After what felt like hours trapped in a comatose state, Yggdrasil could hear two voices talking amongst themselves. When he found the strength to move his body, he frantically sprung himself upright and gasped for air as if his lungs were being compressed from the time he was in a disembodied state. Not knowing that he had been moved onto the bed, his mind was not yet in harmony with his body. Just feeling the soft fleece sheets propelled him in a disoriented stagger, and the sudden jolt of numbness as he shifted his arms in an attempt to set himself upright caused him to stubble off the bed.
He groaned, clenching his shoulder that throbbed in pain as Colette and Armand rushed to his side. They both set him upright on the edge of the mattress with Armand checking Yggdrasil’s pulse. His eyes came into focus from his blurred vision. Colette and Armand were at his side; both with concerned expressions as Colette pressed at his neck for a pulse and Armand raised a damp cloth to his forehead.
“Enough, I’m alright.” He exclaimed as he brushed their hands away from him. Yggdrasil struggled to stand, leveraging his hand against the bed to avoid stumbling. He sat at the edge while Colette and Armand stood ensuring Yggdrasil saved his strength.
“The Captain requested my assistance after you fell ill.” Armand spoke with a slight frantic in his voice, “What happened, Yggdrasil?”
Yggdrasil looked at Armand in confusion, as if he did not understand his question. It was all too sudden that Yggdrasil didn’t know what occurred. He raised his hand to his head, and out of the corner of his eye, saw the blue aura from the artifact that lay still on the desk ahead of him. The sight of it jogged loose a memory that refused to remerge at Yggdrasil’s will.
“The medallion.” His voice trembled. “It. It called to me, images engulfed around me. I was in darkness that had no end until it brought me to a realm of nothing but sea and sky. Then a woman-” He trailed off as he arched his head in frustration. What he saw remained clear to him, but there lingered a sense of doubt in his tone. Colette and Armand looked at him with grim uncertainty.
“You’re saying that a woman appeared to you in a glowing medal that projected distorted images?”
Armand said, confused and worried about Yggdrasil’s mental state. “Are you sure you haven’t been tending to Edrick’s private tavern?”
Yggdrasil’s stern gaze fixed onto Armand. Irritated by Proulx’s nagging attitude, like an overprotective mother determined to shelter her child from anything the world has to offer, Yggdrasil lazily fell back onto the bed with his arms sprawled out.
“What a considerate host you are, Edrick.” He groaned. “What else has this man of quality bequeathed to my ignorance? A brothel of golden haired nymphs?” Yggdrasil lightly exclaimed due to the sudden sore pain that jolted through his torso as he propped himself upright. Colette was not at all amused with Yggdrasil’s brash attitude, and couldn’t stand being around him, but she was still obligated to help Edrick and his people bring closure to the mines’ unforeseen collapse. She dipped the damp cloth in the small water basin and slapped it on Yggdrasil’s face.
“Sir Heinsferg is already dealing with more than he can shoulder.” She said with her stern, but naturally pleasant voice. “You yourself ought to show some humility within this grieving household.” Yggdrasil pulled the wet cloth and tossed it on the floor.
“Humility is a treasure unsought for within pearl halls trimmed with gold.” He paid no attention to Colette or Armand as he walked to his desk near the motionless relic. “Be mindful of your servility lest you become a concubine of this “humble” household.”
Yggdrasil did not heed his ill-rooted words, and his mission at hand was becoming less of a priority to him. All he could think about was the relic, and who that strange woman was. The medallion’s influence isolated Yggdrasil from the needs of Wolf Peak’s crisis, not only to give rest to the fallen, but also to solve the Manarium shortage the town may face if the collapse caused that much destruction to such a valuable mineral. He thought of General Tørven, and what the purpose of this medallion serves in Yggdrasil’s initial task. Seemingly lost in thought, a jolt sparked through his mind, and his tired eyes widened in a sudden realization. The song began to resonate through his ears as he touched the artifact. Yggdrasil briskly looked around the room, as he tried to pinpoint the source of the song that rang softly in the distance.
“Gather your gear, and follow me.” Yggdrasil ordered Colette and Armand in a commanding voice that took them both of guard.
“Why? Where are we going?” Armand protested.
