Story - The Heart of Winter

While I'm posting up old works, here's the story I wrote for people to put in my Christmas cards from last year. Hope you all enjoy, I got a good response from people who read it (though they're hardly gonna turn around and say "That story you wrote me for Christmas sucked!" :P)

Cheers, I'd like to here some C&C if you've got 'em

Challis

The Heart of Winter

It was a time of ice and snow, a time when winter stormed in and held tight to the land with frosty fingers for as long as it could. High in the mountainous regions of the lands laid the remote town of Norvak, made even more remote this December by thick drifts of snow. The people here practiced the old ways, knew nothing else and didn’t care to learn anything new. They collected the elements – they harvested them, worshipped them, built their lives around them.

Each person is attuned to certain elemental crystals, of which there are a great many. They are found all over the world; in deep lakes, shallow pools, cascading waterfalls and even in the smallest of puddles. They are always under water, sparkling somewhere in it’s depths. These crystals can be put to a large variety of uses. Drimaar, for instance, is known to give great clarity of mind to those who stare at it. Halasinc will ease any pain in your joints if ground down into a fine powder and snorted. Malvantor is used as a seasoning for a great many dishes because of it’s delicious taste and luscious aroma. There are, of course, so many elemental crystals that it would be folly to try and categorize them all here. There are of course some crystals that are rarer than others, some that are as common as rock itself. All of them are the same in this much however – they can only be handled by those who are attuned to them, to others they will simply melt away when taken from the water in which they form.

It is a great gift when one is attuned to one of the rarest elements, such as Ulban, which when worn in a ring around the finger is known to grant good health. Others are attuned to very common elements and are therefore less fortunate, though it is no shame at all to be able to harvest any element that will ease peoples lives. You may be wandering how one goes about finding the element that they are attuned to? Well, when in the presence of an element that you are able to handle, your hands will start to feel heavy and your veins near your wrists will become more prominent, even glowing the colour of the element you are attuned to. In some of the older town various tests were carried out on children using elemental fragments to determine what they were attuned to, and Norvak was one such town.

They also had a right of passage that all children had to perform as soon as they were old enough. They would have to go out into the world and find their element, then return with it so that it could be forged into a necklace to be worn around their necks. Some would be gone an hour, picking up their very common elemental crystal from a pond just outside the town, others would be gone for long years, searching the earth for some rare and obscure crystal so that they could return to the town wiser and empowered. Those who could not find their elemental crystals, or the town elders could not determine their element, were social outcasts. Not frowned upon exactly, but certainly regarded as odd and unnatural. Those who were unsure of the element to which they were attuned often left the town in search of any that they could handle, never to return because of the shame.

This winter the whole town was in mourning. There had been born a child that was prophesised to unite the elements. She alone would be able to merge the crystals, to blend them into one another and create fantastic new compounds. This skill was so rare and so wonderful that people had travelled from all over the world to bless the child upon it’s birth. But now, the young child lay dying of an illness that none could cure. It was December 24th, and all hope for the child was thought lost. Arian and Dythia, the child’s mother and father, lay by its side, praying to anyone that would listen to let their child live. The crib was by the open hearth in the town hall, and the silent townspeople had gathered to pay their respects to the dying infant.

