collapsed onto her side in a comatose stupor.
Nessa’s mind floated as she stared at the skin covered entrance. She had to warn her father of the evil lurking within their midst, but her body wouldn’t move. As her eyes grew heavy, Nessa suddenly realized what was wrong. The food had benn drugged!
“There … there now my little one, I can see you’re doing much better.” Glassy-eyed, Nessa tried to focus on the face leaning over her, but she couldn’t move her head. “Rest my dear. You’ve been gone from us for quite some time.” After several moments, Nessa recognized the Tribe’s shaman’s wrinkled face leaning over her. Gently Uzila’s callused hands began washing the stench from Nessa’s skin as her craggy voice spoke on.
“For a time my dear, I worried that you had left us for good.” Seeing Nessa straining to speak, the old shaman clucked her tongue reproachfully. “The Alttash’s Tears I laced your food with is healing you nicely, but it requires all of your body’s energy reserves to work its magic.”
Hearing the old shaman’s words, Nessa froze in shock. Alttash’s Tears were extremely poisonous and grew throughout the plains. The Tribes used the roots as a last judgment. Legend had it that Alttash’s Tears were given to the Tribes as a gift from the Luonnotar, a gift that could only be consumed by Luonnotar’s chosen.
For a chosen, Alttash’s Tears accelerated the healing process and restored the body, but for anyone else. It was a quick and horribly painful death. Seeing the look of fear on Nessa’s face, Uzila cackled loudly before turning serious once again.
“Yes little one, it had come to that. When your father left for Mount Airy to ask Luonnotar to spare your life, Tolnik wasted no time in speaking to the council. As the only present representative of the family, he demanded that you be put out of your misery.” Thoughtfully, the old shaman began braiding Nessa’s long blond hair. “The council would not say no since they know the young buck will be Chief someday.”
“Cowards, the lot of them!” Spitting on the ground, Uzila swore vehemently. “I told them Wakinyan was visiting you nightly, and this was the domain of Luonnotar, but the fools would hear nothing of it.” Uzila voice cackled even louder. “But old Uzila showed them, didn’t she. I demanded that you be given Alttash’s Tears and let Luonnotar decide your fate. Now that put the whole Tribe in an uproar.”
Nessa’s eyes began to grow heavy once again as the old shaman stroked her forehead. “You can tell me when you next awake, but for now little one, you are in Luonnotar’s hands.” Gathering her legs underneath her sagging hindquarters, the old shaman pushed herself to her hooves using her staff as a brace. Muttering to herself thoughtfully, Uzila took her leave. “I must watch Tolnik. There is something wrong with that young buck.”
Again, Nessa strained to get the words of warning out, but her body betrayed her. Already it was shutting down as she was forced into the healing sleep of the chosen. Looking back over her shoulder, the old shaman spoke once more before the tent flap fell into place behind her.
“Hush now little one. You can explain to me what Wakinyan revealed when you awaken.”
Vision fading, Nessa felt sleep overtake her once more.
Chapter Nine
Location Irlendria / Marcus Tullius Cornisus:
SSSHHHRRRIIIEEE
SSSHHHRRRIIIEEE
Letting the whistle fall to his chest, Decanus Cornisus bellowed at his bulls. “On my command, clear the walls!” To either side of him, Cornisus saw gladiuses rise in the air. Lifting his blade above his head, Cornisus bellowed again. “Clear the walls!”
SSSLLLIIICCCKKK
As one the legionnaires slashed down in front of their scutas with their razor sharp tinnearlian blades, slicing through the ironidium spears hammering against their shields. Again Cornisus bellowed.
“Advance!” Striding forward, the battle line smashed their scuta into the
Nessa’s mind floated as she stared at the skin covered entrance. She had to warn her father of the evil lurking within their midst, but her body wouldn’t move. As her eyes grew heavy, Nessa suddenly realized what was wrong. The food had benn drugged!
“There … there now my little one, I can see you’re doing much better.” Glassy-eyed, Nessa tried to focus on the face leaning over her, but she couldn’t move her head. “Rest my dear. You’ve been gone from us for quite some time.” After several moments, Nessa recognized the Tribe’s shaman’s wrinkled face leaning over her. Gently Uzila’s callused hands began washing the stench from Nessa’s skin as her craggy voice spoke on.
“For a time my dear, I worried that you had left us for good.” Seeing Nessa straining to speak, the old shaman clucked her tongue reproachfully. “The Alttash’s Tears I laced your food with is healing you nicely, but it requires all of your body’s energy reserves to work its magic.”
Hearing the old shaman’s words, Nessa froze in shock. Alttash’s Tears were extremely poisonous and grew throughout the plains. The Tribes used the roots as a last judgment. Legend had it that Alttash’s Tears were given to the Tribes as a gift from the Luonnotar, a gift that could only be consumed by Luonnotar’s chosen.
For a chosen, Alttash’s Tears accelerated the healing process and restored the body, but for anyone else. It was a quick and horribly painful death. Seeing the look of fear on Nessa’s face, Uzila cackled loudly before turning serious once again.
“Yes little one, it had come to that. When your father left for Mount Airy to ask Luonnotar to spare your life, Tolnik wasted no time in speaking to the council. As the only present representative of the family, he demanded that you be put out of your misery.” Thoughtfully, the old shaman began braiding Nessa’s long blond hair. “The council would not say no since they know the young buck will be Chief someday.”
“Cowards, the lot of them!” Spitting on the ground, Uzila swore vehemently. “I told them Wakinyan was visiting you nightly, and this was the domain of Luonnotar, but the fools would hear nothing of it.” Uzila voice cackled even louder. “But old Uzila showed them, didn’t she. I demanded that you be given Alttash’s Tears and let Luonnotar decide your fate. Now that put the whole Tribe in an uproar.”
Nessa’s eyes began to grow heavy once again as the old shaman stroked her forehead. “You can tell me when you next awake, but for now little one, you are in Luonnotar’s hands.” Gathering her legs underneath her sagging hindquarters, the old shaman pushed herself to her hooves using her staff as a brace. Muttering to herself thoughtfully, Uzila took her leave. “I must watch Tolnik. There is something wrong with that young buck.”
Again, Nessa strained to get the words of warning out, but her body betrayed her. Already it was shutting down as she was forced into the healing sleep of the chosen. Looking back over her shoulder, the old shaman spoke once more before the tent flap fell into place behind her.
“Hush now little one. You can explain to me what Wakinyan revealed when you awaken.”
Vision fading, Nessa felt sleep overtake her once more.
Chapter Nine
Location Irlendria / Marcus Tullius Cornisus:
SSSHHHRRRIIIEEE
SSSHHHRRRIIIEEE
Letting the whistle fall to his chest, Decanus Cornisus bellowed at his bulls. “On my command, clear the walls!” To either side of him, Cornisus saw gladiuses rise in the air. Lifting his blade above his head, Cornisus bellowed again. “Clear the walls!”
SSSLLLIIICCCKKK
As one the legionnaires slashed down in front of their scutas with their razor sharp tinnearlian blades, slicing through the ironidium spears hammering against their shields. Again Cornisus bellowed.
“Advance!” Striding forward, the battle line smashed their scuta into the
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