"We stood against the world together and we won" read the words inscribed on the plaque below the two great statues. The small girl's gaze wandered over the two statues that stood side by side as equals. Their hands on the hilts of their weapons as they gazed over an endless ocean from a bluff high above the great city. A small park sat at the top with a path that weaved up the bluff. The statues stood tall and radiated their strengths like beacons in the night.
Her look shifted to Ayrlyn first. Headstrong, patience, kindness and unwavering will.Those were her strengths.
Then to Nicci. Agile, intelligent, compassionate and her heart of pure gold.
It was said they first met here on this very bluff.
They had made a pact as they gazed out on the land that they loved.
They dreamed an impossible dream.
They wanted the world to be a better place.
Together they would make it happen no matter what.
From that day on they called themselves the Radical Dreamers.
The girl knew all the tales by heart.
The battles the dreamers fought against innumerable foes.
Against overwhelming odds and momentous foes.
Against the power hungry, the greedy , tyrants, fanatics
and madmen bent on chaos and destruction.
The dreamers would fight across the lands far and wide.
Mountains would be leveled and new ranges risen in their place.
Oceans would be drained and spring anew.
Islands would be lifted into the skies only to be brought crashing down again.
Cities would be destroyed and rebuilt.
Tales of their triumphs and losses were told throughout the lands.
She heard them all.
"Dad" she asked "What happened to them? I've heard all the stories but no one has ever told me what became of them"
Her father looked down at her "You are clever. You knew that was the reason I brought you up here. To tell you the tale of the final battle. I guess I am no good at keeping secrets from you" he grins at her.
"The story begins not far outside the city.
Ayrlyn and Nicci faced a terrible foe. It had no name. Not even a form. It was known only as Hatred. It threatened to not only destroy their home but the world itself.
Their very right to exist.
The battle raged on for hours and hours.
They stood their ground as long as they could. They gave it hell. Inch by inch they grudgingly gave ground. They wouldn't surrender and they always fought together because if they were separated they knew they would lose. Finally at the gates of the city. Amongst the ruins of the housing that was built outside the wall. Fires raging unchecked. Smoke billowed everywhere. Screams could be heard while the buildings came crashing down.
Here we draw the line they shouted! We can't give in. Hatred came at them again and again with terrible force. Again and again he was repelled but he knew they would falter. No one had such power. No single being could defeat him The day grew into night and the stars lit the sky. Ayrlyn stumbled as the buildings next to her came crashing down. Nicci was at his side in an instant to steady him.
Weary, battered and bleeding both.
They looked into each other's eyes with the truth.
We are losing. Their eyes said without saying.
Then without a word because each knew what the other was thinking.
Ayrlyn looked at Nicci.
Is there no other way?
Nicci sadly shook her head.
No
At that instant they grabbed each others shoulders and pulled themselves together in a close embrace as to shield themselves from the impending doom. Wails of despair shrieked in the chaos. Hatred with glee had thought the battle won. With a horrible swiftness born of pure malice he rushed in. So eager to snuff out their existence. He didn't realize he had erred. The moment he swooped close they both turned their gaze up at the sky. Hatred sensed this and turned to flee.
He was too late. He couldn't move he was encased with the dreamers in a perfect natural crystal clear as glass. The trap had been sprung. The spell had worked. He screamed in rage. Immobile in the crystal the dreamers unable to speak thought in unison.
"HEAVENSWARD!" their minds cried out in a singular phrase
The crystal shook and started to ascend slowly.
Rapidly gaining speed it became a small streak in the sky before winking out of existence.
It hurtled over vast distances of time and space
Eventually It finally came to a stop.
The dreamers could hold on no longer.
The time was now.
For one brief instance the dreamers were free to look into each other's eyes one last time.
At that moment they both smiled they had never took the time to think.
What if dreams come true?
The crystal shuddered violently and started to glow more brightly until it gleamed brighter then one thousand suns.
Then with a force of a super nova it exploded over a vast distance consuming everything near.
From the planet all could see the new constellation in the night sky.
They sacrificed everything for their dream.
Would they be remembered?"
The girl sighed sadly "Does that mean they died?"
Her father shook his head and beckoned her over his finger pointing at the sky "Do you see that constellation? It's called the Phoenix. It was born of the calamity that threatened to destroy us all. The stars in it represent virtues of the dreamers like courage, patience, justice, love and so on."
She nodded she knew of it. Still gazing up as her father circled around the statue. He continued on "See those two stars where the heart is?" Another nod. " One with a red hue and one with a blue hue? Those are the dreamers watching over us still. It is said that they would rise from the ashes and be born again in a time of need. They would be more then remembered . They would never die"
The little girl sighed and looked down at the statues once more. A gleam caught her eye. She rushed over eagerly at the base of each statue was a small gem. She snatched them up and looked in awe at their beauty. Her father walked over and said "Ah it seems the dreamers see something great in you as I do. The statues have granted you their tears."
He hunches over her and gently picks up the gems one at a time out of her palm "The bright red ruby is Nicci's . It represents her inner fire, compassion and her love for others." he places the ruby in his other hand and picks the other gem up "The deep icy blue sapphire is Ayrlyn's. It represents her patience, kindness and unwavering will."
Gently he places them into her hand side by side and closes her fist. As to say hold them tightly and never let go. The dreamers didn't for let go for all of us. He glanced at her and said "Come now daughter it is getting late and we have a long path home"
As they walk down the winding dark path hand in hand. They feared nothing. They were safe thanks to the dreamers heroic deeds. His daughter still clutching the gems to her heart he smiles inwardly. It was just like this when my father did the same for me and his father's father.
The tears and the legends were passed down the generations. He hopes that as she grows and learns that the dreamers might not rise from the ashes. Instead that she will believe in herself and maybe one day become a legend in her own right.
He knows eventually that when she is older she might realize the truth as he did when he came of age. Legends are not born they are MADE.
No comments:
Post a Comment