Closed This Little Light of Mine...

[Prophet]

Time would pass slowly in the forest. The creatures of the night spoke to one another. They warned of dangers nearby and of the passing of an outsider. Snakes and spiders, owls and mice; there were so many things wandering amidst the dense canopy. The trees came together in such a way that there were hardly no stars to see and nothing to guide her way. The staunch blackness swallowed bits and pieces of the forest. It was in these cold places where the silence was more unnerving than the darkness. The glowing footsteps led along the path and branched off to the right directly into one such space. The wind exhaled its icy breath from the depths of the inky shadows. There was something foul down the trail but it wasn’t the smell of death. It was more along the lines of rot like one would find in a bog or swamp.

On the right of the path was a chunk of tree that was about three feet long and several inches across. It would have made a good club before it had been dried out by time. Now it might serve for good kindling or with the proper technique, it could be fashioned into a torch. The darkness ahead and the stench both made for powerful deterrents for the pursuit of moving forward. However, the glowing prints had been a guiding star this night as they had kept the girl from wandering in circles.

Suddenly, the noises of night became silent and the air became still. All around Jasmine, there would be nothing; no sound, no movement and no indication of what had caused the shift. Fore several chimes, not even the trees moved before everything went back to normal. It was strange but for the rest of the evening, there would be a strong feeling that something was watching the movements of the Drykas girl.

The trail winds deep into the forest. Without a torch, there would be nothing to see and it would be cold but with a bit of fire, the forest would show its beauty and intricate layers of life. The glowing paw prints walked past a fallen tree that had been hollowed out and converted into a massive hotel for rodents. The wide trunk looked solid with its bark curling up next to the trail. All over the surface and in places that one could not see were tiny holes where beady eyes and tiny whiskers poked out, darted from and even sat upon. The trunk had been marred in various spots where predatory claws had tried and failed to attain a meal. Tonight, the cool had the critters scurrying about and their games of tag, follow the leader and hide-n-seek were announced by squeaks and the skittering patter of tiny feet. A few chimes of observation might lead one to believe that there could be hundreds of mice and other small creatures inside.

The path wound on until it came to a small stream. The water ran over the earth and had worn away the soil leaving behind the presence of only stones and shells. A bit of light would reveal that the liquid was clear but it ran fast over the path and washed away any sign of the glowing prints. The water was only about six inches deep but it was nearly twenty feet to the other side. The only indication of this was the reemergence of the illuminated outlines of paw prints. Whatever this creature was, it had crossed through the water.

Are you ready to learn your fate?

A Firenze Template

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine continued to follow the prints soon she found herself stopping and looking up at the canopy trying to find out where she was. It was of no use the thickness above her blocked out everything that Leth had to offer as it had blocked Syna. Dropping her head while panting the blond forced her body to keep moving. Every move was agonizing torture without some where to rest comfortably. Taking a deep breath Jasmine stopped once more close to a tree. Taking her waterskin out the blond didn't stop herself from emptying the pouch of all its contents. Looking over Jasmine could just barely make out the wood of the tree. Taking in its features she quickly stripped several pieces and bound them together.

Looking to the ground again she peered down the direction of the inky blackness. Her heart began to race as the forest went still around her. It was a unnatural quietness that made her feel like she was being watched. Turning both to the left and right Jasmine quickly started moving once more. A part of her mind screams at her to light the sticks and figure out what was following her. However the blond decided against it as she had not noticed the tracks during the day which meant they stop shining in light of any level. Jasmine stopped and panted hard as her lungs had begun to burn, looking back she attempted to see what had pursued her. The only thing she came to know was that the animals had began their lives once more.

Jasmine was not bothered by the small mice and rodents that would run across the top of her boots. She heard a faint sound in the direction that the tracks continued. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves Jasmine quickly started moving once more. The sound began to grow causing Jasmine to pick up her speed when she figured out what it was. WATER. The one thing she needed to refill on; dropping to her knees Jasmine cupped water in her hands and drank it to exhausted to care if it would make her ill later. While stopped she dunked her head in and pulled back out gasping. Looking over at the track she became confused no longer seeing them at the waters edge. Her confusion halted when tracks were spotted across the river. Standing up Jasmine attempted to judge exactly how far across it was to the other side. She figured it must be at least fifteen to twenty feet across.

