Forging of the runes

After Mother Earth and Father Sky let go of the real world, the Care-Root was left to its own devices, but with a last word for the road; “Care for them, lead them, educate them!”

The Care-Root, now also the Mother Root, joined the now awakened humans and stood among them. But they stood in awe and in fright of what they saw standing among them. So the Care-Root changed form and took posession of a man that stood alone nearest to it. The man had long dark wavy hair and a big, black beard. And it spoke;

  • I am the Care-Root, the Mother Root, the prime will in your lives! And this man I’m now in posession of is the first priest and prophet of the Care-Root, the Mother Root. Let his name be known: Ushiri!!! (The now living Ushiri is the 28th of his name. The first Ushiri lived for 900 years).
  • Ushiri! Ushiri! Ushiri! the people shouted in unison. But the Care-Root wept, because this was the only words these creatures could speak. But again it remembered its mothers words:
  • Care for them! Lead them! Educate them! So, now started the Great Journey, the journey that would lead the people to create farming, writing, empires, arts and music. 

The Care-Root and Ushiri I raised the first kingdom of men in Atlantis. With the Care-Root’s divine teachings and words through the Grand Carrotmaster Ushiri I , the people built their kingdom in the ocean. And here the Care-Root runes were first put in to use, but the story of the runes began further north in the world. 

It was the Day of Blessings, the day we today celebrate as Yule, or Christmas, that the now aged Ushiri I, filled with the wisdom of the Care-Root, took a sailing ship and some able men and sailed to the shores of the northern frozen wastes. His goal, the world pillar reaching out into eternity and into the Ur, the eternal knowledge. On the fifth day marching through several feet of snow, they reached the Ivory Foot, the foot of the World Pillar. 

Here Ushiri I’s men put up camp for the next leg of the journey, that would take them up the mighty pillar. 

When they awoke the next day a staircase had appeared, probably during the night. They all arose from their sleeping bags and looked in awe at the beautifully carved stairs. But before they could do anything a rumbling voice echoed from high above:

  • Who dares to disturb God? Who has the audacity to disturb my sleep?
  • It is me! Ushiri! The first of that name! Prophet of the Care-Root! Ushiri I stepped forward with his rod in hand speaking with the voice of a hundred men. 
  • Ushiri? Ha! I eat false prophets for breakfast!
  • So, come down and meet me! Or are you afraid? Coward! 

Silence, and then a roar like a thousand screams rushed down the pillar and then hit the encampment like a blizzard. The men lost sight and drew their swords, but there was nothing to fight, only snow, wind and screams. And as sudden as the blizzard had appeared it was gone. And so was Ushiri and the dwindling stairs. And their hope tell.

But high up in the sky above the clouds “God” had now imprisoned Ushiri I, not in a cell, but through crucifixion, where he could watch the entire world hanging by nails in his arms and legs. His lifeblood ran down the ebony white pillar making it shine in a grotesque brownish colour. 

Floating in front of Ushiri was the creature naming itself “God” dressed in heavy armour and a helmet that kept the face of “God” hidden. And “God” laughed and cursed at Ushiri where he was hanging.  

  • You, peasants,how dare you tread on the ground of my holy heavenly empire!
  • YOUR HOLY EMPIRE!? The voice that came out of Ushiri rung of a thousand giants, he vad also opened his eyes that now shone bright as the sun. – THE ONLY EMPIRE YOU WILL EVER RULE IS ONE OF PAIN AND LONELINESS IF YOU DON’T SURRENDER- NOW!

The force of the voice had stripped “God” of its amour, and before Ushiri, floating in the air, a small blonde female fairy, flapping her tiny wings, holding her face in shame in her hands. 

  • Forgive me Grand Carrotmaster, she spoke with a trembling voice, – I didn’t know it was you!
  • I am who I am! said Ushiri, ripping his hands and feet away from the iron spikes that held him to the Pillar;- But you have not been yourself and your thoughts have not been pure. And naming your self “God”… Ushiri now floated in front of and looked with pity upon the little fairy, taking her hand. She looked up at him weeping. – But for your beautiful eyes sake, you will feel the mercy of the Care-Root! But you will not know magic anymore and you will know mortality as a human woman. What is your name?
  • My name is Hedvig! What will become of me? asked the fairy.
  • You will know when you see again!
  • How can you free me from my magic?
  • When there is a need for beautiful things in the world, there will also be a need for magic. And your magic is needed for the world to be what it needs to be! And so Ushiri closed his eyes and the little fairy disappeared. He opened his eyes and looked in his hands and there glowed the magic that the fairy had kept within. And so was it that Ushiri opened up to the universe through the Care-Root. And with a mighty roar the Pillar was raised to the ground. 

The men that had joined Ushiri, had made their way back to the ship. Because for mortal men time had moved slowly so after two days of not seeing him again, they decided to leave. When reaching the harbour they all heard the roar of the Pillar breaking and falling to the ground. And like a miracle Ushiri again stood among them. And with him he had a white block of the Pillar and as he spoke the magic that he had borrowed from Hedvig, and the slab of white marble began breaking apart into sixteen pieces. And after the magic words were spoken, his blood that had stained the surface of the Pillar began to fill up the carvings that now became visible on the sixteen pieces of stone. And he read over everyone of the signs and then he disappeared never to be seen in the world again. 

The men looked in awe and then looked down at the stones. 

  • Men! said the commander, – Load up the ship! We are leaving! 

In the mists behind them a new figure appeared, and out of the vapors she strode. She walked up to the commander who was the last one on the shore, and put her hand on his shoulder. He turned around.

  • Who? he asked with a trembling voice, but looking into her eyes he saw the divine spark. – Grand Carrotmaster? he asked.
  • Yes, and no! She answered. – I am the new Grandmaster, and I used to be Hedvig, now reformed as Miko, the shrine maiden, Ushiri’s new successor, the new bearer of the Care-Root, and holder of its memories. 
  • Hail the Care-Root! Hail Grand carrotmistress Miko, the first of her name! the commander and his men kneeled before Miko. She held out her hand to the commander and raised him up.
  • There is no need for kneeling, my friends. We now have what we came for and will take this treasure back with us to our island. Let’s set sail and feel joy in our heavenly gift. 
  • What is this gift? Asķed the commander all the while he escorted Miko on to the ship. Miko sat herself beside the stones.
  • These stones are the divine signs of the Care-Root and will bring the art of writing to the people!
  • Writing? asked one of the men pulling out the sail and fastening it to the hull. 
  • It is a way to paint the words that you speak. The men nodded to the notion, but did not understand the greatness of what they now brought home with them.

( Submitted by Miko- shrine maiden in 12020)