- You never told me about your affair - Kamik said harshly, a tireness tone in his voice, to the man sitting under the tree. The rumous were right - he was in Greenbriar.
The man sitting under the shadows of the tree was calmly playing a lute. He didn't stop when he heard Kamik approaching, nor when Kamik spoke. He only began to play lower. The man's hair was brown and much longer than the last time both spoke. Over his head, an old leather hat covered his eyes.
- Hello, son - he said not looking up.
The man was Dominik Windslasher.
Kamik stepped closer. His fists clenching; the Silver Hand clanked as the metalic fingers closed.
- Hello, son... - the man repeated.
- How dare you still call me your son? - Kamik asked, losing his temper, almost shouting at the man. - How dare you hide that from me?
Some halflings working on their crops nearby started to stare.
- Hmm - had noticed the stares or not, the thin and agile figure of Dominik raised from the grass, standing, and pulled his hat down. - Kamik, then. If you prefer.
- It's your fault not m---!
- Come with me.
Dominik placed the lute on his side, its belt crossing his chest. The instrument balanced weakly as he walked on large steps. The instrument of Ellira - Kamik's mother.
- Where are you going? - Kamik asked, not moving a foot.
- A calmer place - Dominik stopped to reply, the continued walking, adding right after: - Into the Briarian Woods...
The sun was up already, the trees of the forest casted long shadows over the only two inside the woods. Father and son. Dominik and Kamik. Adventurer and mercenary. Not a single trace of the first could be seen on the second.
- You've changed, my son - he said, then correct himself before Kamik could object. - I am sorry... - then he repeated. - You've changed, Kamik.
- Different from you, I am affected by time. I know the pain of seeing our beloved ones dieing, and I don't leave them behind.
- ... - Dominik raised a hand and reached to his hat. When he held it, the moviment was quick: he removed it with a fast trick of fingers and threw it in front of Kamik's feet.
The deep blue eyes of the young man stopped on the hat and raised slowly to his father's face. He could feel his soul jumping, startled, but his body... his body he couldn't move. He almost couldn't recognize the face in front of him. The man was tired, old. He had wrinkles in his forehead, eyes and mouth. His skin was paler and his lips were a straight line. The hair hidden under the hat was almost all white.
- Time affects us all, Kamik - he said, grinning. That grin, that grin was the same Kamik remembered. - I am only a man.
A long silence followed. Dominik lowered his blue eyes to the cape covering Kamik's left arm.
- What's that? - he pointed with his head.
- Nothing - Kamik answered quickly.
Dominik only nodded slightly and returned the gaze to his son's face. Another long silence followed.
- How did you find out? - Dominik broke the silence.
- She was an elfess - Kamik said. It wasn't a question.
Dominik nodded again, leaning on a tree.
- She was... She was an elfess - then asked again. - How did you find out?
- She had a baby. A boy - Kamik said, directly. The expression of his father didn't change. - This boy is in Gobaith now. Fate brought him here.
- Hmm... I see - he said calmly, then suddenly: - Where is my dagger, uh?
clank
- What?!
- You know. My dagger. Do you still have it?
As an answer, Kamik took the dagger from his belt and tossed it on the earth, besides him.
- You only care about this, don't you? Your amazing adventures! Your relics and stories! That's all you care about!
Dominik slowly knelt down and picked the dagger.
- It doesn't speak anymore - Kamik added, thwarted.
- I suppose it doesn't... - the old adventurer then set the dagger in its original case, still in his belt. - I always felt more secure with it near me.
Then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
- Her name... - he started - ...was Jaebrinn.
Riddles across the blue sea
Moderator: Gamemasters
-
Kamik Windslasher ~
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:13 am
- Contact:
Riddles across the blue sea
Last edited by Kamik Windslasher ~ on Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
Dominik Windslasher ~
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:11 am
- Location: Wandering through the land speaking with a dagger.
- Contact:
- You are lost, Dominik - said that familiar voice from his belt. His artifact of power and his weapon: the talking-dagger.
- I'm not lost - countered Dominik. - I'm rather familiarized with this forest, mind you.
