vkobe Jdao-kalcun kynsdO oli

Kieynsdro lost in the Mists of Kalchun

Kieynsdro, a young soldier, is returning home to his family. His army, the army of the red bush, won the siege of the City of Kulkama. The army is not expecting another fight for a few weeks so Kieynsdro and others have been sent to rest. He walks alone but is not afraid. He travels through many quiet villages and expects to arrive home the next day. He does not stop in a village at night because he wants to travel further that night. A very large scar from an anti-sovereign war is too big for him to cross over so he must sleep inside it. &quotWasn't this smaller,&quot he thinks.

Kieynsdro makes a camp and starts a fire. He eats an army ration because there is no food in an anti-sovereign-scar. He finds the quiet of the anti-sovereign-scar to be a bit scary but he goes to sleep. He has nightmares about a goat army attacking a flying whale while the mountains turn into pastries.

Kieynsdro awakes to find himself surrounded by fog. He cannot see far and he cannot find any landmarks. He stumbles around trying to find the road or a path but soon realizes he has lost the road, lost his camp, and is completely lost. He walks for hours but cannot find an escape from the fog. He sits down and eats some hardtack.

Kieynsdro gathers stones and makes a small pile. He then makes a line by dropping a stone every few steps. After some time, he turns and follows his line but never finds the pile. The line never ends. He walks and becomes sleepy and dizzy, so he makes a camp and a pointed pile to show the direction he came from. He then goes back to sleep.

Kieynsdro awakes still in the fog, and that he was sleeping in the middle of a circle of stones. There is no line and no pile.

&quotHello?&quot he calls out, thinking someone else moved the stones.

Kieynsdro gathers the stones into his bag. He then sits and thinks about how to escape.

He talks to himself. &quotFirst problem is what happened to my line or my pile? A line is too simple, someone following me could just copy it.&quot He continues, &quotall the land is like an anti-sovereign-scar there's no plants and no landmarks.&quot He decides to make a grid so he gathers stones and marks the stones with letters. He makes the grid, using all his stones. Going back to check it, he finds the stones have become crystalline flowers. Checking over the flowers, many of them are now gone so he collects some flowers.

Kieynsdro decides he needs something bigger. He decides that strength beats all his ideas so he will use his strength. He digs a long trench but upon review, it is small. He builds a big dirt pile but it turned into a pillar with a dirt ceiling. He then falls up onto the dirt ceiling which is the ground. He then pukes.

Kieynsdro is tired so he sleeps against the pillar.

Kieynsdro awakes to find the pillar became a small pile. He decides to try digging once more and digs down. He digs down and down until he cannot see the surface. He then climbs back up, it is a small hole. He cries, &quotWhat is happening? Why is it happening?&quot He lays on his back and looks into the fog and eventually falls asleep again.

Kieynsdro awakes to his face falling into the dirt, he is now laying on his front. He snaps awake and searches the fog. He rolls over.

A wind starts.

Kieynsdro is happy, &quotthe mist will leave and I can make my escape.&quot

&quotYou have reached your end,&quot says the wind.

Kieynsdro does not understand who is speaking.

&quotYou have reached your end,&quot says the wind again, &quotand now we will negotiate your price for your freedom.&quot

&quotWho are you?&quot Kieynsdro asked.

The wind answers, &quotI am the mists. The endless mists, the mists that make destiny, the mists that change lives. I am the Mists of Kalchun.&quot

&quotYou are the mist?&quot Kieynsdro asks, not understanding.

&quotI am the mists and now we will discuss your destiny,&quot replies the wind.

&quotAre you ready to debate your fate?&quot the wind asks.

&quotWhere are you?&quot Kieynsdro asks.

&quotEverywhere,&quot replies the wind.

&quotI can't see you, this is no way for us to talk,&quot Kieynsdro retorts.

&quotYou can only see me,&quot says the wind.

&quotYou have no body. I cannot see you and so I cannot speak with nothing,&quot Kieynsdro retorts, &quotDo you not have a body you can give for me to speak to you?&quot

The wind laughed at him.

There is a bright light.

Kieynsdro finds before him a beautiful woman but she seems to be not a person but a person made of mists but she is perfectly identifiable as a woman.

&quotWhat magic is this?&quot Kieynsdro asks.

The woman laughs and the wind answers, &quotIt is who it is. You wanted a person, a person to speak with, I gave you one. Are they not attractive to you?&quot

&quotYes they are beautiful,&quot Kieynsdro replies.

&quotThen let's talk about your destiny,&quot the woman says. &quotOr do want to stay inside me forever?&quot asked the wind.

&quotI want to leave,&quot Kieynsdro says.

The woman steps closer to Kieynsdro and puts her hand on him. Her hand is cold. &quotWe have a deal to prepare,&quot she says.

&quotWhat deal?&quot Kieynsdro asks.

&quotYou give me what I want and I'll give you your freedom,&quot she says, happy.

&quotGood,&quot Kieynsdro replies and start undressing.

The woman is shocked and a strong gust of wind hits Kieynsdro and pushes him.

&quotI asked you to give me what I want! Not some bad actions of desires of yours,&quot she screams. She turns away from Kieynsdro.

&quotWhat do you want?&quot Kieynsdro asks.

&quotI want the eleven Totems of Daraysh,&quot explains the wind.

&quotI asked the woman, not the wind,&quot retorts Kieynsdro.

&quotI am the wind,&quot shouts the woman before disappearing into the wind

Silence.

Kieynsdro waits with anticipation but then sits down again. He eats an army ration and takes a flower from his bag. The flower's petals are made from beautiful blue crystal and the stem is made from flexible green crystal.

The woman appears and asks, &quotDo you like my flowers?&quot

&quotThey make me wonder, yes,&quot Kiensdro says.

The woman disappears again.

Kieynsdro puts the flower back in his bag. He then waits until he falls asleep.

Kieynsdro awakes in the middle of a field of crystal flowers. He is still in the mists but with many flowers. The woman is there holding a mist-crystal-flower. Kieynsdro stands up but he is small and the woman is big. He is a child. &quotWhat is this?&quot he asks. &quotDo you agree to our deal?&quot the woman and the wind ask. Kieynsdro becomes old and weak. He stubles but does not fall because the woman catches him. &quotOr do you accept your destiny to grow old and die here?&quot she asks happily. Kieynsdro looks at his old body. &quotI accept your deal,&quot he says, he is strong again. &quotThen take my flower,&quot the woman says, giving him the crystal-flower. Kieynsdro reaches for the flower but it turns into a ghostly tattoo. &quotThe flower has eleven petals,&quot says the woman. &quotAs you gather totems, petals will become more real,&quot says the wind. &quotWhen you have eleven totems, put the flower onto water,&quot continues the woman. &quotThat night my avatar will arrive and you will giver them the totems,&quot continues the wind. &quotAnd if I fail,&quot Kieynsdro asks. &quotThen when you die, you'll return here to be alone forever,&quot says the woman happily. Kieynsdro is afraid.

&quotNow sleep,&quot orders the woman, her hand pushing his head, touching his mind. Kieynsdro awakes suddenly. The mists are gone, the woman is gone, and he is at his first camp. He searches his bag and finds the crystal-flowers. He looks at his arm and finds the tattoo. &quotI have a new goal, a deal to finish,&quot Kieynsdro says. He gathers his things and leaves the anti-sovereign-scar.