Prologue Previous Chapter

Kito

Kito shook his head silently, staring at the monstrous fury of a storm that dominated the valley below them. Clouds roiled and churned through the heart of it, writhing and boiling. It seemed almost alive, like some animal tortured by the anger of the spirits.

Tohm and Kito stared at it for a long time, a light rain falling slowly around them. After a while Tohm spoke.

“The tracks lead down towards it.”

Kito nodded, still staring at the dark fury. For some reason it made him sad.

“Should we keep following the tracks?”

Tohm nodded, and they started down the grassy hillside that bordered the river. Below him, the river wound its way down into the hills,and straight into the heart of the monster storm. Still, it was certain that a storm of this ferocity would blow itself out by the time they came close.

The plains were unusually empty as they continued down the hillside. No birds, no rabbits or deer anywhere. It was almost like something had scared them off. A sense of unease started to grow in Kito’s chest. They had been walking all day, but the storm continued to boil, never changing in size, never moving from its spot.

They paused briefly for lunch, to devour cold meat and berries. The bushes were nearly empty, picked almost clean by animals. But it was enough. With Shara’s song of thanks, it was always enough, although they had found little to replenish their stocks.

As the sun started to sink into the west, it immediately ran into the leading edge of the mighty storm cloud, fading behind the towering mass of grey. For a while it poked weakly through the fringes but soon it vanished altogether, leaving them in a shadowy gloom that lasted the rest of the afternoon, oppressive, gray and windy.

As night approached, they reached a huge campfire, and the rotting carcasses of several bears. The waste and sloppiness of Jiant was appalling, splintered bones scattered everywhere, the bears’ skins mangled and torn. Red Cave Clan could have made several outfits, and many tools and weapons from the bones, if they had only been taken care of. Now, they were nearly worthless. Still, once the fire was lit, both Kito and Tohm spent time rummaging through the piles, looking for anything worth salvaging.

As day turned into night, the lightning from the storm dominated the sky, flashing constantly, washing out the stars. Kito slept fitfully, worried about the storm, worried about his sister.

The next morning, they awoke to find the storm unabated. It seemed even bigger than before, if that was possible. They both stared at it again as they ate a quick breakfast.

“Maybe this storm has always been here.” Tohm suggested. “Maybe this is just the valley of the storm”

Kito shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. It doesn’t feel right to me.” Tohm nodded silently; what else was there to say?

It was entrancing to watch. Every so often, a cloud would bulge out from the center of the mass, surrounded by flashing lights. Within a few heartbeats, the bulge would rip apart, shredding into tiny wisps of gray that would quickly be lost into the blackness. And it just kept happening, over, and over again.

Still, after a while they got up and continued forward, walking steadily through the hills along the riverside. As the afternoon gloom sunk in, it started to rain. At first it was nothing, the lightest of drizzles, hardly worth noticing. But as they continued westward, each passing bend in the river seemed to bring more rain with it, until the light drizzle had become a hard downpour, pounding on their weary heads.

The ground too became treacherous, drenched with water, and increasingly slippery. Pools formed all around them, sometimes several paces wide. And then Tohm stepped into a mud pit, sinking to his kneecap into greenish-brown ooze. Off-balance, he waved his hands futilely through the air for a moment before falling forward with a cry to land face first into a puddle.

“Ow.” He shrieked, as Kito rushed to help him. “I think I broke my ankle.”

“Let me see.” said Kito, carefully helping Tohm pull his leg from the trap, and letting the rain wash it clean. The ankle was already starting to swell up, rapidly turning purple in the fading light. Examining it carefully, he smiled at Tohm. “I am pretty sure you didn’t break it. I remember when Jeru – Din’s mother – broke her ankle – it was much worse than this.”

Gingerly, Tohm nodded, and tried to stand up without putting any weight on his aching ankle. Finally, Kito had to help pull him up, and even then Tohm could barely walk. Looking around, Kito saw a stand of trees a few stone’s throws to the southwest. Slowly and painfully they made their way to the trees, until, exhausted, they slumped down beneath the covering branches, which were only half as wet as the open sky.

