Trials (17 page)

“Man overboard!” shouted Kendas behind the two Norriel. “It looks like a woman…” He immediately turned to Asti, who was standing by the mast without moving an inch.

“Why hasn’t anybody dived in for her?” Komir asked in surprise, seeing the number of men watching the scene without doing anything to help.

“I’ll go for her,” said Hartz as he took his footwear off.

Komir looked at where some of the passengers were pointing and saw that it was not at the woman but the sandy shore of the river. And then he understood.

“Hartz, look out, crocodiles!”

A huge crocodile jumped into the water with a whiplash of its tail.

Komir tried to stop his friend, but he was too late. The big man was already diving, paying no attention to the warning.

“Damn it, Hartz!”

Captain Albatros appeared at a run and ordered the sail to be lowered and the anchor dropped to stay the ship’s course. The sailors began the maneuver and threw a rope to Hartz, who by now was swimming towards the woman with strong strokes.

“Isn’t he a fool!” said Kayti. “He’ll get himself killed,” she added in a broken voice. Her eyes were moist as she choked back a worried sigh.

“He’s nearly got her!” cried Aliana.

Two arm’s-lengths from the woman, the crocodile reached Hartz. It broke the surface with its terrifying mouth open, jaws hunting for the flesh of its prey. Beast and man disappeared under the water in a mortal embrace.

“Nooooo!” cried Kayti above the cries of horror from the other passengers and crew.

“By the three goddesses!” cried Komir, and jumped in the water to help his friend. Kendas followed him.

Komir was swimming as fast as he could. He was not a strong swimmer and at that moment he truly rued the fact. Luckily the current at that point of the river was not strong, and he was able to make progress with each stroke. He reached the point where Hartz had disappeared. The river had swallowed both the big Norriel and the woman. Komir dived underwater. As soon as he did he felt a strong blow in the abdomen which threw him upwards to the surface. In the midst of a whirl of foam and violence the fierce predator emerged. Hugging the back of the beast like a limpet was Hartz. The reptile turned over itself with tremendous violence, and Komir was hit once again. He was half stunned, but managed to keep afloat. Hartz held fast to the crocodile, which was trying to get rid of him, thrusting and turning.

Kendas reached Komir.

“The woman… save her…” stammered Komir.

Kendas nodded and dived under the surface in two strokes.

The great reptile turned again and went under with a powerful blow on the surface of the river, taking the big Norriel down with it.

Kendas resurfaced with the woman. He was holding her under the arms to keep her head above water.

“I got her,” he said, panting, and began to drag her back to the ship.

A burst of water and froth reached Komir, who was thrown aside once more. He recovered, and taking his knife out, he swam towards the huge crocodile. The beast was turning on itself, trying to get rid of Hartz’s bear-hug. Komir swam on with his remaining strength. When he reached the reptile he stabbed it twice in the belly before it submerged again.

The river was suddenly calm. Blood surrounded Komir. He waited a moment as he looked around the surface in all directions. He feared being torn into pieces by those jaws, but the crocodile did not re-emerge. Then the fear for his own life gave way to the fear that the beast had dragged Hartz down with it.

He looked towards the ship and saw Kendas reach out for one of the ropes. The sailors rushed to help him bring up the half-conscious woman. Suddenly, the huge mouth of the reptile emerged again, its deadly jaws aiming for Komir’s head. Fear exploded inside him, and with a flurry of his feet he submerged to avoid the attack. Although the water was greenish, he still had a clear vision of Hartz stabbing the huge crocodile repeatedly in the head. Finally the beast, surrounded by a cloud of blood, stopped struggling, and Hartz let it sink.

“Thanks… friend… but I already had him…” he panted, spitting water and smiled confidently, exhaustion painted on his face.

Komir rolled his eyes.

“One of these days you’re going to get us into a mess we won’t be able to get out of…”

“But… that won’t… be today!” said the big youth with a guffaw.

“Look out!” Kayti shouted from the ship. Komir followed her pointing hand and saw three more huge reptiles plunging into the water.

“Swim, for your life! Swim!” She yelled at Hartz. And the two Norriel swam with their little remaining strength after the ship. They swam and swam as if they were possessed, death at their heels. Komir reached one of the ropes, held on to it and searched for his friend. But Hartz was lagging, the brutal fight having drained him almost completely. Komir could see the face of his friend, corpse-pale, with his eyes sunken and his strokes coming slower and slower with the tremendous effort.

“Come on, Hartz! We’re almost there! Just a little more!” he called to his friend, his voice sounding shriller than he would have liked. His heart skipped a beat. A long shape had emerged and was fast approaching his friend. The big man was not going to make it. He let go of the rope and put the hunting knife in his teeth ready to go and help him.

