Obstacle 18 - Those that remain
The Stonefire tribe is having a dispute as the head matriarch stands at the head of the clan. They’re out for blood and chanting. Something was stolen and they demand the culprit, a child, be punished by fire. Driven mad by the demons cursed whispers for vengeance and their blood lust is unbearable. Intolerable.
They’re itching for a fight and to destroy with their might and fire. The matriarch resists as best she can. She knows it’s the influence that clouds her judgment. She can persist. She can keep control. But this child is too young. Too small. Too innocent. They don’t even know where the blame originates.
They only want fire and blood and revenge. Angary is the voice with constant words of hate “how dare they do this to me.” It screams in her head. Scratches at her skull. “Silences you impotent ghost of a demon we’ve beat you and I am in control… the matriarch thinks loud enough to temporarily drown it out once more. Clear the red that filters over all she sees.
“Fire fire fire”
The crowd is amassed and in a craze. “Yes, fire, burn it all. Burn the child” the voice in her head croons once more. Makes the matriarchs mouth drool as she molds goblin fire in her hands once more to the cheers of all around. About to throw it at the child. How many today has she judged. How many have already burned. Righteous and vengeance. They all deserve it. All deserve flame and brimstone.
However, just before she can finish this task she is stopped in her tracks once more by the sight unseen in so long. Life, beating sound of water and the flutter of wings from a lone butterfly before her eyes in this cavernous empty hall deep beneath the forest and frozen city grounds. Impossible, unless Farelis has returned… at last… hope.
No!!! The voice in her head screams but this time a little more distant. A little less banefully overpowering in her head.
How can they not see the youth of this child. Fire fire fire. The matriarch cannot bring herself to say the words she cannot see this child killed for the act. She’d rather the whole tribe burn for their stupidity, for their weakness, for falling so entrapped to the demon’s influence.
“Hear me now!” She shouts, a wailing scream. “This child is mine I am the tribe. And I decide who lives and dies. So here is the judgement I give. For stealing she will…”
“burn! Fire fire burn!” The rabble rouses
“…She will be the end of this madness. You’re all doomed. Damned this way and this life. I will not be made to take her life!” She screams as she grabs the child and run.
The tribe explodes and everyone gives chase after her trying to take the child and serve their justice. Their hands grab out. Goblins picking sides.
“She has spoken welp” a guard declares, batting away an enraged aggressor. She hisses as she shifts her old bones and launches from dirt to air. Dodging what she can and being protected by those who ally themselves to her still.
“The matriarch! The matriarch!” The clan is shouting. There is a frenzy brewing. Spilling out of the tunnels with ash and smoke. Firestone tribe drums pounding the ground begins to rumble as those who remain chase one another after the matriarch with her against her aggressors.
Breaking free from the breast of the earth she falls flat mid stream. Goblins bubbling out from all locations as the summoner of the Olcan tribe and her new summons happen upon them.
She looks from right to left. Fright or fret. “In my arms is an innocent child baby of the goblins. Lady Ferulas hear me now.” She closes her eyes and an explosion of fire twisting turning and burning around the stream. Around the water, brook, cobble stone and Lancaster.
Tye enters the fight
Lutgureur lutgureur! They chant as the fire dances about them.
The fire has found itself a new champion it seems. The fire goblins matriarch remarks as she stands to her apex with child in hand. Fire runs along the water unnaturally. As goblins poor in from every nook and cranny scream and whaling. A circle forms around the matriarch, the child and upstarts matriarch and an Olcan tribe girl with four hairless strange creatures.
The primordial is awakened then. Here and now there will be a victor and there will subjects.
The stream steams from the fire, begins to broil.
“Tye I know not what we find ourselves in but these are my people. Driven mad by the curse of the demon.” Nora shouts.
“Hush pup.” Spits the upstart matriarch trying to affirm her dominance. “The Olcan tribe is dead. Moria were never meant for this part of the world…”
“Lies” the matriarch decrees, holding the child mid stream. Heart thumping “it’s an Olcan who stand before us only one but five there be.”
“Demons!”
“Traitor!”
“Kill them with fire!”
“Burn”
Shhhhhhhhh the matriarch hush the crowd as she crouches and swivels about. Meandering the fire along her finger tips atop the water.
“I am high summoner Nora Nebula and I bring salvation?” Nora declares in goblin tongue.
They hiss and cackle whispers and threats thrown around like daggers. Embers blowing from formless fire.
“There is no high summoner dear child. That is why the demon remains.” The goblin matriarch in waiting croons.
“There hasn’t been.” Nora agrees
“Till now.” The goblin matriarch finishes.
“Proof” the other blusters. Demands.
