The Story Tree: Story 1
"If you are ready I shall tell what I have seen and heard over the years.” the tree said.
“I am ready.”
I leaned back against the trunk and closed my eyes ready to hear what the tree had to say.
The tree sighed and then I saw a woman in my mind. She was covered in armor with sword in hand. As I took this all in I heard her voice and the story of her dance with death.
It had been a fierce three days of battle. The field was covered with corpses, their body parts strewn out over the field like the broken shards of pottery they resembled. I had managed to stay alive until this last day when victory was no longer ours. Now, it was time for my own dance with death. Were the old stories true? Did one Dance with Death to decide whether you would go or stay, where you would reside? I fervently hoped so as I drew my last labored breath.
The first day of fighting we were victorious in every engagement. The young warriors were ecstatic. They celebrated, cheered and drank to their prowess. We who were older looked on indulgently, for we had been there before.
On the second day the weather became stormy and wet. The battlefield became a quagmire. They threw everything at us, or so we thought. Again we were victorious, but the price was high. Many of the young ones were either killed or badly wounded. They paid dearly for their hangovers. Perhaps we should have stopped them in their celebrations, but that was not our way.
The last day the enemy brought a number of new warriors, maneuvers and weapons to the engagement. We all tried. Tried and tried but the flow of battle had changed. After many more had fallen I found myself standing alone. Many of us were cut off from the main fighting and each other. No one to cover our backs.
Just then a giant brute charged toward me. I wanted to run, but knew that was not really an option. I raised my weapon, my trusty blade, to meet the rush.
“You may be a big one, you might even win, but not easily!” I said.
He stopped mid-stride.
“You are not just a little man. They must be so desperate that they are using women.”
“Not use, I chose . This is my choice.”
‘I don’t fight women.”
“Then you lose for I fight any who attack me or my comrades.”
At that moment his eyes widened. I started to turn.
“NO!” he shouted.
I felt my self starting to fall, my left arm was numb, blood running from the cut at the top of my arm. Injuries sustained in earlier attacks. Struggling I parried the blow, turning my right side toward this new attacker. That put my back and injured side to the brute. He hadn’t attacked yet. It was a chance I had to take.
My attacker and I continued to swing and parry for what seemed hours. He would swing, I would try to get under only to be parried again and again. I hadn’t forgotten the brute and would occasionally catch a glimpse as I spun. He just stood there.
As my strength continued to drain from me I knew I couldn’t last much longer. If I was to go my attacker was going with me.
Mustering my strength I faked a thrust and my attacker fell toward me. I was able to move his blade aside just slightly. I felt the steel punch into my side. The blood began to flow as I twirled, causing the blade to slice outward from my side. I was so focused on my move I barely felt the cutting as I raised my own blade and swung with all my remaining strength. Turning I felt the resistance of steel on steel and then a release as my blade continued on to bite into flesh.
My attackers eyes glazed over and he crumpled at my feet.
Turning swiftly I faced to brute, but he just stared as I saw the world growing gray around the edges. I toppled seeing the battle field and all my comrades. The last thing I say was the brute raising he weapon. I was done as the gray covered my eyes.
“Here’s another one” I heard as the world began spinning around. I look to my right and saw great clouds of smoke coming towards me. I spun to the left and saw the fire climbing upwards. In front was ice and wind blowing towards me and behind I heard thunder and crackling. It seemed as if the elements were all converging and I was in the middle of the maelstrom.
“Are you scared?” What a question! The fire was pushing me towards the ice. My back was blistering while my face and hands were freezing. I turned towards the smoke from the fire and found I could not breathe. The next thing I realized I am being spun around inside what could only be a tornado, the wind tearing me asunder while the lighting and thunder took what senses I had left away. All I could think of was please let this end!
Then all was quiet, no sound, no breath, no wind, nothing only total black. The total absence of anything.
“Does it hurt?”
“What?”
“You were moaning. Does it hurt?” I heard the tree asking.
“No, but it was frightening and yet somehow comforting.”
“If you wish we can continue at another time, that is if you still wish to hear my stories?”
“I will see you tomorrow.”
