The Call of the Wind, Children of Kyne, Volume I Options

[Kane]

I just finished up the long volume II of this series, so I thought I'd start posting them both here. This entry is one of my first real stabs at writing out a tale and one of only a couple I ever finished. The dialogue is a little stilted and the chapters are short (needed more practice) so it isn't a long read. If you are interested in reading it, I hope you enjoy! (PS, I'm too lazy to proofread this one and I wrote in 2018, so if there are any spelling or grammar errors, I apologize in advance!)



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Prologue

The morning dew lay gleaming on the lush, green undergrowth of Cyrodiil’s Great Forest as the morning sun shined through the branches of its lofty trees. Deep in the heart of the woodlands, sat a small clearing and at its center lie a large rock, covered in silky green moss. Here upon this stone, sat an impressively large brown hawk - it looked far out of place among the other birds of the province, but it was not without purpose. Sitting as still as the unmoving stone beneath it, a wanderer could have mistaken it for a small statue to some long forgotten god.
Nestling its head into her wing feathers, she waited impassively for her prey. Soon thereafter, a crashing could be heard in the forests nearby. Quite suddenly, a pale, sickly looking Colovian emerged from the dense brush and scampered right through the clearing without so much as a glance at the large hawk.

Craning her neck, she listened for the pursuer she was expecting.

And sure enough, the gentle footsteps of a practiced stalker could be heard approaching the clearing, following the rampant destruction of the woodland left in the wake of the panicked, clumsy runner. The hawk lifted her head and waited for this new, but nonetheless expected visitor.

Ah, I see this predator is much too clever to wander into a forest clearing. The professional that he is knows to avoid such a thing, as it is ripe for ambush. Perhaps a little encouragement is needed…

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The mercenary did not like what he saw ahead. Peering through the bramble, he intensely surveyed the clearing, looking for any sign of an ambush. The vampire he pursued had thus far been crashing through the forest like an ogre, but that may have been a ruse. Vampires, he had always thought, were usually much cleverer than this oaf was.

Hesitating outside the clearing was wasting time, but his instincts were kicked into overdrive as he approached it. Long ago he learned to trust those instincts, and many times they had been the difference between life and death. So there he sat, eyes darting around the forest opening, searching intently for signs of danger.

Quite suddenly, the once calm morning changed as a brisk northern wind began to flow through the woods, rustling the treetops and bringing a slight chill to the air. Our mercenary barely noticed the change in clime, until he heard the whispers on the wind. Startled, he relaxed his eyes, and instead strained his ears to the wind, where he swore a voice had whispered to him. The breeze fluttered once more, and this time he was positive…his name was carried gently on the wind.

Kirin...approach my child. Follow your instincts…and my voice…

Standing up nervously, he shouldered his composite bow, and walked boldly into the clearing. To his utter surprise, the hawk he’d mistaken for a statue hewn above the boulder stretched its impressive wings, and spoke to him with an undoubtedly feminine voice.

“It is time for you to return home, my child. Skyrim awaits you, and your destiny has come. Left behind will be your days of mercenary work and feeble pleasures. They matter not now, and only what you accomplish next will be of any consequence.”

This was unexpected, and temporarily froze Kirin, as a million thoughts raced through his mind. He settled on only one, though.

“And if I refuse?”

“It will matter not. The aspect of destiny is inescapable, and utterly final. Try as you might, it will simply catch up to you later, at a time when you may have less choice in its subtleties. Heed my words, and I promise you will not regret the choice to follow them.”

Kirin pondered on her words once more, and quickly realized what he was dealing with. One should not refuse the finality of the divines… He removed his helmet, and knelt on the grass before the large northern hawk.

“Lady Kyne, I see the wisdom in your words, and I pledge myself and my service to you.”

“Very well, young Kirin. Your time in Cyrodiil is at an end. Return to your fellow brothers and sisters of Skyrim, and your true journey shall begin in earnest.”

She then spread her wings once more, and took to the skies above Tamriel, flying ever northwards.skies above Tamriel, flying ever northwards.

This post has been edited by Kane: Dec 10 2024, 03:08 PM

[Kane]

Kyne’s Truth

Kirin immediately knelt down, and Lydia followed suit. They both kept their eyes locked to grass, as Kirin address the Lady Kyne.

“You honor us with your presence, my Lady. Had I known you would be here yourself, I would have come much sooner.”

A gleaming flash of the whitest light filled the air around them, bursting through every branch of the old tree, and every nook and cranny of the sanctuary cavern. Kirin and Lydia closed their eyes against its intensity, waiting for the staggering brightness to fade.

