The Testament of Balazar Lightson - Part 3

From: Bernuetz.Oliver_at_cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 16:47:05 -0400

In our fifth year in the land I was taking part in their Great Hunt = when I
noticed man sized shapes flitting through the brush.=A0 I quickly = realized
that these must be the dread hunting nymphs, or vily, the Votanki = hunters
told me of.=A0 These vily are the followers and children of = Rigtaina.=A0 I went
about my hunt, making sure not to break any taboos.=A0 The prey I was = seeking
was one of the mighty aurochs bulls that haunted these woods and which = had
been getting quite rare due to darkmen depredations.=A0 I had been = assured
that only a fool would pursue one of these monsters singled handed, especially without armour or metal weapons.=A0 In a spirit of foolish = bravado
I decided though that I would seek no lesser prize.=A0 Using the = tracking
skills I had learned from my Votanki friends I had found and tracked = one of
the great beasts.=A0 Carrying three javelins and a strong spear with a = razor
sharp stone head and a sturdy cross-piece I followed the great = creature.=A0
Assuming itself rightly immune to normal threat the great beast was = moving
slowly through the brush.=A0 Soon I spotted it.=A0 It was indeed an = absolutely
monstrous example of its species and trying not to be distracted by the = ever
vigilant vily I moved within javelin distance.=A0 =20
The Votanki use a device called an atlatl to propel their javelins and = give
them more force.=A0 Calling upon some magic of Foundchild I hurled the = dart
using all my force at the great beast.=A0 The dart imbedded itself deep = in the
bulls side and using some preternatural sense it turned toward me and = began
to charge.=A0 Offering up a prayer to Tharkantus at the sight of the = monstrous
beast charging towards me as fast as a horse I hurled another dart at = it.=A0
Another good shot, but not good enough to kill. =A0 Then I hurled my = last
missile and had just enough time to prepare my spear. =A0 Rather than a = futile
attempt to halt the monstrous beast's charge I used it instead to vault = over
the great creature.=A0 It went crashing through the brush, smashing = small
trees like kindling.=A0 I dashed off running for a nearby rock = outcropping and
I could hear the maddened beast tearing at the ground behind me when = with a
great snort I heard it moving towards me!=A0 I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw it tearing after me like one of the great=A0 = landslides of my
homeland.=A0 It was gaining quickly and I managed to find a desperate = reserve
of speed from somewhere and managed to use my spear again to vault onto = the
rock outcropping just before the bull reached me.=A0 It struck the = outcropping
with a mighty blow that momentarily dazed it and nearly dislodged me = from
the outcropping.=A0 Screaming a mighty oath to Tharkantus and = Foundchild I
jump to the beast's shoulders and using all my strength and the razor = sharp
blade I drove the spear down into the beast's back.=A0 The pain from = this blow
shook it out of its shock and it started bucking and jumping all over = the
place.=A0 It took every bit of my strength to maintain my grip on the = spear
and stay on its back for if I had let go I would surely have been = trampled
dead in an instant.=A0 Its wild gyrations knocked the javelins loose = and its
wounds bled freely.=A0 I managed to force the spear farther and farther = into
the great beast and it moved slower and slower.=A0 I did not let go of = the
spear and jump off until it finally stopped turning around and dropped = to
the ground.=A0 I waited until it had completely stopped moving and then = let
go.=A0 Pulling out my knife I slit the beast's throat and uttered the = prayer
known as the peaceful cut to allow the great beast's spirit to be = reborn.=A0 I
offered thanks to Foundchild and Tharkantus for their aid in helping me = kill
the beast, and especially to the Wild Mother for giving me one of her children to slay.

