The Birth of the Old Oak

A strong wind howled on a vast open land. There was little here - the ground was hard and cracked from long exposure to the Sun, and upon it were charred twigs and debris. Several rootlets rose up from underneath the surface, begging for the rain to come. The sky above was blanketed by thick clouds, but they gave no moisture, and only blotted the land into darkness.

It was a terrible place. Life here would be nothing short of miraculous.

Laying on the hard surface was a doe. The wind made her brown fur whip violently, which began to collect little bits of the dust from the land. The doe finally opened her eyes after a long sleep, and sitting up, she had no recollection of how she got here.

"Rut...ilus?", she called. No answer. "Rutilus? Where are...where am I?", she questioned.

Taliene barely remembered what had happened before. There was that tree of the Twin Gods...and a fawn...and...

She was dizzy, and the land was anything but hospitable. She could not hear much of anything other than the howling from the air. However, a faint sound caught her attention.

I know that voice!, she thought. She looked around the barrens, and spotted a distinct glowing in the distance. Gathering her strength, she stood and walked toward it.

The voice became louder with each step. In fact, rather than one voice, it became two. Were they arguing...no...they were trying to make a decision...

Taliene could soon see them with her own eyes. She was glad to see a couple of familiar faces...these two in particular.

Before her were Michael and Auriea, two glowing figures who seemed to be protected by the harsh winds. Taliene noticed that they seemed to be younger than she remembered. The two god deer continued to talk to one another, their faces becoming more and more saddened with each moment that passed.

"I'll do it, Michael.", Auriea said, "You're the stronger of the two of us."

"But...I can't lose you, Auriea.", Michael replied, "I can't do it alone."

Taliene finally got to them, "Michael! Auriea!", she exclaimed.

The two noticed her there, "Taliene...Taliene...where have I heard that name before?", Michael questioned.

The doe tilted her head. They didn't seem to recognize her. What was going on?

She didn't hesitate to ask, "What happened to the Endless Forest? Where are we?"

The gods' eyes were now completely fixed on her, "How do you know about our plan? Who sent you here?", Auriea questioned.

"I...I think you did...this must be the past...", Taliene started to say.

Auriea looked to Michael, "She could be the one."

Taliene started to understand. This was the Endless Forest...or what it was before. She must have somehow ended up at the point of time where the Twin Gods were going to create the Forest.

"What must be done to create the Endless Forest?", she quickly asked.

The two gods did not want to answer, but Michael finally said, "...Sacrifice..."

Nearby, there was a circle with various markings carved into the ground. This was going to serve as the first tree of the Forest.

A tree that must be made from the body of a deer.

Auriea approached Taliene, "I'm so sorry...it's a terrible thing to ask, but you must have been sent by us from the future to create the tree. Will you...?" she began to ask, when Taliene interrupted, "It's fine, Auriea. There is no need to apologize - I will do it."

The god's face smiled on her, "You must be the one, then."

Taliene stepped onto the marked ground. She felt her body relax on its own, and sitting down, her legs buried themselves into the ground. There would never be a moment of pain in the process, but she watched as her legs changed into roots, and her body slowly became oaken wood. She stared at the Twin Gods as the transformation reached her face, and afterward, the little antlers of hers grew and became branches which sprouted leaves.

Almost at once, the sky started to pour rain onto the land. Taliene felt the cool water reach her legs, and was happy when the water was soaked up, nourishing her so she could grow. Little by little, the tree lost its original shape, and grew taller and rounder. Many more branches climbed upward, their leaves piercing the sky and collecting the sunlight above the clouds.

And after the birth of the Old Oak, many, many more trees covered the barrens. The earth took shape, forming the Pond and other earthen structures. The great Oak lived for many years to come - Taliene saw the civilizations before the deer come and build some of the structures that became the ruins from the present. Time was completely meaningless to her. She saw humans come and go, and watched the seasons wear down and wash away much of their homes.

She then saw the first deer who lived in the Forest. The deer revered the great Oak, and the Oak sheltered them and continued to provide life.

And then...

Taliene opened her eyes. She was no longer the tree, but was her deer self once again. She found herself in a dark field, and sitting up, she saw another with her. "Sithrim?", she asked.

"Taliene! You've arrived!", the stag happily exclaimed. "Where is this?", Taliene asked him. The stag shook his head, "I don't know, but I think the Twin Gods have a plan for all of us."

The doe smiled, she already felt like she was a part of something great. "I'm willing to help them with whatever they need.", she replied.

The end of this chapter...