Two arrows fled across the river with a deadly hiss and pierced the hard skin of the great reptile’s back. Komir looked back at the ship and made out Aliana and Kendas, bows tense, arrows nocked ready to let fly again. Komir heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the crocodile turn violently and go under. Hartz managed to reach him at last.

“No… strength… left…” he stammered, spitting water.

“We’re nearly there,” said Komir cheerfully as he helped him to the rope. “Hold on.” Hartz passed the rope under his arms and looked at Komir with a smile on his gaunt face.

“Pull! Pull!” cried Komir as the sailors, to the count of four, heaved up the big Norriel.

Straight away Komir grasped a second rope just as a shadow in the water under his feet set fear racing inside him. His heart skipped another beat and nearly leapt out of his mouth. He kicked out.

The line of fangs opened to tear him to pieces.

And he was heaved up.

The jaws closed an inch away from the tip of his foot as he was pulled on board.

Komir snorted, exhaling all his anguish.

The two Norriel remained lying on the deck, exhausted.

The fat man in rich silks, his face pale with worry, was looking at the young woman who had been rescued. Aliana had turned her on her side to make her bring up all the water she had swallowed, and now the young Nocean girl was beginning to breathe normally. Komir watched Aliana place her hands on the young woman’s chest, and guessed she was comforting her with her healing power. When Aliana had finished, the noble man hugged the young Nocean, beaming with happiness. The girl was smiling shyly, her face showing the terror she had experienced, terror which would take a long time to disappear.

Asti went to Komir. With her eyes fixed on Hartz, she said. “Big warrior, very crazy.” She shook her head before going back to sit by the big mast of the ship.

Kayti went to Hartz and knelt beside him. Tenderly, she took his face in her hands.

“Stop being so brave, you’ll get yourself killed.”

“I had to help her… she was drowning…”

“Tremia’s graveyards are filled with anonymous heroes,” she scolded him. “I don’t want you becoming one more of them.” Her eyes were filled with tears.

“I am what I am… I can’t help it…”

For once Komir totally agreed whole-heartedly with Kayti. He had no desire to bury his friend because of some noble, heroic stupidity. But Hartz was Hartz.

Iruki Wind of the Steppes raised her gaze at the majestic mountain. She never tired of admiring the Fountain of Life, one of the greatest wonders of Mother Nature. According to the Masig legends, this was the origin of her people. She stared in awe at the gigantic waterfall. An immense volume of whitish water leapt from the heavens to the foot of the mountain with the roar of a thousand lions. Her tribe, the Blue Clouds, had been camping at the foot of the sacred mountain of the steppes for several generations. She looked along the course of the river, the one which carried the flow of life from the mountain range to the great sacred lake. The spiritual lake with its peaceful waters always calmed Iruki’s fierce and restless soul. Although not on that particular day. Neither the waterfall from the skies nor the sacred lake at her feet could soothe the horrible unease which was gnawing at Iruki’s heart.

Her father, Kaune Eagle Warrior, leader of the Blue Clouds, had fallen seriously ill, and they could not make the fever abate. She was consumed by worry: her beloved father. That noblest, most pure-hearted man had been sick for days, and no remedy could be found.

Ilua Hidden Path, the Healer Woman of the tribe, came out of the tent followed by Iruki’s uncle Unco Lake Owl. After them came Oni Black Cloud, the Shaman of the Blue Clouds.

As soon as she saw them Iruki ran to Ilua Hidden Path, “How is he?”

“I’m sorry, child, there’s no change. I haven’t been able to stop the fever. I’ve given him a concoction of medicinal herbs and the salve you helped me prepare will prevent the fever from increasing. But for the moment I’ve only been able to control whatever it is that ails him, not cure it.”

“Tell me the truth, is it the Prairie Fever? I’m only your apprentice and I haven’t even been that for long, but I recognize the symptoms. Don’t lie to me, please. Has Mother Nature inflicted upon my father the worst of the diseases of the steppes?”

Ilua Hidden Path lowered her gaze and sighed deeply.

“I’m sorry to say that you’re right, you’re a bright student. There’s no doubt, it really is the Prairie Fever. We have to isolate your father’s tent and let nobody come in contact with him, the disease is very contagious. The last time there was a bout among us I was just a child, and it decimated the tribe. Only a few youngsters survived, the ones who fled in time before they could catch it. We’re faced with a life or death situation, not only for your father but for the whole tribe. We have to act quickly or our people will be doomed.”