Kito fished some of the remaining berries and bits of meat from his pack, and sang the Song of Thanks. Eating quietly, Kito pondered their situation. “We can’t go any farther west – this rain and the storm are too dangerous.”

Tohm nodded, gently rubbing his ankle.

“We need to go around the storm and hope we find tracks.”

Tohm was silent for a long time. “Do you ever think we’ll see them again.”

Kito shook his head. “I don’t know. If it wasn’t for this storm, we might have found them already. “

Tohm fell silent again, gently rubbing his ankle. To the west, thunder rolled slowly through the night sky.

Kito laid down on the ground, throwing his pack over his face to keep the rain off. Closing his eyes, he listened to the soothing sounds of the storm.

Tohm moved the rock, and the water burst out, flooding the cave. Filling it to the top. I’m up at the top. Armis is holding me, keeping my head above the water. Wait. Armis is dead! No one is holding me. The water is rising, and I’m clawing at the walls, trying to breathe. The cave stretches out above me, towering upwards out of sight. It keeps filling up, higher and higher. I keep trying to climb out, but it follows me. It would be so much easier if I had two hands. Ah! The light. The stone is so bright it is blinding! I can’t see. I try to stuff it back in my pocket, but it is swept away by the water, dwindling downwards into the blackness like a falling star. The water surges upwards, and I have to scramble again to stay on top. My hand is back. I start climbing more quickly. But the flood keeps rising, chasing me up the cliff. I hit my head. I’m at the top. I can’t go any higher. The water is all around me. I can’t find an exit. My head is jammed against the roof of the cave. Nowhere to go. The water is rising, covering my face. I try to close my mouth but I can’t. It pours into me, filling me. I can’t breathe!

Gasping and choking, Kito lurched upright, his lungs full of water. Stumbling backwards, he tripped on a root, and fell into ankle-deep water. Lightning flashes, and he could see water everywhere, all around them, flooding the trees.

Where is Tohm Scrambling upright, Kito spun around, trying to find his friend, but the trees and clouds have smothered what little light might exist.

“Tohm? … Tohm?” His voice is ragged and weak from coughing.

No answer. Swallowing nervously, Kito stared out at the darkness.

“Tohm?”

“Kito? Where are you?” Tohm called out, far away.

“Here.” Kito called, his chest aching with relief. Blinking, he wiped his face clean. “We have to get out of here.” He called.

Tohm said something, but it was lost in the roar of the storm.

“What?” Kito shouted.

“Where are the packs?” Tohm fought to be heard over the wind. Kito could see him now, limping closer.

How are we going to find our gear in the middle of a forest, in a flood in the middle of the night?

“I don’t know. We need some light.”

“What about your stone?” Tohm said, stumbling to a stop just a few paces away. Still, it was difficult to see him in the gloom.

“I lost it.” Wait.. that doesn’t seem right

“What!? Where did you lose it?”

“In the water – in the – wait.. That was a dream.”

He reached to his neck to find the pouch. It wasn’t there. His heart surged, as he frantically patted himself down. Where is it!!! Wait. There’s the string. It’s behind my shoulder. Pulling frantically, he yanked the stone out of its pouch and held it aloft.

It flared into life, lighting up the forest in all directions.

Both men sighed in relief. Slowly, too slowly, his heart crept back to its normal rhythm.

Tohm limped off, and located their clothes and tools. Kito eyed his leg – a good sign – he hadn’t been able to limp at all when they set up camp.

“Let’s get out of here.” Tohm said. “Which way do you want to go?”

Kito pondered for a moment. North or South? “South.” He said, shrugging.

After a while the sun started to peek over the top of the eastern mountains. The rain slowly slackened until it was no more than a drizzle.

Finally reaching another small wooded area, they rested for a while, and tried to dry out their equipment. The food hadn’t washed away, and as old and dried and flavorless as it was getting, it was still a lot better than nothing at all.

Pulling on his pack, they walked through the wood. The trees were coming alive with tiny little flowers and budding leaves. A rabbit panicked, and dashed across the clearing in front of them. Catlike, Tohm sent his spear hurtling after it. His aim was true, and it fell dead, twitching in the grey light.

