40: A Story of the End...
“The forest is home to a tree that lives deep within its heart. The tree is said to have been brought into creation by the Conjunction of the Spheres. That day that gave our world magic also joined our world’s life to others beyond the void. The creation of the forest itself was brought on by the magical surge that created the Conjunction and brought our world into the next era. The tree in its heart is said to have the knowledge of the world nestled within its branches.” Johnny paused and looked at the Witcher beside him. “You awake?”
Oblivion cracked open one eye and looked to the Godling at his side. “Yes.”
“Didn’t look like it.”
“Just because my eyes are closed does not mean that I am not listening.” The Witcher pointed out and closed his eye.
Johnny huffed, but read on. “The Forest hides in the seams of the world and cannot be found unless one has been gifted with sight beyond sight. It is never in one place and is not reachable by mortals.” Johnny looked to the Alicorn, who gave a quiet snort as if sensing the look from the Godling. “The forest holds life and death within it, the span of a mortal’s life passes in an instant within the depths of the forest. Only those who can Trans…transes…” Johnny tilted the book to the side as he looked at the words.
“Which one?” Oblivion opened his eyes and leaned over the Godling's shoulder, as the boy pointed to the word. “Transcend.” He said to him and went silent once more.
“Right. Only those who can transcend mortality will be allowed to move within the forests great bounds. Life can begin and end within the Forests depths and the Heart of the worlds.” Johnny paused once more. “What does that mean?” He asked, his face scrunched up for a moment as he looked to the Alicorn.
“Which part?” He replied to the Godling.
“Life begins and ends.”
“That can have several meanings. It depends on who is reading it.” The Godling gave him a confused look and he went on. “For example, I might think that means that your life is ended when you enter the forest. Or it could mean that when you enter you are reborn.” He replied.
“Why can’t things be simple?” Johnny asked and looked back to the thick book in his hands. When the Witcher offered no reply he went on. “Okay, so I think this part is a story of the forest.” Oblivion nodded and waited as Johnny shifted and then turned to lean against the stallion's shoulder. “Okay. The Forest of Time and Space and the one who lived within it.”
“His eyes opened and the world around him blazed into life. The wilderness stretched for miles around him and the child looked to the depths of the skies above him. He pushed himself to his feet and walked slowly across the expanse of grass and trees. The world hummed around him as he closed his eyes and opened them to find the clear water lake ahead of him. The child broke into a run and slid to a stop at the bank of the lake. He leaned down, a wide smile on his face as he looked at his own reflection.
His youthful face gave no indication of his true age. His blue eyes blazed back at him within the depths of the water. Skin that was soft as silk was shown in his reflection. He smiled once more and his teeth gleamed white in the water. His arms were longer than was natural for a being of his size but that did not change what he was. He was the one who ruled over a Forest that was ancient in its own way. The boy stepped back and began to run once more. His goal was the trees closest to him. His mind immediately formed what he wished to do. His intent was to swing into the trees heights and find something to eat within the branches of the tree. He leaped for the tree and the branches moved to help him. The forest answered his wish with action and ushered him into its high branches. His control of the forest was without fault and he smiled, laughter pulled from him as he hugged the trees thin trunk. His thin arms gripped the tree as the branches moved to give him the highest fruit from the tree.
As he ate he looked out from the branches of the trees and saw the deep forest, dark and foreboding in the distance. He had lived among the trees and animals for as long as he could recall. He had never breached the darkness within the Heart of the Forest. He had come close to it once and had been driven back by a feeling that had left him breathless and sweating. He had turned and fled from the feeling of the Forest's heart and chose to stay away from it for the rest of his days. That had been untold years ago. Time flowed slowly within the Forest and the child was happy with it the way it was. He had chosen to remain on the outskirts of the forest and to give his joy back to it as he moved through time. His eyes landed back on the Forest Heart and he shook his head to banish thoughts of its depths from his mind. His heartbeat within him and he laughed as the trees began to move in the winds. They called to him to run among them and he jumped from the tree and did as they had asked.
Time. It was not a concept that he had through much of. He lived and that was all he knew. It had never occurred to him to think of things differently. He had seen animals in the forest die of age and then he had watched their families as they moved on. He had seen a human once and had been shocked to see the human cry as they looked upon the forest. He had been behind a tree, at the trees urging, and watched as the human sobbed on the grass. He had remained hidden as they remained on the ground for a length of time. After a while, the human had lunged their feet and ran into the forest. As he ran alongside, sheltered by the tree trunks the human screamed in a language he did not know and plunged ahead. The child skidded to a halt at the edge of the deep forest and watched as the human had plunged into the dark depths, out of sight. As he walked the edge, staying far enough away to avoid the feeling that would come over him if he got to close, and watched.
