On a mountain in the western lands there sits a sculpture made of stone called the Maia Stone. Evett, father of Hume, climbs the mountain in search of it. When he reaches the peak, he sees the fixture, magnificent against the setting sun.

Like a mushroom, the stone tapers from top to bottom. It is as tall as the tallest man and as wide as the centuries of the past. Approaching it, Evett can see that it is as described in legend: made of sculpted arms, clutching one another from the invisible centre of the stone to the outside.

Evett walks right up to it, in awe of its size. He sees the shoulders of the limbs sticking out, appearing as though they are desperately clambering for the inside of the sculpture. There are arms of men, arms of women; some arms are wrinkled, and one, near the bottom of the Maia Stone, looks like it belongs on the body of a six-year-old girl.

Evett looks down at the palm of his hand. He remembers the legend of the Stone: the Maia Stone will listen to the wish of any who come to it and lay their own hand on it. He sees on his calloused palm the words written in paint: ‘SAVE HUME’.

Hesitant, he looks at the pile of arms. Beautiful, it is also awful. Power flows out from it, and he feels it filling his bones. He knows he has come here to see it, and to descend without pleading to it would be utter defeat. He slowly removes his shirt. With his painted hand, he quickly grabs one of the sculpted arms.

In an instant, he feels it. The Stone feels his touch and accepts it. The burning sensation begins at his palm, then slowly moves all around his hand, encasing his fingers in agony. At first, he is afraid to look, the pain drawing his eyes away, but he forces his eyes onto his hand. His hand already gone, Evett watches as his arm is slowly turned to stone. The pain is overwhelming, much worse than he expected, but he dares not move his hand away. He has come so far, he needs the Stone to listen. He cannot risk coming so far to break the spell. He stands strong. He does not move his hand.

In seconds that last for hours, the burning rock reaches his elbow, consuming his forearm. When it reaches his shoulder, Evett feels the transformation slowing down on the surface of his skin, before changing direction inwards into his body. He feels the stone fire working around the joint in his shoulder, and when he finally dares to look at it, he sees a slight gap beginning to grow between the stone and his flesh.

Finally, the pain stops. Evett’s arm, turned to stone, severs from his body, sending his tortured figure tumbling to the ground. 

He spends some time looking up at his arm, fixed in place, suspended holding another. Eventually, he gets back up on his feet, taking a few steps away from the monument. He picks his shirt up from the ground. He looks to his side to where his arm once was. The place where it was severed is cauterised by the stone. He feels a coldness in the limb’s absence.

With a final look back at the Maia Stone, Evett begins his journey back down the mountain. He prays that the Stone will listen.

25.V.24