“Damnation!” cried Iruki, torn by the terrible prospect. “The worst of our fears has become true. My poor father… why? Why do the evil spirits punish us by sending one of the worst diseases known to the Masig? If it spreads… what shall we do? We must save him. He must survive this plague, my father must live to guide the tribe to a better future.”

Oni Black Cloud spoke now: “The evil is still inside our beloved leader, his spirit is poisoned. I have consulted the spirits from Beyond in a ritual over burning stones, by the sacred lake. The Bear Spirit has talked to me. He came to me in a mystic vision. He showed me the arrival of the Crow Spirit… that is a very bad omen…”

“The Crow Spirit…?”

“The Crow Spirit symbolizes the nearness of death. It is even more worrisome that it was the Bear Spirit who showed him to me, because the bear has a brave heart, he represents your father. I am very sorry, Iruki, but this is how I interpret the vision.”

Iruki began to weep. She was terribly anxious for her father, and the words of the tribe elders made it even more painful.

“Is that all the spirits told you about my brother?” said Unco Lake Owl.

“There is something more…” began the spiritual leader doubtfully.

“What is it? We have to know everything the spirits told you,” said Unco Lake Owl.

“As you wish… At the end of the vision, Bear Spirit showed me Vulture Spirit flying in circles over our sacred lake. The Blue Clouds were not in their tents. The village was deserted…” said the Shaman.

“How can we interpret this last vision?” said Unco, hanging his head.

Oni Black Cloud took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, as if with it he could allow the vision to issue from his body.

“If the Crow gets his remains, the Vulture will follow. And the Vulture will feed on the remains of all the Blue Clouds.

“Do you mean to say that in your vision you’ve seen our whole tribe, all the Blue Clouds dying?” asked Unco Lake Owl, deeply upset.

“It is what the spirits have shown me in my vision. But the world of the spirits is whimsical, and it might be that this vision is just a warning. Or even that it might be seeking to confuse our hearts.”

“What is your belief?”

“This time, I believe the vision is true. That is how my soul feels it, and my spirit too. If we do not act and change the course of the vision, the Vulture Spirit will feed on our bodies.”

“We must isolate Kaune Eagle Warrior’s tent right away, to prevent the contagion spreading to others,” said the Healer Woman. “If the disease spreads, then Mother Nature will demand that our bodies return to her womb.”

“And Oni Black Cloud’s vision of the spirits’ warning will come true.” Iruki could not hold back her tears.

“I must take my brother to the other side of the sacred lake and camp there,” said her uncle.

The Healer Woman looked towards the great mountain. “The members of his hunting party must accompany the Great Chief,” she said. “Two other warriors are beginning to show signs of the Prairie fever, so the whole party must be isolated.”

Unco Lake Owl crossed his hands behind him and looked thoughtfully at the lake.

“This is terrible news,” he said after a moment, “Mother Nature tests her children’s temper, but we are Masig, children of the steppes, and once again we’ll overcome whatever test the evil spirits throw at us. I’ll take my brother and his hunting party with me and see that nothing happens to them.”

“I am sorry, Lake Owl,” said Oni Black Cloud, “but that is not a wise course to follow. Your heart is noble and the good spirits recognize it as such, but you cannot go with your brother on this journey. He must take this path alone, for if you both share the same path and die in the struggle, the tribe will be lost.”

Unco looked at him, his brow furrowed. He did not seem convinced.

“Our wise Shaman is right,” Ilua Hidden Path told him. “As long as our great leader is fighting for his life, your place is here leading the Blue Clouds. These are difficult times, and our people need an experienced leader with a noble heart. They need you, Unco Lake Owl.”

Iruki was left with a divided heart. On the one hand she wanted her uncle to help her father survive, and yet on the other she knew that the best thing for the tribe was for Unco to lead them.

Unco himself was annoyed. His parched reddish face showed deep worry. He was weighing the decision he had to make. It was a difficult one between his responsibility towards the tribe and his love for his brother.

Finally, he made his decision. With a voice steeped in wisdom, he said:

“I’ll lead the tribe. It’s my duty and I owe it to my brother. We’ll take Kaune Eagle Warrior and his hunting party to the other side of the lake and set up a camp for the sick there. Oni Black Cloud, pray to the good spirits so they may protect them.”

The Shaman nodded in acceptance.

“I shall prepare a ritual of safekeeping and perform it tonight. The moon will be full, and that will make its power greater. Let us hope that the spirits and our Mother Steppe are favorable to us.”

“If any of the sick should die, we won’t be able to give them back to Mother Steppe,” warned the Healer Woman. “They’ll have to burn in a funerary pyre to avoid contagion.”

“In that way their spirit will be purged,” the Shaman said.

“So it shall be done,” said Unco.

