Lost On You
A week of snowstorms and intense hikes is a strange way to spend one's first-time vacation in a long while, or at least that's what everyone has told me. Despite all of that I cannot find it in myself to regret this decision, the scenery is breathtaking and the events that have occurred for myself to know have been worth the stinging lungs and sore muscles. The summit is just as awe-inspiring and I thought, but clouds are building in the far distance; luckily the valley below promises safe-harbor for the incoming storm.
It has only been a few mere hours since my trek down into the valley below but I had to stop for a quick break, and in doing so I spotted a light source across the way. The view is clouded by flurries and even then it is obvious the holder of the source, a woman, is by herself going down into the valley as well. While normally the thought of finding someone alone is alarming, I can handle judge others for their solitude when I am just the same. May we meet amongst the trees at the bottom.
Hiking downwards is always easier than up, the valley is not as harsh as the summit towering nearby, and the air is sickeningly still for my taste. In the dense trees, there is a portion of land not touched by snow or ice, no vegetation and no remains can be found, just a shallow pit perfect for a fire. While the fire burns slowly a distant sound that I can only describe as the equivalent of stomping on a pile of wet sweetgrass reminds me I'm not alone. This clearing is big and cozy enough, it would be rude not to invite the other party to sit and rest.
Foolish to believe she would be interested in staying so close to a complete stranger, the night went on well into the darkness before I found myself shaking off the frost of this morning. At first, she was just curled up against a tree on the other side of the clearing, fast asleep, but when I came back to heat some fresh snow for cooking she was awake. Dazed, and quiet, but awake; so far we've exchanged names over warm food but returned to our individual thoughts soon after.
Seo-Yeun, as I learned was her name, has helped me greatly; while it is odd that a young woman like herself travel in this weather by herself, her capabilities far exceed my own. While gathering branches and brush to create a canopy with she taught me to wild-craft with dead sinew and vines. Over these days I've been so busy learning and practicing alongside her, that I've never bothered to ask what brings her out here. Not that she would tell me, it would never hurt to ask.
As sudden as she appeared across the valley she has disappeared; no note or hint to where her journeys lead. These days have been spent honing in on the skills she demonstrated; a system of canopies to protect the more fertile land and edible plants, a place for drying wood, tools made from trees that show signs of sickness, and even herbal remedies. This trip was intended to last merely a month, but if all goes well in the next few days I may make it permanent.
"Hello, my child," were the first words I heard this morning as an elderly woman loomed over me. Never in my life has my heart beat so fast it could easily power an electric stove before imploding on itself.
Turns out Seo-Yeun's 'journey' was scouting the land for a new home for her people, of which the elder herself greeted me this morning. They are hardworking group, after a general introduction they dove straight into pitching spots for certain families and gathering supplies. As I write, a number of the younglings crawl near me, outfitted in thick hides and furs with only slightly older children to keep watch over them. Pray that I find the time again to update this log before I am buried in work indefinitely.
