CHAPTER 6 : THE STATUE IN THE WOODS

Nyluss returns home, but reluctantly . . .

 

 

CHAPTER 6

THE STATUE IN THE WOODS

 

 

     Over the horizon of the rising sun, brilliantlRy displaying its first rays of light over the massive metropolis known as the City of the Elves, Nyluss could feel his heart beat increase the closer he got. He knew what awaited him and although he did not fear his ensuing punishment in the form of a trial and eventual sentencing, Nyluss was as worried as he had ever been in his life. Having escaped being sentenced before after all the other trials he faced due to his poor and reckless decsision making, Nyluss had the feeling this trial would conclude much differently, and not for the better.

     The road towards the City of the Elves was paved in dark blue and green marble, and the white hover-car soared smoothly over it as Nyluss began making his way towards the outskirts of the city. Nyluss fought the urge to turn around and flee, never to be heard of again, but with his mother being Queen of the Elves, he knew he would certainly shame her with such a selfish and cowardly act, an act his deceased father would surely disapprove of. And his mentors, Tarnall and Dydruss, they too would live out the rest of their lives in shame and with a sense of failure. Running away was not an option.

     Racing to a fork in the road that spit in two directions, Nyluss powered the car back, coming to a slow stop. A dark blue sign with green elvish writing described the two directions. To the left, the road led to the city, and the road to the right took travelers to the deep outskirts, in the Mioshi Woodland Forest, the forest were Nyluss's private home and refuge stood.

     Without another moment's thought, Nyluss powered the car forward and took the road to the right. He knew he would have to face the trial at some point, but figured his demise would have to come at a later time. Right now all Nyluss wished for the most was a good night's sleep, an enormous plate weighed down with his favorite meal, several bottles of wine to numb his tired body, and a day or two to gather his thoughts.

     The blue and green marble road after another hour of riding began to turn to an old broken stone path that led eventually to no road at all as Nyluss finally reached the first signs of the Mioshi Woodlands. Nyluss smiled and let all the windows down in the hover-car, allowing the rich smell of the old trees to rush into the interior of the car.

     The trees began to grow taller the deeper Nyluss went into the forest, now dodging the trees, swirving in and out, left and right, up and down, but steadily increasing the speed of the car. Once again, an extremely dangerous way to manuever through a heavily populated forest of trees and diminishing light, but Nyluss could not resist. The rush of adrenaline he felt as he narrowly missed tree after tree, knowing how little anyone would find of him should he actually collide with one of the trees at a speed well over a hundred miles per hour.

     A familiar landmark was approaching, the same landmark Nyluss had seen countless of times throughout his life. The fifty foot tall statue of his father, Ronytuss, now covered in vines and crumbling in sections. Nyluss quickly stopped the hover car and exited the vehicle. Standing in front of the statue that was rivaled in size only by the trees that seemed to reach into the heaves, Nyluss fell to his knees and bowed his head to his father, Ronytuss. A wave of emotion, guilt, and abandonment swelled inside Nyluss's heart. In so many ways he felt he had shamed his father more so than any other of his kin. He wondered if his father was alive, would he be proud of his son, or disappointed.

     After nearly an hour of reflection, kneeling in front of his stone father, Nyluss returned to the hover-car, and took on last look at the statue before getting back behind the controls. Nyluss was furious with the poor condition of his father's monument, and even though the Mentors told him when he chose to bring the statue from the city into the woods so it could be closer to his home, Nyluss still frowned at the sight of it. He understood quite well that the woods would be far more unkind to the statue than the city, but that is why he hired help to stay with him at all times; to manage his affairs when he could not, and it appeared his hired help had not been doing his job while Nyluss was gone on his two year trek for Soul 32.

     Becoming more frustrated, Nyluss powered up the car and blasted away towards his home, and he could not get there fast enough.