“ Doctor Pickeney, what is the condition of my wife?” stuttered a broad shouldered, petrified-looking man, gazing at the wizened doctor with a look of defeat and anxiety,”Will the child make it?”
“I must be frank with you Jakob; the state of both mother and child are in jeopardy,” explained Doctor Pickeney, fumbling with withered hands to wipe his brow with a handkerchief. The father to be, trembling, sat in an old rocking chair in his living room, whimpering through the hands covering his face. “ S-sir, I cannot afford to lose either, I-”
“Young man, with whatever power vested in me as a surgeon, I will make whatever effort I can to save one or the other. I apologize for giving you so little time to decide, but that is how it is.” As if to comfort the man, Doctor Pickeney shuffled to the side and placed a gentle arm around him, feeling his hiccups and quakes. This act of kindness allowed Jakob to breathe smooth enough to speak his mind to the doctor, after a short period of patient repose from both sides. In a firm tone, yet a hint of quivering in his body, Jakob replied,” Let Sadie decide, as it is not my life in question.”
“It shall be so,” nodded Doctor Pickeney, and with a light pat on the back and short walk to the closed door, the doctor knocked with his cane and was let in by a young, spry looking woman, her apron stained red in a few places and looking relieved to see the doctor. This startled Jakob a bit, even though he had been by his wife’s side for all other births. The nurse noticed Jakob’s pale visage and gave a half-hearted smile, chirping,”Rest easy, love. She’ll be alright.” Both people disappeared through the door, leaving Jakob to resume his gloomy position.
What felt like an eternity to the young man was merely half an hour, with very little noise coming from the room. He could not take his eyes off the door but to sob into his hands, and found no comfort in the rocking motion of his seat. The unlocking of the heavy oak door alerted Jakob at once of what he had been waiting for. Standing up with the fragility of a young deer, he glance up from his moping. He struggled to stand firm. With a wide swing open, the nurse walked out. Her face shown no good nor bad intentions. In her arms, a squealing baby boy. His sound rang throughout the house, and Jakob stopped crying.
And so, Decoditus was born. His family loved him as dearly, as he was the seventh child in a bustling home of rowdy children. Jakob worked as a lumber salesmen, and his children helped him run his business, as well as any children could. The eldest son, Briken, was ten years old when Decoditus was born, and was always the hardest on him about completing chores and getting to bed and whatnot. Marigold was forever the most forgiving of the Vantallys, and was only a year short of Briken. There were the twins, Mesa and Kurt, who fought like cats and dogs over anything worth winning. Laven was an oddball, who relished in catching insects and reading the priest’s scrolls, and though was poked fun at by his peers in his younger days, became a prominent adversary to a high priest in the King’s district. Last but not least was Bean, a cheery young girl that resembled her mother in all possible ways, from her freckled face to her rugged personality. For Jakob, keeping up his work and caring for his dear children proved difficult, but the people of his small village, nestled away in the mountains, stood by his side to raise them into fine gentlemen and ladies. Although his wife had chosen her son to live over herself, Jakob could not help but deeply hide a disdain for Decoditus, and for himself.
Out of all of this, Decoditus grew up with a keen sense of spite from not just his father, but from a few others in his vicinity. Only the motherly Marigold held not an ounce of hatred toward Dec, and came to comfort him when others were cruel. “Mother did not hate you, Dec, so how could I?” cooed Mari, on nights when young Decoditus would come to her bawling about rude customers or had learned a painful lesson from Briken. Whatever Decoditus thought of or went through, Marigold would listen and pat his head till he fell asleep.
One bright, spring day, while Decoditus was out scouting the forest for good timber, his father came rushing to him with news of his Aunt visiting town. None of the children had seen their aunt since Dec was born, ten years ago, and were already at home and visiting with her. With a bright smile from son to father, the two went back to their home as the sun began to set. They found Aunt Gren and the others huddled around a fire, as she told stories with such gusto that anyone would believe each word was the truth. A shadowy, hidden scowl from Aunt Gren put Decoditus off guard, but none seemed to notice, as they were busy partaking in the merrimaking. The older woman cooked a fine meal for the family, grumbling,” These children have not had a good meal in years with no mother in the house.” Dec’s bright intuition told him to go to bed earlier than the others, but Gren pulled him aside before he started his hidden march up the stairs. While the others were munching away on ham and fresh greens, Gren whisked Decoditus into the kitchen and spoke in a low, growling tone. “Decoditus, I have a special surprise for you that I will give you tonight! When all your brothers and sisters and father are asleep, come to the forest where you see a lantern lit, and I will give you a special gift from your mother.”
