Random Fairytale

I have no recollection of why I wrote this or any larger context, but it’s fun enough to post here. Interesting notions going on here.

A solitary peak, a mountain looming alone in the distance, surrounded by nothingness. The land is barren, nothing grows, except the mounds of dirt and rocks that are swept up by the howling winds. In this setting, in this environment, how is anything to grow, how can life exist? Zoom in, and there begins to show signs of color on the mountain. Specks of green emerge from their hiding places, knowing that they alone are the life on the mountain. Go closer, and see the creature on the mountainside. Alone, solitary, he moves on, striving to survive on what he can. What can become of this creature, alone, stranded between a rock and nothingness? He moves on, only to find nothing, again. He returns to his cave, awaiting his fate. He dare not see what lies in the lands beyond, for all he can see is the wasteland of a once beautiful garden. Or was it? He couldn’t remember anymore, it had been so long since he had been in that garden. Perhaps it was only his fantasy he maintained for his own sanity. But it remained so vivid in his mind. He could see the beautiful trees and plants that covered the landscape. That was when Spero ruled the land. But when Tristitia came, he overthrew Spero. All that was good died when Spero died. That was when the creature retreated into the cave, for Tristitia did not want one such as him to be in his land. Any life was to be exterminated just for being in the presence of Tristitia. So the creature hid in his cave afraid of Tristitia, refusing to believe that Spero could still be around. Even if she was, Tristitia was more powerful. Or so he thought. There was always the ancient legend that said Spero could always come back, even if only a single soul were to believe in her. The problem was, this creature could no longer believe anything. He had seen too much carnage and destruction and utter despair to ever believe that Spero could return to the land. He had seen so much that it had left him spiritually, and even to an extent, physically, empty. Everywhere he looked, Tristitia was the only thing he could see. As the days turned into months, and the months into years, Tristitia began to creep up the mountainside. The little life left on the mountain was consumed, and the creature was left to starve in his cave. He then knew he had very little options left, he could either starve to death in his cave, or make a run for it and probably be consumed by Tristitia. He decided to do two things, one, he tried, with all of what he could muster in the emptiness inside of him, to believe in the legend of old. He believed that Spero could return, that she could come into this world and make things brighter again. After all, what harm could it do to believe? The second thing he did was run. He ran with all of his might, as fast as he could, across the barren land, hiding behind the mounds of dirt as he kept going. As he was running, he finally saw the trees. He ran, as fast as he could, for those trees, Tristitia close behind. He made it into the trees, but then stumbled and fell. He looked up just in time to see Tristitia bearing down on him, ready to strike. He closed his eyes, bracing for the icy grip that was sure to come. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and saw that, instead to Tristitia standing over him, Serpo was there, protecting him. He couldn’t believe it! He barely remembered what Serpo looked like, but there she was in all of her glory, as beautiful and breathtaking as ever. She struck down Tristitia with ease, and then turned toward the creature. She smiled at him, a gleam in her eyes, and said, “Thank you, child, for allowing me to come back”. The creature paused, puzzled. “Me?”, he said, “What did I do? You defeated Tristitia, you saved me.” She smiled slightly and said, “No, child, that was all because of you. You believed in me again. You let me back into this place. Your belief has made me more powerful than Tristitia could ever be.” With that, Serpo turned toward the wasteland and the solitary mountain, and, with a swift flick of her wrist, she dropped the entire land into a deep pit. She then covered the pit over with new earth, and from this earth the forest began to rise up once again, and the creature, along with Serpo, were able to live their days in pace. Serpo had, finally, defeated Tristitia. The peace would not last forever, but the creature knew that, as long as he believed, Serpo would always trump Tristitia.