The River Person's Song

And to sing

The fire was raging.
I had just awoken, but rather than in my bed, my boat had taken me to the forest, as I watched our house burn.
My only two belongings I had left where my boat, and my cloak. The collar had long since been removed.

When the smoke and fire cleared, I could not find any bodies.

But a single pile of dust.

That day, my white eye lights disappeared. My eyes used to be white so all could see expression on my face, but that day... they disappeared. They have only ever returned once.

And a folded up picture... of me and Callahan.

I cried softly.

I knew who's dust this was.

I grabbed a fistful and spread it over the picture, this was something he loved.

I saw a human army heading away from the smoking site, laughing their heads off.

How I wanted to retaliate.

But... my inner self, my gut, told me to run. To find the king and queen. They where probably somewhere else, since their dust was nowhere to be found.

I looked at the rubble one last time, taking the picture, and a half burnt poem from one of Asere's book remnants.

Those we love
don't go away,
They walk beside us
Everyday.
Unseen, unheard,
But always near,
So loved, so missed,
So very dear.

I would cherish these words forever. Callahan was not the last to die.

Me and my living wooden boat traveled through the forest aimlessly for days, only stopping for water every now and then, since neither me or the boat needed food.

Of course, I didn't need the water either, but apparently the dog boat needed it to survive, wether it was salt or fresh water.

Floating across rivers also made the pace go faster.

Eventually while floating across a river, I came across a monster.

He was alone and scared.

"Tra la la. I am the river man. Or is it river woman...? It doesn't really matter. I love to ride in my boat. Would you care to join me?"

They looked at me with a tear stained face.

It was a small skeleton. Male, scared out of his mind.

He nodded.

"Tra la la." The boat rocked when he climbed on.

"Where are we going today?" I asked, blanket wrapped like a hood still covering my almost nonexistent face.

"Well... I've been trying to get to the kings castle."

The kings castle! Perhaps I shall no longer be lost.

"Describe it."

"It's big and grey..." the young skeleton proceeded to describe the castle, and I started the boat.

When he finished describing, we came across a cave over the water. Perfect.

I created a portal to the place described.

And sent the boat through. Boy it was far. I could feel my almost endless magic amount drain.

"Tra la la. The angel is coming... Tra la la." I had no idea where that came from. Like I said, since the ritual I had gained a more understanding of the world. Perhaps this 'more understanding' was a version of foresight. fortune telling. advice. Perhaps.