Iruki looked at the Healer, full of concern. “What else can we do to save him? What can we do to stop the disease spreading and killing the whole tribe? I can’t let him die, I can’t! Is there no cure?”

“I’m sorry, child… We Masig, don’t know of any way to cure the Prairie Fever.”

Iruki put her hands to her eyes and wept.

Oni Black Cloud stepped forward with his hands behind his back. “Perhaps the Masig do not,” he said, “but other peoples must have suffered from the same illness.”

“What do you mean, wise Shaman?” said the Healer Woman.

“Several years ago a foreign soldier from the East was brought to me. Our warriors had captured him on the eastern steppes, near the Thousand Lakes. He was completely lost. He was questioned, but said nothing, so they brought him to me: I used some herbs whose effects produce truth and speech,” the Shaman explained as a smile began to appear on his face. “What the soldier told me was hard to believe, but today it takes on a special relevance. He spoke of how he had been sent not on a scouting mission but in order to collect certain water-plants in the Thousand Lakes. Looking for those plants, he had become separated from his column and found himself lost. It was then that he ran into our hunting party and was captured.”

“What has that got to do with the Prairie Fever?” Iruki asked impatiently.

“Let him finish, child. I feel that what he’s telling us is of great importance.”

“I appreciate that, Healer.”

The Shaman looked at the sacred lake and went on with the story:

“He told me he had been sent by a great surgeon of his kingdom to gather some very rare water-plants. These lilies had very specific medicinal properties, and were needed to put an end to a terrible outbreak of a very contagious disease. He described it as a fever which turned people’s skin the color of hay and which killed them in a matter of days amid vomiting of blood…”

“The Prairie Fever!” burst out Iruki.

“It could be,” said the Healer. “The symptoms are similar and this evil illness could affect other realms…”

“In that case, we have to go in search of those plants at once!” said Iruki.

“It’s very dangerous territory,” said Unco. “Several kingdoms are disputing the Thousand Lakes.”

“I don’t care, I have to go! I won’t let my father die without doing anything, I wouldn’t be worthy of his blood. If there’s any hope, I have to hold on to it.”

“I’ll go with her,” said the Healer.

“No, I’m sorry,” said Unco. “You have to stay to take care of the sick. We have nobody else with a knowledge of healing.”

“You must stay, Healer Woman,” agreed the Shaman. “The situation will only get worse, and we shall need your help and all your experience. Fortunately, or perhaps by the will of the spirits you took a gifted apprentice and have taught her well. This will allow her to go and to recognize those plants with the medicinal effects. In truth I do believe the spirits are lending a hand here. This is no mere coincidence… The good spirits meant you to take an apprentice, so that she can save the tribe from a death which is already very near us.”

“Let’s hope it is so,” said the Healer.

“Did the soldier describe the lilies he was looking for?” said Iruki. “How will I recognize them?”

“He called it Sky Weed. He said it could be recognized because when squeezed, the extract obtained was pale blue. He said it had the shape of a star and that it floated in small bunches on lakes and marshes. That’s all I can remember of what he told me. Unfortunately this was several years ago, and at the time I did not consider it so important.”

“I’ll go to the Thousand Lakes and find the Sky Weed!” said Iruki with determination.

“You will take a group of our best warriors with you so that you come to no harm,” said her uncle, Unco Lake Owl.

“We’ll leave at dawn,” said Iruki and with that she went into her father’s tent to take her leave.

Two weeks later Iruki was crouching by the shore of a great lake, very carefully gathering several of the lilies which grow on the bank. They were a yellowish-green, and of a variety she had never seen before. This was a good sign, although she had so little experience that almost all the varieties she was finding were totally unknown to her. She had been Ilua’s apprentice for too short a time, and she rued the fact bitterly.

“Any luck?” Asur White Wolf said. He was the chief of the war party which was protecting her in hostile territory.

Iruki looked carefully at him. He was a true Masig warrior. His face had an untamed beauty, and his dark hair and red skin gave him a powerfully masculine air. His eyes shone with the unmistakable light of leadership, revealing honesty to whoever looked into them. He was also strong, tall, with wide shoulders and a well-honed physique. He was well respected, and it was said that there was no better warrior in all the Masig tribes. He had yet to be beaten in combat, competition or fight.

But Iruki felt nervous in the company of the magnificent Masig warrior. Asur White Wolf had been the first to ask for Iruki’s hand when she returned from the Ilenian Temple of Water. She had rejected him, and her father, greatly disappointed, had been obliged to send the suitor away. Iruki knew that Asur was her father’s favorite, and that she should wed him to ensure a strong leader for the tribe. But because of her refusal, Asur had had to step back. Her father had been so upset she hardly expected him to forgive her…