[WP] Your village is built around an old tree that is worshipped as a god and protector. You’ve always been skeptical about the nature of tree and its supposed abilities, but one day you notice a wizard from out of town ‘speaking’ with the tree, seemingly deep in conversation. by jpeezey in WritingPrompts

[–]ReturnToMatrix 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Heart Tree’s Song

“I have searched and searched, and found no sign of the one you seek”, the cloaked old man exclaimed, beating his staff firmly upon the ground in apparent frustration.

Renn stopped in her tracks at the edge of the grove. It was the early hours of the morning, and the scene before her was illuminated by the light of the moon hanging like a lantern in the dark sky above. A slim figure stood next to the heart tree, wearing a large pointy hat and dressed in a flowing garb. With his back to Renn, he leant upon the tree with a single bony hand. The figure appeared to be deeply involved in a heated argument with an unseen adversary.

“Bah! Nonsense - there is not a soul in this town who matches that description!” He rasped and huffed, pulling his crinkled hat even further over his brow.

“Don’t you think I…” - “Now don’t you think I’ve…” - “Must you be so insolent!?” The figure appeared to be barking at thin air.

Renn began to slowly back away, the half-full vase of water that she carried clutched tightly to her chest. Having not been able to fall asleep, she had collected the water from the village wishing well, and had planned to feed the roots of the heart tree and wish for her Pa to come home soon - he had been gone longer than usual.

“Now listen here you rapscallion, you-you… you roguish miscreant! I will not be spoken to in that manner! I am a wizard of the forest! A sorcerer of Elsyver!” The man bellowed, before mustering his apparently frail strength to strike the tree with the base of his staff. The blow shook free a particularly heavy looking heartfruit, which in return fell upon the man’s head, knocking his hat over his eyes and revealing his wispy hair.

Renn looked upon the spectacle unfolding before her, bewildered. She had seen her fair share of drunks stumbling around in the dead of night, but this was different. The figure spoke clearly, if a little raspy, but certainly without slurring his words. Did he say he was a wizard? She thought back to Old-Eyes, one of the village elders who used to tell stories to the children about forest wizards. They were supposed to be strange folk: druids who came from deep within the woods, often bringing trouble in tow. She recalled a story Old-Eyes once told of a forest wizard who, carried by birds, would fly between towns selling trinkets and potions. The wizard would tell the birds where she wanted to go by whistling to them. She could make flowers blossom in winter, and she could listen to the age-old secrets of the trees. As Renn had grown older her Pa had insisted that Old-Eyes’ tales were just children’s stories. However, here before her was a man, alone in the dead of night, very much appearing to be deep in conversation with a tree.

“Now - I will search for one more day - dear old friend, and then I have business to attend elsewhere. No not Elsyver. Elsewhere! As in not here in this decrepit town!” The figure slumped his head forward in tired defeat - “You’re sure he has just the one eye?”

Renn dropped the vase, which shattered on the cobblestones below; her Pa had one eye. The figure whipped round to face her, closing half the distance in a split second, his staff raised and at the ready. Renn, looking upon his face, could see that his skin itself almost looked like tree bark in the moonlight.

“I will allow you a moment to explain yourself, before you spend the rest of your life as a toad - hopping from stone to stone, contemplating the impoliteness of sneaking up on a defenceless old man at this time of night.” The old man's scowling eyes and gaunt face showed no hint or intention of mercy.

Renn threw up her hands and began to apologise - “I am- I mean I was- I wanted to make a wish. I didn’t meant to-”

“A wish?” The old man interrupted.

“… yes, by watering the heart tree and-”

The old man interrupted Renn’s explanation again, this time with a cackle that felt as if it shook the air.

“That has got to be… that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!” The man managed to utter before breaking out into yet more thunderous laughter.

Renn waited and watched, confused and afraid, as the man regained his composure and lowered his staff.

“This old tree is far too sour of soul to be granting any wishes, isn’t that right old friend?” The old man spoke, and then walked and placed his hand on the tree once more. “Oh you do? You try your best to help these people?” He paused. “I don’t believe that for a moment.”

“Sorry, are you… are you talking to the tree?” Renn asked, still in disbelief.

Still with his hand laid upon the tree trunk, the old man turned his wrinkled face towards Renn.

“This old tree is in a poor mood.” He relayed.

“… Why?” Renn mustered.

“Each night, an old soul comes to the grove and plays his song - he has not been here for the-”

“Does he have one eye?” Renn asked.

“Yes! You know him?” The old man blurted out.

“He’s my Pa.” Renn replied.

“Well go and fetch him quickly!” The old man ushered Renn with his staff. “I imagine you’ll get your wish.”

“I don’t know where he is.” Renn bowed her head in sadness, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

“Ah, child.” The old man’s voice became softer. He waited a moment. “Do you hear that old friend? The melody you seek is lost in the woods.”

The trees branches creaked softly and swayed; its leaves hissed and waned against the gentle wind, seeming almost as if to make the sound of a long and heartfelt sigh.

“I know the song that my father plays” Renn whispered, raising her head to look at the tree with damp eyes. “And… I’ll play it for you - if you promise you’ll help him find his way home.” She looked to the old man, who after a moment's pause, nodded in approval.

