already moved behind another one. He crouched behind the statue of Laki, the long limbed, and pushed him from the wall.
At the second crash the crowd looked and saw Yodis atop the wall. He didn’t wait for them to comprehend. Ithru he cast down next, then Scada tumbled down. The crowd simply watched, bewildered, almost mesmerized to their places. The sheer blasphemy of what he did had shocked them all into motionlessness. Yodis took advantage of the shock and hurled down the idol of Shota.
Oron was the first to be stirred.
“Yodis!” the shaman screamed up at him. “Why do you destroy our gods?!”
Yodis did not answer. He knew that Oron knew why. Oron had to jump back as Sifli came tumbling down, pelting him with a shower of rock.
Yodis paused when he approached Keltis, father and chief of the gods. Perhaps I have done enough, he thought. He looked down and saw Oron, hand outstretched in desperation, fearful for the first of the gods. Just beyond Oron he saw his mother take advantage of the confusion and lift Elyan from the altar. His father was right behind and the two quickly unbound the toddler.
Yodis smiled and looked back down at Oron. Seeing the sheer terror in the shaman’s face a profound thought suddenly struck him. Who are these gods that they can be destroyed so easily?
A cry of agony tore through Oron’s mouth as Yodis pushed down Keltis and the chief of the gods shattered on the stone floor.
“Stop him!” Oron yelled out, directing the hunters toward him, his face contorted with irresistible anger.
Yena tumbled before the hunters jumped into action, crouching spears and angling for a shot. Yodis knew how deadly accurate the hunters were. He had to hurry.
Spears glanced off of Yana as that idol went down. Some of the women cried out watching the fertility goddess destroyed. Yodis dashed behind Cotl, feeling the spears whiz by, miraculously avoiding a hit. He pushed that idol down and ducked as the spears flew again.
The first spear tore through his side as he reached the death god, Nimiyan. His flesh burned and pain seared through him but he managed to stay on his feet. Heart pounding with effort he pushed that idol off the wall, leaving only one more.
Yodis stumbled as he tried to move on, strength quickly draining from him. Another spear slammed into his gut and a third ripped his thigh open. Yodis teetered on the wall and fell into the idol of Sifli. He leaned into it for balance and tried to pull the spear from his stomach. Pain roared through him almost stealing his consciousness. From somewhere in the crowd below he heard his mother cry out. He dropped the shaft and let the weapon hang from him, even as blood poured from the wound.
Yodis held on to the statue of Sifli growing weaker by the second as dizziness overtook him, unsure if he could finish what he started. He looked over at the Faceless One, still waiting and hidden. One final surge of strength coursed through him. With a strangled cry Yodis pushed with his bloody hands and let out all his remaining strength, tumbling off the wall with the idol.
The idol crashed to the ground with Yodis right behind, the jolt of the fall turning him onto his back. The tribe gathered around, silent and curious about this thing they had just witnessed. None more silent and curious than Oron.
Yodis had no awareness of the people creeping cautiously towards him. His eyes were fixed on the figure of the Faceless One who rose up and towered over him, his head among the clouds that gathered thick with rain. Somewhere he heard Elyan cry amid the sudden choir of music. Yodis smiled.
He smiled even as the Faceless Ones removed his hands, and Yodis could see blood running from the palms. He smiled even though it meant death, even as he felt his life slip from him.
More than that Yodis smiled because he saw the wounded hands of the Faceless One cover the People. He smiled
At the second crash the crowd looked and saw Yodis atop the wall. He didn’t wait for them to comprehend. Ithru he cast down next, then Scada tumbled down. The crowd simply watched, bewildered, almost mesmerized to their places. The sheer blasphemy of what he did had shocked them all into motionlessness. Yodis took advantage of the shock and hurled down the idol of Shota.
Oron was the first to be stirred.
“Yodis!” the shaman screamed up at him. “Why do you destroy our gods?!”
Yodis did not answer. He knew that Oron knew why. Oron had to jump back as Sifli came tumbling down, pelting him with a shower of rock.
Yodis paused when he approached Keltis, father and chief of the gods. Perhaps I have done enough, he thought. He looked down and saw Oron, hand outstretched in desperation, fearful for the first of the gods. Just beyond Oron he saw his mother take advantage of the confusion and lift Elyan from the altar. His father was right behind and the two quickly unbound the toddler.
Yodis smiled and looked back down at Oron. Seeing the sheer terror in the shaman’s face a profound thought suddenly struck him. Who are these gods that they can be destroyed so easily?
A cry of agony tore through Oron’s mouth as Yodis pushed down Keltis and the chief of the gods shattered on the stone floor.
“Stop him!” Oron yelled out, directing the hunters toward him, his face contorted with irresistible anger.
Yena tumbled before the hunters jumped into action, crouching spears and angling for a shot. Yodis knew how deadly accurate the hunters were. He had to hurry.
Spears glanced off of Yana as that idol went down. Some of the women cried out watching the fertility goddess destroyed. Yodis dashed behind Cotl, feeling the spears whiz by, miraculously avoiding a hit. He pushed that idol down and ducked as the spears flew again.
The first spear tore through his side as he reached the death god, Nimiyan. His flesh burned and pain seared through him but he managed to stay on his feet. Heart pounding with effort he pushed that idol off the wall, leaving only one more.
Yodis stumbled as he tried to move on, strength quickly draining from him. Another spear slammed into his gut and a third ripped his thigh open. Yodis teetered on the wall and fell into the idol of Sifli. He leaned into it for balance and tried to pull the spear from his stomach. Pain roared through him almost stealing his consciousness. From somewhere in the crowd below he heard his mother cry out. He dropped the shaft and let the weapon hang from him, even as blood poured from the wound.
Yodis held on to the statue of Sifli growing weaker by the second as dizziness overtook him, unsure if he could finish what he started. He looked over at the Faceless One, still waiting and hidden. One final surge of strength coursed through him. With a strangled cry Yodis pushed with his bloody hands and let out all his remaining strength, tumbling off the wall with the idol.
The idol crashed to the ground with Yodis right behind, the jolt of the fall turning him onto his back. The tribe gathered around, silent and curious about this thing they had just witnessed. None more silent and curious than Oron.
Yodis had no awareness of the people creeping cautiously towards him. His eyes were fixed on the figure of the Faceless One who rose up and towered over him, his head among the clouds that gathered thick with rain. Somewhere he heard Elyan cry amid the sudden choir of music. Yodis smiled.
He smiled even as the Faceless Ones removed his hands, and Yodis could see blood running from the palms. He smiled even though it meant death, even as he felt his life slip from him.
More than that Yodis smiled because he saw the wounded hands of the Faceless One cover the People. He smiled
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