Of Death and Rebirth

 Breaking Redwood

A large man is tied to a chair, his arms chained behind him strongly bolted to a stone wall hidden in the darkness. A shaft of sunlight shines down upon him as he sits slumped forward in the chair with his slow rhythmic breathing moving his body up and down. His name is Grundfrund, Captain of the armies of Tukdra and loyal follower.

 A door suddenly opens casting its bright light upon the man who awoke with a start. Instantly he sat straight in the chair scanning the room trying to get his bearings when he noticed a figure in the doorway, he couldn’t make out who it was, but he could tell it was a woman.

“Where am I? Who are you to be so brave?” Grundfrund growled at the figure.

“Where you are is my home, dear Grundfrund. Who I am, you already know.” Stepping out of the doorway and into the light the woman revealed herself, she was of average height with a slim figure wrapped in a white buck skin dress with knee high buckskin boots. Her white skin looked as if she was made of snow and long white hair flowed past her hips. Glaring at Grundfrund with her white cat like eyes as she walked towards him.

Anger filled Grundfrund s heart as he sneered. “Neiva! You stupid bitch, you realize what Tukdra is going to do to you when he finds you? What I am going to do once I break these chains?”

“Oh my old friend, you haven’t changed in all this time! Don’t worry I have nothing to fear from Tukdra or you.” Neiva’s toothy smile betrayed her excitement of the moment. “I can assure you those chains will not break, I have cast the Enchantment of Equality on them so the more you struggle the stronger they get.” Neiva leaned forward to within an inch of his face her warm breath filled his nostrils. “Give it a try I know you won’t be disappointed…”

Grundfrund growled as he began to strain against the chains, large muscles bulged as he struggled. Sweat formed on his brow as he used every ounce of strength to pull his arms apart in an attempt to grab her neck. Ultimately Grundfrund let out frustrated yell and dropped his hands, breathing heavy he glared at Neiva, “I will get out of here and I will kill you!”

“Oh come now dear Grundfrund, if you keep talking like that I won’t tell you why I have brought you here.” Neiva cooed as she began to walk around the room, her gaze constantly fixed on him.

“What possible reason could you have to bring me here? What are you after, information? You can forget it….” Grundfrund kept Neiva in his visual range as she slowly paced around the room, she stepped over the chain behind him and messed his hair as she giggled.

Standing in front of him she smiled. “What makes you think I want information? No my old friend, I am going to give you a gift. One that Tukdra has shared with you already, but this one is much more precious!”

Confused Grundfrund quipped. “Gift, what the hell are you talking about you crazy witch?”

The door to the room flung open and five women rushed in each carrying a small cauldron which was set upon five small tables that were in a circle. They soon left the room only to return with four hanging fire pots that they set at the corners of the room, each woman then bowed as they left the room and closing the door.

Looking around at the still swinging pots Grundfrund turned back to Neiva. “What’s with all this garbage? Plan on making soup?”

Neiva’s eyes narrowed as she smiled. “We can have soup later, but my charming friend these are some of the tools I will use to bestow my gift upon you.” Walking up to his face again she leaned down. “ I do have one request before we start…don’t pass out.” Neiva grabbed Grundfrund chin, squeezing it as she gave him a look of disgust and walking backward she stood in a small circle by the door and began to chant words of ancient magic.

The fires in the pots ignited all at once and lit the room brightly, all over the walls, ceiling, and floor Grundfrund saw line after line of incantations, power circles, and everything seem to point to where he sat in the chair. Neiva began to chant louder, her hands in front of her chest with her pinky fingers forming a triangle.

Suddenly every incantation, lines, and circles in the room began to glow of pale blue electricity; small sparks of energy began to crackle in the room as Grundfrund looked around with concern.   “What are you planning witch?” 

With the brightness of the sun the room erupted in powerful blue electricity, lightning bolts struck his body with such intensity it began to overwhelm him. Screaming in extreme pain and anger Grundfrund tried to escape his chair but the chains held him fast no matter how hard he tried.  Neiva’s voice echoed in the room as the contents of the cauldrons began to overflow and follow the electric filled incantations that lead directly to Grundfrund.

When the black sludge contacted his skin it was forcibly absorbed, which caused pain so intense all he could do was scream and roar with greater agony that sounded as if it came from his very soul. Neiva’s eyes glowed bright as stars in the night sky as she continued her chants; she drew a smile as she witnessed Grundfrund struggling in his chair unable to free himself during this extreme torture.

She saw tears flow from his eyes from the extreme pain he felt as the black sludge covered face and was absorbed into his body. His long burgundy hair slowly turned black as the ooze took over his entire being, his muscles began to strain and grow as the electricity swarmed him. Grundfrund’s mass grew along with his height when suddenly the chanting stopped as did the electric torture, his screams continued for a brief moment as his body slumped in the chair, breathing fast and labored.

Neiva walked up to him and caressed his shiny black hair and smiled. “There, was that so bad? I will leave you to appreciate this gift until tomorrow I will come back then to see how you are doing.” Opening the door she left the room and the sounds of it locking echoed in the silent space.

