Far away in the north, the days were short and nights were long, and ice and snow covered the ground most of the year. These frozen lands held many secrets and not even the few tribes of people or the local wildlife who dared to call these lands their home knew all of them. But the northern realm would eagerly whisper of the many mysteries that lay within, if only one would ask. However, mankind was too young to remember the ancient times when the world was created and thus, it was no wonder they didn't know the questions. But the world around them was more sentient than they could believe.
As the tired sun began to descend from the sky to give their throne to the moon, Hallahinen woke up from her dreaming state. It resembled what humans called sleeping, but she was able to stay connected to the world around her, remaining aware, but at the same time a piece of her was resting. Her white body emerged from the fell and that's where she stayed; she was the manifestation of the fell and couldn't move around. This was where she had lingered since the dawn of the world, standing here as her duty. Hallahinen looked up to the darkening sky with her dark eyes that held ancient wisdom.
And she could see an eagle flying above the frozen lands, majestic and powerful enough to endure the cold. He cried out as he passed the spot where Hallahinen stood, greeting her. She watched how he soared and she waved her white hand as a sign of respect. She was confined to earth, but she didn't feel trapped while watching the freedom of the eagle. For she was connected to the northern realm; she could experience it all, the soaring of an eagle, a clever fox hunting for rodents, the fish swimming beneath the frozen surface, the first steps of a fawn, the songs of the wind… Her heart was an open one and it was beating in the rhythm of the north.
Hallahinen spoke the words for the eagle, carried by wind: “Noble eagle, would you join us under the evening sky? The forthcoming night is going to be splendid.”
Her words were silent, but they still reached the great bird. He cried out once more, accepting her invitation, and he changed his flight path, soon landing on a high branch in a grand but dry and dead pine tree. Preening his feathers, he then waited together with Hallahinen for the night to come. It wouldn't be long; the darkness was faster to come than light. Together they stayed quiet and it almost felt like the whole world had gone silent. Though, at the same time, Hallahinen could hear every little noise, whether it was a mouse rustling in its nest or a loud cry of a proud moose. She was aware of everything – and she wasn't alone.
As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, other fells began to wake from their dreaming states, one by one. With the beating of her heart, Hallahinen greeted every one of them; they all were her brothers and sisters. Together they would welcome the approaching gentle darkness and witness the night that they knew was going to be beautiful. Hallahinen couldn't actually see all of her brothers or sisters, but they all felt united through their hearts. They all had been standing here since the creation of the world, they all had existed longer than mankind. The old gods had carefully shaped them, placing them on their roots throughout the northernmost land, then leaving them with an important task.
At the top of the world where the fells stood, they were also holding up the sky. For eons Hallahinen and her brothers and sisters had tirelessly and proudly performed this sacred duty. And they would continue doing it until the end of time. Not many beings knew about this task assigned by gods, though that was understandable considering that very few even knew about the fells and that they were actually ancient entities. But they weren't here to declare their existence, they were simply watching over the northern lands and preventing the sky from collapsing.
With her dark eyes, Hallahinen saw a fox that was climbing over her body, she was practically gliding over the snow since her feet didn't sink into the snow that covered the fell. It was her old friend, she had known her for centuries. And Hallahinen knew that she was here for a reason that night, ready to light up the northern sky. So she watched the fox ascending towards the highest point of her body and from there, she started to sprinkle the snow around with her tail that had now burst in colorful flames. The snow scattered around the dark night sky, where the stars were glimmering and ready to welcome the fox's gift. And so the snow the fox sprinkled, it turned into a curtain of colorful fire in the sky, spreading far and wide. These northern lights, they were the fox's way of celebrating life itself and connecting the lives of everyone in the frozen lands, for everyone could see the wonder she just had created.
Hallahinen and the other fells perhaps were entities that had existed since the very beginning of the world, but even they were able to appreciate small things like this. They were quite delighted seeing the northern lights, it was like a work of art. The eagle that was still remaining on the ancient dead tree near Hallahinen had also shifted his gaze into the sky that was like a dark canvas that now displayed the paint of the fox's brush. The bird let out a cry, as if praising the work of the old fox. But the best way for him to honor the fires of the sky was to fly with them. The eagle spread his mighty wings and soared up into the heavens, now flying among the dancing fires. Hallahinen watched how he rose as high as he could and how the northern lights made his feathers glow in many colors. A simple demonstration of nature, but it was still magnificent in the eyes of an ancient entity.
