Read Online The Thunder King (Bell Mountain) by Lee Duigon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lee Duigon
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the chariot horses to the plow, and the good land bears fruit for man and beast.’ There will be peace someday, Uduqu. May you and I both live to see it.”
“If we’re going to fight all the Thunder King’s armies at once, we’ll do well to live a single hour,” said Uduqu.
At least Obst had his book of Scripture back. It was returned to him just as the army was ready to move out. It was a big book, almost too heavy for him to carry in both arms. But Abnaks and Fazzan and Attakotts who’d never seen a book gathered round and marveled at it.
“Are God’s words really in that thing?” asked a burly little Fazzan with blue rings tattooed around his eyes. “Will they fall out when you open it?”
“No, they won’t fall out,” Obst said. “Nevertheless, they’re here—all of them, centuries’ worth, in one place.”
And that night the whole army, even the Wallekki who had a few books of their own, gathered around a great bonfire by the castle to hear Obst read the words of God: and he read to them of the creation of the world, and they were all amazed.
Having resolved to go back to the castle, Ryons set out in exactly the opposite direction. Every step took him farther from his goal, but he didn’t know it. How could he?
Natural obstacles forced him farther and farther from the castle. He almost fainted when a deer burst out of the underbrush and ran right in front of him, disappearing almost instantly. Such a big animal, and he never saw it until it was right on top of him!
There was no telling what other animals, even bigger ones, might be hiding close enough to touch. He wondered if there were lions; he was sure there must be bears. There are no lions in Lintum Forest, but he was right about the bears.
Indeed, if Helki had only had the time to teach him woodcraft, he would have known a bear was right behind him, following him out of idle curiosity. He got a whiff of a funny, pungent smell from time to time, but never realized it was the bear’s. And the bear moved so quietly that Ryons never heard it.
If he’d known the bear was following him, he would have panicked and tried to run away, and that would have been the end of him. What bear could resist chasing a fleeing human boy? Ryons didn’t know, but all the other animals in the neighborhood knew the bear was there and gave it a wide berth. So after his brush with the deer, Ryons never met anything more dangerous than the birds and squirrels above him in the trees. Blue jays scolded the bear mightily, but the boy didn’t know the cause of the commotion.
And so he wandered all day long, on a course that tended generally southwest-ward, without coming anywhere near the castle, a settlement, or a hunters’ camp. Eventually the failing daylight and his aching muscles forced him to acknowledge he was lost, good and proper, and he would have to make a camp again—no getting home today.
This time he had to make do without the cozy shelter of a fallen tree. Beside an old stump he bent some leafy saplings into a rough little hut. He made a campfire to relieve the dark and ate half of the dried meat he had left in his bag and drank the rest of his water.
Too tired to remain awake for long, he raised his hands as he had seen Obst do and asked God to show him the way home. He fell asleep before he could receive an answer.
By now everyone in the city knew the Heathen horde was only two days’ slow march from the gates of Obann. It was supposed to be a military secret, but everybody knew. There was no explaining how.
Nanny Witkom got up from the rocking chair because she heard God calling her. It wasn’t as if He were standing in the kitchen, calling her. That would have been her imagination. She wasn’t as crazy as all that, and she knew it. But she also knew God’s call when she heard it, even if she couldn’t tell you what it sounded like, or if it made any sound at all.
He was telling her to get out of the house and go
“If we’re going to fight all the Thunder King’s armies at once, we’ll do well to live a single hour,” said Uduqu.
At least Obst had his book of Scripture back. It was returned to him just as the army was ready to move out. It was a big book, almost too heavy for him to carry in both arms. But Abnaks and Fazzan and Attakotts who’d never seen a book gathered round and marveled at it.
“Are God’s words really in that thing?” asked a burly little Fazzan with blue rings tattooed around his eyes. “Will they fall out when you open it?”
“No, they won’t fall out,” Obst said. “Nevertheless, they’re here—all of them, centuries’ worth, in one place.”
And that night the whole army, even the Wallekki who had a few books of their own, gathered around a great bonfire by the castle to hear Obst read the words of God: and he read to them of the creation of the world, and they were all amazed.
Having resolved to go back to the castle, Ryons set out in exactly the opposite direction. Every step took him farther from his goal, but he didn’t know it. How could he?
Natural obstacles forced him farther and farther from the castle. He almost fainted when a deer burst out of the underbrush and ran right in front of him, disappearing almost instantly. Such a big animal, and he never saw it until it was right on top of him!
There was no telling what other animals, even bigger ones, might be hiding close enough to touch. He wondered if there were lions; he was sure there must be bears. There are no lions in Lintum Forest, but he was right about the bears.
Indeed, if Helki had only had the time to teach him woodcraft, he would have known a bear was right behind him, following him out of idle curiosity. He got a whiff of a funny, pungent smell from time to time, but never realized it was the bear’s. And the bear moved so quietly that Ryons never heard it.
If he’d known the bear was following him, he would have panicked and tried to run away, and that would have been the end of him. What bear could resist chasing a fleeing human boy? Ryons didn’t know, but all the other animals in the neighborhood knew the bear was there and gave it a wide berth. So after his brush with the deer, Ryons never met anything more dangerous than the birds and squirrels above him in the trees. Blue jays scolded the bear mightily, but the boy didn’t know the cause of the commotion.
And so he wandered all day long, on a course that tended generally southwest-ward, without coming anywhere near the castle, a settlement, or a hunters’ camp. Eventually the failing daylight and his aching muscles forced him to acknowledge he was lost, good and proper, and he would have to make a camp again—no getting home today.
This time he had to make do without the cozy shelter of a fallen tree. Beside an old stump he bent some leafy saplings into a rough little hut. He made a campfire to relieve the dark and ate half of the dried meat he had left in his bag and drank the rest of his water.
Too tired to remain awake for long, he raised his hands as he had seen Obst do and asked God to show him the way home. He fell asleep before he could receive an answer.
By now everyone in the city knew the Heathen horde was only two days’ slow march from the gates of Obann. It was supposed to be a military secret, but everybody knew. There was no explaining how.
Nanny Witkom got up from the rocking chair because she heard God calling her. It wasn’t as if He were standing in the kitchen, calling her. That would have been her imagination. She wasn’t as crazy as all that, and she knew it. But she also knew God’s call when she heard it, even if she couldn’t tell you what it sounded like, or if it made any sound at all.
He was telling her to get out of the house and go
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