He startled back as a scream sounded from within the dark. He pulled back further at the sound of feet and hid once more. The human came into view and the child cried out. The human's face had warped and was transforming into another creature. The clothes began to burn away and ash fell to the forest floor. Their skin blackened and also warped on their frame. As the limbs lengthened the creature screamed once more and lunged forward, desperation in its stride. The child reeled back as the creature breached the calm forest once more and went still on its malformed legs. The creature was silent as the night and then fell forward. He watched, waiting for the creature to stand. He dared not get to close to it. Fear was not an emotion he knew. The feeling of hesitation was new for him. As he watched the body of the creature began to collapse in on itself. As he watched a new sound caught his attention.
A horse stepped from the darkness and walked deliberately toward the body. Its black fur shone in the dark as it moved, hooves silent on the leaves. It reached the body and dug its teeth into the creatures collapsing body. As the body was thrown back the way it had come the horse began to follow the body when it paused and looked over its shoulder, toward the tree the child hid behind. The child sunk down to hide behind the tree, as it whispered for him to be silent and still. He didn’t know how long he remained but finally, the trees calmed and the child stood up and ran from what he had seen. He ran till he was in a small clearing and paused to look back. His mind did not understand what he had seen.
The forest suddenly went silent around him. As he stilled with it he heard something, something was coming after him. The forest suddenly lurched and screamed as it warned him, begging the child to run. The forest had never lied to him and he did as it bade, and ran. His ears heard something coming and he dared a glance back. His vision was dominated by the black horse. It galloped after him, its stride ground eating as it came after him. He cried out and ran faster. Behind him, the horse remained close at his heels, but he dared not look back, the galloping hooves rang through his ears. The rhythmic sound of the black horse’s hooves spurred him on. When the sound vanished he looked back and found that he was running alone once more. As he slowed to a stop he kept watching behind him and then sighed after a short time and turned around to walk back to his favorite group of trees.
He bumped into something and yelped in surprise. He fell back and looked up, ready to speak, but his words remained unspoken. Eyes red as blood looked down at him. The black horse had gotten ahead of him and now he was staring up at the animal. The horse remained silent as it breathed. He started to back away as the animal nickered, a sound that caught his attention and made him look to the horse once more. Its eyes, while still red, softened and it shook its head slightly at him. He was quiet as the animal reached out its nose and sniffed his face. A smile crossed his face at the warm air of the creature's breath went over his features. The horse backed up as he slowly got to his feet and regarded the horse. The horse was easily taller than he was and its coat was black as the darkest of nights. Its red eyes still blazed but it no longer caused him to worry. He stepped up and laid a hand on the horse’s warm cheek and he began to stroke the animal’s soft, warm fur. The black horse nickered once more and the boy gripped a piece of the horse's long black mane and began to lead it to the trees he liked best. The horse followed him, docilely. He led the horse to the trees and introduced the horse to the trees, his young voice filled with eagerness and excitement.
The trees were silent as he tried to speak to them. When the trees began to respond they called on him to cast the beast away, send it back to the darkness. The child didn’t understand them. The horse was kind to him and had not hurt them. When he questioned them they once more called for it to be driven away. When the child defended the horse the trees went silent and shunned him. He stomped a foot at their stubbornness and turned back to the horse, stroking its fur and telling the animal it was going to be okay. The horse huffed a breath against the child’s chest and he laughed at the animal’s soft touch. He reached for its matted black mane once more and led the horse away from the trees that were being so cruel. He went to another group and while they also showed concern they chose to follow the child’s wishes and allowed the horse to graze in their shade and dropped fruit from their branches for the horse and the child to eat.
The child decided that maybe if the other trees saw how gentle the horse was they would no longer desire it to be chased away. He led the horse to the lake and coaxed it into the clear, clean water. The horse balked and pulled back but the child hummed to it, calming the nervous animal. He led the horse into the water and began to give the animal a much-needed bath. As he washed it the water around them began to darken, though the child assumed the horse was very dirty. He asked the horse to lean down so he could wash its mane and the horse complied. It took longer than he thought but the horse's tangled mane gave way and he was able to wash and brush it back to health. The horse nickered to him and shook its head, splashing water on the child. The child laughed and began to splash the horse in play. The animal nickered and did the same. Soon both were soaked through and the child led the black horse out of the water and walked with it as they dried off.