“Yes, what is it that you have in mind, Yggdrasil?” Colette asked. Without answering, Yggdrasil reached for his equipment and sword resting in the corner near the dresser and swiped the medallion from the desk. Armand tried to get an answer out of Yggdrasil as he briskly walked out of the room. They hurried back to their rooms, but quietly as to not wake Edrick or the other residence of the manor. Through the dark halls, the medallion’s blue glow illuminated the pitch-black void ahead of him. He observed his surroundings as the song became more distinct, and headed downstairs. Yggdrasil took short steps down the pearl staircase to try and minimize the rhythmic tapping of his boots. He followed the song, which grew louder as he walked through the spacious main hall. The echo of his active presence would surely wake anyone within the mansion, but the harsh gusts of wind and constant thunder shaking the walls greatly muted the sound of his rushed footsteps. Even with the light of the artifact, darkness engulfed Yggdrasil to the point where he couldn’t even see his hand holding the medallion.
An eerie silence filled the decorated hall with paintings of what seems to be esteemed members of the Heinsferg family. Yggdrasil felt their lifeless eyes stalking him as he continued through the mansion. He tried to stay focused on the song that called to him to venture deeper into the darkness, but a tight pressure grasped at his chest as his heart began to race. The paranoia slithering through his conscience distorted the song he was hearing from a familiar, and peaceful melody diminishing into a subtle, but disturbing and indistinguishable harmony. He wouldn’t let such formless fear deter him from moving forward through the deserted halls, but he grasped the hilt of his sword to calm his shaking nerves. As he approached a door adjacent to an arched niche trimmed with bronze, the medallion began to vibrate. This sudden change in the artifact’s behavior caused Yggdrasil’s heart to jump, but he remained calm. The vibrations and pulsating light suggested that wherever the medallion was leading him was nearby. Without hesitation, he opened the door into a room of pitch-black darkness. He shined the relic’s light into the room with bookshelves lining the far corner, and a large, ornate fireplace to rightmost wall.
He stepped through the threshold and the relic’s light illuminated a couch facing the fireplace. The study seemed like it hadn’t been in use for some time. The furnishings were layered with dust, and many of the bookshelves were barren. Nothing but dust and cobwebs occupied the rugged shelves. Thick dust clouds rushed through Yggdrasil’s lungs, prompting him to cover his face with the black muffler that hanged loosely from his shoulders. The cold, dilapidated room felt displaced from the rest of the manor’s clean appearance and pleasant scent. Everything that filled the room felt abandoned when there was no reason for it. Most of the furnishings and rather expensive-looking pieces looked too valuable to just be left to time’s unrelenting devices. He slowly stepped towards the fireplace, feeling the wooden floor bend and creak beneath him with every carefully placed step. As he drew closer to get a better look at the painting hanging from the fireplace, he felt a tug at his shoulder. Without questioning the presence behind him, Yggdrasil’s instincts kicked in and spun around with his dagger in hand to face the figure that disturbed the silence, only to see Armand’s lit face from the oil lantern Colette held in her hand. The defensive stance Yggdrasil took put a terrified expression on Armand with the dagger held near his throat. Until his mind was clear from the paranoia, Yggdrasil withdrew his hold on Armand and lowered his blade.
“Cera’s tits!” He proclaimed in a quiet, but franticly harsh tone, “Never do that to people such as myself. Had I not known it twas you, you’d be left to rot with everything else in this room.”
“Were you going to tell me before or after you cut my head off?” Armand asked sarcastically, his voice shaking, as he pulled back closer to Colette, who had a grip on her blade.
“Yggdrasil, what are you on about? Why are we in this place?” Colette persisted; her trust of him dwindled further. She remained composed and calm among the nerves of Armand and Yggdrasil. Impatient as Colette was, she allowed Yggdrasil time to regain himself as he eased his defensive posture and sheathed his dagger.
“These pulsating vibrations become stronger the further I travel. Now the medallion’s pluses are more frequent in this room.” Yggdrasil replied as the melodic chime of the medallion filled the dusty air around them.
Armand looked at Colette with disbelief hoping that she would talk sense to Yggdrasil. He distrusted the medallion’s magical nature, and the affect it had on Yggdrasil confirmed Armand’s wariness of all things magic.
“Perhaps it is leading us to a source of its magical disturbance.” He commented thinking that searching for whatever had stirred the medallion’s magic could give Yggdrasil clarity. Colette nodded in agreement and approached the deteriorating bookshelves that picked at her curiosity.
“So what are we looking for?” She said as she dusted off an old, leather-bound book that laid flat on a crooked shelf. Yggdrasil’s weary eyes peered at Armand as if to silently apologize for his defensive state, but refused to verbally acknowledge it. He gave him a simple bow and walked towards the fireplace as Armand too spread out and searched the cabinet adjacent to the bookshelves.
