within the blade, I pushed a trickle of my precious power into the katana in my hand. At first nothing happened, but slowly a weak blue flame began burning down its length as red hate-filled eyes glared back at me. In the unnatural light around the circle, I watched as the Worgs’ black lips pulled back from their large yellow fangs. Slowly the hunters began stalking forward as their bloodthirsty growls grew even louder.
Suddenly the plateau heaved again as another massive tremor shook the mountain. A wide crack instantly formed beneath my feet as rocks and boulders began raining down around us as a loud rumbling sound filled the air. Yipping pain filled cries came from the Worgs as they scrambled to escape the destruction, but it was too late.
Falling to my knees, I slammed my blade into the solid rock at my feet as blue fire flared into the night around us. The mountain bucked like a wild beast as the rumbling sound grew into a deafening roar. Looking up into the stormy night’s sky, I saw an enormous avalanche plunging down the side of mountain heading directly for us as I bowed my head in prayer.
“Ukko, beskytte oss!” (Ukko, protect us!)
Gathering the very last of my power, I felt Ukko’s touch as I cried out at the top of my lungs. “Suoja!”
The sound was deafening as the falling rocks smashed into the plateau around us. I had pictured the shield in the shape of a wedge when I formed it, but even so, there was no way it could stop something like this. Unbelievably, the earth quaking wave washed over us destroying everything in its path. Boulders and dirt filled the air as a cloud of debris passed over us choking the air. The avalanche felt like it went on forever. As the worst of the rock slide slowly passed, there was another earth splitting crack. Suddenly I felt the ground give away beneath my feet as the entire plateau sheared away from the side of the mountain.
Sheathing my blade, I wrapped my arms protectively around the two unconscious girls pressed against my chest as we plummeted with the last of the rockslide down the mountain together. Closing my eyes, I prayed. Our fate was now in Ukko’s hands.
Chapter Thirteen
Location Irlendria / Norek Manitou:
Standing at the base of Mount Airy the Chief of the Thunder Tribe, Norek Manitou, eyed the path leading to the top of the mountain with a heavy heart. Like a fool he had ignored Luonnotar’s call for too long, but after five days of hard travel, he was finally here.
On the same night Nessa had delivered the message of Tolnik’s death, the first spirit messenger was already waiting for him inside his wigwam in the form of a Great Horned Owl. Norek knew well the call of the Great Spirit when he saw it, but in his grief, he’d ignored the summons. Even though he refused to meet the messenger’s eyes, Norek could feel the weight of the creature’s gaze on his soul as its great yellow orbs bore into him. Remembering the soul crushing desolation, Norek heavily sighed as he began climbing the trail up the mountain.
No parent should have to outlive the life of their child.
For seven days Norek had mourned his son’s death. During that time, he’d neither slept nor ate as the grief consumed him. In the midst of his anguish he’d even cursed Luonnotar for not protecting his son. On the seventh night, when Norek thought he could take no more, the screeching cry of the Great Horned Owl’s warning shattered the night as it suddenly flew through the hide covered door.
Lifting his tear stained face, Norek had screamed in rage as he rolled to his hooves. Whipping away the hide door, he lunged after the ethereal creature only to immediately stop in stunned silence. Standing before him was a group of warriors from the Raven Tribe. Held between them on a hidebound stretcher was the bleeding body of his son, Tolnik. From the light of the full moon, Norek could see his son still breathed. Or so he had thought.
For a time Norek’s thoughts were silent as
Suddenly the plateau heaved again as another massive tremor shook the mountain. A wide crack instantly formed beneath my feet as rocks and boulders began raining down around us as a loud rumbling sound filled the air. Yipping pain filled cries came from the Worgs as they scrambled to escape the destruction, but it was too late.
Falling to my knees, I slammed my blade into the solid rock at my feet as blue fire flared into the night around us. The mountain bucked like a wild beast as the rumbling sound grew into a deafening roar. Looking up into the stormy night’s sky, I saw an enormous avalanche plunging down the side of mountain heading directly for us as I bowed my head in prayer.
“Ukko, beskytte oss!” (Ukko, protect us!)
Gathering the very last of my power, I felt Ukko’s touch as I cried out at the top of my lungs. “Suoja!”
The sound was deafening as the falling rocks smashed into the plateau around us. I had pictured the shield in the shape of a wedge when I formed it, but even so, there was no way it could stop something like this. Unbelievably, the earth quaking wave washed over us destroying everything in its path. Boulders and dirt filled the air as a cloud of debris passed over us choking the air. The avalanche felt like it went on forever. As the worst of the rock slide slowly passed, there was another earth splitting crack. Suddenly I felt the ground give away beneath my feet as the entire plateau sheared away from the side of the mountain.
Sheathing my blade, I wrapped my arms protectively around the two unconscious girls pressed against my chest as we plummeted with the last of the rockslide down the mountain together. Closing my eyes, I prayed. Our fate was now in Ukko’s hands.
Chapter Thirteen
Location Irlendria / Norek Manitou:
Standing at the base of Mount Airy the Chief of the Thunder Tribe, Norek Manitou, eyed the path leading to the top of the mountain with a heavy heart. Like a fool he had ignored Luonnotar’s call for too long, but after five days of hard travel, he was finally here.
On the same night Nessa had delivered the message of Tolnik’s death, the first spirit messenger was already waiting for him inside his wigwam in the form of a Great Horned Owl. Norek knew well the call of the Great Spirit when he saw it, but in his grief, he’d ignored the summons. Even though he refused to meet the messenger’s eyes, Norek could feel the weight of the creature’s gaze on his soul as its great yellow orbs bore into him. Remembering the soul crushing desolation, Norek heavily sighed as he began climbing the trail up the mountain.
No parent should have to outlive the life of their child.
For seven days Norek had mourned his son’s death. During that time, he’d neither slept nor ate as the grief consumed him. In the midst of his anguish he’d even cursed Luonnotar for not protecting his son. On the seventh night, when Norek thought he could take no more, the screeching cry of the Great Horned Owl’s warning shattered the night as it suddenly flew through the hide covered door.
Lifting his tear stained face, Norek had screamed in rage as he rolled to his hooves. Whipping away the hide door, he lunged after the ethereal creature only to immediately stop in stunned silence. Standing before him was a group of warriors from the Raven Tribe. Held between them on a hidebound stretcher was the bleeding body of his son, Tolnik. From the light of the full moon, Norek could see his son still breathed. Or so he had thought.
For a time Norek’s thoughts were silent as
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