The Trident of Goodwill — In the mythos, Solicus the kind-hearted had gifted it to her king brother, Saelius the one-legged. The mightiest crutch for the greatest brother, she proclaimed while presenting the beautiful trident with a bright smile. Next morn, she would find it plunged into the bare chest of her love.
‘I shall play Saelius today,’ — I looked at the woman looking up at the enormous trident — ‘Solicus, unfortunately, has been long gone.’ The melancholic song played in my mind. The beautiful piano was both a heart-shaking experience and an indicator of tragedy. So beautiful, yet it did not alleviate my agony. The sorrow did not leave, and it did not lessen. I did not wish to follow my own words, but it was a duty. It was a gift from me to her, cruel as it may seem. ‘You must play the poor Lour.’ A heavy sob escaped me even though no tears were shed. ‘This is my goodwill, my gift. I shall stay here until you have received it.’
My raised hand fell lifelessly, fingers pointing towards her. The air shook and the surroundings screamed. From the skies, the giant trident, while keeping its form, slowly fell. The sound of running water could be heard from above — as if waves upon waves were crashing into each other. The flow of water ran from the sharp prongs to the blunt end. Halfway across, it sped. I could feel the water pressure from so far away. The air rang and the trees swayed helplessly.
I saw a glimmering blue trail in the sky, its ends marked by a dark red hue. It seemed like a falling star, leaving the dust of its former glory. No one had ever seen such a miracle. But today, with the sound of wind chimes and discomfort of window sills, the whole of Celbrun shall see — streaking across the sky — a man’s goodwill. The air split apart, and the trident, shattering the walls of the ravine, reached the bare woman. I saw it clear as day — the moment when the woman’s eyes were but a moment away from the tip of a frighteningly grandiose weapon.
The Trident of Goodwill clashed against the ravine, ground, and outcrop. The ground shook, and I faced trouble keeping myself on foot. Several times, I stumbled and nearly fell, but the cushions of water would always break my fall and elevate my fragile body. The trident dug and dug, grinding against the outcrop, and only after a few tries did I manage to end its momentum. Clouds of dust and debris disappeared with the gust that I summoned. In front of me where the woman should be, the trident stood high in a crater of nearly a hundred meters in diameter. Water from around me — the streams, showers, and brooks — gathered, flowed, trickled, and rushed into the hole. It created a large pond — a small lake. It was a sign of man’s capacity, the destruction we had learnt and cultivated. And I was one of the best examples of that. But nothing is without a price.
I suddenly felt extreme fatigue. My magic broke; the trident dissolved, further filling the crater, falling around and over me. My eye watered, and I nearly choked on my own breath. I buckled and belched, blood flooding my mouth, dripping from my lips. My ears were screaming in agony, and my head threatened to spill. For a while, I stood facing the ground, holding my stomach and sides. Sweat flowed down my forehead. But it isn’t over, I thought, standing back up. ‘I see you,’ I said, breathing heavily, looking at the edge of the ever-rising surface of the pond.
She had scratches on her body but had managed to save herself from the trident. She was once again hiding, conjuring her illusions as she hid on the bank of the pond. My hand reached in her direction, and a spear made of pure water rushed towards her from the water near my feet. The illusion broke and she jumped to the side, avoiding it. I attacked her again. This time too she dodged without much effort. I did it again and once again, but still, she was not hit, and no matter what, she would not return the courtesies.
I knew I had to close the distance but did not know how. The large body of water was holding my advance. I looked around once. No one was nearby. ‘This is the only way I suppose.’ I gestured with my unharmed hand, creating an imaginary triangle in the air. Right away, blobs of water rose up a distance away from me. One by one, they rushed forward, turning into spears of sharpness and beauty. There was one, and then two, three, four…seven of them. The woman dodged the first three but was scratched by the fourth. As the last three reached her, the vines on her body grew, creating a barrier of interlaced vines. The continuous barrage was absorbed, leaving only scattering splashes of water.
