*****Last Update: August 22nd, 2007*****
This is a random fic I wrote when I was bored. Have fun with it. XD Magical = <333
*NOTE* : All characters are mine. No stealy.
Song of the C R O W
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
ACT I : The Murder
There are many mysteries about the Forest of Death that shall never be solved. But all know that in the center of the forest there is a giant tree that contains the all of the forest nature’s energy. And, ironically, this story begins with a mysterious cloaked figure sitting on one of the giant trees’ branches.
Of course, it is not everyday that a person makes it to the center of the Forest of Death. Quite often, people are slaughtered by creatures of the unknown or starve to death. Never has a person reached the tree in the center of the forest and lived to tell the tale. Until now, of course.
Without warning, the person hopped from their perch, floating silently to the ground. The figure looked around, then proceeded to walk deeper into of the woods. After what seemed like an hour of walking, they came to a cabin. The small home was illuminated outside and in by dozens of candles, so anywhere in a ten foot perimeter was glowing with the light the candles had provided. Candlelight hit the lake beside the house, making light dance across the water.
The cloaked figure reached up one of their pale hands and removed the hood, revealing long red locks, flawless skin, and beautiful green eyes. The female walked to the door and knocked lightly.
“Who is it?” someone yelled from within the house.
“It’s me, Exylim, of course,” replied the cloaked girl with a small grin.
The door to the cabin was opened, and a man stood in the doorway. He too had fiery-red hair, and he was handsome as Exylim was beautiful. He was strong and well built, and also had hypnotizing green eyes.
“Welcome back, Exylim,” he said.
“Hello, Corinth. It’s been a while,” Exylim replied, entering the cabin and pulling off her cloak.
The inside of the cabin was almost bare, aside from the dirty couch and small fire place in one corner. In the other corner sat a large cauldron; it was hardly ever used anymore, except on days when Corinth was making a healing potion for an old man or woman that wandered through (if they were lucky enough to survive long enough to reach the cabin).
Exylim walked in and settled on one end of the couch, which was extremely comfortable after sitting in a tree all day. The fire felt good, and she leaned on one of the pillows as she stared at the fire. After a while, the fire blurred into twists and curls of warm oranges and yellows and she blinked a few times until it was in focus again.
“Did you see anything?” Corinth asked.
Exylim replied, “No. Nothing at all... Actually...”
At this point, Corinth jolted back to reality as well, then hurried towards Exylim. He sat down on the couch, staring at Exylim serious and stony faced.
“What did you see?” he asked, looking deep into her eyes.
“I saw an old bird... Oh what do you call them...? A crow, I think, and it seemed to land somewhere near our house,” she explained.
“A crow?! Exylim, they’re extinct. How could you have seen a crow?” Corinth asked incredulously.
“I saw what I saw, Corinth,” Exylim said, standing up.
She turned to the door, pulling on her cloak. Corinth looked angry enough to blow a fuse.
“It isn’t their fault that they became overpopulated!” Exylim shouted.
“But it is their fault they destroyed the world!” Corinth shouted back.
Exylim grabbed the bow and arrow from beside the door, examining them, then glancing up at Corinth.
“I’m going to bring back that crow’s dead body,’ she said, giving Corinth a thumbs up. Then she ran from the cabin before Corinth could respond.
“Wait!” he shouted after her, but she was already to far away to hear.
+ / + / +
Where is that crow? Exylim asked herself, glancing around the forest. I’m sure I saw it… She pondered over were it could be for a few moments.
The tree! She thought suddenly, running in the direction of the giant tree’s trunk. She climbed it with ease; she’d had years of experience by now.
Looking around, she thought of how mad Corinth had been when she had said that she’d seen the –
Crow! She thought suddenly, looking at the black bird. She pulled out the bow and arrow, and shot multiple arrows the crow. The first two shots missed, and the third hit the crows left wing. The crow let out a squawk of pain and began plummeting towards the ground. Exylim gracefully hopped down from the tree, and ran towards the spot where it would land.
+ / + / +
Corinth looked worriedly around the cabin, wondering if he should go after Exylim, or if he shouldn’t have let her go in the first place. He glanced nervously out the window just in time to see the crow’s seizing body fall down into the murky waters of the lake.
“It’s the crow! She’s done it!” he shouted with a mix of emotions. He ran from the house, and stumbled down in the direction of the lake. He waded into the water, splashing muck onto his white shirt, and reached beneath the depths. Beneath the dirty water, he felt something soft… Hair?
He jerked his hand back with a gasp.
Please be tendrils, he thought, plunging his hand in again. Suddenly, something came to the surface. Corinth choked back a shout. He staggered backwards through the water, as a hand, grasping for something to grab onto, splashed across the surface where the crow had landed. He watched nervously as the hand went limp and sank. He waited a few moments, then cautiously walked back into the water.
Corinth bent down again, grabbing a limb - an arm, possibly - and pulling up whatever this ‘thing’ was. He slowly pulled the body from the water; he grunted as the body broke the surface. The head of the boy, which was covered in a mess of seaweed and dirt – as was the rest of his body – coughed weakly. As Corinth pulled him out of the water, he assessed that the boy must be about his age, maybe even a little younger.
But why was he in the water…?
Corinth stumbled onto the surface and towards the house, but froze suddenly after making a fatal observation; an arrow was piercing the flesh of the boy’s arm, and Corinth suddenly realized what had happened.
