hither and yon

7/27/2019 Hither and Yon

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Hither and Yon

An introduction to the World-under-the-Flesh

by PD Allen

Fiddlesticks PressHand-Crafted Fiction

http://pdallen.wordpress.com

This adventure is continued in the novel Fiddlesticks.

This book is a work of fiction. Names characters places and incidents are

products of the author!s ima"ination or are used fictitiousl#. $n#resemblance to actual events or locales or persons livin" or dead is entirel#coincidental.

Cop#ri"ht % &'() b# P* $llen

$ll ri"hts reserved.

Also by PD Allen

Post-Quantum Meditations

Fiction

+on" of ,istence

Poetry

uantum editations0 1ook 2neuantum editations0 1ook Two

uantum meditations0 1ook Three

uantum editations0 1ook Four


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uantum editations0 1ook Five

uantum editation 3& (ebook)uantum editation 3) (ebook)

uantum editation 34 (ebook)

uantum editations 35 (ebook)





uantum editations 3(' (ebook)

Experimental Narrative

$wakenin" *ra"on0 an +hamanic $dventure

Pre-Quantum Meditations

Fiction

1lood oon Tales of da ;oopernatural


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Contents

he Ode"imaa Ba#!a$i

Part I Hither and Yon(. %a&b'oooo and the orr&ption o* the %orld Under the Flesh

&. %a&b'oooo comes o&t o* +idin#). %a&b'oooo and ramliche -&n a -ace

4.-ene Follo!s the .&sic

5.-ene hases the .&sic6.-ene, the .is*it

/0-ene .akes a 1on# 2o&rney

30 he +orned One %elcomes an Unexpected &est

40 heka&bae!iss Says oodbye to ity 1i*e

5601ilith has ompany at Break*ast

550 Stephen .eets a 1e#end

570 ramliche has a Bad 8ay

@lossar#


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*edicated in lovin" memor# of m# "randmother Ahea Feldpausch

(9'7-&'((

The Odeimaa Ba!a"i

The brid"e in the Borld of the Flesh cast a shadow spannin"

@ichi"ami to touch the =and 1etween the +k# Baters. The anitou

knew when this brid"e was completed the trolls and o"res and all theCorrupted Hordes would rush across to invade their sanctuar#. There

was no wa# the anitou could stop the humans from buildin" this

brid"e. $ll the# could do was prepare to defend themselves.

The Corrupted 2nes were drawn to the brid"e b# the scent offresh meat and the promise of new treasure. $nd when the brid"e was

finished the# raced across to meet the marshaled forces of the

anitou. The numberless horde was held back b# the stron" and thepowerful whose man# acts of heroism remain unsun". The anitou

fou"ht while the weaker amon" them fled man# of them retreatin" to

distant lands be#ond this world where the Corrupted Hordes wouldnever tread far be#ond the touch of humans.

The heroes of the anitou fou"ht valiantl# and prevailed for a

time. ;et in the end their efforts were doomed. The numbers of theanitou had dwindled since humans first set foot in the New Borld

while the ranks of the Corrupted 2nes were swollen inversel#. Theconclusion of this battle was fore"one when the first troll set foot in

the =and 1etween the +k# Baters. The defenses were overrun and theinvasion of the last refu"e of the anitou be"an in earnest.

$s the defenses crumbled the =ad# $ki-ikwe called Baub-

oooo who was neither stron" nor powerful out of hidin" and madehim swear to preserve the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi. +tandin" onl# two and a

half feet tall his dark skin covered with a fine fur Baub-oooo was

the most furtive of the little anitou. He passed his life withoutleavin" an# si"n of its passa"e sta#in" hidden in the secret places onl#

he knew ever alert for trouble with his bu" e#es round furr# ears and

his fine sense of smell.Few had ever seen Baub-oooo and onl# one person knew his

true name the =ad# $ki-ikwe who knew ever#ones true name. $nd

knowin" his true name she could call him to her and place upon him


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the dut# of keepin" the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi safe. Baub-oooo was

terrified of takin" on so important a char"e but he could refuse the=ad# $ki-ikwe nothin".+he called him to her "ardens lush with eotic blossoms tended

b# butterflies and hummin"birds. Baub-oooo had never been so

close to the =ad# $ki-ikwe before. +he was a vision of beaut# softradiant and li"ht. Her lon" hair was a rich red the color of the ,arth

and the "ood red path and her skin was the color of pale ivor#. +he

was dressed in white flowin" robes and between her breasts shone awarm healin" li"ht.

GBaub-ooooG she said to him G#ou must hide the 2deDimaa

1a"waEi where it will never be found b# the Horde. +o lon" as it is

safe the# can never completel# destro# this land.G+ome of us will survive in the shadows and the remote places.

$nd there will be hope that our world will one da# be restored. ;ou

must keep the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi safe until that da#.GG will tr# m=ad#G Baub-oooos e#es popped lar"e with

concern. He politel# held his cap before him in "narled hands. G1ut

how will know when that da# has come.G=ad# $ki-ikwe had the "ift of distant si"ht. Gt is for a human to

restore our world.G

G$ human m=ad#IG Baub-oooo Juailed at the ver# thou"ht.G$re #ou sureIG

GThe humans have taken this world from usG =ad# $ki-ikwe said

in a distant voice. Gt is for a human bein" to return it to us.G

G$s #ou sa#G Baub-oooo still had his doubts Gbut humans areso shortsi"htedKG

G2ne da# there will come a child of the first peopleG the =ad#

$ki-ikwe proclaimed. G+he will be lookin" for her voice and #ou willknow her b# her son". The 2deDimaa 1a"waEi will respond to her and

#our dut# will be fulfilled.G

G;es m=ad#G Baub-oooo bowed before her.G$rise Baub-oooo and take #our char"eG the =ad# $ki-ikwe

clasped her hands over her chest and drew them awa# openin" them

before Baub-oooo to disclose the li"ht that had shone between her

breasts.Baub-oooo held up a hand to shade his e#es so bri"ht was the

li"ht. =ookin" at what she held he saw a lar"e "lowin" cr#stal. $s he


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watched it was transformed first to a shinin" white blossom and then

to a lar"e acorn.GTake itG the =ad# $ki-ikwe ur"ed him.Baub-oooo wiped his hands on his vest and reached out to take

the seed. n his hands it became a lar"e piece of black obsidian warm

to the touch. Baub-oooo worried his unworth# "rasp had dama"ed it.Gt chan"es form dependin" on its surroundin"s and who is

holdin" it.G The =ad# set his fears to rest. GThat should aid #ou in

hidin" it. 1ut do not take chances. *ont let an#one see it.GThe sounds of battle drew close to the "arden. The =ad#s

attendants were a"itated. t re"istered with Baub-oooo that the =ad#

$ki-ikwe sounded wear# and she had lost her former "low.

GPut it awa#G she told him. G>eep it close to #ou until #ou havefound the ri"ht hidin" place and "uard it with #our life.G

The battle spilled into the "arden as defenders sou"ht with their

last breath to hold back the invadin" hordes.GNow "o Baub-ooooG the =ad# $ki-ikwe ur"ed him. GFleeKG

Baub-oooo hid the Heart of the Bild inside his vest net to his

own heart. G will not fail #ou m=ad#G he promised as he vanishedinto the under"rowth.

GFarewell Baub-ooooG the =ad# $ki-ikwe whispered behind

him. G$ll our hopes "o with #ou.G$t the ed"e of the "arden he paused pretendin" to be a dead stick

and looked back on the =ad# $ki-ikwe. The =ad# dismissed her court

and stood to face the oncomin" attackers. $ lar"e o"re reached her

first. He held her with one hand while he brou"ht a war club down ontop of her head smashin" her skull open. Baub-oooo stood froen in

horror as the o"re ate the =ad#s brains. Then he was "one fleein" for

his life and the future of his people.


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Part #

Hither and Yon

(. %a&b'oooo and the orr&ption o* the %orld Under the Flesh

Baub-oooo had lon" dreaded this da#. He should never havebeen chosen as the "uardian of their most sacred treasure. There were

others well noted for their prowess their intelli"ence their wisdom or

their in"enuit#. Baub-oooo possessed none of these "ifts. He wasweak of bod# and mind and fearful of his own shadow.

His onl# skill which had spared him all these #ears while others

more worth# fou"ht and were defeated was the art of concealment. He

knew ever# secret place in the =and 1etween the +k# Baters $kkiNisawa# @ichi"ami. He could hide so well onl# those who knew his

true name could ever find him. Baub-oooo was his common name

meanin" little rabbit or the white-tailed one. That he knew of onl# onebein" knew his true name and she died after placin" the 2deDimaa

1a"waEi in his hands. Baub-oooo had been in hidin" ever since.

That is precisel# wh# he was chosen to be the "uardian of the2deDimaa 1a"waEi. $s lon" as the 2deDimaa survived their world

could not be completel# overrun. $nd woe to all worlds should the

2deDimaa ever fall into the wron" hands.t had been fift# #ears as humans told time since the =and

1etween the +k# Baters was invaded. n all those #ears the landresisted defilement because the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi was safe. $nd in allthese #ears the Horde minions of corruption had hunted for the

2deDimaa without ever findin" a trace of it.

The 2deDimaa 1a"waEi had been safe in his care for so lon" he

had "rown la. The hidin" place he chose was in a remote area of the=and 1etween the +k# Baters an inaccessible "len hidden amon"

ston# hills nearl# as old as time itself. This was a mountainous re"ion

where the land had never Juite solidified into realit# the LnfinishedHills. 2ut here it was eas# to pass from one world to another without

even bein" aware of it. This unfinished creation leaked ma"ic and it

was Baub-oooos thou"ht that this leakin" power would help to cloakthe 2deDimaa.

This it had done. For fift# #ears no minion of corruption had

come near the Lnfinished Hills. From hidin" he saw them scour the


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=and 1etween the +k# Baters #et the# alwa#s steered clear of these

mountains. ,ven the dimmest o"re and the "reediest troll knew awron" turn in these hills would transport it to some other world perhaps even the land of the Beendi"o with no wa# back. 2r

worse #et an unwittin" bumbler mi"ht stumble throu"h a portal to

find itself unmade.Lntil now the search for the 2deDimaa had been unor"anied. The

Corrupted Hordes the defiled ones knew it was somewhere in the

=and 1etween the +k# Baters simpl# because that land continued toeist. The trolls craved it as a treasure the# could horde the o"res as a

tast# morsel the# could devour and the "oblins as a trinket that would

brin" them presti"e. ;et the# lacked an# more sophisticated

motivation and their searches were uncoordinated. +uch had alwa#sbeen the wa# with these beasts0 it was one of the few thin"s the

anitou had in their favor.

