Story of Stein, Four
Once we set way beyond that mountain, dusk had come rather quickly. We pushed forth, poking in and out of the forest’s shade as we passed thickets and clearings of shrubs and flowers alike. We made way alongside the hills until we caught sight of the shoreline, and so we followed the shore from there, tending to lean eastward. That is until we spotted it, past any cavern mouths, between the trees, and across the way from the stone coast.
Ahead, laid before us was something so ancient and unfamiliar. A complexity that was so alien in its nature, no other attraction could possibly manage to break our sense of drive towards this thing. Grun, having been the lead, ushered us back inland, behind the coast and down a path between hills that would inevitably yield us to direct sight of the rock in question. Only a short swim in distance and in effort was between us and the site.
Grun had taken the first dive, leaping straight into the depths of the water before us, he had learned to follow his vision without hesitation by this point. I then followed. The water was substantially warmer than I had anticipated and would actually gain in warmth the more distance we had closed in on the site.
Little did any of us imagine the true wealth that could, and still can, come from my brother Grun’s dreams. Naturally, the desire to ask how such clairovoyance has happened upon him is and has been a constant struggle for me. Hai, not so much; he has always carried a much freer sense of mind. Who, or what, may be providing it? What are the limits to this sight?
These questions surely cannot be answered now, and also surely not have been answered then. We did, however, reap in the spoils of his vision on that evening.
Story of Grun, Four
That evening, what we had found in the water held such marvel. My dreams before had been so vivid and so lively in their hue, feeling just close enough to reach anything I desired within the midst of my idle slumber. Yet, I had not yet been able to. Reaching them may have seemed possible, but I would have only been reaching for them. To think forward a bit, my ability to reach for would enter the realm of plausibility. I would actually end up dwelling in the anticipations of my dreams and be left there to encounter the works of those dreams in nature. Naturally, an earnest and inspired attitude would envelop anyone as it did me.
According to my prior visions, physically before us were laid the hues that had come to fruition. It took only a second for me to have recognized that the colors here had matched the hues on a level so perfect and vivid. My brothers and I were surely meant to have found this relic. It was merely indistinguishable in sight.
But, what was it? Some sort of pillar. There was the work of stone, carved from old bricks. Ancient, yet finer stonework than that of our old home back on the farm. A mixed pallet of grays and of dark reds, the rocks were crumbled before the single remaining column. Said single remaining column first appeared to be of black stone, however the material of the column would end up being a question we are yet to develop an answer for even now. This was my perspective as I had swam towards the site. Evening was coming to an end, so I had forced our hand into swimming the way to it. After all, there was no time to waste, my vision was sat in suspension before us like a still yet incomplete painting on a banner waiting for new brushstrokes. It was waiting for us.
Story of Hai, Four
Grun followed his vision, and we followed him; to the end if that’s what it would have taken. After the mountain was well distanced and far from our sight, our scope began to truly narrow, but especially Grun’s. At some point, it had become clear our northbound path would lead us to the northern waters. The winds of the sea tend to carry notes of nostalgia for me in particular. Then a short-lived trip along the coast with our backs to the nearly setting sun would follow.
The river valley had carved a route through the whole of the land until it had met the sea. The shore had eroded away, leaving behind openings along the cliff face for cavern mouths, much like the ones I used to peek into in search of any danger or relic alike. Those caves were the least of our interests on that evening though. As our eyes had set sight toward the horizon, our destination had shown itself in its truest form. Across the water, rested this structure atop some alien debris. Even from such a distance, you could see that the debris itself would occasionally spark and combust into some momentary fire. The site was surely dangerous, and there would hold no reason of value to deny that obvious claim.
However, reward may be granted to those with adventure in their heart, and bravery to overcome that fear of taking on the unknown.
After Grun had dove in after the rock, Stein had inevitably followed, almost immediately. I found it best to sit aback, perched against the hillside of the steep coast, so I could have scouted for any other looming threats. Night was on its way, after all. Once my brothers had both crossed the water and taken their steps atop the rock, the moment had passed onto me. I climbed the nearest birch that happened to overlook the water’s edge, looked to my brothers, and leaped. The current carried me to them, as the current of time had brought the night upon us once more.
Atel Enters The Realm
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