- Oh, I am sure you are - the dagger said, ironicly. - Come on. Ask it. Ask where you are, you want to know as much as I want to tell.
- Do I look crazy now? - Dominik stopped to walk and looked down at his belt. - I don't ask things to objects. The only reason I came to this island is, actually, to sell you.
- I am priceless.
- Fine, then you go for free - he grinned and looked around him, at the darkening forest. It was almost night.
Suddenly Dominik turned, his hat almost escaping from his head. "I heard something". He raised a hand and pulled the hat down. "I am sure I heard something".
His young, quick and experienced eyes darted to a side and to another.
- Ahem. Well, alright, object. You won - he said. - Where am I?
- Huostrit Forest - the dagger answered immediately. - To be more precise, you are in the middle of it. Walking in circles for hours.
Dominik rolled his eyes, under the hat.
- Great. Any more usefull information?
- Certainly. The Huostrit Forest is known for two things - the dagger made a small pause then continued. - The first is that it is away from any civilization. The second is that it is lair of the Huostrits, the reason for the name.
- And what is a Huos---?
But just as the adventurer started to ask, he heard the noise again, much nearer now. His mind, an infinite archive of known creatures, started to elaborate strategies of victory to every creature that lived in a forest. He heard a sudden growl. Automatically, his mind decreased the number of monsters to those who lived in a forest and had voice and gave him an advanced technique to fight them. He heard steps, huge steps, probably of a giant, getting closer. His mind told him, based on the previous informations and the sound of the steps: "Troll. Ogre. Titan. Demon. Dragon. Cyclop". Then something made him jump to the side - a spike, made of what seemed to be stone. It fixed to a trunk instead of Dominik's belly. The tree fell after some seconds. His mind got silent.
- That is a Huostrit.
A huge creature, with the same colour as the earth, appeared above the trees. It's head was minimal, but it's body was enormous, it's back and arms filled with rock spikes. The creature had four arms and a pair of small legs sustaining its weight. It had claws instead of fingers, made of the same material as the spikes. It had a small mouth with tiny sharp teeth in it's small head. There was no eyes or ears to be seen anywhere.
Dominik made a face.
- Cute.
The creature growled strongly at him. Of course he had never faced a Huostrit, however, his mind was prepared for such situation. As an adventurer, he faced it many times. In other words, he runned.
- Object, if you have an advice, now's the time to say it! - he screamed, while running. The Huostrit could move very fast, using his four arms like a spider, instead of the small legs. Spikes were flying all around.
- You will have to ask.
- Aahh! - he dodged a spike. This one broke a huge stone in the middle. - Right, right! How can I defeat this ugly, huge, amount of mass, firing pointed things at my arse?!
- It's weak point is his back. That is where it breaths. There is a certain herb called Tremona. The smell of this herb alone can kill the Huostrit - explained the dagger, in it's usual calm tone.
Another spike. Then another. The creature was getting closer.
- And where can I find this herb?! Fast!
The dagger seemed to think a moment.
- You can't. Tremona only grows on an deserted and isolated island in the middle of the North Sea, where no mortal ever set feet - calm tone again.
Dominik dashed through trees, using them to shield his back, then turned abruptly to the left.
- It will have to be the old way, then... - he drew the dagger and jumped, jumped high, and landed on a brach. From there, he jumped to another branch, higher. And there... he waited.
tum tum tum tum
Judging for the sound of the steps, the creature was getting closer. Closer. Closer.
tum tum tum tum tum tum tum
- ROOOOAAARRRRGGG! - it growled, denouncing it's position.
- Gotcha - Dominik then raised the dagger and slashed down, cutting the branch he was on. The big branch fell, with Dominik still over it, on top of the creature's back, between a slight hunchback and the rock spikes. - Ha! - Dominik stabbed, up down, over the smallest head he ever saw in all his life as an adventurer. The creature growled and let out a spike. The trunk broke and Dominik fell.
The creature stumbled, swayed, until it landed raising a dusty fog around it and blinding the man for some time.
- Damn it, I think one got me - moving himself on all fours, he fumbled around, trying to find the creature and then his dagger. - Object, give me a sign.
