Prologue
An Extraordinary Night
A great crackling sound echoes as a series of deep, inhuman moans travel on the wind to the quiet town of Quincy. The elderly glare through the cracks of their doors, curious as to which troublesome youth could be causing such racket, as the young peer through their windows unsure of what they will be blamed for next. Little do they realize the extraordinary event that is taking place on the outskirts of their insignificant town. Sadly, most will never know.
Lines of dust and dirt slither down a lightly traveled road, stretching from just south of Quincy to the neighboring town of LeSords. Oak and pine trees rise on either side of this road, casting intertwining shadows on the moonlit asphalt. And in the center of these shadows stands a lone figure dressed in a pinstriped suit and sleek green tie, though no evidence of how he arrived can be found. He loosens his tie and listens closely to the sounds that fill the night. The crackling and moaning is nearby to the north, mixed with the frightened scuffle of various woodland creatures.
The man takes a breath and steps from the dusty asphalt between two oaks and enters the mangled unkempt forest. Something catches the man's eye and he quickly tries to trace it, finding nothing but rolling leaves. It isn't long before the echoes draw near and become almost violent, forcing him to slow his pace. Something brushes against his leg but when he turns he finds nothing but a sapling swaying in the wind. The sounds surround him now as he receives the strangest sensation that everything is shifting. The trees then open into a small clearing and the view that he finds is one that would frighten even the bravest of men. This man, however, is merely curious. The trees surrounding the clearing seem to have come alive, moving away from the clearing in slow swaying motions, their trunks uprooted and stepping as if legs. The moaning sounds echo from their great trunks and the crackling is quite loud in their limbs. The man watches as their branches collide with those of other trees that have yet to move. They then awaken as well.
Artie! Ya' came! comes a deep, excited voice.
Artie, the dignified man in the pinstriped suit, turns to find a rather large man walking toward him.
What is this?
The large man stops just shy of Artie, obviously breathless, and closes his eyes in attempts to compose himself. He is large both wide and tall with a thick mustache, a ragged top hat, and a long black overcoat that looks as if it could fall to pieces at any moment.
Mack, Artie says curiously, his eyes wide, Never before have the trees of Earth moved in such fashion. What's led to this?
Mack glances behind him and then looks intently into Artie's eyes.
I saw her, Artie. Th' Child. She came ta' me.
A silence falls between them and though Artie attempts to speak, no words come. Mack allows him a moment to find his voice.
You're certain it was her? he finally asks in a whisper.
Not a doubt in my mind. She came ta' me jus' b'fore sundown, here in these woods. I sensed somethin' drawin' me here, an' so I came. Thought maybe it was you, or one a' th' others, but I never 'spected her.
How long has it been? Artie asks rhetorically beneath his breath
Mack begins to think back in his mind, obviously not realizing the question rhetorical.
Did she speak to you? Artie asks quickly, interrupting Mack's thoughts.
O'course not. If she didn' speak ta' Perrin she sure ain't gonna speak ta' someone as dim as me. I was so dumbfounded by th' sight of her that I nearly fell on my face. All th' while, she jus' looked at me, as if searchin' my soul. Then her face relaxed like she found wha' she was lookin' for. An' get this, she smiled!
Smiled? Artie says incredibly, She's only ever appeared saddened when the others had seen her. And you say she smiled?
I know. I didn' know wha' ta' make of it either. She seemed happy an' started lookin' at th' trees, an' then she touched one. It was right in th' center a' this clearin' here, an' th' tree came alive an' started movin'. As th' tree touched th' others 'round it, they started movin', an' ya' c'n see how it's turned out.
Where are they going?
Mack shakes his head, Don' know. But th' strangest thing happened after that. Th' Child looked at me again an' it was like I was in a trance. Her eyes were like pools a' water, all blue like, an' I began ta' see a vision. I saw children, young people... an' then I saw her.
Her? Artie says softly, You mean...?
Th' Lady, yeah. I saw her walkin' aimlessly in th' Void. It made me sad, but then I came out a' th' trance an' th' Child was there, her smile gone. She looked at me with an expression so serious that it near frightened me. I think maybe she was makin' sure I understood what I was jus' shown. Then she turned an' walked away. I lost her in th' trees an' doubt I woulda found her again even if I tried.
Nor do I, Artie says softly, slowly rubbing his chin. And what do you make of the vision? Of the young people and the Lady?
Don' know. Only that there's somethin' special 'bout th' young people a' this town. I don' know how or why but I know what I have ta' do. I have ta' gather 'em, or at least th' ones th' Child wants me to.
And how will you know which young people to gather?
Don' know that either, but I have a feelin' I'll know 'em when I see 'em. I jus' had ta' think of a way ta' get 'em t'gether.
Artie looks around and finds that the trees are creating not only a clearing but a path to the old road as well. He looks to the stars above and then closes his eyes.
The Lady... he says in a whisper to the heavens. It's been so long. I'd nearly given up hope entirely.
So'd I, Artie. We all did.
Artie nods. He then takes a breath and begins to speak in a more dignified tone. The young people of this town may very well be the key to our salvation. Not only Earth's, but all the worlds of the web. We have to be careful about this.
Should we tell th' others?
Artie shakes his head, No. I think we should keep this as quiet as possible, for the moment anyhow. Periphne's spies cover many worlds, not all of which are accounted for. If rumor of your vision reaches her she will do everything in her power to find the young ones and claim them as her own. We mustn't tell a soul of this.
Then our lips are sealed, Mack says sternly, his voice echoing deeply.
So tell me, old friend. Exactly how do you plan on gathering these young people?
A slight smirk crosses Mack's face. He excitedly waves for Artie to follow him and the two quickly move through the clearing. The sound of crackling increases as they walk and Artie's eyes widen at what he finds next. Trees of all sizes, from pine to weeping willow, are in the process of intertwining and molding themselves into what appears to be the frame of a small building. The grass about the frame has pulled itself into the ground just enough to create a well-kept, trimmed appearance. Flowers of all colors bloom about the forming yard.
I had an idea, an' as soon as I thought it th' trees jus' started reactin'. Th' Child's doin' I 'spect.
And how do you plan to gather the young ones with such framework?
Mack smiles widely as he puffs out his large chest, I plan ta' open a business. One thing th' young people an' I have in common is that we all love ta' eat. An' there's one delicacy tha's been th' desire of every young person since th' beginnin' a' time.
And what delicacy is that, Mack? Artie asks, a slight smile crossing his face.
Pizza, my old friend. Pizza.
