Falling Shadows Ch1 Part 3

Chapter One Part 3

It had been a sunny day much like this one. Kyy had been playing with his friend Verik by the lakeside. They had made fishing rods out of sticks and string and had climbed their favourite tree whose huge branches overhung the water. When they reached a spot that they deemed appropriate they tied water snails to the string and sent their lines into lake.

They had spent a long time trying with no real conviction to catch fish, focusing more on enjoying the very pleasant afternoon and talking about one day becoming Forest Scouts. After some time Verik heard his father calling him from the forest. He was a woodsman and had been working close to the lake. Verik reluctantly climbed down while Kyy decided to stay for a little while longer. Kyy watched as his friend made his way through the trees and soon disappeared amongst the mass of trunks and leaves.

He was unsure why he had stayed there alone but felt he needed to remain a little longer. He drank some refreshing herbal water that his grandmother always made for him and relaxed on the massive bough in the sunshine. It was late afternoon and still warm. The sun had just started its descent into the west. Kyy watched, utterly absorbed and fascinated, as a water hen collected materials for her nest. Then he became aware of the noise. The area round the lake was abundant with life, and at any time birds, insects and other animals would be making sounds in some way, calling to each other, singing, chirping or shuffling through the undergrowth. Once Kyy remained there for a length of time it became just the background hum of life. This chorus was now noticeably building until it seemed as though every living thing was trying its utmost to be heard.

Kyy became slightly uneasy but was still completely enraptured by this display. He was quite high up and had a good view of the lake. He sat up and scanned the nearby trees and scrub for the orchestra of animals but could not see any. The water hen, too, had vanished, no doubt having joined the symphony now filling Kyy’s ears and occupying his entire being. He was unable to think, unable to move, almost vibrating with the energy around him, and then, suddenly, all was still. The sounds had ceased and this silence was as equally paralysing as the noise that preceded it. Kyy felt completely vulnerable.

From his vantage point he saw a shadow appear in the water. It started in the middle of the lake, a huge mass that moved with unexpected speed and grace. At first the shadow moved away from him and Kyy watched as it travelled around the edge of the lake. It was difficult to tell how large this creature was or how deep under the water it swam but as it came closer its size was apparent. Kyy made out the shape of a large head, long neck and a massive body and tail as the huge form passed beneath him. It was, Kyy reasoned, about the length of five horses and as wide as two. It continued to circle the perimeter of the lake then returned to the centre. Slowly now, the figure moved closer to Kyy’s perch. He was entirely absorbed in what was unfolding before him and could never understand later why fear had not consumed him. No further than ten feet away, the shadow paused. It seemed to subside for a moment as the large body faded down into the water but all that had happened was that the creature had started swimming up instead of forward. The water parted as the creature rose up. There was an astonishing silence as the dragon emerged from the lake. Kyy’s breath caught in his throat as the dragon’s piercing pale blue eyes met his own. And there it was: the embodiment of the spirit world only a few feet away and completely focused on him.

Kyy’s mind was a blur, a haze of unreachable thoughts. All he had heard and studied about dragons now swarmed in his mind as he tried frantically to decipher any semblance of truth that could explain his situation. It was hard to differentiate between fact and legend, and in either case, to witness dragons so close was unheard of. Yet there it was; its eyes of glowing sapphire now fixed solely on him. Kyy had heard many stories about dragons. It was said that in great storms and other powerful natural events the dragons are awakened and can appear. It was also written that there is one dragon type associated with each of the four primary elements; wind, water, fire and earth, and that all things in nature are affected in some way by the dragons. Kyy had never seen anything as beautiful or majestic in all his life. The dragon was a light blue colour, like a bright sky and when the sun caught its scales they flashed with greens, blues and violet. The head was powerful, but somehow not threatening, and as it watched Kyy intently, he became subtly aware of link between them, and his higher awareness felt in direct communication with this being. The dragon then turned and again swam around the lake, but this time in view.

