The Crystal Keepers Saga

The night air was crisp, steam came off the horses as they trampled down the canyon. A half-moon shadowed the canyon. They were riding hard and fast. Hooves threw dirt rocks striking horse and rider. None felt it. Chests heaved all around. They were too focused on running. Fuel by fear. What was chasing them was too hideous for their imagination to accept. Suddenly the leader stopped, and the horses stopped with her as if on mental command. The leader was on the ground as her horse slid to a stop.

One of the riders panting heavy bordering on hysterical – “why have we stopped! They’re close” Fear controlled the rider, and he made to move the horse forward.

“Quiet!”, the Warrior of the group grabbed the rein of the horse.

Moving with precision, Merina inserted her hands into cracks in the rock. Soundlessly a hole opened in rock. “Quickly, dismount and lead your horse in”. She grabbed her mares’ reins and vanished into the darkness. Numb with fear, each did as they were told.

The hidden cave was pitch black. Light simply didn’t exist. “Keep Moving”, the Warrior barked. He had taken up the rear. He would push the riders into the blackness or defend it from worse.

As silent as it opened the rock door slide shut. Immediately Merina lite a small torch from her pack. A feeble glow shed light on group. They were in room carved into the rock. The young people were gulping air as fast as they could.

“Wh-What is this pl-place?” the youngest questioned.

Merina had placed the torch in a wall, it made a scraping sound as it slid into the rock. “This is a Respite. During the great cleansing our order used them as hiding places”. The Great Cleansing had been 500 yrs past. Most of Remina’s order were killed. Only a small group had survived because of the Respite hiding places.

“How will this hide us?” demanded the oldest of the group. “They will know we vanished into the rock. Our tracks will lead them here!”

“No, they won’t. They’ll thunder right past us. Their tracks will cover ours. It’s safe for now” Asim the warrior, barked. A low muffled roar slightly echoed in the stone room fading into nothing.

Merina had been busy lighting several torches. The tunnel began to light showing more open space. The air smelled old, dusty. She passed several torches to the group. Asim took one lighting the rear of the group. “Follow me” She took the reins of her horse walking forward. Her torch cast light as she moved down the tunnel. Their torches light the group with an odd, shaped circle. Horse hooves clopped on the tunnel floor muffled by a dirt floor.

The group was silent until they reached a bend. The torches behind them were either out or pin pricks behind them. “Asim, take two” waving to the group, “and the horses down the tunnel. There will be a large room at the end with supplies” She handed her reins to the youth closest to her. “There are living quarters this way” she motioned down the opposite bend.

Asim took his plus the young lady’s. “We will tend the horses and join you shortly” Torches, horses and bodies went one way, while Merina and her charge went another way.

Merina touched her torch to one anchored in the stone wall. She removed it and handed it to the quiet girl. She moved to light the other embedded torches. The girl mimicked, lighting the torches on her side of the wall.

“Lady, what’s this about?” The tunnel was now bright, doorways appeared. The ceiling was clear. Merina didn’t respond instead she went into the first room, lighting yet another torch. Following into the room, she asked again “Please, I must know what this is about”.

Merina made no move to acknowledge the question. The torch had been slid into a holder on the wall. The room began to materialize. The space was at least 15 feet mostly round fitting into the natural flow of the stone. A stone shelf was chiseled around the entire room. Beeswax candles, clay storage jars, wooden boxes dotted the shelf. She was lighting candles with a kindling stick. A stone table was at the center of room. Wooden chairs were pushed underneath. A layer of dusty coated everything. “There will be time for your questions but not now.”

One side of the room held a small cache of cooking and eating supplies. Indented in the rock wall was what appeared to be a small cooking grate. From a small jar Merina withdrew several rocks, then lifted a grill, placed the rocks, replaced the grill. She took a kindling stick, lighted it from a torch and lit the rocks. Sessie gasp, “Magic”!

