The wind whipped through Heiron's hair as he rode his horse Zephyr through the streets of the village of Grënit. He rode into the neighboring Init'ha wood, weaving through the trees with the skill of a master equestrian. His goal was to reach the house of the newborn boy who was mentioned in his prophecy. This house was in the small, sparsely settled village of Posnä. Normally Heiron would take the road, but this way was shorter, and he feared that he was not long for this world.
Suddenly a voice that filled the forrest. It boomed all around and nearly deafened Heiron. "Heiron, Warlock of Erindiel! You have seen the future as all wizards have, but you choose to tell the world of it! This is in violation of the Warlock-God pact! You have been warned, turn back and die peacefully or we shall retaliate with all of our might! Do not invoke the wrath of Asgard lightly..." Heiron wasn't surprised that the God Odin would contact him in such a way. Not only had the two once been friends, but Heiron and Odin were the ones who signed the Warlock God pact. Heiron began to ride faster and yelled back "My message SHALL be delivered! Even the combined might of Asgard cannot stop me Odin." "If this is your decision... then so be it. We shall see just how much weight your mere words carry old friend!"
Heiron reached a field, on the other side of which was the town of Posnä. Heiron rode faster and faster until he could push Zephyr no more. Suddenly he hear what sounded like a hammer hitting an anvil at an Earth-shattering decibel. A bolt of lightening struck two feet to the right of him and spooked Zephyr into running to the left. Heiron willed Zepher to turn back towards Posnä. "It seems that you need to work on your aim Thor!" yelled Heiron, knowing Thor to be the god of thunder, and that the hammer sound that he heard was from Mjolnir, Thor's hammer.
A voice began to whisper in Heiron's ear "Heiron... Oh Heirooon... Your friend- Elijah was it? He's dead Heiron! We destroyed your tower in Erindiel and killed him Heiron... We destroyed his home, his possessions, him, and.... his FAMILY!" The voice gave a maniacal cackle at this, and tears began to stream down the wizard's face. But then he remembered who the voice must've been, Loki the trickster god. "That's not true Loki! You know it, you've never told a truth in your life!" "There's a first time for everything Heiron! Are you so sure I speak un-truths? Your friend is the only one who knew of the prophecy besides you!" "Clever Loki, but you've forgotten! The prophecy I spoke was in the sacred tongue! Odin would never give your leash enough slack as to kill innocents Loki! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a message to deliver!" Heiron rode towards Posnä, his spirits bolstered by outsmarting Loki and learning that his friend was still alive.
Lightening fell from the sky like an electric rain, but Heiron rode straight and true, shielding himself from the bolts with all of the magical strength he could muster. He made it! He'd arrived in Posnä. He dismounted his horse and ran to the center of town. "People of Posnä! Hear my words!" Heiron was about to speak the prophecy when he realized what would happen to the townspeople if he did. Anybody with knowledge of the prophecy must be silenced, and telling the townsfolk would only give Loki enough just cause to kill them all. Heiron realized what he must do.
"I shall die where I stand on this day. The god Thor shall turn me to ash and a tree imbued with my magic shall grow in this very spot. My ashes are not to be moved, as the shall nourish my tree. When your boys turn 16, have them try to scrape the bark from my tree. He who scrapes the bark from my tree shall have a prophecy revealed to him, he shall be the chosen one as spoken of in the stories of old." He flourished his hand and a seed that shone like a star appeared at his fingertips. "Smite me Thor, I am ready." He clasped his hands around the seed and to his heart, closed his eyes and took his last deep breath. The Ear-splitting "Clang" of Mjolnir sounded, and a lightening bolt flew straight and true for Heiron. Heiron was turned to ash, though his tree's seed remained intact. The village children were shocked and cried, inconsolable even by their mothers. Some of the men stood dazed, the rest got back to their work as if nothing had occurred at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment