Finally after journeying so far and for so many days I have reached The Gate of Trees. My blessed sister would not steer me wrong. I almost feel contentment at such a reward but I have no time for such emotions. Though her power rivals mine and her knowledge surpasses me I know she cannot hold out long against Mandalock’s forces. After the Sword of Loradorn was lost to me in battle she sent me here to find the Keeper of the Gate and so that I may enter into the Forest of Sanrue to find great power.
I filled my body with all the breath I could hold and screamed “Keeper of the Gate please give me occasion! I need your help!”
The forest was quiet and only echoes of my voice filled the distant sounds of the forest.
I yelled again “Please Keeper of the Gate I have not much time! My kingdom is in peril!”
This time there is no echo and the forest became gravely quiet. It is as if the trees soaked in the vibrations of the air itself. I stood still and did not take a breath hoping that this mystical figure would show his true form as Geneva had told me.
A voice from behind startled me “Well young man if you yell any louder you will wake the dead. You have already scared away the game.”
“I apologize old one. I did not mean to disturb the forest. I am in search for The Keeper of the Gate to The Forest Sanrue. Do you know of him?”
“Keeper of the Gate you say. I have not heard that name in a long time.”
The old one’s burden seemed heavy on his back as he moaned and put today’s catch on the ground.
“Where is my manners, where is manners. My name is Perrymen Reader of the Leaves. You shall join me for dinner."
I asked the old one if he needed any assistance but he would not hear of it. With a wave of his hand some type of magical door opened in the grand oak on the right side of the gate. I followed him as he hurried into the mystical waves.
“Please forgive me young one. I do not have many visitors. I will prepare us a meal and that will give you time to rest. During dinner I shall answer your questions”
A few hours had passed and from the small catch of the forest a grand feast was prepared. I took a bite of the meat he set before me and it was tender and delicious as if the forest gave him the recipe itself.
I took a sip of wine from my goblet and spoke “Perrymen this is a fantastic meal. I have not eaten such fine food in quite a while. Thank you.”
“You are quite welcome young one. So now you say that you are looking for the keeper of this gate? Why do you seek to venture into this forest Varion.”
I was amazed that he knew my name. I had not said it yet
“Yes young one. I know your name. You are King Varion, Lord of the Kingdom of Lyndal, wielder of the Sword of Loradon and now guest in the home of an old man.”
I could not grasp the words to express my amazement of his powers. He must know who the Keeper of the Gate is
“If you know this already Perryman then you must know why I am here.”
“You are here young one as many before you. You have come to seek the power in the Forest of Sanrue and you need someone to open the gate for you. Before you say yes young one let me ask you a question. Do you have happiness in your heart?
I found myself gasping for air as I chocked on my wine - - such an odd question to ask at an unusual time.
“I take you choking and not answering as a no. There is a very good reason I ask this question young one. Eat while I tell you an ancient story about the Village of Sanrue.
“Sanrue is a word that comes from a very old dialect long dead. The word Sanrue means village in the middle of the forest. The people of Sanrue were happy and their lives were content. The elders of Sanrue were very powerful and at a time none dared to challenge them. With all this power the people of Sanrue believed in harmony and friendship with all things around them even between flora and fauna. There was no need to attack a place that wanted peace for everyone. I remember a verse from a song the minstrels would sing. “Joy in one’s heart is always seen through the smile of the sun and the trees in the spring.”
I looked at the old one’s face light up and his eyes dance to the song his heart.
“For thousands of years Sanrue was the keeper of peace until a great darkness swept across the land. This darkness killed everything in his path and had no bounds. Ambition knows no father and destruction saves no lives. When this darkness came to the forest the trees felt something it never known before. It felt wickedness, hate, evil and war. It was almost as if the tree were human themselves.
“When the destruction reached the Sanrue Village the people did not fight back. They had the power but they knew not the ways of war. Mandalock’s army took seize of the elders before they could gather their great power.
I stood up in horror in mid sentence of him speaking “Mandalock!! Did you say Mandalock?”
“Yes young one. I know of your struggle against Mandalock’s army and what is at stake. Before Mandalock took control of the village the elders hid their great power and told the secret only to the trees.
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