As Kyy watched the dragon he understood completely. The dragon was nature, a creature and spirit perfectly in tune with its environment. It was one with the waters, effortlessly gliding through them. It would come out headfirst in a giant arc, bringing its entire body out gracefully and returning, creating only tiny ripples. The dragon seemed to play, twirling and spinning just beneath the surface. It understood the perfection in every moment and appeared infinitely content in its purpose, everything it did, every movement and action was a conscious effort to immerse in nature, and yet it was effortless. Kyy was entranced. He grew almost sleepy as he watched the dragon’s movements, but his own spirit was burning with excitement. He realized he was in some way connected, not only to this creature, but to everything he saw or touched. He sensed the spirit of the tree he sat upon, felt the ancient strong entity that he was so familiar with on one level, and they met for the first time on some other plane of existence, their earthly shells abandoned, just life-force with life-force, spirit with spirit.

He felt his own body connect with the deep roots of energy that extended from where he sat. The gentle breeze that blew became music, a beautiful voice that soothed and held him in this place. The water too was gone, now this mass of energy holding and nourishing it was a part of everything, it connected and bound and flowed through all. And in the midst of all this energy a great light continued to weave and dance, still playing as before, still living in the moment as if nothing had changed. It moved so freely and then it was beside him, dazzlingly bright. Kyy was lost completely, and at the same time transfixed and more aware of his surroundings than ever before. He recognized then that nothing had changed for the dragon spirit; it dwelt in this place and in his world at the same time. It was able to transcend all levels of reality and had given him a glimpse of an alternate version of his own world.

With this realization Kyy felt himself slowly return. He tried to resist it but there was no fight. The music began to fade and Kyy felt the soft breeze again on his skin as he returned to his body which now felt small and cold. His quiet peaceful friend was gone and Kyy found himself sitting on the strong branch of the old tree once more. The mass of energy began to ebb and flow as he sat staring at the water. He looked for the dragon, hoping to get a final glimpse of the being that had given him this amazing gift. He looked along the lake and by the gap in the trees, and where the waterfall began he saw the dragon. It rose from the water, the sun catching its blue scales with flashing brilliance for an instant and it was gone… The silence brought Kyy back to the present. He opened his eyes and stared at the lake he had always loved. This place, now more than ever, felt like home and it was here more than anywhere else that his spirit could rest. He took deep cleansing breaths and like the gentle waves of a calm ocean, with each breath peace washed over him. Because it had happened so early in his development it was now difficult for Kyy to remember what he was like before he had encountered the dragon. The abilities he acquired felt as if they had always been part of him and it troubled him sometimes that people did not see things as he did.

This resulted in Kyy feeling isolated and slightly out of place in his community. He possessed a heightened sense of nature, an ability to perceive the energy that flows freely and constantly through the natural world with a fluency and complexity that was quite staggering. The spirits’ influence bound him to the earth in such a tangible way that he felt it like a second skin. His experience with the dragon had shown to him an alternate reality, a world of pure love and energy as valid and real as the one he lived in. Kyy could not immerse himself fully in this world for long, but it seemed that when he faded back from the realm of the spirit many bridges of light stretched out to bind one world to the next, creating a permanent link between them. Now when Kyy experienced things in the physical world he also gained a strong sense of their spirit and energy. His body felt completely connected to the earth, its power and vibrations; he was a direct extension of it and moving through the forest and even the water became much easier after his encounter with the dragon.

He wondered if the dragon had awoken an inherent ability in him, or if it had bestowed it fully as a gift. As Kyy sat there contemplating such things he became conscious of the sun’s course through the sky. He was behind schedule and the need to get moving was made even more pressing due to the change he could see in the weather. From his place in the tree he could see the clouds gathering on the horizon, a tempestuous mass growing in shade and vigour. Already the distant trees were consumed in darkness and the plains and entire forest would soon be under a heavy shadow. The temperature had dropped slightly and the wind picked up. It was still pleasant by the lake but Kyy knew he would be lucky to reach his grandfather’s house before the storm that was now brewing reached him.

He did not mind being out in such conditions for a short time but he was aware that his grandfather would be worried and he had enough to concern him without adding a lost grandson to the list. Kyy hurriedly ate a meal of dried meat, bread and cheese and continued his journey in haste.