Chapter 13
It was of little comfort to the group that the cave was not stand alone but a part of a series of an underground system. The world had forever been changed to them; their enemies now knew they were in the west. Aneeku had become something that seemed to completely rewrite history and change what they knew of the werewolf forever. The light that had ascended from Aneeku’s body would have been seen for many miles and would undoubtedly draw attention. Cada Varl had shown he possessed powers beyond anything the group had ever known. But most importantly they had lost a comrade.
They took Leannol’s body with them into the cave system. Using the red coloured light of the long burning fuel the group found a ledge that jutted out from the underground wall. Strangely it was the perfect size to lay the body of Leannol across as if the gods themselves had placed it there for such a purpose. In spite of everything else that had happened, the Helluvans did not rush and took the time to perform a funeral ritual. The broken pieces of Leannol’s weapons were placed at her side and what appeared to be a replica of a short sword, forged from some kind of dark glass was placed in her hands, over her chest.
The glass sword was known as a Vorig, a ‘weapon’ that could be used only in the afterlife to slay violent spirits known as Eschu. In Helluvan belief when someone died they would have to complete a journey known as the Black Wandering. To complete such a journey would ensure happiness and eternal glory in Haer the Helluvan equivalent of heaven. Failing such a journey would send the person to Julane, a horrible place where only pain, hunger and sadness could be felt. The Vorig would ensure that Leannol was armed when she went on the Black Wandering.
Imbaka and Hazum Ka-te quickly but carefully combed her hair ensuring that it did not fall over her face. This ensured that her vision would remain clear in the world beyond the living. Now the group excluding Cada Varl stood around the body, their heads lowered, and their eyes heavy with sadness. As one they spoke in a language that Cada Varl did not understand and though their words sounded dark, the language was hauntingly beautiful to hear. They soon fell silent and Zova looked towards Cada Varl motioning with her eyes for him to now join them. Standing next to Gokkus the Immortal did not know what was expected of him. So he simply lowered his head and kept quiet.
Now it was time for the group to individually say their last words to Leannol. But in order for Leannol to hear them from the spirit world they had to close their eyes and silently mouth the words they wanted to say. Realizing what the group was doing Cada Varl did the same, closing his eyes and mouthing the words that he was sorry that he did not arrive sooner and that he hoped she could forgive him for breaking his Gyu to Granzool. All of this was not simply a hollow routine that the Helluvans felt duty bound to perform, all of them (including Cada Varl) were greatly saddened by Leannol’s death.
After they each had finished their silent words to Leannol they opened their eyes again. In the red light of the torches they held Tanagy’s eyes were the glassiest, he was not crying but was close to doing so.
“ Fo timmer Ne,” Imbaka said proudly.
The term was part of a religious saying that loosely meant ‘The Gods will tremble’ it was the greatest comment a living Helluvan could give to a dead one. Basically it meant that the gods would be in awe of Leannol, for all she had done in the world of the living. She deserved such words for in the land of Helluv there were few who had accomplished more and had done more for the kingdom. She was a warrior until the end that would be sadly missed, not just by the group but by all of Helluv.
With that saying the group slowly walked on leaving Leannol in darkness. The ritual may have been over but mourning for the loss of the red haired warrior continued long after, making the air thick and unpleasant to breathe. Adding to their woes, the cave system was much larger than what was once thought and more than once they were forced to return to it after reaching the surface. In total they spent just over two weeks underground with barely half a dozen words said between them. Even when they finally came across cool running air there was no excitement or gladness to be had as they followed the air path to the outside world once more.
They entered forestlands whose ground was wet from recent rain, judging by the dark green of the tree leaves rain fell often in this place. They could see that this land was far more open than the other places they had tried to resurface at. This would be where they continued the journey. The landscape matched how they felt perfectly, it was dull and dreary. The group had not quite recovered from the loss of Leannol; mentally they were exhausted and decided to make camp just outside of the entrance to the underground.
The still wet ground made starting a fire difficult but Hazum Ka-te was determined to feel such warmth. Using dry leaves they could find on nearby trees the wielder of the Cloud Cutter eventually got the fire going. It did bring warmth to the air but not their hearts as the group sat upon their packs, staring into the roaring flames. Cada Varl raised his head and looked towards the sky, it was filled with clouds but they were white and empty. At the very least it did not seem rain was about to fall, though this was a small comfort. Only the crackling of burning leaves and twigs prevented silence from ruling, leaving each member of the group to ponder over their own thoughts.
