The
FireBringer
By: Elena Bagwell
"The FireBringer" by Indigo Wake
Image Link
I decided to continue my travels by
catching a flight to Germany where I landed in Frankfurt. I
carried on traveling by boarding a train, which took me to the town of
Fussen. I chose to tour the
Neuschwanstein Castle that is rumored to be Walt Disney's inspiration
for the Magic Kingdom Castle. After I had taken an audio tour of
the castle I
decided I would use my extra time to have
a picnic in the nearby woods. I took the extra precautions not to
wander too far, but they
weren't enough to keep me from experiencing what I did once I entered
the woods.
As I was finishing up my lunch I got up to make my way out of the woods, but before that happened I caught a glimpse the white tail of an animal. I began to follow the creature. Hearing a sound, the animal whipped its head around and that's when I realized what it was. A beautiful white horse that reminded me of the unicorn I had become so fond of. I spoke to it for reassurance when much to my surprise it spoke back. I asked her what she was doing in the woods by herself. She explained that the woods were her home. We spoke for some time when she asked me if I would hear a story that she had never told to anyone before. I agreed and found myself a seat on the trunk of a fallen tree. So she began:
My name is Jah-lila and I am witness to a remarkable story I have preserved in my memory, although, the event happened hundreds of years ago. At that time this place was void of humans, but there were a great number of unicorns. These unicorns had lived many years in fear for the evil Wyverns [creatures similar to dragons, but are smaller and don't breath fire] had taken over their lands and driven them into a solitary area they named the Vale. They had long dreamed of a unicorn that would be born who, by the secret of fire, would destroy the Wyverns and restore their sacred homeland that had been taken from them 400 years before. The Firebringer as it was called was said to be black as the darkest night with a silver crescent moon on his head and a star on his heel.
The birth of the Firebringer began with the arrival of the prince of the Unicorns of the Vale, Jan. The colt, Jan, was born to the king whose name was Korr. Jan was the opposite of his father not only physically, but in his actions also. Jan had a muddy-brown colored coat while his father was born the first of the kings with a black coat. Jan was a trouble maker who constantly broke the laws and challenged all authority as most teenagers do. This became a problem since his father was the king and expected Jan to behave as would a future king. His actions proved very impulsive and got him into a lot of trouble. When he was caught distracting the warrior Tek from his job as a lookout, Korr punished Jan by keeping him from making a pilgrimage north to the Hallow Hills, a journey each unicorn makes before becoming an adult. The unicorns had been driven from the Hallow Hills by the Wyverns, who used fire to do so. Fire was an element the unicorns new little about, but one they dreamed the Firebringer could master. The journey to the Hallow Hills took two weeks and began at the start of spring so the unicorns could drink from the Mirror of the Moon before the Wyverns woke up from their winter sleep. It was said once a unicorn drank of the bitter water each saw a vision of their destiny and became warriors.
Later on Tek approached Jan with news that she knew of last nights events. She promised on her true name, Telkella, that she wouldn't tell his father. In return Jan provided his name, Aljan, which stood for "Dark Moon."
That evening Jan was given his turn to drink the water and foresee his destiny. However, Jan saw nothing except his reflection showing back. Jan believed he was being punished by Alma, the mother-of-all, for breaking the laws and burying the renegade. Feeling betrayed, Jan wandered off from the group in a half-trance. He walked straight into the lair of the Queen of the Wyverns who had three heads.
As she was expecting him, the Queen had prepared in her fire bowl a fire she tried to use to convince Jan to betray his people. He was to lead them into a trap where she would slaughter them. The Queen's fire had a way of hypnotizing all who stare at it, so as Jan stared into the bowl he gave his promise in return for the secrets of fire. She revealed that one could see visions in fire, so Jan leaned in closer and was thus burnt by flames that licked at his forehead.
Instantly, Jan came to and realized he must put the fire out. Dagg and Tek became aware of the commotion nearby and the three of them together killed the Queen. Although dead, the Queen's body still produced poison so when Jan scraped his heel on her stinger he fainted immediately. While in his coma Jan was approached by Alma who revealed to him everything he would become, just as he was promised to see.
When Jan awoke he was laying on the banks of the Mirror of the Moon where his friends had dragged him. On their journey home Jan slowly shed his winter coat, which once gone, revealed a shiny black coat as dark as his father's. In place of the burn on his forehead was a silver crescent-shaped symbol. On his heel where he had been stung was a star.
The unicorns remembered the legend of the Firebringer and the marks the Firebringer would earn from a battle: a silver crescent moon and brilliant silver star. Their savior had finally arrived...
As I was finishing up my lunch I got up to make my way out of the woods, but before that happened I caught a glimpse the white tail of an animal. I began to follow the creature. Hearing a sound, the animal whipped its head around and that's when I realized what it was. A beautiful white horse that reminded me of the unicorn I had become so fond of. I spoke to it for reassurance when much to my surprise it spoke back. I asked her what she was doing in the woods by herself. She explained that the woods were her home. We spoke for some time when she asked me if I would hear a story that she had never told to anyone before. I agreed and found myself a seat on the trunk of a fallen tree. So she began:
My name is Jah-lila and I am witness to a remarkable story I have preserved in my memory, although, the event happened hundreds of years ago. At that time this place was void of humans, but there were a great number of unicorns. These unicorns had lived many years in fear for the evil Wyverns [creatures similar to dragons, but are smaller and don't breath fire] had taken over their lands and driven them into a solitary area they named the Vale. They had long dreamed of a unicorn that would be born who, by the secret of fire, would destroy the Wyverns and restore their sacred homeland that had been taken from them 400 years before. The Firebringer as it was called was said to be black as the darkest night with a silver crescent moon on his head and a star on his heel.
