Tale Never Told [Completed]

Prologue.

It was a land that no mortal can see, visit or even imagine. Hidden in the world that didn't exist, protected by such powers that no man nor woman could destroy, there lay a valley. High in the highest mountains, above the clouds, in the place that not every bird could reach, people lived happily and freely.

The village was not big, but very small. Just a couple of streets framed with cabins and shacks, with every tree imaginable. The scent there was one of a kind, and descibing it proved to be not of use - so magical and unbelievable it was. The sky was always sunny and not a trace of a cloud made its way there. However, whenever it did rain, the people didn't complain either, smiling widely under the water and holding their hands out, as if ready to hug the sky.

The nature there was also impossible for a mortal to imagine. Dangerous animals and beasts roamed around the village, acting like tamed critters. Huge lions and swift wolves turned into kittens and puppies, playing around with whoever they met all day long. Snakes were so beautiful, especially with their scales shining under the sunlight, that if they were of any danger their prey wouldn't even have a chance to run away, mesmerised by the array of colours.

In the rivers there were countless fish, golden and silver. They played pracefully between the waves, flying above the crystal-clear water and almost laughing out loud. The grass there was the greenest grass of all, and the flowers blossomed every day.

The sun never burned a human nor an animal, its warm ang gentle rays hugging whoever stepped under them. The shadows of the trees were always happy to sent pleasant chill at anyone who hid from the kind sun. The wind was singing songs that could not be remembered, could not be repeated, but that brought the feeling of everlasting peace to whoever heard them.

Wild beasts, the ones that could cause anyone any harm, were rare there and existed merely for satisfying the villagers' urge to fight and let the adrenaline flow through their body. Every now and again the monsters would raid the valley, only to be defeated and reborn far, far away.

And nights! Oh how great were nights there! The moon was huge there, so huge that it was possible to see every spot on it. Its soothing and calming light always supported whoever decided to walk around at night, billions of stars smiling kindly and the wanderer. Crickets were chirping, and that sound demolished any evil or upset thoughts that could've appeared in the head of one.

Although days came and went and nothing changed - apart from the raids from monsters - no person in the village was ever bored or upset. They herded ships and went fishing, only to let their prey go back to the river. They made new buildings and cooked food, one spoonful of which could make anyone forget anything about dark feelings and emotions. There stood crafting tables for everyone who loved to work with their hands and a fighting ring for practising.

Oh yes, that land was nothing but wonderful and amazing. So amazing, in fact, that sometimes it felt like every human there was just having an everlasting dream.

There was only one of those people that wasn't entirely human. He treated others as equals and they payed back with kindness and respect, as if he was one of them. But they all knew that he was not a mortal, like the rest of them. His body held power, that power that had the potential to injure and murder but was mainly used for healing.

And that man, apart from everyone else, had a purpose, had something he was meant to do to keep the balance of that valley. Every evening he would go out of his house and go behind it, towards the line of the bushes.

Those bushes had black leaves that felt to be made of another matter, not the one that created the world and everything in it. They reflected the starlight and if anyone apart from that man dared to touch them, that person would've regretted it immediatelly. Because those bushes were not something to play with.