The Winged Shadow, king Jardfor also joined them at that time, for their next mission was killing his Crazed Son. Though he was still doubted justice of his decision and wandered he should help them or disturb them.
King Venef of Bereneth already waited Heort and the Fire Witch for he was Heort's friend, and guided the companions to the stead where the Berserker chained himself. Cragspider closed there and felt both Great Magic and Curse, Gordangar also felt the presence of Demigod.
Cragspider asked to Heort,
"Child. Do you want to free from his source of the power, his madness? Can
you fight the Wolf Lord without the help of Mad Spirit?"
Heort replied,
"If you can do it, please help him. Power is important, but it is not the
only important thing. And no one is more important than those with whom we
live. Solitude is for outlaws. holy people, and madmen."
Cragspider touched Gordangar's shoulder and removed his mother-in-law's curse from him, and replaced it to the Fire which gradually consumed him from inside. Gordangar thanked Heort but Cragspider warned him that he would not die in peace for the Fire would not let him to do so. Gordangar pledged to fight for High King he could offer his short life as far as he could. Heort could not stop him to do so.
Already Berenethtelli and Penentelli were Heort's friends and they were willing to join his Kingdom if he could successfully conciliate the difference between Winter Tribes and Summer Tribes,
The Wolf King Kogall had terrible magical powers by the ritual in the Arthing of Serpent Beast Brotherhood, no one could confront his howling, no one could trace his movement, and no one can survive the poison which his biting tooth caused. Once he joined the Army of Chaos with many monsters whose power is weaker than he, but similar in power and curse. He killed his many enemies by their help. But after "I fought, we won." He hid in the shadow of Esrolvuli Land and wandered the Tunnels reaching to Shadow Plateau and ate both humans and trolls alike if he felt hunger.
One Blind Seer prophesied him before he ate him, "No one can kill you except who holds larger curse than you. (Macbeth? Siegfried?)" Kogall remember what occurred to him after he failed in the trial and fell to the Pit of Ragnaglar. Humakt guided Gordangar to his hidden nest and finally met Kogall and his minions. While others of the party wiped out the tainted Wolves, Kogall asked Gordangar,
"I am Kogall Jardforsson, Successor of Sword and Helm. Who needs my life?"
"I am Gordangar Twice-Cursed, and I came here to liberate Esrolvuli and
stop your torment."
"But no one can kill me except who holds larger curse than you. My kins
killed each other, my father taught me wrong way and he abandoned me."
"My mother-in law cursed me, I killed my brother and my wife, my children
while the Curse crazed me."
Kogall understood the Time had come but tried to defend him like a son of King. They fought and struggled fiercely, hand to claw, foot to leg, sword to fang. His Howling is useless for Gordangar always heard his own crazed howling inside of his ears. His Moving was stopped when he was caught by the trap of Spears which Heort's companions set. And blood of his poison and Gordangar's Flame mingled over the ground and their flesh, burned and wounded both of them horribly, but finally Gordangar slashed his body and barely killed him. Other minions of Chaos were also destroyed by the Party.
King Jardfor was killed by the Lightning for he couldn't help flying to the Sky for the herb which might save his son's life. The Companions realized that was the Will of Orlanth and tried to recover or at least soothe him, but Jardfor smiled weakly and asked Heort to perform Funeral for him and his son as the true King and Prince. Heort promised them their corpse would be burned by the pile which was gathered for Heort himself. Jardfor thanked him his generosity and closed his eyes. His Raven-like Body shrank after he had died.
When the trickster heard about the death of Two Hidden Kings, Hastur lied to his Clanmates and Friends but anyone except White Deers didn't accept it anymore, and he was removed from Tribal Ring, his people White Deers still trusted him. But most of Koroltes and gradually understood what had occurred while invisible air passed through from north to south, and Heort accepted almost all of them except a few because he realized he needed those warriors to fight for coming Battle.
(Generosity=Hospitality)
South Wind
When they reached the Southern Land of Kethela, Both Sex of Beautiful
Daemons and Warm Wind appeared in front of them, a seductive scent blew
behind them, and Heort permitted some of his companions to go with them for
a while, but others being faithful to their principle or their lover
staunchly stayed with the King of Koroltes.
Last Chaos Army hid in the Boundary of Koroltes, Chieftain Hastur realized he could no longer deceive even his own clan, and Heort urged Chaos together in the Koroltes Boundary intentionally and they tried to kill Heort when he would return back to his Clan, but still Hastur insisted Winter Deers how Ivarne deceived them, and Heort betrayed their trust by not to trust them, and what they would miss again if they know Heort was a ghost urged by the illusion which he held it in living. So Winter Deers prepared for his funeral though they didn't have his body. Though orphans Estavos and Estava tried to stop them, what was they able to do for it?
Isidilian was the Lord of Dwarves near the opening of Ginijji, and he kept long Rivalry against Ezkankekko though he also admitted they could not survive the Battle without the Unity of all Races, but both he and Only Old One wanted to let their own race take the leadership of Unified Council and another plan about the system of it.
