Under the Yew Tree

         It was quite peaceful, there in the shade of the lone yew tree on the edge of the forest in the valley beneath the looming mountains. The Warrior, his energy all but spent, had collapsed against the tree, its ancient twisted trunk supporting him as he sat there motionless. The wind danced gracefully through the dark green leaves of the tree, tussling his hair as he watched the ending of the day. The sky lost its azure shades and adopted the rosy pinks, golden yellows, burnt oranges, and blood reds that the sun produced. The slow steady stream that ran a few yards in front of him reflected this change, turning into molten gold flecked with bits of blood red. Turning his head towards the heavens, a monumental task on his part, he fixed his gaze on a wispy cloud, now aflame with the sky, and sighed.
         "Enjoying the view?"
          The Warrior was startled by the sudden voice. Looking in the direction from which it came, he espied a stranger dressed in odd looking dark clothes that he had never seen before.
         "My apologies if I startled you," the Stranger said in a deep, calming voice, "But I suppose it is only natural, not many people see me coming. Do you mind if I join you?" The Warrior was quite warry of the abrupt appearance of this strange figure, but he was too exhausted to do little more than place his hand on the hilt of his sword. Giving a slight nod, he returned his gaze to the sky. The Stranger noiselessly walked over and seated himself against the yew's wood besides the Warrior. For a time both just stared at the world around them, taking in its beauty. Before long the Stranger began speaking again,
         "I am not going to do anything to you, there is no need for you to be so apprehensive." The Warrior made no effort to remove his hand.
"Well, if it makes you feel better then so be it, it does not matter to me anyways. You still have not answered my question though: Are you enjoying the view?" The Warrior was still for a moment before giving the same gesture with his head he had before.
         "That is good, I enjoy sunsets too. They are one of my favorite things about this world, second only to the night sky. Tell me, do you have a favorite view?" The Warrior pondered the Stranger's question for a moment. He felt his mind wander back to when his father had first taken him to the sea. It was during the harvest season of his eighth year, when the village had produced a bountiful amount of crops. They had needed some extra hands, so his father thought that it was the perfect opportunity for his son to start taking on some heavier responsibilities. He remembers the journey lasting several days and having to defend the precious cargo from bandits many times. By the time they reached the port, the young Warrior had been exhausted and regretted ever agreeing to accompany the adults, but the moment he had seen the ocean, he forgot about the fatigue that weighed him down.
         He remembered the vastness of the sea, how the water carried on endlessly over the edge of the world and merged with the sky. The smell of the water was both pungent and refreshing at the same time, while the cawing of the white birds that circled lazily overhead mixed with the distant thunder of waves crashing against stony cliffs. His young mind had been amazed that such a sight existed, and every harvest season since then he had looked forward to that endless sight.
         "The ocean? Yes, it is quite the sight. You should count yourself lucky, not many people in this time have the opportunity to see the ocean, but in return they are able to go places you will never be able to see. In the end everything balances itself out." The Warrior looked at the Stranger through the corner of his eye with a quizzical expression, the grip on his sword lessened.
         "Oh, you want to know about those other places?" The Warrior nodded with an eagerness that thirsted for adventure. The Stranger chuckled in his deep voice,
         "I suppose I can tell you about one or two places." Looking up at the sky, the intensity of its colors ever increasing, the Stranger inhaled deeply and began,
         "In this world there is a land much like the ocean in that its vastness reaches beyond the borders of the sky. This land however is very different from what you know. It is barren. No trees grow in mighty forests, there is no grass to soften your steps upon the earth, nor is there water to flow upon the land. All that is there is dust. Dust and sand. The wind blows them into giant hills that wind their way across the landscape while the sun beats down upon them mercilessly, baking them in an unyielding heat." The Warrior released a short breath, the best he could do for a chuckle, at the Stranger's claim. How could such a lifeless place exist?
         "Lifeless? My dear fellow, I never said anything about there being no life. On the contrary, my sister has made sure that her creations exist in all the corners of the world." Another questioning look replaced the disbeleif on the Warrior's face.
         "You want to know about my sister. Well there really is not much to say, you met her once before though I doubt that you remember it. She is very . . . optimistic. She can be overbearing at times, but she always means well. Every once in a while we need fight, either because she has done something I do not like or I have done something that she does not like, ultimately though we cannot exist without each other. Speaking of families, I met your wife and daughter earlier." At this the Warrior became agitated. Gripping his sword as tightly as he could, he tried to get up, but the Stranger rested a reassuring hand on him,
         "Have no fear, they are fine. Both of them are patiently waiting for your return as is the rest of your village." Relaxing, the Warrior once again rested against the yew tree, his hand falling away from his sword's hilt, and returned to his vigil over the sky. By this time the flames of the sunset were beginning to yield to the dark purples and blues of the night. High up in the sky the first stars were barely waking up from their slumber. The Warrior felt his eyes begin to grow heavy, realizing only then how tired he was.
         "Well it looks like it is time for you to go," the Stranger announced as he stood up and dusted himself off, "As thanks for the pleasant company allow me to escort you home, the roads can be treacherous when travelled alone." The Warrior nodded and gestured to the Stranger to help him up. Reaching out the Stranger grasped the Warrior's hand and effortlessly raised him up. The Warrior winced, but the pain quickly subsided. He brushed himself off as best he could, looked at the Stranger, and started walking with him down the lonely road.
         Side by side, the figures walked in a pleasant silence under the ever darkening sky. It was slow going at first, the Warrior could barely limp and the Stranger did his best to not leave his companion behind, but the further they walked the less the Warrior limped until finally he was able to match the Stranger stride for stride. As they approached the crossroads the Stranger broke the silence for the last time,
         "I must say it has been a pleasure to be in your company. Very few people wish to spend this much time with me when they meet me. They either shy away or try to avoid me altogether. Of course in the end I always catch up to them, but it is nice when they do not try to avoid me and spend a little time with me. Thank you for the rare experience." The night had just about set in when the Warrior stopped a few yards short of entering the crossroads and hesitated.
         "What is the matter?" the Stranger inquired. The Warrior shifted uncomfortably, "You have nothing to fear, and after all you are going home. Besides, your family and comrades are waiting for you there. You do not want to make them worry now, do you?" Hearing this, the Warrior perked up and smiled for the first time in the Stranger's presence.
         "There we go. I'm sure everyone will be happy to see you." Picking up his pace, the Warrior pulled ahead of the stranger and with the first rays of moonlight both figures passed through the crossroads.

There was nothing the small village could have done against its impending doom. The barbarians were too well trained and far too numerous to be stopped. Sweeping in from the north they massacred all the inhabitants and burned the buildings, leaving only ash and a gory mess behind. A few families had managed to escape the initial onslaught, but even they were eventually hunted down. The few bodies that still had intact faces were frozen in the midst of sheer terror and despair. That is except for one. This lone body, resting in the shade of the lone yew tree on the edge of the forest in the valley beneath the looming mountains, with a now blood filled stream steadily flowing by, with its slit throat and mangled body beyond all repair, had a look of peaceful serenity etched on its face.