Snippet #1390893

The Wyldeheart stirred...

In the midst of the deep, old wood, slipping through the maze massive dead trees and crawling roots, a tribe of humans were scavenging. Times were hard for all mankind, and for the people to survive, they had to band together to find food and sustenance. So here they were, scrounging the ancient wood for whatever they could find, vegetable, root, nut, or if they were very lucky an animal. Sadly there was very little to find, and the deeper into the wood they ventured, the more foreboding and quiet things became. This tribe, had survived better then most by working together in union, where the individual would surely have died. Something... had beat in thier hearts, a strength to survive and to seek.

At last they came upon a massive banyan tree. At least a hundred feet tall and made wholly of twisting roots and vines, coiled over massive jutting boulders and rock, and even in this place of nigh barren trees... this one still held life, for its leaves still were green. There was a sacredness to this place that the people all could feel, a heaviness that kept them in awe and quiet. The chieftain led his people around the tree slowly, its massive trunk forcing a wide circuit, till one of the children screamed and pointed up high into the bows. The child's mother silenced her, as the chief looked up at what had scared her.

There in the upper reaches of the tree, hung almost like a trophy was the massive skull of some ancient and massive creature. The skull itself had to be at least 6 feet tall and half that wide, but such was dwarfed by the massive tangle of antlers that curled out from the sides, sixteen long points of stark barbaric beauty. The people gasped in awe and the chief called to his people and together they whispered a prayer to whatever ancient spirit must abide here in this tree.

The Wyldeheart stirred...

Time had seemed to stand still for so time uncounted as the spirit of the Earth, the God of Nature had slept for ages. The world had fallen near lifeless in its wake, the spark of life and renewal had been lost without the beating of the Wyldeheart. Yet, it heard the whispers of a scant few people, here in its resting place, in its ancient tree.

The Wyldeheart had slept for so long, it had lost track of its brothers and sister, yet as it awoke it could sense two of its siblings already had awoken and started to work in the world. It would seem the cycle was to begin again already. The Wyldeheart was different in its view then its fellows. Yes, the world had fallen unto Death, but while his brother Khaine was vengeful, while Zaroth schemed, while sweet Wyvaria was in anguish, the Wyldeheart had simply understood. It was certainly no joy to watch all they had worked for turn to ash, and like the others the Wyldeheart had sought to do whatever it could to the bitter last. Yet while Zaroth had cast his own city into the sea, the Wyldeheart had instead planted the seeds for the future... For the world to live, it had to die, such was the cycle of all life. Now, they could begin again. The great mustard tree grew from the tiniest of seeds, and so too would the Wyldeheart.

Let the Fire burn, and give the Earth new rich sustenance upon which to feed. Let the Water flood and rage, that the Earth will drink it in and revive. Let the Wind cut and wail, that the Earth could spread its seed. The Wyldeheart saw opportunity and victory in all things, and deep in its bowels it had kept so many secrets and treasures waiting for the right time, for it was patient. It was the last to awaken...this was no surprise, and in being so the others had already cast their shadow on the world. Yet this two was pat of the Wyldeheart's plan and purpose. It felt no rivalry to them, and knew that only in harmony could their be victory over Death. It cared and loved its family, even as it loved the world they lived in, and the people that walked it.

The Wyldeheart stirred....

As the people had given utterance of worship, the Wyldeheart could feel the first vestige of its great power echo and return through it. For a brief moment the empty eyes of the beast skull glowed with a soft green light, and looked upon the people. The people murmered and gasped, and the chief raised his hands in an even greater voice to call again to this spirit. The Wyldeheart looked upon their hearts, minds, and souls, and it smiled at what it had found there. Here was one of the Wyldeheart's seeds... and it would cause this seed here to grow.

As they people cried in wonder, the Wyldeheart gave them even more reason to stir. Starting amongst the barren shadowed roots of the tree, mushrooms would burst and pop from the ground. Along the great trunk of the the tree, moss and vines semed to wash up and over the tree, climbing ever upwards like flowing water. From its branches, leaves burst into richer green, and figs sprouted in a great bounty just waiting to be plucked and eaten. All around thier feet, grew life. They could hear the sounds of birds chirping in the highest branches and one man even thought he saw a hare dart and burrow down amongst the roots.

The Wyldeheart spoke...

"My people..." came a deep, calm voice from the skull "...my children, know that you find favor in my sight. Long have I awaited your coming. You who seek through unity and balance to live, survive, and flourish. Know that I love you, my children, and will be your Father, Mother, and God. That which you see about you is my gift to you, a reward for your first act of faith, and a blessing to ease your long suffering."

"I am the Wyldeheart, the very spirit of the Earth itself. Follow my ways, learn my teachings, and I will give you all you could ever need. I give you plants to eat, and beasts to hunt... I will teach how to cultivate and raise them, that you will never know famine. I will clothe you and enrich you. When you are sick, my plants will heal you.When you need protect yourselves, I will give you the materials to craft the best weapons and defenses. Mine are all the treasures of the earth. All these things are my promises. However, none of these things are free. I will teach you how to work, and to honor me, and my teachings. Love me, worship me, and follow my ways."

"Do not waste... do not destroy needlessly, take only what you need for yourselves and your fellows. Repay and return all that is given. Give and it will be given more unto you. What you sow, so shall you reap. Protect each other, and work together. Do all this in my name, and spread my teachings to all who would listen. Learn knowledge and wisdom, and be slow to anger. Guard each other, and protect your children. Each day, take a small portion of whatever you receive and sacrifice it to me on my alters. Love me, even as I love you, and be my people, the Wyldefolk" for as this was spoken a smooth stone table of white marble would stir and rise up from the ground before the tree, and upon the stone was formed the first wood bow and arrows , the first stone ax, stone hoe, stone spear, and stone hammer "Take these tools. Build in harmony with the earth... and I will protect you. Curry not my wrath with destruction and waste, but seek my love. Be fruitful and multiply."

The Wyldeheart would spend the next few hours talking with his children and answering their questions till night would fall, and then it would grow quiet, having used much of its first vestige of power to return the heart of the wild to beating and abundance, it would rest and watch over its people, giving them one last gift, a lullaby of night song.

The Wyldeheart rested...