The Stone of Asiir ((alongside thread for Veiled Visions))

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The Stone of Asiir ((alongside thread for Veiled Visions))

Postby Elijah Morteron » Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:15 pm

The southern islands were many, ranging from small mile long narrow stretches to vast jungle lands peaked with ancient volcanoes that sputtered with occasional life.

The Isle of Tomo lay fourteen miles from Reathin, the southern most tip of Phaeratii. The Tomoans were indifferent to the happenings around them, being one of the few independent isles. They were content to let the rest of the world pass them by.

As Phaeratii and Yugaron and all the other nations placed their hopes in technology and looked to the future, the Tomoans looked to the past for answers. To their Speakers and their Bone-Tellers; the voices of their gods and the interpretors of the dead. They held no trust in weapons to protect their freedom, only the will of their spirit guardians could vouchsafe that. The greatest of these Ung-kuru, he-who-holds-the-dark, gave them their greatest shield from the outsiders that would do them harm. He had shrouded the isle in mists that confused those at sea and bade them crash against his earthly teeth, the great reef that sheltered the isle from tropical storms.

But something was happening, and the Speakers had no answers. The Gods had grown quiet, and even the whispers of the restless dead had abruptly ceased. But more alarming than this, Ung-Kuru had abandoned them. The fog had begun to lift.

Today Besula, a young hunter of the Red Bear Clan, sat with his back against a small cool white boulder, his eyes never leaving the three men that stood within the sacred circle.

The largest of the three, easily six and a half feet, broad shoulders heavy with muscle and bedecked in the feathers and jewels of his father, was Chief Incasi. He stood between Entya, the Bone Mistress with her body nude and painted black and Carthul the Mouth who sat cross-legged, his face and chest hidden behind a large oval white mask with nothing but two eye holes and a single painted flame.

Incasi surveyed those who had gathered to hear his words, his eyes holding Besula's for a brief moment before choosing a point in the distance and staying there as he spoke. "My children. Our ancestors' silence shows us the time is at hand!"

There were mutterings in response, then silence as the Chief raised his hands. "Kraasa is coming. 'He who walks between the veils' has marked the beginning of his ascension. The stone will be taken and our people will be his warriors, his dark heralds as was foretold at the beginning of time."

Entya touched his shoulder and the chief lowered his arms and stepped back to allow her center place. Raising her staff, the bone of Incasi's father, she spoke in soft yet powerful tones that held all entranced. "The cloud shields have returned to the heavens. Kraasa's chosen form shall come, a stranger to our eyes, with eyes not his own upon the wings of the oakfather across the fallen sky. The stone shall be his heart and his heart shall know the path to the fields of eternal shadow. One here must present the stone, lest Kraasa take our people's blood in its stead."
"I give hope to men, I keep none for myself."
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Postby Elijah Morteron » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:05 pm

Besula had been briefed days before the meeting. His father had spoken to him at the rise of the twin spirits Anear and Anuis and their conversation had continued until the spirits had fled and the raging inferno that was Ung-Kuru's fortress had risen once more to the heavens.

It was said that Ung-Kuru took his fortress into the darkness each night to battle with Kraasa, an eternal war that had begun long before time and the world existed and that he had created Anear and Anuis from the world itself to protect his people in his absence.

It was also said that when Kraasa came, both the twins and their creator would disappear and the lands would be cast into darkness for a hundred generations. The tomoans were Ung-Kuru's people for now, but they could not defy the ancient rules. They had had the blessing of a hundred generations under the Sun, now they must serve Kraasa in the black of purest dark.

This he had been reminded of during that conversation. And he had argued as best he could, suggested ways that perhaps fate could be changed, but eventually he had bowed down before his father's will. Incasi's will. The will of his Chief.

So it was that after a brief moment of silence, Besula brought himself up to his feet and stood tall and proud. "I, Besula of the Red Bear Clan, Flesh of Incasi, Blood of Tomo, child of Ung-Kuru, accept this blessing."

He glanced at his father and saw there a brief sadness that was quickly replaced by fierce, steadfast determination.

All about him his fellow clan brothers and sisters were slapping their thighs and chanting his name in low tones. Over this Carthul's deathly voice rang out. "Then, young bear, you shall drink tonight of your clan and sleep with the spirits and feel their blessed touch. Only then at the rising of Ung-Kuru, will you be ready to place your touch upon the stone."

Then Incasi's voice broke out strong and clear above the rising noise as drums joined the voices "Tonight my children, let us feast in honour to the last days of our blessing, to the courage in our hearts and to the failing dawn. Let no heart be heavy with sorrow. This.. I command."
"I give hope to men, I keep none for myself."
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Postby Elijah Morteron » Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:18 pm

"Do you think we'll ever see a sight like this again.. after the end of days..." Besula's voice seemed to float amidst the cacophony of bird-song that heralded the descent of Ung-Kuru's fortress into the underworld. It was a sad sight, all the more because it seemed now that each single event was a drawn out farewell.

Despite the despair he felt he managed to find some hope in it all. Somehow it seemed as if the fortress burned more brightly now, as if He-who-holds-the-dark was making it known that no power, not even that of Kraasa could extinguish such a bright flame for ever.

It was a long moment before he had a reply, and it was not a vocal one to begin with. Instead a soft hand, like silk wrought in flesh, gently touched his shoulder and then dropped to encircle his waist. Then, like a power all itself, he felt the distinct warmth and weight of his love Aiena against his back. "Think not of tomorrow my love. We are here now. We breathe, we feel."

"Aiena.. Why would Ung-kuru abandon us? Why must we do the bidding of Kraasa...?"

"It is foretold. It is set in the stone of the world."

"But stone breaks. If one only has the strength."

"You cannot defeat Kraasa, Besula.. he is of the veil.. he is of the underworld and death cannot touch him. Kraasa would hurt you if you tried.. he would kill you..." Aiena's other arm snaked about his waist and both now gripped him tightly, as if afraid he would fall away into the veil itself if she did not keep hold of him.

But Besula's mind was already racing along different paths.. different avenues as he looked at the fading light of the fortress as it slipped from view and the paler light of the twins began to glow more brightly in its wake. "Aiena.. when the stranger arrives you must go the where our ancestors are lain and take whoever will follow you there too. Just in case Kraasa decides not to be so forgiving of Ung-Kuru's servants..."

"But you.."

"I will do as fate has foretold.. I will go present the stone and travel with Kraasa's avatar to the lands where he would rule..."

"And then what...?"

"I will place my fate in the hands of the spirits...."

A dead silence followed.. nothing more needed to be said... but one thought kept coming back to the yound red bear.

'Stone breaks if one only has the strength...'
"I give hope to men, I keep none for myself."
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Elijah Morteron
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