The Wilting Ballad

9

"It's been three long days, Xarabia. Shouldn't he be back by now?" Asked Jejtsu under the skin piercingly heated warmth the sun cast over them on the empty road that was empty but for the seven Star Shīzas.

It had been three days since Xarabia, Cassav, Berick, Alfaus, Hermis, Iuftas, and Jejtsu left the discomfort of their lair in the Flea of Ozkogul in search of the Cauldron of Aestariq. Among other things.

Hermis, Xarabia's long-time devotee and cousin have found the Cauldron the day before. Hidden. Ever still boiling. Inside the secret foot square door of the sacred Ballad tree, one of the last few remaining.

The burden of being a leader in times of crisis was shown to Xarabia upon reading the steams of the Cauldron. He was contorted in the mind. He had led his best warriors left on a vengeful rescue mission. To kill an old friend. Or so he thought. And yet he has grasped the knowledge, that not everyone returns as they arrived.

Sweat traced down his chin. His head felt like it's been run over numerous times by a gypsy carriage pulled by a half-mad donkey, but despite his newfound information he carried on with the mission they set out for, in a hopeless hope to prove wrong his readings of the Cauldron's steam. Though he cannot recall a time when it was read wrong. So, he decided against telling them.

"I haven't the faintest clue just how massive Ozkogul is until now. We are still in Ozkogul, aren't we?" Said Hermis, observing the forest ahead of them. Glad to be shielded by the trees against the fiery noon light of the sun. The trees sending out much appreciated refreshing breathing air and screaming insects and chirruping birds that shut out the pain of silence was more comfortable than the King's bed-chamber to Hermis, though he's never actually inside one.

"Of course, we are in Ozkogul. That..." Said the oldest of the group who was eighty but look very much forty-five. After all, it is common knowledge that Shīzas aged differently than most. "Is the Cutthrough Forest." Cassav finished, pointing towards the forest looming over them.

"Xarabia?"

"Why is it called a Cutthrough Forest?" Asked the curious young Hermis.

"Have you heard of Teishian? The fourth King of Ozkogul?" Hermis shakes his head, as Cassav had assumed, "I thought so. Not many knew his tale these days. My memory in time and history is rusty but... I do believe he was a ruler with the shortest reign..."

"Xarabia?"

"When someone is crowned King in Ozkogul, tradition requires that newly appointed King to go explore there. At nightfall, and he must return come dawn with the eggs of an Old Crow. The purpose of this thievery is to ensure that no other giant Crow ever came to be again because upon taking flight the wings of the Crow can cast a shadow that could conceal the entire kingdom. Its darkness and terror bring about spoils of turmoil and famine. But it had grown weary and old as the days pass and were rarely out of her domain."

"Xarabia!"

"And Tenshian was tasked as the three Kings before his time to steal the eggs. He set out at the call of sundown. And in the forest, he went. His families, his armies, his comrades, his advisors, all the folk he was to rule over waited outside the forest for three days and three nights. Then came the fourth day. They grew... worry, never had before a King took this long a time to rob the great Crow of her offspring. Her treasure. Those who holds power agreed to send in twenty strong men to went in search of Tenshian. They waited another three days and nights for the twenty men but none returned. They decided to send in a hundred steel armoured knights. They waited for two days and two nights. Again, none came back. Growing impatient and fearful Tenshian's wife and daughter storm in... alone, unguarded. Only those morbidly interested in what would transpire and loved ones lingered on after they waited for six days and six nights. Then the seventh day arrives as dawn breaks and out of the forest came Tenshian's wife who was carrying her daughter on her back. When asked what had happened in there, Tenshian's wife simply said that a foul entity has taken residence in the forest and that it cut through all those men that went in, separating their legs from their bodies. The hem of her dress trail on pools of blood, blood of the brave men that tries to save her husband, when he was not theirs to save. The..."