Willow's End - Jera Skyspear
Elvish words/phrases linked to Glossary OR hover mouse to see translation.
Clearing

Returning to her family's home was not an easy thing. Jera walked in addled circles for a bit, trying to determine what one might need in a new life and what one might never need again, no matter how precious it had once seemed.

Scanning across to the hearth, she noticed a small pouch sitting on the mantle. Beneath it was a folded piece of parchment. In her father's fine hand was a short note of love and a reminder that she would see them, her parents, again, Goddess grant. Within the pouch was a handful of mithril nuggets, glittering in the fading sunlight. This would be for emergencies, used sparingly and sold in secret, but considering the value of each irregular bit of the special metal, it would do her for a long time.

Well, enough of that, she thought, while wiping the tears from her face again. Fine. The pouch and note. What else? At last she got moving productively. She had no idea who or what was likely crawling up the mountainside nor did she have the time to see if others had stayed behind. She briefly wondered what had become of Telvea but could not tarry to find out.

Jera hastily filled several pouches with essentials or items that were irreplaceable. One of the last selections was her cloak, not just for the covering, but for the lightning bolt sigil, the symbol of her clan, which served as a clasp. Alas, it was mithril, so one of her first tasks would be to pour a silver replica of it to wear so the other might be kept safely. She hoped she would be able to find a place where the symbol itself would not be troublesome for her. In fact, she began to wonder how much of her very own nature would have to be hidden. Of all the 'new beginnings' through which she had already lived, this was certainly the most basic and personal.

Jera had only a few moments left to stand in the middle of her family's home and scan around it, storing it in her heart, then she knew she had to disappear. Scouring the streets for others, she headed once again to the Storm Temple. It was, after all, a significant node for arranging transport for herself off of this mountain. She had no wish to climb down into an ambush.

Standing on her own platform, she soaked in the setting sunshine while beginning the summoning. She clutched her belongings, closed her eyes and reached out again for Dagaz, but could not find him. He had surely died or cut her off from that last journey. She still hoped, even as the dark mist formed around her and she slipped into a void which was illuminated only at her feet. A wide soft golden yellow beam stretched out from her and into the darkness in two directions, forward and back.

She sang softly to herself as she walked. The Road beneath her feet was smooth to tread, like a cool carpet of moss. She watched and listened. There were bells in the distance, always the faint jingling of Arianrhod's presence. She heard smatterings of other sounds, like the clashes of swords which made her flinch. She heard laughter, other singing, the sound of tides crashing onto a shoreline, ship's bells almost beyond hearing, horses charging with thunderous hoof beats and she could feel the rumbling even at a distance...

With concerted effort, she kept her mind focused on one thing, remaining with this plane, but finding a more peaceful locale. She could not afford to be distracted by anything that would stray her from this direct path.

She hadn't felt that she'd walked very far when she stopped singing to listen more carefully to a sound which was very soothing, the trickling of a waterfall. As she proceeded, the sound grew louder and seemed to be coming up directly in front of her.

Jera concentrated on this sound and worked to focus on the hazy image coming with it now. She began to see a forest form around her. She was in fact now walking in a small vale, although it seemed thin, with the swirling mists of the void visible just behind it. One side of the ravine shot up rather steeply, being the base of a large hill or small mountain. Despite that, she knew right away that this was not a location at the base of Raumo Korda. The whole feel of it was cool, calm, peaceful, and the moisture was ever so welcome. She sensed that time had not marched by much, but she was considerably far away from where she'd left.

The other side of the ravine flattened out into lush forest spreading deeply enough that she could not see what lay beyond it. The entire scene became more vibrant as she walked along, pushing back the mists. Her lighted pathway flowed up and over a small hillock, so she continued to follow and climbed up to stand on top of the knoll, where it was a smooth rocky surface.

Jera smiled as she saw the golden yellow light trace down over the rock, pooling and rippling into a basin with the falling water then spilling out into a small pond. The golden glow beneath her crisscrossed itself here too and ran off in a perpendicular line. This was a node, a crossing of leylines, not a large one but powerful enough that Jera could feel it through her body.

She set aside her burdens and lay across the stone so she could reach down into the trickling waterfall. Her hand scooped up sparkling water to take a much appreciated drink. The droplets escaping her fingers twinkled with light as they fell back into the stream. She took another sip and another before sitting upright on her perch. Getting comfortable in a cross-legged position, she rested her arms along her thighs and let her hands lay open on her knees, palms up. A long deep breath and then another, brought the cool comfort and balancing effects into her very soul.

After a few moments of nothingness but communing within this bliss, Jera looked up into the veiled darkness which was clearing, no longer the infinite dark mist of the Road. She could see the sky again. Jera gave thanks for the twinkling stars and sliver of a crescent moon, the same configuration as might be seen from Raumo Korda. She was still on the same plane, on the same world, but in a different place.

As she drew her gaze down, Jera noted that the leylines were no longer visible. She had released her connection with the Road. Now it was merely the darkness of nightfall, except for the faint moonlight and sparkle of stars, reflected in the pond below her. There would be much grief to spend later, she had no doubt, but for now, she sang her gratitude into the twilight.

DHP © Jun 02 2002

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