Dio - Leavetaking (2)

The words came flat from Des’ mouth: information whose meaning Dio didn’t at first grasp, because it left him almost as numb as the blindness had.

“What?” he asked, his own voice equally flat.

Des only gave an awkward nod over his shoulder, and Dio threw on his cloak, following him slowly out into the street toward the village square. His legs felt heavier than usual, and the surface of the road seemed sticky and wet, dragging at his steps. At least, that’s how it felt.

It took him some time to reach the edge of the square, where people had gathered, whispering, exchanging glances that were both excited and anxious. There stood Lao, Avee, and Lot with their bags packed, while Yorm wrung his hands, stooped in a way that was unusual for him, pleading with them.

“…have you really thought this through? I don’t know where I’m going… You may not like it…” he pressed, as Dio and Des came to stand beside him.

Lot brushed back his blond mane and glanced sideways at Avee, but she only nodded eagerly.

“We have to, that much is clear!” she declared.

“Why?” Dio asked, staring at her in disbelief.

It was hard enough to find words at all, and he now understood a little better the emotions that had plagued Brela when she spoke of her fears and worries about him possibly leaving.

“You should know better than anyone. You’re the only one here who makes it obvious you want more than to rot away in a single place,” Avee said, and for a moment her hair seemed to ripple on its own in the air, like a thousand small tendrils.

“I’m not rotting away. Why would you say something like that?” Dio burst out.

He braced himself for one of her snide retorts, but Lot’s hand on her arm silenced her before a word left her mouth.

“She means you’re too curious. She can’t picture you staying here forever. And when your friend comes back, you’ll leave anyway,” he said.

Has he spoken with Brela? Or do they all think this way? Dio asked himself bitterly.

“I’ll tell you what I’ve said before: I’m staying until she comes, and even if I leave then, I’ll return. Always, because this village is my home. My home. You, all of you, are my home!”

Before he could stop himself, he had turned toward the crowd, which had gone quiet to hear what they were saying. What he was saying. Arms spread wide, he nodded to them, and around him grim faces nodded back. Some smiled. Others hid damp eyes. Dio suddenly realized he was trembling.

“What about you two? You, Lao Tso? Will you come back?”

The young man flinched when Dio called him by his full name, trying to make himself as small as possible and hide behind Lot.

“We don’t know,” Avee admitted.

She met his gaze steadily, though her lips quivered slightly, a small tremor Dio had never seen in her before.

“Why?” he cried out, and a few others joined in, shaking their heads.

“I want to improve my craft. To meet other like-minded people. To learn from others, not only teach. And I want to create things that last longer than the failures I’ve given you,” Lot explained.

“I want to see new patterns and ideas, to grow, and to make clothes for people I haven’t met yet. I’ve grown very fond of all of you, yet I feel I have to move on,” Avee whispered, lowering her eyes.

Dio stared at her in disbelief. he had never spoken of such things before, never admitted them — not once. 

Why now?

“I hope you find what you’re looking for. I hope we meet again,” Yorm finally said, stepping forward with his hand outstretched.

Lot hesitated, then took it and squeezed, pulling Yorm and then Des into a firm embrace.

“Until we meet again, old man,” he said to Des, his voice breaking.

“I could have said the same to you once. But you’ve grown younger, or at least on the outside,” Des laughed, and Yorm joined in.

“He and I, yes. I wonder why. Maybe we’ll find out. I’ll miss your plans, Yorm, and your silence, Des,” Avee said with a nod, embracing the two men in turn. Her hair seemed to sway in agreement.

When she let go, she turned to Dio. He didn’t know what to do. The air felt heavy, the moment closing in.

A farewell.

“I can’t believe this, I—”

A hand settled on his shoulder, and when he turned, he saw Brela’s large green eyes watching him sadly. She turned to Lot, Avee, and Lao, her voice soft.

“You were… you are wonderful friends. I love you too, and that will never change. I’m sad you’re leaving, yet if it’s your wish, then you should follow what calls in your hearts,” she said with a touch of overly bright cheer, finishing with a small curtsy.

She too stepped forward, embracing them all in turn, even Lao, who yelped in surprise. Then her gaze fell on Dio.

“You supported Ray in finding herself and let her go. Why won’t you do the same now?” she asked, her words cutting into him like blades.

“It’s just… you’re part of Daw, you’re my friends. Yes, even you, Avee!” he stammered, and she gave a clumsy laugh.

He could feel it now: they would leave soon. Inside himself, he saw their lights, and he knew they would soon drift away.

Yet they would not go out.

Slowly, he stepped closer to the three, pressing his lips together before finally nodding, hesitant.

“I truly hope, as Brela does, that you find what you’re looking for. I can’t imagine what it will be like here without you. Everything has always been the same. Well, we’ve changed the look of Daw, expanded it together more than I ever could have imagined, but all of us have stayed the same. Always the same. I want it to stay that way… yet I know it can’t. I truly hope we’ll see each other again. Eternity is long before us, and if you ever feel the urge to come home, we’ll be waiting,” he said, forcing a reconciliatory smile, even though he still didn’t want them to leave.

