The Chronicles of Rashess: Bastard Bard

Part X: A Struggle Within

The Ancient Treant slowly makes his way to stand next to a dryad in the grove offering her shade as she passes stories to him by the denizens of the forest .
As she converses with the great pine treant, he feels an odd sensation from deep within his being...
Tristan's soul and what is left of his own mind pushes a thought toward the group, "I joined with your collective conscience willingly. I have now seen the souls of several mortals lost within the hive-mind called Deeproot. So long have they been part of that repository of knowledge and wisdom that they no longer have a sense of themselves."
A droning choir of several mixed voices replies, "Deeproot passes through the ages. Deeproot holds the wisdom of many and the knowledge of more. You will become a part of us. Your knowledge of this age will add to ours... Your wisdom will sharpen ours."
Tristan feels the will of the old tree begin to break down the barriers of his self... He feels his soul becoming part of Deeproot. Then, as a nearby owl passes stories of the human lands along to the dryad, Tristan is reminded of someone. His thoughts focus on a fierce young lady he often found sitting alone by the fire in a small village. Tristan had always had feelings for her. He remembers love. He feels his soul burning to pull the parts of his consciousness back into place. He pushes his will into the forefront of the great treant's mind long enough for a few minutes of desperate action.
The great Treant's body moves with unnatural speed and determination. The great trunk of the treant bashes the nearby Dryad across the grove and slams her lithe body into the trunk of a nearby tree. So stunned by unpredictable action and force of the blow, the Dryad realizes too late that the treant has launched itself into a great leap and has already nearly landed on her. The dryad tries to begin a spell to protect herself from the crushing force of the treant. As the treant lands, a sickening crunch echoes through the serenity of the grove and the dryad loses consciousness. Tristan's mind repeats the chant he heard only weeks ago coming from this very fey. The treant's voice responds to the request of Tristan's mind slowly. Tristan does not have much time. He refocuses his thoughts to visualize her face. The old treant continues the chant and the Dryad's life force is withdrawn from her body. With his last moments of control over the treant Tristan wills his soul and the dryad's life-force towards his body...
So much pain.......Everything is dark.......I can't move!Move!Push!Struggle!She is waiting for you!Tristan feels his hand begin to budge a bit by his side and presses it against the dirt surrounding him. The feeling of being buried but still alive terrifies him and renews his vigor and strength. He finally breaks a hand to the surface and frantically feels around for something to pull himself up...A root!He grabs hold and pulls with all his might. Soon his head breaks free of the prison of soil and he gasps for air. Immediately, soil and dirt fill his lungs and he hacks and coughs trying to clear his throat. Painful...Agonizing... but he is coughing... he is alive.
Exhaustion overwhelms him and he drifts off to sleep still half buried in the dirt.
A dry throat awakens him the next day. Still in a great deal of pain, he crawls his way to a nearby stream and drinks his fill.
He Prays to the old gods to heal him but an answer does not come... He begs forgiveness for killing the dryad and sets about atoning for his sins. He then Prays once again for the old gods to heal his wounds...nothing.
Tristan wails out in pain,a power filling his lungs, a song greater than the gods themselves...a power found only within the hearts of men... He lets these mysterious energies find the find their way to his soul and his wounds do not heal but new w flesh and blood and sinew form from the very essence of the song...
Once again, He is whole.. But how?

He stands slowly testing his legs to see if they will hold his weight then looks up at the sky.
"I would have followed you to the end of my life."
Tristan then gathers his belongings and finds dagger to carve a message into the nearby tree. "Here lies the fools who call themselves Gods." He solemnly drops symbols of each one of the gods into the shallow grave and kicks dirt into the hole to cover them up.