by C. J. Strong
“I’m not sure exactly, it could’ve been,” Valden said as he fed Babah some dried meat.
“Even if it was, I wasn’t any help at all,” Moldur said.
Valdar returned to the campground, with most of his injuries having already healed. He came and sat next to Gallagher and ruffled his hair a bit. “You did good, but unfortunately we lost a lot of men.”
“But how? It seemed as though every enemy we touched, we destroyed?” Valden asked his father.
“Yes, but after the ambush, we were outnumbered five to one,” Valdar said as he tossed a piece of wood in the fire. “We need more good soldiers, ones that can transform.”
“That’s it! You need soldiers that can transform, then let me join your ranks,” Moldur stood up and said. “I’ll take the oath and do the ceremony!”
“I’m afraid you’re a bit young boy—“
“Trust me, I am ready.” Moldur interrupted Valdar.
Valdar took a moment to study Moldur before speaking again. “I know why you want to kid, but the Ancestral Ceremony isn’t something you just do without the proper preperations.”
“I was useless in the battle today! I never want to feel that helpless again. When I found my father at Stonewall Point, he was cowering in fear inside his own house, and I was just doing the same kind of thing. Please Valdar sir. Let me become one with my spirit animal. It is the only way I will be able to help in this war.”
“Hmm… Under normal circumstances I would say no. You’re too young and brash, but we do need soldiers who can transform and fight. Alright, I will inform the troops and we will prepare the ceremony. As long as you are sure about this?” Valdar said.
“I’m sure!” Moldur said as he pet Piggles on the head.
Valdar stood up and left the group once more, and Gallagher turned to Moldur with confusion. “What exactly is this ‘ceremony’?”
“It is the rite of passage in which the Tiltur and their animal’s souls are bound together,” Omna explained.
“That sounds… painful,” Gallagher said.
“It really isn’t, at least for the Tilturian that is,” Moldur said.
“What do you mean? What happens to the animal…” Gallagher asked.
“Each Tilturian is born alongside an animal of their parents choosing. Once the beast accepts the baby as its master, they grow up and raise each other until it comes time for the ceremony,” Moldur said.
“Let me guess… then you guys kill the poor thing like savages?” Gallagher said as he stood up and walked towards Piggles.
“You’ll see, soon enough,” Moldur said as Valdar hollered at them from far away.
The gang turned to see the rest of the soldiers huddled around Valdar at the main camp, cheering and chanting.
“Come on,” Valden motioned towards Gallagher as everyone headed over. Gallagher reluctantly joined them as Moldur and his pet became the center of attention.
“Tonight, amidst all the darkness, a boy becomes a man!” Valdar shouted as the crowd roared. “Moldur the Porky and Piggles have agreed to be bound together.”
Moldur lifted up his enormously overweight pet Piggles who looked him in the eyes. Gallagher watched on in fear as the Tilturians around him beat their fists into the air. Moldur hugged Piggles one last time and Piggles snorted in his face. Valdar approached the boy and presented him with a ceremonial dagger that was engraved with beautiful writing.
Moldur let down his pig and bowed before taking the weapon from Valdar’s hands. He then held it up to the crowd and they cheered once more. Moldur ordered Piggles to roll over onto his back and the pig obeyed.
Omna buried her head into Gallagher’s chest as he watched Moldur. “Please, don’t do it!” Gallagher said, but it was too late. Moldur had already gutted the pig from the chest down. Blood squirted everywhere and the Tilturians’ celebrated. After Piggles was dead, his soul left his body and floated into the air where everybody could see. Gallagher had come to expect the unexpected, but to actually see a soul floating in mid air was quite extraordinary. Around and around it circled until striking like lightning directly into Moldur, sending a shockwave throughout the campground.
Piggles corpse then began to glow, and Moldur placed himself within it. Almost as if it was meant to be, the skin of the animal wrapped itself around Moldur and he slowly transformed. Gallagher glanced down to see Valden gripping Babah tightly, and a tear rolled down Valden’s face.