He brought the horse once more to his favorite trees and asked them to look at the horse and see that it was not going to hurt anyone. That’s it now had a lustrous coat and its red eyes held no cruelty within them. The trees were hesitant as the child spoke to them. Behind him, the horse was quiet as they spoke. With time the trees gave in to the child’s words and welcomed the horse as well. The child kept the horse away from the depths of the forest, believing that the horse had been hurt in the forest heart as well. So long as he kept it away from there and showed it kindness then it would remain kind as well. Time passed as it always did and the horse was now the child’s constant companion. Anywhere the child ran the horse was at his side. In time the horse allowed him to sit on its back and they ran across the land together. The child laughed and grew to care deeply for the horse. He bathed it frequently and began to weave charms he had crafted into its long mane and tail.
Years passed by and the child and horse were inseparable. The child awoke one morning to find the horse gone. He jumped to his feet and called for the animal. He reached out to the trees and they led him to the lake. The black horse stood on its banks and looked back to the child as he ran to the horse’s side. The horse nickered to him and looked out to the water. The child started at the darkness of the water. The water had been clear before, the child looked to the horse, who nickered and rubbed its head against the child’s shoulder. The child reached out and wrapped his arms around the horse's face and stroked its fur. The child pulled back from the horse and told the animal that together they would find out what had hurt the lake. The horse nuzzled him and they began to search for any corruption.
More time passed and the lake only darkened, soon only black water came from the shores of the lake. The shores began to corrupt as well and the land began to cry out in pain. The child searched for the cause, with his companion at his side. He sat astride the black horse as they hunted for the cause. In time the screaming of the forest was becoming too much for the child to bear. His head rang and he often could not move from the pain of the land and trees. The child could feel the horse’s warmth close by and the horse didn’t leave him to suffer alone.
In time the cries slowed and he was able to stand, with the horse's help. He leaned heavily on his friend and the horse led him to the lakes shore and then toward the forest depths. The child pulled the horse to a stop and began to pull it back in the other direction. The horse whinnied to him, trying to keep moving forward. The child cried as he tried to make his friend understand why he didn’t wish to allow it too close. He had learned that he feared what might happen to the horse if they got to close. The child told the horse that when he had first seen the horse it had been corrupted by the heart of the forest and that he feared it would happen again. He told the horse that he had not known fear before. As time had passed he began to learn what fear meant. He feared losing the horse and the friendship that he had with it. He looked to the horse and told it his fears and cried into the horse’s warm fur.
The horse nickered and nuzzled the boy as he cried. He was shocked when the horse spoke to him. It had never spoken before. He stared at the horse as words came from it. The horse told him that it had wondered if the evil that was hurting the child came from the Heart itself. It wanted to look and see if there was a way to protect the child and ease his pain. The child stared at the horse and asked why it hadn’t spoken before now. The horse nickered and told him that it did not think it could, so it never tried. But his pain made it wish to speak to him, even if only a little to try to put the child at ease. The child lunged forward and wrapped his arms around the horse’s nose and held tightly to it. He finally backed up and told the horse that he would go with him and they would see what they could find. The horse asked the child if he was certain, due to knowing how much the child disliked Forest's heart. The child smiled and said that if the horse could walk forward with no fear, then he would walk with it.
The horse nickered and bade the boy stay close. Together they walked and the closer they got the colder the air grew and the child began to worry about them getting closer. The horse told him to take heart and they would do it together, as they did everything else. The child smiled and wrapped his hand tighter in the horse’s mane. It walked quietly with the child clinging close its fur and the horse stopped just before the border where they had first met. The horse asked the child if he was all right and the child shook his head. Cold and fear began to cover him and his body shook and trembled at the darkness before him. The horse looked to him and said that the child should remain there for a moment. When the child asked the horse what it meant it said that it was going to go into the Heart and find out how to protect the child. The child stared at the horse for a moment, as the animal pulled away from him and walked into the darkness. A lock of its black mane stayed with the child as it walked away from him. The horse's black coat blended in and soon vanished into the depths.
Time passed by and the child began to worry about the horse. He began pacing the edge and then calling for his companion. As he grew more worried an animalistic scream stopped him in his tracks and he whirled to face the darkness. Fear bit at him as the sounds neared him. He backed up as the sound of hooves overcame him and he began to call for the horse. As the horse lunged out of the dark, patches of its lustrous black coat burned and discolored. The horse screamed for the child to run away as it thrashed against the darkness. The child lunged forward and gripped the long black mane. The horse cried out for the child to run, but the child refused to leave his friend behind. Whips of red magic tore from the darkness and looped around the horse’s girth and flanks. The horse screamed as it fought to free itself. The boy held its mane and yanked back, intending to rescue the horse that had become as precious to him as his own existence. The horse fell to the ground and thrashed as it fought. The boy gripped its head and called for the horse to keep fighting. The horse screamed in pain and begged the child to run away.
