Feion

[psidan]

Leaning against the smooth bark of a Klen tree, Feion looked up at the folds of violet and blue, streaked through the night sky. Slowly she got up, opened the front door, and entered into the main kitchen of her house. After cleaning up the evening supper she pulled a chair from the table, and sat down. She wondered if there may be other people past the village, or even another place like this valley, up in the vast sky somewhere. As her father came in she said,

"Father. Don't you think there might be other people like us someplace? You know. Another village past the forest or on the other side of the mountains."

The father, being raised like all the other people in the village, knew that the forests were demonic and that no one could go past the mountains for there was nothing there. He could not believe such unholy things were coming from his daughters mouth.

"How can you say such things Feion? Even thinking such ludicrous ideas is bound to get you left in the forest or killed."

Feion knew that thinking such ideas was not right, and meant sinning against the holy one, but she could not get it out of her mind that there may be something else, other then the small community she was brought up in.

"Don't you wonder what is on the other side of the forests or mountains? Sure the Council Elders say there is only a void but I cannot keep thinking is this it? Surely there must be something else."

"Why do you question the holy one? He loves us and cares for us thus why he put us in this valley, hidden away from all the demons of the forest. Get out! For such an ungrateful daughter is low in my sight."

Sobbing, she ran all throughout the village, over many hills till she got to a place which overlooked the forest. She looked over at the forest's endless, lush trees and wondered if it was really as bad as everyone said. Wondering if there may be others in or past the forest she quickly stopped herself knowing that was the same kind of thinking which got her kicked out in the first place. Thinking such things would make the holy one angry and punish her eternally for her sins but being already accursed by the holy one for doubting his existence, and thrown out of the only place she could stay she thought she might as well look for others. Were the elders even right? Was all the history she taught true? Did the holy one even exist? Every good parent always said to their child, "Do not doubt the holy one or you shall be shamed in his sight," but even so she still had some doubts.

If there was no holy one and they were wrong about that, they might be wrong about the forest too. After all. No one has ever disobeyed the law in fear of being thrown out so no one has been in the forests. If they are right about the holy one then letting myself die in the forests would be just punishment anyway.

So Feion decided to set off into the forest in the morning but for now she would get some rest. Gently closing her eyes and laying her back on a hill, she fell asleep quickly.

* * *

Waked at the sound of angry shouts, Feion quickly got up and looked around her. She saw the enforcers, the ones meant to kill anyone who stayed in or near the valley after being banished, only a few hills away. She ran far into the forest before collapsing from exhaustion. Suddenly realizing how deep she was in the forest, Feion looked around for any wild animals. She jumped as a small rodent scurried past, but other then a few birds in the trees she could find nothing which could harm her. Picking some nuts from a nearby tree, she ate a small snack and sat down. Braiding her hip length, silver hair she smiled. No one else in the village had hair like her. Even as a child the elders looked at her striking silver hair and fiery blue eyes frowning, thinking that the girl just wasn't right.

Some hours past, and she was broken out of her peace by the sound of horse hooves in the distance. Feion quickly got up, took her pack and ran deeper into the forests thinking it was the enforcers chasing after her on horseback. She stopped soon, knowing that the enforcers never chased people into the forests since it was against the law. They always waited outside of the forest for a week, knowing that the person must either come back, die of starvation, or get devoured by the beasts. Feion raced to-wards the ever closing in sound, and being slightly scared and confused, said.

"Who's there? Come out but please don't hurt me."

A pure white mare burst through the trees and halted in front of her. A man with silver hair such as her own, and light gray eyes descended from his horse, and putting out his hand to the girl, said.

"Hello. My name is Ken."

[Fearn]

I like this story. It's very interesting!

[psidan]

"The council of Ayn wishes you to find all of those with a higher mental capacity then the average of where they are located. You will be searching the lesser villages of Ghine, Sein, and Init. We chose you because of your surprisingly advanced ability to sense others mental states from over five-hundred leagues. Will you accept this task?"

Knowing that he really had no choice in the matter, and that the job would gain him a higher reputation Ken knew he would accept. He was still wondering about how they expected to find anyone around the poorer villages, especially the brainwashed religious village of Sein, but he knew he had to try.

"I will carry out your will and bring back those of worth."

"Good. Take a mare from the stables and whatever supplies you need."

Ken bowed to the council and went into the stables. Looking around he saw many different horses. One particular horse, however, caught his eye. It was pure white, like the moon in the night sky, and had silver eyes. He chuckled to himself knowing it looked almost like him. Ken brought it out, mounted it, and set off. He didn't think he'd need anything else since he was unlikely to find anyone. Deciding to save the best for last he set off to the worst village, Sein.

"If I can find one here who knows what I could find elsewhere?" he murmured.

* * *

Approaching the Ayn forest he almost hit himself for forgetting how immense it was. He sighed and knew he could always pick berries and nuts along the way, and take water from the lakes but wished he would have brought some real food. Riding into the North-Eastern trees he swiftly made a good two leagues. Resting he took a few sips of water from his water-skin. Ken dropped his water in shock as he felt the ever so small presence of a mind. Normally, being over a hundred leagues from a village he could never sense the small limited presence of their minds. This one was different. It felt like a normal mind having the limited intelligence of a citizen in a village, but it had seemingly unlimited potential. This one, he knew, could do a lot if given the training. He couldn't give his opportunity up. If he found him... no wait, it seemed to be a her, then the council was bound to reward him and up his rank. Powered by that knowledge he forced his horse to go faster and rode over several leagues. Knowing it was getting dark, he stopped his horse and dismounted. Laying his back against a nearby Klen tree he knew he wasn't far. Klen trees only grew less then a hundred leagues from the Sein village, and the girl seemed to be closer.

"She must of gone a league herself, most likely on foot. What a determined girl."

He sighed knowing that since the girl was even in the forests, which were forbidden, and said to be demonic in that village, she was either thrown out, or ran away herself. Probably both. Seeing that it was dark, he closed his eyes and fell asleep deciding to search for her when the sun rose in the morning.