The parents made one last plea to the town elders, “Please, is there anything that can be done for our child?” A silence fell over the group sat to the farthest left of the room on large wooden chairs. After a long while, one man stood up, swayed briefly under the intensity of the stares coming from the crowd and the parents, then cleared his throat.
“There is but one suggestion I can make,” He said in a voice ground down to a mere whisper by years of use, “There is a legend that has been passed down by our forefathers, all but forgotten in these times.”
“It was said that one would be born to us that would possess great power, but would suffer greatly during infancy. They say that only one thing can save the child’s life, an especially rare element – the Heart of Winter.”
This sent a murmur through the room as people turned to each other and talked in questioning tones.
“Little is known of this elements exactly whereabouts,” The elder said, struggling to raise his voice over the collective vocal efforts of the room, “But there have been rumours of a mysterious pool in the centre of the forest that few have seen. Some say that one can, in just the right light, at just the right time of night, catch a shimmering green ghost of light escaping from the depths.”
Another elder stood and faced the first, saying “but we have already carried out the elemental testing, we have determined the element that each child in the village is attuned to, there is no one amoung us that has the power to retrieve this element.”
“I do not know which crystal I can hold,” Said a small voice from out of the crowd, “I was taken ill when the examinations were carried out.”
“Who said that,” said an elder, “please, step forward.”
A young girl stood and took a step towards the elders. She was thin and pale with striking long, white hair down to her waist and bright blue eyes. She could not be more that 12 years old and seemed dwarfed by the enormity of the crowd, which had fallen silent once again.
“You have no idea what element you share a connection with?” Asked one of the elders. The young girl gave a nod as answer. The elder that had spoken first piped up again, saying, “It could be that, excuse me what did you say your name was child?”
“Bethany,” She replied.
“That Bethany is indeed attuned to the Heart of Winter,” Concluded the old man. One of his fellows beside him shook her head, “But it is too slim a chance, there is no know evidence that she truly is capable of manipulating the stone, and it is far too dangerous to send her out into the deep forest, she is a mere child.”
“Please, let me go,” Bethany said, turning to the crib and the parents beside it, “I a the baby’s only hope, I want to at least try.”
A tear ran down the mother’s face and she smiled. Bethany smiled back tenderly and then turned back to the elders, awaiting their approval, which she was sure they would now grant.

Within an hour, Bethany was on the only path into the forest, the large green cloak that she had been given wrapped around her and the hood pull up over her white hair. The snow-laden trees either side of the path allowed slithers of pale moonlight to filter between them, lighting the path before her. She followed the path down an incline for a long while before it faded completely and she stumbled onto flat ground, the forest surrounding her now on all sides. She looked up, hoping to find some answer to where she was in the stars above which could be seen clearly through the dark blue sky above. They told her nothing, and so she carried on in a direction she hoped would carry her to the centre of the forest. The night was still, no breeze whistled through the trees and the forest was unusually quiet, disturbed only by the crunching as Bethany made her way between the giant pines.

The trees began to thin as she walked, eventually opening up into a clearing where the moonlight held dominance over the shadows of the forest. Bethany stepped in cautiously, filled with an inexplicable unease. Then, from between the trees stepped a colossal white wolf, unlike any beast the young child had ever seen before. She was used to seeing the scrawny grey wolves that lurked just outside the fields where the cattle were put out to pasture, mere scraps of tattered fur hung over bowed skeletons. But this was quite a different animal, it’s rich, glossy coat reflecting the moonlight, it’s giant paws leaving indentations in the snow, it’s bold, green eyes penetrating into Bethany’s very soul. Her fear twisted in the pit of her stomach, then evolved into an overwhelming sense of peace. The wolf stepped into the centre of the clearing and bowed its head, still staring at her with those great big green eyes. She sensed that it was giving her its approval, allowing her passage through its domain. She stepped towards it, which caused it to softly pad off deep into the forest from whence it came, leaving her in the clearing with no clue of where to go.

“It is confusing, isn’t it,” Said a deep voice behind her. She turned around and saw a tall man dressed in furs from head to toe. He had weathered features and a large beard with accompanying long, curly hair.
“And what might a young lady such as yourself be doing in the middle of this forest on such a cold night?” Asked the stranger, stepping forward and kneeling so that his head was level with Bethany’s.
“I’m looking for a crystal,” She said, “a very rare one from the middle of the forest.”
“A little late for gem hunting isn’t it?” Said the man, a confused look breaking out over his ruddy features, “The elemental assessments usually take place before the harvest has been brought in I thought.”
“I don’t know what crystal is mine,” She replied, “I’m here to try and help the sick baby in the village.”
“A noble cause indeed,” said the man, smiling. He stood and brushed the snow from him. “I too have not yet found my elemental stone. When the elders were unable to determine which element I was attuned to, I came into these forests to see if I could find it by chance. I’ve been searching ever since. I had almost forgotten what people looked like, until I saw you.”
A wistful look came into the man’s eye and he sighed deeply. “Anyway, maybe I might be able to help you find this crystal shard of yours, I have seen a great many in this forest over the years, as you might imagine.”
“Thank you!” Said Bethany, “ you’re very kind indeed!”
The man laughed heartily and replied, “not at all, not at all. Now, where is it we’re going again? The centre of the forest you say? I think I know exactly where you mean. Follow me.”

