Xylia And Her Dragon

Long ago, deep in a remote mountain valley was a small village. The village was built around a stream which ran through a forest, north of the village. The forest was luscious and filled with life, so much so, that the villagers considered the forest to be sacred. This prompted them to venture deep into the forest, where the largest tree stood.

The tree was taller than any of them could imagine, its branches were large and far reaching, which created an open area underneath. When the villagers looked down, they saw that it's roots were also very large and had a familiar calm and peaceful feeling.

“This looks like the tree in the middle of the village” said a young girl.

The young single mother who's beauty was unsurpassed by any maiden in the village, was exhausted from the long journey and from carrying her cute toddler daughter with her, sat down on one of the large roots and put her child down. The child felt at home, and began to crawl up the tallest root, which caused everyone to watch her for her own safety.

Suddenly the child began to glow a golden greenish light, and float high above the root. As the glowing child floated up above the root, the mother panicked hysterically, while the child just cutely laughed, like all young crawling children do.

“Xylia!” shouted the young mother. “What's happening to my Xylia?!”

Xylia continued to glow and float higher, then began to transform into a beautiful maiden. The maiden was barely dressed, in a thin silk slip which hugged her child bearing hips, and a sheer silk sash which covered her soft shoulders, and motherly mounds. Her hair was a deep rich brown and long, ending past her small feet. The villagers stood in shock and awe at her natural beauty, and the fact that she was still floating in the air, glowing barely covered as if they never saw a naked woman before.

“Thank you all for coming to visit me, my children.” she spoke with a light, airy and motherly tone. “You did not have to make this journey up to see me, as I watch you from afar every day.”

A young farmer's boy spoke up, “Are you the spirit of the forest?” he innocently asked the glowing maiden in his prepubescent voice which cracked every time he began to speak.

“Yes, I am. I am Keita, protector of this forest, and the stream which runs through it. This tree which you are standing on is my physical link to this world. My roots extend far and wide, reaching past the village and sprouting smaller trees wherever they go.”

“Is the tree in the middle of the village you?” squeaked the prepubescent boy.

“Yes, it is. As long as my sprout-lings are well and taken care of, I will always be here protecting you. Please head home now, as it is getting late and the sun will soon set.”

With that, the maiden transformed back into the young toddler, who was sound asleep on the tree root.

---

Four times a year, each when the seasons changed, the people of the village made the journey to the tree, to visit Keita. There they took care of her roots, and cleared them of fallen leaves, being careful not to damage the surrounding life. After-wards some would sit on the roots which rose up high, and sleep in the groves that adjacent roots would make. Those who stared into her leaves, said they dreamt about her, and that Keita spoke to them and told them to admire and protect all life.

Then one day, a raging storm came into the valley. The torrent destroyed houses, and crops, and several village people perished under the rubble. Xylia, who was now a young and beautiful maiden, surpassing her mother and one of the most desired woman of the village, was found under parts of a fallen building. Her mother was crying at her side, but you could not see her tears as they were mixed with the falling rain.

“Please someone help my daughter!” Xylia's mother screamed, “She's still breathing!”

The farmer's son, who was now a young man, gathered some of his friends to carefully lift and remove the fallen debris from Xylia's virgin body. As they cleared the debris, Xylia's pale white skin seemed glowed in the falling rain. Her skin was clean and free of scratches or marks, and the smell of sweet baked goods always radiated from her body, as she helped her mother with baking sweets for the village.

“There has to be something we can do to save her.” Her mother sobbed.

“Quickly, take her to Keita.” said the boy's grandmother to her grandson, “only Keita can save her now.”

The grandson obeyed and carried her with her mother following, deep into the forest till they were at Keita's base. The young man, then gently placed Xylia on the same root which she crawled on when she was a toddler. The mother then fell to her knees, and begged to the tree to save her daughter.

---

Keita, felt each tear drop from the villagers, each burned her skin, and as some of the villagers were crushed under the fallen houses, Keita felt a whipping sting against her back. She saw Xylia, her mother, and the young man at her base.

“I thought you were always here to protect us!” she heard, from the crying mother.

Keita, couldn't do anything, this was beyond her power. Keita could only bring new life and was not responsible for deaths. Keita then went deep into the eye of the storm, and at the center in the calm she saw a tall, dark and handsome man and a weeping maiden. He was standing with his eyes closed, and arms outstretched, in nothing but a loin cloth made from an animal's skin. His outstretched arms revealed strong defined muscles, with his short spiked hair, he commanded quite a presence. The maiden was crouched down, with her head to her knees, and her arms and hands protecting her head. As Keita came closer, she saw that her body was covered in marks, and completely naked.

“You, why are you here?” shouted the man, with a deep and commanding voice that had no hint of fear.

“I am Keita, the protector of the forest and land below.”

“I know, who you are.” said the man.

The crouching woman, stopped crying and stood up. Her figure was even more beautiful than Keita. Her naked skin looked warm, soft, and fairer than the skin which covered Keita. Her hair, long and flowing, like the rivers of the land. And her eyes were blue and as deep as the ocean.

“Daughter, I know why you are here.” the blue eyed woman spoke, with a cold tone, as if she has said these words many times before. “You are here to save the girl, Xylia, and the people of the village your father is destroying.”

“Yes, I am.” Keita responded with purity. “How do I save her?”

“If you truly want to save her, you must perform an exchange with the one who is collecting.” said her mother.

“Would you like to perform the exchange?” asked her father, in a deep dark voice.

“Yes” Keita said without hesitance.

With those words, her mother turned away and said in a cold sad voice, “Your life will be shorter now, Xylia's life will not be perfect, she will bear a monster that isn't human. Don't cry during the exchange, it will only excite your father.”

As Keita's mother ended her sentence, her husband rushed towards their beautiful daughter. He forcefully grabbed her neck, and ripped off her silk slip and sash. With his strong hands, he grabbed her flowing long hair, turned her around, and forcefully inserted himself into her.

Below, lighting struck one of Keita's sprout-lings, and it slowly burned to ashes in the rain.