The birth of the Firebringer began with the arrival of the prince of the Unicorns of the Vale, Jan. The colt, Jan, was born to the king whose name was Korr. Jan was the opposite of his father not only physically, but in his actions also. Jan had a muddy-brown colored coat while his father was born the first of the kings with a black coat. Jan was a trouble maker who constantly broke the laws and challenged all authority as most teenagers do. This became a problem since his father was the king and expected Jan to behave as would a future king. His actions proved very impulsive and got him into a lot of trouble. When he was caught distracting the warrior Tek from his job as a lookout, Korr punished Jan by keeping him from making a pilgrimage north to the Hallow Hills, a journey each unicorn makes before becoming an adult. The unicorns had been driven from the Hallow Hills by the Wyverns, who used fire to do so. Fire was an element the unicorns new little about, but one they dreamed the Firebringer could master. The journey to the Hallow Hills took two weeks and began at the start of spring so the unicorns could drink from the Mirror of the Moon before the Wyverns woke up from their winter sleep. It was said once a unicorn drank of the bitter water each saw a vision of their destiny and became warriors.
By mistake, Jan proved to Korr that he
was mature enough to make the journey north so Jan set out on his
pilgrimage with a group of young unicorns, including one of his closest
friends Tek. Upon attack the group was split and Jan (with his
friend Dagg) became separated from the rest. During their
separation they stumbled across a dead renegade (unicorns that chose to
risk their lives by running free on the plains) that had not yet been
buried. Following unicorn tradition, each unicorn was to receive proper
burial, which included the mane and tail positioned so that it appeared
the dead is leaping, and a circle surrounding the unicorn as if it were
leaping out of a ring. The burial was then to be closed with
several death chants. Korr refused to give the renegade a proper
burial, but Jan returned later that night to do so. When he arrived he
realized that someone had already begun the burial, none-the-less, Jan
finished it.
Later on Tek approached Jan with news that she knew of last nights events. She promised on her true name, Telkella, that she wouldn't tell his father. In return Jan provided his name, Aljan, which stood for "Dark Moon."
That evening Jan was given his turn to drink the water and foresee his destiny. However, Jan saw nothing except his reflection showing back. Jan believed he was being punished by Alma, the mother-of-all, for breaking the laws and burying the renegade. Feeling betrayed, Jan wandered off from the group in a half-trance. He walked straight into the lair of the Queen of the Wyverns who had three heads.
As she was expecting him, the Queen had prepared in her fire bowl a fire she tried to use to convince Jan to betray his people. He was to lead them into a trap where she would slaughter them. The Queen's fire had a way of hypnotizing all who stare at it, so as Jan stared into the bowl he gave his promise in return for the secrets of fire. She revealed that one could see visions in fire, so Jan leaned in closer and was thus burnt by flames that licked at his forehead.
Instantly, Jan came to and realized he must put the fire out. Dagg and Tek became aware of the commotion nearby and the three of them together killed the Queen. Although dead, the Queen's body still produced poison so when Jan scraped his heel on her stinger he fainted immediately. While in his coma Jan was approached by Alma who revealed to him everything he would become, just as he was promised to see.
When Jan awoke he was laying on the banks of the Mirror of the Moon where his friends had dragged him. On their journey home Jan slowly shed his winter coat, which once gone, revealed a shiny black coat as dark as his father's. In place of the burn on his forehead was a silver crescent-shaped symbol. On his heel where he had been stung was a star.
The unicorns remembered the legend of the Firebringer and the marks the Firebringer would earn from a battle: a silver crescent moon and brilliant silver star. Their savior had finally arrived...
With that the horse disappeared and I
was once again alone in the woods as evening began to approach.
Author's Note:
When I came across the Firebringer I thought it was a beautiful story and different enough than my other stories that it would add needed diversity to my project. I believe that few people have ever heard of a black unicorn or the Firebringer story and that's why I added it. Originally, the Firebringer is a Trilogy, but since I was limited on time I took a summary of the first book "Birth of the Firebringer" and further summarized the summary. The narrator is a horse who once lived with the unicorns and became a unicorn herself. She is an original character in the Trilogy.
Bibliography:
"About the Firebringer Trilogy" by Indigo Wake
Website: The Firebringer
Weblink:http://www.firebringer.co.uk/allpages/firebringertrilogy.php
"Wyvern"
Website: Encyclopedia Mythica
Weblink:http://www.pantheon.org/articles/w/wyvern.html
"The Son of Summer Stars" by Meredith Ann Pierce
Website: Flame Bait Discussion- The Son of Summer Stars
Weblink:http://www.sabrecat.net/firebrg3.html
Continue the
journey with Rishyashringa
Author's Note:
When I came across the Firebringer I thought it was a beautiful story and different enough than my other stories that it would add needed diversity to my project. I believe that few people have ever heard of a black unicorn or the Firebringer story and that's why I added it. Originally, the Firebringer is a Trilogy, but since I was limited on time I took a summary of the first book "Birth of the Firebringer" and further summarized the summary. The narrator is a horse who once lived with the unicorns and became a unicorn herself. She is an original character in the Trilogy.
Bibliography:
"About the Firebringer Trilogy" by Indigo Wake
Website: The Firebringer
Weblink:http://www.firebringer.co.uk/allpages/firebringertrilogy.php
"Wyvern"
Website: Encyclopedia Mythica
Weblink:http://www.pantheon.org/articles/w/wyvern.html
"The Son of Summer Stars" by Meredith Ann Pierce
Website: Flame Bait Discussion- The Son of Summer Stars
Weblink:http://www.sabrecat.net/firebrg3.html