Season of the Blue Star Read online

  Season Of The Blue Star

  Landscapes Of Beyond, Volume 1

  Gary Kealy

  Published by Gary Kealy, 2020.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  SEASON OF THE BLUE STAR

  First edition. November 30, 2020.

  Copyright © 2020 Gary Kealy.

  Written by Gary Kealy.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter 1 | Journey

  Chapter 2 | Storms

  Chapter 3 | Surprises

  Chapter 4 | The Snowdah

  Chapter 5 | Talim

  Chapter 6 | A Lightning Year

  Chapter 7 | The Fallen

  Chapter 8 | Forest Fair

  Chapter 9 | Revelations

  Chapter 10 | Grand Oakland

  Chapter 11 | Departed

  Chapter 12 | Dark Star

  Chapter 13 | Star Light

  Chapter 14 | Wind Fire Earth

  Chapter 15 | Titan's Pass

  Chapter 16 | After the After

  Chapter 17 | Shadow Falls

  Chapter 18 | The Horseman

  Chapter 19 | Forge

  Chapter 20 | Blizzard

  Chapter 21 | A Cold Wind

  Chapter 22 | Tellrena

  Chapter 23 | Wind & Lightning

  Chapter 24 | Aftermath

  Chapter 25 | Lost

  Chapter 26 | Into the Wild

  Chapter 27 | Unleashed

  Chapter 28 | The Ring

  Chapter 29 | Darkwood

  Chapter 30 | The White Stag

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  To Ciara,

  On the Earth, in the Sky,

  This special place is for us.

  Chapter 1

  Journey

  "The past has flown away.

  The coming month and year do not exist;

  Ours only is the present's tiny point."

  -Shabistari

  FOR A MOMENT KYY WAS between two worlds, the seen and the unseen and lay for a time in natural great peace. Then his thoughts returned, rushing in like leaves being blown in a strong breeze, swirling and dancing in every direction. He was aware of them, yet they were out of focus and he was unable for the briefest moment to think clearly. Emerging from that dream state with a lattice of thoughts and images arranging themselves he grasped at one, catching it, feeling its shape and texture and at once his day began. The wait was over; he would be leaving shortly. He swung round so that his feet touched the rug by his bed. His toes scratched and slid over the texture of the fabric and the sensation brought his body further awake. It was also more reassurance that he was no longer dreaming. He lit a candle, sending shapes and shadows to play on the walls. Now his eyes opened fully. They were the drivers in a kinetic process so beautifully complex that Kyy seldom considered it. Awake now, his attention turned to packing the last of his things for the journey ahead.

  Kyy had been raised at the stables by his grandparents and with them he was much loved and cared for, and despite having lost both parents at the age of five, he wanted for nothing. Life at the stables showed him a world outside the forest and gave him a set of skills not available to the other children of Greywood. He learned much under the tutelage of his grandparents, but his focus was always guided towards the horses - how to ride and care for these noble animals of superlative grace and condition. Horses were his grandfather's passion and this passion was passed down to Kyy. For most of his life Ealdar had lived on his stables where he bred and trained horses. These animals were highly sought after as they were regarded as the most finely trained horses in Calbura.

  Under the guidance of his grandmother, who had a great affinity for nature, Kyy came to look upon the natural world as an entity unto itself, something to be treated with respect. It is the essence of everything we see and touch. To be detached from it, as so many are, is to be detached from one's self. Narua always believed that life within the natural world should not be a struggle, but a harmonious existence of balance and joy. The people of Greywood Forest treated their home well, but also, often took it for granted. Narua never grew negligent in that respect and always reminded Kyy of the wonders that constantly surrounded him. Kyy and his grandmother would stay in the cottage during much of the Summer so that Kyy could play and form connections with the local children and be a more integral part of Greywood Village. Ealdar would visit often as the distance between the cottage and the stables was only a morning's ride away. The life of a horseman was a full time job however, so he could not remain with them for too long at any one time. Kyy had spent the last year predominantly in the cottage as he completed an apprenticeship with the resident woodsman and spent time in the local foundry where he learned basic metal work. Now his time there was finished.

  As Kyy pondered what else he would need to bring with him, he knew that he would miss the forest immensely. Equally, the thought of what he would experience at the stables this time gave him a real sense of excitement. With an energized flourish he flung the last of his things into his rucksack.