This boy was a shape-shifter.
+ / + / +
Exylim had gone the wrong way. She quite often got turned around in the forest, but now, she could barely tell which way was up, considering how dark it got during the night. Exylim wandered blankly through the woods, waving her hands in front of her so as not to crash into anything.
After a while, she came to a pond and sat down on a rather odd shaped rock, looking at the scenery that hadn’t been engulfed by darkness (which wasn’t much of anything). In a poor attempt to recognize where she was, she walked around the pond a few times. Seems familiar…
Exylim knew she had been here before, and a surprised look crossed her face as she remembered where she was. Once, when she had gotten lost while collecting firewood, she had summoned a kelpie – a water sprite – from this very pond. The kelpie had helped her find the cabin. Could it still be there?
Exylim got up and blindly stumbled over to a tree, plucked a leaf off of a tree, then dropped it into the small pond.
“Please accept this leaf as a gift,” Exylim recited, hoping that would be enough.
After a few moments, the leaf sank. The water began to ripple, and, just like last time, a girl rose out of the water, and stood on the top of it as if it were solid ground.
The kelpie was more beautiful than ever, with her shining blue skin and long blue hair. She somehow didn’t look any older than the last time that Exylim had called upon her all that time ago.
“Hello, I am Anayru, the kelpie” she announced greatly.
She then looked down at Exylim, who was sitting beside the pond. Her shoulders sagged and she rolled her eyes.
“Oh. It’s just you, human-scum,” Anayru said, sighing. “No handsome men ever need a kelpie’s help these days.”
Exylim scowled at Anayru, gritting her teeth in an effort to not make a retort. “I need some help. I seem to have gotten lost again, and I need you to point me in the direction of the lake.”
Anayru looked down at her with a sly grin. “Why, scummy” - Exylim winced when she called her – “there are many, many, many lakes in the Forest of Death.”
Exylim frowned. She had only ever seen one lake in the forest, and here is a kelpie, telling her that there are dozens more. “Well, I don’t know the specific name–”
‘I’m sorry I can’t help you then,” Anayru replied in her stuck up tone. She began to sink back into the pond, humming to herself. The self absorbed kelpie didn’t seem to notice Exylim pondering something.
“Wait!” Exylim cried out. “Anayru!”
“Yes, scumbag?” the kelpie replied; she sounded almost tired.
“I think you can help me.”
+ / + / +
Corinth dragged the boy to the side of the lake and laid him down on his back. He attempted to pull out the arrow, but it wouldn’t budge; It was jammed between the bones in the boy’s arm. Corinth leaned over the boy, and his eyelids fluttered.
“Are you alright?” he asked the boy.
The boy’s eyes opened, and a look of sheer terror came across his face. He tried to sit up, but winced when he put pressure on his wounded arm. He grunted, and laid back down on the ground.
“I won’t hurt you,” crooned Corinth.
“I think I’m going to die,” the boy said. Corinth looked at the boys face. It seemed emotionless, but tears were running down his cheeks.
“No you won’t... I’ll take care of you…” Corinth pulled gently on the arrow, and it came out of the boy’s arm with a stream of blood. The boy grunted quietly.
“Sorry… What’s your name?” Corinth asked, trying to make the boy focus on something else.
“It’s Yue,” the boy replied as Corinth wrapped a bandage around his arm.
Corinth helped Yue get into the cabin, and laid him out on the couch. The boy’s face was pale and pained.
“I know I’m going to die,” Yue said, barely audible over the crackling of the fire.
“No you won’t,” said Corinth, getting an idea. He walked over to the dusty cauldron and dragged it to the center of the room. Yue watched with a confused look on his face.
“I’ll make you a healing medicine, but I’ll need to get the ingredients. Are you alright by yourself?”
“I’m fine,” said Yue, giving him a weak smile.
“Okay, I’ll be back as soon as I can,” said Corinth, putting on his cloak and opening the door. He gave Yue a small smile, then left, closing the door behind him.
+ / + / +
“So how can I help you?” asked Anayru.
“Well, since you are a kelpie, you have access to all the under ground water ways as well. Am I correct?” Exylim inquired.
“Yes, you are correct,” Anayru said. She twisted a strand of her blue hair around her finger.
“So you can get to the lake from under ground, correct?”
“Yes,” answered Anayru.
“So, you can swim to the lake underground– the one sort of near my cabin– and yell and I can follow your voice and get there,” Exylim concluded.
“Oh... I’ll give out my voice,” pouted Anayru. “And you’ll never be able to hear me from underground.”
“Please, you’re the only kelpie who can help me. And trust me, I have excellent hearing.”
“Oh... alright. Tell your brother to make me sore throat medicine.”
Anayru dove into the pond, and Exylim smiled. The kelpie had always been so mean, and she was suddenly being nice and helpful. Last time, she had called her ‘scummy’ many more times. Exylim looked back at the rippling water, and a fish jumped into the air, and landed back in it with a loud splash. Exylim laughed, the remembered that she had to listen for Anayru.
“Anayru!?” she yelled.
It shouldn’t have taken her this long. She listened closer, and heard a sound, like a fountain or a geyser. Exylim walked faster, starting to run. Following the sound of the geyser, she ran. When she got close enough, she saw the dark mist. Her eyes followed the mist to the ground.
She froze. She saw the hole from which the geyser had come…
And a body.