The Corrupted 2nes were undirected and difficult to or"anie.2nce in a while someone would happen alon" who was powerful

enou"h to draw them to"ether and lead them but it never lasted. 2"res

and "iants were too dim-witted the# were content simpl# to defiledevour and destro#. Trolls on the other hand were too "reed#. The#

were apt to seie on some small treasure or propert# and then spend

the a"es "uardin" it. =astl# "oblins were too clannish. The various"oblin clans fou"ht amon" themselves. The onl# thin" all the clans

a"reed on was that o"res and trolls were to be thorou"hl# reviled.

$t one time these creatures were confined to the land across the

waters Baasawekami". n those da#s the =and 1etween the +k#Baters was a blessed realm and a sanctuar# for all the anitou. The#

roamed freel# throu"hout this world sharin" its beaut# and riches. 1ut

then the Horde appeared foulin" the land and murderin" the anitouas the# spread throu"hout the world.

No one knew where the# came from but the wise elder

Nwanaehaus said the# followed the humans. Humans were thecreatures of $kiin Bii#aasa" the Borld of the Flesh which was

closel# linked to this world $kiin $naamin" Bii#aasa" the Borld

Lnder the Flesh. The# were weak natured blind and short lived but

the# were capable of "reat thin"s and the# thrived. The humans"reatest failin" was their inabilit# to see their environment as it trul#

was. The# were alone havin" lost their connection to the communit#

of life around them.


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Nwanaehaus contended the Corrupted 2nes the o"res and trolls

and "oblins were nature spirits as were the inhabitants of the =and1etween the +k# Baters. The# came from the Borld of the Flesh andremained tied to the humans. The blindness of the humans had driven

them mad. +evered from the source of their true bein" the# were

transformed into monsters that sou"ht onl# to defile ever#thin" aroundthem.

Bhether or not this was true it was plain the Horde in this world

followed the humans in the Borld of the Flesh. Bhen the humans firsttraveled to the New Borld the# were soon followed b# the Corrupted

2nes who invaded $kiin *aawinan the land of the anitou.

@ranted there were human bein"s alread# in the New Borld. 1ut

those people were different0 the# were not blind as were thenewcomers. The# respected nature and the# were at peace with the

anitou. 1ut these newcomers sou"ht onl# to conJuer and destro#.

The human world and the world of the anitou are closel# tiedto"ether. Bhatever humans do in $kiin Bii#aasa" has its reflection in

$kiin $naamin" Bii#aasa". +o as the humans tamed the wilderness

the# opened the Borld Lnder the Flesh to the Horde who spreadacross the land destro#in" and desecratin".

Bhere the humans went in the Borld of the Flesh the 1li"ht

spread throu"h this world befoulin" the land and destro#in"ever#thin" it touched. 2nl# the Corrupted 2nes could survive in this

corrupted land. t was said the 1li"ht came from Baasawekami" the

distant land far across the ishi"amiin" 2cean. Now the bli"ht had

spread throu"hout the realm of the anitou ever#where ecept the=and 1etween the +k# Baters.

anitou were pushed back to remote areas until the# retreated to

the =and 1etween the +k# Baters leavin" the rest of the world to theo"re the troll the "iant and the "oblins and to monsters much worse

than these. The +k# Baters held powerful ma"ic and it was believed

the Horde would never be able to cross them. $nd so it was untilnearl# fift# #ears a"o when humans at last conJuered even the +k#

Baters.


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&. %a&b'oooo comes o&t o* +idin#

The Corrupted 2nes "athered in an open valle# south of theLnfinished Hills. $nd so it was to this valle# that Baub-oooo

ventured under cover of darkness. He sat at the ed"e of the woods for

a lon" time near a hidden doorwa# leadin" to the Borld of the Flesh.

t was a doorwa# he had used often before its eistence somehowmasked from ever#one but him. He was familiar with the wide valle#

before him havin" freJuented it in his fora"in". Never had he met so

much as another anitoussiwuk in these meadows. +tud#in" the campbefore him Baub-oooo could not believe what he saw.

There must have been thousands of o"res and "oblins and

hundreds of trolls assembled in the valle#. The# sat in "roups aroundcampfires or la# sleepin" on the "round. $mon" them were also

fierce hill "iants. The lar"est "iant Baub-oooo had ever seen la# on

the ed"e of the meadow. This one "iant covered an area full# the sieof the entire camp. Fl#in" overhead were the dreaded Pau"uk the

fl#in" skeletons who sent shivers down his spine with their "hostl#

shrieks. Bith Pau"uk patrollin" the air Baub-oooo would have to be

etra careful to remain undetected. He almost "ave up sp#in" on theHorde and fled for his life. 1ut he could not abandon his char"e.

Bho was fearsome enou"h to command the Corrupted 2nes and

demand their obedienceI $nd what did this demon want with the

Heart of the BildI Baub-oooo had to answer these Juestions beforehe could determine what must be done.

n the ver# center of the camp was a lar"e tent "uarded b# two hill"iants. Trolls "oblins and a few o"res came and went no doubt "ivin"

reports and takin" orders. nside the tent must be the commander of

the Horde. Bhatever manner of creature it was it never ventured out

where Baub-oooo could "et a look at it. f he wanted to find out whatkind of bein" this was and perhaps learn its intentions he would have

to sneak close to this tent.

Furtivel# with "reat trepidation Baub-oooo crept into the camp.He moved with utmost caution stickin" to the shadows as much as

possible careful to sta# concealed whenever one of the corruptedturned his wa# pa#in" particular attention to the Pau"uk fl#in"overhead.


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He was makin" his wa# alon" the side of the lar"est of "iants

when another of its clan approached. Bith not a moment to spareBaub-oooo hid in a leather pouch l#in" net to the "iant.Gishi-naubaeKG The approachin" "iant stood onl# half as bi" as

the behemoth to which he was talkin". GThe 2"imauh has a Eob for

#ou.G@rumblin" ishi-naubae rose from his bed. He "rabbed his

pouch and hun" it b# its strap over his shoulder. nside the pouch

Baub-oooo was Eostled amid loose tobacco a stone pipe bi" enou"hto serve him as a canoe some sharp pieces of flint and a few strips of

dried meat. He had to be careful not to cut himself on the flints.

G am "oin"G ishi-naubae "rumbled in his low bass voice.

Baub-oooo clun" to the inside of the pouch as the "iant lopedacross the camp. The "iant reached his "oal in two strides. Must as

Baub-oooo thou"ht the rou"h ride was over the pouch lurched and

hit the "round hard almost spillin" him out alon" with its contents. fBaub-oooo had not been holdin" onto the sides of the ba" he would

have tumbled out beside the bowin" "iant ri"ht at the feet of a robed

man. Baub-oooo peaked out of the pouch astonished to see this hu"e"iant prostratin" himself on the "round in a show of obeisance to a

pun# human.

Thou"h dwarfed b# the respectful "iant the man was man# timesBaub-oooos hei"ht and he carried himself in a superior manner.

The man was dressed in some sort of dark robe with the hood thrown

back. His hair was dark and he had a thick beard. His cheekbones were

hi"h and pronounced as was his nose. $nd his e#es were cruel andhard.

This man must be a sorcerer. Baub-oooo could feel the power

radiatin" from him. $nd he was ver# dan"erous. There was somethin"feral about him. Thou"h the "iant ishi-naubae could easil# have

crushed him underfoot he was afraid of this man.

Gishi-naubaeG the man spoke in a stron" harsh voice Gthe1urned +kull band of "oblins has not returned. Hunt them down and

kill them.G

G;es 2"imauhKG The "iant was pleased with his instructions. He

rose part wa# from the "round trailin" his pouch. Ga# eat themIGG;ou can dr# them out and smoke them in #our pipe for all

care.G The man "lared at him GBhether the# are rene"ades or


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incompetents will tolerate neither. Find them and kill them.G The

man turned awa# to reenter his tent.ishi-naubae rose ea"erl# to undertake his task. +eein" hischance Baub-oooo slipped out of the pouch and into the tent on the

mans heels.

$s Baub-oooo entered the tent his hackles rose and he knew hehad passed throu"h some kind of ward. However it was too late to do

an#thin" about it. The inside of the tent was lit b# an oil lantern. t

held a cot a foldin" table and chair and several lar"e trunks. Baub-oooo hid behind one of the latter.

The 2"imauh kept his back to Baub-oooo. He was stud#in" a

map that la# spread over the table top. *ue to the hei"ht of the table

there was no wa# Baub-oooo could "et a look at the map short ofclimbin" up. Baub-oooo ducked behind the chest as someone

scratched at the tent entrance.

GCome in.G The 2"imauh turned to face the entrance as a trollentered. The troll had the diseased "reenish cast normal to its species

with black splotches. t was lon" of limb as were all trolls with lon"

clutchin" fin"ers that terminated in nast# sharp claws. t was dressedin a loin clothe which was the common attire of both trolls and o"res.

2"res had differin" features but trolls all looked alike to Baub-

oooos e#es.2"res were brawn# brutes with hair# ash-colored skin. For all

their hair their heads were usuall# bald and beardless thou"h not

alwa#s. Baub-oooo could not tell if the hairless pates were due to

fashion or nature. The# had point# ears and pronounced e#e rid"es.The# lacked noses havin" lar"e nostrils set flush to the face. $nd their

mouths were eJuipped with a nast# set of tarnished fan"s. 2"res were

ver# muscular with powerful arms and hands. For all their mass2"res usuall# stood at least a head shorter than trolls.

The third race of the Corrupted 2nes "oblins were a small hi"h-

strun" bunch. The# were brown-skinned with ill-formed facialfeatures. Their coal black e#es were offset and sometimes seemed to

sa" in their faces. Their voices were hi"h-pitched and "rated on Baub-

oooos ears. @oblins were better clothed than the other species of the

Horde. This did little to make up for their half-formed appearance. Notwo "oblin faces were the same but all had the appearance of bein"

poured from a well-shaken Ear.


