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Part 12: Old Story

Info

Writer

Tiamat Dragon

Character Introductions

-

Character Deaths

-

Arcs

Hikari Crystals Arc

Timeline Entries

The Story

Endless Rain

Part 12: Old Story

© Tiamat Dragon

Hitori pondered deeply about her dream as she walked to the breakfast table. Even in dark times, there was always something to eat. She poked at her food in a daydreaming manner. She was lost in the world of her past, in the times when the old woman would tell the local children stories, legends, and fairytales.

The Passage of the Rainbow, a story that made many an old fool wander out of the valley where he surely met his doom. As Hitori fell back into her childhood she recalled the old story teller’s rattling voice beginning the tale:

“Gather ‘round little cubs,” The old woman with long silver hair began, “I’m about to tell the grand old story of The Passage of the Rainbow!”

Her wrinkled face formed a welcoming smile to compliment her warm hazel colored eyes. She adjusted herself on the tree-dried stump she was using as a stool.

“A story for the dark times when all hope is lost and faith is dwindling, a story for young ears and old hearts, a story for the lonesome and a story for the brave.” She poked a log in the fire before causing it to collapse into a cloud of ash.

“Long ago, before you, or I, or even my grandmother, was born, the world was filled with magic and monsters! Good monsters and bad monsters, beautiful monster and ugly monsters. One day a very ugly, very evil monster, stomped its way across the beautiful green land. He sucked up all the good air around him, and when he exhaled, the plants would curl and turn brown.

“Go away!” Said a beautiful creature, “You’re ruining this land with your wicked breathing and stomping.”

The evil monster, who was much, MUCH, larger than the good one, bent down his snarling head. He stared at the small creature with a grin curled upon his ugly face.

“You are but a little human, floating above the flowers. I, Layou, lord of chaos and evil, will smash you and your children with my little finger.”

He raised his ugly monster hand and smashed the fairy family who lived beneath the flowers and went on his way.

A few days later, word reached the leader of the good monsters that Layou had crushed the fairy family. The good leader, Afrain, was fed up with evil monsters. He would go to war! He gathered all his allies and they drove the bad, ugly, monsters into the center of the earth, where they would burn for all time.

Still, evil remained. From the land that the evil lord, Layou, had breathed upon, grew strange fruit and plants, that if eaten, would taint the moral in ones soul and suck the magic from them. Afrain saw this, and watched in horror as his sons, and their wives, ate the berries from a small bush on The Land of Dead Fairiesthe tainted land of Dead Fairies]. Their magic was stolen from them, and their lives cut short. Afrain cried with much sorrow. He decided that before any more of his friends and family were ruined, he’d take them away, to The Clouds Before the Sun, where they would live forever in harmony.

Gone now forever were the magical folk that once roamed the world, but Afrain left his sons, not wanting to risk bringing the evil to The Clouds Before the Sun. Afrain’s sons began having children of their own. As their children grew, they had more children. More and more people were filling The Land of Dead Fairies until all the evil fruit was eaten. They then split up and went their separate ways to look for new food to survive. The people fought over land and food, and sometimes they would even kill each other. Soon the people formed into tribes and kept other tribes out. Wars were fought between the tribes, and they fought so much, they began to forget why they were fighting.

One of Afrain’s sons, Baku, an old wrinkled warrior, rode out, away from the tribes and the fighting. He rode for days and nights on his old steed, looking for his father for help and guidance. The rain poured, and the thunder clapped.

“Father!” He cried out to the sky.

Afrain heard his son call and pushed away the rain clouds. Afrain looked down on his son and beckoned him forward, but Baku was not magic, and could not fly to his father. Afrain let down a beautiful ray of color. It was a passage way to The Clouds Before the Sun. The Passage of the Rainbow!

“At last!” Baku said

He approached the passageway with his horse. His eyes opened wide with –“

“- Hitori! Are you listening to me?”

Hitori woke from her daydream. Hana had been talking to her and she did not even notice. “I said, are you going to eat?” Hana asked worriedly.

“I’m sorry, Hana, I was just thinking about my childhood. Do you remember the old woman who used to tell us stories on rainy days?” Hitori asked.

“That’s a strange thing to think about at a time like this. Are you okay, Hitori?” Kino asked munching his green leaves.

Hitori bowed her head and continued poking at her food, “I just had a strange dream, it’s nothing.”

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