The following story is one he used to tell frequently. I'm sorry
if I butcher a spelling or two along the way, it's been a long time since
I..erm, he told this story ;)
As many of you know, the deICEing was a very difficult time for
a lot of people. It confused many, many adapted, many did not. Some fled
to far away lands, and some were even driven mad.
One such person is the monk whom you see today walking the streets
of the landing. He was once a very devoted individual, but the deICEing was
hard on his memory, and he seems to have all but forgotten his own heritage.
I can't think of a worse disease than senility.
Anyway, I digress. The lady he followed by a goddess by the name
of Shajliin. ***Ok, that may be butchered, I don't remember and can't seem
to find it anywhere*** Shajliin was a goddess who wanted what he considered
ultimate peace. Where man and nature could live in harmony. Man wouldn't
speak, for doing so would disturb the air around him, he wouldn't kill, for
all animals had the same rights to live as mankind did. Even animals wouldn't
kill other animals.
The monk of Shajliin lives in a hut that was built for them and
donated. Obviously they'd never have built something for themselves, but
hey if it's there already... They drank only water and ate only honey. How
they got the honey without disturbing the bees is one of life's little
mysteries.
One day, one of the monks, named Dom Kifus, who'd gone hungry
and thirsty for days awoke from his sleep in a delirious state. He'd had
a terrible nightmare brought on by his lake of nourishment. He dreamed that
the Lady Shajliin and one called 'The Destroyer' were in bitter
dispute.
They argued for hours about the state of peace, and what it was
and what it could be. The argument itself was very much against Lady Shajliin's
nature, but Dom didn't notice the flaw in the dream. As the argument rose
to a climactic state, 'The Destroyer' landed the final blow with the following
words:
By your standards, even the wind disturbs the trees, and the rain
disturbs the soil. The only way to obtain the peace you seek is to destroy
the lands completely.
With that said, the Lady Shajliin was so broken that she went
down to the nearest river, and cried. She wept for days, or weeks, or months,
how long is unknown. The goddess cried so hard that she wept her soul, and
quite literally wept herself into pure water. Her tears wept into the river,
and eventually out to sea.
Dom Kifus joined a group known as the destroyers who plan on peace
by destroying the entire lands.
StormShadow Kaulke, my father once wrote a very lovely ballad
about this entire story. Unfortunately, while the memory remains of the story,
the song itself was lost in the deICEing. Such a shame it was. The song took
well over 10 minutes to complete it's singing. I can, however, share with
you the refrain that echoes in my mind. It is alas, one of the few memories
I have of my father. I can hear his voice when I sleep.
'Cry, lady, cry, til you're one with the sea,
and the waves of despair do come and take thee,
Cry, lady, cry til you're one with the night,
for eternal slumber's your only respite.'
I wish I had more to share, and I'm sure more will come to me,
so until then...
Thank you,
Daulken Kifson