These years have not been kind to you my friend, have they? Shortly after I set down the journal to begin help with making shelters for my new guests you were swept up in a pile of 'Don't Touch'. The people knew a lot about survival in harsh climates but not so much about permanent housing and tools so I often had to set aside my own goals to help them. It was all a wild and rapid change now that I think back to it, these people went from complete strangers to close friends and family. A couple of strangers in some remote valley during a blizzard turned into a small village; the dark forest lit up with bioluminescent lanterns on guided pathways. My single fire went from a simple heat source to a symbol of perseverance and survival. An outcast amongst a large scale family, now a key member and leader. Given enough time, everything will change; whether that change is good or bad depends entirely on one's perspective. While physically the village prospered, there were still many social discrepancies between myself and the rest of the population. Little arguments sprouted here and there, nothing too big, mostly over topics like what time to harvest or when to do certain activities such as hunting or gathering resources. Seo-Yeun helped me understand the more tedious traditions and manners of her people; the biggest of which is that everyone is family, and family stick together. Second; nature, and spirits, are sacred and need to be treated with great respect. Third; children are the future, those physically unable to work are tasked with child-rearing. Lastly, there are four important ideas that govern how they live; order, life, belief, and restraint. Once, as we arranged firewood and soft clay pots to fire, a young couple pointed out the mess I apparently made. To this day I am still greatly unsure what the issue was, you'd dig a hole, place a single clay pot or cup or plate in the center, and surround it with charred logs. But the couple became upset at my insistence that the centers I had set up were perfectly fine as they were, I understood not what they said but I could feel a hint of aggression start to show through. Finally, Seo-Yeun, who was preoccupied with her own centers came to my area and move around the logs, adjusted each pot, covered each area only slightly different from my versions. "There is an order," she said, tilting a set of logs in the opposite direction as they once were, "This has been a tradition for many generations. With every order there is a meaning, each placement a purpose, each tradition kept a sign of respect and gratitude to past generations." Without order life is chaos, or, at least that's what I think she was trying to tell me. It is hard sometimes when you want to talk to the person you care about the most, but there is this wall between you two. A simple word for me is a lengthy explanation for her, she may get excited about seeing a certain type of bird because of the stories that surround her childhood and life. I am not from here, I do not share these same traditions, these stories, this sense of family stay together-ness. So she sits there, excitedly explaining what or who this bird is, their history, their accomplishments, and you sit there. You sit there because you know not what the sounds coming from her mouth are anymore, she has slipped into her own world, one where the sounds are personal and you were not given the key to understanding it all. In times like these I watch her hands, they tell the story in a way I can almost feel. An imposter taking shape in the way her hands move together, wings and flight, the 'woosh' noise she makes as this poor bird dives into the ground. The 'pfoo' as there is an impact upon the ground and snow flies up, hitting the trees and the brush nearby so soft you can hardly notice above her storytelling. I can't bear to let her know how hard it is to comprehend the words when the actions make do or tell her she makes a cute funny face when demonstrating how her birds fight mid-flight. Why ruin her fun, nothing can quite give me the same warm feeling than seeing her get lost in her memories, her enthusiasm over the little things in life, or the way she looks to me, with a soft blush when caught in the act once again. By now the pots have finished in their fires, days later when the topic is brought up again, "Order, this is how life is governed? If you fail to maintain balance, harmony, equilibrium, both in the soul of the self and others, you have then failed Order?" "Well, yes and no." The logs, now brittle imitations of their former selves, are carefully picked up and placed in a large wooden urn. I spend the first few minutes observing the others, studying how they decide what to pick up and in what order, take note of the delicate handling of the logs and then the quick pick up and tossing of the pots to someone else. Seo-Yeun stops when I approach a nearby circle and pick out the logs as I had seen, the silence is heavy and pulsing in the cold air. To my great surprise not once was I shooed away by the elders or given intense looks from other couples. One of the few members of the Family approaches and helps me move the logs when Seo-Yuen walks up as well. "It is hard, trying to find a way to explain the details of Order, especially in a way that will translate to you." I watch the way she moves, with a grace I can't seem to match no matter how hard I try, "Order, you may not be able to describe it perfectly, and I may not get a full grasp of its nuances, but I do think I understand its general idea." She smiles and passes a pot to me as she grabs logs and stands up, "then next time we shall talk of Life." Over the next few weeks the wind would pick up, the skies were covered with clouds, and the air stung more than usual. I decided to spend a day or two alone in my home, to make and prepare remedies and ingredients as the aunties instructed me. From the stove to the cupboards, the fridge to the counter and back again hours went by. Steam and roiling boils assure that no other form of heat is needed for the time being. The blurred motion of a blade over some unlucky vegetable and- a sharp inhale and a glint of red as an abrupt heavy knocking noise distracted me from my current duty. Few people try to talk to me even while I am in the center of the village in a time of socialization, for I