He would run
the rain fell upon the ground softly and ever so quietly day after day. Its droplets adorning all the plants and adjoining twigs that lay scattered about. In the darkness of the overgrown forest, purrs of animals softly sleeping drifted through the air. Birds sang their songs, calling to each other by name, or tune…certain that they would find their mate amongst the leaves. But with the calling of their high pitched voices and the rain from the clouds which emptied themselves overhead came footsteps. Feet, planting themselves gently upon the forest bed. Snapping only a few leaves and twigs at a time. Following the feet upwards were two long slender legs, built for speed and jumping…not that they had seen much running in their days. Atop the legs sat a broad chest, lean and curved. The body belonged to man with a beautiful face, sharp, dashing cheekbones. His hair, long and black which covered his shoulders. It too, was filled with the water which from the clouds, fell to the forest.
Droplets splattered across his pale hands, dripping down his fingers and thumbs, shimmering before falling. He touched a few leaves, taking them between his fingers and caressing them gently and then plucking one from its shaft. He held it up towards the light, its veins visible to him now as the light passed through the thin fabric of the leaf-illuminating its cells. Sighing softly he dropped it, twirling, it fell from its height above the man. The leaf hit the ground softly without sound, without making any marks upon the floor. The man then turned to look behind, but nothing was present, he was sure there was something or somebody behind him. taking note of the feeling he had felt moments before he continued on his way through the forest.
The scent was magnificent he thought. Pine and citrus flowed around him. exotic berries and bright vibrant plants lay about the sides, far enough from the floor not to be eaten by the belly crawlers but low enough he didn't have to reach out. He knew which ones to eat, and which ones to avoid, growing up not far from the forest, he learned. Some by others, and some the way many before him had-picking up the wrong ones and tasting them. All of which, to him, were sweet…dangerous or not. The air around him and the plants grew cooler as the rain fell harder down. Covered in only thick hide pants and a tunic, the man kept forward, edging towards his destination…unknown.
Something kept him alert. Almost as if was hunted, or haunted by an image that lay behind him. either in memory or fear. But the alertness became his motivation, his motor to which he ran. Using his legs the way they were made he found himself nimble as he jumped and dashed around the thick undergrowth of the trees. Their roots, mangled and tangled together formed several impassable barriers. For him, mere obticales that he would overcome, finding a way to climb or crawl through. His constant running became fast sprints and slow, dodging maneuvers that he kept changing, shifting between.
The chattering of the birds grew quiet as he entered deeper into the woods. Approaching a darker section, a clearing appeared. It was like a bubble inside the forest. Still covered by a thick canopy of trees, the ground was clear of all wood and debris from the overhead branches. The ferns and low laying plants stopped their forward movement around the clearing, ending neatly at its circumference. A bit sooner than he wanted, he stopped completely. Staring longingly and slightly confused at the area he had come upon. His hand falling upon a plant close to his right, he gripped its vines, looking at them as they refused to grow in the clearings direction. Something had been there, something he would rather not know. Wanting to turn away, he looked around, turning his head quickly in all directions, trying to assess the situation.
Alone. it seemed he was still the only one. but noises of shuffling feet and twigs snapping beneath the weight of another person sounded off in the distance. Hoping it was an animal, he made himself smaller, kneeling down behind a larger bush to wait it out. Sitting for him, made him uneasy, nervous. Unsure of what he was even doing out in the forest he still felt eyes upon him. million of tiny eyes, tracking his every move. Wether it was just paranoia or not hadn't crossed his mind. By simply running, his mind didn't have time to think about the other scenarios. The steps sounded closer, and closer with each passing second and he eagerly awaited their arrival so he could put faces to the fear that followed him closely. The air grew hot, blasting heat in all directions, outwards in a circular pattern. Following the heat came a burst of light, shimmering and blinding. The man found himself shielding his eyes, taking cover behind the sleeve of his tunic as the glow from the clearing dissipated. It hung in the air for a solid two minutes, silent but hot. Stunned and unable to peer over his arm he sat waiting, hoping nobody would spot him from his location behind the bushes.
Slowly, as the minutes winded down, the light faded away and a man stood in its place. This man, he was different, he thought. He wore grey robes, with black pants and black shoes. Shocking the man more, he noticed not one pair of arms but two. Two at his side and two folded behind his back. Surely he had come from another world, he pondered. Having only heard rumors of the other worlds, stories from his childhood lore, he forced himself not to run out with curiosity and excitement.
"we've secured helheim"
"and Heimdal?"
"he doesn't even know we're here" the man in the middle spoke last. He seemed proud and boisterous. With his first set of hands, that were in front of him, he released them from their own grip, tossing them outwards in a flash of light. A scepter appeared in his hands, golden and long. Carelessly, he planted it into the earth, stabbing the ground with its fierce sharp end.
"very good" another voice called from a distance. The man tried to see where it came from, but found that the trees were blocking his view. he was careful not to knock any branches, so not to make any noise. He didn't want to be caught…afterall, he was running. Wasn't he?
At the moment, he found himself curious as to why he was running and why he had the need to flee the oasis nearest to his home. Now lost deep in the forest in a place he had never seen, he knelt behind bushes, hidden from something he thought he was running from, that he ended up running to. His hands curling into the ground beneath him, he found himself afraid again, tearing up the roots of a small plant as he gripped the ground. The plant, unable to speak, unable to move-lifted out of the ground, falling onto its side and dying. He felt it, felt the earth beneath his hand let out a breathy sigh, mentaly of course, but the earth spoke to him none the less. Carefulling he let his hand fall free, opening and releasing what he had taken.
Guiltily he looked down and sighed. The people in front were brought back to his attention as they started moving around, shifting and standing closer together.
"the kingdom is close by."
"of course it is my liege, that is why…"
"silence Argon…do you wish to reveal it now?"
"my apologies my king." The leader, a so called "king" smiled menacingly at his foot soldier. The man hiding once again felt millions of eyes watching him, and millions of fingers touching him, grabbing his cloths and pinching his skin. It took everything he had not to scream, not to shout and run from the biting nagging thoughts and feelings that washed over him.