SoulBind (Part 2)
Years passed and a tree did grow behind Rudolph’s old home. It grew rapidly widening over and inch each year. The bark glistened with an oily sap that seemed to constantly drip from the narrow leaves. Seeds like the one he put in Rudolph’s hands did drop three seasons later. Erwin picked them up and burned them just as he had been instructed.
Rudolph’s land changed over the years as well. Lords from nearby claimed Rudolph’s lands and parceled it up. However, besides the vicious wolves, a poisonous nettle began growing in patches around the edges of the land. It’s spines cut through leather and made horses and men alike terribly sick. The land was forsaken as cursed.
The poisonous plants and wolves did not disturb Erwin. As a grwon man, he came and went as he pleased. He had taken his father’s position as Hildagriff’s carpenter and woodsmith. Using a small saw cart, he would leave the woods with short logs from fallen trees as he needed.
He thought of Rudavich and his brother. Sometimes he would wander the hills looking for the brothers or at least the one man he did see. It seemed hard to believe that they even existed. Yet, Erwin had never seen a tree like the soulbind and poisonous thistles. They were there.
Twenty years erased much of Erwin’s hope regarding the soulbind tree. He continued to pick the seeds each fall but he wasn’t sure why. He had almost forgotten about Rudavich’s promise. He decided to make this year’s trip to the dark tree his last.
Erwin entered the forest and spied the tall gardener sitting on a rock near the soulbind. While Erwin had grown into manhood, Rudavich looked exactly the same.
“I see you have your saw with you young Erwin. That’s good. I need to do this quickly for it is dangerous for me to be gone from my garden too long.”
Erwin replied, “Rudavich? Is that you?”
Rudavich dismissed him. “Bring your blade. Hurry. I will take the other end and help you. Then I will release heartwood. Let’s begin. I haven’t much time.”
Erwin hurried to comply. “Why are you doing this?”
Rudavich took his side of the saw and worked it with surprising strength. “I seek allies in my struggle against my brother. But our garden is shielded against common men entering it much like the poison nettles that now protect the land.”
“Please excuse me, but I don’t understand.”
“I will have a servant. Rudolph has the extended life he wanted and you will met your old friend again. There is nothing else you need to understand.”
With Rudavich’s strength the men cut through the soulbind in surprising time. The tree swayed for a moment then fell to the ground with the snap of tree branches. The ancient gardener then reached into his robe again and threw a yellow dust over the tree’s length.
“Step back Erwin. These are yut spores. They will have everything but the heartwood decomposed by tomorrow.”
Wherever the yellow looking spores landed bulbous mushroom head grew covering the bark in mere seconds.
Rudavich cleaned his hands across his robe. “When you come back tomorrow, I won’t be here. Take the heartwood back to your shop and carve it into a statue with a man’s shape. Rudolph should be able to communicate with you then.”
With those words, Rudavich turned to the woods and disappeared. Erwin watched the ferocious mushrooms for another couple of minutes. Some of the mushroom caps were beginning to sink into the soulbind’s trunk. It reminded Erwin of a hungry animal.
When Erwin returned the next day, the mushrooms were a pile of dried husks. A breeze picked up the yellow flakes and began carrying them away. What was left was an odd shaped length of wood. It was four feet long and nearly seven inches thick in places. The ends were rounded and the exterior was still covered in an oily sap.
Erwin picked it up. Its warmth surprised him. The wood’s entire length seemed to vibrate under his touch.
“Could it be true?” Erwin thought. “Is it possible that a Rudolph’s spirit inhabits this wood?”
Erwin put his other work aside and spent the next two days carving on the soulbind’s heartwood. He notched in arms and legs. The figure would be three feet tall and six inches across the shoulder.
He was shocked the first time he saw the carving move. His chisel had just knocked out the wood connecting the arm with the rest of the body. The wood sounded like it was splitting but it didn’t shatter. It only bent and the arm moved.
Erwin worked through the night sure now that a spirit was contained in the wood. With its ability to move on its own, there was no need to split the wood for joints. Erwin carved a brimmed hat, shirt, trousers, and a sharp sat on the end of his worktable. It looked more like an elf than Randolph.
The wooden figure looked around using its joints. Its eyes didn’t have pupils but it did seem to turn toward Erwin. From inside the wooden figure’s chest, came the wrenching sound of splitting wood. It was taking in air!
Then the woodman produced a voice that sounded like a notes from a woodwind instrument. “Erwin, my boy. Look how you’ve grown! It’s me, Randolph.”
Erwin sat down his chisel. “Randolph, is that really you? I didn’t know if I made the right decision when you died.”
Rudolph brought his arm up. It was a stiff motion. “Yes, you did fine. You see I am reborn into a different existence. It is one of near immortality. I knew Rudavich would approach you.”
Erwin’s old friend then hopped off the table and unto the floor. Rudolph wavered a bit still unstable on his new legs.
“I’m returning to Rudavich now. As a creature of magic, I can now enter his garden!” Randolph’s wooden head creaked upward. “Fear not my friend, you may still return to the land at any time. I will find you. When I’m not assisting Rudavich, we can take our walks or even a game of chess.”
Erwin did return to the forest to see his friend. Randolph would ride on Erwin’s shoulder as they walked the same old paths. But Randolph’s mood changed as time went progressed. He became less and less available and often a week or more went by before Erwin saw the wooden man.
“Slobadon and Rudavich continue to fight and things have become very bitter.” Rudolph began one day in his woodwind voice. “I assist Rudavich which has allowed him to cultivate a larger portion of the garden. This angers Slobadon and I fear he is planning some recompense.”
Another year passed and Rudolph stopped coming to his meetings with Erwin completely. The carpenter searched the woods for his old friend but could not find him or the garden.
Soon after, Erwin received an unexpected visitor at his home. It was past midnight and Erwin had been asleep for hours when a pounding at his door woke him. He lit a candle before opening the door.
The man looked like Rudavich but was broader with a slightly longer beard. He pushed past Erwin walking straight to the worktable.
He picked up Erwin’s chisel. “We have never met but I’m sure you know me. I am Slobadon and you are Erwin the carpenter who worked Rudavich’s soulbind slave.”
There was no question in his statement so Erwin didn’t respond.
Slobadon opened his robe and dropped a leather bag on the table. “Behind your home is a small cart filled with soulbind heartwood. I need it carved into puppets less than two weeks from now. This bag is filled with Roman gold. It is enough to for a man of your designs to do whatever you want.”
Erwin stared at the bag. “But I thought soulbind needed a grave and years to grow.”
“Do you think you were the only one picking up soulbind seeds? I knew of my brother’s plot immediately after he approached Rudolph. I planted my trees over the site of an ancient battle and hid them with a special vine.”
“What about Rudolph? If I craft your servants, will he come to harm?”
Slobadon’s look took a dark cast. “The woodman will not be harmed. If you fail to do as I have asked, you will.”
“Then I agree.” Erwin took up his hammer. “I will begin now and you will have your first servant before another day passes.”
June 25th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Thanks for this. Bookmarked.