I have been on the road for a whole month. As it has taken me that long, minus rest and meals, to traverse the great distance from my home, the town of Dellin's Falls, to the wide valley that sits beneath the great mountain, at the top of which sits the city of Dragon's Roost. A name that always has my friends giggling and casting secretive glances at each other. A kind of private joke that they refuse to let me in on.
That likely would have been the end of it if not for the fact that I can be very persistent, especially when an issue piques my interest. So, I badgered my comrades day and night, until they finally relented and told me that I simply needed to see it for myself, as no words could possibly do it justice and they all adopted smug looks on their faces with satisfied grins.
That was not the answer I was looking for, not by a longshot, but my mates were adamant in their collective silence and refused to talk more on the matter. The only thing they would do is point me in the direction to go. So, I made up my mind, packed some supplies for a long journey and set off on my pilgrimage, of sorts.
To hear my companions tell it, the trip was a breeze and they only had good things to say about it. But I have been trudging through mud, been battered by torrential rain, pelted by high winds and sweltered under a grueling sun, a vacation this is not. But I've come this far and all I have left is a treacherous climb up a very steep mountain. Goody, goody gumdrops.
I'm on my way up the mountainside when a thought occurs to me: How exactly do the people, who live on top of this massive hunk of rock, possibly sustain themselves when there seems to be no road or avenue on which trade caravans could travel up the steep cliffside? But with no answer to be had, I push the matter to the back of my mind and continue my climb.
At last I make it to the summit, which allows me a moment to rest. But relaxing is not on my mind at the moment, as it's completely filled with the impossible scene that lies before it. I'm staring down a main thoroughfare of sorts, which is capped on both sides by a row of buildings that seemed to be hewn out of the very living rock.
And there are small gardens sprouting all over the place filled with all manner of flowers and blossoming fruit. And the people I encounter are nothing but pleasant and the only rudeness I endure is when I pick a piece of fruit to eat, some of the people point in my direction and laugh. Hungry as I was, I was too embarrassed to eat anything after the slight.
For three days I tour the place completely amazed by the Shangri-La that exists so far removed from the rest of the world. And the people there want for nothing. But there's something peculiar, the residents of this utopia never eat. Not a single morsel passes their lips. And though I enquire after this strange detail, all they will tell me is they don't need to, as a sly smile creases their lips.
I'm now five days into my visit and there has been no occurrence that would make this long, arduous excursion worth the trip. When I get home I'm going to give my friends a piece of my mind, and I hope they choke on it! And for seconds, a piece more which I hope will sit like a stone in their respective stomachs. I am still fuming when I take to descending the mountain.
"Leaving already?" a voice asks from behind me. I turn round and find an elderly woman standing at the top of the path. "Surely you don't intend to go before the festival."
"Festival?" I shoot back as I gaze behind her. "What festival?"
"Why, the Festival of Rejuvenation, of course," the old woman replies and taps her cane. "We hold it at the end of every month. And it's so much fun."
I think on the matter a moment. Could that be it? Was the festival the occurrence my friends insisted I see? Was that what this was all about? Well, it had better be the very best festival I have ever seen, else someone is going to catch it when I get back. I nod to the old woman.
With a great big smile she helps me back up and hooks my arm as we walk. "Oh, you're just going to love it!," she speaks with exuberance and pats my arm. "I'm not going to spoil anything. But trust me, you'll absolutely adore it."
I allow myself to be led around for the rest of the day, visiting the same sights I had already seen, but pretending to be surprised all the same. I simply cannot bring myself to disrupt my tour guide. And it all ends in the evening with the start of the festivities.
The first thing that catches my eye is the bright, flamboyant costumes most of the people wear as they dance and jump all about the place, to the rhythm supplied by a band that plays with incredible exuberance. Even I, the non-dancer that I am, am being pulled by the alluring music, which sets my toes to tapping and my hips to swaying.
Before I know it, I'm completely lost to the festivities as I bounce and frolic along with the rest of the people and look like a damn fool in the process, even if it is guilt by association. Suddenly, it all stops. The music, the dancing, all within the same instant and the people hold perfectly still as though frozen, like a vast forest of statues, and I'm stuck in the middle of them.
Then, there's a loud gong, and all the people move as one to face what had previously gone unnoticed by me: A set of steps that lead up to an altar of sorts. It's teeming with a massive amount of fruits that have been piled on top. I can only speculate that it must be an offering, but to whom, there are no carved effigies to give a clue.
The crowd remains completely still, while I am left to wonder over the proceedings. And it's in the midst of such wondering that I see a stark white form break through the dark clouds above, soar through the blackened sky and come to rest upon a high perch that is positioned above the altar.
It's a dragon! A real dragon! I thought they were just myth, part of stories we tell to frighten children! I never expected them to be real! Or that I would ever see one! The shock leaves me just as frozen as the rest of the people, with only my eyes capable of motion. As such, I see the dragon, I still can't believe it, bend low and gobble up the offering with great relish.