Kito smiled. “Fresh food. A good omen.”

Tohm nodded as he scooped up the carcass, tying it to his waist.

They kept walking, slowly but steadily all day, skirting the ever-growing storm, wondering if this was right right way to go.

At least we’re out of the rain.

Thunder rumbled overhead. He glanced at the shapeless dark mass of the storm. It was definitely growing.

“What is that?” Tohm pointed at a pile of boulders and rubbish. It seemed very cluttered, very unnatural. They rushed over. The shattered, wasted carcasses of several deer were lying on the ground, half covered in the drifting ashes of a huge fire.

“Jiant” whispered Kito. “We must be on the right track. A moments’ further investigation exposed footprints – large ones, and many of them, all heading south. And nestled among them, one smaller footprint.

“Do you think that could be Barak’s foot?”

Tohm shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. It seems a little small.”

“Maybe it’s Shara’s!” Kito hissed.

Tohm shrugged again. “I guess that’s better than nothing.”

Crouching low, Tohm followed the tracks across the grass.

“Look.” Tohm said, pointing at the ground, his voice a mixture of fear and excitement.

A huge round hole had been stamped into the grasses, leaving a puddle full of rich brown mud. At first, Kito was annoyed. “So what? it’s a puddle.”

Impatiently, Tohm gestured waved his hands northwards and then southwards. “No.. look!”

Kito looked north. A double line of puddles marched northwards, directly into the heart of the storm. Turning south, the line continued, straight for a time, and then disappearing around the base of a hill that rose, smooth and grassy above the plain, the vanguard of a legion of hills that dominated the southern horizon.

“These are huge footprints.” Tohm said, excited.

Kito shook his head. “No.. these are round. What kind of creature has round footprints?”

Tohm shrugged. “I think they’re footprints.”

From the north, the wind picked up, and set the grass to rustling and waving gently. Except for the grass around the circles. Suddenly, Kito realized that the ground was crushed and trampled in a wide swath around the footprints – as if a large number of animals or people had come this way.

Bending down, he stared at the ground carefully. “Look around.” He called out “See if you can find any normal-sized track.”

The afternoon was nearly spent by the time Tohm shouted out in delight. A worn patch of earth, dry and cracked had left several footprints, both the huge Jiant-sized feet as well as normal human feet. “They’ve been here.” Kito whispered, hardly daring to believe it. “They went south, and Jiant must still be chasing them.”

Full of hope, they marched quickly southwards, eager to find their lost comrades. They marched well into the night before setting up camp near the base of the hills.

Kito closed his eyes, and was asleep nearly immediately.

—

“Kito.” Tohm whispered, shaking him gently.

His mind wobbled, aching from exhaustion. “What?”

“Campfire. On the top of the hill.”

Kito sat upright, shaking his head to clear away the fog. “What?”

Impatiently, Tohm turned Kito’s head southwards with one hand, pointing with the other.”Look.”

A yellow-orange fire beckoned warmly.

His heart lurched in his chest. Could it be them?. Quickly gathering their packs together, Tohm and Kito jogged southwards, using the digging stone to light their way.

Reaching the bottom of the hill, Tohm called out, his shout breaking the still night air. There was no response. Waiting a few more moments, he called out again,. Dread wrapped tightly around Kito’s heart, and he started climbing rapidly up the hillside, worried at what the silence implied.

As they reached the crest, they could see several bodies lying around a fire. Pausing, Kito stared at them. An old man, and several children. They were all sleeping peacefully. At once elated and heartbroken, Kito wondered what to do next. Wake them? Leave them and keep searching for their Clan? But the decision was made for him. A shrill scream of fear pierced the night air, and a small figure went hurtling across the campsite, grasping at the old man, babbling in a strange language. Almost immediately the entire camp was in an uproar, the children rushing to the side of the old man, who struggled to get up. He stared at them with milky white eyes, and Kito realized that he was blind.