shouldn't have been so surprised to find that it was the Elder, along with some only vaguely familiar faces. He humbly requested that I join the Sons, as he referred to the young men behind him, on a tracking task far off from the village. "You made this place your home before we even showed up," one of the Sons translated for the Elder, "While my boys are more than capable when it comes to tracking, this particular event will take place far outside the reach of the village, and I would be grateful if an older and more experienced survivor would join them." How could I say no to the Elder of the Family? The answer is that I could not, "But first, I need to finish what I'm doing here, then we can leave," I motioned to the vegetable skins, oil, and chopped herbs all over the place. A few brief moments of panic after waving them off and shutting the door later, and I was off to the races. I don't think I could recreate the speed and accuracy of putting preserves in a jar, dashing into my room and shoving every important tool or piece of equipment I had in a matter of seconds. My mind was on overload and my body could barely keep up, the Family never asked me to join them on an out of village task, let alone the Elder, so I wanted to make a good impression with it. An agreement was made prior to meet as the center, where my dwindling fungi fire thrived as a marker of the history. Upon my arrival, the others gathered their equipment and we made our way to the southern entrance, which wasn't an entrance so much as a small clearing amongst the vast tree lines of the valley. Already it was clear the trek would be dangerous with a combination of the winds and snow flurries that took hold of the land before us. I do not remember the trip itself very well, beyond mostly silent travel with the occasional hunt or stop to examine tracks and explanations. When we did talk it was short and seemed to be full of tension, I think the eldest of the Sons did not like me, for he was close with Seo-Yeun and asked a lot about our relationship. With a handful of days under the belt already many of the group would question if we'd ever track down the target, perhaps it died and we were on a dead trail, or some animal attacked it and we were tracking the animal and not the target. Despite this, the Eldest marched on and a look of pure determination that never seemed the waver the entire trip. Food was getting low until the clear white lands gave way to a sea of trees, a safe harbor from the harsh winds and barren life. It was here we were able to hunt animals for meals and furs, but we weren't the only hunters around, as several cases of giant trails were left behind by the creature we sought to track. Following the trails, one night sun took the place of the day, and the other peered over the horizon as if it was eager to show us something important. Not being one to believe in superstitions, but an old story recalled that in which the small night led those who were willing to a truth of the world, this is as far as I could think of into the story before a hand stopped me from tripping over one of the Sons who crowded behind a bush. "What is it," the Eldest approached the other Sons with caution. There, in a small patch safe from the brush and the darkness just beyond us it rested. Portions of dark matted fur that reflected the night suns, since little light crept through the treetops the shadows made it appear colossal in size. While the beast, a hybrid of some sort, was pointed the other way but turned its head toward us. Perhaps I would have run from the scene at the very moment, its gaze was and still is the most unsettling thing I've witnessed in my life, but it stood still and never blinked. The Youngest moved his hands along the ground, forward and back, forward and back, "this is wrong," his eyes never looked up. "Something isn't right," forward again, "they have never done this before," and back down. Undeterred, the Eldest settled lower, silent motions and a muffled snap later, he brought out a wrapped item. "Since you are so experienced, in our father's eyes, I would like to study how you were taught to take care of these kinds of situations," the Eldest said, without even a thought to try and keep quiet as he unwrapped the item and placed a dull knife in my hand. Surely he can't be serious, I looked to the other Sons but the lack of emotion on their faces told me to stop wasting time. This knife is too dull anyone can see that, if I tried to use this for the finishing blow it would be painful and unforgiving, no being should have to endure a sour kiss from death. But the Sons encouraged me forward with empty eyes, like a child who awaited a present they knew would come. As the space between us grew smaller the Beast did not once blink, breath, or brake the unending gaze upon me. Until I was at a distance where, if I wanted to, I could outstretch my hand and touch it shifted from one side to the other and nodded. Oh was it a form of enchanted beauty, I can't think of a time in my life where I was both in awe and absolutely terrified out of my wits to such a degree. Ashen eyes showed a coward frozen in state and hopeless as giant horns giant horns displayed a history of fights and scars. The Beast shifted again from its rest position and stood up, even while it was down I was only a mere half its height, but now it towered over me like a great tree. Any fear and anxiety I had disappeared as a wave of calm washed over me, my thoughts no longer felt like my own and I couldn't shake the idea of a trance from my head. The air did not sting and sounds of the wind or the Sons were muffled out by a soft hum that seemed to come from the trees themselves. The Beast lowered its head and I stretched out my arm to touch it, a simple point of contact had helped in calming animals down when it was time to kill in the past. "Misfortunes birthed from good intentions plague your life," I could not tell where the voice was coming from, my chest reverberated with each syllable as it continued, "Now you worry the outcome of your actions. Do not worry for me boy, for my body will feed unto thee new life, harsh and violent, like a winter storm. But the wreckage will shine beautifully, like ruins of a temple devoted to a long-forgotten deity, history may not remember your face but it will remember your story."
