The Silver Sword of Mu

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. Many years had passed with no sign of magic. But since he had arrived, a great fear had swept over the village. The people stirred at the thought of what was to come. The haunting memories of the past bubbled to the surface and blanketed the souls of the villagers as they waited to see his next move.

The three dragons circled in the dusty pink sky above his moss coated wooden hut, perched on the side of the Great Scarlet Mountain. The hut had been abandoned since Saeya could remember. Nobody had dared to venture on the Great Scarlet Mountain path since they survived the events of the last dark summer.

“Mama, who lives in that house?” asked Reynar, tugging on Saeya’s woven cloth sleeve.

“Ssh now, we don’t need to worry about that. Let’s get you back home and feed that growling belly of yours!” Saeya laughed, tickling Reynar’s tummy and pulling him from the view of the cursed mountain hut.

Reynar giggled and followed his mother gladly as they padded back through the fresh green pastures towards the village. The warm glow of the sunset sent a golden hue over the valley as their minds drifted to thoughts of hot stew and dumplings. By the time they stepped through the door of their teepee, the mysterious hut had become a distant memory in Reynar’s mind.

“You can change into your night clothes now. Bring a blanket from the sleeping place, we’ll eat outside tonight” Saeya nodded to Reynar.

He gladly obeyed, crossing the animal hides spread across the damp floor to the wicker baskets containing his neatly folded clothes. He picked out a cotton night set with warm, woollen socks.

As Saeya prepared the fire for cooking, she looked to the stars. The first few were scattered in an enchanting pattern along the horizon. The deep haze of purple faded slowly into a clear night sky. The clouds had dissipated since the arrival of the dragons. That was one good thing about the Magician’s presence, Saeya could remember the mystery from childhood. The way the sun’s strength increased tenfold when he came around. The way the stars illuminated the sky with blinding light. His power was undeniable, but it was his intention she was afraid of.

Saeya looked over to Reynar as he trailed his wooden toy across the hessian weave blanket on the grass beside her. She prayed for his safety.

The steaming mutton stew didn’t last long, the pair gobbled it down and their full bellies rejoiced as they rested in quiet contentment. They lay back onto the cool ground with the star constellations dazzling the sky above them.

“Do you see this one?” Saeya whispered softly, pointing at a small cluster of stars in the distance. Reynar nodded.

“Those are the Seven Sisters. If ever you feel alone, if you are ever in need of help, you can call on them”

Reynar’s beaming smile reached the far corners of his face.

“I can talk to stars, Mama?”

“Of course. After all, you are made of stardust!” Saeya laughed, pulling Reynar close and bundling him into his blanket.

Reynar giggled with delight and nuzzled into his mother’s arms. As Saeya gently rocked him to sleep, she could only think of the following days. Would they have to run? What would happen if they didn’t? She sighed as she lifted Reynar over her shoulder and carried him to their sleeping place.

She lay his delicate body atop the wolf pelts, brushing his golden hair from his eyes and planting a kiss on his forehead. Her heart filled with sorrow. She had escaped the Magician’s world once before, but would Reynar be so lucky? Her eyes grew heavy as thoughts and fears swam in circles around her mind. Once her mind had sent her near insane with exhaustive fears and possibilities, Saeya drifted into a semi-conscious sleep, one eye on the cotton canvas door at all times.

At first light, Saeya woke suddenly to a loud screeching noise. It sounded as if it were right outside the teepee.

“Dragons.” Saeya muttered to herself, leaping out of the furs instinctively. She turned back to check on Reynar. Still fast asleep.

Saeya dashed to the locked wooden chest disguised by a pile of rainbow coloured weaving fabrics on the far side of the teepee. She shoved them away, fumbling in her underclothes for the key that hung from the chain around her neck, always.

Shaking with adrenaline, she turned the lock and lifted the creaking lid. As she did so, the contents of the chest took her breath away. She hadn’t laid eyes upon the Silver Sword for so long, she had almost forgotten its majesty. She felt an overwhelming power as the Silver Sword illuminated with light from its own source. The love for her beloved weapon and old friend, the connection that had not since been rivalled. Everything slotted into place as her hand met the cold silver handle. Memories of her brother flashed before her eyes. His screams as he disappeared into the sky.

