Chapter 9 - Memories Rising

In the days following the rescue of the Digyr of Far Meadows, eyes were opened. Great storms blew across the land, and it has been recorded that houses have been blown down, as far from the east as man has gone, all the way unto the Tiber River.

For the digyr of the land, who opened their eyes against Allatu and Livadi, did so again. However, they did not know where she lay her head and thus caused the storms to blow across the land, and a great many died from the walls falling in on them.

But at that time, Livadi dwelt in the land by the sea, near to Allatu’s kingdom. For Allatu beseeched her to live there, and to rest, for Livadi had been in the dark and gloomy depths for too long, and her body kept her asleep.

BeeSheep sat by her bed, awaiting her to awaken for fourteen days. 

On the fourteenth day Shava brought for her some goat’s milk, and some of the honey from her flesh. And dripping the milken honey into Liavadi’s lips caused her eyes to open and awaken once more.

“Dokevi,” she spoke, and it was the true name of the BeeSheep. 

The name that none but her are allowed to speak. The very name she spoke as she opened her eyes. And BeeSheep’s eyes welled with tears, and he jumped atop her, hugging as much as he could and buzzing his gratefulness.

For a time, as Livadi of Far Meadows recovered. She spent some time in the meadows. Greeting her creations, for it had been so long since they had last seen her.

Meadow flowers bloomed in her presence, and the creeping things in the grass sang a song at her passing. The swaying grass bowed low to their goddess. The very spirit of the meadows themselves began to bloom with a great joy at the return of Livadi.

***

“My lady,” spoke Abner, one evening. BeeSheep had written him a letter, saying unto him that he had found his goddess, and he expressed great gratitude for his assistance in guiding him to the Library of Xassan. “My name is Abner, Captain of the Meridian Guard. It is thanks to your creation, to BeeSheep, who sought after you even in the great beyond, that we stand here today. For he won us a great victory, delivering a message that none other could deliver. It was that day that I promised him that if you ever needed our aid, we would be there to swear our loyalty and answer the call.”

And Abner gave to her a longsword. And its blade was forged from the broken fragments of stars from the Land of Iron Sands. And its appearance was like that of stained glass, melted together, with a black handle.

“Until you get your eyes,” Abner bowed. “Let this sword, and its great star power lay waste to your enemies.”

Livadi stood, and she took the sword in her hands. It was the perfect size, weight, and balance for her. Crafted by the greatest starsmiths in the Beyond.

“Dokevi,” she spoke to BeeSheep, “you have continued blessing me a thousand times over. And Abner, captain of the Meridian Guard, I am most grateful for this kindness you have shown to me. This blade will act as my eyes, and with it I will cut down the gods who sought to rid me from this world.”

And so, Abner, captain of the Meridian Guard, and all of his men. Ten thousand in all, swore fealty unto Livadi of Far Meadows.

***

From Xassan, and the great library there came a few of the Pesel. And they brought unto Livadi, many scrolls, and books. Some contained detailed maps of the meadows throughout the land. Others contained adventures of great men of renowned, and still others contained drawings and writings of the plants and animals within the meadows. This was so that Livadi could rest, and still read about her meadows.

The Pesel who came were Alakko-11, Tivoli-2, and Marcus-3. These were the Pesel who came, and they are also the Pesel who knelt before Livadi, and she became their god. For they swore fealty to her that day, and with great joy they prayed unto her. (For until this time the Pesel had no god to pray to.)

***

Livadi spread her fingers through the grass. It was soft and warm in the sun. It was a feeling so familiar and yet had been so distant for so long. Being there in the meadow was like drinking cold spring water on a sweltering day.

She could smell the scent of flowers, their light, crisp notes touching her nose and blowing away in the breeze with the dandelion seeds.

BeeSheep sat next to her, and rolled in the grass, buzzing happily. This was how everything was supposed to be. He hopped up and marched across Livadi’s thigh, buzzing to her a marching song that he had learned from Abner.

She laughed at that, and her laugh was the chiming of noon bells. She scooped him up and hugged him close to her cheek. He nuzzled against her, and tears flowed from her eyes and wet his fur. She did not say anything, but the tears flowed.