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@iants like Pau"uk were not trul# creatures of the Horde. The#

were an elder race and had been in this land as lon" as the anitoucould remember thou"h the# had been rare until the 1li"ht came tothis continent. The# were twice as tall as the bi""est troll and looked

like lar"e muscular humans dressed in rou"h hides. For all their sie

"iants were dim-witted. This was their maEor weakness.The creature that entered the tent was tall even for a troll. He had

to bow low to make it throu"h the entrance. 2nce inside he stooped to

avoid brushin" the roof of the tent.G$h @ramlicheG the 2"imauh said as the troll Eoined him b# the

table. G;ou are the last to report. How did #ou fareIG

The troll etended a lon" clawed fin"er and pointed to a spot on

the map. GBe searched from hereG he moved his fin"er alon" the mapto another point Gto here. There was no si"n of it but felt the

2deimaa.G Trolls could feel treasure nearb#. Gt is there somewhere.G

G;esG the 2"imauh verified. Gt is here and we will recover it.*id #ou search for secret passa"ewa#sIG

G;esG the troll answered. GBe found several but none led to

what we seek. Be lost two o"res.GGHmG the 2"imauh "runted. GBell there are plent# more.G

GThe others are stationed on overlooks throu"hout the area as #ou

[email protected] The 2"imauh turned awa# from the map to stud# the

troll. GTell me @ramliche what do #ou detectIG

Gt is tou"h to "et the feel of it in the Lnfinished Hills but there is

somethin" powerful to the north.GGThen that is where we will continue our search.G

GThe land "ets rou"her as we travel northG the troll told him.

GThe hills "row more numerous and more difficult to scale. There arelots of low passes between them swamp# areas thick with trees. $nd

we must move slower because each step could take us throu"h a secret

passa"e with no wa# back.GGHowever lon" it takes.G The 2"imauh did not want to hear about

these difficulties. GBe have to find it. Be cannot proceed until have

the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi.G

GBith it we will finall# establish full dominion over this worldGthe troll said.


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G$nd othersG the 2"imauh amended. G1ut let us not talk of that

now. For the moment we must focus on findin" it if we have tosacrifice ever#one in this camp to do so.GG*o not worr#G the troll assured him. G will find it for #ou.G

Gf an#one @ramliche believe #ou can. $nd once #ou brin" me

the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi will "ive #ou a place at m# side.GThe 2"imauh led the troll back to the door of the tent. GAest

toni"ht. $t first li"ht head back to where #ou left off. Take another

score of o"res with #ou and will assi"n the Tattered ,ar band of"oblins to work with #ou. Proceed Eust as #ou did toda#.G

G;es 2"imauh.G The troll bowed and started to leave the tent.

[email protected] The 2"imauh stepped over b# the entrance close to

where Baub-oooo was hidden. G*o wait a moment.GBithout an# warnin" the 2"imauh reached behind the chest laid

hold of Baub-oooos vest and hauled him up. Baub-oooo stru""led

as he dan"led in midair held in the 2"imauhs firm "rip. Cau"ht b#surprise Baub-oooo chan"ed form adoptin" the appearance of his

namesake. GBhat have we here a sp#IG

G$ little rabbit.G @ramliche chuckled as he backed into the tent.His e#es bu""in" out with fri"ht Baub-oooo sou"ht an innocent

eplanation for his presence. GBhatI No sp# m=ord. m merel# a

harmless rabbit who once had m# burrow in this valle#. ;our troopscau"ht me off "uard and was desperate for someplace to hide when

spied this tent. am ver# sorr# intruded on #our privac# m=ord.G

G@ive him to meG @ramliche offered Gand will find him a place

in m# cook pot.GGNo little rabbit would trip m# ward.G The 2"imauh saw ri"ht

throu"h the subterfu"e. GThat ward is desi"ned to react to anitou.G

G$h.G The troll looked at Baub-oooo more closel#. Gt is aanitoussiwuk.G

G+o which is itIG The 2"imauh offered a choice G$re #ou a sp#

or will #ou "o into @ramliches stewpotIGG am no sp#G Baub-oooo insisted.

G


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GHmm.G The 2"imauh considered. G$ anitoussiwuk who spies

but is no sp#. Bho sent #ou hereIGGNo one m=ord.GThe 2"imauh "rabbed Baub-oooo b# the throat and e#ed him.

Baub-oooo was afraid the sorcerer would choke him to death. The

2"imauh turned the little anitous face so @ramliche could see himbetter.

G*oes not this little anitou resemble NanabooooIG

Baub-oooo blanched at the mention of his relative the famoustrickster.

G;esG the troll a"reed. GHe is a little rabbit.G

G*id Nanaboooo send #ouIG The 2"imauh "rew ver# fierce.

GNo m=ordKG Baub-oooo protested his innocence. His relativema# be powerful but he was nothin" but trouble. Baub-oooo had no

desire to be linked to Nanaboooo. G came here on m# own

m=ordKGThe 2"imauh clasped his hands behind his back as he re"arded

the little anitou. GBh# would a timid little rabbit sneak into the

midst of the Horde and venture into m# tent to hear what is said hereIGBaub-oooo tried to maintain his innocent act thou"h it was

difficult to do so in @ramliches clutches with the troll droolin" over

him.The 2"imauh bent down to brin" his face close lookin" Baub-

oooo in the e#e GBhat have #ou to do with the 2deDimaa 1a"waEiIG

Baub-oooo shrank awa# as best he could in the trolls stron"

"rasp. He stuttered GN-nothin" m=ordKGThe 2"imauh sneered at him. G;ou lie. t is rumored the =ad#

$ki-ikwe "ave the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi to a anitoussiwuk even as the

Horde was invadin" the =and 1etween the +k# Baters.GThe 2"imauh looked off to the north. GBhat better place to hide

the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi than in the Lnfinished HillsIG

n spite of himself Baub-oooo whimpered.2f a sudden the 2"imauh pounced on Baub-oooo a"ain. GBhat

did #ou do with the 2deDimaa 1a"waEiIG

G lost itKG Baub-oooo spoke before he knew what he was

sa#in".G;ou lost itKG the 2"imauh was incredulous.


17/82

)

G lost it in the Lnfinished HillsG Baub-oooo whined. GThat is

the truthK t was beside me one ni"ht when went to sleep and in themornin" it was "one.GG;ou lost itIG the 2"imauh still did not believe him.

Gve been searchin" for it ever sinceG Baub-oooo insisted.

G+hould tear off one of his armsIG @ramliche "rabbed his leftarm and wrenched it.

Baub-oooo cried out.

G;ou know eactl# where the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi isG the2"imauh told him brookin" no ar"ument Gand #ou will lead us to it.

f not then will feed #ou to @ramliche and his men piece b# piece.G

To emphasie this threat @ramliche transferred his "rip to the

back of Baub-oooos neck and bit off one of his ears.Baub-oooo screamed. 1lood flowed wet down the side of his

head.

@ramliche chewed and swallowed. GThis rabbit is ver# tast#. want another bite.G He menaced Baub-oooo with his sharp teeth.

G2ka#KG Baub-oooo pleaded. G will do as #ou askKG

GBhere is the 2deDimaa 1a"waEiIG the 2"imauh demanded.Baub-oooo knew better than to "ive them the location. The#

would have the 2deDimaa and there would be no need to keep him

alive. Gt is hiddenK ;ou will never find it on #our own not even if "ive #ou directions.G

The 2"imauh scowled a"ain. @ramliche "nashed his teeth.

G can take #ou thereKG Baub-oooo offered. G can take #ou to

itKGG+o #ou shallG the 2"imauh said. G$nd #ou better not tr# to trick

us. @ramliches crew has an even bi""er appetite than he does.G

@ramliche chuckled.G>eep a close e#e on this anitoussiwukG the 2"imauh ordered.

GTomorrow he will lead us to the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi.G

G;es 2"imauh.G


18/82

)

). %a&b'oooo and ramliche -&n a -ace

G2nce we have the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi nothin" will stop us. Firstwe will unite the entire Horde and then we will overrun

Baawi#ekami". $ll the treasures of the universe will be ours.G

@ramliche was seated before a campfire. First thin" after leavin"

the 2"imauhs tent he found a stout leather cord to tie around Baub-oooos neck. 1# this leash the troll dra""ed Baub-oooo about the

camp the latter stru""lin" to keep up so the leash would not a""ravate

his wounded ear causin" it to bleed a"ain.The net stop was a lar"e communit# cook pot that reeked of

overcooked meat and nobod# knew what else. @ramliche "or"ed

himself on this stew eatin" a prodi"ious amount. He threw a fewscraps on the "round for Baub-oooo but the anitoussiwuk would

not have eaten them even if the# had been served on a plate instead of

the trampled soil. Baub-oooo was a strict ve"etarian0 his di"estives#stem would not handle meat even if he felt a desire to eat dead flesh.

$fter feastin" @ramliche appropriated a skin full of alcohol from

some o"res and found himself a seat at a fire. Bhile he drank he kept

a ti"ht hold on Baub-oooos leash makin" him sit like a pet at thetrolls smell# feet occasionall# reachin" down to "ive his head a pat.

The alcohol loosened his ton"ue. He called Baub-oooo his pet

and talked of how his pet would soon make him rich. Baub-oooo

listened and looked for a wa# to win his freedom while i"norin" therancid odor of the monsters feet and the pain at the side of his head

where once his ear had been.@ramliche held up the half empt# skin and spread his arms to take

in the stars in the sk# overhead. G will be the treasurer of all the

worldsK That will make me the richest troll that ever lived. $ll others

will bow before meKGGs that what the 2"imauh promised: to make #ou his treasurer.G

Baub-oooo tested the trolls lo#alt#. GBhat makes #ou think he will

keep his wordIGGFoolish petG @ramliche aimed a kick at Baub-oooo Eust

missin" the wounded side of his head as Baub-oooo scurried out ofthe wa#. The troll reeled him back in. GThe 2"imauh knows howvaluable @ramliche is. have served him ver# well. Bithout me he

would have no followers.G


19/82

)

@ramliche lifted his le". Baub-oooo prepared to dod"e another

kick. nstead the troll blasted a foul fart that nearl# caused theanitoussiwuk to pass out. @ramliche lau"hed as his pet choked onthe noious fumes.