- Here.
The fog as lowering and he could find the dagger. He extracted it from the Huostrit's head and cleaned it's blade on his cloak. Not a single moment the hat fell from his head.
When the fog vanished, surprised, Dominik noticed a wound in the side of his belly: it was a cut made by that last spike. It was bleeding a lot, but yet, he felt no pain.
- Object, this...
- You feel no pain because of the poison. Did you notice how small the mouth of a Huostrit is? That is how they fed themselves. The spike has a poison that anesthetize the body, making it feel no pain. The one hit by it, usually dies of blood loss. That is when the Huostrit gets near and eats his prey - the dagger stopped a single second begore continuing. - But that followed you. He must have been starving.
Dominik was tired. He was getting old, he knew. He could feel it in his veins. He laid down on the ground, his side still bleeding.
- So... all I have to do it close this, right? Easy.
- Oh, I forgot to mention. I apologise. The spike usually destroys the target at contact, as you saw with the trees. This one only scraped you - the dagger said, calmly. - But the poison, already in your veins, also puts you to sleep. To make sure your blood keeps flowing out of your body.
- Ah.
- I would be sorry if I could, Dominik.
- Thanks, object. That's touching... - he felt an urge to close his eyes, an uncontrolable urge. Then he grinned. - Heh. So that's how I go... - then the lights of the world turned off. - Good night, dagger...
- I'm not lost - countered Dominik. - I'm rather familiarized with this forest, mind you.
- Oh, I am sure you are - the dagger said, ironicly. - Come on. Ask it. Ask where you are, you want to know as much as I want to tell.
- Do I look crazy now? - Dominik stopped to walk and looked down at his belt. - I don't ask things to objects. The only reason I came to this island is, actually, to sell you.
- I am priceless.
- Fine, then you go for free - he grinned and looked around him, at the darkening forest. It was almost night.
Suddenly Dominik turned, his hat almost escaping from his head. "I heard something". He raised a hand and pulled the hat down. "I am sure I heard something".
His young, quick and experienced eyes darted to a side and to another.
- Ahem. Well, alright, object. You won - he said. - Where am I?
- Huostrit Forest - the dagger answered immediately. - To be more precise, you are in the middle of it. Walking in circles for hours.
Dominik rolled his eyes, under the hat.
- Great. Any more usefull information?
- Certainly. The Huostrit Forest is known for two things - the dagger made a small pause then continued. - The first is that it is away from any civilization. The second is that it is lair of the Huostrits, the reason for the name.
- And what is a Huos---?
But just as the adventurer started to ask, he heard the noise again, much nearer now. His mind, an infinite archive of known creatures, started to elaborate strategies of victory to every creature that lived in a forest. He heard a sudden growl. Automatically, his mind decreased the number of monsters to those who lived in a forest and had voice and gave him an advanced technique to fight them. He heard steps, huge steps, probably of a giant, getting closer. His mind told him, based on the previous informations and the sound of the steps: "Troll. Ogre. Titan. Demon. Dragon. Cyclop". Then something made him jump to the side - a spike, made of what seemed to be stone. It fixed to a trunk instead of Dominik's belly. The tree fell after some seconds. His mind got silent.
- That is a Huostrit.
A huge creature, with the same colour as the earth, appeared above the trees. It's head was minimal, but it's body was enormous, it's back and arms filled with rock spikes. The creature had four arms and a pair of small legs sustaining its weight. It had claws instead of fingers, made of the same material as the spikes. It had a small mouth with tiny sharp teeth in it's small head. There was no eyes or ears to be seen anywhere.
Dominik made a face.
- Cute.
The creature growled strongly at him. Of course he had never faced a Huostrit, however, his mind was prepared for such situation. As an adventurer, he faced it many times. In other words, he runned.
- Object, if you have an advice, now's the time to say it! - he screamed, while running. The Huostrit could move very fast, using his four arms like a spider, instead of the small legs. Spikes were flying all around.
- You will have to ask.
- Aahh! - he dodged a spike. This one broke a huge stone in the middle. - Right, right! How can I defeat this ugly, huge, amount of mass, firing pointed things at my arse?!