Taking off her packs and bundle of sticks she began to wade across the water. Shivering in the cold she wasn't totally surprised seeing as how the sun barely ever got through the trees above. With the strength of the water pushing hard against her legs Jasmine found going across very difficult. When she finally reached the other side the woman dropped to her knees panting once more. Looking down at the tracks she began to beg Syna's forgiveness of any sin she had committed for this. Forcing herself up she began to follow the trail once more deeper into the forest not worrying herself on how to get back out.

The Clan is Strength.
The Clan is Life.

[Prophet]

The forest would only get darker. The glowing set of paws bent and wove through many interesting areas but never seemed to stop or take a break. Shortly after the river was a patch of dense briars. The trail was almost completely obscured but for a tiny space. There was not enough room for the woman to crawl beneath the twisting mess of thorns and vines nor was there a way around. However, the small set of tracks could easily be seen on the other side of the tangle some thirty feet away. Going around would take forever since there was nothing to really use as a guide and no light to offer assistance. A make or break moment, it was turn around or carve a path. What was impossible to see was that every third or fourth vine was actually a long, thin snake.

Should the briar patch be tamed, the other side seemed to straighten a bit and descend down deeper into the valley. The sounds of night and movement of critters lessened with every passing chime. The glimmering trail of prints led through a grove of some kind of fruit tree that interlocked its branches giving the appearance of tunnel. As one proceeded along the trail, dangling fruit would give off appetizing smells and even a drop or two of juice. The strange apple-like objects were an orange or yellow color, about the size of a young child’s fist and all appeared to be a slightly different shape. There were some strewn upon the ground having fallen after too much time on the stem. The meat of it was coarse and stringy but smelled sweet and promised a crunch from the thick flaky skin. The faux tunnel went on for quite some time and the deeper one walked, the richer the smells became.

Finally, the grove opened up into a clearing of sorts with a very strange and obtuse bush right in the center. The entire area was covered in vines and shrubs not to mention the massive trees around the area that bent and stretched their amazingly long branches to cover the entire place. From the grove’s exit to the odd bush was nearly ten yards yet the trees still managed to block any signs of light. There was something about this place. It felt comforting to be standing near the center but it was also coated in an infectious sadness. The layout of the clearing from the spacing o the giant trees that overstretched the expanse to the placement of tangled mess of vines in the center all had a feeling of purpose and intention. A teeny small wedge of Leth’s light shone through the canopy and landed upon the strange bush in the center. This single moonbeam reflected off of something and shot the pale light towards the entrance to the grove. The small diamond of light blotted out the glowing paw prints. It was during a glimpse of this that a tiny bark was heard from inside the central bush.

Are you ready to learn your fate?

A Firenze Template

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine grumbled while continuing to walk. She yawned loudly tired as could be, at least more tired that she had felt in some time. Even a long day of hunting would not have tired her out like this did. The woman groaned loudly when she became confronted with what appeared to be briar bushes again. A part of her cursed the decision to help the two girls that she had encountered, but a promise was a promise. And Jasmine planned to keep it whether it was smart or not. Grunting the woman laid on her stomach trying to figure out a way around or in this case under the bushes. Slowly the woman stood up and looked around staying close to the treeline. She slowly ventured farther down to see what paths it held. To her dismay and displeasure the woman found no relief to her situation. Walking back to where the tracks a soft sigh came from between her lips. Putting her bow on her back the blond pushed on the top of the briars.

Jasmine ignored the poking of the thorns. She had to get some idea of how thick they were to know just where to hit them with the axe. Finally the dead weight seemed to be handy afterall. Taking the axe off her hip the moved over a few inches and chopped through the first two thick briars. She moved to the other side and did the same thing before moving it out of the way. A feint hissing sound came as her hand touched something slimy. Screaming she slammed the axe down again getting the next two while also getting her axe stuck in the ground for the moment. Groaning louder she proceeded to yank back until Semele finally returned the axe to her. Panting she moved to the other side and chopped again. It took a least twenty to thirty chimes for her to make it through the briars doing it the way she was, but the blond was not about to fight through half cut briars if she needed to make a hasty exit. An exit to where she was unsure of as the blond was becoming more certain that finding her way out would be impossible.