Before he knew it, Dio was caught in an embrace with Avee, her hair brushing against him, and Lot, who lifted them both at once, nearly squeezing the breath out of him. Even Lao reached out a hesitant hand.

“I never wanted to cause trouble. They just listened to me, and they always wanted to know more. I…”

“It’s okay. I’m not angry with you; that would be too easy an escape from the turmoil inside me. I hope the road carries you far, Lao, and that your journey takes you to a place where you can rest your legs.”

They shook hands, and soon others came to embrace the departing three, until the Sun had risen high in the sky and was already leaning back toward the horizon. Then Lot, Avee, and Lao Tso set off, stepping onto the road that led toward the fields. Waving again and again, they soon vanished from Dio’s sight. Yet inside him, they were still there, and he found some comfort in their light. Soon, the last rays of the Sun stretched across the empty road. The air was still warm, but a faint chill crept in as the fields fell silent around them.

“You’re wrong,” Brela suddenly whispered to him, her hand brushing gently through his curls.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“You said everything was always the same, but that’s not true. Before the Sun came, yes, everything was always the same; all the same. But since that day, there has been change, not only in our homes, but in us as well. Through the Circle, people have created more and more wonderful things, growing as they did. Everyone has changed, Dio, slowly but surely. And never before have people I knew, who lived in Daw for so long, begun to want to leave. It was always newcomers who felt that urge, and I could usually see it in them. This is new. A change. Everything is changing.”

He thought about it, the truth sinking in.

“Yes, that’s true. I didn’t see it that way. Maybe I didn’t really notice because all the changes were so gradual. Changes for the better, that felt… natural.”

“Hm. I hope so,” Des said, glancing at the plows standing not far from Ogan’s house.

“So do I,” Brela added, and Dio saw in the tremble of her lips that she must have been thinking of the events of the previous night.

Is it true? Have any things here changed for the worse? 

He couldn’t think of any.

Everyone had only discovered their passions and pursued them more and more.

He had spent so much time with them, working alongside them again and again, with all the people. They had always been kind, supporting one another, even if sometimes grumbling.

The walk home felt even longer than the walk there, and again and again he caught himself drifting into thoughts of Lot, Avee, and Lao, examining them with concern at the center of his mind. As far as he could tell, everything was fine, except for the fact that they were moving away from him.

The moment the three had left marked a new era for Daw. At first it was only a day, one Dio remembered wistfully, and the others seemed to feel the same. Yet tools and clothing were now made by those who had once worked with Lot and Avee. They too produced fine things, though they were slower at it. In the end, no one minded much, since they had endless time to wait for new tools and clothes, even if some grumbled about it.

Avee and Lot’s house remained where it was, standing empty, and no one moved in, even when a new Arrival brought more members to the village, far more than usual, as Des noted. The houses were enough, for as soon as the deep joy that seemed to rise straight from the Dream filled them, the carpenters set to work. Helsat and Erta went off with Wes to meet the newcomers, and Dio wondered why none of the Sages had come to accompany them. Yet he didn’t dwell on the thought for long.

Then others came too, not newcomers but people from surrounding villages. First, two women from Deli arrived, saying that a group of three wanderers had spoken of Daw’s new achievements and they wanted to see for themselves. In awe, they walked through the streets, their eyes wide, their mouths hanging open more often than Dio had ever seen from anyone. They asked to be shown some of the craft techniques, and soon others from Deli followed, eager to learn cottage-building.

Before long, more people arrived, some seeking instruction, others simply to see the village. Then came people from farther away, with carts laden with fruits and materials Dio had never before seen in the Dream: metals and gemstones in small caskets, delicate drinks, new types of meat, and intricately carved figures. They reminded Dio somewhat of the decorations on the large house that had belonged to Lot and Avee… had belonged… yet they did not stir his blindness as the building did. Additionally, with so many new visitors, it was easier than ever to hold it back, even though he tried not to form any deep new bonds. He could not bear friends leaving him again so soon.

Still, Dio’s inner warmth grew, even if the new impressions were hazy and faint, weaving themselves in among the glowing, connected beauty that Daw had become inide him. He noticed that after Lot and Avee, no one else left. Also, the visitors never stayed in Daw either; they came, did what they had planned, and returned home.

Because of the bustle, Dio withdrew more often with Des into the fields to enjoy some peace, visited Brela, and helped her expand her garden. And so the days passed, blurring together, feeling both familiar and yet somehow new. Dio sometimes caught himself thinking that everything might have stayed that way, that everything could have been so wonderful…

Until one evening, as they sat as usual on the tree trunk watching the Sun go down, Brela began to tremble and turned to them, whispering:

“Des, Dio… the place inside me… the dark path at the edge of my beautiful garden… I think it’s growing. It’s spreading. I don’t know what to do…”