The Red Wisp
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Title: The Red Wisp
Author: by Annunzio
Spirits high with wine, I turned upon the path and made my way with careful steps, leaning on my staff, my mind still in the tavern hears the dancers as they laugh, smells the spices from the cider, tastes the tender fatted calf.
But soon these thoughts have left me as I creep into the night. I turn and look behind me now, and seek the tavern's light, but the tavern and its patrons have vanished from my sight, so I plunge further in the darkness as I feel my heart grow tight.
The creatures were a-buzzing, they filled the wood with sound, my mind now turned to darker thoughts, of my body found dead and decomposing, dead upon the forest around, my wife and children weeping as they build a burial mound.
The a vision struck me as I walked further in the wood, A ray of crimson light was dancing, as no dancer ever could, and dancing ever towards me it approached me where I stood, I clutched my chest to calm it but my efforts did no good.
"My child!" The creature called to me, its voice an eerie hum, "I sense you are afraid this night, I feel your senses numb, I hear your heart is pounding now, as a drum stick on a drum, But your fears are out of place, instead you should fear what you've become."
"I know not why
you've come here now
and set my mind to
stir,"
I stuttered as my
answer to the dancing
crimson blur,
"and I see now that you
intend me good, which
is as I would prefer,
but I assure you that
the man I am is the
man I ever were."
"I am here tonight to right a wrong, the wrong I most detest," replied the wisp, still dancing, as still I held my chest, "You are but a humble man, yet once your soul was of the best but now, these years gone by, you no longer are so blessed."
"I know that you still
think yourself a man
who's spirit's strong,
your heart is free of
wickedness, yet once
it sung a song,
a song of virtue pure
as gold, as pure as life
is long,
but now instead of
seeking good, you seek
to do no wrong."
"Virtue is a path, my child, but the path does not descend, many travel up along it, to reach the heights they do intend, but resting for a while they stop, and believe they've found the end, and smile meekly at themselves, for an achievement they pretend."
With these words the wisp's light blinked, and vanished without trace, I then ran towards home, through darkened wood, at a reckless pace, At last I came unto my home, that marvelous old place, I grabbed the glass, and brought it near, and saw a different face.
First Place Winner of
the Britain City
Council of
Compassion's
Whispering Day
Poetry Contest.
2-14-01
-Ce'Nedra Willow