Don’t think about that now. Just protect your boy, she thought to herself.

She drew the Silver Sword from its resting place and readied to meet her fate. As she stood tall and moved towards the door, her eyes met Reynar’s. He was sitting bolt upright, round blue eyes wide with a mixture of terror and excitement. His gaze glanced over the sword, passed the roof of the teepee and returned to his mother.

“Mama, you won’t hurt them will you?” he asked innocently.

Saeya’s heart dropped, beating fiercely into the pit of her stomach. How could she explain?

“Sweetheart, stay there. There are things you cannot understand,” she whispered in a panic, beckoning him to lay down.

“But I do understand, Mama,” he frowned, swinging his legs around to follow her outside.

“Just listen to me, and don’t move a muscle!” Saeya called out urgently.

She turned and ran to the door, whipping the canvas aside and stepping into the rising sun. The heat was already unbearable and she winced as the scorching rays penetrated her pale skin. Saeya inhaled deeply as she prepared to face the dragon, but as she looked to the sky, the weight of the Silver Sword dropped heavily to her side.

The beauty of the creature above her was astounding. The sheer size of its ruby-chested body was almost incomprehensible. Saeya had heard numerous tales of the Magician’s dragons, and she knew this to be Ember. She was the first of the clan, the Mother Dragon birthed from the heart of the Great Scarlet Mountain itself. The sunlight rippled over the dragon’s crimson gold scales as she danced across the sky. She had been named after the glowing embers which rained from her tail as she soared through the heavens. Each droplet of fire exploded into a display of colourful starbursts, leaving an elegant trail wherever she went.

Saeya fell to her knees. Who was she kidding? She knew she couldn’t harm this creature, no fool would dare to cross a being so mystical. All she could do was bow her head in respect. As pearls of sweat formed on her furrowed brow, she closed her eyes and whispered to herself. She hoped that just maybe, the dragon might hear her. She hoped that the dragon might take pity on her and her sweet, innocent boy.

“Please, let him stay with us. Let him grow up with the villagers, let him feel our joy and live the life of a man,” she sobbed as tears pooled in her eyes.

The screeching stopped abruptly. Ember looked to be suspended in space for a fleeting moment before she turned and sped back towards the Great Scarlet Mountain. The silence in the air was deafening as Saeya waited to see what would happen, but nothing came of it. The sky was empty, the blazing sun illuminated the flourishing land and Saeya rose to her feet, breathing a deep sigh of relief. She quickly darted into the teepee to hold Reynar close. They had dodged a bullet once again.

As Saeya lifted the teepee door, she immediately felt something was amiss. Her stomach dropped and a darkness swept over her entire being as her eyes focused on the vision before here. There stood the Magician, draped in a shimmering golden cloak, clutching a staff carved into the shape of a serpent’s head in his right hand. His eyes were creased with age, and a glaze of dark emotion gleamed from his pupils. Saeya’s dread deepened as she saw the Magician’s left hand placed firmly on Reynar’s shoulder. She lifted her Silver Sword with a trembling arm, but her power had weakened in his presence.

“Do you really think you could win this fight?” the Magician scoffed. “You’re out of practice, I can see it in your stance”

Saeya was infuriated by his arrogance.

“Take your hands off my boy!” she ordered, bringing the tip of the sword to the Magician’s puffed up chest. He brushed it aside with a rapid stroke of his right hand, catching his staff before it even had the chance to sway. The Silver Sword fell crashing to the floor and Saeya cried out with grief.

“The boy does not belong to you. You cannot fight his destiny,” the Magician stated with an air of authority Saeya did not recognise. “You have run for far too long, now look at you. Your fear has become your greatest enemy.”

“My greatest enemy? Have you forgotten, Abras, what you have done to this village?”

The Magician lowered his head and muttered in a deep voice.

“That name no longer holds meaning for me, and the fate of the village was through no fault of mine”

“The villagers would say differently,” Saeya spat back at him.

