Fable: The Return Chapter 36

The freed people of Oakfield prosper in the light of new days.
==Chapter 36==
"Brothers, sisters, children who's life comes from Light." The young Brother Brakon addresses the people of Oakfield as they gather around a newly planted Golden Acorn on the top of the old hill. "Once Brothers Aldrich and Fredrick return with the water we shall begin the ceremony."
In the middle of the huddled villagers is the littlest child in the village, standing alongside her mother. Her clothes are tattered, her face is dirty, but the gentlest and kindest smile is spread on her tiny lips. Throughout darkness she did not even see she now feels warmth from the sun she had never truly appreciated. While the older villagers felt the darkness still upon the world and knew danger was not yet gone…they looked upon the simple life of a child. They saw the purest innocence of a child's smile, the glimmer in her eyes and the spring in her step as they walked to the hill all the way from the Temple of Light. Though they all knew The Court still lived, the simple smile of a child made the world brighter and gave all in Oakfield a sense of peace.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, little darling?"
"Why is everyone in a circle around that big acorn?"
The mother laughs, "that is the Golden Acorn. It grows into a great tree, for centuries it has been a symbol of life for the farmers here. A symbol of growth that comes from water and light."
"Oh." The mother waits for the next question, knowing there can never be just once question. Sure enough the daughter speaks up once more, "So where's the water?"
"Brothers Aldrich and Fredrick are retrieving the water now in the Ceremonial Urn."
"The what?"
"Ceremonial Urn," she pauses. "It's like a big, old vase."
"Oh, ok. Why?"
"That's just what has always been done, little child. They like to keep to tradition here in Oakfield."
"So they go and get a bunch of water in an old, dirty bowl then pour it on a big acorn?"
"Yes, little one." The mother smiles.
"That sounds silly." All of the villagers let out playful laughs at the child's comment. Brother Brakon even lets a chuckle escape his lips.
As if sent by Darkness itself to break the cheer of Oakfield, a monk from the temple runs madly towards them all from the forest. Brother Brakon looks out to the man, "That's…that's Brother Fredrick! I wonder why he is not with Brother Aldrich."
Brother Fredrick reaches the villagers screaming, "You must help! Brother Aldrich was shot inside the cave! We were almost to the final room to get the rest of the water and someone came right out and shot him!"
Brother Brakon starts immediately, "Oh no! Come, take me to him! Sister Faelis, watch over everyone, make sure they are kept calm." Sister Faelis nods and goes to the children of the village to try and calm them down. Brother Brakon, Fredrick, Emit, and Marcus group together and run to the forest. Deep into the forest of Oakfield they plunge until they reach the ancient caves. Within, the torches are dimly lit and the walls are cold.
"He is down this path, through the farthest gate and almost into the third room!" Brother Fredrick leads them through the ancient path where monks have trekked for centuries. They pass through the gate room, two gates open on the sides and one half open in front of them. They all squeeze under the third gate in a hurry in an effort to get to the injured monk as quickly as possible.
As if someone was watching their progress, the gate behind them falls and shuts tight. Brother Emit immediately gets worried and speaks up while they continue through the cave. "Brothers! We have not been trained to fight, we aren't like the warrior monks. All of us have sworn an oath of pacifism…how will we escape a man with a gun?!"
Brakon responds, "worry not, Brother. We need only reach Brother Aldrich and get him out of here through the final exit at the end of the third room."
"What if the attacker is in the third room?!"
"Then we shall try our best to reason and let Light guide our way out."
"You're…you're right. You're always right, Brother Brakon."
"I care deeply for our ways, old and new, just as you all do. I will not let a murderous man stop the planting of the Golden Acorn…and I will not let Brother Aldrich die alone in the dark."
The torches farther down towards the room are darker than the others. The air is colder and smells of a heavy musk. Along the left side of the cave wall sits a bleeding Brother Aldrich. His face is caked in the blood that falls from his mouth and one hand covers a wound located in the center of his abdomen. The other hand tightly clutches the handle of the large Ceremonial Urn, two thirds filled with water.
"Brother Aldrich!" Brakon goes to his side and inspects the wound while Brother Marcus takes the Urn from his possession. "We're going to get you out of here, don't worry." Aldrich nods silently, Brakon motions to Fredrick to grab onto his feet. Together, they lift Aldrich up from the dirty ground and carry him. Eli keeps watch up front as they make their way into the third room.
Lit by the smallest of holes in the ceiling is this sizable cavern. Golden light shines down through the hole, beckoning them to place the Urn in its final position below the aqueduct. Brother Marcus goes to the spot and places the Urn down, this in turn activates the mechanism. Within moments, water from within the caves flows from the aqueduct and slowly fills the Urn to completion.
Brother Brakon speaks cheerfully. "See? There, we finished the job without any other complications. Now lets go up the stairs to the exit of these caves and get Aldrich some help." The brothers scale the stairway at the back of the third room and approach the gate to exit. Brakon attempts to pull the main lever but it has been jammed. "That's odd." He tries again, once more it is in vain. "Alright then, how about this?!" With all of his strength, Brother Brakon slams both hands down on the lever and it pulls finally. The gate flies upward and open, but then seconds later it slams back down and locks.
An old voice from deep within the caves shouts, "No!" With the violent shout, all the torches in the room go out…and they are plunged into darkness.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Listen to the moaning of the dead, the creaking of the ships, the breaking of the waves. Listen to the crunching of the snow as hundreds of feet trod down upon it. Listen to the fire that burns, feel the darkness that now envelopes the world, watch it all cover the earth. In darkness, the Queen of Blades takes in a deep breathe and sniff of the air around them all. She feels the chill of the North, smells the white-pines, hears the howl of the winds. She can feel their presence, her mask calls to her, it whispers to her in the darkness.
Three sets of feet step from the ship and onto the snowy shores. The first pair is large, strong, and proud. The second is skeletal, blackened bone and bloodied. The third pair is that of a woman, delicate, kind, yet powerful. She breathes a sigh of menacing nature, "Finally."