G;ou know nothin"G @ramliche admonished his pet. G@ramliche

was the most powerful troll in Baasawekami".G He beat his chest. Gamassed a mountain of "oldK ore than an# troll ever dreamed of.

kept it in a cave where no one could touch it.G

GHow come #ou arent at #our cave ri"ht now "uardin" all that"oldIG Baub-oooo probed GHow do #ou know it is still safeIG

GThe 2"imauh is keepin" it safe for meG @ramliche swore as

much to assure himself as his pet.

G never heard of a troll "ivin" his treasure to someone else tokeep it safe for him. ;ou dont sound all that powerful to me.G

@ramliche #anked on the leash chokin" Baub-oooo and causin"

his wound to sur"e with pain. GFoolish petK ;ou must learn #ourplace.G

The troll drank some more. =owerin" the skin he wiped his

mouth with the back of his hand and "aed at the fire. $fter a momenthe allowed Gt is true the 2"imauh tricked me when first we met. 1ut

we have done "reat thin"s to"ether.G

GTricked #ou. HowIG@ramliche leered at the memor#. GHe made all m# "old vanish.G

G seeG Baub-oooo ventured. GThen he blackmailed #ou.G

Gt is no blackmailG @ramliche insisted. G# treasure is safe. He

will return it with tenfold more when we have the 2deDimaa 1a"waEi.$nd we will have it soon now that we have #ou.G @ramliche chuckled

and tu""ed on the leash.

Baub-oooo thou"ht he saw a wa# out of his captivit#. GHowlon" has it been since he spirited awa# #our treasureI ll bet #ou are

achin" to "et it back.G

Gt has been a lon" timeG @ramliche allowed. Gt has taken #earsto draw to"ether the Horde. 1ut will have m# treasure tomorrow.

$nd much much more.G

GTomorrowIG Baub-oooo baited his trap. GBh# wait for

tomorrow when #ou could have it toni"htIGGTomorrow we will "ather forces to make the Eourne#.G

@ramliche drank from the skin nearl# empt#in" it.


20/82

)

G;ou dont need o"res and "oblins and #ou dont need to wait

until tomorrow. ;ou and could fetch it within the hour.GGBhat do #ou meanIG @ramliche "lared at Baub-oooo. Hisvoice held doubt but there was "reed in his e#es.

GThere is a doorwa# in the woods outside of this campG Baub-

oooo told the troll. Gt is a two-wa# door that leads to the 2deDimaa1a"waEi and back a"ain.

@ramliche leapt up and tottered around for a moment as he found

his balance. He seemed to sniff at the air. G sense no doorwa#KGGt is hidden but it is thereG Baub-oooo insisted. GHow do #ou

think reached this camp without runnin" afoul of #our sentriesIG

@ramliche considered. n the end his drunken "reed won out.

GTake me to this doorwa#.GGf #ou insist.G nwardl# Baub-oooo patted himself on the back.

$ drunken troll was an eas# creature to manipulate.

Baub-oooo led @ramliche throu"h the camp. Careenin"drunkenl# the troll had a tendenc# to tu" on the leash chokin" the

anitoussiwuk and provokin" a fresh wave of pain from his wound.

Baub-oooo also had to be war# least the other creatures crowdedto"ether in the valle# most of them much bi""er than he should

trod him underfoot. Fortunatel# he mana"ed to avoid bein" flattened

and the# soon left the camp climbin" out of the valle# to the ed"e ofthe forest.

GThe leak lies this wa#.G Baub-oooo pointed and altered course.

He was brou"ht up short on the end of the leash chokin" as he was

almost pulled off his feet.GBait a minuteKG @ramliche "rumbled. The troll drew aside his

loincloth. @raspin" his "ruesome member he started urinatin" aimin"

a steamin" stream at the unsuspectin" anitoussiwuk.The urine stun" where it hit him. Baub-oooo sJuawked and

hastened to step out of the shower. @ramliche lau"hed as he made a

sport of chasin" Baub-oooo with his stream of urine. $s the trollheld the leash ti"ht in one hand while aimin" his stream with the other

Baub-oooo could onl# run in a circle around the monster. This he did

with such speed the intoicated troll could not keep up with him.

n short order Baub-oooo had the leash wrapped around thetrolls le"s. *i# from spinnin" around @ramliche tumbled to the

"round pissin" on himself. He let "o of the leash as he fell.


21/82

The anitoussiwuk turned a somersault and landed on his feet

runnin". He reeled in the leash as he ran so it would not be cau"ht ona branch. 1ein" much smaller than the troll he cut throu"h theunderbrush usin" his sie to his advanta"e.

@ramliche re"ained his feet with a howl and took off after theanitoussiwuk. +hould his pet make "ood his escape @ramliche

would be in bi" trouble. The 2"imauh would not return his treasure.

He mi"ht suffer even worse punishment. He had seen what the2"imauh did to servants who failed him and @ramliche was not about

to meet that a"oniin" end.

He tore his wa# strai"ht throu"h the brush and trees pa#in" noheed when he was whipped b# branches or cut b# thorns. The

anitoussiwuk had a "ood lead on him and the little creature had an

advanta"e in these woods but @ramliche mana"ed to keep him withinsi"ht.

The anitoussiwuk led him throu"h the woods until it bolted

across a small clearin". Here @ramliche was able to close the "ap

makin" bi" strides with his lon" le"s brin"in" him closer to the smallrabbit.

$s the# neared the far side of the clearin" it looked like

@ramliche would catch his Juarr#. Must a couple more strides and he

would be able to reach out and snatch his pre#. The anitoussiwukput on a last burst of speed in its effort to escape. @ramliche increased

his own pace to overtake the creature. He reached out to "rab hold ofhis defiant pet and the anitoussiwuk was "one.

@ramliche halted so suddenl# he nearl# fell over. Bhere had the

anitoussiwuk "oneI @ramliche doubted it had the abilit# to become

invisible thou"h he could not completel# discount the possibilit#. Helooked all around him shoutin" GBhere are #ou m# petI That was a

nice little "ame. ;ou beat old @ramliche. Now show #ourselfKG

There was no response. The woods were Juiet. The onl# noisecame from the camp.

@ramliche studied the spot where the anitoussiwuk disappeared.He could see nothin" there. Could the little anitou have been tellin"the truth about the doorwa#I Could it be here in front of him thou"h

he saw nothin"I


22/82

His head still cloud# with alcohol @ramliche tried to think this

throu"h. f there was a doorwa# here it mi"ht not lead to the2deDimaa 1a"waEi as the anitoussiwuk had said but it was unlikel#it led to an#place dan"erous or the anitoussiwuk would not have

used it. @ramliche could not end his pursuit until he cau"ht the little

anitou. He could not return to the camp without it.,mboldened b# these thou"hts @ramliche took a step. Nothin"

happened. He was still standin" in the woods over the valle# the noise

of the camp echoin" to him.He took two more steps and then the world around him vanished.


23/82

4.-ene Follo!s the .&sic

@randma Aena had ur"ed Aene to take up her fiddle and hold afront porch session Eust a couple da#s a"o. Aene was downcast read#

to "ive up the fiddle. +he had auditioned for a local rock band but

found her old time fiddle st#le did not work with the sort of music the#

pla#ed. The lead "uitarist poked fun at her for pla#in" Gthat old shitGand she had been lau"hed out of the rehearsal. Aene fled to her

"randmothers cabin and set the fiddle in a corner where she

attempted to for"et it.+he left it there when she returned home late that evenin". 1ut she

came back earl# the net da# and the first thin" she did was look to

make sure the fiddle was ri"ht where she left it. $lthou"h it wasalwa#s on her mind she did not touch it throu"hout the da#.

+he kept bus# doin" chores for @randma Aena. $fter dinner

@randma Aena took down her drum and tried to lead Aene into ashamanic trance. The# were no more successful than on an# of their

previous attempts. n fact this time the fiddlin" in Aenes head was so

loud it practicall# drowned out the drummin". Aene broke down in

frustration. GBhats da useI m sorr# "randma but Eust cant do dis.m no shaman.G

GNonsenseG @randma Aena told her. G;ou have da power widin

#ou. can feel it. Perhaps da time Eust aint ri"ht #et eh.G This did not

make Aene feel much better. Gt is stuff# in here. =ets sit on da porcheh.G

Aene held the door open for her "randmother and followed herout. Aena sat back in her wattle rocker and Aene sat on the porch

steps han"in" her head and mopin".

GBheres #er fiddleIG @randma Aena asked her.

GnsideG Aene answered not wantin" to think about it thou"h itwas all she could think about.

G@et it.G

G$w "randmaG Aene protested.G wanna hear some fiddle musicG @randma Aena demanded.

G2ka#G Aene went into the house and soon returned bearin" herfiddle. +he started pla#in" The =ampli"hters Hornpipe. $t first shepla#ed half-heartedl#. 1efore she knew it however she was immersed

in her fiddle pla#in". Those dumb kids didnt know what the# were


24/82

talkin" about. Aene would show them these old fiddle tunes were

eternal.@randma Aena rocked as her "randdau"hter pla#ed. +heremembered other Otis fiddlers she had known dances and socials.

ostl# she remembered her son sittin" on this porch pla#in" man# of

these ver# tunes. +he felt her son drawn b# his "randdau"htersfiddlin". The music seemed to flow around his presence makin" him

palpable. For the first time @randma Aena appreciated the ma"ic of

her "randdau"hters fiddle pla#in".G2f courseKG she eclaimed as she stomped her foot. +tartled

Aene screeched to a sudden halt and looked over to see if her

"randmother was alri"ht.

G$ hundred #ears still makes a foolKG @randma Aena cursedherself. To Aene she said GChild we been "oin about dis all wron".

been tr#in to teach #ou wid da old wa#s but #er part of a new

"eneration and #ou "ot #our own wa# to power eh. For"et about dadrum #ou have da fiddle.G

GHuhIG Aene was not Juite sure she understood.