At that sight, my eyes glowed. Her vision was obstructed and her mind was distracted, but even then, she could feel the crawling behind her. A long and thick root of a nearby tree had snuck up on her on my command, and before she could see herself to safety, it snatched her ankle and held her in place. I quickly took off my ring. Now, nothing could stop the overexcited mana from entering my body. I sprinted forwards in the shallow waters. At my feet, as I was about to enter the large hole, the rushing water halted. As if the world itself had come to an abrupt stop, the water became still. And I ran on its surface. I ran as if a man had attained wings. ‘Accelerate,’ I whispered. My body sped. The wind resistance lessened.
While the woman struggled with my fetters, I crossed the pond quarter of the way. Finally freed, she looked at me. In her eyes was not a sign of hostility. For the first time, she opened her mouth and spoke. ‘Δάσος.’ It was a whispering voice, as if woods themselves had spoken. And from the depths of the pond, from the ground beyond, something rose. I leapt, pushing myself away with little help from the water at my feet. Not a moment later, where I stood, rose a pillar of grey and black. I stumbled on the surface of the clear liquid as if it was hard ground. My eyes turned to the pillar; it was made of sick, giant intertwined roots. I did not wait to capture its movements with my eyes.
I spun around, and the water beneath my feet shifted. Once again, I ran towards that unfortunate figure as the water around me turned into a murky realm of threatening red and a dull grey. The root from behind chased me as I created barriers of water to slow it to no effect. Thirteen steps ahead and I spun and dodged. So close, I thought, looking at the root that nearly managed to graze my cheek. In that single moment, three drops of water gathered in front of my eye. And as I held my breath, in a matter of pure intuition and curiosity, I managed to create a concentrated, highly pressurised jet of water. Wonderful… It lasted for a brief moment, but I had watched it in a trance for what seemed like a minute. At the end of it, the thick root was cut. A loud splash followed as the dead root fell. To its demise, it sunk to the bottom of the pond.
My eyes turned to the woman, and once again, I rose on the surface of water. With steady feet and great determination, I ran. I could feel the sweaty armpits and the sweat-drenched collar desperately clinging to me. If any had seen me, they would’ve wondered — about who I was; about how I could do this; about what talent means. But none could know the effort, the sleepless nights, the anxiety and the fear. For they only see a boyish man with a dancing ponytail, running across the surface of a still pond in a malevolent world. How magical, they must think. My steps quickened. I saw the woman looking my way. Her lifeless, listless eyes seemed to bear a notion resemblant to curiosity. I wanted to speak so much with her; I wanted to recount and chatter. Unknowingly, tears fell from my eyes. These emotions, I told myself, do not belong to you. Yet they fell, disturbing the calm surface of the water, spreading ripples. They resembled me, and they resembled my heart. I kept telling myself that these weren’t my emotions, but that was not the truth. Those were mine, but what man likes to snivel and cry? Even if it was the purest of sorrows — brought forth for the sake of the other — I believed, tears did not suit me. Many thoughts circled around my head, and as I ran, I abandoned each one alongside each tear. I left them behind.
In the woman’s eyes, I saw the curiosity turn to nothingness. I saw her open her mouth. ‘Δάσος,’ she whispered. Right away, I stomped my foot. The surface of the water was disturbed. Ripples upon ripples passed, birthing beautiful rings spreading across my feet. Their interaction would have been a pure joy to watch had it not been for the sorrowful world and the creed I was about to execute. ‘Apologies,’ I murmured. I can’t stop the propagation of sound altogether…but I shan’t allow any sound to pass at that frequency. But it was in vain. The giant root grew back. It regenerated at speeds unimaginable to humans. …I suppose tweaking frequency won’t affect it. Pity. I had hoped for a better result.
