Diaman's DnD Diary

Chapter 8: Ice Lands' Tragedy Forgotten In Snow part IV

I stood in the middle of the Library. It was THE Library but at the same time, thinking on it now, it did look different. Surrounded by an infinite amount of book shelves all around, spreading up towards an unseeable roof, I was standing in the middle of a circular dance floor. The music playing was eerie and somehow sad but at the same time lukewarm and indifferent... I was trying the waltz steps with an invisible partner, just as I had used to learn it back at home as a child. 1... 2... 3...

I spun around and saw a mahagony grand piano and playing it with his back to me was... the cannibal old man... I tried to turn and run away as fast as possible but I got somehow entangled to the thin ropes of a wooden, faceless marionette I had been dancing with now. Forced to follow its steps I desperately looked around for help...! 1... 2... 3...

1... 2... 3...

1... 2... 3...

Then I saw them... my parents, standing on opposite sides of the Library, facing towards the books... I wanted to shout at them but as I opened my mouth and desperately tried to yell, there was only a slight grunt comming out... I kept fighting with the marionette while approaching the piano...

1.. 2.. 3...

1... 2... 3...

And there he was. Arind. Sitting on the floor, playing with a wooden horse. When he looked up and saw my eyes, pleading for help, he pointed his finger towards the books next to him and so I finally noticed that the circle was not complete and there was a gape! With last bits of strenght I tore myself away from the marionette and ran to the gape. I could still hear the music, not fading. The same rhytm 1... 2... 3... I tried to go faster and faster but there were only books around me... a genuine book labyrinth! I prayed for help in my mind, too afraid to try and call for it, what if the Cannibal finds me then?! After turning yet another corner of books I ran straight into my brother. He stood in front of me, smiling gently as he'd always done. He put a finger on his lips, then took his sword and cut through the walls of books. His sword kept leaving gapes of light in the shape of bear claws until all I could see was...

A light of a candle and Far'mer's voice telling me to wake up because I'm having a nightmare brought me back to reality. I sat up on the bed and gazed at him. He ruffled my hair in a calming gesture and just then I'd realized I'd been sweating all over. "Change your clothes and when you calm down, go see the Elder. She wants to talk to you about your Spirit Companion," he smiled. I nodded. "I will."

...

I entered Grisha's dwelling. Almost immediately, my senses were hit by vapours from herbs and mushrooms, burning in the green-coloured dim fire in the middle of the shack. On the other side of the fire, there was the Elder Grisha, sitting cross-legged on a bear furr with eyes closed, most-likely meditating.

My eyesight got a bit shakey from the strong smell heavily attacking my conciousness. But I withstood it and sat down in front of the Elder.

After a few minutes, Grisha finally looked at me and smiled slightly. "You came in here, because your young head is full of questions. I am afraid, I cannot answer all of them and perhaps I cannot give you the answers, you're waiting for but at least, listen to me." She took a fistfull of herbs from a bowl beside her and threw them into the fire.

"Look at the flames."

I did just that and while watching the dancing fire, pictures started to appear as she'd started to describe her visions.

"We do not have many Shamans comming here before their Initiation ritual nor do we have many Shamans other than our own comming here at all. So my knowledge of your condition is limited. I do not know of a precedence such as yours but this is what I'd seen while meditating about your Spirit Companion...

You are mild in nature, that you are... But the White Bear is a fierce beast..."

At that moment I saw a great White Bear, roaring, its mouth full of teeth, its massive body rising above me as it stood on two legs...

"A Spirit Companion is not usually one Spirit... It is a spirit mass combining powers of one or even thousands of Spirits. The power of the Spirit is not equal to how many Spirits it consists of..."

Several Spirit Companions in shapes of different animals now appeared...

"It is the power invested by the Spirits themselves and their own strenght that make the Spirit Companion... In your Bear I saw two Spirits... not strong ones... but they have a strong determination to protect you. I think, that is why your Spirit Companion is so intimidating, taking even the shape of such a feared creature as the White Bear."

There was my Bear again, not scary, just standing there before me... I reached my hand towards it...

I snapped back into reality as the Elder took my hand because I had been reaching towards the fire. I blinked a few times and looked at her smiling face.

"Does that answer at least some of your questions?"

"I... I think so... Thank you... I... I will go back now..." I got up and the whole room swayed with me.

Grisha laughed. "Sit here. I will tell Far'mer to take you home. You're not yet used to the meditating herbs, I see."