The Dreamer's Epilogue-Chapter 28: Never stop dancing
Chapter 28 – Never stop dancing
The cool wind whispered through the Tistis’s tribe, ruffling both the wooden houses and the hearts of the tribesmen in joy.
The sun crawled back to the west, surrendering to a soft, white moon that seemed to bathe the world in immaculate pale luster.
Emrys, with Old Navy and Victoria beside him, watched the throng of tribesmen sitting in a circular row around a big crimson fire.
The children were laughing now, cackling even, running playfully and energetically even though it was night; their mothers letting them for once.
How could they stop them? That night was a night of joy, for they finally had something to eat.
So the mothers left the children on their own, giving only soft warnings that couldn’t be taken seriously, while preparing the food.
The men were at the other side of the hearthfire, fanning the fire and discussing with each other.
The scene caught Emrys off guard, making him look deeper, not expecting this kind of peaceful moment inside the Tower.
"Come, climbers." Elder said, gesturing towards a place a little bit secluded, but close enough to feel the heat, where four chairs and wooden bowls of food with water were served for each.
They nodded in thanks and walked towards it. Once there, Emrys sat where he could perfectly see the fire and the people.
He stared at his bowl, seeing multiple fruits and herbs mixed together in an astonishing way. The scent made his mouth water.
His stomach growled audibly, giving him a starving awareness he didn’t know he had.
He began to immediately eat, lending an ear to the talking Old Navy, his eyes resting on the cackling fire and the people around it.
There was something oddly comforting about the way the fire was burning.
"Oho," Old Navy said, smoking and eating at the same time, "Elder, please, forgive my shameful ignorance, but who may be Harud?"
Elder was sitting with them, eating her own bowl, dignified and graceful.
"Harud is a Crowned, Climber Navy. Or maybe a god will be more understandable to you," she said, voice reverent, "one of the gods that rule the Tower and Premier. He is the owner of the Gate of Mercy, the Smile of Heaven, and his smile shines down upon us every single day."
She gestured with her food, and everything around her as if encompassing the whole world,
"All of these are his mercy. And that’s why we ought to thank him."
"How?" Old Navy asked, even more intrigued, "and gods...how many are there even?"
At that, Elder smiled fondly, "The gods are many, as I said. The most famous is Vorn, Lord of Death and Master of the Gate of Death. However," she halted for a heartbeat, "there is also a newly Crowned, a goddess, who has risen not long ago. The Queen of Dreams, Overseer of the Gate of Dreams."
The last words made Emrys instinctively flinch, but before he could even react, Elder continued smoothly.
"As for how we will thank the Lord of Mercy..." she chuckled, "You shall see soon, Climber Navy. You shall see the Dance of Wind of our tribe."
Then her face creased in sudden annoyance, but it disappeared as fast as it came.
"It will not be the same, however, because of our current unfamiliar environment." Elder said, "but it will be close enough."
"You have my curiosity." Old Navy laughed.
’Gods, huh. And Queen of Dreams?’ Emrys thought after hearing the words of Elder, shook his head and focused on his meal.
He didn’t have the energy to think about such things.
He finished his meal fast, drank his water, suppressing an embarrassing burp. That was exactly when the famous Dance of Wind began.
"Please, climbers," Elder stood up, looking down on them with the pale white moon shining on her pale face with a stunning beauty, "watch closely. This is us. This is the Tistis tribe, the Stillness of Wind."
Instantly, the circle of people expanded, leaving even more space in the middle. The fire seemed to crackle even more furiously yet it was still warm and gentle and still.
Emrys looked at Elder walking towards the center — towards the fire — and had this weird feeling that she was dancing, or at the edge of it.
It was as if on her next step she would spring into dance.
It was strange, and Emrys found himself entranced by it.
He — they — watched as she stood in front of the fire and slowly...
...Elder began to dance.
BADUM—!
Emrys’s heart skipped a beat. Old Navy and Victoria were no better, watching as if caught in a spell.