Within a few moments, the light subsided and Kirin opened his eyes when he heard gentle footsteps moving towards him in the grass. A warm hand then rested atop his head with a soft touch, and the voice of an ancient, powerful being issued forth from the mysterious figure, asking Kirin to stand.

“Rise, my child.”

The stout Nord stood up from his kneeling position and looked upon the Goddess Kyne, in her pure form. Light seemed to radiate from every fiber of her being, and a gentle wind constantly rustled her long dark hair. She was clothed in robes of a deep sky blue, but the fabric seemed alive all on its own, shimmering and changing like the living sky above them. Songbirds flew gently around here, landing here and there sing their chorus of joy and basking in the warmth that radiated from the Divinity that loved them and all manner of nature’s life.

“You need not bow before me when I visit, Kirin. You have proven your faith to me already, and your companion has proven her loyalty, to you.”

Kyne the turned towards Lydia, “You may rise, too, child. Fear not my presence, but embrace it as you would embrace the presence of your own patron, Talos.”

Lydia bowed her head, and thanked the Goddess for kindness and acceptance.

“Of course, my dear. Now – Kirin…I sense you have much to ask me?”

“I do indeed, Lady Kyne. But I feel that only one of my questions is truly important… How is this possible? You first appeared before us as the very hawk I met all those months ago, and yet now, you stand before us in your pure being. I mistook you for an avatar when you spoke to me as your ancient symbol – speaking through a bird as one would expect the Divines to do.”

The Goddess did not answer right away, but instead turned and began to walk slowly the summit and her tree at the middle. She did not seem angry, as she did so with a faint smile on her face. And then suddenly, she began to sing as the birds do. A beautiful chorus of song that filled Kirin and Lydia with wonder at the most serene music they had ever heard and will ever hear. The birds that flitted about the cavern joined in, and soon the very walls echoed with the joy of Kyne’s Song.

And then she stopped. The many birds fluttering around Eldergleam all nestled into its branches, as the Lady Kyne approached Kirin and Lydia once more.

“Forgive me for delaying you an answer, but first I had to – encourage – the other denizens of my Sanctuary to leave. They are devout followers of my way, few are ready for the truth of my being here.”

She waved her hand, and around table laden with food suddenly appeared in the beneath the boughs of the ancient tree. Three chairs surrounded the homely white table, and The Goddess motioned for them to sit down with her.

“Please, enjoy yourselves. I know that you hunger for food and thirst for water. Do not let my presence stop you from satiating yourselves.”

Kirin and Lydia bowed their heads in respect, before digging into the delicious food spread out before them. Kyne watched with an amused look across her pleasant features as the two friends went at their meal with a zest. They ate and drank their way across the table for near one half of an hour before they were full and satisfied from the delicious meal that Kyne had conjured up for them.

Certain they were finished, her smile widened and she turned her attention back to Kirin’s lone question.

“Now child, as for your question about my presence here on Nirn, or – and perhaps more specifically – here beneath the Eldergleam with you.”
Kirin nodded, with a look of boundless curiosity on his face.

“The truth of the matter is simple… I never left. Scholars, historians, and zealots have preached for thousands of years that we Divines fled to Aetherius in our entirety, once we learned of our sacrifice to Nirn’s existence. But after what they did to my husband Shor, I could never leave this place. I aided him fully in his endeavor and Nirn is as much a part of me as it was a part of him.”

A moment of silence followed her words, as Kirin and Lydia dwelled on their newfound knowledge. They were stunned to think that Divines could still be among them, their very existence a secret. Surprisingly, it was Lydia who broke that silence.

“Forgive me Goddess, but I’m curious – are there other Divines that remain here on Nirn?”

Kyne smiled gently. “There are, but that is a matter for another time. At this moment, you need only concern yourself with me, for I will be guiding Kirin and yourself down the winding road that lies before you.”

She then turned her attention back to Kirin, “and that road continues in Kynesgrove.”

At that statement from his Lady Kirin groaned, causing Kyne to softly laugh.

“Now, now, Kirin. I know you are not happy with how she has used you thus far, but she walks the correct path towards understanding – even if it is for the wrong reasons. I ask that you meet her in Kynesgrove, so that you too may begin to unravel the mystery of the dragons.”

“I will of course do as you ask, Lady Kyne,” bowed Kirin. “Forgive me, as it was not my place to doubt you.”

“Nonsense, child. I told you when I appeared before you that you need not bow. You also need not worship me as you do. I have chosen you to be my champion, and also my son. All I ask is that you love me so.”

And with that, the Goddess arose from her seat at the table, giving them one last smile before she vanished in a flash of light. Kirin and Lydia both stood and watched, as the large brown hawk flew up and out of the break in the cave ceiling.

“As you wish…Mother.”