- It's weak point is his back. That is where it breaths. There is a certain herb called Tremona. The smell of this herb alone can kill the Huostrit - explained the dagger, in it's usual calm tone.
Another spike. Then another. The creature was getting closer.
- And where can I find this herb?! Fast!
The dagger seemed to think a moment.
- You can't. Tremona only grows on an deserted and isolated island in the middle of the North Sea, where no mortal ever set feet - calm tone again.
Dominik dashed through trees, using them to shield his back, then turned abruptly to the left.
- It will have to be the old way, then... - he drew the dagger and jumped, jumped high, and landed on a brach. From there, he jumped to another branch, higher. And there... he waited.
tum tum tum tum
Judging for the sound of the steps, the creature was getting closer. Closer. Closer.
tum tum tum tum tum tum tum
- ROOOOAAARRRRGGG! - it growled, denouncing it's position.
- Gotcha - Dominik then raised the dagger and slashed down, cutting the branch he was on. The big branch fell, with Dominik still over it, on top of the creature's back, between a slight hunchback and the rock spikes. - Ha! - Dominik stabbed, up down, over the smallest head he ever saw in all his life as an adventurer. The creature growled and let out a spike. The trunk broke and Dominik fell.
The creature stumbled, swayed, until it landed raising a dusty fog around it and blinding the man for some time.
- Damn it, I think one got me - moving himself on all fours, he fumbled around, trying to find the creature and then his dagger. - Object, give me a sign.
- Here.
The fog as lowering and he could find the dagger. He extracted it from the Huostrit's head and cleaned it's blade on his cloak. Not a single moment the hat fell from his head.
When the fog vanished, surprised, Dominik noticed a wound in the side of his belly: it was a cut made by that last spike. It was bleeding a lot, but yet, he felt no pain.
- Object, this...
- You feel no pain because of the poison. Did you notice how small the mouth of a Huostrit is? That is how they fed themselves. The spike has a poison that anesthetize the body, making it feel no pain. The one hit by it, usually dies of blood loss. That is when the Huostrit gets near and eats his prey - the dagger stopped a single second begore continuing. - But that followed you. He must have been starving.
Dominik was tired. He was getting old, he knew. He could feel it in his veins. He laid down on the ground, his side still bleeding.
- So... all I have to do it close this, right? Easy.
- Oh, I forgot to mention. I apologise. The spike usually destroys the target at contact, as you saw with the trees. This one only scraped you - the dagger said, calmly. - But the poison, already in your veins, also puts you to sleep. To make sure your blood keeps flowing out of your body.
- Ah.
- I would be sorry if I could, Dominik.
- Thanks, object. That's touching... - he felt an urge to close his eyes, an uncontrolable urge. Then he grinned. - Heh. So that's how I go... - then the lights of the world turned off. - Good night, dagger...
Last edited by Dominik Windslasher ~ on Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
-
Dominik Windslasher ~
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:11 am
- Location: Wandering through the land speaking with a dagger.
- Contact:
He didn't die. He knew that because of that dream. It was an alive dream, a mortal dream. In it, he saw himself and an elfess. The prettiest jewel to his eyes. His wife. They were dancing...
- Unnnh...
- He is waking.
Dominik slowly opened his eyes. He saw a form over him, a face staring down at him. But...? The eyes, the hair, the ears... Was he still dreaming?
- Elliria...? - he raised his hand to touch the person's face, but she got away. - Is that you? Am I dead?
- You are not dead, Dominik - said a confident female voice. - I saved you.
- Hmm - he forced himself to sit on the bed. A bed, yes, he could feel it now. It was a bed. - How do you know my name, stranger?
- Your dagger can speak.
- Ah - he grinned, but felt a terrible pain in his head. He raised a hand to his forehead and massaged it. - The difficult part is when you try to make it shut up...
Silence.
- Erm, it was a joke... - he finally opened his eyes and blinked a few times, getting used to the light. - Where am I?
- Still in the Huostrit Forest. But at a safe place.