Without looking at her, Merina replied “No science and nature”. She held out a tea kettle. “The is a spring fed water trough there” She pointed to a natural dip in the wall where water collected and ran off under the floor. Sessie hadn’t seen it. She dipped the kettle in the trough and handed back. Merina placed it on the small grate over the now glowing red coals.

Still without looking at Sessie, Merina instructed her to find the tea jar and blend the kettle. Sessie didn’t argue with her. Making tea was comfortable, it steadied her nerves. Seemed normal. Finally, something felt normal.

Asim came back if it hadn’t been for the 2 boys with him, he would have come in unnoticed. The man moved as silent as a cat. The boys however were noisy, Asim noted to himself, the boys would need work, or they wouldn’t survive the week. Neither could ride nor could they defend themselves. He would speak late to Merina but the training would fall to him.

Merina had been sizing the boys up too. They were loyal to each other and the girl that was obvious. The girl was quiet and follower but had strength, Merina could feel it. The boys were another matter. She knew her warrior protector, Asim, didn’t approve. Maybe ‘approve’ wasn’t the right description but he had his doubts on the pair.

They were opposites in appearances and demeanor. Gaige was rock of the group. The thinker. He pulled the youngest back. Thane was impulsive one. He acted blindly. Spoke before he thought. He would be the one to demand without truly knowing the question. Sessie was poised for the deluge, she knew was coming. She had played this roll many times between the 2 boys. Asim was leaning against the wall, there was no casualness in stance.

Shoving his way between Asim and Gaige, Thane stormed into the room. His rage was barely contained. “Lady! We will have answers!” Thane demanded.

Merina stood with her back to the group. She was checked the tea, taking the steaming kettle from the small grate. She has wrapped her scarf around the handle. She placed the kettle on the stone table. “Sessie, I see cups on the shelf, bring them please child. Sit, I will tell you all I can”

Sessie took down a wooden tray with teacups. It didn’t seem to matter they were dusty. She sat the tray down, sitting in the closest chair. The boys reluctantly sat. Merina asked, “Asim there is cheese, bread in my bags.”

“Already here Lady” He had the saddle bags over his shoulder. He placed them on rough table, but no one moved to retrieve the food. Asim took a cup and carefully poured himself tea. He retreated back to his place in the dim light.

“Please everyone pour some tea, take bread, and cheese” Merina directed.

Sessie put the cheese, bread, plus small containers of butter and berry jam on the table. She had found them in the saddle bags. The boys had poured tea. After using her pocketknife, Sessie passed the boys small slices of bread, cheese. She gave Merina her own. It was natural to honor her in that way. Asim had already refilled his tea and took slices of bread and cheese, His eyes never left the boys. Sessie thought he looked like a mountain lion ready to pounce.

Merina wasn’t hungry but the tea was a welcomed blessing. Mentally she thanked the keepers who maintained the Respites. The locations of these places were a closely guarded secret. Even she didn’t know the location of all of them. She almost missed this one.

“Sessie, please put the kettle back on. I left the tea jar near the stove” Merina directed, “The dipper is hanging over the water trough” Thane was shifting on the bench. His already non patience was on verge of exploding. “Now let me tell you what I can. I ask you to keep an open mind”

“You already know I am a Crystal Keeper. You have heard of the Great Cleansing. Legends say we were all destroyed and killed. In myths we were shown as demons. Crones set to destroy the world,”. In truth Merina didn’t like these old stories. Her sister keepers were said to be evil and create havoc, but she went on, “we were none of those things. Then we were simple people. Mostly village healers. They used wilding ways to use the Mother’s herbs, flowers, and earth to heal. Help with gout. Offer a salve for a rash or burn. Things passed down since the age of creation. We lost so many of records for healing, aligning with nature, during the Great Cleansing.”

Merina was a good storyteller. She knew how to pique the interest of the youths. “Legend says during the Age of Creation, the First Keeper was selected. She was part of both Terra and the Sky. She was tasked with creating living things so Terra could feel her womb grow and the Sky could see all things were good. The First Keeper was given was the ability to align the stones or sing to them. Her voice was so beautiful all life sprung from it when she sang.”