  It would be a long walk to his Grandfather's farm on the upper plains, north-east of Greywood forest. Kyy packed some food, enough for two or three meals and then sat down to his final breakfast at the cottage. Afterwards, he took a last look around the small house, ensuring all the windows were tightly closed and the latches fastened on the doors. He then gathered up his rucksack and stepped out into the fresh air. It was late spring and the day would be bright and pleasant. As yet the sun had barely awoken, but overhead in this small clearing the first hazy tendrils of light stretched across the sky, softening the ultra-marine morning as they reflected off the light, wispy clouds. A lone hawk sailed quietly above; its view of the sunrise was not obscured by the high trees and in the distance the sun had just begun to rise from the dusky red horizon. The thin semicircle of intense crimson illuminated the ambient atmosphere in shades of orange and yellow. In the small clearing where the house stood, the light had not yet penetrated fully. The morning was suffused with a blue-grey hue, mirroring the sky. All the flowers and trees reflected the morning's mood, the atmosphere was tinged in half-light, and everything was still. Kyy felt calm and peaceful and so at first was reluctant to set off along the forest path. He took one last look back at the house he had grown up in. The small cottage looked serene and beautiful as it welcomed in the dawn. The thatched roof was in slight disrepair and dwarfed completely by the massive grey trees which rose up behind it for over a hundred feet to the canopies covered with leaves. The walls were partially covered in ivy, which grew up to, and between the windows. The long flowerpots on the windowsills that once had been so beautifully filled now sat empty. Kyy had not wanted to fill them since his grandmother had died.

  Kyy turned back to the path and carried on. Although he was a little uneasy about leaving the familiarity and security of the forest he was very much looking forward to seeing his grandfather again. It had been several months since Ealdar had last visited, at which time he had only stayed for three days, most of which was spent travelling to and from the forest village as he always had much business to attend to with the Forest Council. Kyy, apart from his Grandfather's position, had little interest in the politics and for the most part Ealdar never troubled him with such issues. Kyy's main interests were forged out of his experiences growing up and through the influence of his grandparents. His grandmother especially had instilled a love of nature in him and always favoured a more holistic approach to education, choosing not to cloud Kyy's mind with the current politics of Calbura. The history and geography of the world, ho
wever, did spark Kyy's enthusiasm for learning and he had many books detailing the history and legends of Calbura and many other lands. He also had a large number of maps and although he had never travelled past Oggia, a fortified town about a league from his Grandfather's farm, Kyy thought that maybe on this visit he would get the opportunity to venture further.

  The day drew on, bright but temperate at first, especially within the forest. The huge silver trunks held abundant canopies in a hundred shades of green. This multitude of colour was made even more dazzling by the sunlight, which affected the surface of every leaf. Some were illuminated and others partially shaded, but each one contributed to the sea of green that swayed and rustled gently overhead and kept the heat of the sun at bay. Columns of light pierced through all around as if Kyy were walking in a giant spider's web constructed of sunshine.

  The old forest road was well worn and kept in relatively good condition. Woodsmen regularly cleared the fallen trees and cut branches which encroached too far onto the road and might cause problems for passing wagons and coaches. Many small flowers and shrubs flourished by the roadside as much more light filtered down there than in the deeper forest. An aisle of colour and vibrancy guided travellers through Greywood. The procession of flowers was rich and diverse and was in constant flux depending on the season. Now wild tulip, bluebells and poppies were but a few of the many flowers present. By the road-side was a wilderness just under control; wild flowers abounded as if nature's imagination overpowered man's attempt to constrain it.

  Kyy enjoyed walking this road by the flowers in the sunshine but he preferred to wander off the path and follow it roughly from inside the forest where he would half lose himself in fantasy and daydream. He would pass trees quietly, step over rotting logs trying to disturb nothing and leaving as few tracks as he knew how. Kyy would imagine himself on some great journey or important task doing his best to remain concealed within the forest. Staying in the shade, he sometimes let his fingers pass slowly through beams of light as they shone through the dense forest, watching as in the haze the particles of dust and light swirled perfectly around his fingers. The slight breeze made by his hand would create beautiful tiny whirlwinds and he would be lost for moments and eternities in their splendour, then he would close his hand and move on. He had played these games of imaginary adventures with his friends when he was younger, pretending to be Forest Scouts patrolling for wolves, enemy soldiers or goblins. It had always been Kyy's ambition to join the Forest Scouts and to maybe one day become a Wind Scout, or even a Storm Scout like his father Quaid. However, as one needed to be an Amalgam in order to be chosen as a Storm Scout, that was an almost impossible feat to emulate. He often thought of his father and his mother as he ventured through the forest.

  Kyy was very young when his parents left. He was told later, when he was old enough to understand such things, that Quaid and Ori had left during the Iron Wars and had never returned. Anything Kyy remembered about his parents seemed to have faded, leaving a vague shadow of a memory. From his grandparents' descriptions he felt he had an accurate impression of them, but it was not the same as a memory, which troubled him occasionally. All the information he had about his mother was that her name was Ori and that she was a beautiful and kind person. She hailed from the land of Nemuria, a country that lay far to the east. According to his grandfather it was one of the great kingdoms as Kyy subsequently learned from books. Narua was always upfront and open with him and even though Kyy was a small child he knew his mother had died. His grandmother's love lessened the negative effect of his mother's absence. With regards Quaid he did, however, have one overriding memory that had stayed with him from his time with his father. He remembered walking in the forest with him when he was very small, slowly exploring his surroundings with the energy and tenacity of a small child, struggling over the vegetation and completely absorbed in everything he saw and touched. It was during these excursions, when they would try to keep as quiet as possible, that Kyy would hear his father's voice, 'Every step a whisper.'