- Hm, I see. And... - his eyes could start to see the person who saved his life. She... - ...who are you?
- I am called Jaebrinn.
She was an elfess.
Her long blond hair was tied in many braids, falling over one of her shoulders. Her eyes were of a light green, but on the brightness they seemed to turn white or yellow. Her skin was pale, as all other elves. She was thin inside her dress made of leaves. "Probably a druid", Dominik thought to himself. "Hell, she looks a lot like.........."
Now that his eyes were used to the light and he could see her, he wished he could have stayed blind.
She sat on the bed by his side and handed him a wooden cup.
- Drink this.
He stared at the cup and motioned with his head.
- What's this?
- Water - and placed it between his hands. - Drink. Will do you good, Dominik.
- Hmm - he drank all in one gulp, then looked around. - Where's my hat?
Within the days, Dominik would discover she lived alone there, serving her Gods of Nature, so different from the Gods he knew in his old Gobaith. The way she treated the plants, animals and the tree of the forests was different from anything he had ever seen in a druid.
She would ask him what he was doing there. He would answer he didn't know, that he was probably lost, but that he wanted to find a magic market to sell the dagger, on a city called Brumamoire. Then she would invite him to stay, for the time he needed to heal. And he would accept, agreeing to help with her dayly tasks.
The truth was that she didn't need much of his help. Very often, he caught himself playing his lute - no; [her] lute - while the druidess was watering the flowers. One day, he asked:
- Why did you chose this forest? It's a dangerous place with all those monsters around.
- That is the reason I chosed it, Dominik - she answered smiling slightly.
- Hmm, I still don't see why.
She took a deep breath and stopped what she was doing to face him.
- These creatures, the evil in them, makes this place needs me more than any other - she said, in a low tone. - Can you see it now?
He stopped playing the lute. But he didn't notice it.
The flowers were watered later that day...
The truth is that Dominik never loved her. He liked her. There was only one lady he loved, the lady of his heart, the owner of that lute, and that was Elliria.
But Elliria was gone...
The truth is that Jaebrinn never liked Dominik. His sneaky ways, his habits, his talking-dagger. But she loved him. Those days were a gift of the nature to her, but as the days passed, she knew that one hour he would have go too.
"I will have to leave you. My dagger says I should go back to Gobaith and look for my son. I am sorry this farewell was too short, but you always knew my place was there.
D.W."
- Unnnh...
- He is waking.
Dominik slowly opened his eyes. He saw a form over him, a face staring down at him. But...? The eyes, the hair, the ears... Was he still dreaming?
- Elliria...? - he raised his hand to touch the person's face, but she got away. - Is that you? Am I dead?
- You are not dead, Dominik - said a confident female voice. - I saved you.
- Hmm - he forced himself to sit on the bed. A bed, yes, he could feel it now. It was a bed. - How do you know my name, stranger?
- Your dagger can speak.
- Ah - he grinned, but felt a terrible pain in his head. He raised a hand to his forehead and massaged it. - The difficult part is when you try to make it shut up...
Silence.
- Erm, it was a joke... - he finally opened his eyes and blinked a few times, getting used to the light. - Where am I?
- Still in the Huostrit Forest. But at a safe place.
- Hm, I see. And... - his eyes could start to see the person who saved his life. She... - ...who are you?
- I am called Jaebrinn.
She was an elfess.
Her long blond hair was tied in many braids, falling over one of her shoulders. Her eyes were of a light green, but on the brightness they seemed to turn white or yellow. Her skin was pale, as all other elves. She was thin inside her dress made of leaves. "Probably a druid", Dominik thought to himself. "Hell, she looks a lot like.........."
Now that his eyes were used to the light and he could see her, he wished he could have stayed blind.
She sat on the bed by his side and handed him a wooden cup.
- Drink this.
He stared at the cup and motioned with his head.
- What's this?
- Water - and placed it between his hands. - Drink. Will do you good, Dominik.
- Hmm - he drank all in one gulp, then looked around. - Where's my hat?
Within the days, Dominik would discover she lived alone there, serving her Gods of Nature, so different from the Gods he knew in his old Gobaith. The way she treated the plants, animals and the tree of the forests was different from anything he had ever seen in a druid.