“I am ready.”
I leaned back against the trunk and closed my eyes ready to hear what the tree had to say.
The tree sighed and then I saw a woman in my mind. She was covered in armor with sword in hand. As I took this all in I heard her voice and the story of her dance with death.
It had been a fierce three days of battle. The field was covered with corpses, their body parts strewn out over the field like the broken shards of pottery they resembled. I had managed to stay alive until this last day when victory was no longer ours. Now, it was time for my own dance with death. Were the old stories true? Did one Dance with Death to decide whether you would go or stay, where you would reside? I fervently hoped so as I drew my last labored breath.
The first day of fighting we were victorious in every engagement. The young warriors were ecstatic. They celebrated, cheered and drank to their prowess. We who were older looked on indulgently, for we had been there before.
On the second day the weather became stormy and wet. The battlefield became a quagmire. They threw everything at us, or so we thought. Again we were victorious, but the price was high. Many of the young ones were either killed or badly wounded. They paid dearly for their hangovers. Perhaps we should have stopped them in their celebrations, but that was not our way.
The last day the enemy brought a number of new warriors, maneuvers and weapons to the engagement. We all tried. Tried and tried but the flow of battle had changed. After many more had fallen I found myself standing alone. Many of us were cut off from the main fighting and each other. No one to cover our backs.
Just then a giant brute charged toward me. I wanted to run, but knew that was not really an option. I raised my weapon, my trusty blade, to meet the rush.
“You may be a big one, you might even win, but not easily!” I said.
He stopped mid-stride.
“You are not just a little man. They must be so desperate that they are using women.”
“Not use, I chose . This is my choice.”
‘I don’t fight women.”
“Then you lose for I fight any who attack me or my comrades.”
At that moment his eyes widened. I started to turn.
“NO!” he shouted.
I felt my self starting to fall, my left arm was numb, blood running from the cut at the top of my arm. Injuries sustained in earlier attacks. Struggling I parried the blow, turning my right side toward this new attacker. That put my back and injured side to the brute. He hadn’t attacked yet. It was a chance I had to take.
My attacker and I continued to swing and parry for what seemed hours. He would swing, I would try to get under only to be parried again and again. I hadn’t forgotten the brute and would occasionally catch a glimpse as I spun. He just stood there.
As my strength continued to drain from me I knew I couldn’t last much longer. If I was to go my attacker was going with me.
Mustering my strength I faked a thrust and my attacker fell toward me. I was able to move his blade aside just slightly. I felt the steel punch into my side. The blood began to flow as I twirled, causing the blade to slice outward from my side. I was so focused on my move I barely felt the cutting as I raised my own blade and swung with all my remaining strength. Turning I felt the resistance of steel on steel and then a release as my blade continued on to bite into flesh.
My attackers eyes glazed over and he crumpled at my feet.
Turning swiftly I faced to brute, but he just stared as I saw the world growing gray around the edges. I toppled seeing the battle field and all my comrades. The last thing I say was the brute raising he weapon. I was done as the gray covered my eyes.
“Here’s another one” I heard as the world began spinning around. I look to my right and saw great clouds of smoke coming towards me. I spun to the left and saw the fire climbing upwards. In front was ice and wind blowing towards me and behind I heard thunder and crackling. It seemed as if the elements were all converging and I was in the middle of the maelstrom.
“Are you scared?” What a question! The fire was pushing me towards the ice. My back was blistering while my face and hands were freezing. I turned towards the smoke from the fire and found I could not breathe. The next thing I realized I am being spun around inside what could only be a tornado, the wind tearing me asunder while the lighting and thunder took what senses I had left away. All I could think of was please let this end!
Then all was quiet, no sound, no breath, no wind, nothing only total black. The total absence of anything.
“Does it hurt?”
“What?”
“You were moaning. Does it hurt?” I heard the tree asking.
“No, but it was frightening and yet somehow comforting.”
“If you wish we can continue at another time, that is if you still wish to hear my stories?”
“I will see you tomorrow.”
How interesting! A new creative direction for sure. I'm intrigued!
ReplyDeleteCOOL! I really like this one! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete