The Unending Saga Of Percival The Pig

At The North Point

The Lexters relaxed for a few days, and they all tried to put the thought of the journey away from their minds. The winter was cold enough, and the thought of travelling to the North Point was not something that any of them looked forward to with any great joy. 

The wind was cold enough, and they shivered in their homes as the winter wind howled with anger through the Black Forest, and through their little village. It seemed more severe than normal, a reminder of the journey that they had to embark on.

Four days after the announcement by Sindar The Elder, they gathered round at Brindar's home, eating and drinking slowly. The fire burned in the fireplace, and cast warm shadows around the room. The mood was sombre, though they tried to liven it up by singing a few of the old traditional songs, and by dancing a few jigs.

Finally, the fire started to go down, and the warm shadows were steadily being replaced by darker ones; dark shadows that seemed to reflect the dark mood that pervaded all of them.  

The door suddenly creaked open, and Sindar The Elder was standing outside. He was cloaked in thick furs, and his faced seemed impassive in the howling wind that raged outside.

"We need to leave", he announced abruptly. "We have the furs for all of you, but there is no time to lose. We will leave within the hour".

Brindar stumbled outside, and found Lextra, Sindar The Elder's wife standing outside. She was standing by a cart that was piled high with thick furs.

The time for the journey had come upon them, and they all set out within the hour, as had been commanded to them.

 It was the middle of the night, and they all set off, in the raging wind.  The night was dark, and they all found the going tough. The wind blew strongly against them. Every step was difficult, and there were times when thin pine needles were blown into their faces. Sindar The Elder did not pause, however, and they walked through the night.

Finally, day arrived, and they crawled into a cave to sleep. The cave was dark, and damp. Rats scurried around them and competed with them for the food that they were carrying. 

"Nasty, horrible things" , grumbled Sindar as a big, furry fellow threatened to take a big bite out of his finger. 

Finally, they slept. Sleep, however, was not peaceful. They were troubled by dreams, and by the rats crawling over their faces. 

They walked on through the night again, and the pattern was repeated for the next few days. On the fourth day, their food had run out, and they caught, bar-be-cued and ate the rats for food. 

Eventually, they arrived at the North Point. Here, it was dark and cold. The air itself seemed to be frozen, and the winds even more fierce and vengeful. The ground was icy, and the cold seeped through their boots. 

As they hugged their bodies to themselves, and huddled together, they suddely heard Sindat The Elder utter the dreaded words, "Now, we strip to the bone. We shall meditate upon The Four Winds, and we shall await their mercy".

They all groaned with the agony of the thought, but there was no other recourse, but to strip. Men and women alike were naked in their skins, and they sat close to each other on the icy ground. 

The ground, the iced over grass, seemed to stick to their skins. Sindar The Elder commanded them to sit cross legged on the ground, and to fold their hands to their chests. They closed their eyes.

Sindar The Elder, and Lextra chanted a mantra. Their tone was soft, soothing, as they slowly chanted and swayed. After a while, Lextra got up, and held out her hand to Uma, as pulled her gently towards her. 

Uma smiled, and chanted a song of the Moon. Lextra chanted a song of the SUn. Soon, chants of the Moon, the Sun intermingled with chants of the winds, and for four days and nights the three of them chanted. 

As they chanted, warmth seemed to flow through the bodies of the Lexters, and the rhythm flowed through their bodies. The men seemed to have more of the wind chants in them, and the women seemed to have more of the moon chants. The Sun chants pervaded all of them

Finally, and no one knew when, four men and two women stood before them. They looked on at the Lexters, then at Sindar The Elder, and at Lextra and Uma. 

"Speak", they commanded in unison. "What is it you want?"

The Lexters stood up, in wonder, and looked at the five. 

They were all tall.

One was white, with silvery hair, and an icy look in his eyes. He was The North Wind.

The other was more brown, with warmer eyes, eyes that could easily blow hot. He was the South Wind. 

The Third was fair, with yellow hair, and blue eyes. He blew the sea, and could create storms. Yet, he could blow a gentle breeze that sent a song through the grasses. He was the West Wind.

The Fourth was also brown and swarthy. He could conjure up dust storms in the desert, yet he could also send a calming breeze through the lands. He was the East Wind. 

The First Lady, was silvery and shimmering. She was the Moon, and she smiled at Uma. 

The Second Lady was golden in colour, and she was the Sun.

Sindar The Elder spoke. He spoke of the trials and tribulations of the Lexters, the machinations of Threye, and their fears of the impending changes in the world. 

The six listened impassively, and then said, "We are forces of Nature, and we do not interfere in the ways of those who live upon this earth. It is not our nature to take sides in any battle. We cannot help you at all."

The Lexters, inexplicably, seemed crushed by it all. 

Sindar The Elder looked on, and merely said. "We understand, My Ladies, and My Lords. We do not wish for you to take our side against any one. We merely ask you to protect the Natural Order of the World, when called upon to do so. I fear that the time will come when the Natural Order will be threatened. When this happens, it is possible that someone with extraordinary powers, or someone who has unleashed something terrible, will come forward. We know not who, we know not how, but we know this in our bones. It will happend, and when this happens, we will hope that you will come to the rescue of this land."

The North Wind looked at Sindar The Elder, and said. "Come, we shall talk."

Lextra and Uma accompanied the Four Winds, The Sun and The Moon into the dark night, and the Lexters were left to their own devices. 

The ground seemed to be even more icy, the winds even more vengeful. Icy winds, hot winds, dusty storms, and shards of ice seemed to flow around them in whorls, and they felt as if they were being torn to pieces. They screamed in agony, and they called out for mercy. They swore to be strong, they wanted to die. Yet, the desire to live was stronger than anything else, and they finally held on to the tenacity of hope.

Finally, the winds died down, the grass softened, and a gentle sun rose in the sky. Naked they were, yet they were thankful for their nakedness, as the warm sun, and the warm sun gave them comfort, a comfort that they had forgotten.

In the distance, they saw Sindar The Elder, Lextra and Uma approaching. They were smiling... 

Back In Ice And Snow

The Lexters had, in the meanwhile, sailed home. They were indeed sad to leave their friends. They had all gone through much together, and they were despondent for the first few days. 

Brindar pulled himself together at length, and called a meeting one evening. 

"It is time", he said, "For us to stop moping about our friends. I have been talking with Thar here, and Thar has a very good sense in his bones. He told me yesterday, that we will meet our old friend again. The path will be difficult, but we will all meet in happier circumstances."

He paused, took a deep breath, then went on.

"

We have been through much pain together, and much sorrow. We will go through more pain and sorrow. I can only foresee that the next days will be dark indeed. However, there is light again, at the end of the tunnel, and I am convinced that, if we have faith in our hearts, the days of sorrow and pain will pass. The sun will shine again, and joy will sweep through this world again." "Yet, this means, that we not only have to be steadfast and true, we must be strong together. My father gave us these Spirit Rings, and they will come to our aid, when the time is right. Now drink, my friends, for tomorrow we arrive at home." There were loud cheers, and the room glowed warm in the waning light. The glow that came from the lamps was reflected in the heart of each man and woman in the room, and the wooden floors, the paintings that hung on the floor, all seemed to be gladdened by the prospects of happier days to come. Their ship sped through the water, and the moonlight reflected warmly on the ocean's water, as they neared home. Early the next morning, when they landed on the shores of The Land of Ice and Snow, a warm welcome awaited them. Heralds had warned the village of their homecoming, and Sindar the Elder and the rest of them welcomed them with great joy in their hearts. Winter had come around again. Many months had passed since the last battle in the Land of Ice and Snow, and everyone seemed to be just a little older (not more) than when they left them. The day was spent in merry making, and over the next few days, the returning Lexters did nothing but recover, rest, eat and be merry. When they were well rested, Sindar the Elder called Brindar, Thar, Sindar, and Rollo to his side. Indu accompanied them. She and Rollo were inseparable. "Come", said Sindar The Elder. "Let's share the news". Brindar told the other Lexters of the days and the adventures that they had had. As they listened, Sindar the Elder had his eyes closed. He seemed to be meditating, as he listened to the tales of the adventures of the days that had passed. When the tale was done,he opened his eyes, and said. "Threye is gathering armies to rule the world. There will be battles, and the fate of the world will depend on the forces who win. We, our side, have small forces. We need to gather some friends about us" "Who, father, are you talking about?", asked Brindar. "The Black Forest, for one", said Sindar the Elder. "But, the Black Forest has it's own way", said Thar. "They will listen to Rollo this time. And, they will listen to Indu" "Who else?", asked SIndar. "We need to journey North for a few days", replied Sindar The Elder. "You, Brindar will come with me. And, you Sindar. And you, Thar. All of you will come with me, and we will take our wives. We will need to travel North, where the four corners of the world meet. We will meditate naked in the freezing snow. When we are ready, The Four Winds will come, and we will importune them for help..."

It Is Done...

Erisa and Mama Kuko went out for a walk after breakfast, to explore the town. They had, since the previous evening, suddenly become very chummy indeed, and as they almost seemed to be sisters,as they wandered the streets together. 

As the days passed, Erisa would drop by at Loona's home amd spend time with her parents. She was sympathetic, and solicitious in her demeanour. Nothing seemed to suggest that she may have deeper motves behind these visits. She would talk to them of Loona, listening deeply, suggesting gently that, maybe, Loona needed some stronger treatment. As the days went by, she slowly suggested that maybe, just maybe, Loona would benefit from a change of scene.

"What do you mean?", asked Deem.

"Loona has been in this environment for a long time, and her health has not improved", replied Erisa. "Would you think that, if one of her aunts took her for a trip, maybe to a sea resort, or to the wonderful hills you have, that the sounds of nature would soothe her, and hasten her recovery? I think we should do what is best for her..." 

Erisa's voice trailed off quietly, and she looked down at the floor.

"Parting from your child would be so very difficult", she murmured quietly. "I understand.... But maybe, a change would bring your daughter back to you....."

Soon, it was decided, and Loona left for the hills, never to return.... 

Erisa's conversations with Regus and Regina continued, and soon the conversations at tea time became a fixture in the daily routine of the Royal Couple. Regus would sometimes reschedule his meetings, in order to talk with Erisa, despite her gentle protests. Her protests were never too strong, however, and the conversations continued. 

The topics ranged from the deeply philosophical, to the mundane; from governance, to economics; from the banal to the mystical; from pacific to militaristic.

As the days went by, Erisa gently insinuated that Regus would benefit from a stronger defence, and that he would benefit from alliances with strong kingdoms. Regus had never considered this for one moment in the past. He and his kingdom had been so happy and content with their lot that they had never seriously considered the world outside. 

Now, he began to think. How would it be, if he could extend the boundaries of his kingdom, if he could benefit other peoples by his method of governance. Happiness and peace would spread throughout the world, and he would be revered. 

However, he had never gone beyond his boundaries before, and had no idea what he would do if he ever went beyond his own kingdom. He would need a strong alliance. 

One day he called a meeting of his chief ministers, and discussed his thought with them. 

Some of them were intrigued, and many were appalled. There was a division in the ranks, and some of his ministers came outopenly against him.

"His mind has been poisoned by that lady"

"He has gone mad"

"Power? What will we do with power over other people? No, this is not the way to go.."

These were some of the milder thoughts that occupied the minds of some of his more outspoken ministers. Soon the dissension spread, and the differences were irreconcilable.

Regus was stunned. This had never happened before. Then, he was angered, and became stubborn and rigid in his approach. He summoned the council before him one morning.

"We will start the process of building our army, and of building alliances. All those who do not wish to join me, can leave..."

Soon afterwards, in the dead of night, a ship sailed out of the Valley, carrying the rebellious ministers, and their supporters. The families of these people, the families that stayed behind were imprisoned.

The mood in the Valley had changed. It appeared as if a dark and heavy cloud had fallen on the land. The colours were muted, and the Valley seemed to turn grey.

Mama Kuko watched this, and was dismayed. She was disappointed in the change that had come over Regus. This was not something that she expected, and she spent many days talking to people, to see how she could bring peace back to the Valley, but somehow the fissures had run very deep, very quickly. 

She came to Erisa, troubled. Erisa spoke to her, and her countance mirrored the sadness in Mama Kuko's eyes. She spoke about how she had tried her best to council Regus.

"The Queen, Regina, has also left", she moaned. "I never expected this to happen".

Tears ran down Erisa's face as she spoke, and she turned away from Mama Kuko, saying "The people blame me, and all I ever wanted, was a place to stay for a few days before I was to continue my journey..."

Mama Kuko started in surprise. "Are you leaving?", she asked.

"No, no", replied Erisa. "How can I leave the King alone in his hour of mystery? Come sister, let's go and council him.."

The two women left, and went to Mama Kuko. Erisa spent more and more time with Regus, even staying in his apartments until late at night. The King was slowly becoming more and more militant as the days went by, and the gleam of war had entered his eyes. 

One day, Erisa spoke to him of Threye...

Mama Kuko spent more and more of her days alone. She became more dependent on Erisa, and yet seemed to be angered by events that were taking place around her. Her voice was no longer honoured the way that it used to be, and the anger grew deeply inside her.

The sun was setting one day, and as she climbed a hill to find a quiet place to think, she came upon Erisa, who was sitting alone, looking into the setting sun. She seemed to be talking to herself. Mam Kuko crept up quietly, and heard Erisa whispering. 

"The Medicine Woman brews. The Medicine Woman brews the potent medicines. The Medicine Woman...."

Suddenly she stopped and started. She turned around and saw Mama Kuko standing beside her. 

She smiled, a strange smile. "Mama Kuko, you startled me. I was looking into the sun, and I suddenly had a vision of you as the Medicine Woman.."

"Who is this Medicine Woman?", asked Mama Kuko

"You woule be her..", replied Erisa.

"And, what potions does she brew?"

"This is something, I think you know", replied Erisa, her mouth twisting strangely. "The answer is deep inside you. Perhaps, you need to meditate upon this."

"Very well", answered Mama Kuko. "I will, now, retire to the Grey Caves, behind this hill and meditate. When I have the answer, and only then, will I emerge from the Grey Caves."

Saying this, she left. 

Friendship Deepens

Over the next few

At The Valley. Seduction Begins

Erisa smiled at Mama Kuko, and said. "Well Mama, I did not come explicitly to meet you, but Threye did say you may be here. I really came to make friendship with Regus."

"Why?", asked Mama Kuko. She was startled indeed. She had expected that Erisa had come all the way from Mrod to meet her. She was not too pleased that the main objective of Erisa's visit was Regus and not her. Was she feeling the first pricks of a hurt ego? Time indeed would tell. 

The two of them passed the better part of an hour talking of this and that, and then they retired for the night.

The next day, Mama Kuko invited Erisa to go with her when she was to visit Loona. When Loona saw the two of them approaching her, she screamed in panic.

"The Terrible Trinity cometh, The Terrible Trinity cometh", she screamed. The onlookers looked on in fear and wonder. Was this another round of possession, or was this the portend of things to come? The air was still, as Loona kept on screaming and pulling her hair out. 

"Oh dear", sighed Mama Kuko. "It looks like the poor dear has been possessed again."

As she sat down to begin her treatment of Loona, Erisa wandered off back to the Palace. As she walked back, she looked around at the streets, the houses and the shops. She noticed that everything was very well looked after. There was a very - social - atmosphere on the streets, as people sat at the cafes, and sipped their drinks with a relaxed air. 

"They certainly seem to be on very friendly terms with each other", she thought. "The shops and houses are quaint, but very well maintained. I like the flowers and the plants that seem to be hanging out of every balcony and window. They are a happy people. I wonder how this will change in the future."

She walked up the cobblestoned streets upto the Palace. The Palace gleamed in the warm afternoon sunlight, and all the colours reflected a richness that most places that she had visited simply lacked. The paint on the gates of the Palace were fresh, the colours bright and rich. Everything was calm, relaxed. There was no sense that things would change. 

"Altogether very happy," she thought. "Regus certainly seems to have been a good king. I wonder if they even have an army. They do seems to be an optimistic people....... After the illness that has ravaged this place....."

As she entered the gates, Regus greeted her at the main hall, and asked with a smile, "How do you like our poor country?"

"I certainly like it very much", replied Erisa with a smile. "I could imagine that you are a very good, very warm king indeed. Your subjects cannot be so happy, unless their king is good..."

"Well, why don't you come and have some tea with me, and then you can tell me about your first impressions." he replied. 

As the two of them went to a small ante-chamber, tea and crumpets were brought in. The two of them launched into an animated conversation, discussing his philosophy of kingship, and how his people were so happy. Erisa hung on his every word. She had her chin in her hand, as she looked deep into his eyes. She seemed to be completely fascinated by everything he had to say, and certainly her questions and the gay look in her eyes only served to strengthen this impression. 

They spoke for a long time, and after a while the Queen came in to join them. She was a pleasant enough lady, if not particularly impressive otherwise. Regina was her name, and she clearly doted on the King. Certainly nothing in Erisa's manner indicated anything other than the deepest respect and admiration for the King. Her decorum was faultless, and she only seemed to be intent on listening to the King's words. 

Dinner was soon served. Mama Kuko came in looking tired, and she seemed a bit disturbed by the quick intimacy that seemed to have sprung up between the royal couple and Erisa. 

After dinner, Erisa invited Mama Kuko back to her chambers. She washed Mama Kuko's feet, massaged her neck and shoulders, and asked about her day. As Mama Kuko spoke of the day, the cures that she had created for Loona, Erisa was nothing but the picture of attention and concern. 

Gradually, the conversation shifted to their past experiences. Mama Kuko spoke of the cures that she had done for people, her falling into the well of arrogance, her capture and her rescue. She dwelt briefly on how Percival and Jenna had been cured in Lavonia. Erisa was standing behind her, gently massaging her neck, and so she missed the sudden fire that flashed from Erisa's eyes. Caution never left Erisa, however, as she only paused ever so briefly in her massage. 

Erisa spoke of her adventures, but she spoke of them in terms of glory, in terms of bringing many people to liberation, of introducing them to higher values and superior ways of doing things. The people that the Mrodics had enslaved were portrayed, gently, as people who had been liberated. Those who had been betrayed were portrayed as people who's eyes had been opened and, all in all, while she did not do too much to hide the bloodshed, the blood was portrayed as a necessarry sacrifice that had to be undertaken.

Mama Kuko was far too shrewd to believe Erisa's soft words, yet something in the manner in which Erisa combined the massage with her words; the gentle, warm lighting in the room made Mama Kuko a little less vigilant than she would normally have been. When she retired for the night, her dreams of Erisa were rather more kindly than they would have normally have been.

The next morning, when the two women met, it was with warmth and affection. They looked at each other, hugged, and went down for breakfast arm in arm. 

Erisa had taken the first step towards forming deep friendships in the Valley of the Kings...

Arrival. The Valley Of The Kings

Mama Kuko arrived at the Valley of The Kings, and was accorded a warm welcome by Regus. She was happy, very happy to be back. She felt wanted, and she felt good. 

There was no real problem that was raging through the Valley, and she was free to come and go as she pleased. She explored the places that she had always wanted to visit with her old friends, and she found herself feted wherever she went. 

While she retained the humility of a healer, she could not help feeling that this was her home away from home. Dinner was often had with the royal family, who treated her with great respect and affection. 

There was, one day, a case where she was called to assist. It appeared that the daughter of one of her dear friends had fallen prey to, what seemed to be some sort of demonic possession. The young woman was tearing her hair out, foaming at the mouth, biting and hissing at anyone who came close to her. Her eyes were glaring, mad, wild and dangerous. She would, from time to time, break off into some sort of demonic laughter, and would speak in strange tongues. When they could glean what meaning they could from her wild rambling, it appeared as if she was screaming about the changes to the world order, about the rise of a Terrible Trinity, a Terrible Trinity that would be born in the Valley, at the end of the current world order. 

Melkus, her father and Deem, her mother, were in tears at the raging of their daughter, and pleaded with Mama Kuko to help. 

When Mama Kuko approached Loona, as the girl was called, she looked deep into her eyes..... and stopped. Mama Kuko turned pale, as Loona looked deep into Mama Kuko's eyes, and laughed a demonic laugh. She turned away from Mama Kuko, as if she was the enemy. 

Mama Kuko sighed, and turned to her friends and said, "this will take some time. I need to go back to my palace, and get some medicines for your daughter."

"The Kings Palace, you mean", laughed Melkus.

"Yes, of course,", said Mama Kuko with a smile, but as she walked back to the palace, she seemed lost in thought. There were occassional flashes that seemed to shoot from her eyes, as she looked down at the road, as she trode swiftly on the road towards the palace. 

Regus met her at the entrance.

"What is it Mama?", he asked with a sad and troubled look. He had heard about the wild ramblings of the young girl, and was much disturbed by it. 

"Loona seems possessed by some strange demon", said Mama Kuko. "I need to exorcise the demon from her body".