I continued towards the woman. The root, now grown back, rose from the body of water. I heard the loud sound of splashing and felt the tremors at my feet. In time, I jumped forward, rolling onto the clear surface, avoiding the assault. The giant thing turned to me again, rushing like a whip. I dispelled my magic; the surface of the water — that so graciously bore my weight — gave way, and I effortlessly sunk in. My body felt heavy for a moment, but knowing what unbridled mana did to me, I felt worried yet did not fret. My hand reached for the inner pocket of my trouser while I floated back up. Drenched, I pulled myself onto the surface of the water. Just in time, the root passed under my feet. In a hurry, I jumped to the side as a splash welcomed the towering whip emerging from under the water. Had I been a moment late, I would have surely been hurt. There. In time, I retrieved my hand and threw the little seeds in my fist towards the root. I watched as some reached it while some scattered on the surface. The root passed by me again; I dodged. Once again, I ran. And I ran. For what felt like an eternity, the man — on the surface of water — ran.
The colossal root rushed towards me. The body of water swirled, and a large hand — as if a giant was born — rushed out of the pond. It grabbed the root, holding it in place. It won’t last, I thought. Earth could have, but water wouldn’t. My eyes turned to the dark root. ‘Flower,’ I muttered under my breath. Suddenly, as if a miracle was performed, the seeds I had thrown sprouted. Tiny roots wrapped around the giant thing; dark stems grew, and in no moment, little flowers bloomed. Purple and pink, they marked the body of the dark giant. ‘Striga,’ I whispered as I ran after catching the beautiful sight for one last time. It won’t die, I thought, but it will weaken. To the curtain of red sky and a scarlet moon, as the clear surface of the water reflected each hue, petals of pink and purple scattered across the mournful night. And I watched as a seemingly dead root appeared alike a flowering tree.
It was truly one of the most beautiful sights of my life, and I was assured she too agreed. For she failed to notice my hand gestures and me. A thick whip of water rose from the surface. It wrapped around her tarnished body and dragged her towards me. ‘May you find solace,’ I said to her while she watched, with wide eyes, the scattering of flowers. ‘May you return to the Garden once again.’ I turned my hand towards the surface. Water flowed up and a trident was shaped in my hand. Her bound body arrived at my feet, and I hunched over her. ‘And may you be named once again.’ With both hands, I dug the prongs into her exposed belly. She felt the tremors; her mouth slightly opened, and her lips quivered. I looked into her eyes and thrust the weapon deeper. It was her belly and chest being ripped, and yet, I felt the pain. It was unbearable. It was as if my heart was crying, wailing in agony. Tears fell, and I pushed her under the surface, following behind with breath held. The trident dissipated; dark blood flowed out of her open wound. With one arm, I held the back of her head as her hair floated, and with the other I commanded magic. A bubble of air formed around our heads, sparing us a few more breaths.
I opened my mouth, about to ask, who did this to you, when she interrupted.
‘Αγάπη…’ she said, looking into my eyes. ‘Αγάπη…’ Her eyes seemed to have been brought back to life. But right before death, some may say, what is its use? But I disagree. She has been dead for a while. I had gone far and beyond the notion of empathy, and now what emotion I felt, what flared within me, had become unknown. It was regret but not contrite. It was sorrow greater than any loss. It was relief but not happiness. It was pain yet I was intact. It was love but we had never met. And I knew, if not in body, then in heart and mind she was dead and desecrated.
‘Αγάπη…’ she whispered once again, staring at my face as I held her. They say, before death, mortals seek comfort. But she was far from a mortal. And I could not be — even though I wished to be — her comfort.
Yet, I lied, ‘Nai, agápi.’
The bare woman’s eyes teared. In the clear water, her teardrops shone clearer still. In my arms, she smiled beauteously. And, with a quivering breath, with the last of her strength, she embraced me.
I felt the loss take over. The mournful, melancholic music played in my ears — louder and louder. My eyes teared as I heard a loud splashing noise behind us. The blackened root had fallen lifelessly. She was dead. ‘Nai, agápi.’ Yes, love.
R.Venelious Break this week. Expect a chapter the next Sunday.