She would ask him what he was doing there. He would answer he didn't know, that he was probably lost, but that he wanted to find a magic market to sell the dagger, on a city called Brumamoire. Then she would invite him to stay, for the time he needed to heal. And he would accept, agreeing to help with her dayly tasks.
The truth was that she didn't need much of his help. Very often, he caught himself playing his lute - no; [her] lute - while the druidess was watering the flowers. One day, he asked:
- Why did you chose this forest? It's a dangerous place with all those monsters around.
- That is the reason I chosed it, Dominik - she answered smiling slightly.
- Hmm, I still don't see why.
She took a deep breath and stopped what she was doing to face him.
- These creatures, the evil in them, makes this place needs me more than any other - she said, in a low tone. - Can you see it now?
He stopped playing the lute. But he didn't notice it.
The flowers were watered later that day...
The truth is that Dominik never loved her. He liked her. There was only one lady he loved, the lady of his heart, the owner of that lute, and that was Elliria.
But Elliria was gone...
The truth is that Jaebrinn never liked Dominik. His sneaky ways, his habits, his talking-dagger. But she loved him. Those days were a gift of the nature to her, but as the days passed, she knew that one hour he would have go too.
"I will have to leave you. My dagger says I should go back to Gobaith and look for my son. I am sorry this farewell was too short, but you always knew my place was there.
D.W."
-
Kamik Windslasher ~
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:13 am
- Contact:
- And you never saw her after this? - asked Kamik.
Dominik shook his head.
- Never again - he made a small pause. - As a druidess, she must have known she was pregnant... I wonder why she never told me.
Kamik stared directly to his father's eyes. Not at them, but into them. "He liked that elfess", he thought to himself. "But he only loved my mother". That's what Dominik's eyes were telling him. The eyes he used to hide. The eyes that showed his weak spot - his suffering and pain.
Kamik tried to imagine how that elfess - Jaebrinn - felt. He could understand it. He felt the same way all his life. He closed his eyes and tried to think, link the facts and realize what could have happened later...
He imagined Jaebrinn finding the note on the table and desesperatelly searching for Dominik on her house and then in the forest, having to avoid many Huostrits, finding herself in danger. Finding herself alone. Kamik almost could see her in his mind, walking back home, knowing about the baby in her womb. And also knowing she couldn't raise a child in that forest. Kamik imagined her having the baby, alone, and leaving her forest, leaving her oath to the Gods of Nature, carrying the child in her arms. Wandering, travelling to Brumamoire, only to find that man she loved during two weeks, only to show him the blue haired little boy and say: "This is your son". Only to look at his eyes one more time. His sad eyes, what made she fall in love with him. But she would get to Brumamoire and wouldn't find the man. No, he wasn't there anymore. He went back, to his own homeland, that place he called... Gobaith. And then she would wander aimlessly through the town, with the baby in her arms, not knowing what to do, but knowing she should return to her forest and knowing the forest could already be dying in her abscence. Then, desesperatelly, she would have an idea and leave the baby to others, others more capable of educating him. Then she would see the library and its door closed. She would hide that letter in the baby's blanket and place him in front of the door. She would hope that, one day, the baby would see that letter and search for his progenitor by the three clues on the letter: "My dagger says", "Gobaith" and "D.W.". Kamik imagined her knocking on the door and going back to the forest with tears in her eyes. She never named the baby.
- On the way to Brumamoire, other things happened - Dominik said and Kamik was brought back to reality. - And I ended keeping the dagger. But that's another story - he said, grinning and then turned to Kamik.
Kamik sighed. The fate of the boy he already knew...
The sages of the library would find him. A half elf. A being with the strenght of a human and the magic of an elf. They would hide his letter inside one of the tomes of the library, cut his ears and dye his hair and pretend he was human. They would try to educate him on the ways of the Power. They would carve magic symbols on his flesh. But the child was a Windslasher and one day he would flee, for he wanted to see the world and the world was calling for him. The child that learned to love reading. The child would steal some books from the library and escape during the night and then sneaky his way into a ship, to far lands. A ship, coincidence or not, to Gobaith. Where he would discover his hair was blue. Where he would meet another blue haired man. Where one day - last night - the boy would find that letter and discover the truth about his past.
