Outcasts Of Velrune Part 26

"Then, one day, the plains humans cut down trees at the forest edge, angering the lacarna. The forest humans spoke on behalf of the lacarna, but, when the plains humans found out that their brethren had mated with the beasts, they were disgusted. Angered at the forest human's acts, they sought to kill their offspring. The lacarnians came to the defense of the forest humans, driving them off and slaying many in the process.

"The two factions remained apart for the next several generations, until a terrible sickness befell the plains humans. The lacarnians, at the request of the forest humans, went to their aid. They brought forth their greatest treasure, the Lifestone. It was a clear, blue stone that they claimed had the power to create life. Using the stone, the plains humans were cured of their sickness, but at a great cost. You see, for the stone to work, it needs to feed. In this case, it fed on the long lifespan of the humans.

"The plains humans were thankful, but became afraid of what their now shortened future held for them and their children. To ease their fears, some of the forest humans ventured out and built gathering places amongst the larger populations of the plains humans. At these places, the forest humans recorded the knowledge and family history of the plains humans for generations."

Melody interrupted. "Our church in Moenia has an archive room below the main structure filled with scrolls of family trees. Those are the records of the plains humans, aren't they?"

Alexandra nodded. "The Church of the Immortals was formed by the forest humans, though it did not receive that name until later. Moenia was the first and largest."

Lysander shook his head. "This is nonsense. I've never heard this story before."

"Few have. You see, the forest humans missed living with the lacarna and most moved back. They tried to encourage the plains humans to join them, but few came.

"Communication between the two once again diminished. After several generations, the plains humans had regained their numbers and spread out far and wide. In doing so, and without record keepers, the knowledge of their past became lost to them. They forgot that the forest humans and the few remaining in the churches were once the same as them. They now saw a people who did not seem to age and recovered from all injuries. In all appearance, they were immortal and added to that was their mysterious ability to commune with the spirits. All of this is what led the plains humans to believe the forest humans were the Creators of Velrune itself, a far cry from the truth."

Max stopped Alexandra. "Why didn't they try to correct the misunderstanding?"

"The few that remained in the cities could not overcome the beliefs of so many people."

"Didn't those that moved back to the forest try to help?"

"By this time, there were not many humans in the forest either."

"Why? What happened to them? Didn't they have children?"

Eve laughed and nodded at Alexandra. "Obviously they did."

Max's face flushed. "Oh."

Alexandra smiled. "Actually, Eve, Maxwell presents a valid question. I was a rarity due to both of my parents being human. Most of the forest humans mated with the lacarna producing, well, children like Eve. To those outside of the forest, children like Eve were not considered human."

"In the end, three groups existed. The plains humans, who became known generically as humans. They were the largest group, as they had made a point to reproduce to counteract their much shorter lifespan. The second group consisted of the lacarna who were evolving into a half-human half-cat race. Finally, there were the few original forest humans who were now mistakenly called Immortals."

Alexandra swayed. Eve sprung from her seated position, catching her before she could fall. Together they sat down. Max scooted over to them.

"What's wrong Alexandra? You're very pale."

Lysander sighed. "It is the curse I told you of, Max. A Spirit Leech weakens over time as her spirit energy is depleted. Alexandra has gotten very weak in the time since we left her camp."

"Is it true then? The cursed ones, the Spirit Leeches, really live off the spirit energy of others."

"Unfortunately, Maxwell, yes, we do."

"But, Lysander says the Spirit Leeches are all mad. You don't seem insane to me."

"I admit that some could not handle what happened to them. For them I cannot disagree with the Protectors actions. However, they did not discriminate between the mad and the peaceful."

Lysander's raised voice echoed off the cave walls. "You call taking another's spirit energy being peaceful?"

"There were people who understood our plight, willingly giving of their energy. We made sure to take only what we needed to survive, leaving them exhausted, but otherwise unharmed."