The Trident of Goodwill — In the mythos, Solicus the kind-hearted had gifted it to her king brother, Saelius the one-legged. The mightiest crutch for the greatest brother, she proclaimed while presenting the beautiful trident with a bright smile. Next morn, she would find it plunged into the bare chest of her love.
‘I shall play Saelius today,’ — I looked at the woman looking up at the enormous trident — ‘Solicus, unfortunately, has been long gone.’ The melancholic song played in my mind. The beautiful piano was both a heart-shaking experience and an indicator of tragedy. So beautiful, yet it did not alleviate my agony. The sorrow did not leave, and it did not lessen. I did not wish to follow my own words, but it was a duty. It was a gift from me to her, cruel as it may seem. ‘You must play the poor Lour.’ A heavy sob escaped me even though no tears were shed. ‘This is my goodwill, my gift. I shall stay here until you have received it.’
My raised hand fell lifelessly, fingers pointing towards her. The air shook and the surroundings screamed. From the skies, the giant trident, while keeping its form, slowly fell. The sound of running water could be heard from above — as if waves upon waves were crashing into each other. The flow of water ran from the sharp prongs to the blunt end. Halfway across, it sped. I could feel the water pressure from so far away. The air rang and the trees swayed helplessly.
I saw a glimmering blue trail in the sky, its ends marked by a dark red hue. It seemed like a falling star, leaving the dust of its former glory. No one had ever seen such a miracle. But today, with the sound of wind chimes and discomfort of window sills, the whole of Celbrun shall see — streaking across the sky — a man’s goodwill. The air split apart, and the trident, shattering the walls of the ravine, reached the bare woman. I saw it clear as day — the moment when the woman’s eyes were but a moment away from the tip of a frighteningly grandiose weapon.
The Trident of Goodwill clashed against the ravine, ground, and outcrop. The ground shook, and I faced trouble keeping myself on foot. Several times, I stumbled and nearly fell, but the cushions of water would always break my fall and elevate my fragile body. The trident dug and dug, grinding against the outcrop, and only after a few tries did I manage to end its momentum. Clouds of dust and debris disappeared with the gust that I summoned. In front of me where the woman should be, the trident stood high in a crater of nearly a hundred meters in diameter. Water from around me — the streams, showers, and brooks — gathered, flowed, trickled, and rushed into the hole. It created a large pond — a small lake. It was a sign of man’s capacity, the destruction we had learnt and cultivated. And I was one of the best examples of that. But nothing is without a price.
I suddenly felt extreme fatigue. My magic broke; the trident dissolved, further filling the crater, falling around and over me. My eye watered, and I nearly choked on my own breath. I buckled and belched, blood flooding my mouth, dripping from my lips. My ears were screaming in agony, and my head threatened to spill. For a while, I stood facing the ground, holding my stomach and sides. Sweat flowed down my forehead. But it isn’t over, I thought, standing back up. ‘I see you,’ I said, breathing heavily, looking at the edge of the ever-rising surface of the pond.
She had scratches on her body but had managed to save herself from the trident. She was once again hiding, conjuring her illusions as she hid on the bank of the pond. My hand reached in her direction, and a spear made of pure water rushed towards her from the water near my feet. The illusion broke and she jumped to the side, avoiding it. I attacked her again. This time too she dodged without much effort. I did it again and once again, but still, she was not hit, and no matter what, she would not return the courtesies.
I knew I had to close the distance but did not know how. The large body of water was holding my advance. I looked around once. No one was nearby. ‘This is the only way I suppose.’ I gestured with my unharmed hand, creating an imaginary triangle in the air. Right away, blobs of water rose up a distance away from me. One by one, they rushed forward, turning into spears of sharpness and beauty. There was one, and then two, three, four…seven of them. The woman dodged the first three but was scratched by the fourth. As the last three reached her, the vines on her body grew, creating a barrier of interlaced vines. The continuous barrage was absorbed, leaving only scattering splashes of water.
