Tales from Nibel: Moontouched Spirits

“Tell us a tale, Sol!!”

I gathered eagerly with the other spirits, eyeing the hailed guardian spirit. She was bound to speak; many spirits have gathered here, in her cave, to hear what she has to say. As one of Nibel’s oldest spirits, she had seen much more than many of us had, and in her years, had woven many tales for others to enjoy and take courage from. It was this courage that allowed us to visit her directly at her cave, which was hidden deep within Black Root Burrows, a place where many of us fear to go. Yet now—Fil, Reem, Leru, Nir, all spirits who loved to travel and were impressive themselves, leapt, climbed, and soared to this cave, situated precariously alongside a craggy cliff. Among them was Tatsu and myself, Atsu—an uncommon instance of sibling spirits, born from the same twig from the Great Spirit Tree.

Looking out across us all, Sol flicked one of her ears, then motioned for her accomplice, Eki—another young spirit, but one who dared to live within the dangers of the Burrows--to gather the necessary supplies. The spirit obeyed without question, gathering a few sticks from deeper within the cavern and placing them in the center of the cave, just outside of the overhang ledge, so that the night sky blazed out above us. In the distance, a single lark trilled.

With a swift movement, she summoned an orb of our Light, casting the energy upon the wood, setting it aflame. The fire whispered and hissed as she took her place, her face awash in its ethereal sapphire glow. She took a deep breath, as if relishing the pulsing warmth, closing her eyes. As the fire began to die, she looked out across us once more. It was then she started, her voice low but commanding the attention of us all. As she spoke, she gathered the ashes from the flames, and painted them across the wall, her shadow melding with the smoky blue ash.

“It was on the third night of the New Year, when the Spirit heard came across the Whispering Stone. Such a stone is rare within all of Nibel, and even within the World; for these stones are created when the Moon, high above us, sheds her tears, and blesses us with Her wisdom.

“How often does the Moon weep? And for whom? Not even I know; but it is often when Harmony is misplaced, that the Moon will call to her Sister, this Earth, and in a moment of terror, destroy the light of the World—the Sun. The creatures of this World are then lost, but is from this fear that the spark of Order is born; for, when Darkness seems bound to devour all, that is when Light takes shape. And this Light takes the form of you and I; it awakens within the cowardly, and reveals the weakness in the Strong. It is when Heroes are made, and legends are built. But first, a complete cycle of Light or Darkness must come to pass. A time of strife and terror.

“This Whispering Stone knew of such a time. And so, when a Spirit drew near, the Stone began to glow with the Moon’s stolen light—for the Moon relies on the Sun to shine--and spoke.

          ‘Child of Light, come and listen to my words.’

“The Spirit was bound to obey, and knelt before the Stone, spreading their hands wide. ‘I am here, Tear of the Moon. Please share your words with me.’

          ’It is good you have come, Spirit. I am soon to break; the burden of knowledge has long worn away at my hide, and now I am weak. Spirit, my words will be few, but I implore for you to learn them by heart. You must then destroy me, and witness for yourself what is my words mean.’

“The Spirit bowed their head, “I will do as you say, Tear of the Moon.”
         
          ‘I am glad. Listen, now;
                          ‘When blood of Darkness’s blood is spilt,
                          ‘Ye shall then see the forest wither and wilt.
                          ‘Shed feelings of doubt and vengeance,
                          ‘And learn love through shared dependence.
                          ‘Travel swift and true through the Shadow Glades,
                          ‘And witness where the source of where your Light Fades.’
                   
                          ‘Here is where the Earth’s Veins are;
                          ‘Learn to care for them to travel far.’
         
“’O Tear of the Moon, I am still listening. Please continue.’ The Spirit reassured the Stone as it paused.

          ‘That is good. That was the tale of when our Moon rises; this is when it is at its zenith.
                          ‘Courage is born from those who know fear,
                          ‘Can’t you feel? A hero once walked here.
                          ‘Shadows grow large, heightened by the strength of the Light;
                          ‘It is now, that those who wish for peace must fight.
                          ‘One who knows violence cannot be swayed by the weak-
                          ‘And so, it is a strong heart that will make brave the meek.
                          ‘Lose not your way, keep truth alive in the mind,
                          ‘Then, all else will think and follow in kind.’    

                          ‘Here is where the Earth’s Heart lies;
                          ‘Learn its rhythm to build sturdy ties.’

“’I am still here, O Tear of the Moon. But I am afraid I am struggling to understand.’ The Spirit says earnestly.

          ‘That is fine, Spirit. You have your life to figure out its meaning. Now, this speaks of when the Moon sets.’
                          ‘The weary must find their place to rest;
                          ‘Leaving those who shall never again challenge Life’s test.
                          ‘Through sorrow and trial,
                                    ‘Some will be lost in denial-
                                    ‘Others will find they have traveled many a mile-
                                    ‘While few will keep their actions vile-
                          ‘But all will seek a home.’

                          ‘Light will grow once more, while Darkness will be lost.
                          ‘Only one side has to pay the ultimate cost.’
                         
“’O Tear of the Moon, I hear you.’ The Spirit says in a small voice. ‘But what am I to do? I cannot have Light lose!’

          ‘Spirit, it is time you shatter my hide. You may then see more, but I will be gone from you. Before you act; repeat what I have told you. And know this; the knowledge you have learned here is for you to act upon. Do so with temperance and wisdom.’

“The Spirit did so, without falter. Then, keeping to their word, they broke the Stone’s hide, and paid their respects while its lifeblood flew into the air, to be reunited with the Moon. However, the Spirit was in such a state of dismay, it was many days before they parted ways with this mythical place. Their mind though, never truly left; they were bound indefinitely to their experience there.

“This Spirit still lives; they dwell within the Inbetween, neither wholly Here nor There—yet surely we have all met them. They are the voice of reason amidst the most troublesome nightmare, and are the cold embrace that makes us cautious, alerts us to unseen watchers. They are the voice within us that guides our actions, and prepares us for when it is our time to return to Him, our Spirit Tree. They do not welcome us into death, but are there to greet us. They let us know that we are never alone.

“Those who are Touched by the Moon are often never the same. You see them as Seers, Oracles, and Fortune Tellers, spread across all races and creatures of life. Creatures who know and see much, and yet are world apart from the reality we know of today. Even my words, accurate as they may be, cannot invoke the same sense of mystique that the Moon can.

“This Spirit could not know any of this; for, this Spirit is the one to teach all those who follow. They sought out fellow Moon-touched spirits, who look just like you and I, but there is the extra dimension to their eyes. That is how they know one another, from then till now. And so, this original Seer remained with a paw in both this World and wherever else, to make sure that Light will never lose everything. It is their promise to us, and to the Moon, that our kind will never fall to Darkness forever.

“And so, when in despair, find the resolve within yourself, and know that you are not alone. The Moon and our first Seer have spoken, and we can trust them. We may fall, but will never be destroyed.”

They finished with a stroke of their paw, the wall and floor now covered in soot and ash from Sol’s dancing. Her own claws and hooves were covered patchily in burnt greys and blacks, but surrounded by their flourishing designs of the night sky, Nibel, and the Moon, she seemed to meld in perfectly as a ray of moonlight, gleaming strong despite the surrounding darkness. And the gathered spirits, the stars of that night sky; lights amid darkness.