They were all listening. Even Asim, who lived in the here and now. “During the long eons of creation, the First Keeper was seen caring for stones by Sun. He desired her but she scorned him. Whenever he tried to talk to the First Keeper, her plants were scorched. Streams and lakes dried up. The first animals were destroyed. But her scorn made him desire her even more. Each day he saw her caring for the plants and animals and he desired her more. Finally, his bitterness turned to rage, and he trapped her in a deep canyon and raped her. His desire for her was so strong he burned hotter than ever before and that’s why we have the deserts.”

Merina held her cup with both hands. She took her time taking a sip then another “When night came, the Moon saw her sobbing and went to comfort her. Upon hearing her story, the Moon told her she would bear twins and the First Keeper begged the Moon not let it be so. The First Keeper was afraid such violence would be inside the child. But the Moon told her she would bear twins. Still the First Keeper sobbed.”

“So, the Moon blessed the First Keeper unborn children so one of the twins would be light and one darkness. The Moon blessed them to be the balance of each other instead of the opposites as the Mother / First Keeper and the Sun / The First Father were. The children of union would have part of the gifts of the mother and the father to complete the balance. Still the First Keeper was terrified”.

The group at the table ignored their tea and bread. They knew the story but to interrupt the teller was grave insult. This was the most sacred legend across all the lands. “The children were born, and the daughter was born with great easy, and the First Keeper blessed the Moon for her gift. She was nursed by a great snow cat mother who had ample milk for the child. But the son’s birth was not so easy. The First Keeper, creator of all living things, was in agony. She was weak without any strength and cried out to land.”

“As for the son, the vines had to pull the child from the womb of the First Keeper. The child was angry, to separated from his mother’s womb. He was angry his sister was first born. He was given to the great bear mother to raise as she was the most feared of the forest.” Merina rose from her chair and went to her saddle bag. She was keeping their attention on her.

The First Keeper was dying, she had one more song to sing to bless her children. The great snow cat brought the daughter near on one side and the great bear did to the other side. The First Keeper began to sing with all she had left. To this day, even if we knew the words, no Keeper would be able to sing.”

“With her dying breath, she blessed the children and she equally cursed them. She bound them to be mortal because she didn’t want their powers to battle and corrupt for eternity. As the children of creation, they would live long lives and see eons turn to legend then to myths. She bound them to find their mate with mortals so the abilities would pass throughout the land.”

“She couldn’t undo the tie the Moon had given them, but she could shift it. She blessed her daughter and all other decedents of her daughter to have the ability to heal. She blessed the daughter with one gift of singing - the singing of the stones. The curse for the daughter was her inability to heal all things. So that is why each keeper has only one ability. Some with plants and remedies and others with art and music. The rare Keeper will be able to sing, and their voice will be the mirrors of the stones who choose them.”

“But for the son, the First Keeper had very little left. She saw to much of his father in him. She cursed him first. The stones would never sing for him. She bound him from any true form of crystal singing. If any man would be born with the ability to sing, his voice would be twisted and corrupted. But she left him the gift of leadership and valor. He would be the patriarch of many great nations and people to fill land.”

“But as ages grew and legends were born, there came a King who desired more than he could have. He amassed a great army and conquered many lands. So many, a man on a horse took many seasons to cover it. It was said if a rider had an infant child when left the King’s palace, he would return to be a grandfather.”

“This king desired a queen who was a crystal singer. A woman who could move the crystals with her voice. Some believed the Great Sun whispered to the king, because the king became a sun worshipper and killed anyone who worshipped the moon.”

“The king ordered any woman who could sign sweetly to be tested by the Sun Priests to see if she was a true crystal singer. The prophecies spoke one day a true daughter of the singer would be born and she would unite the daughter and the son and sun and creation. The child of that union would be a living god. One day a rider came and spoke to the King of a woman from a far land, who was said to move the stones by only the whispers of her voice.”