Bright light radiated from Moldur as he morphed from man to beast. He turned from an upright humanoid to down on all fours, and finally the transformation was complete. As one last circle of light blasted through the crowd, Moldur reappeared as a behemoth of a pig. He raised his snout high and oinked, spinning his pig tail around and around.
“It is done!” Valdar shouted with a smile.
“Piggles and I are at last one,” Moldur said while hobbling around, enjoying his new form.
Omna let go of Gallagher and turned to approach Moldur. She cautiously snapped her fingers and he waddled over towards her. She pet him a bit and he sat down, demonstrating the inner Piggles side of his new qualities. “This was the first time I ever witnessed that…” she said.
“Me too,” Valden said as he kneeled down and Babah licked his face.
“You see Gallagher, it isn’t as brutal as you thought… was it?” Moldur said as he transformed back to his Tilturian body.
“No, it was actually worse. But, I can see that as one life ends, another begins.”
“Precisely, a new warrior is born! And soon, it will be Valden’s turn,” Valdar said before the crowd slowly dispersed.
Valden just laid on the ground, holding his bear and looked up at his father, smiling half-heartedly.
After the ceremony, the celebrations began. As it turns out, most of the supplies that the Tilturian soldiers had brought were alcoholic drinks. Not the traditional brews Gallagher was used to seeing back on Earth, but some sort of concoction that definitely got those who drank it drunk. Within an hour, most of the soldiers were either passed out or stumbling around. Gallagher, Valden, and Omna just sat around the campfire and laughed at the antics while discussing their adventure so far.
Valdar joined them after the party had died down with a brew in his hand and sat down in between Gallagher and Valden. “Hey hey little ones! None of you…no one wanted to celebrate?” Valdar said.
“I’ll take one,” Gallagher said before Oman nudged his shoulder.
“You don’t want to end up like Moldur now do you?” Omna asked Gallagher, pointed over towards the pig who was passed out face first in a pile of his own droppings.
Gallagher laughed hysterically and then said, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Dad, I don’t have to go through the Ancestrial Ceremony if I don’t have to do I?” Valden asked as Babah cuddled up next to him.
“Of course you will have to, it’s a rite of passage for all Tilturians. Do-do you know how much trouble it was for your mother and I to find that bear cub for you?” Valdar said as he leaned forwards and then back, catching himself from falling over.
Gallagher was surprised, not by Valdar almost falling off the log that they were sitting on, but by the mention of Valden’s mother. Never once had Valdar talked about her before, and Gallagher hadn’t really even thought much about it until now. “What ever happened to her? Valden’s mother I mean.”
Valdar’s drunken demeaner seemed to change the instant Gallagher asked the question. Valdar squeezed the bottle of brew in his hand so tightly that it exploded and he looked at Gallagher with anger in his eyes. “Nifflarians! They took her from me, those bastards.”
Chapter 22
Andrum didn’t like leaving his friends behind, but they had to stick to the plan otherwise things would have seemed suspicious. He was also a bit uneasy about meeting up in a Tilturian village because of the war between them and his Nifflarian people that was going on, but maybe he could use this as an opportunity to discuss peace. It
didn’t take long for him and Uriella to travel through the forest and head for the village of Tindu. Andrum had no idea where he was going, but Uriella took lead and seemed to have a good sense of directions.
“How awkward would it be if we accidentally wound up in the wrong village,” Andrum asked as they headed over a few sandy hills.
“That won’t be a problem, there aren’t many Tilturian villages around here,” Uriella answered.
Andrum and Uriella took their time going up and down the hilltops until eventually spotting a small remote village deep within a holler. They had no idea on whether or not this was the village Yuralia had described to them or not, but they decided it was worth the risk. Besides, if it wasn’t, or even if it was and they were hostile, Andrum could probably take most of the Tilturians out with his new powers.
As they entered the village, they were greeted by a young brutally large man wearing a lion’s pelt and a small Tilturian woman as they entered.
“Greetings Nifflarians, I am Endosa the Gentle, and this is my companion, Valdar the Strong,” the young woman said.
“Hello Endosa, and Valdar. We are friends of Yuralia,” Andrum said.
“Ahh, Yuralia. Very good. We are at peace with the Nifflarians of the north, and welcome you with open arms,” Valdar the Strong said to them. “Come on, as leader, I feel obligated to show the both of you around my great village.”
Valdar and Endosa walked the heroes around the village, giving them the grand tour. They stopped by the barracks, the courtyard, and the head tent before coming to a few empty tents that were for guests. “You two can stay in these for as long as you’d like,” Endosa said with a smile.
“Well thank you Miss Endosa, Yuralia and another friend of ours should be meeting us here within a day or two and then we will get going,” Uriella explained.
Endosa and Valdar nodded their heads and then Valdar put his arm around her. “My wife here cooks the best breakfast around, so be up and ready for it by morning time.”
Andrum laughed and agreed before retiring to one of the tents, and Uriella did the same. It wasn’t nearly as comfortable as Yuralia’s house, but it was better than sleeping out in the desert like they had before.
They awoke the next morning around the same time and exited together from separate tents. “Do you remember where we’re supposed to go for breakfast?” Andrum asked as he held his stomach.
“Of course, follow me you numb-skull,” Uriella said as she headed towards the barracks.
The two of them entered and to their surprise, countless Tilturians were either lined up for breakfast or already eating at the tables, all while trying not to stare at Andrum and Uriella.
“Think they know we don’t fit in here?” Andrum said as Uriella nudged him in the side.
“Shut up, before you get us killed. They don’t know we’re not from the Salker Tribe and I’d like to keep it that way,” she whispered just before Valdar came in behind them.
“Don’t worry you two, I keep a tight leash around my men and they mean you no harm,” he said as they lined up together to get food.
“Yuralia told us how she actually helped you become leader, is that true?” Andrum asked.
“Yes, it is actually. But that’s a story that she can tell you after we eat,” Valdar said.
“What do you mean? She’s here already?!” Andrum said as he looked all around.
“Oh yeah, her and this big fella arrived before you two woke up. They already ate and are waiting for you in my hut,” Valdar said before laughing a bit.
Andrum jumped out of line and left the barracks, sprinting straight to Valdar’s tent. It took him awhile to find because he wasn’t exactly paying attention when they gave him the tour, but he eventually found it and went inside. Ashurd and Yuralia were sitting there at the dining table, sipping a cup of tea and laughing at each other’s jokes as Andrum came in.
“Yuralia!” Andrum said before hugging her, causing her to nearly spill tea all over the place. “Ashurd!” Andrum yelled once more as Ashurd put down his cup and put his arms out in front of him in order to disrupt the hug.
“Yeah, yeah, it’s me. Now get off me before I gut you,” Ashurd said. “You were right Yuralia, the kid has grown up a bit. At least he looks a little grayer in the cheeks.”
“I can’t believe you’re actually here. And you’re not under Ondull’s spell anymore,” Andrum said.
Ashurd stood up from the table and pushed his chair in violently. “Don’t ever bring that wench up again! Not only did she enslave me, but she broke me grandad’s sword she did.”
“I… I’m sorry,” Andrum said.
“So, I heard you finally became a man recently eh?” Ashurd said as he punched Andrum in the shoulder.
Andrum blushed a bit and nodded his head before casually grabbing Yuralia by the cheeks and kissing her. Just then Valdar and Uriella returned with breakfast for themselves as well as an extra plate for Andrum.
“Thanks for waiting for us,” Uriella said as she walked in.
“Thanks for the food,” Andrum said as he scarfed down his meal before Uriella or Valdar could even get a bite finished with theirs.
“I see that new body of yours hasn’t changed your appetite,” Ashurd said as he pulled a flask from his belt side.
“And I see that you’re still an alcoholic,” Andrum said.
“Watch it, alcoholic or not, I can still run you through,” Ashurd said after taking a swig.