The problem with doing such a thing was their minds were darkened by all that had happened and questions continuously demanded to be answered in their heads. Finally Imbaka spoke after over an hour of nothing said.
“ Does anyone have any idea why Aneeku transformed into such thing? Has anybody ever heard of such a creature?” She looked around to the group already knowing the answer to her own question, but she wanted to hear someone else voice. Several shook their heads but Gokkus offered a thought.
“Perhaps some kind of werewolf magic, I know of records that speak of alchemy and potion makers within the werewolf lands, many would be warlords spent time investigating such possibilities. Looking for anything that would give them the advantage against their rivals.”
It was a compelling argument and yet no one appeared completely convinced.
“But there is no definite evidence to support such a claim,” Hazum Ka-te pointed out calmly. “Then again,” he said as he looked to the heavens. “It’s now painfully obvious that there is much about the west that we do not know.”
His words fell heavily upon the group and it was a long moment before anyone spoke again.
“I cannot say it with certainty but if such transformations had occurred, Helluv would have some kind of information about it. Something like what Aneeku transformed into would not be a secret easily kept,” Imbaka pointed out.
“Perhaps it was only recently discovered, an experiment that for whatever reason was considered a failure. Aneeku after all was a rejected being, no warlord would accept his service for any measurable period,” Hazum Ka-te said.
“He may have done it to himself, in a bid to fix his insanity so he could transform once more.” Gokkus added.
Hazum Ka-te lifted his head in such a way it could only be because of a new thought.
“Aneeku had not transformed in over 400 years, he was forced to fight against other werewolves in a human form. So many years fighting tooth, claw and werewolf bulk using only hands and a sword, could it be possible that such a unique way of life somehow changed his body to make him into that thing he became?”
Silence fell again but it was far less intense as the group thought about the likelihood of such a thing. As such thoughts filled his mind the Immortal watched the fire and witnessed the thin smoke gently rise from it. Keeping his eyes upon the flames he said gently, “Steam.” This single word grasped the attention of the Helluvans like a powerful hand strangling their throat. Feeling the eyes of his companions upon him Cada Varl looked away from the fire and towards the group as he said, “What if it had to do with the fact that he had not transformed in 400 years?” Cada Varl waited for an answer but the Helluvans simply stared at him, waiting for him to explain f
urther. He glanced back at the fire for a moment before he said, “Imagine that a human is an empty pot, the werewolf curse is hot water that places itself into the pot. A human transforms into the monster, the hot water is emptied from the pot. When and if the werewolf transforms back into a human form, the pot it refilled with hot water. But if that hot water is never emptied it becomes steam….” Several Helluvans shifted slightly, feeling uncomforted by the power of his words. “If the hot water stays within the pot long enough than eventually it would all transform into steam….” Cada Varl looked back towards the fire as he said, “Aneeku had not transformed in 400 years, which might be more than enough for the hot water to become steam?”
It was a possibility that shook each of them to their very core as Gokkus said with a slightly gasping voice, “Some kind of acceleration of the curse?”
Cada Varl nodded in agreement. It was a dark thing to think about but it was a possibility that could not be ignored.
Gokkus continued on, “As far as we know Aneeku is the only werewolf not to have transformed for so long.”
“That would make him unique,” Hazum Ka-te said as his eyes looked back upon the fire.
“Is that how you see humans Cada Varl?” Imbaka asked suddenly but gently. She waited until The Immortal was looking upon her before she said, “Nothing but empty pots?” Her question may have been a mystery to many and regardless of interpretation it was a powerful question asked. Cada Varl thought for a moment, reaching into his own memory and knowledge of what he knew of Helluvans. They had felt helpless against Aneeku when he had transformed and to people who prided themselves on their strength, independence and skill it would have been the ultimate humiliation to feel such a thing. Cada Varl had saved them from certain death, they may have accepted Cada Varl as a companion and there seemed a genuine affection for him, but that did not change the fact that they had to rely on an outsider for their safety. Cada Varl looked around the fire and saw that each Helluvan was looking upon him intently, in this moment they wanted only his answer.
He shook his head and said, “ No, I see you as anything but empty, I see you as filled with everything I wish I still had, the love of your kingdom, honor, valor and bravery. Never have any of you ceased to amaze me with your talents, not only am I proud to have each of you as company, I feel safe knowing that we are not enemies but allies, a fact that I cherish….”
His words were as powerful as they were genuine. None of the Helluvans lowered their heads or any other acts of modesty, they simply were not that kind of people. But they respected his words and were glad to hear them even if their expressions did not change.
