Dawn of the Immortalis: Volumes 1-3

Chap. 18: A Tainted Past

It was not long before the trio decided to delve themselves into mischief. After walking through the library, Talis crept up to the door of my office, making no more noise than a few hushed footsteps. He peered into the room. Seeing that I wasn't there, he entered in.

"I still don't think this will turn out well," Quicksilver warned.

"Stop with your worries you elongated paper knife," was all Mutt said, now wrapped again on Talis' finger.

"I just have to see," Talis said as he pulled the book, as he did before, from the bookcase.

"Sanguinary inferno, where are we now?" Mutt exclaimed after Talis merged into the book.

"A parallel universe of our own," replied Talis.

"Hein?"

"It's the Taleweaver's creation, so that he could better store all his records and tomes."

"Whatever you say, it all sounds like a load of malarky to me."

Talis laughed, how true, he thought to himself. "This here," he explained to them, "is the book in which holds all the information of our old world. Inside here," he said as he merged into it, "we can find the lives of our families, of anyone we want."

Once Talis again found the book marked "Terunian Thrund", he merged through. The two boxes still sat there like they did before, the life strand still lying down. None of the three could see me watching from the darkness.

"This box," Talis said pointing to the Relicum, "is where the future is kept."

"So then can we see the future?" Quicksilver asked.

"No," I replied, stepping into the dim light, "the future is yet to be written, you cannot see what's yet to be."

Talis jumped back wholeheartedly, he was not expecting to see me there.

"I - how did you know I would be here?" Talis stuttered.

"Talis, I knew that the draw of seeing again those you loved would be too strong. It was a good thing because I need to know what will happen to you if you merge into the tainted strand. Those who have in the past were forever lost, yet you, I believe have the power to leave the corruption. What I have reasoned is this, those that are taken are not by their choice and they are alone. Whereas you, you three, are a triumvirate, the bond between the three of you cannot be broken. Therefore your willpower is magnified by three, I think that you might just be able to come back out of the corruption. What say you?"

"I am ready to take the risk," said Talis.

"Likewise am I," Quicksilver added.

"Ah well, I really don't have much of a choice, yeah, let's go for it," Mutt said.

"Then it is settled. First though, I must request of you to not become forgetful of reality. Too many have lost themselves in the past, in memories caught in time. Past always seems a pleasant place, Talis, but remember this always, the past is only there because the future became the present. We must try to see the good in every moment, to see the underlying beauty that too many are blind to."

"I will," was all Talis said in reply.

"You may merge now, I will be awaiting your return."

******************************

Everything went dark. Talis felt as if needles were piercing his body all over. The pain was excruciating. Ever so slowly the pain started to dissipate, as did the darkness, a new scene vaguely came into view.

It was Mr. Thrund, sitting in his old armchair beside a calm crackling fire. Gently falling snow tapped softly against the window, the moon just beginning to rise. An eight year old Talis sat eagerly in the opposite seat, awaiting his bedtime story.

"So, what would you like to hear tonight my son?" Mr. Thrund asked, a warm smile across his face.

"Histisorit the wil horse plese," young Talis replied, he was not in great command of language at the time.

"Ah, you mean Listersrite the Wild Horse?"

Talis nodded eagerly.

"Sit back my young lad. On second thought, maybe it's too late-"

Talis shook his head vigorously.

Mr. Thrund laughed happily, "So be it," opening up the cloth bound book, he continued, "There was once a day in the months before summer, in an old, secluded field, lived a horse. He was the fastest of all the horses, he was known as Listersrite; a word from the horse tongue meaning the one who rides the wind."

"How coud he rid the win?" Talis asked.

"Ride the wind? Well, he didn't really ride the wind you see, the wind couldn't keep up with him."

Talis agreed.

"So as I was saying, there was once a day where old Listersrite was challenged to a race by a youthful horse. Listersrite accepted the challenge without hesitation, he didn't know about his adversary's friend. It was a new day when the two horses gathered together again. Standing in the tall grass, they beat their hooves into the dirt. Then they were off, the one problem though was this, the young horse was a friend of the coyote. As the two ran and ran, Listersrite was gaining speed, now in the lead. It was then when the coyote struck, biting the back heel of Listersrite, and, that's all for tonight."

"Wait, I need to know what happens, I can't sleep now," Talis said in a pleading voice.

"Tomorrow my dear lad, tomorrow."