by A D Lombardo
Behind her, she heard giggles. Before she knew it, the oak sisters had encircled her. Senina, Ciera, and Linnea flitted around the wildflowers and glared at her.
Senina took hold of her hand. “Dear Kodama, sister. How did you discover this meadow?”
Ciera pushed at a branch near her head, commanding it to move away. “This is a sacred Kodama place.”
Rayna did not like the looks on their faces, nor how they had appeared so suddenly. She tried to leave, but Linnea blocked her path. “Don’t go, not yet.”
“Were you following me?” Rayna asked.
“Do you want to know why this place is so special?” Senina ignored her question. “We Kodama come here to practice becoming trees. The earth here is very rich, and the rivers from the Katori Mountains flow beneath this place. Our ancestors had the Stonekings create this sanctuary for us. Mighty women, in their old age, became the three oak trees that welcome each Katori into Zabranen Forest. As their descendants, it is our duty to protect this place.”
“Do you wish to learn?” Linnea asked.
Ciera laughed. “Her? Become a mighty oak?”
“I don’t know…” Senina paused and scanned the length of Rayna. “She is rather small to consider becoming an oak. Maybe she’ll be a lavender twistwood.”
All three girls laughed at the idea. “Come on, my sisters, she is not brave enough to even try,” Senina mocked.
In her studies, Rayna had seen sketches of a lavender twistwood tree. While extremely pretty, the tree remained small, no more than four feet tall at best. Their bark was dark, nearly black, and they often grew twisted, but their pale lavender flowers were said to be honey-sweet.
The comparison to this inferior plant made Rayna’s blood boil. She could do this. If they could become a mighty oak, she certainly could too. Glaring at the sisters with her hands on her hips, she was determined to prove them wrong. “I can too,” she shook her finger at them.
The girls turned around and laughed. A faint breeze whipped through the trees. “Well?” Ciera crossed back to stand near Rayna.
“What are you waiting for?” Linnea looked around the glade.
“Show us what you can do, little Kodama sister,” Senina mocked.
Rayna shook her head at the girls. Her fingers stretched outward. “You just watch what I can do.” She slipped out of her shoes to let the earth squish under her feet.
Connected to her magic, her green crystal began to shine. Within the ground, she felt great power. The soil welcomed her touch. Without thinking, she pulled at the ground, coaxing the earth up around her feet. Her toes sank into the soil and roots burst across the glade. Startled, the sisters stepped away.
“Rayna, are you sure you want to do this?” Senina asked, suddenly wary.
Ignoring the sister, Rayna took in a deep breath. The sun baked her scalp. Its power infused her and mixed with the energy from the ground. A mighty oak tree came to mind, and she used her newly created magic to change her form.
Raised off the ground by her expanding roots, Rayna gawked at her situation. One look at the sisters, and she pushed harder at the idea of becoming a tree. Their contorted faces concerned her. Senina covered her mouth. Fear washed over their expressions.
Senina waved at Rayna. “No. Please stop this. You really should not continue!”
Bark crept up Rayna’s legs. Craggy roots swelled around her and pushed her skyward. Her trunk thickened. Rayna lifted her hands, and branches sprouted from her arms and fingers. As the tree engulfed her body, Rayna suddenly felt afraid. What had she done? She had no idea how to change back or how to stop what was happening. She felt her skin change and harden. Her hair became heavy and woody. Her mouth curled into a scream. “Please help me!”
The advancing bark did not stop. Rayna struggled but could not reverse the effects. Warm tears ran down her face. She was afraid. The final bit of her face swelled into woody bark and disappeared.
Two of the oak sisters panicked and darted out of the glade. Only Senina remained. Her trembling hand touched the tree. To Rayna’s surprise, she felt the girl’s fingers caress her bark.
The desire to breathe came over her, but instead of lungs within her chest, her entire body felt the intake of air. Her leaves fluttered in the wind, and it trickled down her trunk. The sun bathed her in light, and it felt wonderful. Deep within the ground, her roots sucked at water and nourished her. Birds landed on her branches and sang to her. Their delightfulness pleased her. Happy, she swayed in the breeze and looked around her glade.
