The Grand Design

[Falcon2001]

Falcon sat on a stump, trying really hard to meditate. When he had asked, William had told him 'Think about forests and stuff.'

 

So there he was, concentrating more on the stuff than the forests.

 

William Azunost had shoved Falcon down the path of druidism as soon as he had found out that most druids either took a vow of silence or lived a life of solace among the trees. William has unearthed a pile of old tomes from the library that were written about Druidism and had started up a plan for Falcon, regaling him with tales of wolfbrothers and the mighty druids that lived exciting, if simple, lives.

 

So far, it was boring.

 

Falcon felt his attention wavering and forced it back into place. He really wanted to be a druid - they were all cool and magicky, and he had always loved magic. It was so bright and shiny and - dangit, focus on the trees.

 

Falcon.

 

How did he get that name? Falcon often wondered why his parents named him after a bird, even though it WAS a nice name and all-

 

Falcon!

 

Falcon stood upright, listening intently. Now that he had something to look for, focusing was easy and suddenly he was filled with the loamy knowledge of the forest. He felt it speak to him, and he grew afraid.

 

Falcon, I am the spirit of the Lenswood Forest. Do you understand me? the voice echoed through his mind, bouncing endlessly. Falcon tried thinking back at it - Not really - what's the Lenswood Forest? Falcon didn't remember any such forest anywhere around here.

 

The Lenswood forest is all around you - I am the remnant of the protector of the forest - the stump you are sitting on is all that is left of me, who used to be the mightiest tree in this forest. Falcon looked down at the stump underneath him, gulped, and leapt off it, backing away a bit. What do you want with me?, he asked frightfully.

 

The forest is dying. Lenswood groves exist in multiple times at once. They draw off of the collective good to fuel the times when the lifewater dries up and the sun beats down unmercifully. In the future, however, there is a time of such desolation that none of the trees survive, and slowly this forest will die through the ages. One man is trying to use the grove's energy to timetravel back here, but his magic is weakened and he is under attack by strange creatures - we need your magical energy.

 

Falcon was frightened, but knew when someone needed help he was supposed to help them. What do I have to do?

 

Reach out to the stump - we will draw energy from you, but you will be re-energized with the energy of Gaea.

 

Who's that?

 

Nevermind, just touch the stump.

 

Falcon shrugged and reached out, placing his palm directly on the stump. There was a whoosh, and it felt like he deflated for a second before energy surged into him, filling him with a momentary feeling of leaves, dirt, and soil. He fell backwards, watching the air above the stump twitch and distort, creating a tunnel that defied the eyes. One second there was nothing but air, the next second there was a deafening metallic screech and a pile of blankets appeared on the stump.

 

Falcon sat up - that's it? A pile of black blankets? He walked over and gingerly touched them, and they moved. Falcon ran.

 

"Who are you?" the blankets croaked with an oddly familiar voice.

 

"I'm err - umm...Falcon - who are you?" Falcon said, gingerly edging nearer.

 

The blankets started making a horrid, rasping noise, and for a second Falcon thought they were going to die on him until he realized that it was laughter.

 

"You died three years ago - either I've gone mad or this worked."

 

Falcon poked himself. "I don't feel dead - but I still might be. William always said that I might die one day and be so busy talking that I'd miss my own funeral, which I don't think makes much sense because -" the pile of blankets rearranged themselves, propping themselves up to a sitting position, still laughing.

 

"Yes, it definately worked, though I don't know how on earth it did. Falcon, you know me. Look closer, and you will remember."

 

Falcon walked closer, studying the blankets fixedly. They were worn beyond recognition, but a patch of silver - a silver eye - stood brazenly out against the worn and wretched robes. Falcon felt the black eyes staring fixedly out of the cowl of the robes, and with a chill he recognized the traveler's identity.

 

"Cioden? But you're back in the main hall - what on earth happened to you?"

 

"Not what on earth, Falcon, but when. I will explain more later. For now, time is of the essence, in more ways than one."

 

Falcon leapt up. "I'll go get Gyr and William, Cioden - stay right here. Should I get you -err...the other you?"

 

"The mere fact that I am here represents an unknown anomaly in the space-time continuum, so it no longer matters if I meet myself. Bring him here, that I might save me from myself." The dry chuckle occured again.

 

"Do you want some water?" Falcon asked, and Cioden paused for a second.

 

"Water...oh dear gods, this is before the tainting - you have fresh water!" Cioden exclaimed, almost rising to his feet. "Bring me some, any! Quickly!" He sat back down, and shuddered, drawing his robes close to him as Falcon ran off.

 

The image of the Mighty Pen Keep ruined, with monsters unknown crawling all throughout it still echoed in Cioden's mind. He patted the tree trunk absentmindedly.

 

Thank you, Old friend.

Edited July 20, 2003 by Falcon2001

[Annael]

 

so yeah, this is gonna be cool....

[Tamaranis]

so yeah, this is gonna be cool....

 

what she said.

Edited July 24, 2003 by Tamaranis

[Katzaniel]

Horace had been stranded on the earth for over a month, and she was getting very tired of the whole thing. Gabriel had been strangely quiet for the last week. Perhaps he was getting used to his confinement.

 

Wandering aimlessly through a forest, Horace hefted Gabriel's briefcase. She was paying so little heed to her surroundings that her feet passed through the twisted roots on the forest floor without tripping her. Things like that always happened around Horace, but she never noticed. It was what had enabled her to put Gabriel inside the briefcase; reality never seemed to matter until she noticed that she was doing the impossible, and sometimes even if it was pointed out to her she was not convinced.

 

Looking up at exactly the wrong moment, she ran right into a tree branch. Faint grumbling eminated from the case in her hands. She scowled at it, not realizing that Gabriel could not see her from inside of it. Just then, she heard voices somewhere off to the right. That voice; it was just like Lucifer's!

 

She hurried towards it, running once more through branches, so hard was she concentrating. But, upon getting closer, she stopped dead with disappointment. Lucifer was nowhere to be seen. She almost turned around, but curiosity piqued. Perhaps she could do some service to him, here. So, she leaned against a tree and simply faded away; anyone who was not paying close attention would not notice she was there unless she moved.