After which, it issues forth a sound that's both bark and belch, before stretching its neck and craning its head so it's looking directly downward, a position it holds as though a sculpture. A luminescent, orange liquid pours from its open jaws and into the waiting mouth of the participant who stands at the front of a long line of eager people.
I start to walk backward, I simply can't believe what I'm seeing, and the weight of it is too much for me to take while standing. As such, I search for a place to sit down, but only with my hand, as my eyes simply cannot look away from the incredible sight. Such a spectacle as this demands my full attention and I would give it nothing less.
I feel a hand clap down on my shoulder and it's only then that I am able to avert my eyes, so as to address this new threat. It's the old woman from earlier and she has the widest smile pasted across her face, just for me. She gently tugs at my elbow trying to coax me to walk with her and I offer no objections.
We make our way to the back of the line, which has shrunk considerably, and before I know it, it's my turn. I gaze upon the strange substance as it continues to fall onto the stones near to where I stand, creating a strange waterfall that seems to have no end. And as I stand there, debating whether or not I should join in, I feel a force push me forward. I turn around, but there's no one close enough to push me.
So, I chock it up to fate and join in. My mouth fills with the liquid and I can feel a kind of warmth radiate from within my mouth and down into my stomach, once I swallow. I step away with a feeling of intense energy that follows me down the steps, where I find the rest of the people waiting for me.
They all have a glow surrounding their bodies and I wonder if the same light emanates from my person. I can't help but feel good about the whole situation, the light, the energy, that happy feeling that you pray never goes away. I bask in it, I bathe in it, it is mine and I belong heart, mind and soul to it.
Suddenly, I feel a tightening in my stomach, as though I'd been punched and have the wind knocked out of me, followed by a barrage of punches that will not let up. I fall to my knees and hunch forward as orange fluid spews from my mouth and onto the stones. My muscles lock as I continue to expel the liquid till every last drop I had ingested is out of my body.
I now have control of my body once again, and I raise myself just enough so that I can rest my back against a nearby wall. I feel beyond sick, like part of me was in my vomit and I will never get it back. All I can do at this moment is hold myself together even as it feels as if I am falling apart.
"Unworthy," the word rises from the people who look down upon me. "Unworthy." They draw near. "Unworthy." The word cuts into my ears. "Unworthy." It washes over me as their low level makes it feel like the rising tide, ready to drown me.
I gaze upon the people, with all the pity my eyes can impart, but they will not let up. And my body is still feeling wracked with pains that make my muscles tense, without any sign of release.
I lift my hands to my face as they shrivel before my very eyes, while my body follows suit, effectively transforming my young body into a shriveled husk that requires all of its strength to remain upright. It's this image I see in the pooled liquid in front of me, that of an old man whom I do not recognize.
I try to stand, but my body won't let me and I fall against the stones as a reward for my effort, leaving me to lie there as I look to the people who move not a muscle to help me. I feel so tired, so very tired and I just want to… And as my eyes close I wonder, just what had I done to deserve such a fate?
I cannot say for how long I was out, but when I awake I find the sun brightly shining above me. I stretch my old bones and hear them pop more times than I thought possible. Slowly, I lift myself to my feet, but find I can't stand for long so I set myself to a nearby short wall. I hit a little harder than I anticipated and have to take a moment to recover.
I watch as all the people of the town busy themselves with various tasks, while they mostly ignore my presence. All the while, they cast curious glances in my direction before returning to their original activity. I'm beginning to feel like a leper as no one dared get within spitting distance of me.
There's a loud clattering and I turn my head as fast as I'm able, which isn't very fast at all, to find a simple, wooden, walking stick lying on the ground. And from the corner of my eye I catch sight of a retreating figure. It's the old woman from before. She stops, gives me a nod, before adopting a guilty look, turning around and hurrying away.
I am grateful for the apparatus that assists me so I can walk greater distances, which makes me think of home. Why had my friends doomed me to this nightmare of being old and feeble? And for that matter, why hadn't any of them been changed? What was the fundamental difference between us that I should be so cursed while they escaped judgment?
I have many questions rattling around inside my head, but not a single answer. And as I glance about at the many people who still would not get within spitting distance of me, I realized that I would receive no assistance of any kind from any of the townsfolk. All I know for certain is that I am on my own.
So, I stand from my place, lean on my walking stick and set off for the mountain path. All the while, I can feel the eyes of the people upon me and I can hear the collective breath that is held and released once I have ducked out of sight. The climb had been treacherous with my youthful energy and strength, but now they're gone and it takes me a seeming eternity to descend, what with all of my frequent breaks and long rests.
