Arc 720, 6th of Zi’da
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There were trials when Darius would wake up early, with an unexplained urge to create.
On these trials, he would rise before the sun had had a chance to do the same. He would go into the small workshop at the edge of his property, reach for something from his woodworking kit, and get to work. Many times, he would do it just to hone his craft and improve his skills, but sometimes he would end the trial with a creation that he could put to use in his home, such as a wooden cup or a bowl. And once in a while, he would use the time to craft something for someone else.
This was one such trial.
With the memories of a dream still fresh in his mind, Darius stepped into the shed and closed the door. He slid the metal bolt across it, so that it would not clatter if the wind picked up, and rubbed his hands to warm them up. Then he went to his workbench and sat down, before pulling out his carpenter pencil and some parchment, and beginning to sketch the rough outline of what he had seen in his sleep.
There had been a figure, floating in the night sky. The stars were a haze of lights that glowed around the slender woman's pale form. Her hair hid beneath a crown of nature; a mixture of entwined seaweed and vines that glistened and shimmered.
Her face was indistinguishable at first, before one hand moved slowly towards it, and as her fingers brushed against her cheekbone, a veil of glitter dust fell away, revealing an ethereal face - but it was what the sparkling powder formed when it hit the ground that drew Darius' eye. A mask, with what looked to be a human face, stared lifelessly up at him. He looked up once more at the female figure, but she let out a good-humoured laugh and vanished.
The sound of the woman's mirth was still ringing in Darius' ears when he escaped his slumber. He had vague recollections of similar dreams in arcs gone by, and he had paid them little heed. But for some reason, the vision of the masked figure refused to leave his mind of its own accord. He couldn't simply ignore it, and so he decided that perhaps the best way to clear his mind of the curious experience was to embrace it.
Darius put the pencil down, and looked over the sketch. It was simple, but there was no need to make anything too complicated. With a simple nod, the blond woodworker placed a wooden offcut onto the parchment so that it would not be blown away, reached into his woodworking kit for a felling axe, and stepped out of the shed to begin his new project.
On these trials, he would rise before the sun had had a chance to do the same. He would go into the small workshop at the edge of his property, reach for something from his woodworking kit, and get to work. Many times, he would do it just to hone his craft and improve his skills, but sometimes he would end the trial with a creation that he could put to use in his home, such as a wooden cup or a bowl. And once in a while, he would use the time to craft something for someone else.
This was one such trial.
With the memories of a dream still fresh in his mind, Darius stepped into the shed and closed the door. He slid the metal bolt across it, so that it would not clatter if the wind picked up, and rubbed his hands to warm them up. Then he went to his workbench and sat down, before pulling out his carpenter pencil and some parchment, and beginning to sketch the rough outline of what he had seen in his sleep.
There had been a figure, floating in the night sky. The stars were a haze of lights that glowed around the slender woman's pale form. Her hair hid beneath a crown of nature; a mixture of entwined seaweed and vines that glistened and shimmered.
Her face was indistinguishable at first, before one hand moved slowly towards it, and as her fingers brushed against her cheekbone, a veil of glitter dust fell away, revealing an ethereal face - but it was what the sparkling powder formed when it hit the ground that drew Darius' eye. A mask, with what looked to be a human face, stared lifelessly up at him. He looked up once more at the female figure, but she let out a good-humoured laugh and vanished.
The sound of the woman's mirth was still ringing in Darius' ears when he escaped his slumber. He had vague recollections of similar dreams in arcs gone by, and he had paid them little heed. But for some reason, the vision of the masked figure refused to leave his mind of its own accord. He couldn't simply ignore it, and so he decided that perhaps the best way to clear his mind of the curious experience was to embrace it.
Darius put the pencil down, and looked over the sketch. It was simple, but there was no need to make anything too complicated. With a simple nod, the blond woodworker placed a wooden offcut onto the parchment so that it would not be blown away, reached into his woodworking kit for a felling axe, and stepped out of the shed to begin his new project.
