Lest we forget

[Taresh]

26 years ago...

Leaves rattled as a cool morning breeze rolled down off of the Dragon’s Teeth Mountains. A murder of ravens erupted from the trees, the flap of their wings ringing through the air. These sounds filled the meadow where a small ash skinned Devahni youth was attempting to meditate. From his head sprung a mess of tangly black hair that covered his ears and reached halfway down his neck. From his brow were two small horn-like protrusions that were similar in shade to his skin, they looked to be about three finger-widths in length and curved slightly up. A thin tail could be seen curled into his lap. He was sitting with his legs crossed on the top of a tree stump in the middle of the small clearing. Black rough spun pants covered his legs but his shirt could be seen in a small pile on the ground next to a pair of worn leather boots. At a glance he seemed to be sitting perfectly still, but goose bumps began to spread over his exposed flesh as the cool breeze gently tussled his hair. Suddenly his tail flicked, not unlike the tail of an annoyed house cat, and the muscle in his jaw clenched.

All at once his composure left him, his straight back slouched as his clawed hands clenched into fists and his crossed legs were pulled up against his chest. “This is so dumb.” The youth groaned to himself, the heat of his breath feeling divine on his clenched fists.

“That doesn’t sound like successful meditation I hear!” Rumbled a deeper more mature voice from somewhere in the trees. A moment later an older male Devahni came walking slowly into the meadow. His skin tone was closer to that of a tanned human, but his large horns, protruding from his brow, were mostly black with gray tips. They rose from his brow, curved back over his head, then turned to point up at the sky before ending in moderately sharp tips. His moderately short hair was dark brown with some gray streaks. He was wearing black rough spun clothing that matched the young Devahni’s, even down to the leather boots. “The point of this is not to make you miserable Taresh. You have demonstrated some connection with The Shroud, but if you cannot develop some sort of control over that connection then it will do you no good. In fact it could be a danger to you and those around you in times of great stress or peril.” His deep voice carried through the clearing as he spoke with a patient tone.

The young Devahni, Taresh, stood on the stump before hopping down beside his boots and shirt. Upon closer inspection he appeared to be about 8 years of age. His yellow eyes shone in early morning light as he stretched his arms over his head and filled his lungs with a deep breath. “I know it’s not supposed to be miserable, but none of these techniques have been working. Master Jalif, do you really feel The Shroud more deeply when you’re freezing in the woods with a bunch of murderous crows flying around?” The question was clearly rhetorical and a smile lit up Taresh’s face as he spoke to the older Devahni.

Master Jalif sighed, but a small smile formed on his face. “I feel The Shroud all of the time Little One. But yes, when I was at your stage in the process spending time in nature did help me feel out The Shroud and grow more sensitive to it.” A pause and then, “The cold wind and crows…not so much.” The master pulled out a small pack that had been concealed on his back. “Now how about a little bit of breakfast? You can eat as we walk back.”

Taresh’s eyes widened, first in surprise at Master Jalif’s admittance, then in excitement as the pack came into view. “Yes Sir!” He yelped as he grabbed his shirt and wrestled it on before digging his socks out of the boots so he could get them on as well. Once Taresh was fully clothed, Master Jalif tossed the pack to him. Within seconds there was half a loaf of bread disappearing down his throat. Next went a few small strips of dried meat.

“Don’t forget to breath.” Master Jalif said with a chuckle. He was long used to Taresh’s ravenous appetite, which had only grown more astounding since the first time he claimed to have felt The Shroud a few months earlier. “While we walk back I would like to ask you some things. At this point, we have tried just about every method I know for helping Weavers develop their connection to The Shroud. I know you have told me before, but remind me again what was going on when you felt The Shroud.”

Taresh stopped shoveling bread into his mouth and looked up at the trees above them, seeming to contemplate his master’s words as they walked through the forest. After a few more moments he swallowed and took a deep breath, “Well, I was in the forest with a few of the others, and we were playing on this old tree that looked like it had been struck by the sky bolts. A few of us were wrestling and we smashed into the tree, then it toppled over and pinned Mikael to the ground.” Taresh used his hands to imitate the tree falling over onto someone.

“Ky ran to get help but we were pretty far away and Mikael didn’t seem like he could breath very well. He was crying and asking for help at first, but he got quiet pretty fast.” Taresh’s eyes got a distant look in them as he continued speaking. “We were all trying to lift the tree! But it was heavy and there were only three of us after Ky left. I….I know I’m big for my age, but I’m still only eight..” His voice trailed off as he remembered.

The Master remained silent and waited patiently for Taresh to continue. After a few more moments of silence he blinked and looked back to Master Jalif. “Anyway, I started feeling scared, and Mikael was so pale, and the others were all looking at me like I was supposed to do something. Like they expected me to be able to save him or something!” The last part came out kind of loud, and a little angry.

Master Jalif had noticed before that Taresh seemed incapable of telling the story without reliving the emotions he had felt in the moment. Even though the memory seemed to take it’s toll on Taresh, Jalif was sure that these strong emotions were in some way tied to how he was able to weave the way he did.