Hours pass since until Grundfrund regained consciousness, and it took several hours more before the pain subsided. Sitting in the chair Grundfrund focused on the door, his anger grew as hours turned into days, and days turn to weeks and a full month passed as he waited for Neiva to release him. His only visitor during that time was a servant girl who gave him sips of foul tasting water. She never spoke just put the soggy water filled sponge to his mouth for a few moments and left the room. After six weeks of captivity the door to his room opened and the servant girl walked in followed by Neiva.

“Oh my, are you still here? I thought I let you go, how thoughtless of me. If it wasn’t for my friend I wouldn’t have remembered where I left you.” Neiva’s sly smile gave away what she said was a lie. She was watching him the entire time from a hidden room behind his. “So, has my…gift been well received?”

Grundfrund looked up with hate in his eyes as he looked at her and the servant. “When am I to be released so I may start my mission, m’lady?”

“Excellent! The gift was well received as I had hoped. I knew you would see things from my point of view. I will release you to fulfill your mission and once you have done so come back to me so we can celebrate the end of a long struggle.” Neiva’s smile was wide as she motioned for the servant to unlock his chains.

As the servant released both his shackles Grundfrund stood up quickly and grabbed her by the neck. The girl grasped for air as she struggled in his hand, glaring at Neiva he took the servants life with a quick snap, dropping her limp body on the ground in a slump. Walking towards Neiva whose smile never waned and Grundfrund growled “I will follow your commands Neiva but when I have completed this mission I will not come back here. If I am to kill my lord and master I shall never celebrate with you!”

“Well, I look forward to seeing your mission successful and if I need you I will find you, now go.” Motioning with her right hand Neiva pointed to the main entrance.

Grundfrund ran in the direction she pointed and smashing out the main entrance he found himself in the middle of an old forest. In front of him stood a large bear that appeared to be guarding the entrance of the home. Turning around the bear stood upon its hind legs and roared it ran to attack but Grundfrund stood his ground. “I don’t have time for this crap you dumb animal, MOVE!” With a strong hit from his right arm he struck the bear which threw it deep into the woods, the sounds of tree limbs breaking could be heard for a few moments and all was silent.

Turning around to look back at Neiva’s home Grundfrund was surprised that nothing was there, the house was gone and the grounds looked as if nothing was ever at that spot. A sudden overwhelming desire to kill Tukdra flooded his mind, he couldn’t refuse the desire to see his leader dead at his hands.

Running with a speed he had never experienced and an uncanny sense of where he was going Grundfrund was soon standing at the base of a large stone wall where two large wooden doors blocked his way. This was the outside of Tukdra castle and these walls surrounded an even larger building with a large tower in the middle of it. Upon the large wooden door that protected the main entrance was a giant carving of a leafless Red Oak, it was the symbol of Tukdra, lord of the land. With a sudden burst of speed Grundfrund leapt upon the wall and climbed to the top rampart. The guards did not recognize their captain and came at him swords drawn but soon found them cast off the high wall to their deaths.

Fighting his way to the tower stairs he stabbed bellies, ripped arms off, and kicked in faces. Stepping over the bodies of the men he killed and exploded into the courtyard. He was bloody, sweaty, and wanted more as he yelled at the main castle doors. “TUKDRA, show yourself, come face me!”

The clank of metal on wood echoed in the courtyard followed by the creaking of large hinges that strained under their immense weight. Stepping out into the light was a tall man dressed in black and gold armor. His long black hair went past his hips and contrasted against his pale skin. His emerald green eyes stood out not only in their color but they looked like a fractured gem. His forearms were clad in black greaves with etchings of small oak trees covered in gold. His long black boots were covered in similar shin armor as was his breastplate, his hips were covered in articulated armor plates that rubbed against each as he walked. A long sword was sheathed and swaggered with each step until he stood in the courtyard facing Grundfrund. He is Lord Tukdra Redoak Lord of the land. Looking around at the dead that lay about him he addressed his friend. “Well it seems you survived your captivity my friend, however I have the feeling you have some anger towards me, is there something you would like to discuss?”

Grundfrund paced as he looked at Tukdra, frustration and anger etched across it. “You never came for me Tukdra, ME! We who are like brothers and you didn’t even try to find me! Unlike Sundra I see things your way, I have fought for you and our cause, I have died for the cause but no matter what you always came for me, why not this time?!”

With a cool calmness Tukdra raised his right eyebrow. “Be serious my friend, you were captured by Neiva and she never stays in a place more than a day. I had faith that you would free yourself eventually, so why come at me with such trivial words?”

“Trivial? You call me and my words trivial? I’m going to rip your limbs off and put your head on a pike!” Running towards Tukdra he was about to punch him when Tukdra quickly drew his sword and slammed the pommel between Grundfrund’s eyes, stopping him in his tracks. With a groan Grundfrund dropped to the ground unconscious and rolled to his side.

Kneeling over his friend Tukdra spoke to himself. “What did you do to him Neiva…what new witchcraft have you unleashed?”