Ahila's Story

This event takes place long before the Lagathorn Saga begins. A girl in her early adulthood is forced to take hard decisions when sickness takes her home.

Some say the green shape of a pointy totem appeared in the sky.
This phenomenon appeared for six nights then it faded, then death came.
People got sick. It started with blisters then open wounds.
Instead of healing ichor kept pouring out of the swollen skin.
The incubation period took six days, and after another six the victim died.
Not all got sick, only the healthy and strong were affected.
When all the chosen ones were dead and buried the illness stopped like on command.
Even though our people had never practiced the art of religion, such groups started to form. People started calling the plague a curse. A curse cast by the demon Henni,
an ancient being from the old tales.
Crops became dry as no one fed them water, a grievous shortage of bread without wheat. No sign of salvation could be found and the sick and weak faded away like a story with forgotten words.

--Ahila's story-- Part 1

When I woke up that morning I felt a sent of decay in the room. I carefully pulled away my sheet and looked at my naked body. No blisters, no wounds. I was afraid the sickness had once again found its way to our already battered town. Beside my bed I found a piece of cloth to deaden the stench of death that had contaminated the air in my room.
I pushed the door open and an even heavier smell reached my already sour nose.
I walked down the hallway to reach my parent's room, walked with light steps on the wooden floor to not wake my younger brother down the hall. I pushed my parent's door open. I found my father on his knees beside the bed, holding his palms on the side of his head. He looked at me, tears running wild down his eyes.

- Why! He screamed

My mother laid next to him, all still. I dropped the piece of cloth to the ground when my mind realized what had happened. I wanted to rush to my mother's aid, shake her to life but I knew it wouldn't do any good. Mother had been weak for some time. Her illness had gotten worse when losing my older brothers to the plague. Now she was gone to.

My mother was buried the next day. The elders feared another wave of sickness, forced us to bury her deep under the ground. My father carved her name into a blunt stone with trembling hands. In her hand we gave her the family crest in pure silver, cause gold has no one seen since the crafters died. Her burial place is well hidden in the forest outside town, were no one one will disturb her peace.

--Part 2--

My father grumbled for days before he went out to mother's grave, climbed a tree and hanged himself. Guess it was a more sympathetic way to die than showing me and my brother the misery. Still the death of my parents troubles my mind. Not just theirs but the whole mystery about the town. I've read about green totems in the abandoned library. Still found nothing but the story about the demon Henni seems like old superstitions. What could the green totem be? If it true will say. Today I've arranged a meeting with the elders, I expect no answers nor hopes, but questioning them might lead to a path to follow. My brother seems alright. He is but four years old and are only crying when I leave him. The ability to adapt is much easier when unable to understand the whole truth. After the meeting I am thinking of leaving this place, a dying town without the possibility of recovery. My brother deserves a better life, I couldn't bare to lose him to sickness to. Never been venturing much. Only been to nearby villages and open wilderness to hunt with my father. The outside world might have the answers I seek? I am nervous to meet eldar Magen. Known him since birth, the one who gave me my name. Worried about what he will say when I announce my leave., will I ever be able to return? Do I want to return really? This place might be nothing but a feast for maggots and flies.

I am here now. Standing outside the worn house of the elders. A place in need of repair but is considered a sacred sanctuary for our people, not to be touched. On the door antlers of great forest beasts hang, killed by the strong and healthy that now rests in their graves. Never been to this place in my adulthood, strange pointy candlelights are swaying above my head. At the far end is an altar, decorated with scripts of the newly founded religion of my people. None of the elders are seen.

- Glad to see you here. A voice came from a level above.

I recognized the voice as Magen's. Creaky steps were heard from the wooden stair at my left side. The man was older than I could remember. Wrinkles covered both his eyes and cheeks, as if he had been suffering from the plague and recovered. In his hand he held a wooden stick to keep up with the balance. His tongue repeatedly licked the lips to soften them from the grey induration that had formed around them.

- Please sit dear, he said.

I placed myself on a bench in the back row, suspicious about Magen's troublesome appearance. The elder noticed my uneasiness and placed himself on the opposite side.
Minutes went by before any word were exchanged. The man was experienced enough to know when the right moment was at hand. Before I opened my mouth I studied the pale, old face for a moment to see if I could trust those blurry eyes.

- What wisdom do you have about the green totem? I said.

The man looked curiously at me with his grey, blurry eyes. Was he blind or could he really see me through those stained mirrors to reality?

- The green totem you say. Isn't that the phenomenon that appeared in the sky for six days before the sickness began? He asked.

I wondered a minute before I gave him an answer. How could the elders be so unaware about such an important thing?

- Yes. I answered plainly

- The green totem is a lie. Forged by the religious fanatics outside these doors, claiming the sickness was the curse of Henni.

I was chocked by the statement. The elders really believed their own people had turned against them, serving false believes. My prediction had been true to me.
The answers I wanted didn't root here. Neither with the elders nor the seekers.