For the Sake of a Soul: XXV
Tuesday, June 03, 2003 (06:00:19)

Posted by TerishD

The Need for Defiance

The sun had yet to rise, but the sky was no longer completely dark. It was actually a peaceful period. The gaunts were no longer able to exist, and the auskranids had yet to awaken. The group considered resting, but they had not yet found the promised food.

Terdeskollit finds that the situation in which he has placed the group does not simply test them.


The Need for Defiance

The sun had yet to rise, but the sky was no longer completely dark. It was actually a peaceful period. The gaunts were no longer able to exist, and the auskranids had yet to awaken. The group considered resting, but they had not yet found the promised food.

There were smiles as a number of the spider creatures fought a distance away. The God Terdeskollit had warned the group that the larger auskranids were predatory. A few had been noticed at a distance, and Terish and Ferrigote had softly debated who could manage the better shot with a bow. The bearded armored man won the opportunity to make the first ranged attack, and he found himself very pleased with the results. The large sharp footed spider like monster had been wounded and the smell of its inner fluids had brought the other auskranids to finish what the arrow had started.

After a few more missiles flew with various results, the voice of the deity spoke to the group. "That was enjoyable. You are more entertaining when the threat is not immediately upon you."

Terish responded for the group, "Well, we won't be entertaining much longer. We are hungry and in need of rest. We will soon get quite annoying."

"Turn slightly to your right, Terish. It is not that much farther."

The satyr looked to the centaur, then asked the deity, "What have you provided? I will admit that I am hungry enough to eat anything, but certain members require a more specialized diet."

"Meat is difficult at present. The gaunts are creatures of shadow, and the auskranids have negligible muscle fiber. You could survive on the internal substance of the auskranids, but I will not force it on you. Plants are easy, and truthfully a necessary step in restarting my world. There are fruit bushes and grass ahead."

The numerous small spider like creatures were constantly under foot, but they mostly moved about eating the detritus. There were attempts by them to eat the group's footwear or hem of garments, but they were shaken off due to the feel of their pointed feet. The men helped the ladies trim the hem of their dresses. Straekin and Thaunya were from a world with more liberal fashions, but had worn long skirts knowing the philosophies of certain worlds they would travel through. Medalpha was from a world that expected a more conservative style of dress for its ladies, especially from those of distinction who were not yet married, so was slightly embarrassed at having some skin from her lower extremities showing. The men were kind enough with their statements of pleasure of what they saw, and the princess appreciated not having small arachnids upon her, so smiled with the other women and went back to moving.

The fatigued horses almost broke from the group and ran to the grass. The group were as eager as the animals to pause from their march, so did not make the animals wait. The live plants not only made the area seem pleasant, but the small spider like creatures stayed away actually allowing the group to lower their stress level. As the horses were allowed to graze, the others moved to the small wooded plants. They were uncertain of the soft red egg shaped fruit, and looked to Terish for his appraisal. He stared at the fruit for a time, then handed a few to Celatia as he spoke to the air.

"Ilna fruit? Thank you, Terdeskollit. We are not in the mountains though. I thought they would only grow in rocky terrain." Terish explained his words to his companions. "Desiree grew ilna fruit. She lived in a cave in the mountains, but it was simply because it provided a hospitable year round living environment. She worked outside the cave working a grove of these plants."

No return comment was made, so the youthful appearing man found himself to keep talking. "It was late fall when I was brought to Desiree, and she put me to work bedding down the plants for the winter. The next day she worked some magic and turned me into a girl. I was not that old, so the change really was nothing major, but I did not like it. I worked hard however in spite of my discomfort. Desiree noticed my perseverance, and I still remember her words as I grumbled that night attempting to find sleep.

"'This is all I know, Terish. You have to learn, yet being a female and tending to the plants is all that I know. There is some magic, but it will not be enough for what you will need to do. All that I know will be taught to you. You need to learn it, then accept your duty to learn more.

"'This world is coming to an end, Terish. That is not bad. This is not a good world. What I see is this world being created again. That must not happen, Terish.

"'We are all already dead, Terish. Our God does not love us. He does not love anyone. That must change, Terish, and I have gained information that you are the one to do it. I was not told how. That you must discover, but we are not the first. The knowledge we have here is not enough, but you must start somewhere and it is all that I have to teach. Terish, I will send you away. There is a swamp that I can go to. When the water becomes warm, I will send you there.'