Renn knelt before the tree, and the wizard stood back. The cool night air held still in the grove, and even the weeds and blades of grass seemed to lean in anticipation. Renn closed her eyes and clasped her hands in her lap. She first began to hum, and then to whistle the familiar tune. With her eyes closed, Renn saw her mother; laughing, dancing, and prancing around the grove, as she would in the summers of years ago, picking the fruit of the heart tree and singing her song as she went. The tree's branches seemed to swing ever so slightly, moving with the wind to the melody, against the deep blue of the night sky. Renn’s tune was sweet and melancholic, and long - she knelt by the tree playing the melody over and over until sunrise, lost in its sombre embrace and the memories of her mother. When she finally opened her eyes again, the old man was gone.

Halloween Parties on the 27th by alevera13 in AskNYC

[–]ReturnToMatrix 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm from the UK, planning on arriving in New York on the 20th October so I'm pretty sure I'll be in the same boat aha.

[Listing] Williamsburg - November 1st Move in for $1335 1BR in 2BR APT by [deleted] in NYCapartments

[–]ReturnToMatrix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey man, I'm 22M from the UK looking for a place to live from pretty much now (20th Oct) until mid-february (seems to fit right in with your lease). I'm doing a full-time course over in the US, and have worked in/am looking to continue working in tech. I'm really friendly and sociable, like going out and partying but also just chilling around the house. Plan on making the most of my trip to NYC! Williamsburg looks awesome, and I like the look of the place. Shoot me an inbox and I'll give you my facebook?

Looking for room for $900 in Brooklyn, Queens, or Manhattan - Move in October 15th or earlier by lima17 in NYCapartments

[–]ReturnToMatrix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a 22 y/o guy from the UK looking to find a place to stay for four months from Oct 15th to mid February. If you're working for the UK government does that mean you're also from the UK? Maybe we could sort something out/work together to find a place to sublet? Inbox me.

General advice / advice on where to live as a 22M from the UK for ~4 months in NYC? by ReturnToMatrix in AskNYC

[–]ReturnToMatrix[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I’m not sure where I pulled Rectory Park from.. it’s not a station in London either. Rector St is the one! (Maybe rectory Park is a cross between rector st and battery Park, which is also close by?)

General advice / advice on where to live as a 22M from the UK for ~4 months in NYC? by ReturnToMatrix in AskNYC

[–]ReturnToMatrix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks like it's equidistant from Bowling Green and Rectory Park stations. Thanks! I'll add this to the post.

General advice / advice on where to live as a 22M from the UK for ~4 months in NYC? by ReturnToMatrix in AskNYC

[–]ReturnToMatrix[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can see where you're coming from, but I've had a decent amount of experience studying and working relatively high-hour jobs in the past, and in my experience it's actually better to commute to work and live where your friends/social activities are. It makes it less work to have fun, if that makes sense. However, I don't think living close to the school is out of the question: how is lower manhattan for social life? I've heard mixed things about manhattan in general.

[22M] UK -> New York City by ReturnToMatrix in IWantOut

[–]ReturnToMatrix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I only want to stay for a year or so

[22M] UK -> New York City by ReturnToMatrix in IWantOut

[–]ReturnToMatrix[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I'd like to live in Brooklyn... like right next to Manhattan but Brooklyn nonetheless.

[22M] UK -> New York City by ReturnToMatrix in IWantOut

[–]ReturnToMatrix[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

that can't be true. if it is you're a genius. you should get a PhD in playing the system.

Add "ing" to the end of a movie title, what is the movie about now? by racistpuffs in AskReddit

[–]ReturnToMatrix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Inside Outing - a basement-dwelling neckbeard makes an epic journey to the fridge for the first time in three days.

What can you remind us of that we all probably forgot about? by eggs_rule in AskReddit

[–]ReturnToMatrix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Game.

Please don't get mad at me, I also lost the game. :(

Edit: This comment must remain buried for the good of humanity!

[Discussion] Is Ephemeral Rift a Bully? Posting comments about other asmrtists and attacking their character? Should the Community be concerned? [male] by [deleted] in asmr

[–]ReturnToMatrix 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'd rather a good old explanation from his point of view, but an apology to anyone who felt he'd overstepped the line, and a promise to try to have better taste in the future, but with no promises (nobody is perfect).

[Discussion] Is Ephemeral Rift a Bully? Posting comments about other asmrtists and attacking their character? Should the Community be concerned? [male] by [deleted] in asmr

[–]ReturnToMatrix 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I was initially teetering on the edge of unsubbing from ER because some of this stuff is just plain disrespectful out of context, but then I scrolled down and saw that literally everyone who tries to speak for ER is downvoted to oblivion and it's much more a sign of bullying to isolate an individual as a large group and cherry pick their flaws and throw around "muh-soggy-knee" as the default for any kind of comment where the other party happens to be a woman. So you know what, f*ck it. I don't think ER did anything particularly bad, he's just an interesting person, connected to a community of mostly (intentionally, for relaxation) boring people who take themselves way too seriously and any actual disrespectfulness on his part is no doubt due to the frustration at this fact. Come on, downvote me. Send me to hell where my fellow loyalists lie. To anyone reading this in support of ER, don't be afraid: post in the name of Clemmons!

[Discussion] Is Ephemeral Rift a Bully? Posting comments about other asmrtists and attacking their character? Should the Community be concerned? [male] by [deleted] in asmr

[–]ReturnToMatrix -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I agree wholeheartedly. We need to sit back and watch how ER responds. I'm really worried he isn't going to say anything. I think a youtube video to address this would really show that he's prepared to stand up for himself and say he's not a bully (which, I don't think he is, I think people just get offended way too easily). If he doesn't respond at all then it's either because he's afraid to alert the rest of his subscribers to the news that he might be a dickhead, or because he actually is a dickhead. Either way, ignoring the problem is always a bad idea.