The trip back to the village came and went without much to note, the younger Sons were in charge of the Beast, making sure it was in good condition and that everything valuable stayed intact. They chattered on about various stories of hunters, monsters; triumphs and defeats, lessons to be learned and odd choices to be made. I found myself so enamored in a tale about a quiet loner, who had wandered outside the boundaries of their village and ended up saving them in a fight with a giant creature. In my tunnel vision of dreams I did not notice a particularly ordinary lump in the snow, which I had my leg snagged in and toppled over the mess. To my dismay, the object I had connected with resembled one of the strange creations Seo-Yeun used to leave around the area when I first met her. Disappointed in myself for being the cause of its current state I made a guilt ridden escape from the creation, with every broken piece my heart tinged and panic raced, all I could think of what how to fix it. "Leave whatever you messed up alone, we can fix it on our way back," the Eldest called over his shoulder. "Ah, our way back? I want to fix this now and wasn't aware we would need to make two trips out of the village," I didn't know the first thing about the culture or importance of these, my hands hovered over the mess in a moment of utter distress. "Originally we only wanted your help for this task, but I think I speak for everyone when I say you proved to be quite resourceful. Better than I thought of you as, it would be good to have you come out with us more often. Now hurry up." A quick etch into the bark above it and more blood than I'd like later, we were grouped up once more and making fast progress back home. The blunt admittance that he thought I was good to keep around shocked me, perhaps my initial judgement was clouded and he was a good person, if not at least a little stubborn. As we crossed the final hill to the village it was clear something had happened, lanterns were set a good distance in the valley and the trees above, and the center glowed like embers. Where the Sons explained a track mission like this would be met with celebration upon success, this was not what I had in mind. The Sons shifted the load ahead before it was left at the gate, the Eldest looked around, eyebrows furrowed which made him age instantly. Roads lined with people in bright colors, a tradition I have yet to witness, as the Sons passed ahead gazes were averted with a long bow. The actions and atmosphere screamed in frustration but I could not understand what it said. The tension nearly exploded outward when, at the end of the lined roads, Seo-Yeun stepped out from the house of the Elder. Nothing about her next actions, nor the actions of those around me, would be of any comfort as she tried to address the crowd. "In a final conversation, the Elder held out until news that his Sons and our Founder returned safely in spite of the cruel storm upon us. If the Sons and Founder would join me at the altar of the center, we may make a swift deal out of the coronation ceremony."
