The Master of Wood Age🔊

In the quaint little hamlet of Bergville resided an old carpenter named Gregory, known as the best craftsman far and wide. With the presence of his enchanting craftsmanship, he could transform the tiniest piece of wood into a timeless masterpiece, Propelling the hamlet into eminence. Gregory, however, was not just a carpenter, but a survivor of a mysterious tale that was whispered only in tangles of hushed conversations in the village.

One day he went missing, his house rendered untouched like a haunted relic. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months, and finally, locals designated his abandonment as his way to escape the mundanity. The hamlet was beginning to fade away from the limelight as if sucked by a vortex of oblivion.

A year after his abrupt disappearance, the villagers were bewildered when they discovered Gregory's return. Although returned he had, the gleam in his eyes was forever lost. Gregory was quieter and hollow, as if a part of his soul had been chipped away.

While the curious onlookers speculated about his return, Gregory buried himself deeper in his craft and remained tight-lipped about his year-long absence except when he met a curious lad of eight, Harvey. Seeing intense curiosity burning in the innocent eyes of the lad, Gregory decided to unravel his cryptic tale.

One stormy night, with Harvey wedged comfortably by his side, Gregory began his tale. He told Harvey about his quest to find 'The Fractal tree,' a mythical tree, famous in folklore. It was believed to have been born from the breath of the earth, a tree that was not ordinary, as its wood was told to possess magical properties, could breathe life into inanimate objects. Obsessed with itslegend, Gregory had traveled far and wide, braved treacherous weathers, scaled unyielding mountains only to find no sign of it.

Disheartened and devastated, he was about to abandon his mission when he stumbled upon a tapestry of ancient hieroglyphics, leading him deeper into the forest of the unknown. After dangerous encounters with wild animals and deadly cliffs, he finally reached the foot of the grandeur tree. It was radiating an incandescent, ethereal glow, capturing the beauty of raw nature. He felt an energy field circling around, making it impossible to get any closer.

Out of desperation, he pleaded to the cosmos, expressing his true intention not to exploit but to cherish and amplify the magic with his craftsmanship. Moved by his pure intention, the force field dissipated, allowing him to approach the tree. Hesitant but driven, he gingerly touched the tree, thanking it for its trust and chipped away a small chunk of it.

Returning with a component of the Fractal tree, Gregory created extraordinary crafts, fascinating people far and wide, even the royals. He slowly put Bergville back on the map of popularity but never strayed from his path of integrity and love for his craft. Through his tale, Gregory's lost gleam began to return, and he started feeling whole again, unraveling the power of narrating our fears and pain.

Harvey, spellbound by the tale, promised Gregory to keep it a secret and told him he wants to be like him. Caressing Harvey's head, Gregory replied, 'To be like me, wouldn't do. For you could be so much more. Trust your dreams, nurture them, and let them guide you even when the horizon is foggy with doubts.', imparting not only the trade of his craft but a timeless lesson of hope, resilience, and integrity.

The Tale of Gregory continued to resonate in the hearts of those who were lucky to hear it directly from him, passed down generations as Bergville's most treasured folklore, keeping alive the spirit of the Fractal Tree, the magical craftsmanship, and the legacy of Gregory, Bergville's 'Master of Wood Age'.