The days that followed were long indeed, for Mama Kuko. She laboured long and hard. Medicines were administered to the young girl. Prayers were uttered, and incense sticks were burned. 

Finally, after almost a month, the Demon seemed to have left Loona, and she seemed to be a calm young girl again. Yet, she would not go close to Mama Kuko, the old lady who had healed her. There was some sort of aversion that she seemed to feel towards Mama Kuko, some strange fear that seemed to push her away. 

Mama Kuko sighed, and one evening as she was talking to Deem, she simply said, "How she feels towards me is not important. What is important, is that the Demon has left her."

"Yes", said Deem. But, she looked at Mama Kuko with a troubled eye. This was indeed the first time that someone in the Valley had turned away from Mama Kuko. 

The conversation with Deem and Melkus was short and troubled. Mama Kuko was, anyway, exhausted, and she walked back to the Palace in deep thought. Her dreams were troubled that night. 

The Terrible Trinity is all she kept thinking about. 

A few days later, the town was all agog with excitement, as a silver ship pulled up ashore. The SilverGull, it was called. 

From it emerged a beautiful woman with three eyes. Her eyes were deep blue, and her hair was black. Her skin was white, yet a white that had a healthy glow. 

Regus welcomed her to his palace. The lady seemed to have a regal bearing, and she carried herself as a princess would. 

Dinner that night was a gay and happy affair. It was the first happy dinner since Loona had fallen ill. Erisa regaled the Royal Family and Mama Kuko with stories of her land. Regus looked on at her with unabashed admiration. Were it not for the presence of his wife, one gets the impression that he would have been rather more gallant than required. 

After dinner, Mama Kuko invited Erisa to go for a walk. As they strolled, they talked of this and that, and finally Mama Kuko pointed to a bench under the moonlight sky and said, "Come, let's sit and talk".

Drawing Erisa close to she sat on the bench, looked straight at Erisa and asked straight out.

"What news of your father, Threye?"

"Threye is well", said Erisa. "He sends his greetings".

"What are his plans?"

"I know not", replied Erisa. "I am his daughter, yet his plans are often unknown to me"

Mama Kuko smiled, and said."I think that he wanted you to meet me", she said.

 

At The Throne Room. Back To Mrod

Back at the Throne Room the next morning, BlackHeart and Icy Death spoke about the events of the previous days. They were worried about what would happen in the future. While they were not, in any way, gifted with foresight, they were troubled. Something told them that the future would be dramatically different from what they expected. 

They were smug in the knowledge that only the winds knew their secret weakness, and yet could an ill-wind blow their way?

"I wonder what Threye has in his mind,' commented Icy Death. "I have never trusted him, and I never will"

"Neither will I", said BlackHeart, "but staying here would be pointless. Events have been set in motion, and the world will never be the same. We cannot afford to sit quietly. We need to participate in the shaping of the world, else the world will shape us..."

"Yes, I agree, " commented IcyDeath. "Yet, the question that burns in my brain is this one: did we make the right decision? Did we choose the correct side?"

"Time will tell", replied BlackHeart. "But, though we have taken a decision, and this decision is final, my heart is heavy. I know not where the future will take us. My vision is blurred, and the future looks dark indeed...."

"Yes, and I have ice indeed, in my heart..."

 The discussion wore on for the better part of the morning, leaving the royal couple feeling glum. The mood was despondent in the Throne Room, and finally they sat there in silence, not talking to each other. Their eyes were fixed on the floor, each lost in their own thoughts. Their minds were far apart from each other, each looking into the future in their own disctinct way. 

Suddenly, BlackHeart stood up, and said abruptly, "Sitting here, wondering what is going to happen, is not going to help us. Let's start putting our forces together. We need to take charge of our own destiny, and see where it leads us".

IcyDeath looked up at him, and then stood up. Hand in hand, the two of them walked out of the Throne Room, into the sunny day outside. 

Preparations for their departure had begun.

Back in Mrod, Azazel and Erisa were locked together in a passionate embrace in their home. They had just finished making love, and were lying in bed, passionately clinging to each other. The future had weighed heavily on their heads, but somehow, as the days passed, their moods seemed to lighten. The future was going to be bright, but it was going to be far more different from what they had experienced in the past. However, whatever the future was to bring, it would ensure that the two of them would be together for a long time, and that they would play a much more prominent rolw in shaping events than thay had done in the past.

The day was calm, the day was bright, and the two of them did not leave their home. They would be apart soon enough, and they wanted to savour every last moment that they had together. 

The next morning, they went to see Threye. As they entered his room, their eyes were bright, their backs straight, and their gaits light. 

Threye looked at the two of them, smiled and spoke.

"It is now time for the two of you to be apart for the next few months. I hope that your time of separation will be short, but that depends on how events shape over the next weeks and months. I do not think that The Little Birds have any special powers, or any special gifts. Yet, they seem to go from strength to strength. They seem to gather allies along the way, and they need to be crushed before they get to the CyfarrWynds. The two of you now need to depart on your appointed tasks."

He paused, then went on. 

