Trial by Water
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 13067
|
Aephix Tes'Eestra stood at the jutt overlooking the lake. The jutt was a
massive boulder sculpted by the sun and wind and water, and by the
Aqualarians themselves. She was standing with two other warriors; one
younger, one older. Diamantina was a neophyte with less training than
Aephix; Stralia had discpiled under the Serifi longer than both Aephix and
Diamantina together. It was the elder disciple who would preside over the
first Trial.
The Queen and the Serifi were sitting under a shaded canopy at a still higher point, a platform built into the great Mimarch tree, many of which grew close to the lake. The Laws regulated the Trials, and neither woman could personally take part in this aspect of them. All was quieted, the warriors and priestesses and the Hecive who were gathered about Fred, all became still. Then the priestess on the jutt spoke. "I am Stralia Liasho. I am the daughter of Corin, daughter of Melissia, daughter of Elen. My blood is pure and sings the songs of our mothers. We know why we are gathered here, and we know who is watching over us. Blessed be our Queen! Blessed be our Serifi! Blessed and blessed be the Elementals!!!" She paused and stared down at Fred. "You are entrusted with a single task. Enter Lake Crystal, dive into her depths. Beneath me, under this jutt is a bed of southern pearl. Retrieve one and bring it to me." Fred looked at the woman, he looked at the lake. The request seemed simple enough, too simple. Fred knew there had to be a catch, but what? He looked out at the lake again. Though he heard it's name, the waters were anything but crystal; they were brackish in places, even black in others the way the shadows played upon the slight waves. He turned to the men near him and in a low voice asked, "How is this a test?" The men's eyes widened. "This is Lake Crystal." They said this as if the very name explained everything. "And...?" The men were completely at a loss by his behavior. "This is Lake Crystal," they said again, "home of the gilman." "The...gilman?" The men were now worried about this strange man who had been picked by the gods. "The gilman," they said. "He swims these waters as his own. When a woman enters she does so at great risk. Many have never resurfaced, the only sign they leave behind are bubbles bursting at the water's surface. The Atha'den, the survivors, have told us only a little of what they endured. They speak of a man whose flesh is all scales and whose face is a horror to behold. He is the gilman. You have no weapons, you must use speed and cunning if you are to survive." ~great!~ thought Fred. ~just what I needed, a monster in this black lagoon!~ And with that, Fred dove into the dark waters.
|
YY
9/21/2000 9:25:40 AM
Extending Enabled
24931774 episodes viewed since 9/30/2002 1:22:06 PM.