“BECAUSE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND!” The Magician bellowed, and Reynar winced under his grip. Abras composed himself and peered deep into Saeya’s eyes.

“Mother didn’t tell you everything, did she?” He questioned her directly. Saeya averted her gaze, focusing on the floor.

“Oh, so it is you that has chosen not to believe?” he added.

“Who are you to tell me what I should and should not believe?!” Saeya cried with frustration, reaching for Reynar and immediately reeling backwards as the serpent staff glowed hot with white fire.

A soft voice emerged from the heated discussion as Reynar made his presence known. He stepped towards his mother. The Magician’s grip tightened ever so slightly on his shoulder.

“Mama, it’s okay. I know this man” Reynar smiled.

Saeya and the Magician looked to each other, and back to Reynar. Both equally surprised as the other.

“But…but how, Sweetheart?” she asked, trying her best to remain calm. Abras was taken long before Reynar was born, the boy must be confused.

“I tried to tell you Mama, I do understand. I know the Magician! Sometimes he visits me when I’m sleeping” he explained casually.

Saeya shot a fiery glare at the Magician, but she could see from his expression that he was just as bewildered as her.

The boy went on.

“We have been on so many adventures! Sometimes, we even ride with the dragons. I’ve seen all of the valley, Mama. It’s so beautiful!”

As Reynar spoke of his adventures with the Magician, something clicked. He was talking about his dreams. Strangely, Saeya found this somewhat comforting. Reynar spoke briefly of his experiences. He told details of journeying through a mystical land with allies by his side. The Magician simply nodded in confirmation as Reynar shared his dream-like reality.

“Yes, Young Man, this certainly is the way of the Magician,” he smiled genuinely.

At these words, Saeya’s heart sank. She had never seen Reynar speak so maturely, she had not recognised his ability to perceive the Otherworld. Her son’s stories brought back memories of a life she experienced a long time ago. A life that she had said goodbye to, in hope that her boy would remain safe in her arms until he grew into a man of his own. But there was no denying it, Reynar had been visiting the Otherworld of his own accord, and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

The Magician softened as he watched Saeya collapse to the ground helplessly. He knew how hard it would be for her to say goodbye to Reynar. He had never forgotten her calls echoing through the valley as he was taken to the Otherworld as a young boy. He was afraid then, too. If only she would listen to him, if only she would believe! But her crippling fear had taken over, and the magic in her eyes was long forgotten.

“No harm will come of him” the Magician stated confidently.

“You don’t know that,” Saeya breathed, eyes fixated on the ground before her.

She couldn’t bear to look at him. She could never forgive him for taking her boy away. She would never forgive him for leaving her here, he must have known what would happen.

“Saeya, when the Otherworld came for me, I too was frightened. But when I arrived, everything made sense. I had never belonged to this world, and I never could have. I was lonely, I was lost. Do you wish for Reynar to suffer in the same way?”

The words pierced Saeyas heart like silver daggers. She had always known Reynar was different. The way he spoke to the clouds, the way the fire sparked hotter as he approached it. She had hoped it would fade with time, but his power only grew stronger. Deep down, she had always known this day would come.

“And what will become of me? What will become of the village?” Saeya cried out desperately.

“That’s not for me to decide,” the Magician responded. “But now is the time for us to take our leave. I only ask that you consider, is this really your home?”

Saeya heard the fierce screech of the dragons once again. There were more this time, perhaps all three. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she embraced Reynar’s fragile body. She wouldn’t give into her brother’s manipulation, she had done what was best for her family. But she knew she had to be strong, for Reynar. If this was his destiny, she must believe in him.

“Mama, don’t be sad. It’s all going to be okay, I know it,” Reynar spoke softly into his mother’s ear and stroked her hair. Saeya managed a smile.

“I believe in you, Reynar,” was all she managed to say as she pulled away, her heart breaking in two as she did so.

The Magician placed his arm around the young child and gripped his serpent staff tightly. He looked towards Saeya one last time.

“When you come to your senses and remember who you truly are, come and find us. You know where we’ll be” he declared regally.

