The Tale
of
The White Book
of
The White Book
The funeral procession was a quite one. Shanty the Owl sat alone in the back of the rows of seats. The Lizard Priest stood behind a large oak podium where he preached the life of Rockwell Gillimon, a Hero and Friend to all. Known for his kind words and loving attitude towards the other creatures of the Hallow Forest.
Shanty sat near the statue of the Mother and Childe, the Goddess who gave life to all. And the Goddess who would protect and guide Rockwell Gillimon, the eldest brother to Shanty, in the afterlife. Shanty however, did not cry at the fact that his brother had passed on. He sat quietly on the edge of his seat, observing Fall and all it’s glory. The leaves turned an orange hue and showered onto the forest floor. And the families of dragonflies sat on the bark of trees to show their respect to beloved Gillimon.
The creek several meters away crackled and flowed with a constant entity. For if the water did not stop for him, why should he stop for the water, Shanty questioned himself. Nobody has stopped for me, so I shall not stop for them. There was however, no salmon swimming in the waters, nor were there any bears hunting them. For all was quiet and peaceful for the death of Rockwell Gillimon.
Nobody, however remember Shanty Gillimon. Hatched several minutes after his brother Rockwell, had always lived in his shadow. For every accomplishment Rockwell achieved, Shanty tried harder and harder to match it so that one day he too might be noticed. Rockwell was gifted in his physical aspect and enjoyed a bountiful relationship with everyone. He went on to become a great Hero that everyone had looked upon for guidance and trust. He had become famous in Shanty’s world.
Shanty receded into the shadows, giving up on his attempts to find redemption among his family. His parents had always focused on Rockwell. If I can’t beat him at his own game, then I’ll just start my own! Shanty always thought to himself. Receding into his well-dug pit that had been created by the shadowing presence of his brother, Shanty turned to knowledge. He read for days, isolated from the other creatures of the Forest. He pondered the meaning of the Universe and it’s content. Shanty excelled at all things knowledgeable and fierce.
Even as he excelled at what his brother couldn’t, it was still not match. For Shanty, had always been forgotten. Forever, alone in a world of information and none to share it with.
Shanty fluttered his wings and retreated from the funeral procession, for nobody noticed him. Shanty walked to his families home, unable to fly. At the age seven, Shanty suffered a terrible accident that rendered him unable to use his wings to fly, restricting him to the ground. Giving the other creatures of the Forest even more things to tease him about. It didn’t phase him however. Shanty had become so jaded, that life itself was not of important to him, for it had never shown an interest in his life.
Walking alone in the Hallow Forest, Shanty walked past the Maple House. Inside lived a young Owl such as himself named Celesta. Celesta was one of the other creatures in the forest to talk to Shanty. She would sit next to him for hours and let him ramble on about what he’s read and how he would like his life to turn out. She had always been sweet to him.
Shanty concluded that she should know where he was going. For Shanty was leaving Hallow Forest for good. Neglected and ignored by even his own kin, Shanty was to head South into the unknown regions of the world. He had always read of adventurers taking off into unknown lands and discovering a vast treasure and exotic peoples. He wanted to leave. Nobody would notice anyways, He thought to himself.
Entering his Family’s tree, he perched himself on top of the bench and extended his wing, beginning to write:
Dear Celesta,
I am leaving. The World is a new and exciting adventure and I intend of exploring it all. Nobody will know that I have left or they won’t feel obligated to care with the current death of my Brother. I am writing to you so that you know that you have always held a special place in my heart. You are my Friend, Family, and the Love of my life.
I don’t know where I am going, but I want to see everything. When I come back one day, I’ll be an adventurer! Won’t that be something? I’ll have lots of stories to tell you.
I hope to return someday-
Love,
-Shanty
Shanty the Owl placed the letter in an envelope and placed it with care under the door of Celesta’s Tree. With once last look of grief at the Hallow Forest, Shanty turned from his life and walked a new path. A path by himself, as he has always been.
. . . . .
Shanty had been traveling for weeks now. He walked through the forests of Beckham and Lindonburg and across the flowing waters of the River Salve. Far South into the Land of The Magi, where tales of once great Mages and Wizards arose. The rumors of giant beasts known as Titans, who stood upon two legs and walked with thunderous steps were plentiful. Shanty was however, alone.