  It was these words now which echoed in Kyy's mind as he continued his journey. Quaid had lived much the same lifestyle as Kyy, spending his youth between the forest and his father's farm. Ealdar had told Kyy many stories of Quaid's upbringing and it was clear that he missed his son very much. It was Quaid's skill as a tracker, hunter and woodsman that made him a perfect candidate for the Forest Scouts. Once he joined, he rose quickly in rank, becoming the youngest Wind Scout ever in Greywood. Growing up on the farm had made Quaid an excellent rider and horse trainer and it was these skills which allowed him to become the only Storm Scout ever to have come from Greywood. The story of how Quaid chanced upon his Hybridia and so became a Storm Scout had always been Kyy's favourite. His grandfather had told it many times and Kyy never tired of hearing it, apart from the end. As he walked steadily onwards Kyy imagined himself sitting by the fireside at his grandfather's farm listening to Ealdar recount the tale once more.

  To become a Storm Scout you must have been a Scout of some description first. In these parts there are forests and plains and three major ranks of Scout exist: Wood, Forest and Wind Scouts. The lower the rank the less area one is responsible for and the fewer duties one has. It is the responsibility of all Scouts to protect their patrol area and to educate the people about the conservation of the land. When a Wood Scout progresses to the Forest rank he can then be called upon to aid neighbouring areas and even be recruited by the army if needed. With training, a Forest Scout can become a Wind Scout, at which point his patrol area is greatly extended to cover the whole forest and also the Lundar Plains. These Wind Scouts also serve as envoys between all lands, ensuring communication is maintained and the spirit of friendship and peace upheld. They are held in high regard and admired in their respective communities but no amount of training can earn the title of Storm Scout.

  That only happens when one joins with a Hybridia, an animal who has the mark of dragons. The Storm Scouts are the Scout elite, highly trained and powerful; they are the pride of Calbura and have shaped this land positively for centuries. It is widely acknowledged that if an animal such as this accepts you, it is then your responsibility to use this gift to serve your people and land. This is not always the case but for your father there was no other thought.

  Quaid had been a Wind Scout for three years; he was much loved in Greywood and a favourite among the younger and older Scouts alike. Usually it takes at least five years to even be considered for the rank of Wind Scout but Quaid's skill was such, that within two years of forest duty he was promoted. One evening a message was sent to your father concerning a number of traders who had been bringing supplies from Arapallo, a mining town on the other side of the Crystal Mountains to Greywood. It was roughly a four day journey from Greywood and the traders reported strange activity on the plains. They were lodging at the tavern in Greywood village and Quaid went to meet with them at once. They told of unusual rock and soil formations that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. They also reported hearing loud noises, like explosions, in the distance. They explained where they had encountered these phenomena, an area Quaid knew to be a popular grazing area for wild horses.

  These were not the first stories Quaid had heard about such things. There had been rumours weeks before that these horses were acting strangely. At first he did not take them too seriously, but given the traders' most recent accounts he had no choice but to investigate. The Lundar Plains were also an important trail for traders and it was part of a Wind Scout's duty to ensure safe passage for all travellers. It was a two-day ride to the Crystal Mountains and Quaid set out from Greywood the following morning.

  The forest road that leads north out of Greywood eventually gives way to farmland and more open countryside. On the road north the Crystal Mountains begin to grow continually in stature until they dominate the horizon; they are the first mountain range of many that exist in North Calbura. The rich farmlands after one leaves Greywood in turn give way to the grassland plains
of the Lundar. My land is the only territory in this area that still has natural grassland and so in this way the Lundar Plains still reach Greywood Forest.

  Quaid made good time and had travelled further than he had anticipated by the end of the first day. That night he stayed with a family who lived on a farm that lay right on the edge of the vast Lundar grassland. They too had heard of the rumours and reported some strange happenings when out tending their livestock, much as the traders had done. One story from a young shepherd in particular intrigued Quaid. The boy had witnessed a horse moving incredibly fast over the plains. It was a white horse, the boy said, with a dark brown mane. Any other details were impossible to make out due to the speed it was moving at and its distance from him. When it disappeared from view he heard a massive blast, as if he was in a thunderstorm, yet the skies were clear.

  On the beginning of the second day Quaid began to see signs that a large number of horses had passed through. Some of the taller grass had been trodden down and the tracks were very clear. He followed the tracks for the rest of the day as they led him closer to the Crystal Mountains. By the end of the second day the huge mountains dominated the landscape so absolutely that even their shadows felt oppressive. Quaid made camp at an abandoned hut used occasionally for shelter by farmers tending their herds and traders to escape the elements.

  Kyy was always fascinated by this image. His mind painted a picture of the scene and he imagined the solitary figure of Quaid travelling beneath the huge mountains, examining tracks while leading his horse on foot. In his mind both were cast in silhouette, even the thin reins all black, as they neared the little hut that seemed completely insignificant, set against the majesty of the giant rock extending thousands of feet to the snow-capped peaks that scraped the sky.