These years have not been kind to you my friend, have they? Shortly after I set down the journal to begin help with making shelters for my new guests you were swept up in a pile of 'Don't Touch'. The people knew a lot about survival in harsh climates but not so much about permanent housing and tools so I often had to set aside my own goals to help them. It was all a wild and rapid change now that I think back to it, these people went from complete strangers to close friends and family. A couple of strangers in some remote valley during a blizzard turned into a small village; the dark forest lit up with bioluminescent lanterns on guided pathways. My single fire went from a simple heat source to a symbol of perseverance and survival. An outcast amongst a large scale family, now a key member and leader. Given enough time, everything will change; whether that change is good or bad depends entirely on one's perspective. While physically the village prospered, there were still many social discrepancies between myself and the rest of the population. Little arguments sprouted here and there, nothing too big, mostly over topics like what time to harvest or when to do certain activities such as hunting or gathering resources. Seo-Yeun helped me understand the more tedious traditions and manners of her people; the biggest of which is that everyone is family, and family stick together. Second; nature, and spirits, are sacred and need to be treated with great respect. Third; children are the future, those physically unable to work are tasked with child-rearing. Lastly, there are four important ideas that govern how they live; order, life, belief, and restraint. Once, as we arranged firewood and soft clay pots to fire, a young couple pointed out the mess I apparently made. To this day I am still greatly unsure what the issue was, you'd dig a hole, place a single clay pot or cup or plate in the center, and surround it with charred logs. But the couple became upset at my insistence that the centers I had set up were perfectly fine as they were, I understood not what they said but I could feel a hint of aggression start to show through. Finally, Seo-Yeun, who was preoccupied with her own centers came to my area and move around the logs, adjusted each pot, covered each area only slightly different from my versions. "There is an order," she said, tilting a set of logs in the opposite direction as they once were, "This has been a tradition for many generations. With every order there is a meaning, each placement a purpose, each tradition kept a sign of respect and gratitude to past generations." Without order life is chaos, or, at least that's what I think she was trying to tell me. It is hard sometimes when you want to talk to the person you care about the most, but there is this wall between you two. A simple word for me is a lengthy explanation for her, she may get excited about seeing a certain type of bird because of the stories that surround her childhood and life. I am not from here, I do not share these same traditions, these stories, this sense of family stay together-ness. So she sits there, excitedly explaining what or who this bird is, their history, their accomplishments, and you sit there. You sit there because you know not what the sounds coming from her mouth are anymore, she has slipped into her own world, one where the sounds are personal and you were not given the key to understanding it all. In times like these I watch her hands, they tell the story in a way I can almost feel. An imposter taking shape in the way her hands move together, wings and flight, the 'woosh' noise she makes as this poor bird dives into the ground. The 'pfoo' as there is an impact upon the ground and snow flies up, hitting the trees and the brush nearby so soft you can hardly notice above her storytelling. I can't bear to let her know how hard it is to comprehend the words when the actions make do or tell her she makes a cute funny face when demonstrating how her birds fight mid-flight. Why ruin her fun, nothing can quite give me the same warm feeling than seeing her get lost in her memories, her enthusiasm over the little things in life, or the way she looks to me, with a soft blush when caught in the act once again. By now the pots have finished in their fires, days later when the topic is brought up again, "Order, this is how life is governed? If you fail to maintain balance, harmony, equilibrium, both in the soul of the self and others, you have then failed Order?" "Well, yes and no." The logs, now brittle imitations of their former selves, are carefully picked up and placed in a large wooden urn. I spend the first few minutes observing the others, studying how they decide what to pick up and in what order, take note of the delicate handling of the logs and then the quick pick up and tossing of the pots to someone else. Seo-Yeun stops when I approach a nearby circle and pick out the logs as I had seen, the silence is heavy and pulsing in the cold air. To my great surprise not once was I shooed away by the elders or given intense looks from other couples. One of the few members of the Family approaches and helps me move the logs when Seo-Yuen walks up as well. "It is hard, trying to find a way to explain the details of Order, especially in a way that will translate to you." I watch the way