"You, Erisa, will take a ship and travel to the Valley of the Kings. There, you will meet the King. His name is Regus. He owes much to my old friend from Lavonia, Mama Kuko. Mama Kuko belongs to the ancient sect of healers, and they are by and large incorruptible. Mama Kuko is strong. She is powerful, despite her frail appearance. Yet she, once, was corrupted, and captured. And, she was rescued by the Little Birds. She owes much to them. I believe that she can be corrupted once again. Erisa, once you reach The Valley, I want you to bring Regus over to our side. Then, I want you to apply your wiles to bring Mama Kuko over to our side. Only you can do this........ only you"

"Azazel, like I have told you before, you need to re-enter the Dungeon of Thron. You will pass through dangers, the like of which you cannot imagine. If you think that the last time was difficult, then all I can say, is that that will seem like a walk on the beach. You need to get to Thron. No one but I have met Thron before. If you do indeed meet Thron, you must importune him to unleash the Powers of Chaos, and to entrust them within you. You will become The Lord of Chaos. If you are successful, you will be my key ally in The Final Battle."

There was silence, and then Threye went on. "Remember, Azazel, if you are not successful, you will die, and Erisa will become a widow...."

"I shall not fail, Lord Threye", said Azazel. "I am prepared for this task, and I will succeed."

Turning to Erisa, he said "Fare ye well, my love. We shall meet again."

Erisa looked deep into his eyes, and said. "Yes, we shall meet on the eve of The Final Battle. We shall fight together, and we shall live long together."

Turning to Threye, they said, in unison, "We are ready"

The dies were being cast...

 

A Debate. And, A Decision

Time froze, and Dragor could only look into BlackHeart's eyes with fear. He could not move his eyes from the burning white light that shone through from BlackHeart. 

Bessie was looking at Dragor, and IcyDeath was looking at Bessie with amused cruelty in her eyes. The Trolls conveyed expression only through their eyes. Their facial muscles hardly ever moved at all, and this could convey fear more effectively than any shouting, or any other expression. 

From deep inside, Dragor heard a voice say, "I would have you fight on our side." He tried his best to quell the voice, but it rose, unbidden and uncontrollable, through his body. And then, the words were out.

BlackHeart looked at him. The fire was quelled, and replaced by amusement, an amusement that conveyed that the time for the baiting game had started. He would bait his prey, toy with him, before consuming him. 

"Pray why?", asked BlackHeart very softly. "Didn't you hear our story? Why should we throw in our lot with Threye and his devious crew? We have been taken in once, do we need to be taken in twice?"

"This time, Threye is gathering armies", said Dragor. "Many armies"

"He had done the same before,", said IcyDeath

"Well,", said Bessie. "What do you have to lose? I am sure that, if you do not throw in your lot with him, and he wins all the battles, as he will; then, he will wage war against you."

"Ah, but Threye does not know how to defeat us", said BlackHeart. "His powers have no effect on us. So tell me, my dear, why indeed, should we throw in our lot with you? Why have you thrown in your lot with someone who is powerful and trecherous?"

"Well," said Bessie. "I have thrown in my lot with Dragor. I go where he goes"

"So you?", asked BlackHeart.

"Well", retorted Dragor. "What do you have to lose. Yes, you have been cheated once, and this has made you distrustful. You fear that you will be cheated again. But you",  he continued, looking at IcyDeath "lost a brother and a sister  the last time that you stood by Threye's side. I can imagine that it would make you angry. But, does it mean that you need to shut yourselved away for 1,ooo years?"

There was silence, as they all looked at each other. The Troll King and Queen were a bit surprised. They had not expected this sort of a retort.

"What makes you think we have been shutting ourselves away for 1,000 years?", asked IcyDeath. Her eyes had taken on a hard glitter, and it appeared as if she would crush Bessie, who was sitting by her feet.

"You have", said Dragor. "Why else have you been here for 1,000 years? You were betrayed, you losy siblings, yet you chose to move away. Why? Is it because you knew, at some level deep inside you, that you could not defeat Threye? Is it because some strange weakness overcame you at the thought of revenge. Does Threye indeed know some fatal weakness that you may possess?"

"We have no weakness that Threye knows off. As I mentioned to you, we can be hard and cruel, but not wantonly so. We do not wish power for the sake of power.."

"Then you will stay here, while the world changes around you. The world order will change, mark my words. And, what will become of you? You will fade..."

"And, what news of my friend Azazel?", suddenly asked BlackHeart.

Dragor paused, took a deep breath, and went on slowly.

"I don't know exactly, but he is to enter The Dungeon of Thron. Should he survive, he will awaken the powers of chaos. He has to harness them...."

BlackHeart suddenly stood up, and put his hand out. "Stop", he said. "Leave us now.."

Bessie and Dragor were taken back to their cell, and they pondered the meaning of this sudden dismissal. They were, at one level, merely happy that they had lived to see another day.

Back in the Throne Room, the Royal couple discussed this new development with unease. They knew that Erisa had been commissioned to go to the Valley of The King, and they wondered the meaning of this. However, Azazel being sent to awaken The Powers of Chaos was an event that they had not catered for. This was indeed a change that could be cataclysmic for everyone. They wondered the ultimate effect of this on Threye himself.

They knew that, despite his mastery of games, there was a deep rage that flowed beneath the surface of Azazel's skin. The Powers of Chaos, in his hands, would be dangerous indeed. The world order could indeed change more than anyone could imagine. They debated through the night.

The questions that they asked each other were simple indeed: should they stand by Threye's side for howsoever long they needed, or should they bring up the defences around their land and make it invisible.