“I like this one’s company Yuralia, where did you find him?” Valdar asked.
“Believe it or not, but these three come from Ulteria,” Yuralia said as she finished the last of her tea.
Valdar’s face turned from joy to seriousness as he grabbed his sword and unsheathed it from his waist, causing the entire room that was filled with laughter to fall silent. “Ulteria?! We are at war with those cowards.”
“Cowards?” Ashurd said as he reached for where his sword once was.
“Umm… I think we had better get going,” Yuralia said as she lowered Valdar’s weapon for him.
“That won’t be necessary,” Endosa said as she entered the now cramped tent.
“But…” Valdar said before Endosa put her finger to his mouth.
“Hush, there will be no fights or talks of war here. Tindu is a sanctuary village for all,” she said.
“We thank you for your hospitality, but we really should actually be going,” Andrum said as he squeezed through the entranceway. Judging by the way Valdar reacted to the news of them being from Ulteria, brokering peace between the two races seemed to be off the table.
Yuralia, Uriella, and Ashurd followed and nodded their heads as they left. “I hope you can forgive my husband’s brutish behavior,” Endosa said as she drug Valdar from the tent by his ear.
“Oh no, don’t even worry about it Endosa. We just really have to continue on our mission, that’s all,” Yuralia said. “Oh and by the way, I left you guys a parting gift just outside the courtyard.”
“Thanks again,” Uriella waved as Andrum and Ashurd were already on their way out of town. Yuralia and Uriella caught up to them quickly, and Uriella asked, “What did you leave them?”
“Oh I just conjured up a few supplies for them, I usually do that whenever I come to visit,” Yuralia said as the gang set out once more, this time to return home.
Chapter 23
Gallagher could tell he struck a nerve with Valdar by mentioning Valden’s mother, but he wanted to know more. But before he could even ask his next question, Valdar was already beginning to speak. “Endosa, she was the love of my life…” he said before standing up and nearly stumbling into the fire. “But she was murdered shortly after Valden was born.”
“How awful,” Gallagher said looking over at Valden who had his head down.
“Our village was a sanctuary, a safe haven for Nifflarian and Tilturian alike. We didn’t involve ourselves in the conflicts between races and even took Márnamians in as ‘slaves’. Our pe
ople had already conquered the Márns and drove them from the lands, so the only way my sweet Endosa could save them was if we used them as servants. The other Tilturian clans didn’t like this much, which is partially why none of them helped when the Salker Tribe attacked,” Valdar said as he stared into the fire.
“All I can remember was being completely terrified. Everyone I had ever known was just slaughtered by the Tilturians, but then it was them shortly afterwords who were protecting me from the Village Niffs,” Omna said.
“It was originally one of the Village Niffs who had helped me create our village after the Márn war, so I had just assumed all Nifflarians were that kind,” Valdar said.
“When you assume you make and ass out of u and me,” Gallagher said as he tried to lighten the mood.
“Ha-ha, good one Gallagher the White. I like that…. We decided to name my village Tindu, as it meant ‘safehaven’ in native Nifflarian tongue, however it was anything but safe the night that Endosa died. It all started when a small group of Niffs came into the village with a few minor injuries. They said that they were wounded while hunting, so my wife took them in and started to fix them up. I thought nothing of it at the time, something I have regretted for the rest of my life,” Valdar explained.
“You had no way of knowing Master,” Omna said as she stood and walked over to comfort him.
Valdar nearly backhanded her as he turned around, “No!” he roared. “I should have known better than to trust a group of complete strangers. I was young and naïve. By the time I came back in with more medical supplies, they had already slit her throat. I… I tried to save her, I tried everything, but as she took her final breath in my arms she told me not to be angry. Not to allow her death to change the way I felt, and to continue on with the legacy of saving people. But after that night, my village’s name stood as a constant reminder to me of what happens to those who try to offer sanctuary for all.”
Gallagher’s own feelings overtook him, and he could feel the pain in Valdar’s heart. “What happened to those guys who killed her?” he asked.