The dragon's screeches grew louder, and the sunlight intensified inside the teepee. The heat grew stronger by the second, and Saeya felt as if the world was spinning. An orange orb of light flared around the three of them, sparks flying from the serpent’s head in the Magician’s right hand. Saeya held Reynar’s gaze until the light grew too intense to bear and with one swish of his golden cloak, they were gone.

Saeya was left alone. The silence threatened to swallow her up as her senses melted into nothingness. Her boy was gone, what did she have left to live for? Everything she had created was for him. She had become a mother, an ordinary human in an ordinary world.

She saw the Silver Sword laying on the ground beside her and it only created more resentment. She leaned forward and pulled it into her trembling hands. She brought it to her throat, shaking with anger and brimming with regret. She wanted to end this feeling of despair, but it was no use. What courage did she have left? She couldn’t even find the strength to take her own life. She let out a piercing wail which echoed through the whole valley, and she heard the rustle of the village in response. There was no more time, she couldn’t take it. It was now or never.

As she brought the sword to her throat, Reynar’s sweet smile flashed into her mind’s eye. His gaze stuck in her vision as he looked back at her with unconditional love. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave him. She threw the sword to the ground, defeated. Her world turned into darkness as the prospect of living this dreary life without her boy crept through her existence. But surely, he still needed his mother. What use to him could she be dead? Or here, sitting in this false illusion of a home? Abras had spoken the truth, and she hated him for it.

She had only built this life for Reynar. To protect him, to keep him rooted in the human world. But her family had always been the strange ones. The odd rejects hidden away in the corner of the village. They had been outcasted ever since the last dark summer. What more could she do here? She took the sword in her hands and felt its cool metal touch. What if she really could go back?

As the thought entered her mind, something started to happen. The Silver Sword shook violently as the revelations cascaded into her psyche. Surges of power flew from the sword’s core and travelled through her hands and into her arm. She felt her heart expanding as the energy continued to move through her, a silver light consuming her consciousness as it went. She fell into the solid wooden chest, grabbing the smooth surface for support as she almost passed out from the intensity of the force. When she opened her eyes again, the Silver Sword had shifted into a brilliant white colour. She inspected the surface closely and saw a thin blue light moving with a mind of its own, scrawling letters over the sword’s glistening blade. She waited patiently for the writing to finish and reeled back in disbelief at what she read.

‘REMEMBER’

The light fizzled out, and once again the sword came crashing to the ground, returning to its original silver colour. Saeya was in shock. At the sight of the word, memories came flooding to her mind. Memories of the Otherworld, memories she had buried deep inside her from the pain of losing her brother. Could he really be speaking sense? Maybe it wasn’t all bad. She remembered the times as a young girl, frolicking in the meadows as the magical stars of the Otherworld sang along to her laughter.

Could she really find the strength to venture into this world again? Would it be the same as it was? She heard Reynar’s voice calling her name inside her mind. She didn’t have all the answers, but she knew she had to try.

With one forceful leap, Saeya sprung to her feet, grabbing the Silver Sword and swinging it violently over her head.

The blade tore through the roof of the teepee as she spun in a circle, ripping a gaping hole in the ceiling above her. The sun glared through the chasm and Saeya felt its vigour infusing into her bones. She laughed crazily as she spun around, shredding the teepee to pieces, destroying the home she had built on a lie. This wasn’t who she was. This wasn’t who she would ever be!

As she struck the last wall down, she looked upon the fabric strewn on the dewy grass around her. Everything she had created was now destroyed. Everything except her sweet boy. She glanced up to see the entire village watching from a distance. Too scared to move, too nosy to look away. Saeya laughed crazily again and turned her back to rest her eyes upon the Great Scarlet Mountain.

Her people did not reside in this village, her people resided out there. The mountain stood tall in the valley, towering over the settlement with majesty unmatched. As she lowered the sword, ominous grey clouds swept across the sky. The shadows only highlighted the ancient beauty of the mountain. The beauty of her true home that she had been too afraid to visit. Too traumatised by her past. But something had shifted within her. An unrecognisable power was growing from her core. The power of a Mother who sought to protect her beloved child. She was going to find him, and nothing could hold her back.