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Fractured Paradise (Volume III)
Story: Cren Tells of Qwinn's Arrival Fractured Paradise: A Novel In Progress by Oliver Smith OliverSmith@CyberPoet.com < Addewid Index < Fractured Paradise Index < Volume III Outline Synopsis : Story |
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Hian grabbed the lowest branch of the Hoedl tree, a tree with
the appearance of life itself. It's leaves morphed continuously, from
round to tear shaped lobes to succulent triangles. His fingers wrapped
firmly around the smooth surface of a limb, tightening as he lifted
himself, reaching for another, higher branch, wiggling into place
briefly before lifting to another, until he reached the dense center of
the trees foliage.
"Hian, hurry!," said Mag from an even higher position within the tree, "Cren seems very anxious to speak with us." Hian found his way up to a position next to Mag. Placing his hips on a branch filled with the elusive Hoedl leaves, his skin seemed to flutter in their presence. Mag's breasts pressed up against a branch as she reached out to one of the soft fruits dangling in a flurry of spinning leaves and quaking limbs. Holding the fruit in her hands she looked at Hian, smiling, "You first!" Hian took the fruit from Mag's hand and brought it to his mouth, where he bit off a large piece, chewing it lightly. He stared into Mag's eyes as he waited for Cren's voice to enter his consciousness. His face flushed with the pleasure of juice, but wrinkles wedged his face. With his fingers he traced the lines that had formed on the branches around him. "The trees are worried," Hian said softly. Mag nodded. "I wish I could walk their spirits," mumbled Hian, "the Ogham is difficult to read." "Hian!" Hian's eyes scanned the Hoedl trees around him, "Cren! I can't see you." Mag's eyes grew intense as she chewed on the flesh of another fruit, "she's not here, Hian, only her voice." Hian nodded. "Hian," Cren's voice repeated, "the Ciriad of Light is needed!" "The Ciriad of Light?" "Yes, there is much danger in these times Hian. I need you to bring them altogether once more, but I have my doubts that even the Ciriad of Light will be able to help this time." "I haven't seen any of them in many Breaths, Cren. I wouldn't know where to look. Are they even on Inniscren?" "Xiaohong and Priya are in the Seer's grove preparing for the Festival of Brilliance. If you find them, they will be able to bring to the others. There is much to be done and very little time to do it." "What is happening mother?" asked Hian, softly, "you seem disturbed. This is the time of greatest Light in Addewid. It should be a time of joy and celebration. What can be of such importance that even a festival must be overlooked?" "It's Diawl," she said, "he's has constructed a massive cavern on the munev durain side of the Athivon mountains, and it is too deep for even me to discern his activities, and he has plucked Crisalid leaves and taken them down with him." Hian's eyebrows lifted, "has he used them?" he asked. "According to the trees," said Cren, "he has." "To do what? Diawl has used them before. Why should we bring the Ciriad of Light together now?" "He has grown much stronger. Nerth have bolstered his power and made promises of even more power, in exchange for help in taking over the Cavod, the people living in the Cavnod, and perhaps even all of Addewid as well." "The entire Cavnod? And Addewid too? You are the creator. How can such efforts be successful? Only you can be the sovereign of the Cavnod and Addewid." "When Treven and Hesbrid were here on Inniscren, that was true. Together we were able to fend off the will of the other Henin, but I have grown weak in these last few Breaths and I am no longer able to follow the paths and activities of those who desire my Shadowing or capture." "Surely there is no power greater than yours," said Mag, growing restless with the conversation taking place. "You have created everything in Addewid, including Inniscren and the Cavnod. Don't the laws of the Henin Council prevent the use of power by one Henin upon another?" "The laws of Addewid are clear in this, Mag," answered Cren, "that is true. I have nothing to fear from the other Henin themselves. But I am not facing the power of the Henin directly." "Then who?" said Hian. "Who would be able to bring harm to you, or even Inniscren?" At that instant, an intense rustle of leaves and branches cascaded from the trees surrounding Hian and Mag. Entire trees swayed, as the form of a giant serpent made its way into the heights of the canopy where Hian and Mag were seated. The skin of the serpent glittered with a depth of brightness only found during the Festival of Brilliance. Hian and Mag watched silently as Cren wriggled her imposing presence into view, resting her head on a couple of branches just across from Hian and Mag in an adjacent Hoedl tree. "Who?" responded Cren, mockingly. "You of all creatures should know who has the will and the power to defy even my own commands. I instilled within my creations the ability to act entirely independently, with no dependence on the assurance or approval of the Henin or other creatures created by me and brought to life by Hesbrid and instilled with the instict to survive by Treven. It was humanity who called for your death on earth, and it is humanity which has the ability to bring about change within Addewid itself, even to the point where I am rendered disabled, if they are given access to powers strong enough here on Addewid." "But who could provide them with this power? An why?" asked Mag, concerned. "Diawl has been studying the craft of creation for many many breaths," said Cren, " often without my awareness. The trees and the other Cedaw have kept me somewhat informed, but I am concerned that thre is much that I do not know. That is one reason that we need the Ciriad of Light brought together once more." "One reason?" said Hian, perplexed. "Are their more reasons?" "Yes," answered Cren, "many more, but the main reason is related to a death within the Cavnod that will be brought about by the handiwork of Diawl." "Why would one death be so significant?" asked Mag, "many people die on earth, from one Addewid feeding to another." "But this victim is a descendent of the Marshal, and he is also a bearer of special powers." "William?" Mag and Hian look at each other. "Yes," said Cren, "The trees say that this man is the Walker of the Well Between. "The one that the Priestess of Brien has spoken of?" asked Mag, dropping her fruit and ignoring its soft plod against limb and leaves on its way to the ground. "Yes. He is the one to find the Marshal once again and retrieve Diawl's Lance of Death." "If he is the Well Walker, the Alliance will be eager to reach him first," commented Hian as he rubbed his thighs nervously. "As will Saul," Mag added, "they all have their rogue Guardians and Lavronai. Word will be out as soon as he has been placed." "You must seek the deepest of the Vestryn trees, they know the Addewidian name of this one who arrives, but be careful, they do not grant requests easily." |