“The Wind shall keep me company, as will the rain and the skies. I need of nobody except myself as I always have. I am an adventurer now, for I have no fear of Death or any other creature. I am determined to unlock the mysteries of the world and write Legends of my adventures! I will be known across the lands as Shanty the Wise and Shanty the Great! I will become famous, just as my brother…” Said Shanty to himself and his new friend, the Wind.
Alone, the little Owl had become confident with himself. He had accepted the past of his life and moved on. Shanty could finally walk with pride in his step and the mentality of an Adventurer, just as he’d imagined. His only regret, was leaving Celesta. Has she forgotten about me, like the others? Shanty asked himself. Celesta was an attractive Owl and Shanty sometimes questioned why she would even talk to someone as himself. She could have any other creature in the forest that she’d like. So why wait for me? He thought.
Pushing the negative thoughts from his head, Shanty climbed a ridge into a dark valley. Down he climbed into the harrowing abyss where the fog choked the air the darkness threatened the light. Shanty however, was not afraid of this, and he moved deeper into the darkness.
Settling himself into a gap in the rocks, Shanty curled his wings around his brown-feathered body and braced himself for the cold of the night. Shanty however, could not sleep, for he felt a shifting presence in the rocks. Something that moved, breathed, and watched. Pushing his consciousness from his mind, Shanty forced himself to sleep over a long period of relaxation.
In his dream however, things were uneasy. He walked a dark plane alone and figures were calling out to him:
I've looked under chairs, I've looked under tables
I've tried to find the key to fifty million fables They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after till the day I die
Shanty awoke sharply, breathing heavily through his beak. Something is certainly out there.
“You are far from your place in this world.” whispered the Darkness, “You are Shanty Gillimon, the younger brother of Gillimon the Great. Why do you trek in a place where your kind does not belong?”
“Why does the River Salve flow away from the Ocean? It is always trying to get away, always trying to run. As we all are running from something.” the Owl answered back.
“You are not worried that you might die, alone in the Darkness?”
“I have accepted my existence in this world. If I were to die today, the world would go on. If I were to die tomorrow, the world would continue to spin just as it always has.” Shanty responded back.
“Alone you are not, for I am the Seeker. And I have found you.” The mysterious voice added.
“Why would you search for me? What have I done that has given me such importance?”
“You are the brother of Gillimon the Great and you are the key to my greatest treasure. Our greatest treasure. Adventurer.” The Seeker spoke.
Shanty never saw the Seeker, but he followed the disembodied voice throughout the abysmal caverns. The Seeker knew his entire life, so he followed it. Together, they wandered deep into caves and dungeons where they found maps and treasures. And the Seeker told him tales of the Southern Kingdoms, lands far from their own.
And the Voice told him of one specific story that it seemed to be very fond of. The story of the White Book. The book was said to be made by the Titans of the West, who obtained magical powers. Together, they formed all of their power into one item, a book. “If you gaze upon the pages of the book, you obtain the power of the Titans yourself!” said the Seeker.
Shanty was amazed by such tales and was determined to find the White Book with his new companion, the Seeker.
Climbing from the abysmal pit, Shanty the Owl discovered that the Seeker was actually a very large snake. A very, large snake. It called himself a Basilisk, an ancient creature who was all but extinct. Except for himself.
The Seeker and Shanty traveled far and wide across the world, meeting new and exotic creatures. For nearly two years, they walked and walked, never tiring. Searching for their one goal, the White Book. Until one day, they discovered it’s location.
A Lizard-like Shaman told them of a temple in the North. It was buried deep within a forest and inside was the White Book. With haste, they traveled back North into the forests of Dreadwood where a large stone temple stood, alone.
Together they ventured into the deep darkness of the Temple. Seeker hissed in determination and approached a large iron door. “What do we do from here?” asked Shanty. The Seeker lashed out and slashed Shanty with his fangs, releasing a pool of blood onto the floor. Shanty cried out in agony. “Why are you doing this friend?” Shanty pleaded, crippled onto the floor.
