Eleven days ago, Enelak continent, Velehan archipelago.
Seketum, born of the climbing jaguar, followed the myriad of spirits advancing through the jungle. In his eyes reflected the faint glow they emanated; the souls seemed like a river as they moved together. Even from a considerable distance, it was a beautiful sight.
He did not let fascination show on his face. Now that he had been named leader of the Vael, he had to appear calm in all situations. He continued forward with cautious steps and signaled to the group.
They accompanied him in silence. Like Seketum, most were helping for the first time in the ceremony. They wore solemn expressions, not very different from their leader. They moved through the underbrush quietly, careful not to attract any hungry predators. Remel, born of the fishing caiman, held his torch high. He hoped the fire would protect them from animals.
Seketum heard the plants crackling behind him. He turned with curiosity and saw his younger brother approaching calmly.
—Seket, The boys are hungry; we should rest.— said his brother Merme.
They had been walking for a while; they were physically and mentally exhausted. Although the inhabitants of the Daile'ash tribe were hunters, moving through the jungle for a week exceeded their limits. Only Catle and Maruo, who had already participated in the ceremony before, did not look as tired.
—Alright.— Seketum nodded and scanned the surroundings; he would need a place near the river to collect water.
The kids let out a sigh of relief. Since he was named leader, Seketum's attitude had changed. He became more distant and less empathetic. This was evident from the beginning of the mission when he pushed the group to their limits more than once. The elders seemed to view him favorably, but Merme could already hear criticisms from his peers.
—Oh, finally I get a break from this dance.— whispered Saker with some irritation while leaning against a tree. Beside him sat an expressionless Catle. Both were illuminated by the torch that Remel held tightly.
Merme looked at him with clear annoyance; Saker was one of the main instigators in the group. To him, it seemed like Saker harbored clear envy toward his brother and was willing to take his place. The one born of the rocky boar was impulsive; he had already challenged Seketum more than once. Of course, he stood no chance against his brother.
But he hadn't given up; his eyes still sparkled with audacity.
At least he has the decency not to start a duel in the middle of the mission. Still, it wouldn't hurt to remind him who's in charge.
Merme shook off some dirt, causing Saker to look at him with curiosity. When their eyes met, he positioned his primordial skull atop his head provocatively. Saker jumped and raised his voice.
—And what about that gesture? Do you want me to skin you? —he said while standing up with spear in hand.
—I have no problem if you try. Since we're so close to Velehan, your journey won't be very long.— Merme replied boldly, still shaking the jaguar skull in his hands.
Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to put on his primordial skull completely. Though he would like to challenge Saker, doing so during exploration would be counterproductive. Saker seemed to know this as well; therefore, he didn't escalate things either. He limited himself to a few insults just to maintain his pride.
—Tsk, don't get too cocky just because of your brother...
—Enough.— said Seketum authoritatively.— The river will be a good place for us to eat. Stand up.
The group continued moving forward in uncomfortable silence. Unlike during the day, nights in the jungle were cold and eerie. Occasionally they could hear rustling in the underbrush, signs of some elusive animal. Seketum would lie if he said he wasn't afraid of predators. Even carrying torches and spears wouldn't stop a hungry beast's charge—at least not without losing some of their men.
Eventually, they reached the riverbank where Remel began to light a campfire. The others sat down while keeping an eye on their surroundings.
Only when the warmth of the fire surrounded them did Seketum allow himself to relax. He popped a piece of jerky into his mouth while gazing into the distance where the glow of spirits concentrated.
That night, that glow was much more reassuring than any fire could be. Seketum felt this way and knew that others in the group shared similar thoughts. They were all moved by it. Before, they would stay in the village waiting for their elders to start the ceremony. Now they were bringing forth spirits themselves, bringing joy and honor to their tribe.
Powerful Nuaj, the one who love most. Seketum praised internally.
—Your leader, can I watch your back? —said Mauro, born of the fishing caiman.
—I'll watch yours, brother.— replied Seketum formally.
Mauro smiled and sat down beside him. He began to speak without looking him in the face.
—Your leader, I apologize for the attitude of the young Saker. Carrying a wild boar skull for so long makes him act like one. —He accompanied his joke with laughter that was far from natural.
Seketum glanced at him sideways. Mauro was an old-fashioned person, adhering to ancient customs from head to toe. Every time they spoke, Seketum thought that the young man had the mind of an elder. With all that, at least he wasn't as wicked as his grandfather, so it was strange for him to mock a peer.
—Are you here to tell me a lame joke?
Mauro looked at him for a moment and sighed.
—That was not a good way to start a conversation. —His voice lowered to a whisper—. Your leader, we must be careful.
—Careful? —Seketum glanced around cautiously.
—That's right. According to my grandfather, the farthest tribes have been mobilizing. They have asked for help from those of Nili'ush. They say that the foreigners have started attacking.
—Powerful Nuaj... —He barely managed to contain his voice.
A couple of months ago, news had reached them from afar. Men with huge rafts had appeared from beyond the sea. According to rumors, they had all kinds of mystical instruments they wanted to trade.
—This could be quite serious, your leader. The powerful Nuaj already knows; the spirits have been moving strangely.
Seketum remained calm, but his thoughts were quite the opposite.
To shed human blood on the land he loves most... How dare they!?
He felt chills running down his back. There was no more atrocious act or more infamous sin than killing another person. Those who did so were exiled from the world itself, locked away in the Olitiu'ed. There, they faced the wrath of the powerful Nuaj, and no one could save themselves from God's anger.
Seketum felt cold sweat in his palms. He asked Mauro to ease his anxiety.
—Why are you telling me this?
Mauro chuckled quietly.
—Your leader, it's good to have connections with the next skull of the tribe.