Holding the children close, the old man said something, his voice dry and raspy. The children quieted down, staring fearfully at the two intruders. The old man spoke again, raising his voice, and staring at a point not far from the two men. But again the speech was meaningless.

Kito felt his spirits drop even farther. “I’m sorry, I don’t speak your language.”

“Oh.” said the old man. “I know your language. Who are you?”

Tohm stepped forward. “I am Tohm.”

“I am Kito”

A pause. “There are just the two of you?” The old man asked.

Kito nodded, and waited for a few moments, before remembering that the old man was blind. “Sorry. Yes. Just the two of us.”

“How did you come to find us here?”

The children were slowly relaxing as they realized that these strange men were not going to run them through with their spears. Still, they kept very close to the old man, occasionally whispering in his ear.

Kito rapidly summarized their adventures; the death of their village, Jiant, the tentacle monster, the caves, and the tracking. The old man listened carefully, nodding gently. It almost seemed like he had heard this story before.

When it was done, the old man sat silently for a moment. “I would offer you food, but we are nearly out. “

Kito smiled. “That’s okay. We have a magic song that will make more food.” The old man nodded again. “I see. Can you provide us with some food, then? We have eaten poorly for the last few days.”

Kito and Tohm pulled the remaining food from their packs, tough, sinewy meat, some nuts and a few early apples. The children clapped and hooted excitedly at the pile of food. A single word from the old man, and the children dove forward, devouring the feast.

“What is your name?” Kito asked the old man, as he chewed carefully. Pulling the meat from his mouth, the old man smiled, his face a mass of wrinkles around the sightless eyes. “I am Oppa, once shaman of the Yellow River tribe. But now I am just a broken old woman.”

Kito flushed red with embarrassment as he realized that he had confused her sex. “Hail Oppa, of the Yellow River tribe. We are from the Red Cave clan.”

Oppa nodded. “I know. I recognize your song, and the children have spoken of your red clothing.”

You know our song? You’ve seen our people?”

Oppa nodded again. “Yes. They came to visit us just after the time of the empty moon.” Kito looked up. The moon, still soft and curdled, was close to half full. He didn’t like looking at it – all of the familiar features were gone.

“They stayed with us for a short time.”

“They were here?” He shouted. “Where did they go? What happened? We need to find them!”

The old woman paused. “Not here. North.. at the center of the storm, in Yellow Valley.”

“I don’t understand.”

“They came to visit us, but teath and destruction followed them. A few days after they came, the giants came.”

“Jiant?” Kito asked, uncertain at the strange accent.

Oppa nodded. “There was a great battle. Your clansmen were killed in the fight, or in the great storm that rose up afterwards to destroy our village.”

Kito thought maybe he hadn’t heard her properly. “They were what?”

Oppa shook her head sadly. “They were killed fighting the giants.”

“Are you sure?”

Oppa nodded. “I am sorry. They are gone.”

Tohm stood up, his face twisted with emotion. “How do you know? Did you see? “

She turned to look at him with her milky white, sightless eyes. She motioned with her fingers, beckoning him closer. “No.” She whispered. “But I heard the screams. And the others told me of the fight.”

A small arm reached across his back and patted him gently. It was then that he realized that he had been sobbing. Looking up, blinking away the tears, a tiny little girl whispered something in his ear, and hugged him warmly. In a moment, the children were all around them, hugging and patting them gently, whispering sweet-sounding words.

One of the oldest, a pretty girl of perhaps ten years came up to him. “Hello.” She said, the word strange in her mouth.

“You speak my tongue.” Kito said, but the girl just blinked.

“Kito.” He said, patting his chest.

“Ami.” She said, patting hers.

“Hello, Ami.”

“Hello, Kito.”

Kito turned stared at the storm, as lightning shot through the night sky.

There’s no way we can go back there.

“What do you want to do, Tohm?”

Tohm was staring at the storm as well. And then he looked at the children. “Someone needs to help take care of these kids.”

Kito nodded, reluctantly.

In the distance, thunder rolled across the sky.

Next Chapter

Sunday, July 16th, 2006 at 10:28 am.
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