she moves, with a grace I can't seem to match no matter how hard I try, "Order, you may not be able to describe it perfectly, and I may not get a full grasp of its nuances, but I do think I understand its general idea." She smiles and passes a pot to me as she grabs logs and stands up, "then next time we shall talk of Life." Over the next few weeks the wind would pick up, the skies were covered with clouds, and the air stung more than usual. I decided to spend a day or two alone in my home, to make and prepare remedies and ingredients as the aunties instructed me. From the stove to the cupboards, the fridge to the counter and back again hours went by. Steam and roiling boils assure that no other form of heat is needed for the time being. The blurred motion of a blade over some unlucky vegetable and- a sharp inhale and a glint of red as an abrupt heavy knocking noise distracted me from my current duty. Few people try to talk to me even while I am in the center of the village in a time of socialization, for I shouldn't have been so surprised to find that it was the Elder, along with some only vaguely familiar faces. He humbly requested that I join the Sons, as he referred to the young men behind him, on a tracking task far off from the village. "You made this place your home before we even showed up," one of the Sons translated for the Elder, "While my boys are more than capable when it comes to tracking, this particular event will take place far outside the reach of the village, and I would be grateful if an older and more experienced survivor would join them." How could I say no to the Elder of the Family? The answer is that I could not, "But first, I need to finish what I'm doing here, then we can leave," I motioned to the vegetable skins, oil, and chopped herbs all over the place. A few brief moments of panic after waving them off and shutting the door later, and I was off to the races. I don't think I could recreate the speed and accuracy of putting preserves in a jar, dashing into my room and shoving every important tool or piece of equipment I had in a matter of seconds. My mind was on overload and my body could barely keep up, the Family never asked me to join them on an out of village task, let alone the Elder, so I wanted to make a good impression with it. An agreement was made prior to meet as the center, where my dwindling fungi fire thrived as a marker of the history. Upon my arrival, the others gathered their equipment and we made our way to the southern entrance, which wasn't an entrance so much as a small clearing amongst the vast tree lines of the valley. Already it was clear the trek would be dangerous with a combination of the winds and snow flurries that took hold of the land before us. I do not remember the trip itself very well, beyond mostly silent travel with the occasional hunt or stop to examine tracks and explanations. When we did talk it was short and seemed to be full of tension, I think the eldest of the Sons did not like me, for he was close with Seo-Yeun and asked a lot about our relationship. With a handful of days under the belt already many of the group would question if we'd ever track down the target, perhaps it died and we were on a dead trail, or some animal attacked it and we were tracking the animal and not the target. Despite this, the Eldest marched on and a look of pure determination that never seemed the waver the entire trip. Food was getting low until the clear white lands gave way to a sea of trees, a safe harbor from the harsh winds and barren life. It was here we were able to hunt animals for meals and furs, but we weren't the only hunters around, as several cases of giant trails were left behind by the creature we sought to track. Following the trails, one night sun took the place of the day, and the other peered over the horizon as if it was eager to show us something important. Not being one to believe in superstitions, but an old story recalled that in which the small night led those who were willing to a truth of the world, this is as far as I could think of into the story before a hand stopped me from tripping over one of the Sons who crowded behind a bush. "What is it," the Eldest approached the other Sons with caution. There, in a small patch safe from the brush and the darkness just beyond us it rested. Portions of dark matted fur that reflected the night suns, since little light crept through the treetops the shadows made it appear colossal in size. While the beast, a hybrid of some sort, was pointed the other way but turned its head toward us. Perhaps I would have run from the scene at the very moment, its gaze was and still is the most unsettling thing I've witnessed in my life, but it stood still and never blinked. The Youngest moved his hands along the ground, forward and back, forward and back, "this is wrong," his eyes never looked up. "Something isn't right," forward again, "they have never done this before," and back down. Undeterred, the Eldest settled lower, silent motions and a muffled snap later, he brought out a wrapped item. "Since you are so experienced, in our father's eyes, I would like to study how you were taught to take care of these kinds of situations," the Eldest said, without even a thought to try and keep quiet as he unwrapped the item and placed a dull knife in my hand. Surely he can't be