GBhere does #er mind "o when #ou pla# da fiddleIGG dunno. nto da music "uess.G

G*oes #er mind empt# out but for da musicIG

G;eah.GGAeneG her "randmother said Gwe was wron" tr#in ta chase dat

music outta #er head cu dats how #ou meditate eh. ;ou need ta

follow dat music en empt# #er mind of ever#tin" else. Tr# itKG

Aene tucked the fiddle under her chin and held the bow over thestrin"s. +he hesitated for a moment waitin" for the commotion in her

head to settle down. That it did and soon she heard a melod#. $t first

it was @aspOs Aeel that she heard. +he pla#ed followin" wherever themelod# in her head mi"ht lead. @aspOs Aeel "ave wa# to somethin"

different somethin" she had never heard before.

1efore she knew it she was improvisin" freel# producin" newmelodies. The music she pla#ed resembled old time fiddle tunes but it

wandered at will outside of the normal fiddle tune forms. n a wa#

what she pla#ed now was purer than the fiddle tunes from which it

was derived. t lacked an# be"innin" or end0 one melod# simpl# ledinto another the rh#thm of her pla#in" modif#in" and chan"in" as she

went alon".


25/82

+he closed her e#es as she pla#ed and the world around her faded

awa# alon" with all her cares and worries. There was Eust her and herfiddle "ivin" epression to the moment. Then the boundaries betweenher and her fiddle fell awa#. +he was her fiddle and as one the# were

the epression of the ever chan"in" moment.

There was onl# eistence and eistence was the son" she san".,istence resided within the note as she uttered it and throu"h that

note was epressed the entire s#mphon# of eistence. +he was the

son" of the world and throu"h this son" she was linked to ever#thin"that eisted ever#thin" that had ever eisted and ever#thin" that ever

would eist.

The music bent back on itself in a delicate displa# of color and

motion. Flittin" about the music took form and Aene almost "aspedas she reco"nied that form. t was a butterfl# a lar"e and beautiful

butterfl#. Aene had alwa#s felt some connection to butterflies. To her

the# were creatures of Eo# and friendship. $nd now she was deli"htedto have the butterfl# dancin" to her music.

Aene opened her e#es and there it was the butterfl# fl#in" circles

about her head. Aene stopped pla#in" the fiddle as she watched theephemeral creature. t li"hted on her fiddle scroll and seemed to sit

there for a moment re"ardin" her. Then it flew off and vanished into

the twili"ht.Aene lowered her fiddle. G@randma did Ea see datIG

G;es did.G

GBhat sort a butterfl# was dat hehIG Aene had not felt such open-

e#ed wonder since she was a little child.G*at was no butterfl#G @randma Aena told her. G*at was a

1a"waEinini a nature spirit.G @randma Aena seemed Juite impressed

b# the encounter and a little humbled. +he "ot up from the rockin"chair and laid hold of a braid of sweet "rass that hun" down from the

porch awnin" where it was dr#in".

G am a foolish old woman eh. Here been tr#in ta help #ou reachda inner world when #a been Eourne#in dere all alon". Now #ou "ot a

spirit "uide.G

+he handed the sweet "rass to Aene. GHere burn some a dis to

tank da 1a"waEinini. ll "et some tobacco so #ou can make a properpresent.G From the folds of her dress she fetched out a pack of

matches and passed them to Aene. Then she went into the cabin.


26/82

t took Aene three matches before she was able to li"ht the sweet

"rass braid on fire. The sweet smoke was wafted awa# b# a la#breee that seemed to carr# it the same direction into which thebutterfl# disappeared.

Aene thou"ht of what had Eust happened. @randma Aena was

ri"ht0 she made a similar Eourne# ever# time she pla#ed the fiddle. ;etnormall# when she was practicin" tunes she Eust scratched the surface

whereas toni"ht she had plumbed the depths.

@randma Aena soon returned with a twist of ndian tobacco and asharp knife. Aene carved off some of the tobacco and placed it on the

top step of the porch as an offerin" to the butterfl# spirit.

@randma Aena re"arded her solemnl# as Aene recounted

ever#thin" she felt durin" her trance. G;ou alread# found da pathwiddin dat connects #ou to da rest a da world. $nd #ou have a

powerful spirit "uide. Be been dra""in our feet when we should be

runnin. ts time for #ou to Eourne# to da spirit world.GAene was filled with wonder and not a little fear. GHowIG

G;er music will take #ou and #er spirit "uide will lead da wa#

eh.G


27/82

G

5.-ene hases the .&sic

Aene would make her Eourne# on +aturda# ni"ht. @randma Aenawould tell her no more. Aene was not even sure if the Eourne# would

be spiritual or ph#sical thou"h she suspected the former.

+he looked forward to the eperience with some trepidation. t

would be an adventure. Finall# she had found a wa# to follow in@randma Aenas spiritual footsteps. $nd to think the means had been

as close at hand as her own fiddlestick. +he looked at her fiddle and

bow in a new li"ht and she pla#ed with a new respect for the powercontained in this old music.

Thou"h she kept an e#e out for it especiall# while she was

fiddlin" she did not see the lar"e butterfl# a"ain. +omethin" about ittickled at her memor# and with a little effort she remembered the

make-believe friend she either ima"ined or dreamed ma#be both.

Aene had not thou"ht of the little "irl in #ears0 the child had fadedfrom her mind as she "rew up. Now that she thou"ht of her however

the memor# was too vivid to be an illusion. Funn# what was her

nameI eme or somethin" like that.

+he and eme had man# "rand adventures to"ether. How couldshe have for"ottenI ,cept it had onl# been her ima"ination. +he was

Eust a lonel# little "irl who needed a friend so bad she made one up.

$h but the# had some "rand adventures to"ether. eme would take

her to a fair#land where the# could pla# for hours. $nd when the timecame to sa# "oodb#e eme would transform herself into a lar"e

butterfl# and fl# awa#.Aene seemed to remember one time in particular when the# were

pla#in" in the fair#land. Aene must have been about seven #ears old

and her visits with eme were "rowin" less freJuent. n fact this ma#

have been the last time she ima"ined her pla#mate.2n this occasion eme was showin" her how to pla# a blade of

"rass. eme was forever teachin" her thin"s. For an ima"inar# friend

she held a surprisin" wealth of knowled"e and wisdom. eme wouldhold a blade of "rass between her thumbs and blow on it.

From this blade of "rass she could produce a sound somewhatlike a trumpet. 1# manipulatin" the blade of "rass and the sie of thespace between her thumbs she could chan"e the pitch. Bith this

primitive wind instrument eme pla#ed simple melodies.


28/82

Aene wanted to learn this skill. +he thou"ht there was nothin" she

wanted to do in this life so much as to make music like her friend.eme tried to show her how to do it but Aene could not "et the knackof it. The harder she tried the more impossible it became. Finall#

Aene threw awa# the blade of "rass she was usin" cr#in" in

frustration.eme comforted her soothin" her hurt spirits until she stopped

cr#in". $s she wiped awa# her last tears Aene heard music eJuisite

music fillin" the air. t was a Eo#ful bubblin" melod# that made herfor"et her ill spirits of a moment before.

G*o #ou hear datIG she asked her friend.

G;es.G The infectious melod# seemed to invade their bodies and

made them move of their own accord. GCome lets danceKGeme took Aenes hands and the two "irls danced in circles

lau"hin" and skippin". The# danced around and around until the#

were di# and ehausted. +till the music continued.GBheres it comin fromIG Aene wondered. GBhos makin" dis

musicIG

G*o #ou not knowIG eme asked.GNo.G Aene needed to find out. GCome lets follow itKG

Aene ran across the field in the direction from which the music

was comin". $fter a while she stopped and listened a"ain. +he turnedall the wa# around puled as to the source of the music. t seemed to

be comin" from all around her.

+he looked at eme.

GAeneG eme told her Gthe music is comin" from #ou.GGHow could itIG

G;ou are makin" it.G ,ven as eme said so Aene knew it was

true. GThis is #our music. t is #our "ift and someda# #ou will learnhow to brin" out this "ift so the whole world can share in it.G

+o this was where Aene first discovered her musical talent lon"

before she picked up the fiddle. Those old fiddle tunes were a part ofher before she heard an#one else perform them. How could she have

for"otten this incident even if it was onl# a dreamI

There was somethin" about eme more si"nificant than Eust an

ima"inar# friend. ;et Aene had no clue as to what that si"nificancewas. +he thou"ht about eme often over the net few da#s

particularl# when she was pla#in" the fiddle.


29/82

6.-ene, the .is*it

f onl# her real friends were as supportive. +hawna =aswellshowed up at the *eClaire house on +aturda#. Aene was pla#in" the

fiddle in her room when her friend walked in unannounced.

G been tr#in to call #a all da# hehG +hawna said as she flopped

down on the bed. GHow come #er cell phones offIGGm out a minutesG Aene told her as she put her fiddle awa#.

GMill Harrisons havin" a bi" part# toni"htG +hawna informed her.

GHer parents are out-a-town. ;ou wanna "oIGGNo.G

GBh# notIG +hawna could not believe Aene would decline a

part#. GMustins band will be pla#in dere.GG2h and dats supposed to "ive me an incentive to "oIG

GAeneG her friend confronted her. G*e# liked #er pla#in Mustin

told me so himself. ts Eust dat old stuff #ou pla# heh. f #ou wouldtr# sometin else.G

Gm not interested in an#tin else.G

G@od Aene #ou can be so stubborn.G +hawna rolled her e#es.

G@o to da part# and tr# to familiarie #erself wid what de# pla# heh.GG*a stuff de# pla# has no soul.G Aene sat on the ed"e of her

dresser.

G,n dat dead old stuff #ou listen to doesI ;ou "ot talent "irl but

#er wastin it on dat old crap.GGt is not crapG Aene was "rowin" an"r#. G$n#wa# told m#

"randmother d help her toni"ht.GGCanchu help her anudder ni"htI *is could be da part# of da

summer. ;ou don wanna miss it.G

Gm not "oin.G

+hawna "ave her a look as thou"h she had some "rotesJue socialdisease. G;ou can be a real bitch.G

G+o can #ouG Aene replied. +he went to the door of her room and

held it open. GNow if #oull hurr# off ta #er part# wanna "et back tom# drear# old fiddle tunes.G

GFineG +hawna headed for the door. G*ont bother puttin moreminutes on #er phone cu sure wont be callin #a.G

GBhateverG Aene tried to pretend +hawnas remark did not hurt.