Telling the child that the trees had been right all along. The horse had not realized that it was hurting the child. Tears formed in the horse’s eyes as the child understand what was said. The horse begged him to run away, to stay safe and without the horse's corruption, the land would recover. The child yelled to the animal, asking it why it was fighting so hard to be free of the evil if it had been helping it all along. The horse cried out that it had grown to care for the child as if the boy were its own foal. The child cried as the black mare fought. He yelled for her to fight, to not give up and that he would protect her as well. That they would find a way to stop the darkness from using her and then she would be free. The mare screamed as she fought to stay with the child. The darkness roared and the mare screamed once more as she was pulled from the child’s grip. Her black mane ripped in his hands as she vanished into the dark. He fell backward and stared at the mare’s cries went silent.
He stood up and screamed for her to come back to him. His heart raced in his chest and he waited for her to respond. The child had never known what a parent was and had never wanted one. But the immediate loss of the black mare sent his mind reeling. He had not paid attention to the horse’s gender before that moment. He had not cared that it was a young mare that was at his side. Her love for him was clear as his thoughts stayed on her. The gentle voice that had just now spoken to him. The voice that had soothed him as they had walked forward. The feel of her warm fur as he slept beside her. The warm breath that tickled his face. His mind snapped under the weight of the loss of the mare. His blue eyes began to blaze and slowly become as red as the horses had been once. He reached out to the forest, the trees screamed as he commanded them to attack the darkness. He was going to avenge the mare and find her again. No matter what it took, she would be at his side again. The land reared up and the world became awash in the sounds of trees snapping and water boiling in response to the hatred emanating from the child of the Forest. He walked forward, fear banished at the loss of the mare and his feet thudded against the broken ground. He walked forward, no longer caring about what was around him, and he would have her back. That was the only thought he had as he forced the wood to attack and kill itself.
All he wanted was the black mare. He didn’t care about anything else, all that his broken mind could see was her black coat and the warmth she gave. The voice that was gentle and soothed his mind. As his mind was breaking further, his body began to warp into the form of his own hatred the forest heart loomed ahead of him. He screamed for it to give her back and the Heart screamed in rage and attacked the child. He commanded the forest to subdue the heart. One way or another it would give him what he wanted. The battle was short and the heart screamed in defeat. He screamed for it to return her. He would let it live if it gave her back. The Heart screamed and receded, revealing the body of the mare. Her coat was burned and her skin broken. He stared at her broken form and slowly walked up to her. The black mane that he had loved to brush for her was torn and burned. As he knelt beside her she saw the charms he had put in her mane and a scream of loss ripped from him. He fell to the mare’s neck and begged her to speak to him. Her silence only made him scream louder. His rage built and he looked to the Heart and commanded it to submit to him.
The heart pulled away, but the man stood and went to the form it had chosen to take, a black mass of tentacles and stepped forcefully down onto the mass. The Heart laughed and told him that he had killed her. That his care for her had poisoned her body and allowed her to die. The man was silent as he looked to the mare’s body, his rage boiled once more and he stomped harder, earning him a scream from the creature. He swore that it would suffer for all time if it was the last thing he did. His mare was gone and it was the Forest's fault.
He commanded what remained of it to take on a form that he chose. The forest gathered what remained of itself and transformed itself into a living tree. The tree held the basic form of a horse, its branches spreading out as her mane and tail. The mare’s body was enclosed inside the tree and that became her tomb. The man was silent when it was done and collapsed to his knees. His skin was gnarled and his hands had become claws and his teeth daggers in his mouth. He looked to one hand and found her mane still clutched tightly in his grip. The charms he had woven into it remained and he screamed as the loss poured over him once more. He huddled into the trunk of the tree and sobbed his tears giving the tree life. He looked to the tree and he knew that she was within it, finally safe.
He stood and commanded the tree to hold time within its branches. Ordering it to become the nexus for all the worlds. Despite, never caring about it he had always known that the worlds were connected to each other. Not truly separate as one would have thought. The tree bent to his will and the branches reached out, linking the worlds. He looked to the tree and once more huddled against it. He could feel hunger, thirst, and pain wash over him, but he remained in place. His body merged with the tree and he died within the tree, finally at the mare’s side, he swore they would never be apart again as he breathed his last.