Melody tapped her chin, thinking. "When I talked to the people in your camp, they said you asked little of them. What you asked was to draw their energy, wasn't it?"

Alexandra nodded.

Lysander stood, pacing back and forth. "They should be tried as well for a.s.sisting you. Why would they help someone that betrayed her own people?"

"Another corrupted story, one that comes later. Please, let me finish the one written here first."

Alexandra pointed at the final strip of paintings. "Eventually, the humans once again tried to take trees from the forest. It was only a few at first. The lacarna easily chased them away. Later, the humans became more determined, sending several hundred to gather trees in hopes of intimidating the lacarna. The lacarna easily overpowered them, killing most outright. A second large-scale battle broke out, lasting several days. At the end, one hundred and twelve lacarnians died while several thousand humans lost their lives."

"The humans' loss would have been even greater had the Immortals, once the forest humans, not stepped in to mediate an agreement. The lacarnians saw the human need for shelter and agreed to allow humans to harvest trees they designated. Furthermore, to help settle future issues, the Immortals formed an authoritative group consisting of both lacarnians and humans. They named this group the Protectors. An Immortal was chosen to be the head and ultimate judge of the Protectors."

Alexandra paused, her eyes slowly closing. Eve gently shook her.

"Alexandra."

Alexandra's eyes fluttered back open. "It must be getting late."

Melody stood, dusting herself off. "You should get some rest."

Max stood too, giving a big yawn. "I wouldn't mind a little sleep myself. Are there any beds in the structure outside?"

"At one time there were."

Melody moved towards the tunnel. "Max and I will go see. Eve, stay here with Alexandra."

Lysander headed towards the cave pa.s.sage as well. "I'm coming too. I've heard all I can take for now."

The three left the cave and walked to the building. Lysander stayed outside while Max and Melody went in to investigate. The building had the same layout as the one at Alexandra's camp. In the back room, they found a few beds made from vines that intertwined with the building.

"If we get some of those large leaves from the trees, we can use them as bedding. I know I could easily take a nap on them."

Melody laughed. "Something tells me you could easily take a nap anywhere. Come on, let's go get Eve and Alexandra."

They stepped back outside where Max noticed Lysander missing. "Hey, where did Lysander go?"

"Who knows? If we're lucky he got lost."

"He's not that bad, at least compared to some of the others I've met recently."

Melody crossed her arms. "I suppose not. I mean, he does seem to be listening. That's more than a lot of them do."

Max heard light footsteps from the side of the building. Eve and Alexandra rounded the corner, surprising Melody.

"Oh! Max and I were getting ready to come for you two."

"That is all right. I am feeling a little better."

Max saw that a little color had returned to Alexandra's face - not that she had much to begin with. On the other hand, Eve seemed a little pale.

"Let us go inside, there is more I would like to tell you before we rest." Alexandra looked around. "Where is Lysander?"

"That's what Melody and I were wondering. He left before we came back out."

Eve giggled. "Maybe he had to go pee, in which case we should let him be."

Max rolled his eyes. "Eve."

"What? We all have to go eventually."

Melody rubbed her head. "I'm going inside."

Max happily followed, with Eve and Alexandra coming after him. Each found a log in the main room to sit on and removed their backpacks. Spook climbed out of Eve's satchel, scurrying over to Alexandra and up onto her shoulder. The two had become friends during their trip. Everyone had settled when Lysander walked in.

"Did I miss anything?"

Max looked over his shoulder. "Where did you go?"

"I wanted a better look at this place, that's all."

Alexandra stared at Lysander. "Is that all?"

Lysander returned the stare as he sat down. "Yes."

Alexandra focused on the others. "Everything else I have to tell you comes from my own experience or from what my parents told me directly."

Lysander crossed his arms and leaned back. "And why should we believe what you have to say?"

"Because it is the truth. In time, you will see that. I only hope that it is soon enough."

Alexandra took a deep breath then let it out. "My tale begins after the appointment of a new judge to the Protectors. I was eight."

