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Cover art by Barry Blair and Colin Chan
THE PERCEPTION OF DOORSóA boy drifts in a canoe of wood. He has black hair, dark
make up around his eyes, a skimpy loin cloth, and no other clothes. Around his hands
are bandages. Panthers wait above a branch as the canoe passes under. Jethel crawls
out onto the branch with his long knife out. Koni fires an arrow between the legs
of the big cat in front. Arro tells him it was a good shot but Koni tells Arro he
was aiming to hit it. Willowsnap is on Jethel's head. Jethel thinks the cats are
sweet tempered creatures, "Am I not right? MMmmmrrrrr?" The canoe drifts
to where Arro can pull the boy out and Arro and Slyvie get the kid away from the
area. Koni says, "Jethel, I can't hold this much longer. Do something!"
The cats pounce but Jethel is behind Koni. He wraps an arm around his shoulder, "Oh,
now young warrior, you weren't worried about your chief, were you?" Koni runs,
telling FireóEye that someday this forest is going to get the better of him. Jethel
wraps his head and shoulder, "Not as long as I stay sharper and trickier than
anyone or anything that lives here!" He nogs Koni's head, making Koni say he
is right. Koni tells him he is the best as Jethel nogs his head in a headlock. Slyvie
and Arro give the boy some food, soup, and drink. The boy tells them his people tried
to be like the legends told them...spirit legends. The boy sobs and kneels before
Jethel. Koni smiles, "Sharp and tricky and a legend too." Jethel makes
weary eyes and can't say anything. The boy is from upriver three or four days. Jethel
tells the boy he is real, not a legend. The boy's people were going to give him to
the spirits. Moons ago a stranger arrived at the boy's people's village. The Daystar
ruled their days and at night they celebrated by the light of the two moons. The
stranger has triangles in his ears to make them pointy and paints the village children
to look like sky spirits. He tells the people stories of distant places and of the
sky spirits. Soon the stranger became darker. He told them of a star that he make
a star fall from the sky. All were in awe of him. He became their shaman. The fighters,
the hunters took up the man's ways. He told them the young ones were to be transformed
into Sky Spirits. The children were shamed if they cried out. For the chosen, the
birth was the last thing that they knew...they were killed on a high tree, a tree
that has skulls at its base. Jethel says, "I've seen this before." Jethel
will take him home. When Arro questions thisas well as Sylvie, Jethel tells him he
has seen this before when Aramak tried to make himself like the Sky Spirits. He feels
he must stop this madness since he feels responsible. Next morning: on a wooden raft
with a front piece extended out, Jethel, the mostly naked loin cloth wearing boy,
Arro, Slyvie, the fat cat, the dogs, Willowsnap, Koni, and other smaller animals
and bugs head to the village. Arro thinks this will be fun but Koni doesn't feel
good about it. Jethel has the memories of what happened to Aramak and Door from the
elves who sent it to him. He tells of Door being evil. "I was told by those
who were there that he didn't start out that wayóóthat he was simply tired of living
such a long life. But the one who was his own master slowly took over his mind and
will in dark place called Blue Mountain. Winnowillóthe Black Snake. He became a slaveóóunable
to move or eat on his own. He was alive but dead. When Blue Mountain fell, the Hoan
G'TayóSho took Door and moved far away from that place to the Forevergreen. In their
city on the High Ones' Tears, the lived in peace until Aramak." More flashbacks
of the floater called Windkin who heard a call from Door. Jethel recounts more of
the NEW BLOOD tale. The sister of the boy who ran away asks the stranger that they
haven't seen any signs yet. He tells them the little souls of the young must go skyward
so the spirits can live anew. They hear a flute playing, soft unearthly tones played
by no human lips. Some of the children are Oriental in look, some Vietnamese, some
with big round eyes, some girls with pigtails and braids. Most males wear no shirt,
only skimpy briefs or loin cloths. The boy's sister's outfit has cuts on the hips
and no sleeves. She points up to a dark outline of an elf playing a long flute stick,
sitting on top of one of the poles. Another pole has bull horns. Jethel turns around
and says, "Hello." Jethel brings the brother back. Jethel tells the truthóóthat
he's kin to those they wish to know. There are others elves behind Jethel in the
forest with long ears. The stranger yells for the humans not to listen to Jethel.
The stranger announces he is the Chosen One. Koni feels like a fool in fake elf ears
but Arro tells him they can be elves for one night. Jethel looks at the stranger,
"Wait! I know you...you were younger but I rememberóóyou were one of those who
served Door!" A bald boy with collar and no shirt beneath. The stranger was
proud then, even when Door disappeared in the Great Fire, he did not lose faith.
Jethel debates him and turns his back on him to tell the people to share this forest
with the elves and that this stranger has told them lies. He tells them there is
no need to worship the spirits, "We're just like you..." The stranger picks
up a long knife and raises it as Jethel's back. Jethel moves out of the way and the
man stabs himself in the heart. He falls as the point sticks out of his back. In
the last frame he is in, the point seems to stick out of his chest. Jethel says something
like, "Let this be an ending. Not only to a life, but to a way of life."
The sister tells the little brother he was brave and she is proud of him. He says,
"Awwwww..." She hugs his chest and back. The humans look to Jethel to lead
but he tells them to learn from what just happened. Jethel tells the sister and brother
that their eyes are more clear than the others. He tells them to tell the others
over and over until they know what to do, "And do not look for me again."
The boy is in his sister's bosom, "He'sgone..." Day breaks...Sylvie asks
Arro how long he's going to take wear those silly fake ears. He says he is never
going to take them off, "I'm a forest spirit!" She yells, "Stop that!"
Jethel sighs, thinking some things never change. Slyvie asks Arro, "Didn't you
see what happens when people try to be what they're not?" Arro says, "Awwwóóthey
were just stupid, I'm just playing." The day is tranquil and without care...so
the, why is it that Jethelóóif only for a momentóóseems to hear soft and evil laughter
from one whom he has never truly met? Winnowill's face is in the sky over the forest
and amid the two moons with a smile on her face |