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Scifi and Fantasy Forum: Writer's Showcase: SF/F Short Stories:
The Yellow Stone
The Yellow Stone
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Fluid, and jovial, the lucent rill plashed down over the wavy silts which led down the narrow mesa. It gushed down over a bed of sharp rocks, and drooled down over a rich mound of grass as a dozen separate channels, where it met with the lower stream.
A menacing mouth had opened upon the giant wall of bloodrock and minerals. Water dripped from the cave’s high teeth-like shards, pooring out between lower ones.
The blast had knocked Aksis to his side. Broken remnants of stone lay scattered about him.
“Good Ethers, Boy!” cried Mrrylex. “Are yah all wight, Lad?”
Aksis was helped to his feet. “I believe so, yes. My thanks.”
“I saw the blast. No way you couldda lived through it!”
The young man reached down and lifted up the Yellow Stone. It was heart shaped. Aksis held it in his right hand as if it was rather heavy, despite its size. “I was given it this morning as a gift, by a dying traveler. Said his name was Derem Krae. He said this stone was precious to him. That it had the ability to create, but also to destroy. He gave it me before he died. A great power it has, yet it could not save the old man. But then, he was pretty old.”
Mrrylex appeared incredulous, his left brow raised. “And it wuz this here stone that broke that wall?”
“I did it for your people,” said Aksis. “The mill needed a stronger current, and now it has one. That should improve production. As well, who knows what might lie in that cave?” The young man stared at his small treasure. "I simply through it at the wall. It bounced off, just as the wall exloded.”
“But how’d you survive the blast?”
“I … don’t know. I felt strange wind … and was tossed to the ground. I don’t know what happened.”
“Aye, the stone saved yer life, is what. That fellow wuz probably a shaman or some such thing. The stone be cursed. I say throw it into the cave and be rid of it!”
Aksis looked to the yellow stone. “No. I must take it. It was that dying man’s wish.”
“Well, do this old man a favor, and cast it away! I don’t want no part o’ it!”
“I won’t,” said Aksis. He felt strangely attached to the stone. There was more to this than its beauty and uniqueness; the young man felt a deep-rooted connection to it, almost like the love of a parent for one’s child. It was a part of him now, and he a part of it. “No. It’s mine.”
“Look, Young Feller, I took you from a sicken town, at risk to me own self, ta bring yah with me on mah return. You only been in Rillburn three months, an’ all ready you in mischief. I gave yah shelter, an’ food, and you respect mah wishes fer a cursed stone! The Devils likely be toyin’ with us. You bring that thing home and mah garden will die, and sickness an’ disease will plague our sweet village as it did yer town -- no, Aksis. If yah keep that stone, you will not be comin’ home with me.”
“After what I did for you and your village?”
“That’s mah say.”
“I fixed your stupid fence -- wrung your cows -- I even risked my own life to help Rillburn’s mill -- ”
“Don’t care!” pelted Mrrylex. “I ain’t be allottin’ with the ••••••! How will it be?”
Aksis was heartbroken. All he had now was Mrrylex, and the good people of Rillburn. It was stricken with hard times, and likely no one else but Old Mrrylex could afford him. Aksis lowered his head, and stepped up over the rocks. He came before the dark mouth of the mountainside. Water gushed by his feet. He swung out with his arm, and the stone disappeared into the darkness of the cave.
* * * *
Moonlight laid over his bed like a steam. It was late. There was much work to be done tomorrow, yet Aksis could not sleep. He had earned an evening of cheer and joy at the mill’s mysterious blessing. No one knew who was responsible, however. It was clear that Mrrylex wanted nothing said. But this did not bother him. The only thing on his mind was the Yellow Stone. A piece of mystery. Of magic. Of childhood innocence. Of great and unknown power. It seemed like the only good thing that had ever happened to him. He wanted something special in his life. He needed something.
He wanted it back.
Aksis suddenly shot out of his bed. He dressed himself in his gray cotton pants and an old brown leather jacket. He rushed from his room, a red lantern in hand.
He hurried out quietly into the moonlit street. The mill rose up over the thatched roofs of the village like a white mountain. It was strange to see no smoke pouring from its chimneys, and no steel laborers running about. The village was quiet, and almost peaceful. He ran down the main street, careful not to drop his lantern. His feet scurried like a rat’s, taking him back uphill, to the cave.
To the cave he arrived, nearly out of breath. The red lantern lit up the roaring downward stream brilliantly. He came to the dark mouth of the mountainside, took a deep breath, and walked inside, stepping carefully over its lower teeth. The stream was as high as his knees, and Aksis fought not to lose his balance. He treated the lantern as his livelihood; better to spend all night searching for the yellow stone than to get hasty and have to find his way out of this place in darkness.
The water was cold. The rocky floor under his feet was rigged and slippery. His left hand pressed to the veiny walls as he went. Somewhere, under this water, was his stone. He swished about with his right foot every few steps, sweeping the floor for his prize. Several times had he done this to no prevail, until he came to a stop, panting. He was cold, tired, and his leg muscles sore. His heart beat like a drum. No sense in turning back now. He went on, and on, and on. After a time, he came to a rising hollow to his left. He climbed up above the stream, and laid down upon a patch of soft soil.
Wake up, he told himself. Don’t fall asleep here.
But, he fell.
Screaming!
