Wildlife of Earthdawn -- Reflections on Humanity
Silence beats the air like a muffled drum. All around scattered rubble lies. A testament to the glory of civilisations past. Once dizzying spirals reached skywards. Towers saluted the rising sun and fair maidens roamed the tortuous parapets. Despite all the might and manpower in the end it is dust. We are all dust eventually. It must be so and it is so. Such is the power of nature.
As if further humiliating the collapse of humanity, muscular roots twist through the rubble, splitting and cleaving entire walls. A canopy of green towers over a stone floor. The edges of the floor are swamped in grass. A slow, living sea of green threatening to swallow all in its wake. The green canopy above rustles in the breeze. This is the roof now. Earth itself is the ceiling.
On a sun warmed slab of marble a lizard lies. Iridescent sheen glittering in the early morning light. Slowly it turns to face the sun. Life giving blood of the heavens. Thirstily it laps up the rays of golden light. Drawing in the warmth from a million miles away. Drawing it in until every cell is warm. In one whole body experience it awakes from its dreary rest and scuttles off alert. Ready to face another day. But will it salute another morning?
A dark shadow passes over the ruins. Briefly blocking out all light. High above soars a giant bird of prey. Preened feathers fresh in the radiant light. Talons outstretched and eyes keen. Death will come to somebody today! In his airy kingdom the eagle soars at ease. For he is the hunter. It will not be him who dies! Soaring high on the uplifts from the warming land, he has seen many a morning. He has seen the rise and fall of entire civilisations. He has seen the coming of darkness and the return of light. Yet still the rivers run, the winds blow and the sun shines. For earth itself is immutable. A fact as clear as the rocks themselves. I lose sight of the eagle as he plummets earthwards, talons outstretched. He will not go hungry today!
In the centre of the clearing a well lies. Wooden crank long since rotted away by termites. Only the stone facade remains. Delineating the long, dark drop to the centre of the earth. Faded runes inscribe the crumbling walls. "Tao di deus". "Water is life". And so it is. I light a torch and drop it into the well. It falls. Flickering flames illuminating the damp, mossy walls. Deeper and deeper it falls until blackness engulfs it.
A sturdy stone bench lies at the extremities of the settlement. Resistant to the weapons of time. Rounded and smooth it overlooks a leafy stream. If only the stone could talk. The stories it could tell. Of young lovers sitting side by side in the cool night air. Heralding in the full moon. A future together determined by exaggerated hunting stories and stolen kisses. Straying hands and warm sloppy kisses helping to stave off the icy night chill. A snapshot in time. Love has come and love has gone. Yet still the stone remains. And it will for time to come.
Away from this past glory of love and achievement lies something indescribable. Nestled in a shadowy corner of the forest a half demolished house sits. Jet black cockroaches scuttle over the wind blasted stones. Dashing off to disappear into ominous holes in the floor. Waves of fear and sorrow rack my body as I approach this ruin. My heart clenches in a knot and my chest is heightened with tension. I can feel the very souls of the anguished. Screaming in agony and terror. I can feel sharp, slicing blades against soft throats and people struggling, gasping for air.... Shadows seem to shift phase at the periphery of my vision. Images of terror barrage my mind in an endless onslaught. Trees seem to loom darker and oppressively. There is no life here. Only death. Even the sun will not penetrate for fear of being extinguished. This is not a place for the living. I run. Far from that evil place. Far from the twisted grip of humanity.
Azril Darkspell,
Nethermancer and Ecologist.
Upon visiting Theran Ruins
The Wanderer's Rest is currently undergoing a major overhaul. If you find any broken links or strange pages please e-mail the Webmaster at dschibeci@iinet.net.au
© 1996 - 2000 Robert Davis