Dying Hymns

[Jairus Starvald]

UNKNOWN PLANET​

FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM A MINING CAMP​

​

The planet called to us from the moment we departed Raykka.

Something in the currents of the Living Force that pulled us along without hesitation or patience. "Our path is guided, we don't pick it ourselves, little one... not yet." This was what I told Vessa when she asked about it and it was an answer that rang true up to the moment that the Hymn of the Albatross landed amidst forestation, lush jungles and... nearby an open wound of nature. We saw it from the moment the ship glided through the atmosphere.

A swath of brown, pitch obsidian and fire running through emerald green.

It was pain, but concentrated rather than spread like the scenery of my old homeworld. Where Din had turned into Raykka millenia ago, this world was still in the early transition.

There was a chance here still.

An opportunity if grasped that could bring back nature and push against the tide of 'civilization'. Out we came from the grassy ramp and onto grassy vale. Vessa scampered quickly, rooting around in the bushes to explore, while I studied the surroundings. I felt them come before they broke the forest-line and made themselves visible.

Ithorians.

But they were twisted, broken, a shade of what they had been before.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

They were a sad bunch.

Muzzles covered with dirt and soot, arms shivering from exhaustion, eyes dim.

"You came from above..." One of them spoke up. His voice was tired, but there was a quality to it. Was it... hm. "...your ship, it lives?" I looked back over my shoulder to the Hymn and then to the group of Ithorians. They were huddled together, close, protection of a group. They were a herd and in a way that made them prey, but the Living Force hummed in warning against that thought.

These were not for hunting.

Why bring me here then?

"It is- the Hymn of the Albatross. Our song shaped it, made it grow into what you see."

One of them nodded, before leaning in to murmur something to their 'leader', he had necklaces around a thick, burly neck. The Ithorians had always been much stronger than anyone gave them credit for. It was presumably because of their usual pacifist ways, gentle, not quick to anger and not eager to fight. It made them seem weak and meek even.

"We... lost our ways. All we know is dirt, the roof of miles of stone and dirty ore." Another one piped up, speaking out of turn, but nobody seemed to mind. "Can you tell us? How you shaped it?"

I couldn't help but look curiously at the last Ithorian, but a nod came regardless and softly I settled myself down in the grass.

Long claws patted gently against that grassy bed and indicated for them to sit too.

They did so, after a moment of hesitation. One after another finding a spot in that circle with Coniferous. They kept sneaking up looks- at the Albatross, but also at the sentient Tree sitting while humming with nature's power. They had forgotten the ways of their ancient Jungle Priests. Here was an example of what they had lost while indentured to one mining mega-corp or the other.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

The story began with the beginning of my story.

Why?

I couldn't rightly say, but it felt right. This was all that mattered in that moment. To tell them how a slumbering slave (much like them) had been woken by the hidden strength of a small girl. How I found myself home, but lost regardless. How my home had been poisoned and how the realization came that it was truly lost to me. Because it was, Din had turned into Raykka and there was nothing to be done about that.

The Raykkans had become the apex predator and they had won that according to the ancient laws of nature.

Not even I, Coniferous, would stand against that.

I told them about the ancient groove where [member="Vessa"] and me found the ancient seedlings. Our track north to find the ancient heart. For them to understand they needed those foundations of a hard journey, of misery and of sad loss as woken eyes saw what slumber had hidden.

Of course, the events of the Heart were left by the wayside. The secrets of the Ancient Dalan were not for their ears and that was fine. Instead I focused on the decision to make this ship, to pour my song into it and shape it together with my little charge. It all began... with a single word. Followed by a realization that without it we wouldn't leave Raykka.

And that if we didn't leave Raykka?

I would die.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Destination.

This was the word that spurred us on.

The knowledge that there was a path spun for us by the Living Force and that we had to follow it, regardless of where it would lead us. But for us to do that we needed to leave Raykka behind. That poisonous world of endless hunger, of cruelty shaped by apathy and instincts, my homeworld. Metal... hurt me. I didn't understand why, the Ancients never had that problem as far as I knew.

But even a simple touch summoned discomfort.

Anything more than that? Metal shaped by hands of purpose and constructed for ends? It weakened me in ways I couldn't guess. It made me wonder just how it would feel to enter a city... or a world made up of only metal.

Either way- that realization was the first step.

A ship of metal would be like a prison made out of nightmares to me, but this woke memories within me.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Memories.

Shaped by images of ancient Dalan traversing the skies in ships of nature. Vines curling around wooden hulls, living, sentient, they were one with the trees and forests in those old days.

I shared my thoughts and musings with Vessa who agreed.

The little human seemed excited about the prospect of a living ship! It only served to further the thought that she was more Dalan than most humans. Perhaps more Dalan than those that slept now, wandering with their eyes closed. The second step was to find a basis for the ship. A tree hardy and strong, its bark firm, soul undying and capable of growing further if given shape.

This was a challenge.

In the old days the Dalan would only have needed to touch a tree and know, but ancient Din was not Raykka. Instead we let the Living Force guide us, until we found a suitable tree.

