Appeared in the "Kasvua Vuosikirja" magazine in spring 1996.


                        The Six Stones of Khasivua

                           by Kristoffer Lawson


	The skies cried out with songs of great deeds and the wind blew with
a force never seen by a living being before. The clouds covered the sun
hiding it from the view below. A large, black, misty mountain cracked open
with a mighty roar revealing six grey stones. The six stones were wisdom
itself. The gods had created them so they could learn everything there was
to learn. The gods made the stones equal, but also different. They stood
there for centuries on the mountain of Khasivua, the place of growth. The
gods gave them names full of enlightment and meaning.
	The first one was Milonoff, the overseer. It brought the others 
knowledge of the gods and made sure they never strayed from the true path of 
wisdom. Each night it would peer over the other stones from its high place on 
the mountain and direct them with sacred tails of magic. The stone was 
enveloped by a cloud of mystery and the true meaning of its name remained a 
secret for all time.
	The second was named Rose. Its duty was to find the world and make
clear the mysteries. Collector of information and afraid of nothing. It
could reach to the four corners of the world when it pleased and was never
binded like the other stones. This one never fluttered and directed its own
path as it chose. The only thing it ever feared was itself.
	The third was named Green. This one was strong of mind and body. It
knew the beings of the outside world and understood them. It never associated 
itself too strongly with the others for it was essential to keep contact with 
beings from outside the circle. But its place was dangerous, if any of them 
once crossed outside the circle, it could never return.
	The fourth was named Branch. It brought forth strange views into the
midst of them, confusing most. Its comments were endless and never did it let
the others rest but kept their emotions and actions strong. Stubborn was it
as it worked night and day with the others. Proud was this one too. Too proud
to admit it to the other ones, but they knew. It could not escape that.
	The fifth was named Hope. The eternal skeptic. Forever denying the 
others thoughts and bringing them down to earth. It kept the group from 
becoming too closed in on themselves. Though they were wise, they were not 
gods on earth. Despite this, Hope presented the brightest and wildest visions 
and dreams. They would never ascend to the heavens, but they would build 
heaven on earth.
	The sixth was named Law. The director of thought. Pointing to 
errors in patterns and finding their problems. Though it was never the loud 
one it was always the enthusiastic one. It believed in the future and that it 
would be bright. While others brought their knowledge to the light, it would 
sit back and observe any fault in it. 

	And so their strange journey began to seek all the wonders of the
universe. Milonoff, Rose, Green, Branch, Hope, Law. The six powers of the 
world.

	As time passed, word of the six stones of Khasivua spread far and
wide. People from lands never heard of by mortals came to listen to the
stones' wisdom and knowledge and to bring books and magic as offerings to
them. Rare was it that a mortal could understand the stones and those who
could were enchanted by them and unable to escape, but forever did the
stones seek more knowledge. The path was not easy as the world was turning
evil. Demons began appearing out of the earth screaming and waving their 
black, firey tails. They attempted to lure the stones from their important 
mission by disguising themselves as beautiful maidens only to wound the 
stones later, and by offering unholy ornaments covered with evil runes. But 
the stones were never distracted for too long. Their task was too pressing. 
Some joined, some left. The stones seemed to be forever, but the demons were 
getting stronger.

	One cold, silent night mount Khasivua began to tremble with such a
force that even the gods couldn't keep it still. People and animals
everywhere stopped like live statues, curious and figity. Never before had
they seen anything but peace on the mountain, but now something was
happening, something terrible. Despite the strong minds of the six stones,
they had eventually been lured away from their wisdom and knowledge and were
now falling to the wrath of demons and many evil things. The mountain
cracked like it had not done since the birth of the six stones, this time
sucking in the stones one by one. Outsiders looked on in horror, unable to
do anything but stare. All the gods of the heavens did what they could to 
stop the evil things, but they were helpless. Only the stones themselves
could prevent what was happening, but it was too late. The objects of 
mystery, knowledge and wisdom disappeared out of sight and as they did a
darkness and chaos fell on the world. 

	Flames fell from the sky burning everything in their path and evil 
beings rampaged everywhere causing havoc. Finally the mountain trembled to 
the ground hardly making a sound, as if it had never existed. But amidst the 
destruction and death one stone remained standing firmly where it could not be 
seen, collecting knowledge of the world for the now silent gods. This stone 
was renamed the seventh stone.



(C) Copyright 1996 Kristoffer Lawson