firen
September 5th, 2007, 08:37 PM
Okay, I probably won't win but I want to enter, so meh!
Clan Guardian
“The duty of the Mage is first and foremost to the Clans, to heal and protect, to guard and unite, and to aid as they can the World Spirit,” recited Kai, rolling his eyes behind the Wolf Mage’s back.
“That’s right!” she croaked. “And that goes especially for you.”
Kai had heard it several times in the last five hours. “Why, Azea?”
The Mage leered at him madly. “Because you are young, and headstrong, and you need to get on with crushing that ochre!” Kai hurriedly picked up the pestle stone and began to bash the stones into a fine powder. “That’s right, hurry it and make a mess of it.” She swooped over him like an unwelcome bat, peering into his mortar. “Surely old Azea won’t notice those lumps!” she clobbered him round the head once- “or that grit!” twice- “or that beetle!” which she squashed on his face. Kai made to wipe off the beetle blood, but she grabbed his hands.
“Get off me!” he yelled, but her clawlike hands gripped his. Her grey eyes misted white.
“The guardian is dying! You must leave the Clan and give yourself to the World Spirit, or all hope will be lost! Beware! The eye rises!”
The Mage shuddered and released Kai’s hands. Neither spoke for a moment.
“So it’s true then. You really do have the Gift.”
Azea looked away from him.
“Of course. Kai, you have to go. I apologise.”
Kai said nothing. He wiped his face and spat into the ochre. As the Mage sat sulkily by the fire, he drew the Death Marks on himself, with his back to her, and then stormed outside.
“Goodbye, then!” he yelled, to everyone, as they stared at him.
*
Seven days later and Kai was tired and unhappy. He knew that he was walking to his doom, that becoming the Guardian would be the end of his life. Yet this initial fear and anger had been replaced by an emptiness, an acceptance. He was nearing the Mountain of the World Spirit, and soon it would all end. The snow crunched under his feet, and the maddening wind bit at him. But he didn’t notice or care anymore.
He trudged on, and on, and on, alone.
*
But not alone.
Above him in the sky, below him in the earth, and behind his shadow, travelled the spirit of the dying Guardian, guiding him to his fate, propelling his weary footsteps. And someone else was coming.
His name was Orkh, a man who wanted power, the power of the Wolf Guardian, for himself. He basked in the glow of the Great Auroch’s red eye, and in it he could see Kai, alone and afraid, heading towards his goal. Orkh smiled. He would take the power and finish the boy off as a test.
*
The darkness blinded Kai and kept him in the glow of the Auroch’s eye. The snow glowed eerily. The wind whispered to him, but all he could hear was a hollow thud with every step, and the beating of his heart. He stopped for a moment to look up. Above him, the Mountain of the World Spirit seemed to curve, looming over him, watching his every move. The dizzying heights gave him vertigo, even with his feet firmly on the snowy ground. Finally, Kai’s determination melted. His knees gave way, letting him drop to the ground. He just wanted to run back to the Clan, back to his mother, his father, even Azea. But he could not cry, because his tears were frozen in ice, and he had to reach his goal. Kai got to his feet, digging the snow with his stick, and suddenly, the light of the Auroch’s Eye was blotted out by an explosion of coloured lights, whirling in the sky, and the body of a dying wolf, haloed in the march of dancing colours and the sound of distant ghostly music. Kai was rooted to the spot, held in wonder, when he felt the cold stone of a knife at his neck, and a hand clapped around his mouth.
*
Orkh held the boy in front of him.
“You will not move or speak, or I will kill you. If you agree to serve me, you will be my second in command, ruling over the forest. And if you don’t, I will make your death as slow and painful as I can. Understand?”
Kai nodded. “Good. You have this time to think it over.” Kai still could not move, as the wolf pulled itself to its feet, and began to back away from the foul man as he stalked closer. Orkh pulled out a great curving knife, tainted with blood. He grabbed out at the Guardian, catching one leg in his hand. The wolf howled as the knife slashed and slashed. Finally, it sank to the snow, seeping bright blood. “You got away from me the first time, but now I have you, and when the dawn rises, it will be the end!”
Kai watched in agony, fighting invisible bonds, as a shaft of sun broke through the mountains, piercing the gloom of night, and Kai was freed suddenly from the spell. He leapt at the wolf-killer, his knife drawn, but Orkh punched him hard in the gut, and he reeled backwards in pain. Kai reached for his bow and quiver, just at his fingertips, and managed to pull them towards him. Orkh was too busy watching the wolf die to see him nocking an arrow to his bow, and pulling back the string…
But the arrow never found its mark, for Orkh suddenly cried out, clutching his heart.
“Help me! Save me! I can’t take the burden!”
And as the light burst finally into the sky, haloing Orkh, Kai saw that the man was becoming a wolf, tortured from within by the power. Kai saw him struggle, screams becoming howls, evaporating in the morning air.
