12-25-2003, 03:24 PM
The Service
Stepping into the clearing from the mist swirling around her feet, the woman paused. Lightly touching the bark of the massive, gnarled tree standing next to her, she prepared for the service she had been chosen for..
The oak was ancient, and wrapped in the dark embrace of the night….it towered over the clearing…as if the forest were subjects to be ruled. As long as the woman could remember…creatures such as herself, had served the Tree. The dawns light would soon chase away the shadows of the night…as it would cast the morning glow upon the leaves and branches of this magical tree she served.
The Service , being only for the turning of a season…was near to an end for her, sadness tinged her thoughts, as she prepared to greet the Tree.
Quietly she watched the morning come…the light breaking over this tree she served…that had been her life and love for the past year. A shocking sight then caught her attention…WILT…grey ,black ….and creeping …this insidious sickness had woven its way through some of the branches overnight! The woman recoiled as if struck…”How could this have happened!” she thought to herself. Never in the history of her order in The Service , could she recall any such occurrence. The very existence of life , as she knew it , was now in jeopardy , leaving the woman’s mind reeling! ….to be continued….
*The Service..so many centuries old....was created to protect the LIGHT from the DARK....and the creatures of the DARK were held at bay...by the magic of this tree alone! Sinking to her knees..the woman looked up at this magical..powerful tree...and a grip of dread took hold of her heart...
She knew....that if this tree perished...so would all that walked the path of LIGHT...The demons would break through the barrier the tree protected......being held captive and away from there chosen prey
All the pent up rage from the centuries ...their hate had grown hot..the demons lusted after death and torment more so now than when they had been enclosed in this great dark void...maintained solely by the magic of the tree!
The tree was DYING!...the woman lapsed into soft weeping for a moment....not yet fully able to comprehend the magnitude of this situation....despeate to understand...she silently pondered in her mind...^I know not what to do...this has never happened^ Drying her tears...she rose...and spoke the words of greeting...as she had done every morning ...when a branch of the tree softly touched her...Startled....the woman then remained very still...as a voice spoke to her mind....saying......to be continued
__________________________________________________ _________________
*Listen, …as the story of an ancient past spills forth from the Tree.
She sinks further…sitting now with her palms still on the rough bark….and the Tree’s branches wrapped gently around her shoulders.
The message is in images and vague words, becoming increasingly hard to decipher.
Weeping softly, the woman learns that all is not lost...A REBIRTH!..Her mind races..as she struggles to absorb all she has learned. Shaking and terribly afraid…..she is suddenly helpless to move. The Tree falls silent and withdraws her branches, leaving the woman , the chosen, alone and in deep thought. Casting a glance up at this Tree she has served so well, she wipes tears of sadness from her eyes. Standing slowly, caressing the Tree a final time, she turns to walk away.
In her hand she carries a single, perfect seed….given to her by the dying Tree.
Knowing…this is the only way to keep the Dark at bay…safely behind the barrier created from this magical majestic Tree…Feeling vulnerable and quite fragile….she begins what will be her final service…..to be continued.
Hope you like it!
Stepping into the clearing from the mist swirling around her feet, the woman paused. Lightly touching the bark of the massive, gnarled tree standing next to her, she prepared for the service she had been chosen for..
The oak was ancient, and wrapped in the dark embrace of the night….it towered over the clearing…as if the forest were subjects to be ruled. As long as the woman could remember…creatures such as herself, had served the Tree. The dawns light would soon chase away the shadows of the night…as it would cast the morning glow upon the leaves and branches of this magical tree she served.
The Service , being only for the turning of a season…was near to an end for her, sadness tinged her thoughts, as she prepared to greet the Tree.
Quietly she watched the morning come…the light breaking over this tree she served…that had been her life and love for the past year. A shocking sight then caught her attention…WILT…grey ,black ….and creeping …this insidious sickness had woven its way through some of the branches overnight! The woman recoiled as if struck…”How could this have happened!” she thought to herself. Never in the history of her order in The Service , could she recall any such occurrence. The very existence of life , as she knew it , was now in jeopardy , leaving the woman’s mind reeling! ….to be continued….
*The Service..so many centuries old....was created to protect the LIGHT from the DARK....and the creatures of the DARK were held at bay...by the magic of this tree alone! Sinking to her knees..the woman looked up at this magical..powerful tree...and a grip of dread took hold of her heart...
She knew....that if this tree perished...so would all that walked the path of LIGHT...The demons would break through the barrier the tree protected......being held captive and away from there chosen prey
All the pent up rage from the centuries ...their hate had grown hot..the demons lusted after death and torment more so now than when they had been enclosed in this great dark void...maintained solely by the magic of the tree!
The tree was DYING!...the woman lapsed into soft weeping for a moment....not yet fully able to comprehend the magnitude of this situation....despeate to understand...she silently pondered in her mind...^I know not what to do...this has never happened^ Drying her tears...she rose...and spoke the words of greeting...as she had done every morning ...when a branch of the tree softly touched her...Startled....the woman then remained very still...as a voice spoke to her mind....saying......to be continued
__________________________________________________ _________________
*Listen, …as the story of an ancient past spills forth from the Tree.
She sinks further…sitting now with her palms still on the rough bark….and the Tree’s branches wrapped gently around her shoulders.
The message is in images and vague words, becoming increasingly hard to decipher.
Weeping softly, the woman learns that all is not lost...A REBIRTH!..Her mind races..as she struggles to absorb all she has learned. Shaking and terribly afraid…..she is suddenly helpless to move. The Tree falls silent and withdraws her branches, leaving the woman , the chosen, alone and in deep thought. Casting a glance up at this Tree she has served so well, she wipes tears of sadness from her eyes. Standing slowly, caressing the Tree a final time, she turns to walk away.
In her hand she carries a single, perfect seed….given to her by the dying Tree.
Knowing…this is the only way to keep the Dark at bay…safely behind the barrier created from this magical majestic Tree…Feeling vulnerable and quite fragile….she begins what will be her final service…..to be continued.
Hope you like it!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
A Light in your Darkness...always there...and burning...
A Light in your Darkness...always there...and burning...