Below, on the ground, a girl slumped. Wet tears ran down her sad face, and she leaned against the tree trunk. The weight of her felt nice, and the mighty oak listened to the sobbing stranger.
“Please come out, Rayna. I am so sorry we tricked you.” Senina wiped the tears from her face and reached up at the tree. “I don’t know how to help you.”
The mighty oak stiffened and searched the cloudy sky. Peaceful and happy, it leaned toward the shifting sunlight. Content to watch the setting sun, the tree ignored the wet creature at her base.
Chapter 20
The Kodama
Winter snow filled the skies. There was no time to tramp through the forest. Kai needed speed. In his dragon form, he took flight. He had no idea how to find Rayna’s tree or how to find Imani. Katori was a vast country, the woman could be anywhere. His only hope was to follow his grandfather’s advice, fly toward Ryker, and search for Imani among the Matoku tribe.
Through the snowy weather, Kai flew higher and higher. Up into the snow-filled clouds, everything turned white. Through the vapors, the early dawn sky emerged. The Katori’s peaks came into view, their snow-covered summits clawing at the pink morning sky.
Over the mountain crest, Kai dove back through the clouds. There was no snow yet on this side of the mountain range, but he could smell that the crisp air was ripe for a storm.
He banked a hard right towards the southeast side of Katori. The rolling foothills. Home to Ryker’s Matoku highland tribe.
Thick fluffy clouds gave way to thin wispy ones. He crashed through their feathery vapors, his outstretched wings sailed on a cushion of air. The wind rolled over his thick dragon scales. His heart pounded inside his massive chest. Gigantic lungs sucked in the fresh air. Even though his flight had an urgent purpose, it still thrilled Kai to his core. Deep down he held onto the memory of Rayna’s face.
Fields of grass unfolded below. His amber eyes scanned the ground. Quickly the details came into view. Treetops. Streams. Rock formations. Each elegantly decorated the land. His shadow floated over the landscape. Alenga’s cave was a good indicator he was getting close.
Over the next hill, the main part of the Matoku village came into view. Around and around he circled. His shadow fluttered over the village. People stopped their work and pointed at his looming presence. The people seemed to be afraid. They scurried under trees and near stone structures.
He felt drawn to this place as he circled. Imani had to be here. But how would he find her? He had only met her once, months ago. Imani had been drawn to Rayna, although her companion had acted reclusive and disinterested. Imani claimed to be Rayna’s sister, and according to Benmar, she was the person he needed. Would she really help? Could she help? Kai shook the worry from his mind.
Kai’s dragon eyes enabled him to see great distances. Just beyond Alenga’s hidden cave, he spotted Ryker and Smoke running across the hillside in the direction of the Matoku tribal city. Still, Kai did not land. He collected his thoughts. Benmar’s words rang in his ears. Kai knew his grandfather was right. To help Rayna, he needed to be peaceful at heart. He would need to encourage her to be forgiving.
On the ground, one woman stepped away from the group. She strolled into the clearing. Her eyes fixed on the sky. She sat in the tall wildflowers and her hands swept over the ground in tiny circles. Wildflowers and tall grasses bent to her will. A large circle of flowers and grasses fell flat in front of her.
Kai circled low
and dropped to the ground into the spot Imani made for him. He shuddered and shook off his dragon form, his true body restored. Once again, blackness took him, and he collapsed into the grass.
Warm hands rubbed small circles on his chest. The woman’s face was blurry but familiar. When his eyes focused, he beheld Rayna’s older sister. “Imani?” He steadied his racing heart. “I am humbled to ask for your help.”
“Kai. You are most welcome here.” She patted his arm. “You should be good to sit up now,” she urged him upright.
“Are you sure I am welcome?” Kai scanned the villagers. “How long was I out?”
Imani looked around, her smile reassuring. “Only a few minutes. I healed your weary body. Transforming takes time to learn. You must balance the energy you burn in the change. Let the air and sunlight ease your burden. And remember not to force it.”