G1e sure to "ive Mustin m# re"ards.G


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GBill do.G +hawna left and Aene closed the door behind her.

Aene took out her fiddle and started pla#in" a"ain. 1efore sheknew it she was sittin" on the bed with the fiddle in her lap cr#in".+he had thou"ht +hawna would at least respect her individualit#. 1ut

no even +hawna was chasin" after conformit# in her own wa#. Bould

she never have a true friend outside of her ima"inationIThere was a knock at the door. Then she heard her mothers voice.

G+hawna didn sta# lon". ;ou alri"htIG

Aene tried to compose herself as her mother opened the door. Tr#thou"h she mi"ht it was impossible to hide her tears from her mother.

Mud# came into the room and sat beside her on the bed. +he

hu""ed her dau"hter. GBhats wron"IG

GNobod# understands meG Aene blurted out. +he amended GNoone but #ou and "randma. Bhats wron" wid meI Bh# don fit inIG

GAene hone#.G Her mother rocked her and she cried with her head

on her mothers shoulder. G*is white mans world doesnt have an#place in it for artists. ;er an artist an ndian and a woman. *ats three

strikes "ainst #ou in dis world.

G;er a ver# special person en sometimes don even understand#ouG Mud# admitted. G1utcha "otta be true to #erself eh. ;ou be

#erself en #er "onna shine child. +hine bri"ht as #ou can en da world

will come to #ou eh.GGMa.G Aene forced a smile. G*ats watchu alwa#s tell us. dunno.

a#be was born a hunnerd #ears too late.G

GNow don talk like datG Mud# counseled. G;ou Eus lecherself

shine. ;ou li"ht up dat music en people will take notice. ;ou Eust aintfound da ri"ht audience #et.G

Mud# considered a moment. GBhat about dat blue"rass festival

net monthI Be been "oin to dat for #ears now and #ou aint everbrou"ht #er fiddle eh. ;er "ood enou"h. *on #a tink its time #a

didIG

GMaG Aene a"reed. +he had avoided takin" her fiddle alon"because she did not pla# blue"rass. +he fiddled in the old Otis

tradition. Not that she could not pla# blue"rass if she wanted. a#be it

was time to tr#. Her st#le of fiddlin" had more in common with

blue"rass than with the commercial hard rock pla#ed b# Mustins band.t mi"ht be nice to Eoin in some of the campfire Eams at the blue"rass

festival.


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GPetes takin me to Ha"art#s dis evenin.G Mohn Ha"art#s Pub was

one of the most popular ni"ht spots in arJuette. Gll talk ta Mohn andsee if #a can pla# dere sometime.GGTanks mom.G Aene cheered up a little.

GNaw.G Her mother waved awa# her "ratitude. Gts time #a started

earnin a little mone#. f #er so intent on bein a fiddler den #a "ottamake dat fiddle work for #a eh.G

Aene smiled. That was her mom alwa#s miin" a health# dose of

practicalit# with her idealism.G*ats better.G Her mom smiled back at her. G;er "oin over to

@randma Aenas toni"htIG Aene nodded. G;a want me to run #a over

dereIG

GPlease.GG2ka# den. =es "o.G


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/0 -ene .akes a 1on# 2o&rney

@randma Aena purified Aene and her fiddle with sweet "rass andcedar smoke. 1efore takin" her to the place where she would work

ma"ic @randma Aena had a little talk with her.

G+ome people tr# all der lives to visit da +pirit Borld. t took me

three #ears before made it dere eh. ;ou mi"ht not succeed toni"htbut it wouldnt surprise me if #ou did.

GFor dose who been to da +pirit Borld its eas# to tell when

someone else has been dere. *eres a feel aboucha dat #er no lon"ercompletel# of dis world eh. ;ou can tell.

GAene knew when #ou were Eust a little "irl dat #oud alread#

visited da +pirit Borld. t was on #ou stron". +o stron" wondered if#ou were a 1a"waEinini dat took human form. *at happens sometimes

eh. been watchin #ou close ever since to make sure #er safe.

G*a +pirit Borld is full a wonders but its also full a dan"er eh.*ere are evil bein"s dat would seek out a human if de# cau"ht scent a

one. +ome would make a meal of #a but some will tr# to imprison #er

soul en take #er form. ;ou have to be ver# careful in da +pirit Borld.G

@randma Aena reached into a pocket at her side and drew out asmall suede pouch on a rawhide strap. +he handed the pouch to Aene.

GPut dis over #er neck. >eep it on at all times.G

Aene accepted the pouch. t was plump thou"h ver# li"ht. $s she

put it on she noted it had a pleasant odor of herbs.G*is will cover #er scent in da +pirit Borld makin #a hard to

track. t will not hide #a completel#. $n evil bein" will know #erhuman b# si"ht en dis sachet will not prevent dem from la#in hold a

#a. ;ou must be ver# careful in da +pirit Borld.G

G willG Aene vowed.

G*a first time #a visit da +pirit Borld its eas# to tink its a dreamor a vision. 1ut da +pirit Borld is Eust as real as dis world. ;ou can

"et hurt dere en #ou can die. ,n what happens to #a dere happens to

#a here eh.GAene nodded her head.

GNow dat ve put a scare in #a lemme tell #a da +pirit Borldsfull a wonders. ost a da anitou dere are "ood en de# like humans.@ood anitou will help #a. *e# can aid #a in man# wa#s. +ome a da


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1a"waEinini are full a mischief but even de# mean #a no harm eh.

*e# Eus like a "ood Eoke is all.G;ou watch out for Nanaboooo now. Hes ver# powerful buthes alwa#s "ettin into trouble. ;er not likel# to meet him but if #a do

watch out. Hes "ood at heart but hes almost as much trouble as da

evil ones.G@randma Aena fell silent for a moment. Aene wondered if she

was done. +he had alread# said more than she told Aene in the past

#ear. However Aene sta#ed silent waitin" for @randma Aena to lether know when she was finished.

Presentl# the elder spoke a"ain. Gt used to be #ou could "o to da

+pirit Borld widout worr#in bout trouble. visited da anitou for

#ears before first saw a Beendi"o or a Pau"uk. *ere were stories ofevil ones what da anitou called da 1i"ishkanad $wi#a":

Corrupted 2nes. 1ut de# was alwa#s Eus stories about distant lands

and da spirit world visited was peaceful as ever.G*en about fift# #ears a"o it all chan"ed. For a while none a us

shamans could even "o to da spirit world no matter how hard we

tried. Bhen we finall# did "et dere it was different. *a anitou werehidden awa# en da land was full a sorrow. ,n #a had to watch out for

da evil ones.

G spent man# #ears seekin out da anitou tr#in to find out whathappened. *e# told me da Horde invaded der land en killed man# a da

more powerful anitou. an# a da anitou dat survived fled to

distant worlds. *a ones dat didn mostl# da 1a"waEinini sta# hidden.

*e# would all be doomed should da 2deDimaa 1a"waEi ever fall intoda hands a da evil ones.G

GBhat is dis 2deDimaa 1a"waEiIG Aene interrupted.

G dunnoG @randma Aena answered. GNo one would tell me.$pparentl# when da Horde came it was hidden awa#. *a anitou

dont even know where it is but de# know its safe cu if da evil ones

had it all would be lost.G*e# sa# da evil ones en da invasions tied to da white men en us.

,n a few a dem sa# someda# a human bein" who is pure of heart en

well connected to da world will come to claim da 2deDimaa 1a"waEi.

,n den da spirit world will be restored en da evil ones will bedefeated.G

Gt sounds like sometin" out of a bookG Aene eclaimed.


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G*ont mistake it for a stor#. 1e ver# careful when #ou visit da

spirit world. f #ou "o dere toni"ht dont sta# lon". Take a Juick lookaround en come ri"ht back. f #ou succeed #er spirit "uide will bewaitin for #a. Talk to it en alwa#s heed its advice.G

@randma Aena stood up. GNow it is time. Take #er fiddle en

follow me.G@randma Aena led alon" a pathwa# up the side of the rid"e to the

southeast of her cabin. t was a strenuous climb strenuous enou"h that

when the# reached the top Aene was out of breath. t shamed her thatwhile she had to fi"ht to catch her breath her "reat "randmother

somewhere over a hundred #ears old hardl# showed the eertion.

Aene made a mental note to be"in a new eercise re"imen.

Bhile her "reat "randdau"hter cau"ht her breath @randma Aenalooked out at the darkenin" mesas and talked about the Huron

ountains. G told #a dere are rifts in dese mountains. an# times

told #a to be careful bout pla#in #er fiddle out here eh.GAene nodded her head as she stru""led for breath.

GBell toni"ht is differentG @randma Aena said. GBhen we "et

where were "oin wancha to pla# dat fiddle for all #er worth eh.G+he looked west at the settin" sun. GCome on. wanna "et down

off a here before it "ets too dark.G

Bith a last "asp for breath Aene followed her "randmother acrossthe top of the rid"e. +he led her to a clearin" on the northeast side of

the mesa lookin" out over the Hurons and =ake +uperior.

GHeres da placeG @randma Aena announced. Aene found a

boulder to sit on.G*eres a rift here used man# times to reach da spirit world.

open dis rift b# pla#in da drum and sin"in. m "uessin #ou could open

it wid dat fiddle too eh.GAene sat the fiddle case at her feet.

Gt can take a while. First #a "otta put cherself in a deep trance.

2nce #a start don ever stop pla#in dat fiddle. 1uild up a "ood rh#thmen keep dose notes sin"in out. Can #a pla# dat tin" all ni"ht widout

stoppinIG

G suppose soG Aene said. Gve never tried it.G

GBell nows #er chance ehG @randma Aena cackled. GPla# dattin" til #a feel #erself travel over to da spirit world or til da sun comes

up.G


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@randma Aena found a stick and used it to trace a circle around

the boulder where Aene was sittin". uch of the circle was drawnover bare rock where it made no imprint.G+it or stand it makes no difference but sta# inside dat circle. *is

rift is different from most. +o lon" as #er in dis circle da rift will brin"

#a back from da spirit world. 1ut if #a leave da circle #a "otta findanother wa# back.G

G will sta# hereG Aene confirmed.