Close to midnight, they called a council. The trolls gathered round the fire, and the drums rang out once again. They drums asked the question - would the Trolls stand by the King and the Queen through thick and thin. The decison that had been taken was a difficult one indeed, and the Trolls needed to stand by the decision with all their hearts. There would be no going back, once the die was cast. 

By morning, they had their answer. The Trolls would fight again, by Threye's side, yet they would remain ever vigilant. There would be no more betrayal. They would not ask for any price. 

Bessie and Dragor were summoned to the Throne Room one more time, and as they stood there in trepidation, they heard the decision, that the Trolls would fight alongside Threye one more time. 

Bessie would fight in the Trolls army, and Dragor would fight alongside the Matted Giants. The two armies would form one front of Threye's army. 

The die was indeed being cast.. 

 

An Old Story

The next morning, Dragor and Bessie were woken up early, and taken to the Throne Room. BlackHeart and White Death were waiting for them. 

When WhiteDeath smiled, a chill went through Bessie's and Dragor'd hearts. The smile was a cruel smile, even though it was an incredibly beautiful one. Unlike BlackHeart, who's mouth was filled with sharp teeth, WhiteDeath's mouth was filled with regular teeth. She was incredibly beautiful, but she inspired dread, not love in all but BlackHeart.

"Come, my pretty one," she said to Bessie. "Sit with me, and your lover over there can sit with BlackHeart"

"The story", began BlackHeart, "is over one thousand years old. It took place at a time when there were many wars, and new battle lines were being drawn. The wars would result in the annihilation of many people, and would signal the rise of Threye as the undisputed power of the time. There were all sorts of creatures in the various battles, and some were very strong indeed. Threye was discovering the powers of his magic, but had not yet learned to control it with the finesse he posssesses today"

"There was, I remember, a battle for the eastern shores of a land far from here. The land was populated by huge giants.."

"The Matted Giants?", asked Dragor, wonder written all over his face.

"No, the Matted Giants are little creatures compared to these ones. They were fierce, and they were bloodthirsty. Yet, they liked their food and they liked their drink. Early one morning, when they were still sleeping, after a drunken orgy, Threye and the Mrodics attacked them. They had landed quietly on the eastern shores, and had made their way to the centre of the island where the giants lived. This is where they attacked."

"The injuries inflicted on the sleeping giants were fierce indeed. Threye was drunk with the power of his magic, and the Mrodics were following him, laughing, drunk with the power of the moment. They slashed and cut as they moved through the sleeping Giants. Threye was discovering the power of the bolts of fire he could shoot from his hand, and the fire burnt the wounds of the Giants."

"After a while the Giants started to wake up. Their rage, it seems, was terrible to behold, as they picked up the Mrodics and started to manhandle them. Many were eaten straight away. Others were trampled under foot, and the destruction, I have been told, was terrible to behold."

"They were then driven back. Those that managed to escape and hide made it back. They were in terrible disarray, and Threye himself was severely wounded in the carnage created by the Giants. They reached the eastern shore of the Giant's land, and wondered what to do. After much debate, they decided to return to Mrod, to recoup, gather new allies and to make another attack. They left, but only barely. Their boats left at night, as the Giants had destroyed all their ships. It was months before they returned home, and a sorry lot it was that returned."

"Those days, there was another king of Mrod. Slather was his name, and he put Threye in chains, for returning in shame. Threye was shamed, and as he burned in his ignominy, he plotted his revenge. At this time, Threye learned the art of soft seduction, and with some winning arguments, he managed to escape the prison. In the dead of night, he approached Slather's home, and after slaughtering the guards, he slaughtered Slather and his family. He then pronounced himself the Ruler of Mrod, and has remained so ever since."

BlackHeart paused. There was silence in the room. Then IcyDeath continued the story.

"Soon afterwards, Threye came across to our land, and petitioned our help. We were promised the lands of the Giants, and we were promised much more besides. We only had to help him win dominion over the land of the Giants."

"Simple as we were those days, we agreed. We soon formed an army, lead by the Mrodics, and creatures from other lands. We landed on the Eastern shore of the land of the Giants. Once again, things went badly, and the armies were driven back to the eastern shore. The Giants were set to drive the armies into the sea, to perish once and for all. At that time, Threye looked at us, and asked us to form a wall, to protect them, so that they could launch a counter attack from behind us. Threye, once again, reminded us of his promise."

"We formed a hard wall, with sharp, edges. Our weapons became harder and sharper, and as the Giants dashed against us, they were bruised, and cut. For a long while they would not retreat, and it seemed as if we would crack with the strain of the repeated attacks by the Giants. Finally, we saw the Giants about to launch a giant ball at us. At that point, one of our own, my brother, broke from the wall, alnd launched himself at the Ball Launcher. The ball fell. It was heavy, very heavy, and as it fell, it fell on my brother, who had fallen back on the leader of the Giants. Both were crushed, and died."

"The distraction caused by the death of the leader of the Giants was the moment that Threye hd been waiting for, and the Mrodics launched spears and bolts of fire at the eyes of the Giants. Soon, all were blinded. The blinded Giants railed about impotently. They still managed to crush many of our army, but at length, they tired. They were then cut down, and after a month of fighting, we had won the Eastern shores. From there on, there was no stopping the Mrodics, and the island was soon theirs. Not a single Giant was spared."