“I’m sure it is something displaced from everyday life.” Yggdrasil replied as he brushed against the marble fireplace with his hand. The three quietly searched the study while making as little noise as possible. Armand had to avert his head covering his face after prying open drawers of cabinetry that suffered years of moisture damage, and getting a face-full of accumulated dust. As Yggdrasil scanned around the massive fireplace, which seemed to be the only thing that looked intact, he noticed an oil lantern sitting near the grate of the fireplace. He examined the lantern and opened the latch on the base. The smell of fresh oil lingered in the lantern, as if it had been recently used. Yggdrasil was about to call over Armand and Colette until the medallion shook violently with the brightness of the aura increasing. He brought it near the fire pit where there was nothing but a heap of ash and a small burnt log. Leaning in for a closer inspection, he noticed that among the layered brick on the inside wall, one seemed irregular and out of place. So with a quick tug, Yggdrasil pulled the loose piece from its place, which brought the rest of the panel crumbling down. The noise of the loose bricks striking the rusted grate startled Colette and Armand, and they rushed over to Yggdrasil.
Behind the concealed panel was another wall covered in black ash. He reached in to brush the ash off only to reveal an embossed emblem. . Carved in the stone was a human skull entwined in serpents that took the form of a rose. The skull had a sinister, almost maddening smile with the snakes weaving through the black eye sockets. The stone felt warm to the touch and the smell of charcoal ash filled the pit. As he took a closer look at the emblem, Yggdrasil noticed a circular indent around the crest. He placed his hand on it, and with slight pressure he pushed it into the wall. At that moment, the heavy fireplace shifted as the sound of rustic gears began to move. It was as if the structure had been brought to life as the fireplace was slowly dragged into the wall, reveling a dark passageway that lead beneath the floorboards. Knowing that the grinding of the stone and gears most likely awoke the manor’s owners, the three headed into the passageway with Yggdrasil using the medallion’s glow to light the darkness.
The tunnel beneath the house had a damp stench that lingered thickly in the air. Moss had accumulated on the old cobblestone walls that went on endlessly through the dark tunnel. The light emitting from the medallion revealed a rough, dirt ground littered with loose gravel and sand that crunched beneath their feet. Colette could here Armand’s breathing rapidly increasing, as walking into pitch darkness did not leash his fears. Colette gently grasped his shaking hand and rubbed it with hers. He glanced at her with eyes wide with instinctual alertness, as she gave him a reassuring response with a soft smile that lit up his world in a seemingly endless road of shadows. Yggdrasil kept moving forward with such hardened focus that he did not concern himself with his two companions. He has yet to explain why he is dragging them along, but even he does not know what ends this relic will lead him to. The song that played in his mind had a power over him he could noticed but could not ignore, yet his desire to discover it was crossing a threshold of madness to Colette and Armand.
“Yggdrasil, do you care to help Armand and I understand what it is you’re doing?” Colette spoke up from behind. Her voice echoed around the walls. They kept moving on, but Yggdrasil held his silence. The firmness of his walk and his lifted shoulders indicated he was ignoring her, but she did not see the face that couldn’t even express the answer. He knew what to say, but just not how to say it.
“The woman who appeared to me sang a song.” He responded, “I believe it wants to me to follow it.”
“Then where is it leading us?” Armand asked impatiently. He came to a sudden halt and turned to face Colette and Armand, both harboring expressions of confusion and frustration.
He sighed heavily and began to pace from wall to wall like he was chasing the answer that kept on avoiding him. Yggdrasil came to a stammering halt and his face lit up, but did not turn to face them.
“I do not have the slightest idea, but if you’ll humor me and keep following the song, we may discover what it wants us to find.”
“And why are we not telling Edrick about this?” Colette asked as they continued onward through the now winding tunnel.
“Because the General didn’t entrust him with the relic.” Yggdrasil replied, “We are traversing through a suspicious, and seemingly deserted cave beneath his mansion. We are better off not letting him know.” The tunnel led them further down into the abyss until the medallion’s light revealed two empty torch sconces adjacent to what seemed to be the end of the tunnel. Colette took her torch and lit the sconces which illuminated the entrance to a massive cavern. The road split at the center into several different pathways, and the sound of rushing water could be heard below. Large, rocky spires protruded from the precipices that were filled with deep pools with strong currents. The three explorers took a careful look of their new surroundings. While in awe of such subterranean landscapes, the relic in Yggdrasil’s hand began to tug and pull towards the rightmost path. Without saying a word, the three followed the medallion’s force. Its melodic hum transitioned into a series of chimes. Yggdrasil took it as an indication they were getting closer to the source. As they turned the corner, the sound of loose rock tumbled in the distance behind them. The rockslide echoed throughout the cave’s vast expanse as large boulders could be heard crashing into the water.