G*en ll see #a in da mornin. ;ou can climb down off damountain at first li"ht.G

@randma Aena took her leave. G;ou be careful child. ll send out

blessin"s to keep #a from harm.G

Bith these words @randma Aena set off to return to her cabin.G@oodb#e "randmotherG Aene called after her. Gll see #a in da

mornin.G

Then she was alone in the wilderness preparin" to activate somekind of portal. $ part of her felt like chasin" after @randma Aena and

sa#in" 91et9s $&st *or#et da !hole t9in#091ut she sta#ed ri"ht where she

was.=oneliness moved in with the darkness loneliness and

vulnerabilit#. The darkness and the solitude left her feelin" spooked.

Aenes foot tapped the violin case. There was one wa# to chaseher fears awa#. 1est to "et down to business. Aene opened up the

fiddle case and took out the fiddle and the bow. +he ti"htened the hairs

on the bow and checked to make sure her fiddle was in tune and then

she started pla#in".+he be"an with an old fiddle tune called The Cherokee +huffle

also known as The =ost ndian. t was one of her favorite fiddle tunes.

+he hoped the second name was not too apt "iven her circumstances.$s she fiddled she thou"ht about ever#thin" her "randmother told

her this evenin". The spirit world had been invaded. Bho woulda

thunk. $nd it was all due to mankinds i"norance. Now thatshe couldappreciate. 1ut if the anitou were waitin" for a pure human bein" to

save them the# would have a lon" wait. There were no pure human

bein"s not in this world.

@randma Aena had to be the onl# pure human bein" left. Therewas her brother livin" out in these mountains somewhere. ;et even he

had a past not to mention what happened to him in raJ. Aene could


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think of no one else who was an#where near pure certainl# not

herself. Not that she was happ# with the wa# the world was.There was somethin" wron" with all this mass consumption notto mention the monetar# basis of societ#. @ime "ime "ime. This

"reed and "ross "lutton# would be the death of us. Human bein"s

wanted to horde all of creation and not share an# of it not even theirrefuse. The# did not respect an#thin" and so the# were lackin" in

respect themselves.

There was somethin" fundamentall# wron" with a world where#our abilit# to enEo# even the basic necessities depended on #our

monetar# worth. No one should be able to stomach their own affluence

while another person is starvin". $nd where that affluence and over-

consumption is supported b# the economic enslavement of others thatis obscene.

$s she pla#ed Aene thou"ht about this world she inhabited. Be

are a societ# of corpulent sociopathic arie $ntoinettes. $nd we areso lost in our consumer lifest#les we cant see that we are wallowin" in

our own filth. Be are so addicted to our techno-to#s that without them

we would perish. Be are so bus# consumin" we cannot evenappreciate the products upon which we en"or"e ourselves not for

lon".

2ur brains are so over-stimulated and our attention spans are soatrophied we cannot think for ourselves an#more. Be have lost our

abilit# to appreciate the simple thin"s in life. $nd in losin" that we

lose our abilit# to appreciate and cherish life itself.

Aenes music took on a dark ed"e mirrorin" her thou"hts. Nowthat darkness was transformed to a bitter sadness almost pathetic.

=istenin" to herself pla# she thou"ht she would never reach her "oal

with her current tonal patterns. +he tried to lose herself in her music#et she wound up thinkin" about her music her ar"ument with

+hawna and her reEection b# Mustins band.

Perhaps that was wh# no one else in her "eneration seemed toappreciate her music. The# did not appreciate life an#more unable to

eperience it throu"h the noise of commercial culture. $nd the simple

fiddle tunes she pla#ed were the son"s of life. +imple thou"h the#

mi"ht be the# were imbued with all the subtle beaut# and power oflife. +omehow she had to communicate that beaut# and power to

others.


37/82

Her pla#in" must be immersed in the raw wonder of life. ,ver#

note must be so full of life it could not be i"nored. 2nce she achievedthat the people around her could not help but listen to her. $nd whenthe# listened perhaps her music would help them to see thin"s as the#

reall# were. f her music awakened somethin" in them the# mi"ht not

be able to "o back to sleep once she was done pla#in". +leepersawakened mi"ht become a force for positive chan"e helpin" to heal

the ills of this world and also the spirit world.

First she must make ever# note she pla#ed ever# fin"erin" anddraw of bow resonate with life. $s Aene lost herself in the music the

rift opened and the world around her vanished. +he entered into the

spirit world without even realiin" it. +he put her heart into the music

makin" ever# note count. $nd she succeeded.Her music was full of life. t was full of Eo# and sadness vital and

ephemeral. ,ach note breathed with power #et ever# note #ielded this

power to the melod# makin" a livin" thin" that moved throu"h timeand marked the world with its passa"e.

The performance was so astonishin" Aene had to stop pla#in".

$nd as she stopped she realied she had her e#es closed. 2penin"them she was astonished to find herself in a different world. +he was

still sittin" on a boulder atop a rid"e but ever#thin" around her had

chan"ed the landscape and the ve"etation. $nd somethin" aboutthis world felt different thou"h before she could Eud"e what it was

she was cau"ht b# another surprise.

G1ravoKG +omeone close b# cheered with deli"ht.


38/82

30 he +orned One %elcomes an Unexpected &est

The 1uck of ulli"an Plains was out surve#in" his domain. Hewas a handsome sta" with a broad powerful chest and a ma"nificent

rack. He was the =ord of the ulli"an Plains and as such he had no

fear of predators or hunters. He was protected b# the power of the

wilderness around him. He would not be taken until his time hadcome and then he would pass his mantle alon" to the capable #oun"

hunter who took him. 1ut that would not be for man# lon" #ears #et.

The life he lived as the man named Henr# >incaid was a dimmemor#. Henr# had been weak and incomplete. $ll his life he had

striven to be at one with the wilderness a desire that was onl# fulfilled

when he hunted down the previous buck of ulli"an Plains and madethe ritual echan"e. He had done this intuitivel# without actuall#

knowin" what was happenin". ;et had he been "iven a conscious

choice he would not have chosen otherwise.f he had one re"ret it was for leavin" behind the woman =ilith

@ordon. Not that he had completel# left her behind. The# still saw

each other often enou"h. Certainl# their relationship had lost

somethin" of its ph#sical intimac# since he became a sta". ;et the#remained close thou"h in a different wa#. The# were tied to"ether

somehow each receivin" a "limmer of the others feelin"s. He alwa#s

knew when she needed him and he alwa#s came. Bhen the# were

to"ether the# communicated throu"h empath#0 no words werenecessar#. 1ut the relationship the# shared as a man and a woman was

lost.That was the closest he came to a re"ret and it was mediated b#

their continued friendship. 1e#ond that his life as the =ord of the

ulli"an Plains left him fulfilled be#ond his wildest dreams.

$s a human he was considered a capable woodsman. 1ut he hadbeen an amateur compared to now. $s the =ord of the ulli"an Plains

he was tied to the wilderness in wa#s he would never have considered

possible. Never mind the enhanced sensor# acuit#. He was linked tothe land around him as full# as he was linked to this bod#.

He was the conscious focus of this wilderness eperiencin" itself.Not a leaf fell an#where in his domain not an ant moved a "rain ofsand without his bein" aware of it. He eperienced life as a s#mphon#

of eistence all around him and he appreciated ever# turn of melod#


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and ever# chan"in" color of orchestration in that s#mphon#. He rode

hi"h on the harmonious "estalt of nature it was the nearest thin" toheaven. t was nirvana d#namic and varie"ated while at the same timeblissfull# empt#.

He could even sense the etension of nature into other worlds

other levels of eistence. This provided the shadin" behind the worldin which he lived the harmonics that built up the basic tones of this

s#mphon#. He knew there were places in his domain where these

various worlds bled into each other. He could hear them as dronin"chords.

Bhile he knew of their eistence he never tried to pass throu"h

one of these connections. His place was here in this world. ;et he was

aware of them and he knew how the# provided a tonal back"round tothe wilderness around him.

=atel# he had sensed a chan"e in the call of these connections

a whine of ur"enc# as thou"h the# were strainin" to make themselvesheard. He noted that all the other animals livin" in his domain were

retreatin" from the area surroundin" these bleed-throu"hs. $nd he had

taken it upon himself to patrol his domain travelin" from one bleed-throu"h to another in a constant circle.

There was somethin" wron" with these connections. +omethin"

malevolent was poised on the other side of man# of them read# tocome throu"h into this world. He could feel it emanatin" from the

world of the anitou the world closest to this one. There was some

infection spreadin" throu"h the spirit worlds some mali"nanc# that

threatened the health of all the worlds.Toni"ht the =ord of the ulli"an Plains felt this ur"enc# increase

in pitch. t felt like the bleed-throu"hs would burst open at an#

moment vomitin" some foul disease into this world. He had meant tosleep in the lon" "rasses of the plain midwa# between one connection

and the net but he could not rest with this insistant alarm pressin" on

his awareness. nstead he spent the ni"ht "allopin" from one bleed-throu"h to another pausin" Eust lon" enou"h to assure himself nothin"

had emer"ed.

n the hours before dawn he paused at #et another connection.

This one seemed taut to the point of burstin" whinin" with the effortto contain realit# on either side of its passa"e. Thou"h he was tired

the =ord of the ulli"an Plains re"arded this bleed-throu"h with a


40/82

"rowin" sense of dread. +omethin" was about to happen ri"ht here he

was sure of it.The =ord of the Plains heard a sJueal. He looked at the tall"rasses Eust a foot awa# from the bleed-throu"h. He strolled over and

lowered his head into the "rasses to investi"ate. There was a bab#

raccoon not much more than si weeks old. t was l#in" on its backchewin" on "rass and its forele"s. $s the =ord of the Plains sniffed the

little ball of mischief it bit his nose and lau"hed. ts intentions ma#

have been pla#ful but those little teeth were like a mouthful ofneedles. The sta" shook free of the little one and backed awa# a step

or two. He wi""led his nose and snorted. The tin# puncture wounds on

his nose bled sli"htl#.