This kind gesture surprised Decoditus, for he rarely received gifts from anyone other than his father or Marigold. With a cheery nod, he scuttled up to his room and lie awake in excitement for night to come, pacing and pressing his head against the floor to hear any indications of his family retiring to their rooms. After a few hours of waiting, with Dec nearly dozing off, he glanced out his window and spotted a light, sleep still blurring his vision. His memory coming back cause him to jump out of bed and stare out the window for a brief moment, then quietly rustle through his closet for his jacket and tiptoe out of the house. He could barely keep his breath steady enough to not squeal in delight while passing his siblings rooms, and as soon as he carefully shut the back door, he skipped with glee along the dirt path, crunching leaves and watching the flickering lantern coming closer and closer into view. For such a windy night, the fire held fast in guiding him towards Aunt Gren’s location, and he smiled at her briefly while she was turned around.
“Aunt Gren?” Decoditus whispered, keeping his voice low while poking her softly on her lower back.
Aunt Gren turned around quickly, with a terrifying grin, taking a step back and cackling.”What a foolish child! I despise you boy!” The old woman sneered, moving her hands in an odd fashion, summoning a dark entity from the earth. Decoditus could not stay standing as the ground beneath him trembled and cracked, driving him to attempt stumbling away from the chaos. While Aunt Gren concocted her malicious creature, roaring to life with a ghoulish howl, while young Dec whimpered and shouted in fear, his cries for help going unheard. “You didn't deserve the life you got, understand, boy?” Gren croaked, glinting with insanity,”but you already knew that! Gyahahaha!”
Not a moment after her punishing remarks, a blinding light pierced the forming black mass, sending it reeling back on pain. Decoditus turned away, coverong his eyes from the horror of the beast’s mutilated form and hearing piercing screams from his aunt. Charging aimlessly, the demonic thing left only ashes and incomplete bones behind.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THIS TIME, FOAL BOY!” shouted Gren, sobbing and groaning out of frustration or anger or pain, Dec couldn't tell. A light ting of a bell rung soft and sweet, and Decoditus assumed that whoever was making the sounds had delivered the blow to Aunt Gren’s monster. It rung from no true direction however, and when Decoditus searched for any sign of his savior, all he could make out were twinkling forms, as if he took a blow to the head. Soft voices saturated his ears, overpowering the shrieks of trouble. He was not given the chance to stand up again, because his vision became flooded with light. Darkness came when his eyes shut.
Decoditus awoke lying down in the hollow trunk of a tree. Birds were chirping, and sun beamed down through a few slits in the rotting tree, warming Dec and waking him peacefully. As he slowly blinked his eyes to adjust to the light, visions of the night’s events seared into his thoughts. The horrific scene caused him to jump and hit his head on the log, a quick yip escaping him. Bells began to toll again, this time with a different tune from Dec’s first encounter. He shuffled himself around to crawl to the entrance of the tree, light shining beautifully on lush, fertile grass. With a light hop, Decoditus stood up and glance around the expansive sanctuary he had been left in.
Large oak, willow, and birch trees swayed sweetly in the breeze, while thick foliage hid the area from view of outsiders. Magnificent flowers and stout mushrooms poked out of every nook and cranny, and the fullness of every plant was unparalleled by any of the plants that grew in Kalai forest. A small poppy drew Dec’s attention, but the bells clanged louder and lower, coming from a farther area of the glen. Caution crossed his mind while he stepped towards the sounds, till the ringing was painful. Out of the chaos of the chimes and dings, a soft whisper called,”Decoditus.”
All sound ceased, and not even the wind in the trees could be sensed, leaving Decoditus fearful.
