It's glowing, glowing

Bright and bold

Shiny

Shiny as steel,

Shiny as fresh blood spilled.

It's sharp, but smooth

Sharp

Sharp as a knife

Smooth

Smooth as the preceding words

Precedent to the lethal blow.

I pick it up.

It's beautiful, covered in gold

Old as legends told

Beauty, the downfall

Of the best, and

Of the victims.

I wave it around.

It's natural, but strange

As if it shouldn't

Be there, but now that

It was in my hand, we had

Merged into one.

It's scary, but quiet

Shadows, a cacophony

Ringing in my head,

Mixed with the

Echoes of a lost harmony.

I drop it.

It's vanishing, dissipating

Electrons simmer

It's not there, anymore, but

I can still feel the tingle in my hand

and

I walk away.

The grove grows silent as I watch the stag fall in a majestic death. I rush to his body but as soon as my mortal hands touch the blessed pelt is dissolves into spirit, leaving behind only a glowing antler. I tentatively reach for it and as I touch it the glow became overbearing of the place and my eyes were opened anew. Looking around like an innocent newborn I witnessed as sprites flew around me, beautiful women melted out of trees, rocks, and rivers. I had been taken from my world and into one I had only heard of in tales from the elders. I gripped the magical item in my hand as suddenly all the forest creatures scurried away, a funnel of darkness landed in front of me and out melted the most terrifyingly handsome man I had ever seen, crimson eyes, long dark hair, and dove white skin. His words came with a hint of anger.

"What of the stag?" he asked.

left behind

branch of the wood

carved in twists

glowing soft

as if to deceive the corruption

the workings of spellcraft

surround us

as we draw the circle

to keep it from spreading

we mourn the loss

of the mage lost

filling the mourning

with light memories

of passing deeds

and fond gestures

light overwhelming

as we whisper into wand

light overwhelming

transforming

release

a wand no longer glows

though filled with light

and we walk away

carrying the empowered staff