Many point to this as the day the Conjunction of Spheres happened. The moment the child’s rage had overcome him was the moment the worlds collided. The loss that shaped him became the magic in the worlds. Magic overcame the bounds that the worlds had to separate them and then overran it. Creating the beings and creatures that now cover the worlds. Within the tree, the mare and her child lie. Her love for the child created the kind of magic that heals others and brings light to the worlds. The man’s rage created the monsters that claw at people’s minds. The love he held for the mare became the pathways that connect the worlds. While only a few can trip across them most never see beyond them. The way to find the forest is to look for the breaks in the world’s seams. Only those who have met death and walked away can move within the branches of the tree and become more than they once were. Only those who death cannot touch will be permitted to choose their way.”
Johnny stopped reading and closed the book. He laid it down on the ground and blinked. The Witcher was silent behind him. Johnny stood up and walked away from him as he wiped tears from his eyes. Oblivion set the book inside his saddlebags. He made no move to stand and thought over what had been read. He looked to Johnny and then back to the swamp around them. His body had fully healed and he was regaining his strength as he remained still. Johnny suddenly came back to sit in front of him.
“Okay, so now what?” He asked the Witcher.
“Well, there is only one person I know that can trip across space and that is Ciri. Last I heard she was Toussaint with Geralt. So if I want her to see if she can open a pathway for me I need to find her.” He reasoned.
“That makes sense. But, Toussaint is pretty far away right?” The Godling pointed out.
“Not as far as others. But, it is a fair distance. I need to get back though.”
“Back to the new home?” Johnny reasoned to him.
Oblivion paused as the words went over him. He nodded and got to his hooves. He slid his saddlebags into place and tightened the strap. His path was set as he looked to the Godling by his forelegs. “Thank you for your help, Johnny.” He said to him.
“Ah. It was nothing. But it said only those who have walked away from death can use the paths. Any ideas?” The Godling asked.
Oblivion nodded and turned to walk away from the swamp and leave the country of Velen behind him. A tug on his tail gave him pause. Johnny was at his shoulder, his eyes searching. “In the world that I wish to return to, I cannot die.” He said to the Godling.
Johnny’s eyes widened as he stared at the stallion. “You can’t die?”
“No. I cannot. So, perhaps that will help me when I find this tree. If it is real. My hope is that Ciri can sense it and find it that way.” He replied and looked out to the swamp. He leaned down and gave Johnny a gentle nuzzle and began to walk away.
Johnny watched as the stallion walked into the fog and vanished from his sight. “Good luck, Witcher. You’ll find your way home.” He said aloud and smiled as he balanced on one leg for a moment and then ran back to his part of the swamp, a childlike giggle sounded before he too vanished into the fog.
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Wow. I am amazed at your interpretation of The Conjunction of Spheres and how you have transformed the event into a beautiful fairy tale of setting up the deep lore of not only The Witcher but also incorporate mystery and clues in the possible future chapters (or maybe I am just reading into things to deeply again). Reminds me of Yggdrasil from Norse Mythology.
All I can say is I look forward to your next chapter. Tomorrow can't come soon enough. Can't wait for more intrigue and suspense.
9210319
Yep! Tree of life lore and story played a large part in the formation of the story. And yes the world tree did as well. Thank you!
Oh yeah.....this.......this is a really good.
9211768
Thank you!
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9213073
I'm workings on it! My wrist has been in a brace since. So I have been responding to people through my phone lol. But I have lots of Ideas!!
9214746
Don't hurt yourself! Go at your own pace and build up a buffer, it's a really good story so we can wait.
*Waiting intensifies*
9223688
Oh okay
9224417
As well as a couple girls in those DLC's released for The Witcher 3.
9225406
Yeah he probably bedded the Duchess off screen
9223914
either or. if he has time it gets cooked
9225923
Oh ok
9225783
Well, the Dutchess' sister at least.
9226145
True
9281758
Me too
9226145
I just remembered Shani from the Hearts Of Stone DLC as well
9281843
If it's bangable and not related, Geralt will be there
9282660
Yeah pretty much
9282664
If he was in this story, he probably would have already bedded Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Luna. And Lyra and Bon Bon simultaneously.
9282676
And twilight because we know likes brainy sorceresses
9282684
And Starlight if she was in the story.
Geralt pretty much has done every magical sorceress at this point, hasn't he? A character in the game even joked about it. Said how with the one sorceress who hadn't yet that 'It's just a matter of time. '
9282690
Yeah and probably Celestia and pinkie pie too
9282693
Anything that walks pretty much
9282694
I'm not sure he'd go for the ponies. There was that one incident with Roach talking... I think he'd see it as banging Roach... um... nope.