Everyone else remained a good distance away, their expressions a mix of surprise and disbelief. “It has been a while since a dragon has flown into Matoku that was not Simone. Her black dragon form is well known in these parts, but your silver body surprised everyone. Dragons keep to the snowy peaks or to the Mystic Islands. They avoid us, and we give them space. You surprised us, is all.”
“Imani, I wish I had time to be cordial, but I need your help. Or rather, Rayna needs you.”
Imani nodded heavily. “I heard the cries of my sister last night. One Kodama to another, I felt Rayna’s fear. She was afraid when she made her transformation. We need to go to her quickly. Her mind is fragile. Confused. If she has nothing to cling to on this side, she will get lost in being a tree. The life of a tree is most enjoyable.”
“I do not know where to look” Kai panned around at the onlookers, “but I do know whom to ask. The oak sisters were with her. They tricked her into changing, at least that is what my vision implied.” Kai’s tone soured. “I blame Senina.”
“Let us find Rayna first. Worry about how she came to be a tree after.” Imani stood. “There is a meadow where many Kodama go to practice their techniques. We should start there. While we go, you should cleanse your heart and mind. It will be the bridge Rayna will cross to return.”
With an open mind, Kai followed Imani.
Ryker and Smoke darted through the tall grass to catch up with them. “I did not expect you back so quickly. What brings you to Matoku? Has something happened?”
“I had a vision of Rayna transforming into a tree. The look on her face told me she was terrified. Benmar suggested finding another Kodama to help her.” Kai glanced at Imani. “My grandfather said that you were best suited to help.”
“I can help her,” Imani reassured him. “I had hoped my sister would have come to see me sooner.”
The curve of her mouth, the small nose, and the shape of her eyes were so like Rayna, it was almost shocking. “She wanted to come, but I leave the reasons why she didn’t for her to explain,” Kai responded.
Ryker interrupted the moment. “I hate to push, but maybe we could pick up the pace.”
Their quick marched turned into a run. Down the hillside they went, Imani in the lead, Kai and Ryker behind. With each step, his anger subsided. Benmar was right; he did not have the entire story. Why would Rayna try something so advanced without proper guidance? Why was she with the oak sisters in the first place? They were hardly friends.
Imani led them through the forest. Her pace was quick despite her small frame. They went over rocks and through a narrow rock tunnel, and then they popped out into a large meadow. Sunlight beamed through the treetops. Squirrels chirped at them from on high. Birds sang and swooned from tree to tree.
The glade was particularly warm, especially since it was snowing higher up in the mountains. Sun-warmed stone curled around the meadow, warming the already pleasant Katori climate. Imani searched the area. “Look for signs of disrupted dirt. Her roots should be fresh. She would have turned up the soil greatly.”
All three searched the large meadow. Smoke sniffed the ground, and he was the first to beeline away from the group. His loud, deep bark drew everyone to his side. Freshly turned soil and roots ran across the ground. Kai marveled at the size of the oak tree. Hopeful, he touched the dark ridged bark. “Good boy, Smoke. You’ve found her.”
Smoke worriedly scratched at the tree. Imani ran her hands up and down the trunk. “There is definitely a Kodama in this tree. I can feel her spirit. Given the newly turned soil, I am guessing Rayna lives within. Now we need to coax her out.”
“Why could I not force her out?” Kai asked anxiously. “I have done that before. Force people back to their true form.”
Imani took Kai’s hand. “Yes, I have seen your work. That would be alright for an experienced Kodama or Beastmaster, one that knew their way in and out. Changing one’s form requires an anchor. You must know yourself while you explore the possibilities of embracing another form.”
It was not easy to be patient. “I thought time was important. We need to free her immediately!”
She shook her head. “You could free her, but then she will not learn. It might damage her mind to break the thread that binds her. When you change, there is a golden thread you envision. That design sequence is real and, in her state, fragile.”
Kai stepped around the tall oak. “So, you’re sure it is better to leave her this way. I am not sure I can wait for her to come out on her own—if she ever does.”
“No, she must free herself,” Senina said, entering the meadow.
“You cannot…” Ciera started.
“…intervene,” Linnea finished.