"When we approached Threye for the land, he laughed and said that we had not fulfilled our part of the bargain, that they had won the battle. The land was theirs. However, we were invited to join the celebration feast. During the feast, Threye offered the first cup to my sister. She died, poisoned by Threye."

"BlackHeart, in rage, went up to Threye and said that this was the end of their association. Death would become any Mrodic who approached us."

BlackHeart continued, "From then on, we have had no contact with Threye, though we know of his comings and goings. "

Looking at Dragor, he asked, "Tell me, why should we help you? If your answer does not satisfy us, you will die..."

The Troll King

The Troll King stared down at the frightened pair, and glared at them through his black eyes.

"You seem to be here on some sort of errand", he said, with a snarl. He was tall, muscular, with a head gear that seemed to speak of a man of action and torture. His build was slender, but muscular. The face would have been handsome, were it not for the sharp teeth that filled his mouth when he spoke or smiled. He smiled rarely, and when he did, it was not a smile of mirth. The Troll King was black, and with his black eyes, he looked almost unreal. What appeared to be locks of hair fell down to his shoulders in a tumble. The hair was black.

The Troll King was the only black troll on the Troll Island. The others were in different shades, of yellow, red, grey and brown. As they would discover later, the other troll who was a "pure shade", was the Troll Queen, who was white. It appeared that she was made of white marble, and she was white, with the exception of her eyes, which were black. Together they made a most formidable pair, enough to strike fear into any one who crossed their path.

Unlike trolls of most legends, the trolls of Troll Island were not affected by the sun. They could become stonelike at will. It was difficult to kill them. They had the power of regenerating their limbs, and could transform themselves into rock like formations at will. 

The Troll King and his group of trolls were cruel beyond measure, yet if they gave their word, they were bound by it. They had, in times gone by, a pact with Threye, a pact that Threye did not honour. They had not forgiven him for this act, and wanted redemption from Threye. 

In war, they were indeed formidable. Yet, they had a weakness, a fatal weakness that was kept a close secret. Only the winds, it was whispered, knew of this secret, but the winds do not talk. And so, the Troll King and the Troll Queen slept in peace. 

Dragor and Bessie were bound, gagged and cast into a prison. From time to time they would be given scraps of food to eat, but no liberty was granted to them. They were treated fairly, but treated with great strictness. 

After a few days, they were paraded around through the village where the trolls lived. They were packed into cages, and paraded around like wild, exotic animals. The trolls stopped to look at them to jeer, to speculate on how the two of them would taste as food.

They were then taken back to their prisons, and finally after what seemed to be an eternity, they were taken to the Throne Room of the Troll King and his Queen. 

"My name is too hard for you to pronounce", the Troll King said. "Call me BlackHeart. That is, anyway, what Threye used to call me."

"And, call me WhiteDeath", said the Troll Queen. "Someday, if you ever gain our full trust, we may tell you our real names"

"But enough", said BlackHeart. "Tell me, why did Threye send you here?"

"Threye is gathering an army", said Dragor. "He wishes to destroy a group of people, and then from there, extend his dominion across the world."

"And, did Threye tell you what would happen if I refuse?", asked BlackHeart.

"Yes,", said Bessie. "He said you would kill us, and eat us. However, if we convinced you, then I would lead the Troll Army into battle"

The Troll King and his Queen laughed, and their laughter sent shivers through Bessie and Dragor.

"None may lead The Troll Army but us", said WhiteDeath. "However, you may fight along side us, if we allow you. Tell me, however, the story that you have to tell us, and then we will decide if we want to help you, or not."

Bessie began the story. She had to go back several times, as the King and Queen wanted to hear the story from the beginning. 

It was a long story, made longer by the many frequent interruptions. Finally, however, it was done. 

"I have a question", asked BlackHeart. "You betrayed your husband, and left him for this here Dragor. You desecrated the church where you were married. Why should we help you?"

"I have been true to Dragor since I fell in love with him", said Bessie. " I will never leave him, or betray him. Neither did I leave Percival willingly. It took me a long time, but then when I did fall in love with Dragor, I discovered that this was, indeed, the love of my life. As for the church, yes, that was madness. I have been chastised by Threye, who also disapproved of it.."

"Did he now?", asked WhiteDeath. "Pray.......... why?"

"He feels  that wanton destruction, desecration is unnesecarry. That it wastes energy, that it shows lack of discipline. I have been chastised, and I have had to undergo severe mental training to rectify this."

"Interesting", said BlackHeart. "I sense that there is some fidelity in you, and maybe you both shall live to see another day."

There was silence, as the royal pair looked at the two. Dragor and Bessie, despite the fact that they had been imprisoned, looked calm, collected. They did indeed, almost look dignified. 

"In battle, they shall be a formidable pair", thought BlackHeart. "Whether they live, or die, in battle is yet to be seen. They shall acquit themselves well."

Looking deep into their eyes, he asked. "Do you want to know the story that connects Threye to us?", he asked

"Yes, indeed we would", answered Dragor. 

"Very well then', said Black Heart. "We shall meet again tomorrow, and we shall tell you the story".

"At the end of the story", said WhiteDeath, "we shall ask you a question. If you answer well, we may help you, and allow you to fight alongside us. If not, you shall die by the setting sun. Do you accept these terms?"

"Yes", answered Dragor "We do"

"Sleep well then", said WhiteDeath. "We shall meet again tomorrow"