“When she was brought before the great king, besotted by her beauty and sweetness of her gentle voice. He gifted her all manner of things. The finest gold and fiery gemstones which burned brightly under the sun. He gave her intricate necklaces of silver with moonstones which glowed in the moonlight. All manner of silks, linens, laces were brought to her. A great palace had been made for her. But she rejected him.”

“You see, his armies had killed her people. They had ravaged her younger sister and killed her infant brother. Her mother was killed brutally when she tried to protect her young children. Her father was killed with the other men of the village when the army had attacked.”

“She could not see the fine things he had given her as beauty only as savage because they were the spoils of war. In this regard the curse upon the 2 twins was manifested. And the great king in his rage, not unlike his distant ancestor, began to hate the beautiful woman who rejected him.”

“He came upon the woman, one evening as she was bathing. His rage and lust overtook him. As his ancestor had done, he raped the woman and told her she would be his queen whether she agreed or not. She would bear him a son who would be able to sing to the stones or he would kill her and find another. The sorrow of the loss of her family the rage of the rape, the future queen of this madman overcame her, and she gave him what he wanted. She sang.”

“But it wasn’t the song of joy he expected. Nor was it a blessing. All the sorrow and pain and loss she had experience came out in her voice. The king upon hearing her song went mad. He spent the rest of life chained in dank pit as far away from any human as the kingdom could get him. But when the great crystals heard this singer sorrow, they vowed to never sing again until the one true keeper came. It is here we are now. “

“Lady, you tell us children’s tales” Thane shook his head in disgust, “We know all these things.”

“Yes Master Thane, you do, but this next part you do not know” For emphasis Merina nodded her head motioned her hand for him to wait and hear her out.

“What is not told is this king, after his madness befell him, had children.” The youths gasp. This part of the legend was not told. “You see, the sun searched for the king for many years and found him deep in a pit of darkness where only a strand of his light was seen.” She even had Thane’s attention now. “When the king fell the worship of the sun fell as well. The priests lost their hold on the people and over time the worship of the moon, earth, water even fire returned. But the sun was jealous as it was his nature. So, he sent his priest to rescue the king”.

Merina voice grew faster she was bringing the story to a close. “When the priests drew the old king from the pit, the sun nearly blinded him. He had seen no light in many years, so the priests had to carry him in cart completely in darkness. They took him to what was left of their high temple. They bathed and groomed him the moon light. They fed him sweet fruit and deliciously roasted meat. Gave him fine wine to drink” Merina could see the 3 had a picture of this painted in their minds.

“When the time came, they brought a beautiful priestess to him. The king was still mad and thought this was the great lady who had rejected him. He launched at her to kill her again. But this time the beautiful lady accepted the king, and she took him to her bed, and they coupled. Only when the sun came up at the first rays of the sun on the horizon, the priests rushed in, and the beautiful priestess killed the mad king by stabbing him in the heart when the first rays of the sun shone on his face. With his last breath he said, “when all the sisters have been destroyed then brother shall come into his power.”

“The priestess bore twins of the unholy union. The boy was hideously deformed but the girl was beautiful. As perfect in form as her brother was deformed. Would be their deformities were only physical. Both were demons. Born of madness, betrayal, and hate.”

“Their ancestors were cursed, and the curse carried down to them. The priests knew they would carry the curse. It’s exactly what they wanted. Over an age, a race of vilest of creation has been born. Descended from that curse.” She paused. “That my young friends are what was chasing us”. With a long sigh her shoulders relaxed and took sips of her tea.

How long the group sat, no one knew. Each considering what they had scene. What they had heard. They sipped tea because it felt soothing and normal. Asim was still on guard, and he made no attempt to hide it. Thane and Gaige passed looks between them. Before either spoke, they wanted to talk to each other. Somehow make sense of what they all of it. Sessie spoke first. Quietly, her voice just above a whisper. “What have we to do with legends?” There, the question was asked. It could not be avoided any longer.