Emerging on the other side the blond fell to her knees in silent praise to the gods and goddesses. Panting Jasmine stood up and looked at the uh tunnel? Before her, taking a deep breath the woman continued confidently into the tunnel. The animals were becoming silent once more only it was not nearly as creepy this time around. Looking around a sweet scent caught her attention blue eyes tried to find the source of the smell. Finally a drop of liquid on her cheek caught her attention, turning her attention towards what should be the sky the woman saw a strange fruit. Taking her bow off she used it to pull a fruit down and catch it. Opening her mouth she almost bit into the fruit, stopping she quickly pulled back and decided not to. There was no clue what kind of fruit it was, curious still the blond strapped it to her pack and kept walking. The scent kept her mind off the pain in her legs and feet, something ahead caught her eye. What looked to be an exit appeared before her, Jasmine picked up her pace and nearly ran right into the middle of the grove. Sliding to a stop she looked around amazed, the tree made a circle with just a single bush in the middle. Gasping Jasmine almost cried when a tiny sliver of Leth's light shown through the canopy.

Holding herself together a bark caught her attention. Jerking her head around she finally looked at the bush. Taking a deep breath the woman slowly made her way into the grove.

The Clan is Strength.
The Clan is Life.

[Prophet]

Upon closer inspection, the giant bush in the middle was not a bush at all but a massive tangle of thick vines and roots that have swallowed up some kind of structure. It wasn’t massive but it wasn’t small either. The rogue foliage might have added some height and girth but whatever was underneath was easily taller than any man or woman but several feet. It was nearly as wide as small tent but there was something odd about the rotund shape. If one took the time to move around the bush they would see what looked like different walls or surfaces that caused the overgrowth to shift on a regular angle. The vines were intertwined in such a way that they could not be separated from the tangle. Bugs and snakes crawled about in the mess just waiting to creep and slither onto an unsuspecting victim. From somewhere inside this large thing, a soft canine whimper managed to squeak its way out to be heard.

A second flash escaped from the thick blanket of brush. This was a clear reflection of the single needle of Leth’s light though he was traveling across the sky and would soon vanish from that lonely aperture in the canopy. The way that everything was spread out in the clearing, there almost appeared to be benches spaced around the central object but everything was covered in moss and vines. If one were to clear away the sticks and leaves, the purpose of these supposed things might be made clear. Some extra light certainly wouldn’t hurt either. The trees that stretched up and over to block the light of the stars and moon were big but not tall. A little bit of climbing and some hard work might shed a little more light on what lies beneath. It seems this is a place long forgotten and time has allowed the forest to swallow it.

Are you ready to learn your fate?

A Firenze Template

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Walking up Jasmine looked at the tall tower. The sheer size was slowing beginning to amaze her, gently pulling at the outer sticks down; she growled not able to see clearly. Pulling her hand away and shaking off some of the small bugs the woman took the bundle of tree bark and sticks off her back. Digging in her pack the blond managed to find her steel and flint. Looking up with a bright excited smile at the sight of the very items that would allow her to have fire. Tightening the bundle as tight as possible she put the extra to the side and using her knees to hold it up Jasmine started to strike the steel against the flint. After several chimes the blond paused due to her arms becoming weak, taking a deep breath she began again. Finally the fire caught, putting the flint and steel down the blonde gently coaxed the fire bigger. Standing up when a solid blaze was going she looked at the pillar again.

Hearing another whimper Jasmine tried to move some of the branches and slowly caught sight of something furry. Taking out her dagger the woman killed several of the small snakes and moved them. Putting away the dagger she grabbed the axe and held it higher than what would be usual. She began to chop away at the sticks and branches once more slowly beginning to reveal more of the pillar? That was the only thing the woman could think of to call it. Panting hard the blond backed away from the mess that she had created from removing stick. Putting down her axe for a moment she moved the cut away branches and such to the edge of the canopy. Stopping while walking back to the strange structure smaller benches caught the woman's eyes. Gently touching the part of stone that was exposed, Jasmine looked around at what appeared to be a circle of benches.

“What is this place?” Jasmine asked under her breath.

