EPILOGUE
The shadows and briers do pick at one as they walk down the path to the Unknown. The world was dying; trees were no longer trees, but skeletons creaking to the eerie wind. Leaves were shriveled black against the harsh dirt packed hard into the earth. What little of grass there was struck out as tiny daggers in the ground.
The world was truly dying.
Part of me knew where this path would eventually lead. The Lake of Yelots. The largest lake in the Kingdom. I’d only been there once, for their were rumors of mass graves buried about it.
‘Hey! You!’ A voice shouted from on high in the early dawn’s light. ‘Yeh’re trespassin’ on private property.’ I looked to see where that announcement came from, but all that was above me was a still oak.
‘Um…Mr. Uh… Tree…my name is Juliana O’…Felon, this is a public trail.’ I returned to the greying light.
‘Well, Mrs. O’Felon,’ I shot up a nasty look to the branches, ‘that is a public trail, but you are six inches off the public trail, whereas you is six inches on private property…which happens to belong to me.’ I glowered at the voice. Just as I opened my mouth to retort a large acorn fell in it.
I coughed it up before it choked me ‘That coulda killed me.’ I hissed angrily.
The tree laughed. ‘Ho…ho…ho. Yeh must have a mighty big mouth…I was just gonna bop you on the head with it... hmmm…wonder if this branch could fit in your ears…?’
I sighed. ‘Well, I’m getting off your property now, I don’t think I want a stick in my head ~or anything else for that matter.’ I muttered. ‘Him and Leigha must be related or something.’ I decided climbing back to the trail.
‘Ah…don’t leave just yet, I have some tea perking in my cabin, you looked soaked to the bone…join me.’ I heard a thump then heard him slide down the trunk. A large black man appeared in front of me.
‘Ald Goss at your service Madam O’Leary.’ He bowed curtly. I smiled at the man who challenged Allen Monks so many months ago.
‘So you’re the one He sent.’
His eyes twinkled. ‘Perhaps, I haven’t decided yet. Come, yeh and your bird are trying my patience.’
‘Now,’ He twinkled sitting down on an old rotted stump. He reached for several straps of leather. ‘What can we do to rid ourselves of this problem?’ He asked inviting me to sit down on the stump. I spread the cloak’s hood back and thought for a moment.
‘To rid the world of problems, we must destroy the evil.’ I guessed.
‘Ah but therein lies the problem me dear. For there is no such thing as one brand of evil. There are many types of evil. The problem is we tend to overlook the small acts of evil for the greater ones.’ Ald braided the leather, his hands moving faster than my eyes.
‘See this braid Juliana? There are many long heavy pieces, yet there are many small, nimble strands, all coming together to form a weapon capable of destroying everything in its path. It’s not the evil that’s evil, Juliana it’s the people.
‘The people who watch the evil…yet they do nothing to stop it. Those that know not to, but surrender to its will. For they become servants to themselves and their own wicked desires.’ He looked at me wisdom shining in his deep eyes.
‘Destroying the evil would make this world a better place, that I do agree with you on, but to destroy evil you would have to destroy every single human being. For we are all evil Juliana, we’re just too proud to admit it.’ He sighed.
We both sat in the silence as he finished braiding the leather together. ‘Do you know what this is, Juliana?’ I shook my head in reply.
‘It’s a whip.’ He stood grabbing the hilt, swinging the leather wildly in the air. Coming down to the ground it exploded with a loud CRACK. He grinned at the _expression on my face.
‘I shall teach you how to wield the Sword.’ He walked into his cottage leaving me standing there silently.
‘Bring it to me tomorrow!’ His voice roared out of the cottage.
Something told me I best do so.
Hey. Got a new book, The Synots, should be up in a few days, in sci fi section. I never can mark the addy right, so put moonstar or Hardy Boys in the search bar, it will say something about Hardy fanfiction. Luvs, , Elf (Jer. 32:37)