“I felt angry..” Taresh said quietly and Jalif listened, this was new. “Angry at them first, for expecting so much of me. Then angry at myself for being angry at them. Then angry at myself for not being able to do anything. I was just so angry! I wanted to yell at all of them for expecting so much of me. But mostly I was so angry at my body for not being able to do what I wanted it….what I NEEDED it to do.” Tears were streaming down Taresh’s face now as he spoke. “That’s when I felt it…” He whispered. “It was like I could feel something deep within me connected to the world around me. And my body felt so alive, and it listened. And suddenly I knew, I just knew without a doubt that I could move that tree. And I did it. All by myself I grabbed it and lifted it enough for the others to drag Mikael out from under it. And then… the feeling was gone.”

Taresh seemed to come back to himself as he finished with the story. He quickly looked away from Master Jalif as he wiped his face dry. They walked along in silence for a few minutes. Finally Master Jalif spoke. “I think I have one last idea for helping you feel The Shroud. We can give it a try tomorrow.”

Taresh looked at his master with hope burning in his yellow eyes. After a few moments he spoke, “Does that mean I can have more breakfast when we get back?”

Master Jalif’s booming laughter echoed up the nearest mountain and was quickly answered by the flight of thousands of crows.

 

[Taresh]

24 years ago...

The early spring mountain air was cool as it rolled down the mountains, stirring up a fog that seeped through the trees like a silent river of white. Bird calls could be heard sporadically throughout the mountain forest, along with the occasional buzzing and chirping of insects. A lonely mountain road could be seen cutting a path through the forest, just wide enough for a wagon if one dared.

A brown skinned Devahni male could be seen making his way up the mountain path wearing black rough-spun clothing and worn black leather boots while holding a thick wooden staff in his hand. Black horns swept back over his head from his brow, grey tips turning to point up to the sky. Age lines could be seen around his mouth and eyes, marking him as an older specimen of his people. This was only confirmed by the grey streaks running through his short brown hair.

As the elder Devahni continued steadily up the trail, the forest around him slowly began to grow extremely quiet. The sound of insects all but disappeared, the birds no longer challenged each other with song, even the wind seemed to hold it’s breath. The Devahni did not give any indication that he had noticed anything, he continued to place one foot in front of the other. However, if one looked closely, they might notice that a small smile had formed on his lips.

A twig cracked in the distance and suddenly a large brown beast of a feline was flying out of the mist from the Devahni’s left. The animal had spiraling horns protruding from it’s skull and abnormally large canine’s, nearing on being considered tusks rather than fangs. Rather than being caught off guard by the attack, the elder was already positioning his staff, the bottom end against the ground as he angled the top end of the staff to hit the beast right in the chest. With a solid thud, and the wheeze of air rapidly leaving lungs, the huge feline crashed into the staff and crumpled to the ground gasping for air.

“You’ll have to do better than that!” The Devahni declared with a smirk as he watched the horned feline struggle to regain it’s breath. The body of the beast seemed to ripple and shift rapidly until suddenly there was no longer an animal, but a small Devahni boy laying on the ground trying to catch his breath.

“I a-almost had y-you Master Jalif.” The boy croaked, struggling to regain control of his lungs. His declaration was met by an incredulous look.

“Almost had—hmm” The master cut off his retort and spun on his feet. Just in time to bring his staff down on the head of another large horned cat right as it emerged from the fog behind him. This one had grey fur with tan markings across it’s chest and stomach and the horns emerging from it’s head protruded widely with 3 tips on each horn. The beasts growl transformed into a yelp and a whimper as it yanked it’s head back in pain.

“Ky…” Master Jalif said as he looked at the boy still on the ground, then he turned back to the grey feline. “Mikael, you are both still too loud. You have improved yes but…” He paused as the grey feline began to shift and ripple until another Devahni youth sat before him. “But your prey shouldn’t know of your presence until your teeth close around it’s throat.” Master Jalif let his eyes sweep the fog around them. “Where is Taresh? I had thought he would be the most impatient for my return.”

“He said he didn’t have time.” Mikael answered with an annoyed tone in his voice. “The lunatic finished his work everyday and immediately returns to the forest to work on his channeling. You - uhh - You need to see him for yourself. I think his channeling is doing something strange to him.” Mikael said with uncertainty.

Master Jalif patted the boy on his shoulder. “No worries Mikael, everyone’s path is different. Weaving often has unexpected and unforeseen effects. Now lets get on to the village. I could use some rest.”

The group of three, one being much older than the two youth, might have appeared odd to outsiders, but to those from or familiar with Ngungsi, they would know that Master Jalif was the community elder assigned to help teach these young Deva boys. As a weaver himself, it was his duty to help those assigned to him learn if they too have the gift, and, if so, to help them develop the gift. If they were not gifted, then he would train them to be sufficient in combat and many of the skills needed to work in the community as well as to survive on their own.