Shaking her head the woman remembered her mission and grabbed her axe off the ground before slowly working on more of the branches being careful to watch for any fur spots. No matter how much cutting the woman did nothing seemed to change. It was as if Semele was trying to hide the animal and the structure from outsiders. Backing away and dragging several more hauls of the sticks away the woman panted more looking at everything that was still there. Groaning she sat on one of the benches for a moment with her axe in hand. Standing up the blond walked over and held the burning torch above what was left to be cut off the structure which thankfully was beginning to slim down to a manageable size.

“Who left all this here?” Jasmine asked again looking around not able to recall any tales from the elders of places such as this.

The Clan is Strength.
The Clan is Life.

[Prophet]

The firelight would certainly help explain a few things. It chased off the chill and revealed a pattern to the way everything revolved around the central structure. As more branches were pulled and cut away, the purpose was divulged in the form of pictures carved into a smooth stone surface. The stone itself was a light grey but the etchings had all been filled in with various colors even though time had faded the intentions somewhat. There were pillars that rose from the ground towards the sky which was still obscured by the large, looming branches of the trees. The pillars were equally space and arranged in a manner that created a very distinct shape. The base was arranged so that each carved column was part of a pair and formed a side. After making a few trips around the entire construct, one would see an octagonal design with the focus being on the four polar sides where the colors defined each group; red, yellow, white and black.

The chore of sawing off and peeling back the vines that had overtaken this thing would continue to be long and arduous. Unlike some clearing prospects, this one did not seem to get any easier as time wore on; in fact, it may feel like it was getting harder. Still, with each root or branch removed, more of the picture was explained. The images chiseled into the stone that had been painted with red seemed to tell a story about the benches. People would gather and fill them then lock arms. The next glyph was rubbed away by time and the forest but the one below it showed all of the people standing with arms raised. The overall feeling was a happy one. The yellow colored carvings showed what could be considered the story of a girl. She was beautiful, carefree and kind but something happened to make her sad. It seemed to involve the stars but the closer the etchings get to the ground, the harder they become to read. The white glyphs show how the sun can reveal all things but many of the images don’t make sense as they allude to flying. Finally, the black images explain a story of great pain and fear when the sky held no light.

Rough stone fills in the space between the columns making sturdy walls that rise nearly four feet from the ground. Upon closer inspection, there seems to be a recurring pattern in the stone like intentionally placed recesses that are oddly spaced. A weak bark is heard from behind the stones and it’s mixed with a soft splashing. The task of completely cleaning off just one side would take many more chimes but there is more going on that one can see. A feeling of longing and desire for answers and revelation seems to flow from the columns. The entangled mess along the tops of the pillars starts to draw attention to itself as more of the object is freed from the bindings of the forest. Stone gives way to prism and crystal which seem to have a unique shape and certainly designed for a specific purpose. A second bark echoes up from within and once the side walls are cleaned off enough to peer over, the architect’s mind is finally exposed. This thing in the center of the clearing is a well; intricate and mysterious yet the absolute focal point of some long forgotten people. To finish the story, all of the foliage must be stripped away. However, the commotion has begun to draw attention from some local residents that stray close to the edge of the shadows being very careful to avoid entering the fire’s light. Another bark comes from within the well. The dog sounds scared.

Are you ready to learn your fate?

A Firenze Template

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine held the makeshift torch higher to look at the etchings high on the first pillar. Taking in each picture the blond was amazed to see what all they showed. Some kind of great tragedy had taken place causing the light from Syna to disappear into a darkness with out Leth's light. A bark brought her attention to the circular walls in the middle of the strange shape. Walking over Jasmine held her torch up a little lower so she could see farther into the well.

“How did you get down there?” Jasmine asked and heard shuffling around the edge of the grove.

Gasping the blond turned and used her torch to keep the animals at bay. Quickly grabbing her ax the blonde knew that she needed to hurry and get everything cleared. Working once more at cutting the branches away quickly she moved them only half the space of the first set not wanting to get close to the edge of the grove. After many chimes the only thing Jasmine could see that was not yet clean was the very top. Looking around Jasmine tried to decide what to do about getting the dog out of the well. Spotting several long and thick vines the blonde got an idea and hoped it worked. Running over quickly she gathered as many thick and long vines as possible and made a kind of swing. Digging out her rope from the pack Jasmine tied it to the top of the vines. Making sure the knots and vines were secure she slowly lowered it down till it laid flat on the bottom of the well.

