I would like to warn you that being a tragedy means it doens't have a disney ending, please do not come to me about how the world now sux because it isn't all glitter and gold - thank you
Kaliya's Tragedy
By Valerie Patterson
"when written in italics" – this means the conversation will be spoken in the trees language of the trees.
I would of loved to have started this story as a fairytale with a "once upon a time" and "in a land far away." I would have loved to have had a happy ending or to even write about happy events during this time. The thing is that if I did this then I would be lying. This is a tragedy that can't be undone. Due to human greed the forest lost Kaliya, the soul of the trees.
This story begins within a forest nearby and in a time near our own. Kaliya had hair of amber and eyes as green as the leaves. She was a daughter of a tree nymph and the Forest Lord. She had been brought up within this world of nature. She had made it her duty, as had her father, to protect this forest for as long as she lived.
"Which wouldn't be long" thought the shadowlink who had tried and failed to take this forest over. If you are unaware, as you may be, a shadowlink is a dark priest who has the unusual power to control shadows. Tryfon was the son of the lady of the moon and the King of Shadows. He had been given the power of shadows and illusion, which he had used many a time. He had steel blue eyes that were so cold they could make a person shiver. He had hair as dark and black as the shadows themselves. He was the reason why humans had lost their way and fear crept into their hearts. He was the reason for greed and lust. This shadow now waited for the right moment to strike like a snake waiting within the grass.
This moment came during a day full of laughter and celebration. During this day two men, who had lost their way, saw Kaliya. The shadow smiled as he entered their minds. He used his power so that greed became their ally and Kaliya their target. These men went and came back during a night of star filled skies. They searched for Kaliya, hoping to find her once more and find her they did. She was sleeping within a white willow that glistened in the moonlight. One of the men were about to climb up the tree when they noticed two blue eyes staring at them. "Are you lost?" they asked.
The figure covered in shadow said with a smirk, "No, but you seem to be."
"What do you mean?" the men pondered
"I mean just what I said. You are clueless as to catch a spirit…" Tryfon began
"We are not!"
"OK then, what was your plan?"
"Well, we were going to climb up and capture her and –"
"And that's the stupidest plan I've ever heard. You might as well use paper?"
"Are you trying to say it won't work?"
"Umm…yeah. You do realize she's magic?"
"There's no such thing as magic."
"Oh really?" said the shadow with a grin, He then spoke a few words and rose the first man into the air. His smile began to grow as his eyes flickered playfully in the moon. "Then how do you explain what's happening to you right now?"
"Well…I guess it's, I mean it must be –"
"yes"
"magic?"
"That's the end of lesson one.." Tryfon said as he lowered the first man. He began to head out, counting under his breath 1…2…3…
"Wait!" they yelled
"Yes" responded the shadow
"What should we do?" questioned the two men
"Oh, now you want my help."
"Please, we'll do anything"
"Anything's quite a lot"
"Please!"
"Fine," saidTryfon throwing his arms in the air. "I guess I'll have to help you hopeless mortals out!"
Both men thanked him as they discussed their deal. Both sides laid down what they wanted and came to a mutual agreement. The shadow (Tryfon) moved closer to the willow and used his power to lift Kaliya into the improved cage. The winds saw this and began to howl at her, trying to wake the silent spirit. But by the time she heard them, it was too late.
"Where am I?" said Kaliya as she awoke. "What's going on?"
"Good mornin' sleepyhead." Said the shadow slowly approaching the cage as with his grin. Kaliya looked around until she saw two cold blue eyes staring at her. She shivered as if everything turned to ice, she then regained her ground and glared at him.
"You didn't answer my question!" she said as her glare stared through him.
"A little touchy thing morning, are we?" the shadow responded
"Just answer the damn – "
"—question. No room for small talk, eh? No 'why what a beautiful night' or anything at all, huh? Fine. You are about to be taken away from my forest." He told her, his eyes laughing like the stars.
"Like Hell it is! This is my forest! MINE!" Kaliya yelled at Tryfon, getting angrier and angrier.
"correction. This was your forest."
She stared, trying to find a response. She searched her head, reasoning what this could mean. Tryfon never had tried anything that big.
"Oh, what's the matter? No snappy comeback. Don't worry your pretty little head." Said Tryfon as his eyes played within the glistening moon. "I'll take good care of your forest, oops… I mean my forest."