As they walked, the man introduced himself as Salokin and told Bethany all about his travels through the forest, of the beasts that lived there and the plants that grew there and all manner of things. She would not have been terribly interested, but she was so grateful for the company that she listened to Salokin eagerly. The route they took lead them deep into the undergrowth, where man had seemingly not stepped foot for generations. They passed the relics of ancient civilisations, wooden carvings and sculptures, though whether man or some other, more ancient race crafted them, perhaps no one now could answer.
“These are the old places,” Salokin pointed out, “perhaps they hold the key to the knowledge of our very existence.”
He looked down at Bethany’s bemused face and chuckled. “Or perhaps not eh? They’re pretty all the same.”
Bethany beamed back up at him and took hold of his large hand, speeding up to keep pace with him.
The further in they travelled, the larger the trees became, until they were walking amoung oaks and pines and ferns of titanic proportions.

Eventually, they came to the mightiest tree in the forest; it’s branches reaching far above the reach of any of its brethren, out of view. At it’s base was a clear pool of water, highlighted by a shaft of moonlight escaping from the branches of the great tree.
“Here is the pool,” Said Salokin, “I think here you may find the element you’re looking for.
Bethany stepped forward, lowering her hood and gazing into the pool. Sure enough, beneath the waters there was the glimmering of a green shard. Rolling up her sleeve, she plunged her hand in and grabbed hold of it with her skinny fingers. She lifted it slowly from the water, but as it broke the surface, it melted away from between her fingers, sinking to the depths and reforming at the base of the pool. Bethany turned to Salokin, horror on her face.
“It didn’t work? Why?” She said, exasperated.
Salokin rubbed his face, trying to find the right words. “Perhaps you were never meant for this crystal, Bethany. It is hard when you think that perhaps you have finally found it and then find that it slips between your fingers. Believe me, I have experienced it many times.”
Bethany was now crying, her wet hand held up to her face. Salokin walked over to her, placing his great arms around her, enveloping her in a hug. She cried into his shoulder, breathing in great, ragged breaths.
“But what’s going to happen to the baby?” She sobbed.
“There, there,” Salokin said, trying to comfort her, “Just lets-“
But before he finished, he noticed the little girl’s wrists, the faint green veins on them softly glowing. He pulled up his own sleeve, noticing the same soft glow at his own wrists.
“Well, now here’s a thing,” He murmured. “Bethany, give me your hand dear.”
Bethany lifted her head from his shoulder and placed her hand in his, looking at strong glow now emanating from the area where their wrists met. Salokin slowly guided her hand into the water, right down until their hands met the crystal shard at the bottom. Together, they clasped hold of it and pulled it from the water. It stayed solid in their hands, and Bethany smiled wildly and looked from her hand to Salokin’s face. He smiled a broad, almost knowing smile and raised his eyebrows, laughing in his throat pleasantly.
“The Heart of Winter,” He said, “It’s ours Bethany.”

The fire in the town hall was dying down to embers now, and still the parents sat beside the crib, now alone in the gloomy building. They were so wrapped up in their grief, they did not even hear the great doors opening, did not here the feet approaching. Indeed, they did not even notice the pair walking towards them until they saw the green light emanating from their entwined hands. They looked up into the faces of their white-haired guests.
“Little baby,” said Bethany.
“We have a present for you,” finished off Salokin.
They extended their hands towards the child, letting the green light from the Heart of Winter engulf its tiny body, filling him with vitality and warmth.

The young child did indeed grow into a great man, who led the town with honour and dignity, never abusing his great gift and using it only for the good of others. And as for Salokin and Bethany, they were not seen again after that mild morning on December 25th, though if you were to ask me, I would say they are probably in the forest somewhere, hand in hand, keeping the Heart of Winter safe and making sure it’s light will never fade.


By Liam Welton

A nice story, only thing I didn't like about it was the "Christmas" element of it all, but that's just my preference.
Few grammar mistakes, mostly it was a word missing here and there, and I think I only spotted one spelling mistake, which may or may not be true :P But anyways, nothing major.
A nice, and very well done story. I liked how they both had to hold it very much, it was a nice touch.

based this on a wierd dream I had in which there were these elemental stones that only certain people/combinations of people could extract. One very stressful evening spent running around dipping my arm into pools of water :P

Haha, that's funny. The idea is a good one though, pretty original.