Hand of Fire (The Master of the Tane) (4 page)

             
Nervously Del and Lyn responded, “We, the partners of his life.”

            “What is wished?” the Kinpa returned.

            “That his Tane be revealed and his name be known, that he may receive his soul.”

            “Then bring the child forth and your wish shall be granted by the power given of TehraMae.”  Lyn looked hesitantly at her husband and then brought the baby forward and gave him to LorVenPa who took him back to the other waiting Kinpa. As before, they gathered in a circle cradling the child between them. The air was still as the chant began. “We, the chosen of the five Tane, TehChao the earth, ArVen the wind, QenChe the fire, MarGua the water, VerSagn the blood, call upon the one who gives us all to divulge the Tane of this child that he may receive
his soul and the mark of the TanIs be given, that he may receive a name to carry him and give him remembrance of the Tane revealed this day. We ask TehraMae to make it so.” 

             
There was a long pause. Lyn looked at Del while wringing her sweaty hands in anticipation. Del looked straight ahead unmoving, watching the Kinpa in brooding silence. The crowd seemed frozen in time. All had become still, even the forest was without sound and it seemed as if an eternity had passed. Then, without warning, all five Kinpa violently jerked their heads back and spoke in unison. “Let his Tane be known, the TanIs is given. He is Thane of the five Tane.” The Kinpa brought their heads back and stared at the child in amazement. No one moved. Recovering from her initial shock, Lyn rushed forward. In the seconds it took her to reach the Kinpa, she watched anxiously as the five Chufa elders gasped in shock and began to stagger back from the child. All became as if in slow motion as Lyn watched in horror as her child was bobbled and then dropped. She screamed and found herself diving for her son as he plummeted towards the ground. In that moment time seemed to stop and Lyn found herself pondering over all that had occurred. What was the significance of having all five Tane and what had taken place for the Kinpa to stumble back as they did, letting her baby fall to the ground? Just then her elbows skid on the dirt and her chest hit hard knocking the wind from her lungs as Thane landed softly into her arms. Time seemed to regain its strength with a jolt and everything happened at once. Lyn rolled onto her back cradling her infant as the crowd rushed forward to check on the Kinpa and then her. The Kinpa had also fallen to the ground and all of them sat as if in shocked amazement. Lyn lay in the dirt for a short moment before sitting up in the midst of a mob. She looked around assuring everyone she was all right when she noticed the looks on their faces as many stepped back in terror. Lyn stared at them in wonder at their reaction when she noticed they were looking at Thane with clear horror reflected in their black eyes. She quickly looked down at her baby terrified he may be hurt, only to be greeted by the cause of such a strange reaction from the Kinpa and the villagers. 

             
There, staring up at her, were two bright, green eyes.

CHAPTER TWO

              The leaves crunched softly as the two Chufa quietly made their way through the dense woods. The sun cast long, eerie shadows upon the forest floor as it continued its late descent towards the mountains. A small breeze picked up lightly rustling the trees around them adding its voice to the low rumble of voices coming from the village to the south. A lonely bird cried softly in the distance its call quickly fading into the uncanny hush enveloping the woods.  

The two spread out a short distance from one another and each nocked an arrow in anticipation. They had come to trust each other and knew that when the moment came each could rely on the other to do his part in making sure they were successful. The taller one suddenly motioned with his hand and both
Chufa froze where they stood. Peering over a large thicket they spotted their target in a small clearing shadowed by the tall trees surrounding it. With a slight flick of his hand the taller one waved for his companion to circle a bit to the left for a better shot and to cut off any route of escape. With the other Chufa set, his heart pounding in his ears, he gave the signal and both rose in unison and began emptying their quivers into their prey. In a flash it was over. With a sigh of relief, both laughed with joy at their success.

             
“You win again, Thane,” the shorter boy exclaimed while smiling at his own success.

      “Only by one arrow, Dor,” Thane answered also happy with how he had done. “Last time it was by two. And last time neither of us hit the target as often as we did today.” Both boys scrambled through the underbrush towards a large, old log standing on its end and wounded by a number of arrows.

“All that will change after today though,” Dor said excitedly. “Now that we are eight cycles we get to learn from DaxSagn, the great protector, the ways of the bow and arrow and also how to track silently in the woods.”

             
“I know,” Thane replied as he began to collect his arrows. “I have been waiting for this day ever since I can remember.”

             
“Do you think we will ever be as good as DaxSagn and someday become great protectors?”

“I hope so,” Thane said with a twinkle in his eyes, his vision suddenly becoming distant.

“Just think of it! Thane and Dor, the great protectors, save the village once again from a troll raid.”

             
“Yeah,” Dor said catching the glorious vision. “Ten huge trolls were no match for the greatest protectors of all time.” Both became silent for a moment as they basked in the glory of the future victory while gathering the rest of their arrows.

Thane pulled his last arrow from the log and then moved on behind looking for strays when he was suddenly overcome by a strange feeling of impending doom that gripped his chest in a tight squeeze almost forcing him to gasp for air. He looked back at Dor who continued unbothered as he worked on an arrow that had become embedded especially tight in a tree. Thane looked all around quickly trying to concentrate on what could be making him feel so strange when he noticed that the forest had fallen into a dead silence. The feeling of dread increased causing a cold sweat to break out on his brow while sending a sliver of fear racing down his back. “Come on Dor,” he said shakily. “Let’s get back.”

