The Next Form

Gaius stood at the base of Mount Zealous at night watching the Fairy Folk dance and sing at the pinnacle. Will I really become one of them?”Gaius thought.

A woman walked beside him. “It’s no use, Gaius. How will we know for sure? How will we ever find the Rune exists?”

“What about Shamen Silas and his words about the transformation of man to fairy folk, Princess Ithia?”

“I think he’s daft.”

Gaius shook his head. “Just think if there is the slightest chance he’s right! Wouldn’t you love to live forever?”

“The Rune of Transformation is an age-old myth,” said the princess.

“Someday I’ll find it!”

Princess Ithia sighed. “Believe what you will.” The princess walked off as Fairy Folk’s singing echoed.

Gaius kept staring at the myriads of glowing, flickering beings at the mountain top. He took a breath and walked away. As he neared the city he lived in, all were asleep. Next to the black smith’s shop, was the secluded small brick hut where old man Shamen Silas lived. Gaius saw light coming from a small window. He sprinted to his Silas’s hut.

Gaius knocked on the door and Silas answered. “It’s late.”

“Could we talk?”

Silas chuckled. “No doubt it’s about the Rune.”

“Yes, if you don’t mind.”

“Come in,” said Silas.

Gaius asked where where the Rune of Transformation was. “You’re the only one who believes me. You persistently ask and it means a lot. I believe it is time.” Silas took out a small scroll and gave it to Gaius.

“What’s this?”

Silas narrowed his eyes. “This is a map to the Rune.”

“Truly!”

“I would go myself but I’m too old to brave the dangers,” said Silas. “I suggest you begin now.”

Gaius reeled back. “You mean this second?”

“Indeed. I will give you supplies.” Silas gave Gaius a knapsack and victuals along with a sword. “Make haste Gaius!”

Gaius nodded and barged outside and grabbed a torch. There were three places to go to get to the Rune. He went north to the Murky Lake. When he arrived, a skiff was next to a wooden dock.

“Strange.” Gaius boarded and shoved off. All went smoothly. Suddenly, a green serpentine monster splashed up through the surface. It hissed and made a quick strike. Its fangs snagged the thick wooded skiff surface. Gaius took his sword and pierced the beast. It broke free of the skiff and writhed about in pain then disappeared underwater. Had it died?

The sea serpent tipped the skiff over and Gaius fell overboard. The monster constricted him but somehow Gaius managed to hold his blade. He wriggled it free and made a slash and was released.

With another strike from the monster, Gaius thrust his blade into its mouth and it died motionless. He saw the shore from the moonlight and swam for shore. He shivered, wet. He made it to the Misty Forest.

Gaius made a fire with flint stones he brought. He stripped to his undergarments and dried in the flame heat. He dressed in a spare change of clothes and heard a horrid cry and brandished his sword. He waited…nothing.

Thena white, transparent hag-like creature appeared. It cried again. Gaius lunged and slashed at it but it was a noncorporeal phantom. He backed up to his fire and the phantom stopped nearing him. It dawned on him-fire was its bane! Gaius took a burning branch and hurled it at the manifestation and it caught fire. It came for him all ablaze and he held another longer fiery branch and it stopped pursuing. It screamed again and Gaius’s ears surged with pain and he dropped his sword to cover them. He felt dizzy and passed out.

Gaius awoke and it was morning. He didn’t hesitate and went on through the forest. He remained wary but no other obstacle met him. He left the forest border and came to the Ruins of Ifria, a broken-down stone keep where the Rune of Transformation lay according to the map. He crossed a dilapidated bridge.

Gaius walked through the open front gate and walked through a huge chamber with vaulted ceilings. He got a feeling in his stomach-he was not alone. He went on and heard grinding stone. He turned to the sound and saw a behemoth beast rise from a pile of stone. A terrible red dragon stood there!

“You have come for the Rune of Transformation.”

“You speak!” said Gaius.

“Yes, and now…you die!” The beast’s chest expanded and Gaius knew what was to follow and he lunged to the side as a plume of fire missed him. Next, the dragon struck Gaius with its tail and he got the wind knocked out of him as he slammed into the wall. He gasped for air.

“I wonder what humans taste like.” The dragon opened its mouth to devour him.

A bright being with a shining bow shot at the beast’s heart and it veered back and forth like a drunkard until it fell to its side, lifeless.

Gaius rose and the being approached. “I am your future incarnation. You will dawn this glorified form once you have passed from your mortal shell and raised to everlasting life by the Son of the ruler of heaven and Earth.”

“I don’t understand. Where is the Rune?”

Gaius’s future embodiment took out a small book with a cross on it. “Through this book, you will find the immortality you have wished for. Once you devote yourself to the one true God, you will die and then be resurrected with a glorious, eternal body. Return home and share this secret with your fellow citizens.”

In a flash of light Gaius was back in his city. It was the ultimate evolution! To be reborn from a fleshy body and into the one he just saw! He shared the message in the book and some believed and otehrs didn’t. Though it was slightly morbid, he looked forward to death and the ultimate spiritual evolution!