Senina held up her hand to her sisters. “Imani is right. You must not free her. She must want to come out. Have you ever seen a felled tree—a hollow, empty shell? That was a Kodama’s tree. Her spirit made the center of the tree. When she dies, all that is left is an empty trunk. We reclaim her body and return her to Alenga. The tree depends on Rayna for life, and her on it—they are connected. While she is the core, they breathe and live as one.” Her words were solemn.
Heat rolled up Kai’s neck. He spun on his heels to face the sisters. “This is your fault! If you were not always chasing me and pushing her, we would not be here right now.” Kai heard the velocity and thunder behind his voice.
Linnea and Ciera kept their distance. They too seemed remorseful about the situation.
Senina nodded her head. “You are not wrong. This is my fault. I thought I could win you if I could prove her inferior as a Kodama. I have not mastered the change. But I was wrong. Your love for her runs deep to your core. She is a lucky girl. The fear in her eyes broke my heart. I did this, and I want to make it right.”
The word forgiveness echoed in his mind. Benmar was right. Kai let his heart soften, and his shoulders relax. “How can you help?”
Senina continued. “As I said, the tree and Rayna are one, connected. We sisters, together with Imani, can appeal to the tree, but you must awaken Rayna’s spirit. Without pushing too hard, call to her in your mind. Touch the tree with your hand, speak to her and give her a reason to reach out. I tried to call her, but she did not respond.”
Humbled, the three sisters gathered at Rayna’s roots. Imani found her own spot, and all four knelt before the tree. Face first they bent over their torsos flat against the ground. They mumbled inaudible words. Their fingers curled into the soil.
Their words soon changed to a harmonic hum. Their bodies rose and fell to the rhythm of their tune. Kai knelt close to the tree, his hands pressed into the bark. He called out to Rayna. Images of their lives together flashed through his mind. Her laugh on the beach the day they met. Her smile picking wildflowers with the basket he’d given her. Them splashing in Baden Lake on a hot summer’s day. Holding her hand as they walked through the gardens. Kissing her in the apple orchard.
Each moment filled his heart. He pushed those emotions to her. Focused on Rayna and their connection, Kai spoke. “Come back to me, Rayna. Walk with me once more.” To his relief, he heard leaves rustle. Above in her c
anopy, branches swayed in the wind.
Kai scooted back. The bark creaked and groaned. Dirt and roots wiggled. Branches and leaves receded. The size of the trunk shrank. Roots curled back into the base of the tree. Imani and the sisters hopped back. Slowly the tree’s cylinder shape morphed into womanly curves.
The base of the tree shrank, lowering Rayna to the ground. Her bark-covered hair thinned into brunette strands. Her craggy wooden exterior softened into cream-colored skin. The rest of the trunk curved back into Rayna’s true form. Rayna sucked in a deep breath and fell to her knees. She grabbed at her body, arms, and face. Tears streamed down her face.
Thankful, Kai ran to her and pulled her into his arms. “I am sorry I was not here for you. I should have been here.” He smoothed her hair as she wept.
Her tears flowed fiercely down her cheeks. Sobs shook her body. Rayna collapsed into Kai and wrapped her arms around him.
“You’re alright now. Shhh. I’ve got you,” Kai whispered into her ear.
Wet wild eyes lifted to meet his. Rayna stared at him. “You came. I knew you would.” Her breath stuttered. Anxious, she gasped for air. “How did you find me?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “Imani. She brought me here. It was her idea you might be in this meadow.”
Rayna glanced around Kai. Her eyes locked with Imani. “It’s you. I wanted to find you.” She wiped the tears from her face and tried to stand.
Kai steadied her and stood. Rayna panned the meadow and noticed Senina. “You. You did this. It was your foolish idea.” Rage consumed Rayna’s face. “You will pay for this.” She stormed towards Senina.
Worried, Kai grabbed at Rayna’s arm. Her arm hardened in fury, and solid wood pushed against Kai, tossing him to the side. Rayna charged at Senina. Senina tried to scream, but Rayna pressed her hand over the girl’s mouth. Moss bloomed under her hand. Tears flowed down Senina’s face as she grabbed at her mouth.