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX.

"Alex, why don't you go play with Emma while we talk with Ca.s.siopeia?"

"Ahh, daddy, I want to hear about Ca.s.sy's adventures."

"Later, Alex. Now run along."

I held Emma, my doll, close to my chest as I slid off of my father's knee. I walked over to a corner of the building where I had been enjoying a nice pretend lunch before Ca.s.s, a lacarnian woman, arrived. I served Emma a bowel of berries while I listened to my father question Ca.s.siopeia.

"We did not expect you back so soon, Ca.s.s."

Ca.s.s stopped pacing and sat across from my parents. "It seems the Protectors no longer welcome us."

"What do you mean?"

"Egan has kicked me and the other lacarnians out. He claims we have aided those on the outskirts of the woods in their attacks on the humans."

My father slammed his fist on the table making me jump. "That is ludicrous. The lacarnian members of the Protectors have done no such thing!"

"It does not matter to Egan. He hates us."

On cue, I heard my mother try and calm the two. "Now I am sure hate' is going a bit too far, Ca.s.s."

"No, Maddie, it's not. I've seen the way he looks at us and our children of mixed blood. We are disgusting to him. I have no doubt he would rid Velrune of all of us if he could."

"He showed no such signs before we elected him as leader of the Protectors. I can a.s.sure you of that, Ca.s.s."

"I know, Maddie, you would not have put him in charge if he had. However, he is a sly one and hid his true feelings well."

Father stood and paced as he spoke. "We can speak to him, Ca.s.s. Get him to reinstate the lacarnian members."

"No, Julian, do not put yourself in his line of sight. We will withdraw for now. The chiefs of the forests have agreed it is best for the lacarna to return to the deep woods. We have never relished holding a position of enforcement. Perhaps he will let us be if we are out of his way."

Father nodded his head. "We will go along with the chief's wishes, Ca.s.s. Those of us in the forest want to do everything we can to remain in harmony with the lacarna."

"I know, Julian. You, and those like you, will always be welcome among us."

Ca.s.s scooted her chair back to stand. "Now then, where did that curious little daughter of yours go?"

I popped off the floor and ran to Ca.s.s. "Right here, Ca.s.sy!"

She grabbed me when I neared, flinging me into the air then catching me. "So you want to know what I did in the big city, huh? Well, let me tell you about all the things I saw."

Max raised his hand. "So there really were lacarnians in the Protectors?"

Alexandra nodded. "At one time, yes. After that day, however, the lacarna stayed clear of the humans, allowing only the Immortals to live with them. Unfortunately, that did not satisfy Egan. He wanted full access to the forests, something the lacarna would not allow. To that end, he tried to find a way to force the lacarna to follow his commands."

"After several failed ideas he, learned of the Lifestone. Using deceit, he was able to locate the holder of the stone and take it from him. Then, without knowing its full potential, he tried to create something that could control the lacarna. The resulting surge of energy ripped a chasm through one of Velrune's largest forests, killing dozens of humans and hundreds of lacarnians.

"Egan attempted to hide, but the lacarna hunted him down. They gave him to the Immortals so they could pa.s.s judgment on his actions. All of the Immortals attended the sentencing, even the children. It took place in a flat, gra.s.sy area outside of this forest, not far from a small lacarnian community. I remember it well. The five council members of the Immortals stood in half-circle around Egan, who faced them on his knees. The rest of us stood in a large half-circle behind Egan. We, the children, were let up front so we could see the proceedings. It was the eldest of the council who addressed Egan."

"Egan, you stand accused before your fellow Immortals of misusing the Lifestone, causing the death of many, and the destruction of a great forest."

"I swear I intended no harm. I only wanted to find a way for the humans and the lacarnians to live peacefully together."

"By creating living stones that would be forced onto the lacarnians in order to control them?"

"I only meant them for the lacarnians who wished to live in the human villages. It gives the humans peace of mind without any real damage to the lacarnians."