And Then There Was Nothing

Descriptions of the world; and Elemer works up some courage.

BESIDE THE COLOSSAL tree, and the small town at its base, Terracoche sat alone in the vast and rocky plain, a glimmering, white diamond in the middle of that desolate place. Though perhaps not as magnificent as the tree, and certainly not as tall.
 
For Bel-Gra is incredibly so. The gigantic tree was visible anywhere on the three plains of U’Sul; and its lush green top, at least, could be seen from almost anywhere within Terracoche, looming hazily over even the tallest structures, slumbering a kilometre or so north of the city; and it is always green - through the biting winters or serene springtime, the harsh summer or decaying autumn, it shines like an emerald, though infinitely more valuable.
 
Terracoche was built so that no building had a completely blocked view of it. Every structure had at least one north-facing window, and the people gazed frequently through them upon Bel-Gra’s magnificence, enthralled regardless of their scope.
 
Everyone there knew that Bel-Gra was part of the city’s lifeblood. Even if they had not been told, they sensed it. Most of them had a bond with the Mother Tree, and had spoken to Her at some time or other; and if they had not, they were new to the city. One does not have to be near Bel-Gra to speak with it. The tree can communicate with something miles away. Once a bond is realised, some will journey to visit where the great trunk meets the earth, some will not feel the need - its influence is mighty, overwhelming, sometimes erasing the sensual-boundary of Space.
 
However, the tree was not considered a god, and once Bel-Gra had spoken to them, Terracoche’s denizens knew immediately that it required no religious behaviour performed in its name. To those more understanding of its nature there became no more than simple, unspoken agreement between them to act in certain ways and have certain values. But it was all about Love.
 
However, some of the older religions still lingered. Their temples would remain in Terracoche for many decades after this time - even after each of its followers had bonds forged with the tree - until the devout became themselves too divided for their reason between long religious history and undeniable Truth thrust upon them, and finally believed their religion to be redundant. Thus, the temples would be converted into other facilities. This practice had already begun. But the Plains of U’Sul - as was their original name, of the great god Umakkadaan-Sul, though by then many called them the Three Plains - were home to many gods.
 
The plains themselves were indeed three in number, each around the same size and accessible by the other two through a dense border of small mountain belts. One of sand, the First Plain, a land of gold; one of water, the Second Plain, where the ground was always wet; and one of rocks, the Third Plain, where lied the greatest city in the world.
 
The sandy plain was the only populous one. It attracted many people with its promise of material riches and all the fruits of life, and as such was a land of many grand cities. The watery plain had only lots of little fishing villages scattered about, and a large, ramshackle town at its driest spot. The rocky plain was emptier still, not only of animal but all life - although, at this time, the number of its animal residents was probably comparable to that of the Second Plain; for, although Terracoche had decent population, there was only one other hub of life on that immense, dry stretch of barren ground.
 
Gleslock, town of the Founding, situated at the base of Bel-Gra, wrapped around the mighty trunk. It was a town of quiet mornings and cheerful evenings, of strange gardens that sprouted right up out of the hard, infertile rock, and the most calming air imaginable. Aided by its great neighbour, the White City, it was a prosperous place of one- or two-storey affairs - elaborate, brown and white stone cottages - and only about a thousand people - once in the realm of Bel-Gra, it is rare not to, at one point or another, just migrate to Terracoche.
 
But those who had their reasons for staying lead humble lives, by the Will of the Tree. Generally, it was a simpler life, without the technology of the modern world. Though the people did not judge the way of White City, and sometimes even declared their own journey had reached beyond the point of blacksmiths and masonries, fine as it was.
 
No matter where they were in the town - indeed, once out of Bel-Gra’s shadow at noon they were technically out of the town - one could look up and see above them, spread out from the trunk like a broccoli flower, the glorious, lively canopy, like another village in the sky. Monkeys, birds, and all kinds of unique insects transformed by the tree worked madly every day or night, silently to the curious village so far below.
 
Elemer was gazing at them now from the secluded garden at the bottom of the trunk, reclined against the barky wood, his elbows resting upon some rare traces of the enormous roots. His eyes darted back and forth as they were focused on various inhabitants of the green world, jumping or flying from branch to branch, busy about the tasks that seemed so important to them.
 
In here, beyond the wall of tall reeds surrounding the circular trunk from about three metres away, none of the rocky surface of the great plain could be seen. Instead it was covered in lush grass and mystical ferns, and by Bel-Gra’s oddly shaped leaves, which were often drifting down all over the town like a serene rain. In here, it was just you and the tree.
 
Elemer believed himself to have the world’s most intimate relationship with Bel-Gra. Most would refer to Her as the strong silent type, that you do not hear Her but rather become aware of what She is saying with every part of your being, whereas Elemer frequently referred to Her as ‘quite chatty’.
 
‘So - it’s a massaging device?’ he asked Her again.
 
Yes.
 
‘To make your headaches go away.’
 
That’s right.
 
Elemer looked down unbelievably for the dozenth time at the shiny, chrome thing in his hands. The garden always seemed so silent - now awkwardly so - as if the reeds blocked the sound of the town as well the view.
 
‘You’re sure?’ he said, looking up again.
 
No reply but a warm breeze.
 
‘It’s just that, see, I don’t wanna put it on, aaand, something... unseemly - happens.’
 
Nothing unseemly is going to happen, my dear Elemer.
 
‘You swear?’
 
Just put it on.
 
‘I mean,’ he said, with a more assured tone now, ‘if you can’t even swear, I mean--’
 
Just put it on.
 
‘--we are talking about my well being here and--’
 
Just put the helmet on.
 
‘--thought you were supposed to be omniscient and all--’
 
Don’t make me say it again.
 
‘--serious ramifications to consider, but I guess it’s OK because, oh, don’t worry, it’s only Ele--’
 
PUT IT ON!
 
Elemer abruptly stopped his ranting, and looked up to what he believed was Bel-Gra’s ‘face’ - though it hardly looked unusual - already pouting.
 
In the way a defeated child would, he said, ‘Fine.’
 
He hesitated only a moment before, in one movement, raising it as high as he could and then bringing it down onto his head. For a few moments everything was merely dim, and he could still hear the rustling ferns. Then he remembered the button.
 
He pressed it.
 
And everything was nothing.

Reviews

[Brooke Graco]

Yay next chapter!
What can I say...FANTASTIC! This was so well written that I could not find a fault anywhere. You have a very imaginative way of describing the three plains, and the relationship with Elemer and Bal-Gra is very interesting indeed. Cannot wait for the next installment. You have me hooked!
Keep going with your excellent work! :)

[Alti]

Ahh, you flatter me. XD
I'm glad to bring you enjoyment. :)