In The Golden Night
Ten Minutes<
My lungs burn as I continue to push myself, cursing both my tardiness and my lax attitude toward cardio. Three years of research, pouring over dusty tomes, missing out on countless social calls, and I’m going to miss it because I couldn’t bother to leave my house on time.
An unseen root catches my foot and I find myself falling, covering my face as I brace for impact. Pain courses through my body as I hit the ground hard, the leaves and debris of the forest floor offering little in the way of breaking my fall. With a groan, I pull myself to my feet, quickly checking for anything broken. I take note of a cut on my arm, hoping it isn’t too deep despite the already surprising amount of blood. I check my watch.
Five Minutes<
I resume my desperate dash, pushing away the pain and the warm feeling of blood running down my arm. My injuries are a problem for tomorrow. Right now, all that matters is not missing this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Now slightly more aware of my surroundings, I balance looking at the ground for more hazards with glancing at the stars to ensure I’m not drifting from my course. The twin moons drift ever closer, taunting me for my poor time management.
Two Minutes<
The surrounding trees shift from great evergreens to thinner, white-barked birches, signaling my approach to my destination. The increased density of the trunks slows my advance as I frustratedly weave between the ivory towers. In the distance, some small creature scurries away, spooked as I nosily hustle through this last series of obstacles.
One Minute<
In the distance, I see the telltale break in the tree line, signaling my approach to my destination. I force my way past the last few trees as I step into the clearing.
Thirty Seconds<
The silence of the forest is broken by my heavy panting as I try and recover from my exertion. I look up at the small body of water in the middle of the clearing, my heart pounding in my ears.
Fifteen Seconds<
Just like my research told me, rising from the pond is a single stone plinth, worn and moss covered but still proudly standing tall, almost reaching the height of the trees bordering the clearing.
Five Seconds<
I lean back against a tree for support, my legs suddenly jelly as the efforts of my rush catch up to me.
Zero Seconds<
Far above, the twin moons cross paths as they are both plunged into darkness by a dual lunar eclipse. The forest goes dark, save for the now softly glowing monolith in the center of the clearing. Unseen runes etched onto its ancient surface spring to life in a gentle, golden hue. The lights reflect off the still waters of the pond, lighting up the clearing with dancing lights.
I gingerly approach the pond, my recent frustrations and exhaustion forgotten amidst the dancing auras filling the air around me. As I draw near, a faint thrumming sound pierces the silence, a wave of calm washing over me. I pull my journal from my bag, flipping through my notes, until I find the page I am looking for. It is covered in lines of text, transcribed from ancient tomes in a nearly unreadable language. Beneath each word, in my own hand, is a phonetic guide.
I start to recite the incantation, slowly at first as my mouth struggles with the unfamiliar sounds. At the sound of my voice, the monolith begins to glow brighter. Emboldened by the response, I continue the recitation, picking up speed as I find the foreign words more familiar on my tongue.
The lights and sounds continue to intensify, the clearing coming alive with the golden hue of the monolith. The runes continue to grow brighter, almost becoming too intense to look directly at. I continue the ritual, the words escaping my mouth faster than I can read them as the magic laced in the words takes over. As the incantation reaches its crescendo, the clearing is filled with a blinding flash of light, signifying its successful completion.
It takes a moment for my eyes to readjust back to the soft glow of the clearing. Small motes of light hang in the air, casting dancing shadows in the trees beyond. I look up to the monolith in the center, and I am met with the subject of my research. A long snake, seeming made of light, is wrapped around the length of the plinth. It looks down at me, its golden eyes soft but unreadable. Then, in a voice that seems to originate from the surrounding air, it speaks.
“It has been a long time since someone has completed the ritual... I had almost forgotten what it was like to have a body.” It’s great coils shift along the length of the monolith, as if trying to find a comfortable spot. “Thank you.”
I gaze upon its form, my mind blank as I am overwhelmed with its beauty. After a moment, I recover my thoughts as I recite the words I have practiced so many times. “Oh Great Serpent. The Shining One. Bringer of Fate and Fortune. Protector of the Land. This humble servant requests anointment. To become an instrument of your will.”
The serpent looks at me, with what could only be described as a small smile on its reptilian face. “Very well. Receive my blessing, and go forth as my chosen one”. For a brief moment, everything is still, the serpent and I gazing at each other. Then, with a swiftness uncharacteristic of a creature of its size, it slithers down the monolith and across the surface of the pond toward me. I brace myself, knowing what comes next. The serpent lunges at me, its great fangs bared. Then, the world goes dark.
I wake up some time later, still in the clearing. The glowing lights are gone, replaced by the soft light of the twin moons, now on separate paths across the sky once again. I look down at my arms, and across the bruises and cuts I earned on my hurried traversal earlier is a pattern of snake scales, drawn in shimmering, golden lines. I stand to my feet, and slowly make my way back through the forest to begin my new life.
One Hundred and Twenty-Five Years, Three Hours and Fifteen Minutes<