At that sight, my eyes glowed. Her vision was obstructed and her mind was distracted, but even then, she could feel the crawling behind her. A long and thick root of a nearby tree had snuck up on her on my command, and before she could see herself to safety, it snatched her ankle and held her in place. I quickly took off my ring. Now, nothing could stop the overexcited mana from entering my body. I sprinted forwards in the shallow waters. At my feet, as I was about to enter the large hole, the rushing water halted. As if the world itself had come to an abrupt stop, the water became still. And I ran on its surface. I ran as if a man had attained wings. ‘Accelerate,’ I whispered. My body sped. The wind resistance lessened.
While the woman struggled with my fetters, I crossed the pond quarter of the way. Finally freed, she looked at me. In her eyes was not a sign of hostility. For the first time, she opened her mouth and spoke. ‘Δάσος.’ It was a whispering voice, as if woods themselves had spoken. And from the depths of the pond, from the ground beyond, something rose. I leapt, pushing myself away with little help from the water at my feet. Not a moment later, where I stood, rose a pillar of grey and black. I stumbled on the surface of the clear liquid as if it was hard ground. My eyes turned to the pillar; it was made of sick, giant intertwined roots. I did not wait to capture its movements with my eyes.
I spun around, and the water beneath my feet shifted. Once again, I ran towards that unfortunate figure as the water around me turned into a murky realm of threatening red and a dull grey. The root from behind chased me as I created barriers of water to slow it to no effect. Thirteen steps ahead and I spun and dodged. So close, I thought, looking at the root that nearly managed to graze my cheek. In that single moment, three drops of water gathered in front of my eye. And as I held my breath, in a matter of pure intuition and curiosity, I managed to create a concentrated, highly pressurised jet of water. Wonderful… It lasted for a brief moment, but I had watched it in a trance for what seemed like a minute. At the end of it, the thick root was cut. A loud splash followed as the dead root fell. To its demise, it sunk to the bottom of the pond.
My eyes turned to the woman, and once again, I rose on the surface of water. With steady feet and great determination, I ran. I could feel the sweaty armpits and the sweat-drenched collar desperately clinging to me. If any had seen me, they would’ve wondered — about who I was; about how I could do this; about what talent means. But none could know the effort, the sleepless nights, the anxiety and the fear. For they only see a boyish man with a dancing ponytail, running across the surface of a still pond in a malevolent world. How magical, they must think. My steps quickened. I saw the woman looking my way. Her lifeless, listless eyes seemed to bear a notion resemblant to curiosity. I wanted to speak so much with her; I wanted to recount and chatter. Unknowingly, tears fell from my eyes. These emotions, I told myself, do not belong to you. Yet they fell, disturbing the calm surface of the water, spreading ripples. They resembled me, and they resembled my heart. I kept telling myself that these weren’t my emotions, but that was not the truth. Those were mine, but what man likes to snivel and cry? Even if it was the purest of sorrows — brought forth for the sake of the other — I believed, tears did not suit me. Many thoughts circled around my head, and as I ran, I abandoned each one alongside each tear. I left them behind.
In the woman’s eyes, I saw the curiosity turn to nothingness. I saw her open her mouth. ‘Δάσος,’ she whispered. Right away, I stomped my foot. The surface of the water was disturbed. Ripples upon ripples passed, birthing beautiful rings spreading across my feet. Their interaction would have been a pure joy to watch had it not been for the sorrowful world and the creed I was about to execute. ‘Apologies,’ I murmured. I can’t stop the propagation of sound altogether…but I shan’t allow any sound to pass at that frequency. But it was in vain. The giant root grew back. It regenerated at speeds unimaginable to humans. …I suppose tweaking frequency won’t affect it. Pity. I had hoped for a better result.