serious, I looked to the other Sons but the lack of emotion on their faces told me to stop wasting time. This knife is too dull anyone can see that, if I tried to use this for the finishing blow it would be painful and unforgiving, no being should have to endure a sour kiss from death. But the Sons encouraged me forward with empty eyes, like a child who awaited a present they knew would come. As the space between us grew smaller the Beast did not once blink, breath, or brake the unending gaze upon me. Until I was at a distance where, if I wanted to, I could outstretch my hand and touch it shifted from one side to the other and nodded. Oh was it a form of enchanted beauty, I can't think of a time in my life where I was both in awe and absolutely terrified out of my wits to such a degree. Ashen eyes showed a coward frozen in state and hopeless as giant horns giant horns displayed a history of fights and scars. The Beast shifted again from its rest position and stood up, even while it was down I was only a mere half its height, but now it towered over me like a great tree. Any fear and anxiety I had disappeared as a wave of calm washed over me, my thoughts no longer felt like my own and I couldn't shake the idea of a trance from my head. The air did not sting and sounds of the wind or the Sons were muffled out by a soft hum that seemed to come from the trees themselves. The Beast lowered its head and I stretched out my arm to touch it, a simple point of contact had helped in calming animals down when it was time to kill in the past. "Misfortunes birthed from good intentions plague your life," I could not tell where the voice was coming from, my chest reverberated with each syllable as it continued, "Now you worry the outcome of your actions. Do not worry for me boy, for my body will feed unto thee new life, harsh and violent, like a winter storm. But the wreckage will shine beautifully, like ruins of a temple devoted to a long-forgotten deity, history may not remember your face but it will remember your story."
The trip back to the village came and went without much to note, the younger Sons were in charge of the Beast, making sure it was in good condition and that everything valuable stayed intact. They chattered on about various stories of hunters, monsters; triumphs and defeats, lessons to be learned and odd choices to be made. I found myself so enamored in a tale about a quiet loner, who had wandered outside the boundaries of their village and ended up saving them in a fight with a giant creature. In my tunnel vision of dreams I did not notice a particularly ordinary lump in the snow, which I had my leg snagged in and toppled over the mess. To my dismay, the object I had connected with resembled one of the strange creations Seo-Yeun used to leave around the area when I first met her. Disappointed in myself for being the cause of its current state I made a guilt ridden escape from the creation, with every broken piece my heart tinged and panic raced, all I could think of what how to fix it. "Leave whatever you messed up alone, we can fix it on our way back," the Eldest called over his shoulder. "Ah, our way back? I want to fix this now and wasn't aware we would need to make two trips out of the village," I didn't know the first thing about the culture or importance of these, my hands hovered over the mess in a moment of utter distress. "Originally we only wanted your help for this task, but I think I speak for everyone when I say you proved to be quite resourceful. Better than I thought of you as, it would be good to have you come out with us more often. Now hurry up." A quick etch into the bark above it and more blood than I'd like later, we were grouped up once more and making fast progress back home. The blunt admittance that he thought I was good to keep around shocked me, perhaps my initial judgement was clouded and he was a good person, if not at least a little stubborn. As we crossed the final hill to the village it was clear something had happened, lanterns were set a good distance in the valley and the trees above, and the center glowed like embers. Where the Sons explained a track mission like this would be met with celebration upon success, this was not what I had in mind. The Sons shifted the load ahead before it was left at the gate, the Eldest looked around, eyebrows furrowed which made him age instantly. Roads lined with people in bright colors, a tradition I have yet to witness, as the Sons passed ahead gazes were averted with a long bow. The actions and atmosphere screamed in frustration but I could not understand what it said. The tension nearly exploded outward when, at the end of the lined roads, Seo-Yeun stepped out from the house of the Elder. Nothing about her next actions, nor the actions of those around me, would be of any comfort as she tried to address the crowd. "In a final conversation, the Elder held out until news that his Sons and our Founder returned safely in spite of the cruel storm upon us. If the Sons and Founder would join me at the altar of the center, we may make a swift deal out of the coronation ceremony."
Comments
Author's Notes
This is only a small portion of the full story, and will be updated bit by bit several times a day over the next few days! It is a build up from my 너를 잃어버린 - Lost On You article from Summer Camp idea.