Tree of Light is what sprang forth from the soil where his blood was spilled. This is why, my children, it is protected at all cost. One day, children, one day we will see Thacarden return. Those who have a good heart and choose wisely shall ride the wings of Thacarden. “ The soft, anxious eyes of the children looked up in awe at their father. They had heard this story as far back as they could remember. No line ever changed, no detail left out. His gray eyes seemed to glow a little brighter every time he told the fable of the great bird. Some of the older children were mature enough to know that the story their father told wasn’t just a bedtime story. They had overheard other elders in the village talking of the same Tree of Light, and of Thacarden. The older children were starting to understand that it wasn’t a story at all, but more of a prophecy. The greater part of the story no child in this home had heard yet. The events that are said to lead up to the return of the great bird were kept from all children until they reached adulthood. In Garin’s case, this was only months away. He looked towards the final part of the story with greater anticipation than he did the celebration his village was planning for all boys reaching their manhood in this light season. As the children were all making their way to their beds, Raos, Garin’s father, called to him to stay for a while. Garin was the oldest of his siblings by three years. Having three brothers and two sisters didn’t leave much one on one time with his father, so he was delighted to have this moment to share with the man he so admired. “ Sit with me my son.” Raos motioned to the wooden chair that he had made for Mina, Garin’s mother who had passed away this time last year. He saw the uneasiness in his son’s eyes. “ It’s okay Garin. I think it’s time we got some use out of this old rickety thing.” Garin looked at the chair with its frail legs and crooked wooden back slats that his father had earned many blisters on from shaving them by hand. The hide had worn in the middle of the seat from the many nights that his mother and father had spent sitting there by the fire talking about their children. Garin sighed and slowly took a seat, careful not to drop too quickly into the chair for fear of it giving way. Sitting there in his mother’s chair made Garin feel so close to her. Raos could see the sadness in his son’s eyes. “I know Garin, I miss her too.” “Your mother would be so proud of the way you have helped take care of your brothers and sisters. She would want you to be happy during your Shalinn.” This is what they called the celebration of reaching manhood. “I know, father” Garin said, “I sometimes feel as if she is still here.” “ They call that love my son.” His eyes becoming misty as he seemed to be looking into the past at his lovely wife. “There was no greater love than that which your mother had for her family.” Raos smiled and wiped away the tear before it had a chance to roll down his weathered cheek. They sat a while watching the embers float from the fire only to drift back into the soft glow of the flames. Rubidians had a connection to the fire. Not only did their eyes seem to burn with fire, it had also brought them good fortune for many, many generations. Some had chosen to be blacksmiths, some jewelers, and others glassmakers. Working with fire for centuries had made them respect that which others feared. They took something that could destroy everything and made beautiful creations out of it. “ I know you are reaching the time in your life where you will have to leave your family and all you have come to know, son. I just wanted you to know that whatever quests your heart might lead you on, I hope you will remember the story I have told you since you were a baby. It is of great importance that you follow the goodness in your heart, Garin. The decisions that you will be forced to make will not always be simple.” “I have listened father. Yet still I fear that when the time comes I will not be able to chose the right path.” “Be not afraid my son. Listen to your heart and hear Thacarden. You will feel the love of Akpos guiding you. Just know this Garin, in this world evil has many forms. Most are foreseeable, but others are as deceiving as the wind. Never second guess your heart.” Garin saw the look in his father’s eyes as he spoke these words. It almost looked as if he were reflecting on the past. “Father, must I leave on my journey so soon? I don’t know if I’m ready. What if you should need help with them?” Garin motioned in the direction of his siblings who were now frolicking away in their dreams. “The dark season is not that far away. I could stay until it passes.” “We will be fine son. You must go as all Rubidian men have. You must travel to the Tree of Light and be the sentinel for your time. It is only one year, and we have not had conflict with the others for many, many years now. We must all do our part to protect the Tree. It is what gives us our life. If we should fail, ….” Raos trailed off as if he were afraid of the answer himself. Garin knew what came next though. All who breathed knew. Death. They sat watching the embers dance a while longer before they both became tired from the day’s toll at the forge. After they had went to bed, Garin lay there unable to sleep. He kept thinking of the look in his father’s eyes earlier. “I wonder what he was thinking of” he thought aloud. Many possibilities had crossed his mind, but before long Garin was dreaming of his mother and the way she use to rest in her chair while watching the children play around the table. “Be careful Shona, your sister isn’t as big as you are.” “I will mother.” Shona said in obedience as she played with her youngest sister Sira. Garin was sitting at their table playing with Theel, the next oldest son. They often played with the toys that they had made from unique pieces of wood they had found. Suddenly in the dream, Garin’s mother stopped rocking and looked at him with an urgent gaze, “Garin you must go! The return is coming soon! You must stop them!” Garin felt shivers go down his spine, which was unusual since he had never felt anything so real in his dreams before. He felt something else he had never felt in his dreams, fear. “Garin you must go! The return is coming soon! You must stop them!” His mother repeated with the same frantic voice. Suddenly there was a thunderous crash at the door of their home and the same dark feature that had plagued Garin’s dreams for many nights now was standing in the doorway. His eyes as black as night, swallowing Garin’s fear as if he fed off of it. The dark feature had the stature of no man Garin had ever seen. The arms that hung from its broad shoulders were extremely long and powerful looking. Almost like the branches of a mighty tree. There were no real facial features. Only a shape, one that kept melting onto itself. Its skin was ashen in the light of the moon. Garin could see the breath coming from its mouth, steaming in the night’s cool air. The only constant feature was the set of black eyes that stared at him, at his soul. Garin could feel the evil radiating from this creature. Garin gasped as he sprang up in his bed. His clothes wet with sweat. He looked over at his mother’s chair that sat across the room by the dying fire. He expected to see her sitting there staring at him with the same look as she had in his dream. All he saw was an empty chair. As he began to turn away, he saw that the shadow of the chair on the wooden floor was moving ever so slightly. The chair was rocking. Again he felt the shiver down his spine. This time though, he knew he wasn’t dreaming. |
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