“I-I am here, if you seek me,” he murmured, and a powerful wind swept over the miniature world. Since dust and leaves were flying up around him, Decoditus covered his face with his hands, shaking with fear and frustration. Leaves tumbled down when the wind quit, and before looking up, Dec felt the touch of a human, soft and serene. Fear and pain dwindled. Looking up to examine the person, a young women stood peacefully in front of Decoditus, resting her hand on his arm and carrying a tender smile. Her beauty was impeccable, with wide eyes and flowing honey-blonde hair. Further scanning revealed that she wore gold, glowing wings, meticulous and fanciful. About her flowed an aura of warmth and ghostliness.
“Decoditus, do not be afraid anymore,” cooed the girl,” we are good people, who wish to aid you.” Dec was speechless, and glanced around again to find any confirmation of reality. He even pinched his arm, and to his dismay and regret, he felt it. “None of this makes sense to me...” he chuckled and smiled smugly at the lady, who patted his arm in earnest. She gestured him forward while walking towards a path, previously unseen by Dec before, and he followed her command.
“I shall reveal all that you must know, so listen carefully,” declared the woman, and both sauntered along the hidden path.
“I am Conch. I and the rest of the faeries live in this glen, protected through magic and hidden from the human realm. Right now, we are in the Fae Realm, which few humans have ever set foot in. However, your mother, Decoditus, has always been close to us, and has taught us great knowledge and insight into the Human Realm. For such deeds, the faeries promised to her protection and prosperity. And so did the humans prosper, that we allowed other humans to learn our magic and secrets.”
“Alas, this pact between the faeries and humans was broken when those we had trusted used the magic for evil, and shared our most well-kept magical abilities with their cronies and wreaking havoc onto their Realm. All those who misused the magic we bestowed onto them grew dark hearts, their energy black. Countless humans suffered at the hands of a few, and our feeble attempts at stopping their growing force proved futile.”
The woman turned around from her forward march and turned to Decoditus, who was hunched over in thought. Magic, faeries, and people with magical powers were all stories to him, told by children or crazed men. But little proof had come up for him to brush aside Conch’s statements, as the kingdoms had been feuding for as long as he could remember. At an impasse, he stopped walking and shrugged, muttering,” What does this have to do with me, miss?”
Conch continued strolling forward, forcing Dec to trot back up to her pace. When they were walking side by side, she continued,” Decoditus, you are you mother’s last child, and imbued in you is her love. Through this, we do not doubt that her compassion and heart are part of you as well. With the utmost sincerity, we ask that you continue the work she left incomplete, a journey that can only be completed by the last human the Fae take credence in.”
“What say you, Decoditus?” called Conch, stopping and turning to him, then bowing low before him. The young boy stepped back with a reddening face, mumbling inaudibly and lending a hand to the faery to help her to her feet. “This is all so much at once, and I don’t quite understand it all…,” exclaimed Decoditus. His further questioning was cut off by Conch, who answered,”Follow your instincts forever and always, for deep down inside you, your elders reside. Your mother knows, and thus, you will.”
They approached a clearing in the forest, where rolling hills as far as the eye could see were lush with grass and small, twinkling beings floated along them. Already in disbelief with the situation, Decoditus began to accept the stories Conch told, and started exploring the hills, speaking with the other faeries who were excited about his presence. Over time, as the sky grew dark, Dec found himself sleeping under a willow tree on a hill, feeling stuffed from a marvelous feast hosted by the faeries themselves. The stars appeared bolder in the Fae Realm, and Decoditus drifted to sleep in complete repose.
Over time, Conch trained Decoditus in the art of magic, through the ancient methods they had been taught by their elders. Each day was rigorous and tiresome, but he took to each aspect quickly, and his youthful resilience gave his magic vitality. He made friends with other faeries, who taught him about the faery way of life, and even a few pranks they pull on humans. It took years for Conch to teach magic techniques to Dec, and for intermediate periods of time he would visit his family, who over time grew accustomed to his absence. His training in both magical arts and hand-to-hand combat hardened his boyish nature, while still holding a fondness for his concerned sister, Marigold. When his tests had been complete, Conch gave Decoditus a glittering emerald bow before he set off on his journey, speaking calm and didactic, “Let it remind you of us, and carry what power we have left to destroy the evil lurking in your Realm. Protect not just your kind, but all that is good. I have faith in you, Decoditus.”