Fate brought them together.
- What's his name? - Dominik asked, pushing the tree with his back and standing to his feet.
- Taylor.
Dominik looked up and smiled.
- Hmm. Taylor. Taylor Windslasher.
Another moment of silence followed.
- He also has blue hair.
- Oh, does he? - then Dominik chuckled. - Then your hair was surely my fault. Your mother was right.
- Hm?
- Well, Kamik. Your father touched many things in his life. Many forbidden treasures. Many magical artifacts - he knelt and picked his hat. - One of them might have affected me someway and that effect now runs in your veins and Taylor's.
Kamik only blinked.
- Yes. That was probably the reason - he put his hat on, pulling it over his eyes. - Or not. Who knows. The world is filled with mysteries, Kamik. Filled with riddles yet to be solved. This boy, Taylor, was one of them. A riddle across the blue sea. But now that he is here, my task is over... - then he started to walk away.
- What? Wait! - Kamik followed. - Where are you going? And what task are you speaking about?
- The task to look after you - Dominik said without turning. - And now, it's your turn to look after someone else. I am sure you will make a better father than I would in my whole bloody life - he turned. - I am sure you will, Kamik. Kamik Windslasher - the old man smiled. - Can I call you son now? I would like to, since this is a farewell.
- A farewell? So you're---
- Yes - he interrupted. - I still have some riddles to solve - then added -, my son.
Dominik turned and started to walk away. Kamik only watched, speechless. Then Dominik stoped and turned.
- Ah, I almost forgot - he then drew the dagger, quickly, swiftly, as if the young adventurer flame was still burning inside of him. - My time. Your time. Both have passed with this. Generations. Now... it's Taylor's time - then Dominik tossed the dagger. Kamik tried to grab it, but the dagger simply spinned in the air and landed exactly inside the case in his belt. He looked down at the dagger and then up at the man that had already turned and was leaving.
And that time, Kamik knew, he would never come back.
For a moment, Kamik hated him for that. But only for a moment. For another moment, he also understood his father. His ways, his habits. His dreams. Kamik could understand because he was sure one day he too would leave everything behind, and he knew that now, seeing that man; he knew one day would be him, and then Taylor, to leave... and discover the world. But only for a moment...
- Hey! - Kamik called and runned towards him. Dominik turned his head over a shoulder. Kamik stopped a few steps away from him. - Farewell, father! Farewell!
Dominik grinned and waved a hand in the air. Kamik only watched as he went away and disappeared on the distant horizon. And during those steps, not a single moment Dominik lowered that hand.
The eyes under the hat were finally, after a long time, truely smiling again.
Dominik shook his head.
- Never again - he made a small pause. - As a druidess, she must have known she was pregnant... I wonder why she never told me.
Kamik stared directly to his father's eyes. Not at them, but into them. "He liked that elfess", he thought to himself. "But he only loved my mother". That's what Dominik's eyes were telling him. The eyes he used to hide. The eyes that showed his weak spot - his suffering and pain.
Kamik tried to imagine how that elfess - Jaebrinn - felt. He could understand it. He felt the same way all his life. He closed his eyes and tried to think, link the facts and realize what could have happened later...
He imagined Jaebrinn finding the note on the table and desesperatelly searching for Dominik on her house and then in the forest, having to avoid many Huostrits, finding herself in danger. Finding herself alone. Kamik almost could see her in his mind, walking back home, knowing about the baby in her womb. And also knowing she couldn't raise a child in that forest. Kamik imagined her having the baby, alone, and leaving her forest, leaving her oath to the Gods of Nature, carrying the child in her arms. Wandering, travelling to Brumamoire, only to find that man she loved during two weeks, only to show him the blue haired little boy and say: "This is your son". Only to look at his eyes one more time. His sad eyes, what made she fall in love with him. But she would get to Brumamoire and wouldn't find the man. No, he wasn't there anymore. He went back, to his own homeland, that place he called... Gobaith. And then she would wander aimlessly through the town, with the baby in her arms, not knowing what to do, but knowing she should return to her forest and knowing the forest could already be dying in her abscence. Then, desesperatelly, she would have an idea and leave the baby to others, others more capable of educating him. Then she would see the library and its door closed. She would hide that letter in the baby's blanket and place him in front of the door. She would hope that, one day, the baby would see that letter and search for his progenitor by the three clues on the letter: "My dagger says", "Gobaith" and "D.W.". Kamik imagined her knocking on the door and going back to the forest with tears in her eyes. She never named the baby.
