HISTORY OF GARUNDYER PART TWO
>From that point forth Rioneyth took Garundyer under his wing. For
three years Garundyer fought at Rioneyth's side, not only in physical
battles but also the battlefield of politics and religion. Rioneyth
died from disease and his son took his position.
At Garundyer's initiation, an Umbroli appeared and pledged itself to his service, then flew him to Swift Mountain Prak. here, at this magical place, he met the tutor who would hone his skills. His teacher was the Wind Whisperer who had predicted his great future ("The best way to predict the future is to make it" as the saying goes) and his name was Kallow.
Every day Kallow, an elderly man, would teach and train Garundyer. Every day Kallow would send young Garundyer down from the Peak to the path that led to the bottom where a burly churl stood with a lead club and blocked his path. Kallow said he would be ready to leave once he could defeat the churl. So everyday Garundyer would fight the guardian to be driven back to have more training from Kallow.
For a year and a half Garundyer trained with kallow (although time works strangely in the Otherworld) and everyday he was defeated by the churl. Then the day came that Garundyer tried different tactics, rather than fighting it he would bring it gifts, objects he noticed it did not have. Once the churl was fully clothed, had boots for its feet and a flute to play when he was bored, Garundyer asked to be let past. The churl heartily agreed and Garundyer descended the mountain, bidding farewell to Kallow. Garundyer walked for days before finding himself back in Lankst.
Garundyer, with little family and no real knowledge of where his friends were, wandered for nearly a season before encountering the Round Shield Bearers who lived in the MacLauton lands. They were a group of youths who fought for their King against the Hsunchen and Dragonewts of the east, in the defense of Lankst, in the name of the Jofrain Confederation. Garundyer, armed with his great knowledge and power, quickly advanced to become its leader within two years, young as he was. After great successes King Kocholang called to see him. Recognising Garundyer from the Iron Council of years before, the King asked him to stay that he might learn more from the boy, and after a week of questioning he realised how strong and powerful he was in both mind and body.
The king set Garundyer three tests, to capture a Roc, to steal a dwarf and to solve an ancient riddle. Garundyer completed all three tasks, and was invitied to appear at the Firewind championships. Just before the rites, Kallow appeared and told him that his destiny lay elsewhere, and that the wind would blow him in different directions. Garundyer argued fiercely, it had always been his fathers dream for him to do this and he had no wish to fail him. Kallow showed him a vision, in an effort to persuade him from his course of act, Telmori raiders attacking the east portions of Lankst. Only he, said Kallow, could stop them.
Garundyer chose to do both. He decided that he would fight in the Firewind rites and then travel to defeat the Telmori before they wreaked havoc. The Firewind rites were very difficult, however, and with the dreams of his father and the fate of Lanksti in the east on his shoulders, he found it tricky to compete. He failed the second ritual when he failed to parry a simple spear blow. Devastated at his loss, Kallow warned him that his lack of concentration would cause more failure. Ignoring Kallow's words, Garundyer travelled to defeat the Telmori raiders. However, the lost time he spent at the rituals combined with his lack of heart after his miserable failure meant that he found it twice as difficult to fight the wolf people. They forced Garundyer back, and ravaged the steads in that area. From that day forth Garundyer vowed to Kallow to follow only his destiny, wherever it took him, and that was his last great failure.
END OF PART TWO
End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #564
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