And Ezkankekko himself had his own problem in his own kin, Queens of the First Tribe in Dagori Inkarth and Ladies of Cliff Home didn't like any idea to have any masculine identity even he was a son of greatest Gods over Surface World. And some of them even supported the enemy of their own people ever from immemorial age, dwarves and their immortal masters.
While Heort's mustering army in a valley threatened the neighborhood, Ezkankekko also mustered his army in near another valley, but he didn't know where both of them stayed, that was the first place where firstly Orlanth made a contract with the untamable trickster, and there, he began Lightbringer's Quest. (See Storm Tribe P. 71 last battle against Chaos) This place was called "Sit Here" because Orlanth ordered Eurmal there to do so.
Chaos Army also heard about that situation, and their leader conspired crush both of the greatest leaders of Greyland by being the one who profit from it...because it seemed that the two Army just started to fight. The Trickster Hastur just performed the Funeral for living Heort before that event perfectly ignoring the Situation. But Estavos and Estava ran from there and Hastur pursued the children.
But that was the trick of Heort, for he was able to know everything inside of Seven Wind, and the Army of Chaos hid in the shadow of Trickster. He prepared for the War, but the Only Old One could not know it, and he was perplexed how to do for the Army of Orlanthi for he didn't trust Heort yet. He didn't want another fight but he didn't want to send a messenger until Heort would send to him. But Heort's Army growing, and Only Old One gradually found difficulty to muster numbers enough to rival it.
Finally, Heort knew the chance. Chaos closed too near for the chance. Heort's Army surprised the minions of Chaos. Trolls didn't realize what occurred firstly, but gradually they also started to fight Chaos side by side with Orlanthi, The victory was complete. And many of barely survived monsters fled to north Ginijji or south Larnsti Footprint.
(In Uz Lore of Troll Pack, Unity Battle occurred in the North of Kerofinela, but in Thunder Rebels, Unity Battle occurred after the "I fought, we won.")
After the battle, Heort smiled and told Ezkankekko being at a loss for a
while,
"I kept my word, next by turn you should prove your word."
And Heort told him the message from his grandmother, the Goddess of Night.
Eventually, Ezkankekko realized what Heort did for him (united Shadow Dance, Elder Wild and Cragspider into his alliance?), and the Demigod also smiled. And the Darkness finally admitted the King of Storm over the Surface World as the Fire realized the Authority of Orlanth in Underworld.
At that time, Ezkankekko said Heort proved the Justice of his kin and his God, and permitted him to lead Garanvuli and Sedenorvuli, In return that, Heort entrusted the responsibility of leading Esrolvuli and Haranding though they were originally Orlanthi.
Heort taught Ezkankekko how to make Ring of equal members, and suggested him to select all members from each races and elements. Ezkankekko approved it and he also joined his companions. First, it began from a couple, but it ended with an army and large crowd. They firstly went to the Tula of Winter Deers, next, they reached to Grizzly Peak. Where Heort enthroned as the High King as Great Vingkot.
(Justice=Justice)
Funeral of Heort
Trickster said, "Heort died." but Estavos and Estava didn't believe it and fled from the clan. The Victorious Army captured the three, when Heort reached his own home, still most deaf people gathered there for preparation of Funeral. Heort went there alone firstly.
"Who died?" Heort asked to the man. "Great Chieftain Heort." "Do you know Heort?" "I don't know but everybody lament to his death though almost none of themknow him."(Aristides in Plutarch?) So I have tried to cry for him. But I cannot."
Heort pardoned Hastur for he could not smash the Chaos in one place without his (unintentional) help, and gave him a position of Trickster in his Royal Ring.
Heort enthroned as the Highking over the birthplace, the Grizzly Peak. that place was also once the enthronement of Vingkot. Nine Vingkot Tribes survived Great Darkness and Eleven Tribes pledged their loyalty to the Chieftain of Winter Deer and the King of Koroltes. Each of the Tribe offered the Regalia and Shrine of each Important Gods for the ritual. Heort burned the Hidden Kings, Kogall and Jardfor's body over the piles which was collected for his own Funeral.
(Each of tribes brought Regalia of Heortling Highkingship and Heort founded Priest Ring learning a lesson from the act of King Rastagar the Atheist, bestowed authority over them as the councilors of High Kingship.)
Heort and Ivarne enjoyed Long and Prosperous era for their rule because everyone of Heortling gradually began to sense the World to recovery. But Orlanth and Hengall didn't admit their blood made-up another unjust. (And I don't want to speak about the tragedy which ravaged their twin children, Estavos and Estava.) But you can always watch their peace when you visited Heort's Stagland near Karulinoran. You can see the happy couple.
END OF SAGA OF WINTER DEER CLAN If you want to see all graffiti about my meddling with Heort: http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/HeortAlakoringetc.htm
Next, if I have a chance, I'll try to do same with Alakoring Dragonbreaker.....
Terra Incognita
inarsus-ferilt-z_at_...
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