Shadowed Paths
Shadowed Paths
The Opening of Keepers of the Eternal Shadow
To my delight, I bump into Bear Crusher in Threshold. In my research I discovered that Bear Crusher was the first crested member of the Shadow, and I have been waiting years for an opportunity to record the story of opening of this, the last house in the City of Underlight. Bear suggests Sphere Four Hall since he hasn't really had a good look at it. I flash my rarely-seen shere two crest, and suggest Sphere Two Hall as an alternative. In the Study the normally quiet Bear Crusher starts the story, pausing occasionally to ask how he's doing.
"Let's see, I began dreaming before the houses all fell, 'cause I remember the night it happened. At the time, I think, all of the houses except KOES was open... 'cause they were the house that had the Pretender from what ya mentioned just now. Ma'raj was his name, wasn't it? Turned into a darkmare too, when his deception became known. Anyway...when I began my dreams I was helped by lots of folks, 'cause at the time, I couldn't even read or write. But, even before I understood all there was to know bout the houses and long before I even knew there were folks trying to open KOES, I knew in my heart what I believed. Being as how I hunt bears in my shard, and tan the hides and roast or salt the meat, I understood that it was wrong to waste whatever it was ya could glean from a critter... So, when I took to hunting here, it just made sense to me that the only thing the essence was good for was a source of energy... And I knew that I was a Freesoul cause this here city is just a dream, how else can ya explain me being here. I mean, I ain't got no high moral ground to stand on, nor no cause I fight for... I just dreamed to suit myself, ya know. Being as how I am mostly selfish, shiftless and lazy.
"Anyhow, there I was, my beliefs firmly in hand and just enjoying myself and being helped by nice folks like Sorsha, Kayla and others that I can't name at the moment... When, Mangler, who latched on to me early in my dreams... I think he always kind of felt sorry for me or something, said, "Hey, there is a crowd up at KOES, lets go see what's happening." That ain't an exact quote, but close enough, okay.
"So, we get up there to KOES and I saw some lady talking and teaching as it were, about the House. Right on the steps, the ones to the right of the entrance... And I sat there and I listened to her... Imowhin was her name. Anyway, she wasn't even all done and I just kind of smacked myself in the forehead and said to myself, "Dang, that is exactly what it is I believe." And right then and there, I dropped to a knee at her feet and said, "You done got yourself the Bear." And I ain't never not been in any house since and ain't never once not been a Keeper..."
>Bear Crusher taps his chest lightly
"Here, where it matters."
>Bear Crusher rises on his tip toes trying to get a peek at Calysto's notes.
"How am I doing?"
>Calysto looks up and grins.
"Very well. I'm just writing down what you're saying, honest."
" Ya doing it word for word and all?"
>Calysto nods firmly.
"Okay, now to what it is ya really want to know. Okay, after I groveled at Imowhins feet and such, I came to find out that there were a couple more folks in her stable, so to speak. Rathis Tarn and Khateyana. This next part I am gonna say, is just my take on things and are most likely wrong... Anyway, the problem with the groups in the past that tried to open the Keepers was egos and goal clashes and couldn't no one manage to get all their ducks in a row because of it. Heck, the house could have probably opened years before, but Keepers by trade just are hardheaded. 'Cepting me of course. Now I know that Imowhin aligned herself with Rathis and Khat for several reasons, but one being simply that two people are easier to handle than a score or more... which I know hurt some feelings of folks in another group that was vying for the house at the same time.
"Things were said and done to discredit some folks that I know for a fact, were not true. Elspet for one. I was there when the KOES flag dropped in thresh and some, not me, accused her of stealing it, when all she did was pick it up and even returned it. But, I am sure... I probably don't know all the whys and wherefores of that, so I will let that be.
"Anyway, back to Imowhin and Rathis and Khat. Imowhin had problems with even them two, trying to keep egos in line and all. I was kinda, the balance between em, when I joined the group, ya know. I didn't have no issues to speak of with anyone and I kinda kept the two off each others throat and made things easier for Imowhin to handle. We muddled along for a time. Darion joined the group and I guess he kinda felt he gave us validity or something. He liked to try and lord over me, but I mostly ignored his attempts to put me in my place.
"Okay. Things just began to turn into a grind, ya know. Meetings about this that and the other thing but nothing seemed to advance the cause none. Anyway, at this time, Iden and his three croonies, Rahib, Idris, and another whose name I can't recall, were dreaming and causing a fuss around the city. If ya had seen Rahib back then ya would remember. Those three looked like us but they were jet black, not abyss. And they walked funny, with their leg stuck up like in a continuous run. They would come to thresh, and they would talk and they made really neat metal items. Like metal chaks and such. The thing that struck me funny bout them is they had no emotion. None. They didn't laugh, or frown or anything.
"Everyone seemed to think they were some kinda mechanized creation of Iden. Kinda like the spiders that Telomir used to make. Not really alive, ya know. I didn't see it that way, I saw them as prisoners of Iden. In fact, I saw then as dreamers, dreamers who had a mind and could think and talk but who had had their heart taken from them by Iden. Like it was their heart he had imprisoned, ya know. The why of the telling of this relates to the House opening. I spoke of my feelings and concerns about them three to Imowhin. I convinced her that they were prisoners and that I could set them free... if I could give em back their heart. I showed her a vision, so to speak, of the House, the Keeper house, long ago, before the Great Loss and how I could use the same vision to free them. Imowhin was crying when I was done.
"The next night, I was alone at the house and she brought them three, Rahib and Idris and (Zeid) to me at the House. She wanted me to show them what I had shown her. I told her that I could not. That only if I had the strength and support of Khat and Darion and Rathis, could I ever hope to weave a vision that could shatter the chains that bound up the hearts.
"The next night, I think it was, Iden appeared on our steps, along with Asmoden. and then them three dreamers appeared also. Rathis and Khat and Darion were also there that night. Imowhin took me aside and said I had to do it. I had to weave the vision. So... though I was scared to death, and Iden and Asmodan made what moves they could against the vision and with the help of Rathis, chanting and conjuring up some kind of serpent to hold them at bay, or something. I didn't really see all he was doing... I was busy. I shared the vision, I used the clock just outside the main door as the portal to the past. And I took em there... to the past. I showed em Keepers, young, old, teaching, caring and shairing with one another. Of young loves and hope and happiness.
"And suddenly, right there on the steps, them three changed form, in front of us all. Rahib became a male, normal dreamer, Idris a normal female dreamer and the one whose name I forgot...(Zeid)"
>Bear Crusher coughs and mutters under his breath, "became a darkmare."
"So, ya are asking yourself, what the heck does any of this have to do with the house opening, right? Well, at the time, I wasn't even trying to open the house. I was trying to help three folks I saw in chains, so to speak. Opening the house was the farthest thing from my mind. But, the next day, Imowhin came to me at the House and was all flushed with excitement. She showed me her sphere and how it had suddenly jumped up to seventh. She had only been like third sphere or something before that. Anyway, shortly thereafter, the Heart of the Shadows was created and then Imowhin initiated us into the house. Me, Khateyana and Rathis were the first initiated. Imowhin put the crest on me first. I think she done that, not cause I deserved to be first or nothing, but more to simply waylay any ego thing by cresting either Khat or Rathis first.
"Now, in truth, ya got to remember, all this is just my take on things and I ain't always the best source for completely reliable information."