“I must be frank with you Jakob; the state of both mother and child are in jeopardy,” explained Doctor Pickeney, fumbling with withered hands to wipe his brow with a handkerchief. The father to be, trembling, sat in an old rocking chair in his living room, whimpering through the hands covering his face. “ S-sir, I cannot afford to lose either, I-”
“Young man, with whatever power vested in me as a surgeon, I will make whatever effort I can to save one or the other. I apologize for giving you so little time to decide, but that is how it is.” As if to comfort the man, Doctor Pickeney shuffled to the side and placed a gentle arm around him, feeling his hiccups and quakes. This act of kindness allowed Jakob to breathe smooth enough to speak his mind to the doctor, after a short period of patient repose from both sides. In a firm tone, yet a hint of quivering in his body, Jakob replied,” Let Sadie decide, as it is not my life in question.”
“It shall be so,” nodded Doctor Pickeney, and with a light pat on the back and short walk to the closed door, the doctor knocked with his cane and was let in by a young, spry looking woman, her apron stained red in a few places and looking relieved to see the doctor. This startled Jakob a bit, even though he had been by his wife’s side for all other births. The nurse noticed Jakob’s pale visage and gave a half-hearted smile, chirping,”Rest easy, love. She’ll be alright.” Both people disappeared through the door, leaving Jakob to resume his gloomy position.
What felt like an eternity to the young man was merely half an hour, with very little noise coming from the room. He could not take his eyes off the door but to sob into his hands, and found no comfort in the rocking motion of his seat. The unlocking of the heavy oak door alerted Jakob at once of what he had been waiting for. Standing up with the fragility of a young deer, he glance up from his moping. He struggled to stand firm. With a wide swing open, the nurse walked out. Her face shown no good nor bad intentions. In her arms, a squealing baby boy. His sound rang throughout the house, and Jakob stopped crying.
And so, Decoditus was born. His family loved him as dearly, as he was the seventh child in a bustling home of rowdy children. Jakob worked as a lumber salesmen, and his children helped him run his business, as well as any children could. The eldest son, Briken, was ten years old when Decoditus was born, and was always the hardest on him about completing chores and getting to bed and whatnot. Marigold was forever the most forgiving of the Vantallys, and was only a year short of Briken. There were the twins, Mesa and Kurt, who fought like cats and dogs over anything worth winning. Laven was an oddball, who relished in catching insects and reading the priest’s scrolls, and though was poked fun at by his peers in his younger days, became a prominent adversary to a high priest in the King’s district. Last but not least was Bean, a cheery young girl that resembled her mother in all possible ways, from her freckled face to her rugged personality. For Jakob, keeping up his work and caring for his dear children proved difficult, but the people of his small village, nestled away in the mountains, stood by his side to raise them into fine gentlemen and ladies. Although his wife had chosen her son to live over herself, Jakob could not help but deeply hide a disdain for Decoditus, and for himself.
Out of all of this, Decoditus grew up with a keen sense of spite from not just his father, but from a few others in his vicinity. Only the motherly Marigold held not an ounce of hatred toward Dec, and came to comfort him when others were cruel. “Mother did not hate you, Dec, so how could I?” cooed Mari, on nights when young Decoditus would come to her bawling about rude customers or had learned a painful lesson from Briken. Whatever Decoditus thought of or went through, Marigold would listen and pat his head till he fell asleep.
One bright, spring day, while Decoditus was out scouting the forest for good timber, his father came rushing to him with news of his Aunt visiting town. None of the children had seen their aunt since Dec was born, ten years ago, and were already at home and visiting with her. With a bright smile from son to father, the two went back to their home as the sun began to set. They found Aunt Gren and the others huddled around a fire, as she told stories with such gusto that anyone would believe each word was the truth. A shadowy, hidden scowl from Aunt Gren put Decoditus off guard, but none seemed to notice, as they were busy partaking in the merrimaking. The older woman cooked a fine meal for the family, grumbling,” These children have not had a good meal in years with no mother in the house.” Dec’s bright intuition told him to go to bed earlier than the others, but Gren pulled him aside before he started his hidden march up the stairs. While the others were munching away on ham and fresh greens, Gren whisked Decoditus into the kitchen and spoke in a low, growling tone. “Decoditus, I have a special surprise for you that I will give you tonight! When all your brothers and sisters and father are asleep, come to the forest where you see a lantern lit, and I will give you a special gift from your mother.”