The voice of Terdeskollit now sounded in the area. "If they were like you then there was nothing to love about your people. They were merely intelligent animals working to play their part in the daily struggle for life. Even in the story you read, I felt no sense of elation, sorrow, or love."

The light brown eyes of the silk and leather attired hero looked up as his voice stated, "What was there to be excited about? Anything you had was only temporary. It would be stolen soon enough. The story does show that. Gerlitt knew better than to think that the gold would stay his. He was doing his best to make plans to keep Dirchein. There was certainly strong reasons not to cry, while you were feeling your own sorrow everyone else would be stealing what they could from you."

"Your people could have done something to make me appreciate them."

"You could have designed a world where appreciation could be shown."

"What is the reason for your existence except to honor me? What good is anything if it is only temporary, and everything on the physical plane is temporary."

"Hold it, Terdeskollit." Terish's voice grew in strength, but he still kept it under control. "Did anyone achieve your respect? Is there anyone with you? We knew you were there, so I have to assume that a few did debase themselves to gain your approval."

"It could have happened."

The youthful appearing hero allowed his voice to grow stronger. "But it didn't. What happened? Did they not live long enough? Not only did they have to starve and be without any belongings, but they had to grow old in such a state?"

"Life is not supposed to be easy." The voice of the God was growing in strength. "I don't hear you or your friends complaining about the struggles that you are going through."

"You won't hear us rejoice at finding Dirchein, either. We won't consider her rescued until she is far from this world."

The group tensed as magic played around them. There was first a cold breeze as the grass and bushes died. In the midst of the divine power removing life from the area were flashes of arcane power as the fruit on the plants were removed and brought together. The auskranids sensed the death of the grass, and began to move into the area, but Terish worked another spell to prevent the advance of the creatures.

A complete silence was present for a moment, then the deity spoke. "You are expecting me to undo what you have done."

"Yes, Terdeskollit, I am. I expect to only have the memory that I tried."

No return statement was made. Terish looked at each of his companions, and he saw the worried expressions on their faces. They saw the tight features on his countenance as well, so nods were made in support of the acts of defiance. Truthfully, each expected such a situation sooner or later, but did feel fear now that the moment had come.

As Terish realized that no divine retribution occurred, he spoke again. "You promised that you would feed us, Terdeskollit. The dry grass is still decent food for the horses, and the ilna fruit is still fresh. I thank you for that. Allow my spell to stand and give us time to rest, and we will be willing to continue our journey."

A slight breeze played about the area, and the group relaxed somehow understanding that the danger was presently passed. Thaunya had Medalpha join her and Celatia in gathering the fruit into sacks. Tujorn went with them. He knew that words needed to be said, but understood that he was not a member of the inner circle that needed to say them.

Ferrigote spoke first. "Is this a point for our side?"

Terish's voice actually showed a moment of strain as he answered, "I believe that it is, Gote, but the challenge is far from achieved."

Dathol nodded, then said, "You did well, Terish."

"Thanks, but I really do not feel prepared for this."

Straekin hugged her lover, then said, "You have sought knowledge on a level higher than any other, Terish. You have done what Desiree told you to do. There was however no way for you to direct your studies towards this day. You kept seeking knowledge because you did not know if you were ready. You are doing well."

Heads turned as a groan came from someone tied to the back of a horse. Ferrigote, Dathol, Straekin and Terish moved to the awaking form of Phillip. The man weakly smiled, then roughly voiced a complaint about being hungry. Straekin called for the princess to bring some fruit as Ferrigote and Terish released the man from the mount.

The youthful appearing hero said, "I was waiting for you to join us, Phillip. Terdeskollit has been speaking to us directly."

The robed man guzzled some wine that Ferrigote handed to him before replying, "I could sense what was happening, but could not make any movements. I just now felt my paralyzation ended." He looked around, then asked, "Where are we?"

Straekin replied, "We have no way of knowing, but we would all like to know."

Terish reached into his pack, took out the diary that he had read earlier, then handed it to the empress. She took the text, but her eyes showed no pleasure in gaining it. Ferrigote sensed that the lady was about to complain about the gift, so grabbed the diary from her.

"Gerlitt was the leader of an expedition to get diamonds. Surely he kept records of his movements. There was no reason for Terish to mention them earlier, as they had no relevance. We are now in a position where those notations might be worthwhile."

The story will continue. The next chapter is titled, "The Search for Hope."