Immutable Dusk (Day 70)

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"Haven't you ever wondered what you might find beyond the woods?" A male voice, far away. "No one really knows the truth, Brother. Lakarans could easily be as much a myth as the deities worshiped by the First Priests."

The boy at his side did not reply, but he looked troubled as he cast his gaze to the endless sea of trees before him. The older boy continued, an undercurrent of restlessness in his tone. "None of us really know what's out there. Some of us may think we know, but how can you believe something you've not seen with your own eyes? Why are we so complacent, Brother? There's a whole other world out there waiting to be explored."

The younger boy ran his fingers through his tousled mop of red hair nervously. "B-but you're not the first to have these thoughts, Brother. Others have gone out there, as deep into the woods as they can. . ." The older boy, his face an unreadable mask, remained silent. He clearly expected his younger brother to finish his thought.

"I think I must know what you imply. . . but why don't you speak plainly so that I can be sure?" He did not break his gaze on his brother, but his expression remained neutral.

The younger boy swallowed, but after a moment he spoke up. "You know--the others, I mean. They. . ."

"They never returned. I know that as well as you, as well as anyone in this forsaken place. Why do you think they didn't return? Perhaps because what they found beyond Lakara was better than what we have here. Perhaps because they did not prepare adequately for their journey and befell a harsher fate. Both of these outcomes are possible, Brother, but--" His neutral expression suddenly became very serious. "But I have faith. I do not believe the First Priests' fantastic tales."

Silence fell on the two brothers and they looked out to the sea of trees once more. Truth be told, the younger boy imagined what might be lurking in their depths himself. He'd traveled those woods with his brother, his father, and his mother too many times to count. Never had they ventured too far, but in his lifetime he'd never once encountered anything that he would describe as supernatural or otherworldly. Maybe the Lakarans really were a myth fabricated to keep the citizens of Tombolin from straying too far from their home.

The First Priests had established Tombolin countless generations before for reasons that were all but a mystery. According to the elders they had wanted to be closer to nature, to live amongst nature--but what else was there? The trees, the ground, the sky--it was all nature. The wording had always been a complete mystery to the boy, and if his recollection was correct, he'd never been given a satisfying explanation. Not from his father nor his mother and certainly not from any of the village elders. No one seemed to understand the motivation of the First Priests. Why then were their words held in such high esteem?

"Father will never let you go."

"I know."