They flowed because of what she had gone through. For what she had lost. And for what was yet to come.

“Tell me, Dokevi,” Livadi wept. “If I am ever lost again… will you find me?”

And BeeSheep buzzed.

***

Since the fourteen days, it had been seventy-two days, and Livadi had gained strength in that time.

“Dokevi, bring unto me a map of all the land,” Livadi commanded. And BeeSheep brought unto her a rolled map of goatskin. She laid it out upon the table, placing a gem upon it. “The digyr of the land have opened their eyes against me. They have taken my eyes, and so I am unable to open mine eyes against them. They are like gods to me, and I am but a man.”

“They may close my eyes, but I will open unto them the gate of the grave. I will open unto them the chaos of the beyond, and I will open a great darkness against them, so that they will never ever see again.”

And BeeSheep buzzed, for that sounded serious.

“I must find my eyes, and regain power,” Livadi spoke. “I will send Shava into the great city, and send spies from the Meridian Guard, so they might find any information about my eyes.”

And so Livadi sent thirty-two spies into the great cities of the land.

Into Ur of the Chaldeans, she sent spies. Into Re-Heboth she sent spies. Into the city of Havelah she sent spies. For forty days the spies resided in the great cities, and when their time had finished, they returned to the edge of the sea. To the small cabin made of coral where Livadi dwelt.

The Meridian Guard were encamped along the rocks. And Allatu made it so that the waves were soft and gentle in that place.

And when the spies returned, they each took a turn to speak what they had seen and heard. And Shava spoke first among them.

“I Shava of the stream, went into the furnace.” She spoke. “And when I was on the northern side of the city, where the travelers came through, and I heard speakings of a great wizard. It was said that this wizard was great in both mind and power but became even more so once he possessed an eye. This wizard lives in the city of Re-Heboth, at the center of the land.”

And when Shava had finished speaking, the other spies spoke saying that some of them also had heard the stories of the wizard with the eye of a digyr.

“Seeing how you, Shava, heard this in the great city of Ur, and so too did other spies in Sho-Tun, this thing must be true. We will go at once and take back the eye which he possesses, and none shall stand before us.”

And so it was that the army of Livadi was mobilized. Ten thousand Meridian Guard marched across the land to Re-Heboth, and there they camped at the edge of the valley leading into the city.

Seeing the army of Livadi, goddess of far meadows, Martin, the wizard, arose early in the morning. He called unto himself all of his attendants, and all of his generals and all of his great men.

“The day has come,” said Martin to his great council. “Livadi has come for the eyes which I possess. However, it may do well for us, for the digyr of the land took away her eyes and made her as man. 

Therefore, since we have an eye, we are indeed greater than she. If we were to destroy her, would we not be blessed by the council of the digyr? Surely the one who slays Livadi, and her army will receive a great reward.”

As he spoke these things, a figure emerged from the shadows of the room. His boots tapped against the stone floor. He wore a brown cape, and the hand that was visible bore tree bark across the flesh.

“Indeed,” spoke the strange figure. “Whomever slays Livadi of far meadows will indeed receive a great blessing. For she has already raised an army, imagine then, what kind of scourge she will be across the land. It would be kindly to end her and her army now, before their hopes grow stronger.”

“My lord,” bowed Martin, “do not despise your servant for asking this thing, but tell me, what will the blessing be for slaying a god? Surely it will be a great thing.”

And the stranger tossed upon the table a wrap of papyrus and tied with twine. Martin opened it, and there, within the wrapped papyrus, were two more of Livadi’s eyes. They filled the room with a great light.

“These will help you achieve a great victory,” said the stranger. “When you slay the goddess and claim her head for yourself, you may keep these eyes. If indeed you fail, you and all the men and women of your city will also be defeated and put to the sword, and any man or woman standing after the defeat, I myself will enact death upon them.”

At his words, the men of Martin’s council were deeply afraid, and all the more determined to defeat Livadi and her army. For if they succeeded, they would be greatly rewarded with eyes, and all the power that came with them.

And so the men of the city gathered into a great army, the whole city of Re-Heboth became a fortress, and Martin the wizard, using the power of the three eyes which he now possessed, crafted great storm clouds to hang over the city until the time in which Livadi and her army attacked.