              “Why,” Dor asked with a grunt, finally removing his arrow from the stubborn tree. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Thane whispered. “Something just doesn’t feel right. It’s too quiet.”

              Dor turned his head as if to listen and nocked an arrow as he realized Thane was right. Just then a rustle came from the thicket on the opposite side of the clearing causing Dor to jump and almost loose his arrow. Recovering the best he could, Dor brought his bow around nervously as Thane fumbled for an arrow of his own.

             
“Ouch!” a voice suddenly called from the undergrowth followed by more thrashing. Dor and Thane glanced at each other and smiled knowingly, visibly relaxing, as they started towards the underbrush.

             
Thane winked at Dor and then said in a frightened voice, “What do you think it could be Dor?”

      Dor smiled and replied similarly, “I don’t know, but I don’t think I want to find out.” The bushes became quiet again and a small giggle touched their sensitive ears before it was muffled by a hand.

              Thane held back a laugh of his own as he elbowed Dor. “Maybe we should just shoot into the brush with our arrows?” The thicket turned stone silent.

             
“I think you’re right Thane,” Dor said loudly trying to control his own snickers.

             
“All right then. On the count of three. One, two...”

      “Wait! Wait!” a voice burst from the underbrush as the bushes shook violently. “It’s me! It’s me! TamVen! Don’t shoot; I’m the one in the bushes. I’m...uh well...I um...I’m stuck.”

              Thane and Dor, no longer able to contain themselves, burst into peels of laughter. “Serves you right for spying on us again,” Dor yelled, a touch of anger lacing his voice. “When are you going to learn to leave us alone? You’re too young to be out here anyway.”

             
“I’m only two cycles younger than you,” Tam protested, still out of sight in the thrashing thicket.

“That doesn’t matter, Tam,” Dor said a bit angrily. “We’re tired of you following us around.”

              Thane opened his mouth to voice his agreement but was cutoff by a blanket of imminent danger and evil which bombarded his senses while turning the air thick around him. Quickly glancing about, he grabbed Dor’s arm and motioned for him to be quiet. By the look on Thane’s face Dor knew something was terribly wrong and shut his mouth without protest. “TamVen,” Thane whispered, “be quiet. Something isn’t right.”

             
“Come on you guys,” she called back, “you already taught me my lesson.”

             
“I’m serious,” Thane said, his voice hushed and shaken. “There’s something strange here. I...I can feel it.” Both boys scanned the clearing for any sign of trouble as they hurried to the bushes where Tam was trapped and still thrashing about noisily. As they watched and waited, the feeling of evil suddenly overpowered Thane in a concentrated sensation to his right making him want to flee but freezing him in fear. Sensing their doom, he turned his head slowly just in time to see the large rock troll suddenly crash into the clearing at full speed, his war club raised for the kill. It was huge, standing at least seven feet and every inch large and muscular. It wore nothing but a loincloth made from the skin of an earlier victim and a necklace that contained the fingers and claws of other unfortunates. Its small, black, beady eyes bore down on the two Chufa boys as it closed in on its easy prey. 

Both boys stood frozen in place watching in horror as certain death closed the distance between them. Then, suddenly, both broke in unison into a dead run straight into the thicket scrambling past their young friend Tam who was, by now, in complete terror after hearing the
trolls cry and seeing her friends rush by without her. Her wail of pure terror pulled Thane up short just as he cleared the undergrowth and turned him about just in time to catch hold of Dor as he toppled into him almost throwing them both to the ground. “What are you doing?” Dor yelled in exasperation as he tried to free himself of Thane’s grasp.

“We must go back and help Tam.”

              “But what of the troll?” Dor pleaded in desperation. “It will kill us all!”

“Maybe, but Tam will surely die if we don’t help her!”

              Dor hesitated for an uncertain moment when Tam’s scream suddenly shattered the air. Both boys turned just in time to see her break free of the thicket her shirt torn almost off and the troll closing in quickly behind her. Thane let fly an arrow that struck the troll square in the chest but bounced off harmlessly not having enough force to penetrate the thick hide. Dor fumbled with his own arrow in shear fright as Tam sprinted past still wailing in high shrieks of terror. The troll took a swing at the boys barely missing Dor thanks to Thane who pushed the terror-stricken boy from the club’s path. With a loud crash the club struck a tree and the troll was thrown off balance giving both boys enough time to turn and run. The troll bellowed in anger at the loss of his easy prey before regaining his balance and resuming the chase.

             
Thane glanced at Dor’s ashy pale face. “On the count of three you split to the right and I will head off to the left. That way at least one of us will get away.”

             
Dor looked at him with blank eyes and then nodded, finally realizing that he may escape what was clearly certain death. Thane gave the count and the boys split. At first the troll slowed in confusion unsure of which path to follow. Then, with another cry of anger, he turned right and continued after Dor. Dor looked back and screamed, his thoughts of escape dashed by the massive body that loomed after him. Quickening his pace he made a desperate attempt to outrun his attacker.