‘And the Lady has showed her displeasure by killingShastritara’s eggs.’ said Granddad.
‘She has also killed my eggs and yet her priest over therelives.’ replied Aquitain. ‘Why didn’t the Lady kill Lithgala’spriest as well?’
‘I guess she didn’t want to upset her ally Lithgala too much.’replied Granddad carefully.
‘So it’s okay to upset Aquitain, son of K’wala because he’sweak but not okay to upset Lithgala as she’s more powerful.’replied Aquitain.
‘Yes. I suppose you could look at it that way.’
‘and yet I have been created to do a job that no one else evenLithgala can do?’ said Aquitain.
‘Yes.’ replied Granddad a little worried about the wayAquitain was thinking.
‘Is it true that gods can see through the eyes of theirfollowers?’ asked Aquitain.
‘Yes. That is believed to be true.’ repliedMiranlla.
‘Good.’ said Aquitain as he put Miranlla to sleep then walkedover to the stony body of Ishteth and activated his spirit auravision.
Ishteth’sspirit was still in the stoned body so he created a mind link withit.
‘Hello Ishteth. This is Aquitain. You have been a busy littlebee working away merrily setting me up to steal my seed for yourgoddess Lithgala I believe.’
‘Ha. You are an aberration and fool. You should never havebeen allowed to live. Your only value is your seed which is worth aking’s ransom and you throw it away as if it’s worthless. I wasjust harvesting a little for my Lady Lithgala. What is the harm inthat?’ he replied.
‘Well. The harm is you’ve tarnished my name amongst the littlepeople. I am the son K’wala one of the Lady’s champions thereforeyou have tarnished my father K’wala’s name amongst the littlepeople. Lithgala has acted disrespectfully to the Lady.Consequently in the name of the Lady and K’wala I sentence you todeath.’
‘Ha. You cannot kill me I will be resurrected by Lithgalaminutes after you smite me.’ replied Ishteth.
‘Is that so?’ said Aquitain changing to his green giant stonyaberration body.
‘Lithgala you have treated me and the Lady with utterdisrespect. I sentence your High Priest Ishteth to oblivion. Thisis a clear warning stay to out of our way!’ and Aquitain created aspirit sword and swept it through the stony body of Ishteth severaltimes chopping his spirit into pieces which rapidlydissipated.
He then pickedup Ishteth’s stony body above head, turned facing the shamen andsmashed it to the ground where it shattered into severalpieces.
‘Are you mad!’ yelled Granddad. ‘You’ve challenged a goddess.We’re doomed.’
‘Will she challenge K’wala or the Lady for I did this in theirname?’ asked Aquitain.
‘Umm. I don’t know but you’ve bound to upset the Lady as wellsaying that it was in her name.’ replied Granddad.
‘Well we’ll be okay until Lithgala works out who to blame Iguess.’ replied Aquitain and it finally dawned on Granddad that theLady wasn’t watching so would be reluctant to take sides. Theymight actually get away with it.
‘Haha. You cunning bastard. I love it! Good on you! You betterwake up Miranlla.’ replied Granddad.
‘No not yet Granddad, these little bastards need a lesson thatthey will remember.’ replied Aquitain.
‘Be merciful !’ pleaded his grandfather a little worried.‘They have been used by Lithgala in one of her schemes. You’vealready sent a message to her.’
‘Just a little reminder that if you play with fire you can getburnt.’ replied Aquitain as he walked over to the shamen lyingprostrate shaking with fear.
One rose to hisknees.
‘Please do not harm us my Lord we were only fulfilling thewishes of the Goddess Lithgala who is a good friend of the Lady.’he said.
‘Who are you? asked Aquitain.
‘I am Illmarin, the High Shaman of the yellows and Right Clawof K’wala.’ replied the shaman.
‘Growl like K’wala.’ commanded Aquitain.
‘No one can growl like K’wala.’ replied the shaman.
‘You are a liar and a fake. The true Illmarin could growl likeK’wala for it was he that taught me to growl!’ replied Aquitain ashe charged to his bear form and growled. The sound echoed acrossthe Crown of Elements as a warning. Aquitain son of K’wala wasreally angry.
The shamenturned white in fear as Aquitain changed back to his Newman formand telekinetically picked up the shaman and hurled him over thecliff. Everyone listened to his screams as he fell until it came toan abrupt end.
‘Now does anyone else wish to lie to me?’ he asked but no onevolunteered to talk.
‘I am Aquitain the son of K’wala who has protected your peoplefor generations. It seems to me that all of you set out to conspireagainst me the son of K’wala to steal some of my seed for your owngreedy purposes. Is that true?’ he asked.
No one spoke sohe pointed at one of them.
‘Is that true?’ he asked.
The shaman roseto his knees.
‘We were deceived my Lord. We did not know you were the son ofK’wala. We would never have done what we did had we known.’ hereplied.
‘So who did you think I was?’ asked Aquitain.
‘We were told that you were a wizard pretending to be a SpiritLord.’ he replied.
‘So the little people are thieves and robbers that prey onunsuspecting visitors to Mudrun?’ asked Aquitain.
‘Umm. We were just acting on instructions from the priest ofLithgala. My Lord.’ he replied.
Aquitaintelekinetically picked him up and threw him over the cliff andagain they listened until his screams stopped.
‘Now who is going to tell me the truth or do I throw you eachoff the cliff.’ he asked.
‘You tell me how all this started.’ He commanded as he pointedto a younger shaman.
‘It was the Warden Alin Amber, my Lord. He visits all theclans regularly. He suggested that the little people could start adivine line by stealing your seed. We were told that you wereindeed the son of K’wala but we were also told that K’wala was deadand hence could not take offence. We have always been servants ofthe Lady and all the gods. We have lost our way since the Pact ofRenewal. The proposal offered us hope for the future.’
‘So Kami and the purples were only friendly with me so thatthey could rob me?’ he asked.’ And you all agreed?’
‘Yes, we held a council before you arrived and agreed.’replied the shaman. ‘I know it sounds bad but