And the wildlife and the fells weren't the only ones who marveled the beautiful night sky at that moment. From somewhere far away, a song traveled into Hallahinen's ears; it was a song of a human tribe. They hummed, banged their drums and sang the words they directed to the wondrous sky and to the fells themselves. They didn't know that the fells were sentient, but respected them and considered them as sacred nonetheless, believing that spirits lived on them. Hallahinen listened carefully to their primal song, taking it to her heart. She had heard it countless times before, ever since the ancestors of these people settled in these lands, but it touched her each time. It was a hallowing song that had been passed from father's mouth to the son's, from mother's mouth to the daughter's. And every individual gave it their own tone, even if just slightly, it was something that couldn't just be imitated. That is what Hallahinen cherished the most.
The fox descended from the top of Hallahinen, but the fires in the sky remained. Hallahinen blew a gust of wind from her mouth, to accompany the fox and help her on her way; she wasn't young anymore. With light steps the fox was able to run like the wind itself and Hallahinen watched how her small figure eventually disappeared into the woods that had stood there for thousands of years.
“Farewell, my friend”, Hallahinen whispered and she looked at the sky again where the northern lights still glowed, changing colors and blessing the land with their light.
And she listened to the song of the people until it eventually faded away. The tribe's voice went silent for a moment, but only momentarily. Then the drums were pounding again and the people joined in a song of praise that honored a specific individual. Hallahinen could distinguish how they were chanting the name of someone called Orko. A fine young man, Hallahinen pondered, and she felt a little bit of pride for him. She had known him all his life, like she knew everyone, and she had watched over his growth from the day he was born. Where had the years gone by, now that the boy had become a man?
Perhaps Orko wasn't aware of it, but he was destined to become a legend. Hallahinen had known this for years and so had all the other fells. He had shown promising talent in both archery and wielding a sword at a young age. But what mattered the most was his heart of bravery. These northern lands were a harsh place to reside in; many malevolent creatures were hiding in the darkness, envious and resentful for all the living beings that were able to face light without burning. Only the fells knew that they had originated from a different plane of existence entirely, a world that was filled with darkness and hatred. They were a plague upon the northern realm and courageous warriors like Orko were needed to stop them from completely taking over the frozen lands. It was a huge responsibility and a burden on his young shoulders, but as Orko's tribe chanted his name, the young man knew that a path of blood awaited him.
It was the path so many others before him had taken. Hallahinen and the other fells had seen them all. Ever since the day when humans set their foot in these northern lands, there have been legends. And while the tales of past heroes have been passed down for generations, some of these stories are obscured in time. Human memory is such a short one. Meanwhile the fells remembered them all. Each one of them they had witnessed from their roots and each one of them they had silently celebrated. The fells would sing in their honor, carried by the wind. So many warriors now lay beneath the soil, forgotten, becoming one with the earth once more. But so many more were still yet to come.
And so Hallahinen sent away a silent prayer, to give Orko strength and resilience, for he surely needed them. Together Hallahinen and her brothers and sisters hummed a song in Orko's honor as he would make his warrior's oath that beautiful night. The pounding drums summoned the spirits of the past warriors to give him their blessing. Hallahinen could see the faint gauzy forms riding on the winds that were rushing towards the human settlement. These spirits came from the woods, from the plains, from the rivers and from the sky, for they were part of nature now. Most people couldn't see them, but were able to sense their presence. Together with the living they would dance around the great fire and celebrate Orko. Humans may be relatively new to these lands, but they had undoubtedly become part of it and were connected to nature. The spirits of their ancestors roamed these lands still even after their death and they would look after the future generations, just like Hallahinen and the other fells.
The dull sound of the drums and the singing continued until dawn. The ceremony was finally over and the new legend was born and accepted by his ancestors. But Hallahinen and her brothers and sisters continued their silent hum, for Orko and for all the past legendary warriors, as well as for those whose time was yet to come. Nothing lasts forever, the fells knew this very well, so it was important to celebrate life while it lasted. One day, even the fells would be gone. But just like they had been one of the first to exist in this world, they would also be the last ones to stand. It was a fate they had accepted.
The northern lights disappeared as if they had been part of the ceremony as well. Hallahinen looked up at the sky she was holding, the sprinkled stars were shining brightly above her. The frozen lands had gone silent, even her song faded away. A new day was coming, new lives would come and some would go. It was a cycle that would keep turning. Hallahinen would witness it all, together with her brothers and sisters, until the end of time.
