Kolga

Kolga

Part Five

The sails unravel themselves from the mast,

And Värthrem stands with his hands raised up high

As he chants in some unknown mage language

Before looking with his one scrying eye

The landing place of his living demurrage.

 Grubgrub drags his stringed-fork across the bow,

While he sings to himself a little song,

And then Gimlish checks on his gear’s status.

He prepares for a trip, sure to be long,

Awaiting the journey’s true impetus.

Värthrem turns to the southeast and chants.

The wind picks up behind them, filling sails

And the ship starts to move through the water

Through Njoerd’s hair, the wind whips and loudly wails

Then they are off to the land they are after

 

Part Six

Weeks have passed and the paler sun rises

This proves that they have gone to winter months

They breathe out and their breath fogs up the air,

And they long for the place in their home hearth

That lies very deep within their home’s lair.

As they huddle up on the windswept bow

Värthrem sits in the captains room alone,

And Njoerd tells Gimlish the oldest stories

Even though he is chilled to every bone

And ice courses through all his arteries:

 

“Before the Empire of the Dwarven Emperor Biðÿþär, and the dawn of written history, nothing breathing had place there in this old world. Aia was young and the sun was ever aging, as his sister sun in the north. Mud and tree limbs were dragged along the bottom of a shallow brook. Eras passed and this mass of mud and limbs started to take a form similar to what we have now. She was refined though as the water grew. The brook became a river and it washed the excess mud and limbs from her and she was beautiful. She stepped from the river completely nude. Aia had taken time in creating this precious nurturer of her wild life. She watched as all things transpired and looks to the two brightest bodies that wander through Aia’s sky. Looking at the brightest one of the two she breathes out and places her finger on her lip. She smiles, and with the guidance of Aia and nature, she names that body of the sky. She covers the circular being with her thumb and feels its warmth. The breeze that breathes through the flowers around her carries their voices to her ear, and she echoes what she hears, “Aeron.” Upon speaking the name of this body she was filled with the power of its warmth. Turning her head, she looks to the paler, yet larger body of luminous in the sky. The winter months had come and the snow pelted itself on the trees, and the paler of the two siblings of day travels across the sky from north to south. The snow reflects her green and red pastel like colors. Smiling she knows the name of thing being for it was called by her brother before his seasonal setting, “Kaeylth.” In response to her name of the sister, the wind howled and Kaeylth’s frosty wind purged through the trees.

 

Igall came through the sky and looked adoringly at Aia, the nymph watched this. Igdall asked for Aia’s love, and Aia, looking to the creatures she birthed, ignored him. Storming off, the nymph heard him swear that he would return to her, wanted or not. Years later, he rushed through her night sky and ravished her, and then he took his own life. There, lying on top of her. He is still there, deep in the land of the Giants. Her womb spewed out seventeen siblings that never leave their mothers side. They circle around her. Nine of these children were the nine forces over the tidal powers over the nine seas, and had the individual power over them. The others; however, were figures of devastation, because upon their birth Aia underwent massive transformations in and on herself. Her first son was named Laeva and the surface of his body is constantly moving like that of the liquid stew �" named for the same liquid like material that pours from Aia’s skin. The second son that she bore just moments later was named after the terrible shakes that she went though. The surface of Aia would quake and the nymph would fall off her seat, the stone. He was thus named Aiak. Next the storms in Aia were far too much, and she bore sextuplet boys and they were so temperamental in their birth that they raged her skies and their names were Tornir, Haelnir, Isanir, Donnir, Wyþnir, and Waßwalnir.

 

Gimlish looks at the old sage and questions,

“What of the beasts on this timid Aia?

Do they have an origin of their own?”

Njoerd answers about the past era

And tells little Gimlish how beasts have grown.

 