From this tree we took a fresh sapling.

It was strong (at least strong for these modern times) and we took it with us deeper into the forest. Deeper and deeper we tracked, until our core hummed with exhaustion, causing us to take several steps more. We knew when we arrived. The center of the jungle silent, anticipating our arrival already by the presence we left in the wake of the long walk.

There we settled with the sapling protected between us.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

The memories told me what we had to do next.

A song of regrowth and shaping.

The fresh sapling worked best, but it was also possible to use an existing tree. More difficult and challenging though, because trees were stubborn... set in their ways. They were frustrating, so unlike a Dalan. No, it was the fresh and malleable sapling that would work best for these ends. It began with a song, fresh and high, the song of growing, to expand on it and make it pull towards the skies.

We channeled it through the staffs we created from the ancient sleeping Dalan.

The Staffs of Cultivation.

They enhanced our strength and allowed us feats we wouldn't have been able to do without them. The sapling grew with the strength of our song enhanced by the staff's might.

It would take time either way.

The growth of a ship was not an easy pursuit, but by the end of it? It would outweigh and outscale many ships of its size. This I knew certainly. The memories told me as much and that was all that mattered. The Galaxy would be shown that advancement and class didn't have to come at the expanse of nature, of their connection to the over-soul and more.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

The beginning of the process was also the most challenging part.

You had to guide the growth, shape the active mind, ensure that it expands the right way. For once Vessa found another gardener, me, as we worked together to cultivate the hull of the forming ship. While we did that a connection slowly grew from it to us. It would see us as family by the time we were done with it. Feel attached, warmth, feel love and protection.

Those were the ways to make the creations of nature loyal.

Anger and fear only induced further animosity in the future.

By the end of the start the process worked itself. We didn't need to be around, instead the presence of the staffs were enough to usher forward the further growth. This was a good thing, because both of us needed our rest. We slept, hunted and foraged, we left the site for several days and when we came back... it had already shaped itself into what we needed.

Family...

It breathed once it felt our presence in the clearing.

During its growth it had pushed aside and reshaped many trees around it... our regrowth had imbued it with strength of its own it seemed. Now that had been interesting and unexpected.

A Tree-ship capable of shaping itself.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

"...two more weeks were spend shaping, refining its form and growing its mind, until the ship formed that is before you now." Coniferous finished as he stretched slightly, enjoying the feeling of grass and dirt on his trunks and legs. He shook himself a bit and let the birb settled on his head fly away. At the very least it hadn't tried to leave him with a gift this time around.

"It learned and now it carries us wherever the Living Force wills it." "It's beautiful." This voice was joined with others of the Ithorians.

They seemed fascinated, touched, some of them glancing glimpses of it.

There was longing in their eyes and Coniferous could see that as plain as day. It made him think, before nodding softly to himself. "Would you like to see it from the inside, walk amidst it?" They immediately started nodding their heads. Quickly. As if they were afraid the chance would leave them, if they didn't immediately grab for it and didn't give it back.

The tour was long and every minute that passed the Ithorians felt... better.

More alive, connected, less stamped down.

Once the Living Ship brushed its mind against theirs? They went to their knees, tears, rocking with happiness. This was the first time they had connected with the wilds since... a very long time.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

They left the ship many hours later.

One of the Ithorians looked around and noticed something. "...the forest seems.." "More healthy?" Coniferous answered while following their gaze towards the edge of the clearing where forest began.

It did, indeed, look better now.

The trees standing more upright, the leaves greener and fresh, birds chirping with renewed vigor. There was energy to it that hadn't been there before and the Ithorians could see that plainly. Especially considering they had only been gone for some hours, while the change was fierce compared to how it had been before. "Yes, did you do this, ancient one?"

Coniferous smiled at that address, but didn't correct him.

He liked it to be honest.

"No, that was my friend's work. It felt the pain and slow degradation, it decided to help as it could." It wouldn't last, of course. There hadn't been enough time for it to be reinforced permanently and once they left? The corporation's influence would dig deeper and deeper into nature. That was simply the way of things. "It will go away once I leave sadly."

"...can we change that?"

The Tree tilted its head, while peering down to one of the Ithorians before nodding slightly with hesitation. "We could. The price would be high."

"Please."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

It was strange to him how it took his arrival here for them to regain their memories of better.

Of how the forests could be, if only they'd allow it.

If only they'd apply action to their hopes.

"Show me the place where you work, we start there." They'd wander and Coniferous would explain to them. Shape their beliefs, because they were so warped. True followers of nature were not kind, nor were they cruel. Nature did not understand either and nature did not need to. Because the absence of mercy did not necessitate the gain of cruelty as far as Coniferous was concerned.

He explained to them that the only way they could save the forests was to exercise due diligence. Over their heads the ship drifted up at the request of its Family and it would lend any assistance it could.

But the main force would be theirs.

It had to be.

Every single gain had to have cost attached to it. Such was the way of nature. By the end of it all Coniferous and [member="Vessa"] would leave, yes, but their ship would be stronger and the forest would sing their praise.

This Coniferous knew.