Lairs. Cheats. Demons. Traitors.
Lutgarugu lutgaru lutgaru
The matriarch peers about herself alight by fire one arm with child the other held out to trickle the flame. She observes the Olcan Child, supposed summoner, and her crew. Four hairless Moria strange looking. Not quite that. Different. Obscene.
“Who are are these things you bring into the ring of fire said child of wolf and stone?” The matriarch declares.
“I bring forth summons whom will banish the demon from this realm. I make my way back home to my estate.”
“She is the witches house, Olcan tribe holdout.”
“Burn burn burn”
“Prove me wrong or prove me right. This here now we have a fight!” The matriarch in waiting declares. As the crowd screams
“Then pick a champion or die by fire Olcan welp is well see this through.” She continues
“Tye” Nora declares without a thought before she could think. “Tye Lancaster most powerful of all.”
“What am I gonna do against that?!” Tye declares.
“I think you’ve got to fight her.” Locke interjects calmly.
“What the hell? I definitely didn’t sign up for this.” Tye exclaims. Freaking out.
Nora runs to him and grabs his hands. There trembling. “It’ll be okay. You’ve power you can use. You just don’t know it yet.”
“A lot of good that does me” he heckles incredulously. “Do I get a weapon. Who am I fighting?”
Nora points to the the two elderly goblin matriarchs at either point.
“At the same time?”
“Yes”
“Can I hit them?” He asks
“I would be cautious with my movements. They weird fire as if it were their hands”
“I literally have sneakers on right now.” Tye complains
“Avoid their flames and you’ll get threw this.” Nora insists.
“Yeah okay. Avoid the flames. You gotta be kidding me.”
“Be the flames Tye!” Corin yells to which Locke replies
“I believe he’s supposed to avoid them.”
“Oh yeah. Right. Do it Tye! Avoid the fire!” Corin screams
“Easy for you to say!”
…
Logaru logaru logaru logaru
The crowd chants as the the fire dances in circles around the three participants. The goblins child clinging to the matriarch. The other matriarch swiveling her head back and forth and Tye Lancaster sweating from the heat and the fear wipes his brow. “We’ll hell. Everybody dies.”
“I am Abralienda seeker of the flame!” The matriarch in waiting declares as she pulls goblin fire from the air and wraps it about her body. “It knows me and its love it ever burning!” At which the fire blazes about her, pour from her eyes and mouths.
“I am Your Matriarch, highest of all, oldest and strongest. The fire doesn’t eat this child nor my flesh!” The elder matriarch declares, child clutching at her chest. Her arms spread outward fire spewing. Torrenting and dancing along the rock and water.
The Crowd hushes as they all look to Tye Lancaster. Awaiting his declaration. Tye looks to Nora.
“Well say something.” She says
Tye takes a deep breath crouches down and splashes water across his chest. It steams instantly.
“I am Tye Ickabob Lancaster, first of my name and greatest to ever to ever live.”
Locke, Brent and Corin nod their heads in acknowledgment. Completely engaged. Terrified for their friend.
“Fire it dances!” The upstart matriarch declares as she spews a funnel of flame toward the elder matriarch. It wraps around her like a snake. Coiling and booking but not touching her.
“And it sings for those who can’t” she retorts back blowing a blast to the upstart who takes it in stride.
“And it burns those who it does not recognize” the upstart declares hurling a wave at Tye Lancaster.
Locke, brent and Corin dash toward the circle but are held back by the mob as Nora turns away unable to look upon what has happened.
As the fire torrent funnels around him Tye . And the chanting stops. As the water of the stream becomes audible. Tye’s scream echoes through the chanting.
When the smoke and flame subside he stands mysteriously unharmed save for his cloths which have been singed. The fire it seems to dance along him. Unharmed.
“What the…” Tye let’s put as he moves his hands and arms about with embers running along him. Playing with each other a game of tag as they jump from water to him and back again.
“Demon of flame! How hot do you burn?!” The upstart matriarch cries as she spews a greater heavy hotter flame in Tye’s direction. The elder matriarch cackles and joins in the attempt as the flame goes from red to blue.
Tye stumbles and covers his eyes from the brightness of the light but still it does not burn him.
“You gotta be kidding me…” Tye chuckles to himself as he contemplates what’s happening. “You’re telling me… I can’t burn!!!” He screams and the flames grow bigger and everyone is thrown aback by the combustion of the blast.
Tye stand alone on steaming stone in the middle of the ravine as the matriarchs cobble themselves back to foot aghast at why they’ve seen.
“Holy crap.” Corin gulps and Locke nods in agreement.
“Alright, this is cool.” Tye says to himself holding onto to a flame.