“The beasts of the earth were not born from smaller beings as a rival wizard believes, no they were created by the brighter of the Suns, Aeron. He first created the most powerful being, so powerful that there could ever only be one. This beast stands taller than the tallest towers, and is only homed in the astral plane that incases Aia. The beast has six eyes, eight arms with suction cups on them that cut like daggers, and underneath its arms is a bird-like beak. His skin is a light shade of green. The nymph, who was given the power to name all things, named him Akkar. He eclipse the suns when he comes to Aia to feed on the vegetation of Aia. After he gave creation to Akkar, he looked at Aia herself and saw that something was missing on Aia, he saw that movement was missing on Aia. To fix this he picked the clay up from Aia and laid it back unto her in the form of animals. They thrived and watched as years went on. He saw that the sharks were more powerful in the sea that he had expected, so Aeron devised a creature that would keep them from greater strength than they need. He whipped the dust of the astral plane, the molten rock from Aia’s surface, and melded them together. In pulled into a long slender snakelike beast. He pulled the material under its belly out into four fins, and its tail into a final fin. He then took the head of the beast and pull it forward into a sharp point like that of a spear. He placed this beast into the sea and for years it performed its purpose, then losing sight of its meaning it migrated to the Valley of Sorcerers. The beast now lives in that valley, in the inlet of the sea. He guards the sorcerers, filthy beasts, that live in honor of him. It is said that at the end of times the serpent will come from the seas and run to aid Surt. He will ram the naval fleet erected in honor of Aeron. The name of this beast, as dictated by the nymph, is Spydnes. Then Aeron did the greatest thing for Aia. He cut himself and let the blood flow from his hand and the blood formed a smaller version of himself - Aersonn. He set this miniature him on the Aia, and he was in marriage under the power of Aeron and Aia to the nymph. Her name was Alysiþa. Their first son was a spitting image of him, and he was named Humir. Humir was a beautiful spitting image of his father and Aeron. He was the first of the human race. The second child they bore was a daughter and she was beautiful, favoring her mother. She had golden blond hair, green eyes, and pointed ears. Elvskina was her name and she was the first of the Elven race. Their next son, Biðÿþär, was the first of the dwarven kind. The next child that they had was a very small, she was the first of the Gnomes and her names was Giania. Moments after her birth, like twins the next child was born, Haelf, the first of the Halfling kind. Finally the beast Spydnes shape shifted himself to resemble that of the Aeron’s son. He made love with Alysiþa, and she bore something ugly, something nasty, something vial. Aeron’s true son, after Spydnes slithered his way back into the sea, was confused at the birth of this child, because it resembled neither of them, nor either of their lineage. This beast stood on two legs like a man, small tusks that protruded from his mouth. His name was Orgush and he was the first of the Orcs, who are said to be the beings that will be the force in the giants’ armies.

 

The night is getting late and Njoerd lays down,

Rolling over he thinks of the history

And Gimlish asks him to tell another

“Tell a historically real good story”

He asks like a child would a mother.

 

Part Seven

The paler sun rose before the other

And she looked over the bow of the ship.

Pulling open the lids of Grubgrub eyes

With her frosty titanium strong grip,

Her touch is very warm to their surprise.

Njoerd sits upright, ready to continue.

Grubgrub and Gimlish do not have to ask,

He merely delivers them the next part

As if it were not a tedious task,

But rather a piece of beautiful art.

 

Orgush was adopted into the family of Aeron as if he were one of them. The big nosed, long haired, beast ate with his superiors, sat at Aersonn’s table with this son Humir to his left and his wife , Alysiþa, to his right. The other of their children fell into chairs as their place came to them. Orgush sat at the end of the table, staring at Humir. He decided that Humir, because he is favored by their mother and Aersonn, he must die. The plan was in motion, the little beast, and he was treacherous in how he planned to execute his plan. He went to his father, and asked him the secrets of his power. He said it was to take something of value and lend it out so that he would have to pay it in excess of what he borrowed it for. Then Orgush went to Biðÿþär, and asked his half-brother to make him the strongest sword that he could make with his magic. The unsuspecting Biðÿþär hammered the metal, and beat it into a beautiful sword. And when Biðÿþär handed it over to Orgush, Orgush tested it out. He sailed to the farthest reaches of the crescent island, and found the Golgarith. Golgarith was a monster that had six legs, skin like an elephant, and two long horns on its nose. The beasts kicked dust and snorted at Orgush as he walked up, and Aeron watch what transpired on Aia, and Aia knew what transpired on her surface. The wild Golgarith, the only Golgarith, charged Orgush, who shoved the sword through the chest of the monster, stopping it instantly. The sword, as named by Aeron, was thus Syösydänt. He then brought the sword, sheathed, back to the home of the Aeronions. Then, wielding it, he caught the eye of his half-brother Humir, and Humir wanted that sword. Orgush said that he would let him have it for a drop of blood and a drop of blood for everyday that he borrows it after the rise of Kolga’s moon. He waited eras after the moon the moon had risen, and counded the amount of blood that Humir had owed him. Then he demanded that he receive his payment. There was much debate in the world of the Aeronions, that this should not be allowed, but the contract was s it was written, and Humir was to give his blood to Orgush. Drawing another sword, Dumnucid, Orgush impaled the bound Humir and collected his blood in a well under his body. Thus was the death of the father of the human race. Orgush and his kind went on a rampage, in an attempt to kill of all of Humir’s posterity. Humir’s first son was given Syösydänt and was told to take his family far away to Iorth. They traveled under the veil of Kolga, who felt sympathetic for them, the first things she ever felt this way for. Few escaped the wrath of Orgush, then after he got finished rampaging across Aia, he set up and empire that threatened that of Aersonn’s.  That was the first Empire set up on the face of Aia. Those were years of shadows in Aia, where one could only fear the corruption made by the usury of Orgush’s banks and executive power.”

