The Woodcut

Revenant has not had a good week. To call it a bender is an understatement. He has had a spiral and a bit of a breakdown.

It all started when he was visiting an old curio shop. He found a bundle of old wood cut prints. They were all from some unknown artist in Germany circa 1500s. What fascinated him was so many contained hidden symbols and imagery. Some were from the crusades and Knights Templar. Others were from the Teutonic Order.

Then he saw it and was knocked to his knees.

(Click here to see the image)

The Left-Hand Cross is a faithful copy of The Cross of Feowyr down to the crystalline shape of the purple gem. The coffin lid the corpse carries as a shield bears the cross of the Teutonic Order.  The wrappings are shaped oddly. The piece in back folded in a strange almost cryptical way. The wrapping goes over the body’s shoulder plunging down and over the wrist and seems to vanish into the ground. The small crosses on the ground are mileposts used on Crusade roads. The one with 2 flowers on the roof stands for 20 miles and the unadorned one is a single mile.

Revenants blood is still chilled to ice. On the slopes of Mt Ararat There is a hot spring baths and cavern system near the town of Emince. The spring emerges from a volcanic outcropping that looks just like the end of the body wrappings. It goes over 2 sets of small falls and vanishes into the underground cavern system. Its about 21 miles outside of the town. He knows the place well. The detail of the cave mouth is terrifying. Its where he found the Cross of Feowyr.

It scares the hell out of him.

The dead, thing, he knows what word suits this thing best but is scared to think it. Its pointing to the place above the Cross. Its as if the print is saying with its help you can rise to the level of the Father and Son. The left hand of God. The one damned to remain on earth for all eternity untill the last souls are judged. With eternal life he’s a walking corpse. It is hitting him way too close to home. The smile and look in the, revenants, eyes threw him into a panic. He shudders when he thinks of the word for this creature, the one he chose for his own name.

He ran out of the store like a shot but came back the following day. What was seen cannot be unseen and he may as well own the print. Hanging it on his wall he stared at it for days. Switching between laudanum and alcohol his mind was only slowed. The spinning decent into madness was too strong. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the dead rotting body pointing above Feowyr’s Cross. He saw that insane smile and heard the most disturbing things.

“Join us brother, for eternity.”

Shattering mentally he decides to test the power of his curse and puts the barrel of his gun to his temple. Suddenly theres a knock at the door. The fragile bonds of Revenants sanity were stretched to its limit. There stood Feowyr in every day civilian attire. His teeth even more brilliant white against his deep mahogany toned skin. Walking in without invite he starts a pot of coffee and sniffs the bottle of whiskey on the end table. Shrugging he downs it while Revenant asks a rapid-fire volley of questions. Unfazed he sits down in one of the chairs opposites the one where Revenant had been living for the last week. Smiling at the rising tone and speed of Revenants hysterical questions he stands up when he hears the percolator finishing and pours both a cup of strong coffee with lots of sugar and milk. Sitting the cup down on his end table Revenant is shocked to see a plate of sugar cookies sitting there.

Taking a deep breath and slapping his knees Feowyr finally speaks.

“You’re a mess. Get it together and listen. I was waiting for you to come to this conclusion, but you were about to do something really stupid”

Nodding at Revenant

“The only way for you to die and not return is to forsake this gift. OR, kill yourself like you almost just did. Commit the single worst sin in the universe and forever be a damned soul. SO, if it’s too much for you here’s your out. Otherwise listen, theres things I can’t tell you. Things everyone must learn on their own..”

Revenant stammers out something, unintelligible but is cut off

“Yes I know I was getting to that, every myth, every legend and every book pondering our being and life was written by a mortal.  They GUESSED at what they thought was divine inspiration. “

Feowyr hesitates a moment deciding just what to say.

“In the beginning there was the multiverse. Where She came from even she doesn’t know but she awoke here alone.  She created some helpers; you call us angels” Feowyr says grinning. She guided the development of this solar system and this planet. When the time was right, she created life using her own DNA. She guided these single cells into a multitude of species untill finally one evolved that was nearly perfect to her current evolution. She’s been guiding and encouraging our growth like a mother longing for the time you have become enlightened enough to join her. The creation of this planet and its life force crystalized into the gem you now wear. It split off from her consciousness. It’s the pure concentrated essence and will of this universe.  It’s a shard of the big bang. “

Looking at Revenant with a sobering gaze

“So for all your other questions, I can only say this. Where you are going and how you are getting there is and has always been your choice. She’s the voice you hear in your head that tells you when something is not right. She’s the tug at your heart when you see injustice. Listen to her and you will be just fine, and She wants me to tell you She’s VERY proud of you”

Feowyr rises and without thought Revenant rose too. Hugging him tightly he pats him on the back

“I haven’t said anything you didn’t already know. Listen to your heart Lucian, we are always right there. Quit fearing your destiny and embrace it. Get out there and be the force for good you always have been, the champion this universe chose”

Revenant wipes a tear away and blinks “Thank you brother.”

And just like that Feowyr is gone but not forgotten. Revenant can feel his presence in his spirit and the doubt, fear, and uncertainty has been replaced with the security of knowing he knew everything he needed.  And he only needed a very good friend to remind him.