“He said He,” Hazum Ka-te said suddenly titling his head as if a heavy thought had entered his mind. All eyes fell upon him but he did not wait for the obvious question to be asked. He looked upon the Immortal and said, “When you were fighting Aneeku, he said something about He being right.” The group thought for a moment merely to double check their own memories, Hazum Ka-te was correct.
“That would mean he learned of such power from someone else,” Imbaka said.
“If that is the case than why did he seem so surprised by his own transformation?” Gokkus asked openly.
“He must have been told, not shown such power,” Cada Varl said.
“Meaning that such a transformation must have been seen as least one time before,” Gokkus said. The air now seemed to change as if to silently tell each of them that they all agreed about this possibility. With thousands and thousands of years of werewolf history, if such a transformation had only occurred a single time before than such an account easily could have fallen from the carvings and books of history.
“And what of your power Cada Varl?” Zova asked.
Nothing had changed within her voice but the question itself combined with the fact that she had not spoken in a while made it a heavy thing to hear. Cada Varl looked over to her, staring into her large autumn eyes. Once again all eyes fell upon him for it was a question they all wanted answered. They had never before questioned his power but then again he had never used it in such a way before the encounter with Aneeku. The question seemed to bear down with the weight of the entire world upon the shoulders of Cada Varl , forcing him to lower his head and only look straight ahead into the roaring fire.
“ I do not know what to call it, nor do I know exactly how it works but when I….” His words suddenly stopped and his eyes closed as if he was in mourning. Slowly he opened them again and continued his words, “Lost my humanity, something awoke within me, some kind of power that had been lost long ago collectively by man. A primal power that I believe existed during the dark times of old. Even Uldaween had no specific information about what it might be.”
“Why didn’t you use such a power when we were attacking the first werewolf encampment we crossed?” Zova asked out of nothing more than curiosity. The Immortal could not bring himself to look upon her so he continued to stare at the fire as he gave answer, “Because before my battle with Aneeku I only ever used such a power once, and I did not use it willingly. Not long before I came to your kingdom, after I could find nothing that could free me of my existence in Uldaween I looked back through my own memory, trying to remember the very moment when my humanity became lost. But it is a memory that never formed; I simply cannot remember that moment….” He fell silent once again but none of his companions pushed him to continue, they waited until he was ready to do so. “In that moment when I realized I could not remember, all I could feel was the memory of anger and that is when it happened. The air changed around me and became filled with a hot red light. I almost incinerated a room filled with one of a kind documents before I realized what was happening.”
“So when you used that power against Aneeku you did not know whether it would withstand those foul blasts?” Hazum Ka-te asked with admiration in his eyes.
Cada Varl nodded as he looked upon his hand, though it was still clear to see, the wound was almost completely healed.
“What is the first thing you remember after you became who you are today?” Zova asked gently. Now Cada Varl was able to look upon her but he could do so for only a moment before looking back at the flames.
“The light of the full moon…” he said slowly as if such words were too heavy to be spoken normally. “The next thing after the moon a town called Berexe….”
More words seemed about to be said but the fire then diminished and burnt out. No wind had fallen across it, but the kindling they had gathered had been hindered by the wet weather and had proven itself to be poor.
Not long after the fire had went out Tanagy stood up, simultaneously taking a short cutting blade from his pack. All eyes were upon him as he did so for he had yet to say anything. His eyes had almost a glow to them, summoned from the inside, showing that his soul was hurting.
“I will go and get more wood for the fire,” he said in the most somber of ways.
The group watched as he moved away from them towards a line of trees where he soon vanished from sight. Though all of them were burdened by Leannol’s death Tanagy was the most visibly distraught.
As others looked back to the burned out fire Cada Varl kept his eyes upon the last place he had seen Tanagy, silently blaming himself that he had not been there when Aneeku had first arrived. “He is always like this when he loses a fellow Helluvan in battle.”
The words had been spoken with a quiet pride by Hazum Ka-te. Cada Varl looked towards the wielder of the Cloud Cutter. Clearly Hazum Ka-te could tell or at the least had an idea of what Cada Varl was thinking. “It is what makes him such a great warrior, that in place of becoming cold and numb to death he still hates it as much as he ever did.” The look in the eyes of Hazum Ka-te was the same look a father possessed when speaking about his proudest son. Such a look made Cada Varl want to ask if Tanagy was indeed his son. It seemed unlikely for the two bore little in appearance physically. “ It shall do him good cutting down fuel for the fire….” Hazu
m Ka-te added.
How Gods Bleed Page 20