 

“What was it like back in those times, wise sage?

Were there great evils committed back then?

Or did a power rise up against him?”

Njoerd looked with his blue ancient eyes again

And he delivers the story to them.

 

Years and years had passed, little young ones, since the rise of Orgush, and he was growing with age.

 

“I thought that the elders could not grow old

Is it not true that the eldest still walk?

Is it not true that the eldest still breathe?

Is it not true that the eldest still talk?

We have to know, please do not deceive.

 

No, no little Gimlish. The elder ones still breathe and their hearts still beat wildly in their chest; however, Orgush was exiled from the home of Aersonn after the murder of his half-brother, and he set up his Empire far away in the land of the giants. Orgush was getting old though, and his age was sure to kill him. One winters’ night he took his last breath, as it is rumored, alone in his bed. In his death he left the Empire to his son, who was less that capable of leading a military or anything else of that kind. He corrupted the empire and destroyed its people. He loaned out things even to his fellow orcs and giants, and this was the death of their people. Their cities suffered and could not trade with other nations. Biðÿþär realized that the Orcish empire was suffering, and hemorrhaging finances. He readied his army and marched forward to his half-brothers home with the blessing of Aeron and the spirit of Humir. He sang a balled to his soldiers as they marched the plains and desserts to the tundra of the Orcs lair:

 

“The orcs are the spawn of Spydnes

The monster, creator of lies,

Who under Aeron’s mighty boot

‘Have mercy on me’, cries.

His long nose not meant to spear men

Drips Aersonion blood

Whilst its body strangles cities

With its filthy Orc flood

We will attack the beasts with rage

Before the Aeron’s setting

We will attack the beast with rage

To return power to the king.”

 

The battle was waged in one day. Biðÿþär was correct, the central leadership was weak and he had his best generals devise a plan that would destroy the simple, crude, and shady creations of the orcish homes. Those were old times, and there are still very few orcs in this world. Many of the surviving women and children orcs were forced into servitude of a dwarven master. And with the supposed death of the Orcs, the dwarves created something of a better of the two evils. They created half-orcs with their slave trade. More civilized orcs, infused with the blood of Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings.”

 

Across Kolga they could see fair sized birds,

And they sit in admiration of these

As they sit and think of all time that passed

And listen to the faint whistling breeze

That blow against the ship’s only red mast.

The closer that they grew to the fair birds

They begin to realize these birds, not small

But rather huge in all their appearance

With massive sharp talons ready mall

And across the sky they zealously dance.

The hunger is in their eyes burns like a fire

As they dive down toward the man-less ship,

But Njoerd, mighty mage, steps forward, hands raised.

He chants but the birds keep coming, dip,

Then suddenly he wildly needs to be praised:

The birds, just before hitting the small boat,

Were turned to sheep as they hit the water

And the last sound from them: muffled bahaha

They drown, and they hope the birds did suffer

As they watched in total and complete awe.

The time has come that Kaelyth would now set

She winks at Grubgrub over Aia’s edge

And sparkles a twinkle as she does sink.

Grubgrub lifts up his zenith of knowledge:

His pet fork, and he then begins to think,

“Elders has name for small little things

Why you not have name pointy little friend?

I gives you name, yes-yes, you be my Sþöon

I thinks that perfect name for friend till end”

He speaks to the fork, stringed like a balloon.

With that the night and the moons then take charge

And all is quiet aside from Njoerd snores.

Breathing in and out, Grubgrub falls asleep.

His mind is filled with dreams of the family moors,

And gathering in his fathers’ black sheep.

 

Part Eight

The sun rises, it has been several months

Since they first set sail toward old Svarthofdi

They are drawing close to the snake statue

Which the wind howls through like a wild banshee

There on the side like a giant stone tattoo.

The snake has a long nose pointing upward

Up into the sky, the tip bright ruby

Like blood that drips down its long slender nose.

It stands taller than the tallest, Vex, tree

The water of the inlet becomes calm

As they sail windless into the valley

And the air is silent between the cliffs.

Men in purple robes as far as they can see

Are accompanied by snarling mastiffs.

“Well there’s the welcoming party my friends”

, States the old man in the royal blue robes,

“Just another day in the company

Of Gimlish and Grubgrub and his huge lobes

Unable to hear holy litany.

Taking their first step off the rocking boat

The water chops and they could hear it snarl

Njoerd could only assume it was Spydnes.

He understood the total real peril

What is next? He could only begin to guess…