Read Online Wind Rider by Teddy Jacobs - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Teddy Jacobs
Tags: Fantasy
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grew
stronger and louder, deep in tone and rich in their tonality; they were
velvety, and stroked me. I could almost understand her, and there were moments
where I did, and in these moments I heard her calling: Anders, I await you.
I have something for you, that only I can give you.
My skin started to buzz with the energy of the
tree, as we approached a patch of the trunk about the size of a man, lighter in
color, and covered with sap. Without thinking about it, I closed my eyes,
unafraid of falling now. Below me the tree glowed under my feet, to my side was
Ulrike, and in front of me the trunk glowed green. There, outlined in front of
me, was a door, and there were runes on it, in a darker green. I reached out
and traced them and felt the energy of the tree buzz through my fingers as the
tree covered my hand with sticky sap. But my fingers kept moving. Then I was
walking forward, opening my mind to the mother tree as my body entered into the
sap and the wood opened up around me. My body was being covered from head to
toe with warm wood, and I stopped moving. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe
either. Still I did not panic.
My lungs filled slowly with sap. I stopped
breathing, but remained somehow alive. My mind kept thinking. I could feel my
heart pumping, and somehow my lungs got what they needed from the sap. This was
deep magic, magic that moved inside me. There was no way to open my eyes, I
could not move, but my inner eye was open. I opened my inner ears, looked out
and listened.
She was in front of me.
She looked like a woman, old but strong and wise.
Her back was straight but her hair was grey and long, reaching down to her
feet. Her eyes were emerald green, and her teeth shining white. And she spoke
to me then, and now I understood her.
I called and you came, Anders Tomason .
I couldn’t move a muscle. Still there was no pain. You called and I came, Tree Mother.
Call me Helga..
Why have you called me here?
She smiled.
You can change the world, Anders Tomason . You can hurt it or you can make it whole again. I
see so much bloodshed. I hope you will come out of it whole and unscarred. That
the world too will come out of it whole and unscarred. For this I give you
several gifts. The first is the sap now filling your lungs — it will fill your
body with plant energy and make the trees your friends, wherever you might go.
The second is a living shield of my own wood, which you will carry on your
back. The third is a breastplate of magical living hardwood, which I will affix
to your chest. It will be light enough to wear underneath your clothes, and
will absorb the energy of bruising blows, and deflect the energy of those who
try to pierce it.
I felt a tingling on my leg and then Carolina was
there as well in front of me, between me and the tree mother.
She was smiling. I did not know tree spirits to
be so generous with their gifts. I assume there is a hidden price, as well.
I knew that Anders carried a great blade, but I
did not know there was such power as you within it.
Carolina smiled again. Helga knows that
flattery will get you everywhere with pixies. With tree spirits it does not
work as well, unfortunately. Tell me, tree mother, what is the hidden price for
these priceless gifts?
The tree mother groaned and imprisoned within her
I could feel the whole tree shake. I wish the deliverance of my peoples,
both human and tree from the man called the dark lord.
Carolina nodded. Is that all, tree mother?
That is all. I ask only that Anders reaffirm a
pledge already made. One made already in the heavens the day of his birth. And
in return I give him those gifts, and send him and you on your way. Along with
several of my strongest human children.
Carolina looked at me then. If I were you, I
would pledge. A tree mother’s gifts are priceless, and never have I seen a tree
mother with such a true and good heart.
I pledge to deliver all peoples, human and
non-human, beast or plant, from the reign of the
stronger and louder, deep in tone and rich in their tonality; they were
velvety, and stroked me. I could almost understand her, and there were moments
where I did, and in these moments I heard her calling: Anders, I await you.
I have something for you, that only I can give you.
My skin started to buzz with the energy of the
tree, as we approached a patch of the trunk about the size of a man, lighter in
color, and covered with sap. Without thinking about it, I closed my eyes,
unafraid of falling now. Below me the tree glowed under my feet, to my side was
Ulrike, and in front of me the trunk glowed green. There, outlined in front of
me, was a door, and there were runes on it, in a darker green. I reached out
and traced them and felt the energy of the tree buzz through my fingers as the
tree covered my hand with sticky sap. But my fingers kept moving. Then I was
walking forward, opening my mind to the mother tree as my body entered into the
sap and the wood opened up around me. My body was being covered from head to
toe with warm wood, and I stopped moving. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe
either. Still I did not panic.
My lungs filled slowly with sap. I stopped
breathing, but remained somehow alive. My mind kept thinking. I could feel my
heart pumping, and somehow my lungs got what they needed from the sap. This was
deep magic, magic that moved inside me. There was no way to open my eyes, I
could not move, but my inner eye was open. I opened my inner ears, looked out
and listened.
She was in front of me.
She looked like a woman, old but strong and wise.
Her back was straight but her hair was grey and long, reaching down to her
feet. Her eyes were emerald green, and her teeth shining white. And she spoke
to me then, and now I understood her.
I called and you came, Anders Tomason .
I couldn’t move a muscle. Still there was no pain. You called and I came, Tree Mother.
Call me Helga..
Why have you called me here?
She smiled.
You can change the world, Anders Tomason . You can hurt it or you can make it whole again. I
see so much bloodshed. I hope you will come out of it whole and unscarred. That
the world too will come out of it whole and unscarred. For this I give you
several gifts. The first is the sap now filling your lungs — it will fill your
body with plant energy and make the trees your friends, wherever you might go.
The second is a living shield of my own wood, which you will carry on your
back. The third is a breastplate of magical living hardwood, which I will affix
to your chest. It will be light enough to wear underneath your clothes, and
will absorb the energy of bruising blows, and deflect the energy of those who
try to pierce it.
I felt a tingling on my leg and then Carolina was
there as well in front of me, between me and the tree mother.
She was smiling. I did not know tree spirits to
be so generous with their gifts. I assume there is a hidden price, as well.
I knew that Anders carried a great blade, but I
did not know there was such power as you within it.
Carolina smiled again. Helga knows that
flattery will get you everywhere with pixies. With tree spirits it does not
work as well, unfortunately. Tell me, tree mother, what is the hidden price for
these priceless gifts?
The tree mother groaned and imprisoned within her
I could feel the whole tree shake. I wish the deliverance of my peoples,
both human and tree from the man called the dark lord.
Carolina nodded. Is that all, tree mother?
That is all. I ask only that Anders reaffirm a
pledge already made. One made already in the heavens the day of his birth. And
in return I give him those gifts, and send him and you on your way. Along with
several of my strongest human children.
Carolina looked at me then. If I were you, I
would pledge. A tree mother’s gifts are priceless, and never have I seen a tree
mother with such a true and good heart.
I pledge to deliver all peoples, human and
non-human, beast or plant, from the reign of the
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