I continued towards the woman. The root, now grown back, rose from the body of water. I heard the loud sound of splashing and felt the tremors at my feet. In time, I jumped forward, rolling onto the clear surface, avoiding the assault. The giant thing turned to me again, rushing like a whip. I dispelled my magic; the surface of the water — that so graciously bore my weight — gave way, and I effortlessly sunk in. My body felt heavy for a moment, but knowing what unbridled mana did to me, I felt worried yet did not fret. My hand reached for the inner pocket of my trouser while I floated back up. Drenched, I pulled myself onto the surface of the water. Just in time, the root passed under my feet. In a hurry, I jumped to the side as a splash welcomed the towering whip emerging from under the water. Had I been a moment late, I would have surely been hurt. There. In time, I retrieved my hand and threw the little seeds in my fist towards the root. I watched as some reached it while some scattered on the surface. The root passed by me again; I dodged. Once again, I ran. And I ran. For what felt like an eternity, the man — on the surface of water — ran.
The colossal root rushed towards me. The body of water swirled, and a large hand — as if a giant was born — rushed out of the pond. It grabbed the root, holding it in place. It won’t last, I thought. Earth could have, but water wouldn’t. My eyes turned to the dark root. ‘Flower,’ I muttered under my breath. Suddenly, as if a miracle was performed, the seeds I had thrown sprouted. Tiny roots wrapped around the giant thing; dark stems grew, and in no moment, little flowers bloomed. Purple and pink, they marked the body of the dark giant. ‘Striga,’ I whispered as I ran after catching the beautiful sight for one last time. It won’t die, I thought, but it will weaken. To the curtain of red sky and a scarlet moon, as the clear surface of the water reflected each hue, petals of pink and purple scattered across the mournful night. And I watched as a seemingly dead root appeared alike a flowering tree.
It was truly one of the most beautiful sights of my life, and I was assured she too agreed. For she failed to notice my hand gestures and me. A thick whip of water rose from the surface. It wrapped around her tarnished body and dragged her towards me. ‘May you find solace,’ I said to her while she watched, with wide eyes, the scattering of flowers. ‘May you return to the Garden once again.’ I turned my hand towards the surface. Water flowed up and a trident was shaped in my hand. Her bound body arrived at my feet, and I hunched over her. ‘And may you be named once again.’ With both hands, I dug the prongs into her exposed belly. She felt the tremors; her mouth slightly opened, and her lips quivered. I looked into her eyes and thrust the weapon deeper. It was her belly and chest being ripped, and yet, I felt the pain. It was unbearable. It was as if my heart was crying, wailing in agony. Tears fell, and I pushed her under the surface, following behind with breath held. The trident dissipated; dark blood flowed out of her open wound. With one arm, I held the back of her head as her hair floated, and with the other I commanded magic. A bubble of air formed around our heads, sparing us a few more breaths.
I opened my mouth, about to ask, who did this to you, when she interrupted.
‘Αγάπη…’ she said, looking into my eyes. ‘Αγάπη…’ Her eyes seemed to have been brought back to life. But right before death, some may say, what is its use? But I disagree. She has been dead for a while. I had gone far and beyond the notion of empathy, and now what emotion I felt, what flared within me, had become unknown. It was regret but not contrite. It was sorrow greater than any loss. It was relief but not happiness. It was pain yet I was intact. It was love but we had never met. And I knew, if not in body, then in heart and mind she was dead and desecrated.
‘Αγάπη…’ she whispered once again, staring at my face as I held her. They say, before death, mortals seek comfort. But she was far from a mortal. And I could not be — even though I wished to be — her comfort.
Yet, I lied, ‘Nai, agápi.’
The bare woman’s eyes teared. In the clear water, her teardrops shone clearer still. In my arms, she smiled beauteously. And, with a quivering breath, with the last of her strength, she embraced me.
I felt the loss take over. The mournful, melancholic music played in my ears — louder and louder. My eyes teared as I heard a loud splashing noise behind us. The blackened root had fallen lifelessly. She was dead. ‘Nai, agápi.’ Yes, love.
R.Venelious Break this week. Expect a chapter the next Sunday.
