The Lost Tale

Roots of the Worlds

We wake early, the streets are still while we walk towards Nilyha's store; the sun creeps into the sky sending fractiles of light onto the city-scape. Hues of red tinge against stone as we reach the beaded curtains that welcome us to her shop, though now the warmth from it's business has cooled overnight. I walk through the beaded strings and they jingle lightly against each other as they settle again- Nilyha turns around with a smile. Her hair is slicked back, falling in snow like tendrils against her back as she stretches slender arms over her head.

"Good morning, I'm almost ready to go." Her voice is steady with a melodic ring as she rocks on her heels and begins to pace the room gathering small items. "I go to the base of the tree for rare goods- I'm sure some of the items there will suit your tastes." She laughs lightly as she grabs a woven bag- slinging the half empty parcel over her shoulder.
Ove and Eluf stand quietly off to the side, both still groggy as we make our way out- Nilyha falls in step beside me as the guys follow behind. The stone wall we'd climbed down a few days ago now looms before us, small openings dot the bottom of it- small tunnels boring into the stone side. We approach it with eagerness now- the weight of sleep shaking from us as we move.

"Nilyha- do you mind me asking you a question?" I look up to the woman- her grey hued skin and pointed ears getting the better of my curiosity. Her mouth quirks upwards as she peaks down at me; she nods in silence as a cool breeze whistles around us. "I haven't seen anyone like you before- would you tell me about your people?"

"The Fae" Her yellow eyes glow at me as she purses her lips together in thought. "There are all kinds of us, much like you and your friends- each of you can share similar qualities; but none of you are the same." She tells me of her childhood, about the friends she'd met through her years- and there are many as we enter one of the tunnels, light dimming around us as the morning sunshine gives way to torches perched along the walls.

The tunnel is wide, and it winds downwards in loose circles- and it seems to grow ever darker as it's stone walls guide us down. I nod thoughtfully, "We met some others similar to you miles before we reached the city. I'm guessing they could've been fae-folk from what you've told me." Thinking about it I should've known already; tales of the fae were passed along eagerly in my childhood... I'd never truly believed.

Nilyha shrugs, "There are many who traverse here; I'm assuming they didn't introduce themselves in a kind manner. Lankin told me that you'd traded some exotic knives for staying at the inn." My cheeks flush warm- the blood rushing under my skin. I remember the pain of watching my people die and it makes me sad for a moment; I wonder if Nilyha may have known them.

"They wanted from us what we didn't have..." I start, but she holds up her hand in a gentle gesture. A tight smile creeps along her lip as I nod. A quiet falls between us, a faint tension sitting around me as we walk. Eluf and Ove behind us kick at the rocks along the ground as we go- boredom settling into them early from the dreary dim light.

Nilyha nudges me with her elbow, it hits my shoulder with little force, "You did what you had to do- so would any warrior in your place." The tension I've been feeling dissipates from the air and we return to our chatting; she tells me about the markets at the base of the tree- beautiful cities made of rare fabric tents that extend into the sky. "Beads and shining stones of all kinds are sold there- oh it's wonderful." Her yellow eyes are lit in excitement.

"So what exactly are you going to buy when we get there?" I ask as the image she describes filters into my mind- bright hues of fabric flow in clusters along a city of lights. The vendor seems enthusiastic if not completely elated to be walking these solemn tunnels; only at the thought of this marketplace she seeks.

She flicks her white hair behind her shoulders as a bright smile flashes across her face- the glinting of her teeth against torchlight makes her seem even more happy. "I've heard there's new merchandise this year; a lot of very skilled creators are up and rising with new ideas. I'm excited for the surprise- plus my customers love the new variety." Her cheery voice makes the tunnel seem less lack-luster, and soon we see a jolting amount of light begin to pour into it from further ahead. "Oh you'll love this Iona- come look through the windows!"

The cool air around us warms as we near the clear panes- whole sections of the walls morph from stone into them as we get closer. As we reach the first large pane, I look out and down- the drop exhilarating from this height. Below us were forests littered with towns- buildings and tents alike poke from the greenery like flowers from the forest floor. Sunlight shines brightly against the tree tops leagues below, I can feel  my eyes widen as I take in the sight as my eyes scan the bottom of the tree- the tunnels we traverse empty at the base.

Ove stops beside me at the window- his eyes lighten as he looks out and I catch myself for a moment studying the way his hair falls in front of them. A glance exchanges between us, and both of us smile lightly as we look over the lower world. Roots from the base extend into the earth beneath it; weaving in and out of the ground before shooting out into the sky. Orbs in different colors float amongst them, the wooden ends seem as bridges between the tree and the magnificent giant spheres.

"Nilyha- what are those?" I point to them, they look as if they are the tree's life force- each root cradling against one. My eyes float from one to the other; the colors dance against my gaze as I take them in. One blue orb glimmers as if it is covered in water- it shines beneath the sun. A red world hangs high in the air- the root connected to it wraps jaggedly around it- the wood setting like a pillar from the underground. Several more litter the outer ring of the land; each with its own intriguing beauty.

The fae hovers behind me, her light hand rests on my shoulder as she points to them with her other. "Those are the worlds- each of them are home to different beings. Some say that each race sacrificed powerful magics to sprout the tree and that it's roots now stabilize the worlds that birthed them."

Now with the lights from the window panes, traveling the tunnel is less stagnant- the pathway winds around the tree as the sun begins to fall from the sky. With miles left to get to the bottom we push the pace; Nilyha's eagerness shows in the form of jitters as we watch the sun sink from sight. The windows lend no more light as we near the bottom. The moon welcomes us as it rises and we step from the opening of the tunnel- trees stretch into the sky loosely.

For the night we set up camp- a warm fire roars as we all settle and eat in comfortable silence. We drink together from a pouch of sweet liquid Nilyha has brought, and chatter amongst each other as the moon rises to the middle of the sky. I've become so accustomed to the moon being my safety now, and I feel a strange warmth in my chest as I take it in; the silver being is even larger tonight. A stirring within me makes me feel powerful and I smile to myself. Something is changing for the better.