I cannot even tell you how I succeeded in climbing down the mountain, it was a miracle unto itself, as somehow I did just that. And with that momentous task behind me, I am now faced with the long road that lays ahead of me. But not before taking a well deserved rest as I gaze toward that which lies ahead of me.
Just as before I am accosted by all the elements who seem to be throwing a party in my favor, but through it all I never lose sight of my ultimate goal. Every drop of rain that saturates me and slides down my backside, every beam of bright sunlight that sets my eyes to squinting and every puddle of mud I traipsed through fills me with fire.
I burn with every step I take over the people who had set me on this miserable fate, and I imagine myself shoving that private little choke down the throats of each of my so-called friends. I'm so wrapped up in my fantasy that the last few miles are gone within the blink of an eye and I find myself in the midst of my hometown.
I turn my head to the side, in the direction of my favorite pub, where my friends are sitting, at our favorite table, enjoying an afternoon's repast. I stand for a long time gazing upon them from a distance as I observe them having just a grand old time. Wouldn't it be a shame if a dark cloud should blot out the sun and their fun?
"There you are!" I shout from across the way, as I approach and wave my stick at them. "That was a very funny joke that you played on me. In fact, I've been laughing the whole, long journey back."
Each of them turn their heads and look upon me, confusion swirling within their eyes.
"What's the matter?!" I bark at them and stab my walking stick. "Don't you recognize your old pal?! Or have you forgotten about little ole Tyrese?!
Their eyes go wide and only one of them steps forward. "Tyrese?" she addresses me with confused eyes. "Is that really you?"
"Oh, it's me alright, Alicia," I inform the speaker, stating her name as though an accusation while staring her down. "Or do you doubt your eyes?"
The one who spoke takes a long hard swallow, before taking one step closer to me. "How," she starts in weakly as she swallows at the lump in her throat. "How, did you get so old?"
It was only then that I remember my skin's aged appearance. I had been wearing it for so long that I had grown quite used to it and forgotten its presence. And though I'm surprised, I am far angrier. "That's right, I'm old" I return through a jaw stiffening with anger. "You should know, since it was you who sent me on that fool's errand." I glance at the seated people. "All of you."
"What do you mean?" another of the group stands from their place as he intones the question. "How could we possibly be to blame?"
"Oh, I don't know, Bran," I speak sarcastically while pinning his name alongside the first and waving my head about. "Does, 'you just have to see it for yourself,' ring any bells?"
"Are you talking about the dragon festival?" Alicia angles back into the conversation as she steps forward.
"And what else would I be talking about?" I quip and grind my teeth.
"You didn't…" Alicia starts as her words fall away and horror pulls upon her face.
"I didn't what?" I query as the anger leaves my being and fear takes its place.
"You didn't," Alicia continues on as she takes another swallow. "You didn't drink the elixir, did you?"
I stare hard at her, it's all I can do.
"You didn't drink the liquid that flowed from the dragon's mouth," she elaborates with a stronger voice than she had possessed before, in a manner that seems to be both question and statement while her eyes remain inquisitive.
Still, I can find no words.
Alicia gives a sideways glance to the others of our merry band. "None of us were foolish enough to swallow the strange fluid," she vouches for the assembled mass while splitting her attention between all of us. "Why would you do a fool thing like that?"
Anger starts to creep back into me. "Oh I don't know," I shoot back with an edge to my words. "Maybe because the only thing any of you would tell me is, I just had to see it."
"Yes, see," another stands from his place and comes to the defense of the collective. "Not partake."
"Oh sure, Doug," I add another name to my list and bear down on him with my glare. "You tell me now. So why couldn't you have told me then? Ya know, before I drank the damned stuff and turned old?!"
No one said a word after that. There's nothing more to say. And I watch as each of them leave their place, till I alone am left. I sit myself down and order a drink.
"This one's on the house, old timer," the barmaid informs me and sets down a tankard. "You look like you could use a drink.
I smile, seems there may just be a benefit to being old, though only a slight one. And as I pour the beer down my throat, my mind goes back to the time when I was a young man, standing before the crossroads of destiny.
Why had I taken a drink of the magical elixir? Because, I was coaxed into doing it. Why didn't I stop myself before letting it get that far? Because, I got caught up in the moment with all the rest. But why didn't I read the context of my friend's entreaties? Because, they were too cryptic. But were they?
'See', was the key word to their message which they repeated at nauseum. I had to 'see' if for myself, they said nothing about taking part in the ritual. In that instant I knew, that though some of the blame lay with my friends, the majority of it lay with me. And though I shift under the burden it remains on my shoulders.
I would have to live with being an old man for the rest of my life, however long or short that is. Unless, I find a way to somehow reverse the curse. I mean if there is a means to grow old all at once, there must be a way to grow young, musn't there? The idea sets my enthusiasm to a higher peak. Now, all I need is a lead and I'm hell-bent on finding one.