Tales of the Ulendra, part 1

Page 5

The Future
Mayuni woke in time to notice the great hall was flooding with water. There was a gaping hole in the temple wall through which she managed to escape. But the water was rising so quickly that she had to swim all the way to the side of the valley, which was completely filled with water, when she reached the shore. She stood up and she had little more than just noticed that large black cloud to the South when she was knocked back down on the ground by a powerful force that also took down a few trees. When she got back up, the cloud was gone. Mayuni was exhausted from her injuries and the swimming but she knew she had to get back home, even though it had to be a day’s journey there, at the least. She walked nine steps and then she fell to the ground, again unconscious.

When she awoke, a man sat by her side. She did not recognise him, but she saw a small pyre so she realised, even though she was still in a delirious state, that she must have been unconscious for quite some time, a day and a night at least, and that man must have been there during that time. He noticed that she was awake. Mayuni asked who he was.
“You should be resting. You have a huge task before you,” he said.

“Have you seen…” Mayuni started, but realised that there was no way that man could know whom her mother was, or even who she was for that matter. But he said:

“… Your mother? I am sorry Mayuni, but your mother is no longer here.”

“What! What did you say!” Mayuni was now fully awake. “And how do you know my name?”

“I know many things. My name is Aykarod,” he got up on his feet. ”And I see now that you are not in need of further rest so let’s get going. There will be a time to mourn your mother, but your people is now about to be attacked and they will need your help.”


So they left for the Nonusen land. Mayuni was reluctant but she trusted the man for now. They travelled fast through the vast forest, ran without stopping even once to rest. Eventually the reached the village from which Mayuni came, but they were too late. Certainly, her people had put up a good fight, for the bodies that lay on the ground was not only Nonusen, but also from the people of the Dayiomo valley. Even so, there seemed to be none left alive in the village and most houses were destroyed. Mayuni recognised many of the fallen; they were her friends, people she grew up with. Outside the inn, now burned to the ground, lay the Innkeeper’s husband. The market was filled with corpses and the streets were red with blood.
“They got no warning… Where were the rangers?” wondered Mayuni.

“The attacking army were instructed to take out the rangers first and then strike at the village before anyone could notice. They were to show the villagers no mercy,” said Aykarod.

“You knew about all this, yet you did nothing?” Mayuni said to him in anger.

“I know about this because I once knew the person who ordered the attack. That man is now forever gone. When I learned about the things that were about to happen, I was in a weakened state and there was nothing I could do. Instead I helped you.”

“I do believe I’m quite capable of taking care of my self, even back there in the forest.”

“Yes, certainly, but it was also part of the last will of your mother that I sought you out and kept you safe.”

“So,” Mayuni was now more sad than angry, “you knew her then?”

“Yes. I knew your mother Arenya. Mayuni, I know your father taught you that the most important thing in a battle is to keep a strong heart. You must remember that lesson, because while we couldn’t save your own village, the great army now threaten your whole land. We cannot linger here!”

“Then,” Mayuni said, “let’s not!”


From the village, the army’s trail was easy to follow. Aykarod and Mayuni caught up with them during the night. The army had just entered a town and started wreaking havoc. This was a town of merchants and did not have much in the way of defences, but what little they had was out and bravely fought the invaders. Aykarod tried to calm the attacking warriors by telling them that their god was now dead, but they wouldn’t listen to that. Together with the Nonusen defenders Mayuni and Aykarod kept them at bay until daylight. Then, a division of the great army of the Nonusen arrived, for someone had managed to send word to them that the land was being invaded. The attackers were defeated and driven off, and the Captain wanted to follow them and declare war upon them. But Aykarod told him that it would not be necessary because they were all that remained of their people and their land was already destroyed; completely flooded with water. A Great War was also the whole plan behind the attack, Aykarod further told him, but the ability of the warriors seemed to have been overestimated.

Once the town was restored and Mayuni’s mourning of her parents and friends was over, Aykarod told her that he could not stay and had to leave the land. But before he did, he told Mayuni how she could further use those special powers that she possessed. He did this so that she could help the Nonusen people gain wisdom and prosperity and to further develop their arts. He wanted her to be an inspiration for others, and the day that he did leave, Mayuni was a very strong, brave and wise woman. And after that, she lived for many years and had many children and grandchildren. Aykarod had promised her that he would eventually return, but when that day came, Mayuni had been dead for many, many years and a hundred generations had passed.

Here ends these tales of the Ulendra.

Last modified 2006-07-23 22:28:57

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