Elder was dancing fluidly, her lithe body moving gracefully as if she was not controlling her body, but the wind of the world itself was doing so.
The moon’s light was weirdly fixed on her, as if having awareness of the current religious moment.
Her feet moved as if afraid to hurt the very earth; soft and gentle. She swirled upon herself, making a gush of wind pick up, enveloping her in solemn silence, following her dance.
The fire, also, behind her seemed to move on its own, synchronizing its crackle with the movement of Elder.
’Incredible.’ Emrys admired, awe filling his body, sensing a comfortable stillness all around him.
The tribesmen were smiling widely, clapping their hands and stomping their feet on the ground in rhythm.
Minutes later, two other girls stood up, and joined Elder in this ceremonial dance.
One of the girls, with a cute smile on her face, would not stop fixing her white blank eyes on Emrys as she danced.
He thought, at first, it was just coincidence but after minutes with the girl still fixing him unflinchingly...he knew the girl was doing it on purpose.
Realizing it, he began to instinctively avert his eyes when she looked at him. That seemed to amuse her, as now she was smiling cutely while locking her eyes onto his.
Emrys’s face flushed red, and it was not because of the heat of the fire.
The girl laughed at this, the sound carried by the wind, dancing even more beautifully as if trying to impress him.
He was actually impressed.
Old Navy beside him shook his head wryly, "the joy of being young. But why, lad, are you red like blood for this? Are you—!"
Emrys scowled, "Stop there, old bones."
The old man barked a gruff laugh, watching with interest as the dance slowly began to pick up the pace.
The other tribesmen were getting up, ready to dance.
Victoria was alternately looking at Emrys and the girl as if understanding yet not understanding at the same time.
She made a cute, clueless face.
Emrys sighed, closing his eyes, listening to the soft steps and swirls and clapping of the tribesmen.
He sank deeper into his mind, anchoring himself with the memories he cared about, and found the process easier in that moment.
"Join us." Elder’s voice suddenly echoed, making Emrys open his eyes, only to see the same girl an inch from him, stretching her hand towards him.
"Let’s dance." She said, voice like a breeze of wind.
He looked around, and saw Old Navy and Victoria already within the tribesmen, dancing, albeit awkwardly.
Emrys smiled with shaking lips, accepting the offer. He was having a hard time, the matter of women never being his strongest aspect.
’I miss Ravin, that bastard. He knows how to act with women.’
He thought as he was led beside the fire by the girl, who called herself Meadow.
They danced, and Emrys followed gingerly the steps. The night began to deepen, shadows rising to settle upon them like a blanket.
The fire was slowly dying, the children were already asleep.
Meadow leaned her head on Emrys’s left ear, still guiding him, and whispered with a tranquil voice,
"Never stop dancing."
The words strangely struck Emrys, making him stare at Meadow instantly, intensely. She only smiled and repeated,
"Never stop dancing."
He said nothing for a while, then nodded gingerly and answered,
"I will not." He said, not fully understanding his own words, but found himself compelled to say them.
Meadow beamed and the dance continued.
For a moment, every one of them forgot that their life was in danger; that they could die tomorrow or even after tomorrow. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
They knew it well, Emrys realized, but these were beings who learned to live happily with death breathing down their neck.
A state Emrys knew he needed to reach.
So he smiled, and danced.
He danced with Meadow, under the pale moonlight of the dreadful Tower.
...
Simultaneously, in the same night, in the Troll tribe, after a long battle against steeled lizards, Amari and Alou stood transfixed at the sight in front of them.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Amari growled, holding his left bleeding shoulder, glaring at Anara.
Alou said nothing, but his eyes were equally cold.
Anara was standing behind the wounded Troll Shaman, holding a knife around her throat,
"You move," Anara said, eyes trembling with both fear and determination, "I kill her."
’One more hour, Anara. Survive one more hour.’
—End of Chapter 28—
