Post by Laethaka on Nov 17, 2013 14:22:17 GMT -5
Rubama staggered into the Prophet's camp deep in the Royal Forest with relief, exhaustion, and fear. The Rhino clan spearmen escorting him seemed only marginally friendlier than the tribesmen who had ruled these woods until last month, and Rubama could tell the battle had only piqued their bloodlust. At least he hadn't been picked up by the accursed Spiders. His kinsmen had been warning the Prophet about their treachery since the ascension last spring, but Rubama knew the Spiders' black, poisoned bows almost outnumbered the spears in the host. Dangerous methods for dangerous times.
A raven cawed in the warm night. A good omen, or ill? Rubama was too tired to remember. Suddenly the escorts stopped and broke ranks. Rubama reflexively clutched his totem to his chest and looked on the torchlit face of Mtafiti, Lion Clan Commander, Prophet of the Lord. A year ago, Rubama had been just another neophyte ranger back home. Now, here, he had the ear of God. Well, the ear of the mouth of God. The night air began to buzz and Rubama felt something in his mind bend as this man, this herald of the embodied Summer Plague, began to speak.
"Hail, eyes of the Lord. What news from beyond the eastern pass?"
"Hail, Prophet. My journey passed swiftly and unseen, but with a dire tale. The Lord was correct in His prophecy that a false Pretender has risen in the East. I was not able to learn the abomination's form, but his followers call him The Pillar that is Purity, Lord of Shadows, and God of the West Wind. His people control four provinces, from their capital of Kailasa to the divine throne in the foothills of Boddern Weald."
"Provinces that will soon fall under the Lion's paw. Tomorrow we march on the farmlands of Konburg- the Lord hungers for gold to fuel the coming war. What of the pass to Boddern Weald, and the the enemy's force there?"
"Alas, Prophet, the pass is clear, and having seized the divine throne there from its keepers, the enemy could be quite strong. You may find a battle at Konburg, and soon."
The buzzing in Rubama's head swelled as the eyes of the spearmen shone with feverish anticipation. For the first time this month, Rubama thanked his fortune in becoming a scout.
Mtafiti spoke, "What of the abomination's peoples? Our spies send news of Abysian demons, Yomotsu demons, Lankan demons from across the world rising to follow false Pretenders. Surely we face no such terror.
"Speak, my sight."
"Apes, Prophet. The people of Kailasa are apes."
Mtafiti scowled, "My sight must fail me. Long have we heard rumors of such creatures building a city in the East, but apes have neither magic, nor metalworking, nor religion. They could never challenge our empire, our Machaka. I think you mean the otherworldly demon apes of Yomi."
"My Prophet, your wisdom is correct in denying them any skill with metal, but I have seen their armies and their magic. They have considerable skill in hydromancy, geomancy, and the divine arts, and what they lack in arms is made up in numbers and ferocity. Their tactics remained hidden to me, but I am certain we face a great and rising foe."
As Rubama finished speaking he noticed a change in the clearing. Silence. In place of the plagued buzzing emanating from the Prophet was an unspeakably predatory silence. Even Mtafiti seemed to recoil as the encircling spearmen parted.
Silence broken in a whisper, "The Spider will catch what the Lion lets slip. I am Shinuni, first of the Spider. I will find these ink-smudged apes and dress our blessed forest with their drained skulls. Wait for me at Konburg."
The silence fled, the fever crested. Spearmen moved to wake their regiments in the hot dawn for another day on the march. As he crawled into a tent to sleep, Rubama wondered how many soldiers here were called from the Monkey clan.
A raven cawed in the warm night. A good omen, or ill? Rubama was too tired to remember. Suddenly the escorts stopped and broke ranks. Rubama reflexively clutched his totem to his chest and looked on the torchlit face of Mtafiti, Lion Clan Commander, Prophet of the Lord. A year ago, Rubama had been just another neophyte ranger back home. Now, here, he had the ear of God. Well, the ear of the mouth of God. The night air began to buzz and Rubama felt something in his mind bend as this man, this herald of the embodied Summer Plague, began to speak.
"Hail, eyes of the Lord. What news from beyond the eastern pass?"
"Hail, Prophet. My journey passed swiftly and unseen, but with a dire tale. The Lord was correct in His prophecy that a false Pretender has risen in the East. I was not able to learn the abomination's form, but his followers call him The Pillar that is Purity, Lord of Shadows, and God of the West Wind. His people control four provinces, from their capital of Kailasa to the divine throne in the foothills of Boddern Weald."
"Provinces that will soon fall under the Lion's paw. Tomorrow we march on the farmlands of Konburg- the Lord hungers for gold to fuel the coming war. What of the pass to Boddern Weald, and the the enemy's force there?"
"Alas, Prophet, the pass is clear, and having seized the divine throne there from its keepers, the enemy could be quite strong. You may find a battle at Konburg, and soon."
The buzzing in Rubama's head swelled as the eyes of the spearmen shone with feverish anticipation. For the first time this month, Rubama thanked his fortune in becoming a scout.
Mtafiti spoke, "What of the abomination's peoples? Our spies send news of Abysian demons, Yomotsu demons, Lankan demons from across the world rising to follow false Pretenders. Surely we face no such terror.
"Speak, my sight."
"Apes, Prophet. The people of Kailasa are apes."
Mtafiti scowled, "My sight must fail me. Long have we heard rumors of such creatures building a city in the East, but apes have neither magic, nor metalworking, nor religion. They could never challenge our empire, our Machaka. I think you mean the otherworldly demon apes of Yomi."
"My Prophet, your wisdom is correct in denying them any skill with metal, but I have seen their armies and their magic. They have considerable skill in hydromancy, geomancy, and the divine arts, and what they lack in arms is made up in numbers and ferocity. Their tactics remained hidden to me, but I am certain we face a great and rising foe."
As Rubama finished speaking he noticed a change in the clearing. Silence. In place of the plagued buzzing emanating from the Prophet was an unspeakably predatory silence. Even Mtafiti seemed to recoil as the encircling spearmen parted.
Silence broken in a whisper, "The Spider will catch what the Lion lets slip. I am Shinuni, first of the Spider. I will find these ink-smudged apes and dress our blessed forest with their drained skulls. Wait for me at Konburg."
The silence fled, the fever crested. Spearmen moved to wake their regiments in the hot dawn for another day on the march. As he crawled into a tent to sleep, Rubama wondered how many soldiers here were called from the Monkey clan.