“Come on buddy stand over it,” Jasmine called.

Hearing a whimper the dog barked once more at the woman. She slowly started pulling up the rope till it became much heavier. Grunting some Jasmine started pulling more making sure to listen to the edge of the grove for any movement. Once the dog was finally out the blonde stopped and gently set it on the ground. Kneeling down she looked over the dog gently before taking out a little dried meat and letting it eat.

“Stay close old boy. Your family wants you home,” Jasmine said and stood.

She felt the need to leave yet her desire to see the end of the glyphs was far far greater at the moment.

The Clan is Strength.
The Clan is Life.

[Prophet]

The dog came out of the well and was soaked clean through. He looked quite pathetic and made his way closer to the small fire that was burning and shook out his dirty, nappy fur. He was some kind of mixed breed but had kind eyes and thick legs. Certainly, this beast was more adept at protecting than hunting. His form gave no indication of speed whatsoever. After several chimes of shaking out and walking around, the canine rested his weary bones next to the warm flames and looked idly to Jasmine.

While Jasmine continued to work around the pillars and study the markings in the stone, the dog began to growl and bristle creating a ridge of fur down his brown back. His muzzle pointed up and darted around as if chasing the scents of a creature or several. For several chimes, all he would do is growl once or twice and then remain silent for several chimes before rumbling once more. After the third time, man’s best friend rose to his paws and began to stalk along some of the bigger trees near the clearing’s edge. He barked up one of the large trunks then placed his front paws against the tree. He barked again and this time he got an answer. The noise from the dog seemed to have a ripple effect like a drop of water into a calm pond. Chirps, small growls and hisses rang from all sides; whatever it was, there were dozens of them.

The canopy of the trees was filled with beady little eyes all catching the reflection of the orange flickering tongues of flame. The branches shook with movement and trying to count the sets of eyes would be futile. The dog was prancing back and forth between the well and the fire with his head swiveling in all directions. He wasn’t quite sure what to do. One of the creatures swooped from the treetops and made a very weak attempt at a dive before returning to the safety of the branches. The small glimpse he provided showed his white fur, translucent wings and small body. The dog growled deeply and then let out a bellowing bark of warning to the critters. The canine jumped as a large section of vines fell from the top of the well. It revealed a massive crystal structure in the shape of a dome. It caught the weak light of the fire and threw it all around the clearing in strange ways creating demonic shadows and awkward bright spots. This sent the mob of vermin within the leaves into a frenzy. The area was suddenly filled with nine of the fiends all swooping and dipping trying to lash out against the two beings that had entered their home. The dog yelped several times as he was grazed by razor-sharp wings but he still leapt and snapped his jaws trying to tear the things from the sky. Meanwhile, a small mess had gone after Jasmine. They were fast and erratic flyers that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Any contact would certainly leave its mark.

Are you ready to learn your fate?

A Firenze Template

[Jasmine Stormblood]

\

Smiling gently at the dog as he shook out his fur the woman began to look at the glyphs once more. They seemed to show a different story now. It was no longer about the darkness and light from the other pillars. Jumping slightly Jasmine turned around quickly watching the dogs strange behavior. Turning back around not seeing anything another noise caught her attention. Freezing for a tick she quickly looked and caught the dash of white before it disappeared. Calling the dogs name she ran over and grabbed the torch holding it high to try and figure out what it was. Gasping seeing the crystal dome Jasmine stared for just a few ticks. A sudden searing pain in her arm caused the blond to cry out.

“AH!” Jasmine cried holding her arm tightly before slowly pulling her hand to show blood.

Turning her face up again the woman just barely dodged another of the white winged creatures. Landing on the ground she used the fire to keep the things at bay. At least that is what she believed was happening.

“SYNA HELP!” Jasmine called out with a gasp.

With so many of the strange things flying around her the blond didn't know if it would do any good to pull her bow and arrows. Covering her face and head Jasmine kept trying to make some kind of plan, but nothing seemed to come to her mind at all. More and more slices appeared on the woman's arms and body.