Here in my lake, sweet little one, you will see and remember your past lives. Whether you choose to remember them once you leave this beautiful pool, is entirely up to you. -- Anon Guest
There are portals to other planes in the world. Most common are the ways to Nanogh, the plane of magic. One can, with significant effort, find portals to every elemental plane, and a few others. The plane of torment is easier to find than the plane of boons. One has to look to find one's way into the planes of earth, air, fire, water, and light. Hardest to find is the portal to the plane of shadows.
Few want to, because the realm of shadows is also the realm of Death and the dead.
Thus, when Stavaush found this pool, it was little short of a miracle. It was perfectly round, just like each moon. It was perfectly black, day or night, and after drinking from it, Stavaush could see Shadowlings. Short and tall, wide and slender. There were at least twenty of them.
One, a little more solid than the others, said, Thou hast wandered far, little one. and somehow, Stavaush knew they were listening to the voice of the Universal Host. The lady Death herself.
"Am I in trouble?" asked Stavaush, watching the shadows watch them.
No. Merely in danger. Thou art far from food or shelter. Thou hast slaked thy thirst in a pool of shadows.
"Am I gonna die?"
In time. Sooner if thou dost not find food. Thou art not afraid?
"No, merciful lady," said Stavaush. "Life hurts a lot. An end to that seems... nicer."
Bathe in my waters, said the Lady Death. Thou wilt witness thy lives past. If thou choosest, thou may remember them when thou leavest. If thou choosest... thou may callest on me to sink thee under, and gift thee with another life.
"Will it be better than this one?" they asked.
That is not in my control. Bathe and see what may be seen. Choose as thou whist.
The water should have been cold, but it was soothing and warm. As Stavaush soaked in the shadows, they saw... all the Shadowlings were echoes of their past lives. Farmers and crafters and at least one in chains. They had all had hard lives. They were all young. One was a baby.
Stavaush gained the impression that, were they to try all over again, it would not be any easier. They did have useful things to share.
"I choose life," said Stavaush. "I choose to remember."
As they left the lake, the Lady Death kissed Stavaush on their brow. Go forth as thou whist. With my blessings.
The Shadowlings walked with them, whispering knowledge into Stavaush's ear as they journeyed on through the woods. They would never go back to the home that abandoned them, that was for sure. There was no point.
One shadow showed them how to lay traps, and which fruits and fungi were nutritious and delicious. Another showed them how to catch and cook fish. There was one that was very useful for making safe shelters out of whatever things were ready to hand.
Stavaush made it quite far. Beyond what might be expected for a child of seven. Hunting and laying traps and foraging could have been learned from a good parent[1]. The blast of eldritch energy from their palm when a rabid wolf attempted to attack... well. That had to be gifted.
Stavaush burned that body to ash, just to be sure.
The eventually found another town. One willing to welcome a strange child who'd wandered out of the woods and knew strange things. They called Stavaush 'fey touched' but didn't do much more against them than that. The town of Griindayl wouldn't know for years that Stavaush was a Warlock sponsored by the Goddess of Death.
[1] It's safe to assume that Stavaush's original gene donors were not in this classification.
[Photo by Ross Sokolovski on Unsplash]
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