Aksis burst awake. He had just fallen asleep when a sudden mass of sharp screams had erupted through the tunnel. The raging noise pounded in his head. He sat up, hands to his ears. The screams eased, and faded away. As they did, Aksis realized that the sound had come from further up the trail. “Demons,” he told himself out loud. They had it. They had his yellow stone!
Aksis stood. Not to save a friend or child would he pursue a band of Demons. Who would? However, the Yellow Stone was a part of him. It was his. He could not lose it. Through his desire for it grew a great passion, which overshadowed his fear. With this spark, he quickly hurried back into the water. With all his might he ran against the forceful stream, onward and onward. After a time, he came to an intersection of sorts; various paths branched off from it, and from above fell two spills of water with a loud roar. Beyond this, the stream at his feet was light. He paced by the tunnels at his sides, and kept going strait.
Laughs. Taunting laughs. From a above, echoing all over. Aksis looked all about him, but could not see anything. The laughter was that of before, only much quieter. It was a laughter that no man or animal could make, only a Demon. He soon came to an ending, where the stream fell down from above. All around him, the cave opened up like a large room. Dark. Deadly quiet, except for the roaring of the water. Then, white lights appeared from above. All became lit up. Aksis squinted, his eyes slow to adjust. That strange and insane laughter came from all around him. He struggled to look more clearly.
Little figures were all around him, swimming in pools or climbing the walls. Only, they had not red skin, and glowing red eyes, and a goat’s legs and horns. No, these were like men. Only, none taller than four feet. They were thin, with pointy ears and chins. Their eyes were narrow but wide, like haunting grins. Puffs of thick brown or golden hair hung from their chins and arms. They wore green and brown clothing, and pointy red hats.
“Faeries,” said Aksis. Was this a dream? He rubbed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them they would be gone. They did not go away, and neither did their grimly merry laughter. “Are you … real?”
“As real as the water,” said one, hanging upside down off the top of the cave.
“As real as the eyes which think they see us,” said a second, staring at Aksis with big yellowish eyes. He sat upon a sharp rock, his manner quite tense, as if he was about to pounce off.
They Faeries kept laughing and moving about. All seemed busy and excited, and yet none became tired. None spoke to him, either. “Where is my Yellow Stone?” he asked them.
“Your Yellow Stone?” said one, swinging off a root.
“I suppose this is our cave, then? So get out!”
Dozens of the Faeries laughed, and Aksis covered his ears.
The one staring at him from the pointed rock seemed to grow more thoughtful. “I don’t know … it’s a rather special rock. What would you be willing to do for it?”
Aksis thought about it. “What would you like?”
“What I would like,” said the Faery, “is for you to fix our cave. It was you who made it bleed, and took away our sacred water, and you who must make it right.”
“How?”
The Faery stared at him for one moment longer, and then held out the Yellow Stone in his palms. It glue with a mystical aura as it met Aksis’ eyes. The young man was delighted, but he tried to keep his emotions at bay. Something did not seem right here. “You wish for me to use it?” said Aksis. The Faery nodded with a secretive smile. “I see … you cannot use its powers. Can you?”
“Only you,” said the Faery.
By the wisdom that Aksis could sense in this Faery, he judged now two things. Firstly, that he was their leader. Secondly, he and the other Faeries had known all along that only Aksis could use its power, and that they had lured him into this cave for that reason.
Aksis reached out and took back his stone.
“Well?” said the Faery.
As Aksis held his powerful tool, many thoughts stormed through his imagination. He came to realize that he could use the stone to destroy these Faeries. Only, he knew not how powerful they were in turn, and a deal was a deal. “Let me leave, so I know I am safe, then I will do my part.”
“We have your word, Human?”
“Yes, you have my word.”
“So be it.”
* * * *
Aksis had hurried from the cave’s end, rushing back as the water pushed him along this time. He dropped the lantern, but he did not much care; for the Yellow Stone glowed bright by his will, and lit his way far better. At last he came to the exit. The sky was a dark blue. The timing was good. He sighed with a profound relief. He had reclaimed his magical stone, and would make it home without Mrrylex knowing. He stepped out from the cave, from the water, and onto the grass.
With an anxious sigh he turned back to the cave. Now, came his part of the deal. Aksis raised up his stone, but held still. How could he take back that which gave his people hope? The town had just last night celebrated with great delight at the view a now positive future. Who am I to take it away from them? Aksis asked himself. I should bare whatever punishment that the Faeries could give me and look after my people. Besides, I have the Yellow Stone to protect me.
With that, Aksis turned and left for home, his word unfulfilled.
* * * *
Through the following year, Rillburn’s joy became shadowed by a strange string of deadly flu and illness. Many died, young and old -- this including Old Mrrylex, Aksis’ dearest friend. A year later, all townsfolk had either left or passed away. Except for Aksis, protected by the Yellow Stone, who spent the rest of his lonely life in Rillburn, as a forgotten hermit.
THE END.
" It glue with a mystical aura as it met Aksis’ eyes. "
Change "glue" to "glowed."
*
"The town had just last night celebrated with great delight at the view a now positive future."
Maybe change "view" to "prospect of"
*
This is a great story, and well-written. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Gnollslayer! I'll employ your corrections! 
I might get this one published in an e-zine. It needs some work, though. I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments on it.
Hmmmm ...
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Neurolanis
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