True Wood

Truewood
Prologue
Caleb shook the black mass of leaves from his coat as he stepped out of the Darkwood, barely
keeping his skin intact. He needed to find his people before it was too late. The Whicker would
recover soon and the grey mist would only hide his scent till the moon reached its peak. He looked
toward the horizon and saw the sun beginning to set and he quickened his pace.
The light was too much for his eyes, having been trapped inside the Darkwood for a decade. The
barren grey land that surrounded the forest for leagues provided no nourishment and no shelter.
The blood dripping from his wounded back and thighs glittered on the never-absorbing soil, leaving
a clear trail for the Whicker. The grey sand seemed to stretch till the horizon and Caleb was no
closer to finding home.
Falling to his knees, he opened the pouch he had made with the fallen silver stems in the forest
and took out the stick. As carefully as he could, he rubbed the stick on his wounds and watched in
wonder as the bleeding began to slow and the skin started to knit itself together. This wasnt the
first time that the Truewood had saved his life.
~~~
Marjorie turned and fled from the scene before anyone could recognise her. It had been too long
since her last episode and now was not the time to pick up the pieces. She had to get away from
the light. She cursed as she stubbed her toe on a broken bottle of beer, and the unbroken skin
reminding her why she had to run.
As she neared the end of the alleyway, the turn she knew was there, disappeared and she almost
ran into the solid silver trunks in front of her. She knew this place. This is where it all began. She
turned around and screamed into the darkness;
Why is this happening now? Couldnt you have given me just a few more years? I almost had it
under control!
A grey cloaked figure stepped out of the deeper darkness, carrying a torch that had a strange
flickering grey flame. He had brought her here in her dreams before, but this felt more real, more
dangerous. He knew where she came from, obviously, since he was the one who triggered her
inner demon and right then she wanted nothing more than to tear his head off.
You are summoned before the True Council on the next Red Moon. Heed their call or you will be
made to heed it.
True Council? Now that was new. Red Moon was a deal sealer. This guy was crazy. But, then
again, she did have a lot of crazy going on with her. She needed answers and she knew only one
question would matter; Where did she come from?
~~~
It was a bright, orange dawn by the riverbank. The stone huts that housed the villagers shimmered
with the glittering morning dew on its surface. The Diamond Village they called it. Jackael stepped
out of the biggest hut, belonging to the Supreme, and put on the green, knotted grass robe that
was left on the side. He made his way to the bell tower, waking his fellow Bellers along the way.
Each village along the riverbank had its set of six Bellers and bell towers that announced the sun,
the stars, the wind, the rain, and just about anything to do with the weather. The Torchers on the
other hand, were only around when there was known strife in the land and they had to keep watch
for enemies. Even with the Great River protecting them from the horrors of the Darkwood, they still
kept watch like hawks.
The Super Council was to sit today and the weather was just right. As Jackael made his way to the
highest bell, the Sixth Bell, only used for the most important dawns, he noticed a black spec on
The Grey that surrounded the Darkwood. It was moving and moving fast, and looked very much
like a running man. Jackael, dumbfounded and unsure of what to do, ran to wake the Supreme.
~~~
The Darkwood is growing, Truth Speaker. It wont be long before it covers the damned grey soil
surrounding that was meant to be a barrier. The Hundred are rising from the deep and the Trumpet
of Truth must be sounded if we are to have any hope of defending the world from another
Darkness!
Calm, Governor, said the Truth Speaker. The Darkness has stewed in its vileness for a thousand
years. It knows not the agents of light that have penetrated its deepest and darkest secrets. Our
Truth Seekers will be summoned and their blood will save us all.
The True Councils leader, the Truth Speaker was never wrong.
Chapter One - In the beginning

On our land, a lost time and Era ago, the land was in its most nourished and flourishing state.
There were vast settlements of men, constant innovations and progress with the land.

True Wood

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Truewood

Chapter One - In the beginning

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