The Shattered Soul

A graceful Death

Chapter Two – A graceful Death

The day went by as the last Jaro would work in the village, and tomorrow would bring him the move into the Fort. The suns set in the east and the second in the south and the world became dark once more. The people slept and the world came to a stop for the night, however Jaro’s world did not stop. For spring meant the beginning of Yuker fish in the lake that sat between the village and the fort.  Yuker fish swim south for Oak and swim north for Kay the next season to spring. Swimming upstream the Yuker fish jump and skip across the water and dive in all in alignment with their pack. To an intelligent eye it would seem almost too organized that they swim like armies marched.

Sitting on a wooden shack that leered over the lake Jaro and Cherrie sat with their reeds. A plant underneath them grew tall and hollow making them perfect to launch objects across the water. Jaro was stuffing his reed with a type of Pikio dust, it made the Yuker fish change colour. After he had finished he and Cherrie looked at one another.

“You first” Cherrie gracefully expressed to Jaro in a slightly high pitched voice. Jaro put one end of the reed to his mouth and blew. A colourful dust shot from the opposite end and all the way across the lake. The moment it hit the first fish, it blossomed a bright purple. The whole row soon followed and with every row advancing the purple lightened and turned into a Pink. The water glowed as it did this; The two of them watched the colours from the water. The fish still jumping upstream it did not last long. Cherrie reared hers ready and fired it out. The fish changed different colours depending on where they were in the line. From the height they were at the pattern looked like a Blue arrow on a green yellow background. When the dust hit the water it glowed bright yellow.

“Cherrie...” Jaro attentively grabbed her attention with.

“Yes, Jaro?” Cherrie asked upon him.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than when I’ve been with you” Jaro pointed out.

“Thank you, I feel the same way” Cherrie returned the favour.

“Now may be the time to seal the deal Cherrie” Jaro blurted out however Cherrie did not quite understand his insinuation. Jaro pointed out at the fish that were now normal coloured and faded with the water. Cherrie looked at Jaro blew on his reed once more. As the dust settled on the gills of the Yuker this time they glowed white and gold. The Gold parts in the shape of a ring. Cherrie put her hand over her mouth and gasped in admiration for what she suspected was soon to be happening. She then looked back at Jaro whom was holding a Silver and translucent crystal with a ring inside. The glow was still at large and her eye’s watered. “Will you?” he asked upon her. She nodded as Jaro held the crystal against her chest. It melted straight into her body and a ring shape glowed over her torso for a few moments before fading. A golden ring shape appeared on her fore-head as a sign that they were now engaged. The two of them came closer in lust and love and slept the night on the rickety shaft above the lake.

Light shone on the face of the enrolling officer as scattered dreams of the life he had ahead did fade away. Waking up alone Jaro found himself hungry and in need of guidance. His black leather cape scratched against the base of the shack as he stood up and his feet felt much colder than the night before. As bare foot he jumped onto the grassy ground. The wet soft soil hugged his feet in a gentle typhoon. Jaro placed his feet within the comfy insides of his boots, fur caressing his toes as he strolled into the village. He jumped over the poorly constructed wall that kept the live stock from entering the lake and turned his head to assess his plans. He turned over to the farm in the north and walked over to it. The path turned into a Pebble stone passage for the food within the barn. Still lucid from the wake Jaro found himself gorming at the crops in the field the tall wheat against his palm as he leaned ever so slightly into the field to the left of the path over a wooden fence painted white.

Soon and not to his surprise he arrived at the barn, the food court to the villagers.  Windows on the edges and a second floor shared with chickens. Jaro sat on the farthest bench from the stair case and overlooking the open field through the other side. As he dipped bread into his Onion soup Jaro watched his fiancé riding horses. As her claim to fame Cherrie was a professional rider and had competed in many of the fort’s competitions. Her dream was to ride to teach others how to ride and to expand to a new stable of houses, ‘Cherrie Ranch’. However graceful she did ride and however much she did want to aspire to her dreams alas she and Jaro were trapped under the cape of poverty in their little world.

Jaro soon finished his meal and went over to see the Elders of the village. The centre of the village housed the largest household and a clock tower above. A well sat fairly south to this and the path to and from the fort. The floor was paved with stone but not of the colourful variance of the road to the barn. The Elders preached within an ancient cave down by the river, past the bakery and to the right of his house. Walking down steps to the caves the Elders sat not far in. The walls black with pastel drawings lit by glowing waters running around the catacombs Jaro found the Elders at the highest place in the tallest cave. At the top of a set of steps the Elders sat with their legs crossed in meditation. The stairs high and water trailing down lighting the room. Jaro looked at the stone carved statues as he walked up the stairs and to the top where his presence was made aware of.

The Elders wore Brown capes and held in their legs a Green Orb. As Jaro stepped on the top most step the Orbs changed colour to a Blue. They all spun around and faced him in a half circle facing him. The tallest Elder in the centre spoke first. As he did the various openings of the cave lit up and made patterns on the cave walls. It seemed almost dramatic and sublimely compelling Jaro into listening to their wise words. His voice echoed only through Jaro’s ears and did not touch the walls; sounded with a rough texture as though smoke had entered the lungs at a young age his voice could be described as one of a leader and not of a follower.

“We predicted your arrival Jaro” the Elder pointed out to him, Jaro cleaned his throat and with a sturdy squeak, squeaked a reply.

“How did you predict this?” Jaro asked the Elder who slowly leaned back.

“You are leaving here tomorrow, this is how. We have sensed otherwise however” the Elder replied and fell back laying on the ground. The left most Elder then spoke as the Elder spoke the Orb the centre Elder held begun ever so slowly to roll forward.

“The Village will need rebuilding.” The left most Elder preached and fell back like the centre one , his orb rolling towards the centre of the top step.

“Your innocent world no longer” The right most Elder screamed out as she fell back.

“A being will fall” The most left sitting up Elder whispered before falling back.

“You will lead the way” The last Elder sitting one to the right of the central Elder. All five orbs rolled together and ever so lightly touched one another. Once all were touching and still they turned more liquid and merged into one spherical shape turning and glowing the colour red. All the Elders sat up at this point lit only in red from the large light in the centre. They all began to talk in sync.

“You will lead the way” they chanted continually. The Orb in the centre with every speech pattern made changed and formed. It moved as if vibrating with them speaking and moulded into a new shape. When the shape had finished they leaned back and light returned to the cave. The central Elder stood up and picked up the object the Orb had become. The Elder passed the object to Jaro and gracefully warned.

“You will fall and save us all” He prophesied then quickly turned around his cape swooping in the motion. Jaro turned around and begun to walk down the steps as the Elder returned into Mediation. He could here them Chant, ‘You will fall and save us all’. Jaro as being confused was more interested in the object. He had to wait until he got outside until he could see it properly, the light was not high enough to see it in doors. He begun to run with the object, through the catacombs and up to the surface.

He stepped outside coming to a standstill and looked at the object. In his hand Jaro held a Red sword, made of light. He observed it’s markings, it’s craftsmanship. Jaro knew where this had been made, he just didn’t don’t that he knew. The sword turned to dust in the sunlight and Jaro walked away from the cave with tomorrow to look forward to. Tomorrow was to be a day he would not likely forget.