"A great feat human, worthy of my father Foundchild himself," said a =
mighty
and otherworldly, though unmistakenly female voice.=A0 I turned slowly = in the
direction of the voice and saw one of the hunting nymphs standing in = the
shade of an elder tree. =A0 Her beauty was beyond description though = there was
a wildness there, a sense of danger there that made me wary.=A0 Her = form
flickered, changing from supernaturally beautiful human to a wild, = winged
and clawed thing and back again.=A0 This was obviously Rigtaina, leader = of the
vily, daughter of Foundchild and the Wild Mother. =A0 I prostrated = myself
before Her glory and offered up my kill to her.=A0 She tossed her head = back
and laughed, a sound that put a chill in my soul yet was at the same = time
strangely stirring as well.=A0 "You offer me your kill, little one?=A0 = A kill
that would surely win for you the Great Hunt? And what in turn would = you
want for this great offering?"=A0 I dared to raise my eyes to her face. = Her
form had stopped flickering now and she stood legs akimbo, hands on her hips, looking like nothing more than a beautiful woman with tiny = feathered
wings on her ankles.=A0 "I would like a chance to win your heart," I = dared.=A0
Her laugh this time had nothing chilling in it and was very = stirring.=A0
"Little one, my heart is a fickle thing, hot one moment, cold as ice =
the
next.=A0 I can offer it to you but I cannot promise you can keep it," = she
paused and what I would have to call a mischievous smile bloomed on her face, "My vily have been watching you for years now and the shaman has spoken to me of you.=A0 You are a worthy one I think.=A0 Yes, I think = that I can
let you try and win my heart."=A0 I started to speak wanting to thank = her but
she held her palm up forestalling me. She walked up to the aurochs = stroking
me on the flank as she passed by.=A0 Reaching the bull she effortlessly = thrust
her hand deep inside.=A0 She pulled it out, bloody to the shoulder and = showed
me the auroch's mighty heart.=A0 She squeezed the heart and when she = released
it it had begun beating again.=A0 She tossed it to me and said, =
"Eat."=A0 I ate

the heart, which seeemed to struggle against me, eventually devouring = the
whole thing.=A0 As I ate I could feel my body being filled with the = strength
and vigor of the mighty beast.=A0 I felt so powerful, so strong, so = lustful.=A0
After I had finished and licked the blood smeared on my face I looked = at her
and said, "Now what?"=A0 She tossed her head back and laughed a = wonderful,
trilling, exciting laugh.=A0 "And now you must catch me." =A0 And off = she shot
like an arrow from a bow.

What to say of that chase?=A0 I have never before nor never will again = run
like that.=A0 My muscles felt like iron and I felt like there was = nothing I
could not do. =A0 My need for her was great and I remember little of = the
specifics of that chase. =A0 I vaguely remember tossing trees and rocks = aside
as if I was in reality an aurochs bull.=A0 I let nothing get in my way = and she
led me a merry chase.=A0 She was always just ahead of me, always just = out of
reach.=A0 She teased me and hid from me and drove me mad with need.=A0 = But
finally she let me catch her.

Afterwards they showed me the devastation I had wrought on the = countryside
and I could just shake my head in wonder.=A0 My followers wondered what = would
come of this but I could only shake my head in wonder.=A0 I never saw = her
again.=A0 Three moons later Blueface brought me three infants, you, = that the
vily had brought him.=A0 You were taken as a sign that I had been = accepted by
the Votanki's gods and I was acclaimed leader of all the Votanki.=A0 = Having no
experience of infants and little time I gave you into individual = fosterage
among the hearths so that they could be raised as Votanki.=A0=20

What to say of later events?=A0 In our seventh year among the Votanki I undertook a great hero quest and was proclaimed their king.=A0 I tamed = some
giants and built two citadels on the rocky ground the Wild Mother = allocated
for this task.=A0 I tried to introduce agriculture to the Votanki but = the hard
soil thwarted this.=A0 Instead, I stole the pig mother from the dragons = for my
people and henceforth they raised pigs. =A0 I tried to be a good king, respecting the old ways but introducing new ways to help my people.=A0 = At
first I wondered why my god brought me to this primitive wasteland but = I
have grown to love these people and wish them only the best.

And what of my children?=A0 You have all been mighty warriors as befits = my
children and mighty hunters as befits your mother.=A0 You are all = headstrong,
quick to temper, rash in action and easy to love.=A0 I have loved all = three of
you but foolishly I could not choose one of you to be leader over the others.=A0 You have all grown up strong and opinionated, each wishing = to be
leader after me so I that know that violence will follow sooner or = later
after my death.=A0 For this I am sorry.=A0 I wish that I had been = stronger or
kept you together so that you would love one another more.=A0 But now = the
Emperor has remembered me and forgiven me and He calls and asks, asks = mind
you, not demands, that my kingdom join his Golden Horde in war upon the dragon men.=A0 I still owe him something so I have promised to lend my = aid and
have answered his call.=A0 And Trilus, brave loyal Trilus, knows = something in
that annoying, prescient manner of his, knows that I will not be back = so I
leave you in his care and hope that you can rule this kingdom in my = stead.=A0
For a promise made is a promise I must keep.=A0 My god demands nothing = less.

And now Trilus comes and it is time to don armour once more and take up Light of the Dawn once more and march into battle once more.=A0 = Farewell and
the gods keep and bless you.

The End

Oliver

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