Zabralka's Island
Zabralka's Island is a small island off the eastern coast of Meskaovania, just north of Shaca and Shiaca. While it's not that far from land, even visible from shore on a clear day, the island remains largely unexplored because of the terrible legend - and history - tied to the land.
The Legend
One day, she dared to take her brother's small boat out onto the waves. "It can't be that dangerous," she thought. "Arlo fishes every day with Father, and they come back safely each day."
Goodness, she thought to herself, this is much father than I thought I'd get. I'm hungry!
She looked around for something to eat, but all that was around her was the cold water, waiting for her to fall in. Swim with us, it seemed to call.
Soon she came upon a small island in the darkness, just a little pile of pebbles and trees some ways from the Western Shore. Zabralka sighed with relief. Finally, a place to stretch her legs!
She climbed out of the boat onto the shore, and the world went still. Feet had not touched these rocks for many a year, and the nighttime plants and animals knew something was different. They quieted themselves, hiding, for they were unsure what Zabralka brought with her.
She tasted the red berries from the purple plant. "Bitter!" she exclaimed, spitting the poison berries from her lips. She felt a rumble in her stomach, and carried on.
"Zabralka," it said sweetly. "If you eat the fruit from the tree, you will not be able to leave this island. It will keep you, forever."
Zabralka turned to the voice, and saw before her a Golden Dyr, standing tall and regal on the pebbled beach. Vines dripped from his antlers, and his soft golden pelt sparkled brightly in the moonlight.
"Then follow me," the Dyr offered, turning from the beautiful tree.
“You must return, Zabralka. You cannot stay. If you wish to reach your home again, follow me.”
As the woods got darker and darker, Zabralka realized she was still hungry. She saw another one of the white trees, and, ignoring the Dyr’s words of caution, tucked a piece of the ripe fruit into her pocket. She felt the rough peel under her fingertips, and her stomach growled louder.
The fruit in her pocket faded from her memory, juice slowly seeping into her clothing.
As they continued, Zabralka began to feel sleepy, her head nodding to her chest as they walked. The Dyr turned again, pushing his head under her to sling her onto his back. He carried Zabralka for a long way, walking through the trees as she slept on his back.
As she climbed into the boat, the water lapping against her toes, she pulled her sticky fingers from her pocket, licking them clean.
“What happened?” she said, shocked.
The Dyr looked horrified. "You ate the fruit of the Trees of Ilotl. The Law says you must stay on this island, until you are no longer of this world."
"They must learn to live without you," the Dyr told her. "You belong to the Goddess now."
Zabralka began to cry. "I want to go home," she sobbed. "I don't want to live here."
Zabralka cried and sobbed and cursed, banging her fists against the grounded boat and tearing at her hair. She had to get home. But every droplet of water burned, and she could not bear to cross the sea.
Zabralka swore an Oath against the Dyr, promising to shoot him with an arrow made from the Trees of Ilotl if she ever saw him again. The sky darkened as she made the Oath, and her scrapes healed and her stomach calmed. She was of the Island now.
She never found the Dyr, though she searched and searched for all the years she lived on the Island. When she passed, she swore another Oath: she would remain on the Island, never passing Beyond, until the Dyr joined her in the afterlife.
Beware the glimpse of the Golden Dyr standing on the shore, or you may find yourself unable to return home.
About the Island
Zabralka's Island stayed mostly unexplored by Visctherians until the late Orbital Age, when re-exploration of the planet's surface began to occur. Before the Impact of the Strutheo Star, none dared to tread on the cursed shores. The few who tried to explore the small island often came running back to their boats in fear, having either seen or hallucinated a hint of the Golden Dyr that is rumored to guard the Island - or a glimpse of Zabralka herself.
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