This kind gesture surprised Decoditus, for he rarely received gifts from anyone other than his father or Marigold. With a cheery nod, he scuttled up to his room and lie awake in excitement for night to come, pacing and pressing his head against the floor to hear any indications of his family retiring to their rooms. After a few hours of waiting, with Dec nearly dozing off, he glanced out his window and spotted a light, sleep still blurring his vision. His memory coming back cause him to jump out of bed and stare out the window for a brief moment, then quietly rustle through his closet for his jacket and tiptoe out of the house. He could barely keep his breath steady enough to not squeal in delight while passing his siblings rooms, and as soon as he carefully shut the back door, he skipped with glee along the dirt path, crunching leaves and watching the flickering lantern coming closer and closer into view. For such a windy night, the fire held fast in guiding him towards Aunt Gren’s location, and he smiled at her briefly while she was turned around.
“Aunt Gren?” Decoditus whispered, keeping his voice low while poking her softly on her lower back.
Aunt Gren turned around quickly, with a terrifying grin, taking a step back and cackling.”What a foolish child! I despise you boy!” The old woman sneered, moving her hands in an odd fashion, summoning a dark entity from the earth. Decoditus could not stay standing as the ground beneath him trembled and cracked, driving him to attempt stumbling away from the chaos. While Aunt Gren concocted her malicious creature, roaring to life with a ghoulish howl, while young Dec whimpered and shouted in fear, his cries for help going unheard. “You didn't deserve the life you got, understand, boy?” Gren croaked, glinting with insanity,”but you already knew that! Gyahahaha!”
Not a moment after her punishing remarks, a blinding light pierced the forming black mass, sending it reeling back on pain. Decoditus turned away, coverong his eyes from the horror of the beast’s mutilated form and hearing piercing screams from his aunt. Charging aimlessly, the demonic thing left only ashes and incomplete bones behind.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THIS TIME, FOAL BOY!” shouted Gren, sobbing and groaning out of frustration or anger or pain, Dec couldn't tell. A light ting of a bell rung soft and sweet, and Decoditus assumed that whoever was making the sounds had delivered the blow to Aunt Gren’s monster. It rung from no true direction however, and when Decoditus searched for any sign of his savior, all he could make out were twinkling forms, as if he took a blow to the head. Soft voices saturated his ears, overpowering the shrieks of trouble. He was not given the chance to stand up again, because his vision became flooded with light. Darkness came when his eyes shut.
Decoditus awoke lying down in the hollow trunk of a tree. Birds were chirping, and sun beamed down through a few slits in the rotting tree, warming Dec and waking him peacefully. As he slowly blinked his eyes to adjust to the light, visions of the night’s events seared into his thoughts. The horrific scene caused him to jump and hit his head on the log, a quick yip escaping him. Bells began to toll again, this time with a different tune from Dec’s first encounter. He shuffled himself around to crawl to the entrance of the tree, light shining beautifully on lush, fertile grass. With a light hop, Decoditus stood up and glance around the expansive sanctuary he had been left in.
Large oak, willow, and birch trees swayed sweetly in the breeze, while thick foliage hid the area from view of outsiders. Magnificent flowers and stout mushrooms poked out of every nook and cranny, and the fullness of every plant was unparalleled by any of the plants that grew in Kalai forest. A small poppy drew Dec’s attention, but the bells clanged louder and lower, coming from a farther area of the glen. Caution crossed his mind while he stepped towards the sounds, till the ringing was painful. Out of the chaos of the chimes and dings, a soft whisper called,”Decoditus.”
All sound ceased, and not even the wind in the trees could be sensed, leaving Decoditus fearful.
