The Grave, My Soul

[Music by A. Tompkins and J. De Ron]

In the distance, my falcon flies, circling above a clearing
 in the
forest. Suddenly, I hear its cries as it falls to the 
ground to its
death. Leaving Destiny, I rush in the direction of its 
final cry. I
enter the clearing and stop in sudden horror as I view an
unnatural spectacle of ancient fallen trees.

This is a fossilised forest, silent and calm, with no sign 
of
movement save for the stain of my form. The spell of age 
has
woven its evil intent upon this hallowed ground as beneath 
the
grey clouds the forest was rent. Moving slowly, in 
deliberation
and respect for the dead, I am revulsed by the scene played
 out
before me. How these giants have fallen. Their majesty, 
their
power, and all that they were are as dust to the soil and 
returned
to the earth. I know not why.

I plead with Destiny for an answer as she arrives and she 
explains
it thus; "It pays tribute to the accursed rains for of all 
that was,
little remains. These grey flowers you see are but a poor
reflection of what's left of humanity. They spoke the laws 
of old
yet chose to disoblige the Ancient, holding such decrees in
contempt by their works. The bane of mankind is that all 

that he
is until the day that he dies is a pawn that's expected to 
live by the
lies of tradition. The human condition, it seems, is to 
reduce all to
tradition."

I wander amongst the fallen trunks as though drawn, and 
find my
fallen friend, my falcon forlorn. Lifeless, I hold his body
 hoping in
some way he's free. Whilst clutching him, I notice 
something, now
what can this be?

Embedded in chalcedony within an aged oak is the semblance 
of
an ancient warrior sword. To suggest that this had aught to
 do
with the legend was a dream but to ignore the possibility I
 could
not afford. I grabbed a nearby rock and began to smash away
the quartz as crystal shards, they flew and cut into my 
flesh. The
golden sword hilt exposed, I pulled with all my might as it
 was
loosed at last from its chalcedonic grave. And I held the 
sword
aloft for all the land to see and I was filled with power 
beyond my
darkest dreams.

Destiny, with a smile, approaches saying, "The Garensword 
holds
the power to bequeath life as well as death" as I watch my 
falcon
take wing to wind and soar high above the forest once 
again.
Following the bird, leaving the clearing behind us, we 
enter into
the forest and instantly I am startled. The sword has 

affected my
sight, enabled me to see things which I have never noticed 
before.
There are thousands of graves amongst the trees; a cemetery
 for
the living. Headstones with no names, overrun with wild 
grey
flowers.