Folksburywoods

The wise woman sat sipping her tea and pondering what the ghostly figure had said, “Seek the key to unlock the doorway east of the moon and west of the sun.” In all her time in the ancient forest, she had never heard of this place and wondered if it was a metaphor. Malak’s face twisted into a frown when asked about the riddle’s meaning. “Seems to me that the Old Ones are toying with us, and if they were so powerful, they could just open the door themselves.” Ursala thanked him for his council, then bid him a good day.

“No, I don’t believe they can open the door. I believe they are trapped and can’t figure out how to get out,” said the wise woman to herself as she walked along the forest path. Determined to solve this riddle, Ursala realized she would need to talk with Griselda, the wood witch, so she headed into the deep forest.

“What say you, medicine woman? Did you come to steal my herbs for your potion?” chided Griselda.

“Now you know I always ask before I gather my plants,” said Ursala with a smirk. “No, I am afraid I have come for an answer to a riddle that may save the ancient forest and us with it,” said the wise woman. Ursala told the wood witch what the ghost figure had said, then waited quietly for a reply.

“Them be powerful words, Ursala. Indeed, I know where this place is, but it is not a place I would want to be. Over in the next hollow lies a stairway leading to the remains of an ancient temple. You will find your key beneath the monument’s head,” said the witch.

“Thank you, my friend. I hope the next time we meet, it shall be for tea and laughter,” said the wise woman.

“Don’t dilly dally pet. That place has unseen eyes with dark intentions,” remarked Griselda as Ursala waved goodbye.

Reaching the stairs, the wise woman made her way slowly to the top. The temple stood before her, a wonder so close to yet unseen. “Perhaps a spell was cast so you would see yet not see. I believe Fern called them perception filters,” remarked the wise woman. Ursala approached the giant head and searched for a sign of where a key would be. At first, her attention was on the search, but soon, she caught glimpses of shapes that moved just out of sight; she saw them in the corner of her eye. “Eyes unseen,” whispered the wise woman. Ursala noticed a small stone with a pair of crossed keys. As she approached it, the shadow figures increased in number and speed. She grabbed the stone and slid it aside. Under lay a slight depression with a leather-wrapped object. Snatching the object, Ursala turned and moved toward the forest’s safety. The shadows began to swarm around her in number until she could no longer see her way. “I am not leaving here without this. There’s evil threatening Ãlskad once again. It would be best if you allowed the Old Ones to return, or we shall lose our home in the forest.” pleaded the wise woman. In an instant, the shadows disappeared, and her way was clear.

“If you are the ones known as the Shadow Puppets, please aid us in our fight against Mörken the Dark One. We beg you to unite with the Old Ones once again,” said Ursala. The wise woman made her way to the forest’s edge, then turned, bowed deeply, and whispered the word “Please” before entering the forest.

Walking back to her cottage, the woman whose task was to heal the sick hoped that what she carried would cure the land of darkness, which even now threatened to destroy all life. “I need a cup of tea and a dewberry biscuit,” said Ursala as she descended the path toward her home.