Role

Chapter 2

Mahendorin nervously tucked his thumbs between his belt and tunic as he
slowly climbed the treacherous mountain face. It was centuries since he last
had been this way, but the dirt road looked exactly the same, albeit a little
less used. Sent when he was in his thirties to the Deeproots' ranger guild
west of Galadon by his Guildmaster, the leader of the Kal'dessi Clan, he had
not seen the Kal'dessi forests since then. So focused was he on learning the
arts of being a ranger and the duties fo the Spire that he had never had time
to go to his home until now.

Was the forest still cursed? Were bandits still thriving? Or did his people
finish them off? Grimly, he smiled. It was centuries now. OF course all the
rogues and criminals were killed or run off. Reaching the top of the face, he
lifted himsefl up easily...and stared. The forest, was no more. What once was
miles of green lush forest was gone. Even with teh curse when he left, there
was much greenery. Now, all was black. Bare trunks remained, and only fungus
survived.

Hurrying, he ran down, seeking for his village, but to no avail. The village
was gone. The cloud giants, gone as well. Nothing remained. Death permeated
the air. Crying, Mahendorin fell to all fours and clutched the dead earth.
Kal'dessi, gone. He was the last.

After days of fasting and praying to the gods that he still feared,
Mahendorin went to what used to be the center of the forest, where the most
ancient of trees once lived. Touching the ground reverently, he cleared the
dead earth and fungus away. Pulling out of his bag a pouch, he opened it
Slowly, he poured out the rich earth onto the ground, and then placed a small
seed within it. The tears that fell watered the seed as he prayed. Finished,
he rose slowly and gripping his staff, began to slowly walk up the trail. He
could not forget his duty as a Magistrate, but as he climbed
he prayed...

"May Kal'dessi rise once again."