Kai turned away, and began to walk home.
1000 words exactly!
Clan Guardian
“The duty of the Mage is first and foremost to the Clans, to heal and protect, to guard and unite, and to aid as they can the World Spirit,” recited Kai, rolling his eyes behind the Wolf Mage’s back.
“That’s right!” she croaked. “And that goes especially for you.”
Kai had heard it several times in the last five hours. “Why, Azea?”
The Mage leered at him madly. “Because you are young, and headstrong, and you need to get on with crushing that ochre!” Kai hurriedly picked up the pestle stone and began to bash the stones into a fine powder. “That’s right, hurry it and make a mess of it.” She swooped over him like an unwelcome bat, peering into his mortar. “Surely old Azea won’t notice those lumps!” she clobbered him round the head once- “or that grit!” twice- “or that beetle!” which she squashed on his face. Kai made to wipe off the beetle blood, but she grabbed his hands.
“Get off me!” he yelled, but her clawlike hands gripped his. Her grey eyes misted white.
“The guardian is dying! You must leave the Clan and give yourself to the World Spirit, or all hope will be lost! Beware! The eye rises!”
The Mage shuddered and released Kai’s hands. Neither spoke for a moment.
“So it’s true then. You really do have the Gift.”
Azea looked away from him.
“Of course. Kai, you have to go. I apologise.”
Kai said nothing. He wiped his face and spat into the ochre. As the Mage sat sulkily by the fire, he drew the Death Marks on himself, with his back to her, and then stormed outside.
“Goodbye, then!” he yelled, to everyone, as they stared at him.
*
Seven days later and Kai was tired and unhappy. He knew that he was walking to his doom, that becoming the Guardian would be the end of his life. Yet this initial fear and anger had been replaced by an emptiness, an acceptance. He was nearing the Mountain of the World Spirit, and soon it would all end. The snow crunched under his feet, and the maddening wind bit at him. But he didn’t notice or care anymore.
He trudged on, and on, and on, alone.
*
But not alone.
Above him in the sky, below him in the earth, and behind his shadow, travelled the spirit of the dying Guardian, guiding him to his fate, propelling his weary footsteps. And someone else was coming.
His name was Orkh, a man who wanted power, the power of the Wolf Guardian, for himself. He basked in the glow of the Great Auroch’s red eye, and in it he could see Kai, alone and afraid, heading towards his goal. Orkh smiled. He would take the power and finish the boy off as a test.
*
The darkness blinded Kai and kept him in the glow of the Auroch’s eye. The snow glowed eerily. The wind whispered to him, but all he could hear was a hollow thud with every step, and the beating of his heart. He stopped for a moment to look up. Above him, the Mountain of the World Spirit seemed to curve, looming over him, watching his every move. The dizzying heights gave him vertigo, even with his feet firmly on the snowy ground. Finally, Kai’s determination melted. His knees gave way, letting him drop to the ground. He just wanted to run back to the Clan, back to his mother, his father, even Azea. But he could not cry, because his tears were frozen in ice, and he had to reach his goal. Kai got to his feet, digging the snow with his stick, and suddenly, the light of the Auroch’s Eye was blotted out by an explosion of coloured lights, whirling in the sky, and the body of a dying wolf, haloed in the march of dancing colours and the sound of distant ghostly music. Kai was rooted to the spot, held in wonder, when he felt the cold stone of a knife at his neck, and a hand clapped around his mouth.
*
Orkh held the boy in front of him.
“You will not move or speak, or I will kill you. If you agree to serve me, you will be my second in command, ruling over the forest. And if you don’t, I will make your death as slow and painful as I can. Understand?”
Kai nodded. “Good. You have this time to think it over.” Kai still could not move, as the wolf pulled itself to its feet, and began to back away from the foul man as he stalked closer. Orkh pulled out a great curving knife, tainted with blood. He grabbed out at the Guardian, catching one leg in his hand. The wolf howled as the knife slashed and slashed. Finally, it sank to the snow, seeping bright blood. “You got away from me the first time, but now I have you, and when the dawn rises, it will be the end!”
Kai watched in agony, fighting invisible bonds, as a shaft of sun broke through the mountains, piercing the gloom of night, and Kai was freed suddenly from the spell. He leapt at the wolf-killer, his knife drawn, but Orkh punched him hard in the gut, and he reeled backwards in pain. Kai reached for his bow and quiver, just at his fingertips, and managed to pull them towards him. Orkh was too busy watching the wolf die to see him nocking an arrow to his bow, and pulling back the string…
But the arrow never found its mark, for Orkh suddenly cried out, clutching his heart.
“Help me! Save me! I can’t take the burden!”
And as the light burst finally into the sky, haloing Orkh, Kai saw that the man was becoming a wolf, tortured from within by the power. Kai saw him struggle, screams becoming howls, evaporating in the morning air.
Kai turned away, and began to walk home.
1000 words exactly!