This is one from ages ago. We were on a family holiday to France, and found this amazing falconry display at the Theatre of the Ramparts in Provins. The show was incredible, though it might have been even better if my French was any good. Something for me to work on before a future trip, perhaps.
Tangled ivy spread, unnaturally fast, up the crumbling walls of the castle. Ulwynn tried to smile as his magic unfolded. This was victory, nature’s victory over the arrogant works of man, and yet… His forcing of the plants to grow, to push out the rock and mortar, wasn’t this as much a betrayal of nature?
No. This was right. In the time of his father’s father this castle was dense forest, a shrine to the glory of the natural world. The castle was a scar that needed healing. It was Ulwynn’s proud role to bring that healing. But before the healing could start, he’d needed to remove the disease.
He had recruited the animals of the forest to his cause. That hadn’t been hard — it was their cause too. The wilds had risen up against the men, as those men had first banded together against the wilds. True, many of their number had fallen to the swords and arrows of their foes. Ulwynn would carry the grief of their loss to his dying day but he did not regret his actions. It had been necessary and the losses were fewer than if the humans had remained. Their thirst for hunting was unquenchable.
His work here was not yet done. The incantation that caused the forest itself to tear down the walls had taken root now. It would complete that task itself. Before his work was ended he would to return the slain, both man and beast, to nature. There was one final task before that.
Harlow, the great owl, fluttered from a perch on a piece of wall as it crumbled to dust under attacking roots. Ulwynn raised his arm and the great owl swooped down to land on the druid’s wrist. The owl’s head swivelled to lock eyes with the man.
“This shall be a message to all who would invade the Great Forest. I Ulwynn, Guardian of the Trees, will not allow these incursions. By the power of nature herself, I will repel any further attempts to defile the wild places of the world, as I have repelled this one.”
Harlow’s head bobbed. By Ulwynn’s magic he would be able to pass on this message to those who must hear it.
“Take these words,” said Ulwynn. “Spread them far and wide. You know the way.”
The great owl hooted and flew off.
Brandon Lim 