Must then mama raccoon scurried out of the woods. here yo&are, yo& nahty thin# yo&0

+he wrestled her cub down. Notin" the blood on the =ord of the

Plains nose she deduced what happened.%hy yo& scamp: +he "ave the #oun" one a swat that made him

whine. +he apolo"ied for her child.;9m sorry, m91ord0 his little

scamp is al!ays #ettin# into tro&ble0 +e doesn9t kno! yet ho! m&chthose teeth o* his h&rt0 +he bit the cubs ear which caused him to #owl

in pain.

No harm done0 The =ord of the Plains told her. He did not like tosee the lad punished for bein" true to his nature.


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he would have done so despite his sore nose. Now therewas one thin"

he did miss from bein" human: the abilit# to lau"h out loud.1efore he knew what was happenin" somethin" rolled out of thebleed-throu"h and ran smack into his le"s. The =ord of the Plains

made a small Eump to the side. He covered his fri"ht embarrassed to

be so easil# surprised.=ookin" down at what had come out of the bleed-throu"h he

discovered it was a little brown furr# man dressed in trousers a vest

and a "reen cap. The little man had a lon" leather thon" tied aroundhis neck like a leash and collar. The buck smelled fresh blood from a

half-scabbed wound on the side of the little mans head where his ear

had been. He was more fri"htened than was the =ord of the Plains. His

e#es were bu""in" out and his nose and lips were aJuiver. His wholebod# was tremblin".

*espite his panic he la# on his back and took a "ood look at the

=ord of the Plains.GPardon me m=ordG the little man said hastil# Gbut am fleein"

for m# life and the salvation of m# world.G

%ho are yo&= The =ord of the Plains asked.>nd !hat ishappenin# in the %orld Under the Flesh=

G am Baub-oooo.G The little man spran" to his feet lookin"

back at the bleed-throu"h. GThere is a "reat deal wron" with the BorldLnder the Flesh but m afraid cannot eplain now. There is a troll

pursuin" me.G

> troll: The =ord of the Bild turned his head to look at the bleed-

throu"h. He did so Eust in time to see a lar"e u"l# troll emer"e.GThere #ou are m# bad petG the troll "rowled. GFor pla#in" this

trick on me am "oin" to tear off one of #our le"s and eat it. That

ou"ht to prevent #ou from runnin" awa# a"ain.G The troll paid littlemind to the lar"e sta" standin" nearb#. He sJuatted down to "rab hold

of Baub-oooo

G+ave meKG the little anitou cried as it turned to flee. The trollstepped on the leather thon" trappin" him.

The =ord of the Bild leapt into action. He spran" up on his hind

feet and lashed out with his sharp front hooves. He cau"ht the troll in

the forehead with a blow that would have killed a human. The trollwas saved b# his thick skull. 1ut the blow did la# him on his back

with a nast# "ash on his forehead.


42/82

S

Baub-oooo started to run but the =ord of the Plains "rasped the

leather thon" in his mouth. %ait a min&te0


43/82

in the least. These wounds had to be washed and treated as soon as

possible or the line of the =ord of the ulli"an Plains would end here.

@ramliche recovered from the blow to his chest but the Horned

2ne was "one. No matter. He could track the sta" easil# enou"h0 it

would not "et far. He had clawed it "ood. The anitoussiwuk wouldnot escape and the buck would be his as well. The antlers of a Horned

2ne held a "reat store of ma"ic that would "ive him power over

ever#thin" that lived in the Horned 2nes domain.The rack would be a valuable addition to his treasure trove. $nd it

was a troph# of which he would not allow the 2"imauh to trick him.

He would brin" back the anitoussiwuk for the 2"imauh but theantlers were his.

@ramliche set out followin" the Horned 2nes trail.


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S

40 heka&bae!iss Says oodbye to ity 1i*e

Mack shifted in his cardboard shelter. He had been livin" on thestreets of arJuette for man# lon" #ears. uch lon"er than most

people would "ive him credit for. He was a fiture in this cit#0 often

seen pushin" his rust# shoppin" cart around collectin" empt# bottles

and who knew what else a bearded little Aip


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=atel# he had been thinkin" it was time for him to move on. He

had lived in this cit# far too lon". ,ven with a "lamour he waspushin" his luck. 2ne da# it would dawn on someone that he had beenlivin" on the streets for an impossibl# lon" time and then he would be

luck# if he could flee without blowin" his cover drawin" the attention

of the anitou even "iven how preoccupied the# were with theircurrent troubles. f the# discovered Chekaubaewiss escaped

imprisonment the# would drop what the# were doin" and hunt him

down.*espite his diminutive sie Chekaubaewiss had been a hero

amon" his people. He was a noted "iant killer and his darin" feats

became le"ends passed down b# the people from "eneration to

"eneration. Aene *eClaire heard these stories from her "reat"randmother when she was little more than a bab#. That was wh# she

had been able to identif# him.

Chekaubaewisss fatal error had been hubris. There was nothin" offlesh and blood that could best him. His tra"ic fall came when he

sou"ht to challen"e the anitou. Bhen he was onl# a small child his

parents were devoured b# "iant bear anitou. From that da# on hewas determined to have reven"e.

$fter Chekaubaewiss cleared the land of "iants he stalked into

the world of the anitou read# to deal with the murderers of hisparents. The anitou watched him proceed. Thou"h the# were

indi"nant that he even presumed to challen"e their kind the# left it to

the "iant bears to deal with him. The bears knew he was comin" and

nothin" of flesh and blood could stand up to a anitou.Chekaubaewiss not onl# stood up to the bears he defeated them.

The anitou were shocked. This little man was a threat to all of them.

The# "athered for war and chased Chekaubaewiss back to his villa"e.There the# captured him and his sister and transformed them into

blocks of stone.

Chekaubaewiss was imprisoned in that stone for man# centuries.He passed into le"end and the location of his prison was for"otten b#

all but a few of the most powerful anitou. *urin" this time

Chekaubaewiss and his sister were aware of ever#thin" that went on

around them.2ne da# a sorcerer set up camp net to their pillars. He felt the

power comin" from them and settled where he could make use of this

power. The sorcerer practiced his arts between the stone pillars. He


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was a powerful shaman thou"h not entirel# honorable. He practiced

both the li"ht and the dark arts.+tandin" net to him as he worked Chekaubaewiss was able tolearn much from the shaman. $nd he was able to absorb a little of the

power with which the shaman worked storin" it and addin" to it

whenever he could.The sorcerer had a spell for callin" up anitou and *emons. He

would call them forth and bind them. Then he would etract all of

their knowled"e and power from them until there was nothin" left butan empt# cheeb#uk a "host. The sorcerer had started with the

sli"htest nature spirits workin" up to more powerful bein"s as he "rew

stron"er.

Chekaubaewiss "athered his own stren"th and he watched andwaited. He tried several times to communicate with his sister but she

had lon" a"o surrendered to her fate and "iven up her awareness to the

awareness of rock. +he did not respond to her brother. +he had almostbecome cheeb#uk herself.

The da# came when the shaman felt stron" enou"h to summon

one of the bi""er anitou. He summoned an $uttissookaun a musefrom one of the four corners of the ,arth and bound the anitou

within a circle between the two pillars. The $uttissookaun was

outra"ed. t tried to break free of its bonds but found it could not. thowled in an"er and threw itself at the circle.

The sorcerer lau"hed. G;ou "o ahead. Tr# #our best #ou will not

escape.G His words onl# caused the anitou to ra"e all the more. $fter

watchin" the anitou a little while lon"er the shaman said G2nce#ou have tired #ourself out then we can set to work.G Bith this he

went into his hut and busied himself inside while waitin" for the

$uttissookaun to ehaust itself and settle down.Chekaubaewiss called to the anitou. $t first it did not hear him

so lost was it in its fit of an"er. ,ventuall# when the anitou paused

in its futile assault upon the ma"ic circle it did hear him callin". GBhohas come to torment me nowIG

; am another prisoner like yo&,Chekaubaewiss said.

G+how #ourselfG the use demanded.

; cannot.; am imprisoned in the stone pillar to yo&r le*t0The $uttissookaun addressed the pillar. GBhat manner of creature

are #ouIG


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; am a small Ba#!a$inini, the spirit o* the *orest trilli&m,

Chekaubaewiss lied. his !arlock imprisoned me many years a#o,alon# !ith my sister0 +e&ses &s to s&mmon others, s&ch as yo&0 .ysister !as m&ch !eaker than me? she *aded into her pillar over time0 ;

re*&se to #ive &p0

G;ou are brave little one. This warlock must be punished forwhat he has done to us.G The $uttissookaun assaulted the circle a"ain

thou"h it achieved nothin".

; can *ree yo& *rom the circle,Chekaubaewiss offered i* yo& canrelease me *rom this pillar0

GHow can do thatIG

%ith yo&r #reat po!ers, O noble .anito&0 ll yo& need do is speak the tr&e name o* this stone0 %hen yo&call this pillar it !ill expel me as somethin# *orei#n to its nat&re0

G;es that will workG the use a"reed. G$nd how will #ou free

me.G


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Chekaubaewiss snuck up behind the anitou and erased a part of

the circle. GThere #ou are freed.GG@oodG the $uttissookaun said as it kept an e#e on the hut. GNowhide and leave the rest to me. think he is comin"KG

Chekaubaewiss disappeared into the woods and never looked

back. He heard a commotion in the camp but did not stop to find outwhat was happenin". He ran for much of that da# tr#in" to put as

much distance as possible between him and the place of his

imprisonment. He did feel bad about leavin" his sister behind. ;eteven if he had "ained her release from her stone prison there was so

little left of her that she would be nothin" more than a cheeb#uk. He

vowed someda# he would free her and restore her to her full self.

That had been centuries a"o. Chekaubaewiss had learned muchfrom the sorcerer and not all of it was dark ma"ic. Bhat he learned

had kept him alive all this time alive and free. The "lamours that

chan"ed his appearance and made people overlook him were amon"the thin"s he learned from the warlock.

For a lon" time he led an eas# life livin" in the woods b# himself.

Then the white men came and the world chan"ed. He could haveEourne#ed to the spirit worlds but the chance was too "reat he would

be discovered there. $nd so he inhabited the cities livin" on the

streets amon" the for"otten outcasts of the white mans world.Hundreds of #ears had passed since his escape from the stone

pillar and he still had no cl

hither and yon

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