- On the way to Brumamoire, other things happened - Dominik said and Kamik was brought back to reality. - And I ended keeping the dagger. But that's another story - he said, grinning and then turned to Kamik.
Kamik sighed. The fate of the boy he already knew...
The sages of the library would find him. A half elf. A being with the strenght of a human and the magic of an elf. They would hide his letter inside one of the tomes of the library, cut his ears and dye his hair and pretend he was human. They would try to educate him on the ways of the Power. They would carve magic symbols on his flesh. But the child was a Windslasher and one day he would flee, for he wanted to see the world and the world was calling for him. The child that learned to love reading. The child would steal some books from the library and escape during the night and then sneaky his way into a ship, to far lands. A ship, coincidence or not, to Gobaith. Where he would discover his hair was blue. Where he would meet another blue haired man. Where one day - last night - the boy would find that letter and discover the truth about his past.
Fate brought them together.
- What's his name? - Dominik asked, pushing the tree with his back and standing to his feet.
- Taylor.
Dominik looked up and smiled.
- Hmm. Taylor. Taylor Windslasher.
Another moment of silence followed.
- He also has blue hair.
- Oh, does he? - then Dominik chuckled. - Then your hair was surely my fault. Your mother was right.
- Hm?
- Well, Kamik. Your father touched many things in his life. Many forbidden treasures. Many magical artifacts - he knelt and picked his hat. - One of them might have affected me someway and that effect now runs in your veins and Taylor's.
Kamik only blinked.
- Yes. That was probably the reason - he put his hat on, pulling it over his eyes. - Or not. Who knows. The world is filled with mysteries, Kamik. Filled with riddles yet to be solved. This boy, Taylor, was one of them. A riddle across the blue sea. But now that he is here, my task is over... - then he started to walk away.
- What? Wait! - Kamik followed. - Where are you going? And what task are you speaking about?
- The task to look after you - Dominik said without turning. - And now, it's your turn to look after someone else. I am sure you will make a better father than I would in my whole bloody life - he turned. - I am sure you will, Kamik. Kamik Windslasher - the old man smiled. - Can I call you son now? I would like to, since this is a farewell.
- A farewell? So you're---
- Yes - he interrupted. - I still have some riddles to solve - then added -, my son.
Dominik turned and started to walk away. Kamik only watched, speechless. Then Dominik stoped and turned.
- Ah, I almost forgot - he then drew the dagger, quickly, swiftly, as if the young adventurer flame was still burning inside of him. - My time. Your time. Both have passed with this. Generations. Now... it's Taylor's time - then Dominik tossed the dagger. Kamik tried to grab it, but the dagger simply spinned in the air and landed exactly inside the case in his belt. He looked down at the dagger and then up at the man that had already turned and was leaving.
And that time, Kamik knew, he would never come back.
For a moment, Kamik hated him for that. But only for a moment. For another moment, he also understood his father. His ways, his habits. His dreams. Kamik could understand because he was sure one day he too would leave everything behind, and he knew that now, seeing that man; he knew one day would be him, and then Taylor, to leave... and discover the world. But only for a moment...
- Hey! - Kamik called and runned towards him. Dominik turned his head over a shoulder. Kamik stopped a few steps away from him. - Farewell, father! Farewell!
Dominik grinned and waved a hand in the air. Kamik only watched as he went away and disappeared on the distant horizon. And during those steps, not a single moment Dominik lowered that hand.
The eyes under the hat were finally, after a long time, truely smiling again.