The two men lifted the cage as she let out one last scream. This scream, this cry, was to no avail for nobody heard her as the winds cried to the lost of Kaliya. Everyone but the smile hidden by shadow knew she was taken off. Tryfon knew what he had done, he had accomplished the one thing he had tried so hard to do. He whispered "TTFN" as he saw her fade into the background.
The moon fell from the sky as the sun clawed its way up to the clouds. The trees awoke to find Kaliya gone. They panicked as the white willow explained the situation. Fear crept into the air, it smelled like flowers to Tryfon. It was a musical joy in the air, which only he could hear. "Now's my chance." He thought as he began the sesnkrda. This spell has the ability to block the sun so there is night forever. He had decided to put this spell upon the forest because it was only at night when his powers were at their peak. The sun began to be engulfed by shadows, then …….they receded, back to the darkness from whence it came. He thought for a moment, wondering what in the seven hells had gone wrong. He then remembered, Kaliya had whispered something before she disappeared. That must be it! She must have placed a spell. "Well," Tryfon thought "The game isn't over yet." As he crept into the shadows devising a plan.
It was day now and the sun had made its way into the blue sky. Kaliya felt as if it was a dream. She stared through the white bars of her cage that held her there. The men had taken her to a place called New York. This place with its steel trees and eyes that had lost hope, this place that was so far away from home. She stared at the humans, who spoke in a tongue unlike her own. Eyes stared as the smaller humans laughed like the stars in the night sky. "These humans look so strange, how did they come to be?" she pondered. She then saw the two men holding green paper as if it was worth something.
"Excuse me, how long will I stay here away from my home?" she whispered as a chill came over her.
"For as long as I want them to." Answered a voice "greed is their only ally"
"No, that's not true" Kaliya responded, refusing to believe what the voice was saying.
"Why else would they capture you?"
"NO!" She yelled.
She then stared to see that all the humans were looking at her in a new way. They stared at her in an air of question. She felt that her forest was about to be harmed. She could sense the danger in the air. They didn't understand how important it was that she returned. They just didn't understand……
"What do you mean Kaliya's Gone!" asked the ifre (the spirit of fire), one of Kaliya's enemies who had sought to destroy the forest.
"Just what I said, milady. Kaliya was taken away by two men. Manipulated by yours truly." Tryfon responded.
"Then answer me this." Said ifre as she eyed Tryfon, "why aren't you destroying the forest right now?"
"Well milady, I was going to give you the honor, but if you don't want to…"
"No, I do. So, she's gone?"
"for good."
"Well, this will be fun." Said ifre as a smile grew
The sun sank into the dark abyss as the stars danced upon the night sky. It was during this night that ifre decided to strike. She summoned the fire warriors and they came to her. She told them to destroy all before them and they gladly did so. They came that night to dance, one farewell dance. They engulfed the trees and ifre smiled as she saw the flames destroy everything. "Well, milady I'll leave you to it." Said the smiling shadow as he vanished.
Kaliya felt the flames as they began to burn her arm. She knew what this meant and began to fear for the worse. "It won't be long Kaliya, until all of the forest is destroyed." Said a voice
"No, that's not true." Kaliya said, trying to make herself believe that there was still a chance to save the forest.
"Of Course it is, when have I ever lied?" asked Tryfon as he stared into her green eyes.
"you always lie"
"remember the days that you use to trust me, when your heart was mine. What happened?"
"you changed." She told him
"Everyone changes" he responded to Kaliya
"I don't" she said
"No, I guess you don't. I can save your forest, you know. If you give your heart to me again, I will save the rest."
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I will never give my heart to a traitor. Forget it!"
"Then I am truly sorry. Goodbye my love." He then left her to sit while the trees burnt to death.
The flames gathered around the white willow. Yet, this willow did not burn. It stood tall as it seemed to have expected such an attack. In frustration, ifre crept into the heart of man who took axes to cut the tree down. They surrounded it and hacked the white willow that began to weep.
A tear crept down the cheek of Kaliya as cuts appeared on her. She sat and stared straight ahead. The white willow was the soul of Kaliya. It was her life force and so when it died, so did her soul. She stared with empty eyes. She was now empty without life, without soul, without hope. This darkness, which she had become, now cried with tears so empty and a heart so dry.
THE END