“I-I am here, if you seek me,” he murmured, and a powerful wind swept over the miniature world. Since dust and leaves were flying up around him, Decoditus covered his face with his hands, shaking with fear and frustration. Leaves tumbled down when the wind quit, and before looking up, Dec felt the touch of a human, soft and serene. Fear and pain dwindled. Looking up to examine the person, a young women stood peacefully in front of Decoditus, resting her hand on his arm and carrying a tender smile. Her beauty was impeccable, with wide eyes and flowing honey-blonde hair. Further scanning revealed that she wore gold, glowing wings, meticulous and fanciful. About her flowed an aura of warmth and ghostliness.
“Decoditus, do not be afraid anymore,” cooed the girl,” we are good people, who wish to aid you.” Dec was speechless, and glanced around again to find any confirmation of reality. He even pinched his arm, and to his dismay and regret, he felt it. “None of this makes sense to me...” he chuckled and smiled smugly at the lady, who patted his arm in earnest. She gestured him forward while walking towards a path, previously unseen by Dec before, and he followed her command.
“I shall reveal all that you must know, so listen carefully,” declared the woman, and both sauntered along the hidden path.
“I am Conch. I and the rest of the faeries live in this glen, protected through magic and hidden from the human realm. Right now, we are in the Fae Realm, which few humans have ever set foot in. However, your mother, Decoditus, has always been close to us, and has taught us great knowledge and insight into the Human Realm. For such deeds, the faeries promised to her protection and prosperity. And so did the humans prosper, that we allowed other humans to learn our magic and secrets.”
“Alas, this pact between the faeries and humans was broken when those we had trusted used the magic for evil, and shared our most well-kept magical abilities with their cronies and wreaking havoc onto their Realm. All those who misused the magic we bestowed onto them grew dark hearts, their energy black. Countless humans suffered at the hands of a few, and our feeble attempts at stopping their growing force proved futile.”
The woman turned around from her forward march and turned to Decoditus, who was hunched over in thought. Magic, faeries, and people with magical powers were all stories to him, told by children or crazed men. But little proof had come up for him to brush aside Conch’s statements, as the kingdoms had been feuding for as long as he could remember. At an impasse, he stopped walking and shrugged, muttering,” What does this have to do with me, miss?”
Conch continued strolling forward, forcing Dec to trot back up to her pace. When they were walking side by side, she continued,” Decoditus, you are you mother’s last child, and imbued in you is her love. Through this, we do not doubt that her compassion and heart are part of you as well. With the utmost sincerity, we ask that you continue the work she left incomplete, a journey that can only be completed by the last human the Fae take credence in.”
“What say you, Decoditus?” called Conch, stopping and turning to him, then bowing low before him. The young boy stepped back with a reddening face, mumbling inaudibly and lending a hand to the faery to help her to her feet. “This is all so much at once, and I don’t quite understand it all…,” exclaimed Decoditus. His further questioning was cut off by Conch, who answered,”Follow your instincts forever and always, for deep down inside you, your elders reside. Your mother knows, and thus, you will.”
They approached a clearing in the forest, where rolling hills as far as the eye could see were lush with grass and small, twinkling beings floated along them. Already in disbelief with the situation, Decoditus began to accept the stories Conch told, and started exploring the hills, speaking with the other faeries who were excited about his presence. Over time, as the sky grew dark, Dec found himself sleeping under a willow tree on a hill, feeling stuffed from a marvelous feast hosted by the faeries themselves. The stars appeared bolder in the Fae Realm, and Decoditus drifted to sleep in complete repose.
Over time, Conch trained Decoditus in the art of magic, through the ancient methods they had been taught by their elders. Each day was rigorous and tiresome, but he took to each aspect quickly, and his youthful resilience gave his magic vitality. He made friends with other faeries, who taught him about the faery way of life, and even a few pranks they pull on humans. It took years for Conch to teach magic techniques to Dec, and for intermediate periods of time he would visit his family, who over time grew accustomed to his absence. His training in both magical arts and hand-to-hand combat hardened his boyish nature, while still holding a fondness for his concerned sister, Marigold. When his tests had been complete, Conch gave Decoditus a glittering emerald bow before he set off on his journey, speaking calm and didactic, “Let it remind you of us, and carry what power we have left to destroy the evil lurking in your Realm. Protect not just your kind, but all that is good. I have faith in you, Decoditus.”