Yggdrasil and his companions spun around to see where the rockslide came from. They saw that a wide path that angled upward was walled off from a thick layer of large rocks and stone, but appeared to be too large for what just occurred. Colette took several steps to get a better look, and she shook her head as her eyes widened. Debris of splintered wood and shattered lifts were scattered all along the bluff of the rocky peninsula. Broken wooden beams hanged off the edge, and scaffolding was completely ripped from its foundation on the side of the bluff.
“This. This can’t be right.” Colette proclaimed, “Edrick, the General, they reported that this entire area was buried.”
“Maybe this is a system beyond the cave-in.” Armand said with little confidence in his response.
“Colette, Armand.” Yggdrasil spoke up, “You two take point and sweep that whole area for any evidence that would suggest the cave-in was natural, or influenced.” Armand looked at Yggdrasil with disbelief.
“Isn’t this why you are here? To search the rubble and not chase after songs only you’re hearing?” Yggdrasil took a few steps towards Armand and grabbed him by the scruff of his chainmail, pulling him towards stern and focused eyes.
“I am here for whatever task requires the most attention. As far as I am concerned, searching through the theoretical of why something happened because it happened is not a priority to me.” His voice became low and rough, “The nature of this artifact may hold better answers than blindly digging for reason. Do as you are told and never question me again, is that clear?” Flustered, Armand averted his face and tugged away from Yggdrasil’s grasp. Colette caught up to Armand without expressing to Yggdrasil how angry she was with him. To her, it was best just to not vocally address it.
Relieved that Yggdrasil was able to be on his own for once, he continued down the path around the bend of the mountainside. Yggdrasil felt the encumbered weight of others collapse from his conscience as a distinct focus strengthened his stride. However, his mind was not in total clarity. The medallion’s glistening chimes rang through his ears, but the music no longer distracted him. Yggdrasil knew he drew closer to whatever awaited him beyond the darkness. He kept his hand resting on the butt of his sword, as it was his belief that total silence foreshadowed coming danger. He knew he was totally alone and far away from Colette and Armand with nothing but the distant sound of rushing water and the echo of his own footsteps. The further he treaded along the rocky trail Yggdrasil noticed a large outcropping straight ahead. As he drew closer, he could see that the outcropping was not a natural formation as it appeared to be massive pillars carved from the stone on each side. Yggdrasil stood against one of the pillars used his shining light to unveil carvings that bore into the flawlessly cut spires.
He stood in awe of the massive architecture that towered over him, but he was fascinated more so that the stone etchings were similar to the symbols that were carved into the medallion. Yggdrasil was overwhelmed with answers mutating into questions. He wondered if the miners knew about these spires before they fled to their fate, or how long have these towers been here. As he stood in contemplation, his vision began to blur and shake. Yggdrasil lopsided as he became dizzy, and more jolts of flashes from the relic pierced through his thoughts. He buried his face in his palm trying to relieve himself from the pain, but more distorted visions of a silver-haired woman burned into his mind. Fortunately, it was over as soon as it began, but the fear lingered in his eyes as sweat poured from his face. Yggdrasil could feel the relic draining him of his energy, and was compelled to rest, but fought his body to move forward. He did not enjoy how more frequent the visions were becoming, but had a sliver of hope that whatever awaited him will be rid of them. He moved on with haste, further past the spires. The darkness of the cavern began to lift as blue lights flickered in the distance, and Yggdrasil moved even quicker with his sword arm at the ready. Warmth radiated from the light the closer Yggdrasil walked towards it. From the corner of the winding cavern wall, he came upon an unusual structure.