Seketum looked at him cautiously. He knew what the elders thought of him. On more than one occasion, they had praised him, suggesting they would support him to become the skull of the tribe. Unfortunately for him, Merme's grandfather was particularly proactive in helping him.
Mauro understood the meaning of his gaze and smiled.
—Don't worry, your leader. This has nothing to do with my grandfather; I'm doing this out of pure goodwill.
Seketum said nothing for a while; only the sound of meat being chewed remained. Sometimes his gaze crossed with Mauro's, who seemed calm but whose thoughts were quite the opposite.
Why are you taking so long? Damn it, accept my help already...
A few more seconds passed until Seketum swallowed the jerky. Then, as if he had made an important decision, he spoke with a barely perceptible smile.
—I appreciate it, brother. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
Even if your grandfather tries something, he won't be able to do anything once I become the skull. With my father's help and that of the other elders, he'll be very limited.
—I'm glad to hear that, your leader.—Mauro stood up, ready to return to his friend Catle—. I wish you all...
Mauro froze; his words got stuck in his throat. Seketum watched in surprise as he put on the caiman skull, hiding his face. Still, his eyes filled with panic could be seen through the eye sockets. His other hand gripped his spear tightly.
—Watch out....! —Mauro shouted, but Seketum had already jumped up quickly.
A predator!? How could I not hear it!?
Seketum put on the primordial skull and turned around with spear in hand. He expected to find a stealthy beast like a climbing jaguar or a nocturnal leopard. However, what he saw left him speechless. Just a few meters away, the firelight reflected off a man.
With an upright posture, that figure stood still while staring into space. Seketum scanned him and grew more cautious. He wore thick crimson clothing totally unsuitable for a hot jungle. Additionally, he had a beak-shaped mask and a strange hat which led him to suspect he might be a foreigner.
—Who are you!? —Seketum asked while aiming his spear at him. His companions moved as soon as they heard Mauro speak.
The man snapped out of his stupor and turned towards the group. Then he sighed and spoke in a strange language.
—Of all places, I had to appear on the Enelak continent....
Seketum confirmed his theory upon hearing the unknown language.
How did the foreigners make it here!? We need to leave quickly to inform the elders. But first, we'll take this guy with us to get some information.
He gripped his spear with both hands, ready to order an attack. However, he felt someone tugging at his shoulder. He turned to see his brother, who was not paying attention to the foreigner. On the contrary, he seemed uninterested, as his eyes were fixed on the distance. The primordial skull made it hard to distinguish his expression, but Seketum could see in his posture that he was stunned. His legs trembled and a blue light reflected on him.
Blue light...
Seketum went pale; there was only one thing that could emanate such an aura. Then, forgetting even about the stranger, he looked where his brother was gazing.
Mighty Nuaj...
Like a tide threatening to destroy everything, thousands of spirits moved through the jungle with a frenzied motion. Some levitated, others crawled, and a few moved with their feet on the ground. They came in all possible shapes and sizes, although most were humanoid. It seemed that all the inhabitants of Velehan were approaching, ready to turn that area into the land of the dead.
Seketum was the first to prostrate himself, followed by the others. Not daring to raise his head, he did the only thing he could do: pray.
Mighty Nuaj, the one who loves most. Blessed are we to have you with us. We thank you with our hearts for your presence; guide your servants through life and death.
All the others prayed as well. After all, their god was advancing toward them.
A cold breeze enveloped them, making them tremble. They could see nothing but felt the presence of spirits around them. At that moment, everyone in the group felt the same sense of power. But beyond that, the feeling of self-discovery impacted them. Memories they treasured most replayed in their minds. Moments when they were happy, when they were proud, when they won with a smile. All the people they loved seemed to whisper their names with voices full of love and joy.
—It's been a while, kiddo.— spoke one of the spirits and the group trembled; his voice seemed to pierce their souls.—What brings you to my territory? Do you think you can challenge my will? I consider you a friend, but I have no problem putting you back on solid ground.
Upon hearing this, Seketum felt how all his desires burned and emerged from his subconscious. He envisioned multiple images of himself as the skull, making everyone treat him with respect. The images were intense enough to be piercing. For the first time in his life, he discovered that thoughts could hurt.
—Ahhhgg! —perhaps he wasn't the only one feeling this way since many let out a pained scream.
Mighty Nuaj, the one who loves most, mighty Nuaj, the one who loves most...
The unknown man, Setracsed, looked at the spirit that spoke and replied disdainfully.
—I had a slight detour... this clothing can be quite bothersome. A bit of bad luck and you end up on another continent.
All the spirits laughed in unison, creating a shrill sound.
—You know what I say about luck.— The light flickered as a spirit of a man spoke.—So what do you plan to do? You can take a ship from the Bercelians, although it will be a long journey. Who knows what might happen during that time?
—Unless I use the Sea of Torment as a shortcut.
The spirits looked at him, creating an ominous silence. Then, a voice came from a faceless spirit.
—Well, if it's you, I don't see it as impossible. You might even find Ivory Island.
—Hm, was that legend true? —Setracsed asked sharply.
—It's far from my territory; so I don't know.— spoke the spirit of a woman.—Anyway, it's been a long time since I talked to anyone; stay for a while and share some wine.
—Don't you have these people? They seem to care about you quite a bit.— Setracsed asked with a hint of mockery.
—Ey, don't play dumb. These children fear me; they can't even talk to me without prostrating themselves.
Setracsed simply turned around and walked away with determined steps.
—I'm sorry, but I plan to become a god. I can't rest for even a second.— he paused but regained his stride.—Once I become a Sacred Will, we'll talk as long as you want.
With those words, his silhouette turned into mist that dissolved into the air. The spirits watched him leave. Then one of them sighed.
—Liar... stay strong, kiddo.