“I required the bloodline of a Hero to enter the Vault! I would have left you to die in that abyss had it not been for your usefulness!” hissed Seeker.
The doors crackled and whined as they pried themselves apart from the sensation of a fresh sacrifice. And Seeker slithered into the Vault, leaving Shanty on the floor.
Was this all that I was meant for? Is this how I die? Who will notice really? The world will move on right? Nobody is waiting for me. I can finally have peace. I can finally… Have peace. Shanty thought to himself as he lay on the temple floor.
“What about Celesta? What about her?” His consciousness asked.
“She has surely forgotten about me. What is there left to try for? I am forever alone and I have accepted that. I need nothing and no one. I can finally rest.”
“What if she hasn’t? You wanted to be an Adventurer Shanty. You wanted to see the world.”
“And I already have. I am an Adventurer.” whispered Shanty as his eyes closed and the world around him fell.
. . . . .
Shanty awoke to his Brother staring at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Accepting my reality. For I am a shadow in the World.” said Shanty “Even in your memory, I cannot match you.”
Rockwell shook his head. “I have always noticed you. I never would have admitted to it at the time, but I envy you Shanty. Your determination is something I’ve always desired. I needed it.”
“Mom even took you as a favorite,” Shanty said, standing up and fluttering his wings. “If my own mother won’t acknowledge my existence, then why should anyone else?”
“She had to focus on me because I needed it, Shanty! She held my hand all through school and only just getting out into the real world did I learn what it was like. I was helped on my road and you weren’t. You did it all on your own.”
“I had to.”
“What about Celesta? What about her? She talked to me about you, you know. Before I died. You were all she could talk about. Are you leaving her too?”
Shanty stood quietly. Facing the whiteness of nothing and absorbing the absence of the World.
“It’s your choice Shanty. You can either give up or you can prove to the world that you were twice the Hero I was.” And with that, Rockwell flew away, leaving Shanty alone once again.
And alone, in the world of nothing, Shanty made a decision. Changing his existence forever.
. . . . . .
Shanty awoke on the temple floor. Breathing intensely, a pair of unseen wings lifted him off the ground. Slowly, he padded into the Vault where the Seeker sat coiled around the White Book.
“Finally! All that is and was shall be mine! I am a Titan at last!”
Gathering his courage, Shanty charged at the Basilisk with a blind fury. Jumping onto the Serpent’s tail, he jabbed and nipped at the large creature. In pain, the Seeker turned to attack Shanty.
The Seeker chanted a strange tune as he lunged and rounded around the Owl. Frantically, Shanty moved in circles around the Basilisk, avoiding his deadly fangs. Finally, he was trapped against a stone pillar.
“Now your pitiful existence shall be ended! Isn’t this what you’ve wanted all along?”
Shanty looked into the eyes of the Basilisk, paralyzed with fear and terror. As the Seeker lunged for the final time, Shanty closed his eyes and braced for the impact. However, it never came.
Opening his eyes, Shanty saw that the Basilisk had tied himself in a complex knot. And the last lunge was all that was needed before the knot tightened and he suffocated himself. Shanty stood for several minutes, staring at his companion for the past three years. Finally, he summoned the will to move and approached the White Book. Gazing upon it’s glory, he took the book from it’s podium and exited the temple, heading South once again.
For miles he walked, alone, tired and hungry. Until he approached a small Town in a Forest. The snow fell gently against the naked trees and the forest ground. He had arrived at the grave of Rockwell Gillimon. He had arrived in Hallow Forest.
Shanty walked the empty streets, alone. He approached the old Tree of Celesta Brimingham. She was standing on the perch of her front porch and turned to look in his direction. Tears ran down her face as she realized, the boy she had once known had returned. She stared motionless, almost fearful.
Shanty kneeled in the snow and cleared a rectangle in the grass. He placed the White Book on the ground and opened it.
The pages were blank. And he didn’t quite understand why.
He stood up from the book, leaving it in the snow. Shanty didn’t care that the book was empty. All he wanted was right in front of him and it only took a trip around the world to find out. Shanty walked towards the front porch of Celesta Brimingham.
Boy did he have a story to tell.
Fin.
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