With widened eyes, he gazed upon a massive temple entrance carved into the mountain. The temple façade appeared to be twenty meters high with adjacent spires on either side. The structure was carved from the stone of the cave, but what were even more surreal were the blue veins stretching across the whole temple. The veins were jagged and twisted like roots from the earth. Yggdrasil approached the closed temple door, which was a high-rising stone slab with a circular engraving. He peered at the medallion and noticed it was of a similar size, and its vibrations began to shake his whole arm. Eager to be rid of the relic, Yggdrasil fitted it into the empty slot without hesitation. As it was placed, the relic shined brightly, and the temple began to quake. The whole structure appeared to come alive as the blue aura illuminated brightly from its dark crevasses. Nervous, Yggdrasil took several steps back and eyed the ceiling for falling rocks. The stone door slowly retracted into the threshold letting loose clouds of dust. Traces of light entered through the dark entrance of the temple, and Yggdrasil stepped forward. His nerves were relaxed by his sudden intrigue of what may be inside this seemingly abandoned temple. As he crossed the threshold, the entire room lit up with the blue light tracing along the walls. Just ahead was a double staircase that leads to the nave of the temple.
Yggdrasil ascended the winding staircase, which remained completely intact as if it were just built. He found himself standing in the temple’s nave, a massive rotunda with the lights leading up to the dome ceiling. Yggdrasil peered at the dome above him, guessing that it was around thirty meters high. He couldn’t imagine feeling smaller than he already does in this massive chamber. Giant statues of nameless elves surrounded him with swords held high, and even these statues were covered with glowing blue veins. Immediately, Yggdrasil realized it was Manarium. He recognized that raw Manarium took liquid form encased in a crystalline shell, and the ore veins were found in cracks deep beneath the earth. In the center of the chamber, there were two statues kneeling adjacent to each other. The gentle smiles that were carved into the stone made them seem so alive with their arms outstretched towards the central floor supporting a stasis tank. Yggdrasil looked below his feet and saw Manarium veins flowing towards the tank. With slow steps, he quietly approached the apparatus, careful not to disturb the statues towering over him as if they could quake to live and protect the metallic casket in their hands. Intricate Elven runes were embedded on the face of a chrome-plated lid.
He could hear the song whisper through the grand hall, and as it passed through him like a gentle breeze, his right arm began to feel numb. It moved without Yggdrasil’s control, and gravitated towards the casket until his palm connected with the cold, metal shell. At that moment, a burst of energy erupted from the casket, and strings of light shot in all directions like lightning. Yggdrasil bellowed in pain as the strange energy source flowed through his arm. He collapsed to his knees grasping at his right arm. His arm felt like it was being shattered and reconstructed in succession as glowing runes began to trace into the flesh. Traumatized from the pain, and the magical energy that thrashed around him he couldn’t bring himself to focus on what was happening. It was so unbearable for him to comprehend his suffering that Yggdrasil could do nothing but endure in agony. Everything was a blur in his sight; everything seemed to no longer matter because of what he was experiencing. The runes being traced into his arm felt like he was being cut with a hot, serrated blade. Once the runes covered his entire right arm, the magic around him dissipated like sparks of colorful fireworks. The pain had subsided, but Yggdrasil was drenched in sweat as if he had barley survived a ferocious battle. Fear and curiosity filled his expression as he looked down at his arm tattooed with Elven symbols that glowed with brilliant blue and emerald green colors.
Just then, the casket was brought to life with a series of high chimes and low hums. It glowed a similar color of the magic that bore into Yggdrasil’s arm, and disintegrated into nothing in a bright flash. The light revealed a pale young woman, with similar tattoos that traced along most of her naked body. Her long, radiant silver hair cascaded down her firm shoulders, and lifted into the air as she fell from where she slept. Yggdrasil rushed to catch her as she limply fell into his arms. She slowly opened her eyes and let out a groan as if being rudely awoken from a peaceful slumber.
“It- took you long enough.” She uttered meekly as she struggled to give her soft voice strength. Yggdrasil didn’t understand what she meant. He remained speechless that a grown woman was trapped in a metallic casket underground in an old temple for gods know how long. He shook off his disbelief and placed her on the ground and reached for his water flask. As he was about to pour some water to get her to drink, Yggdrasil noticed a tip that peeked through her silver hair. It was like silk as he brushed her hair aside only to reveal defined, pointed ears that were sharp as knives. She was barely conscious as he made an attempt to resuscitate her. A feeling of compassion fell over his stubborn ego, for he felt compelled to ensure that her life was not in danger. Yggdrasil’s heart jumped as he saw the strength in her eyes waning and beginning to close. Overcome with hopelessness, he shouted a name he did not know nor did he speak on his own volition, but his heart had commanded his tongue. His voice filled the room, and the name he screamed nearly shook the chamber.
“ANU!”.
Wojo's World 