Rin stomps out from the fabric tent in a rage, yelling, more like roaring, at us for childish behaviour, I feel like a child being scolded. She practically triggers an earthquake, birds swoop away in a furious storm, creatures rustle and leap off to safety, abandoning me and Phoenix to try our best to survive.
Her mood switches as leaves to fall, dropping all rage like a useless flat ball.
Stone giants turn to silky grassed mounds of silver rock, steadily lowering into hills. The treeline stands firm to shake a farewell as we enter the seemingly scoured and endless grassy hills. On they go farther than even Phoenix can see.
That crimson cloak of his never dirties, it glitters with hope anywhere, so accustomed I've come of it that the sight of a shimmering red poppy popped his face to my mind. Genesis is clearly relieved far by soft grasses from the odd jagged rocks or needles, thorns and brush.
Fall is sprinting in swifter than I foretold, washing away greens to yellows and browns, leaves to a fiery palette.
Unlike the dew touched forests of the Jinx Mountains, these hilly lands bear no sign of decay of change. No blade is tipped with foretelling death, flowers are widespread and thick, vibrant and glowing. High or small, wide blooming or long, they stand swaying in a cool ease with warmed winds. Pastel purples, rocking blues, malleable reds, whispering whites, counselling yellows, gentle pinks, and hard blacks scatter through the brilliant fields sparkling with a golden green life.
As day wears on and the sun turn far west, the height of grass varies from ankle to shoulder. Genesis dislikes the tallest areas, however, being a coward of grass is not accepted and I force her to suck it up, putting her into an irritated mood. Her moods change like Rin's and all is forgotten soon as the wisps of wind.
Here in this patch of Earth, it seems nothing can be easily overcome, darkness seems not to sway its brilliance or glowing gratitude, chilled dews and frosts feel harmless and weak. Even a neglected quiet wind is warmed by a sparking sun.
I wonder what Phoenix meant when he said he can see many different things in the forest and of its life. One day I would wish to understand to the buckets bare bottom, to see it all, to experience it all. What a mysterious and glorified power Earth has granted such pure souls.
"How long do you live?" I ask, my voice runs smoothly with the ebb of liveliness.
"You are talking to me?" Phoenix turns his head, as he is leading us; Rin walks on my left and Genesis to my right.
"Yes, of course I am." A softened smile I spot on Rin's gold lined face in the westerning sun.
"Well, that varies widely, there are illnesses and such! However, we have many effective remedies which men have denied; since some plants live only in specific areas which we have not allowed them to destroy, thus they have refused trades or charity, even advice. foolish they are, entirely and stupidly foolish."
"Anyways, we live well past one hundred years most often, though I cannot guarantee this to be accurate since we count not human years. Why the sudden and seemingly random question?" His answers always prove thoughtful and meaningful.
"I didn't think it such an atrocity to ask nor be curious, reflect with yourself on that trust lecture I received." I scowl sarcastically, his eyebrows raise and a look I cannot categorize comes over him as a clouds shadow.
"No, it's not I suppose, until your words escape thought and meaning, prying into terribly dark things. You must learn to think carefully on words, they can do much harm, even get you killed, or they can grant you great deeds and fellows! I myself am acquainted, or was, with a man whom spoke out irrationally, never choosing the proper words; he did not know of his errors for the truth was hidden away from him, for this I regret. The point is, eventually every thought in his head became public, he'd walk around talking all his mind with no discretion. Another man came to us, mysterious and astray from righteous paths he was, came upon us asking for shelter."
"Now, despite the dark and ominous aura he bore, we housed him, and the talkative man with no secrets he stayed with. A troubled choice was such, for in the end our fellow questioned too deeply, finding hidden ways, enter darkened halls. The newcomer came to in the morning, realizing he had been drunk that night, for we do have such drink, he inquired our fellow of his knowledge of the night, realizing he'd spilled too much, and believing to have been drugged, or something of the sort, he killed our fellow and fled."
"Our friend has no way of lying, and so the spilling of words tore his life uselessly. If only one had had the heart to confess his nature to his blinded mind, might he still be living, if only we had discarded the man as evil to the core he would never have been killed nor falsely accused. A dear friend he was indeed."
"But, you see, we learn swiftly from mistake and misfortune, grieving of course for the loss of a precious and unique soul, yet thankful also for the wisdom gained and knowledge shown. That's the short of it. For we buried him in mosses and he returned to Earth, granting life to the living."
"I think we do no regret letting the man in still, it is our custom to help any in need no matter what, to see truth in our enemies eyes and learn their minds and anguish, to overcome that and learn from them. Never have we turned one down, for even with our seemingly open trust, we have immense power to use as a shield. One could state it cowardly of us. For, if we had not this power, would we still carry on the same policies?"
"That is my fair tale, learn from it or discard it as you wish." He finishes the wizened tale.