As the wanderer is laying on his back gazing up at the stars in the pitch black sky, one star suddenly seems brighter than the rest, but only for a short time, then it merges in with the others in terms of brightness. This arouses the wanderer's interest and he is now staring at the stars. Several minutes pass, nothing happens. At this point the wanderer is not even sure if one of those stars was indeed brighter than the others, or was it just his senses, or perhaps the spirits of the ancestors, playing a trick on him? Just as he is starting to relax, that one star lights up again. "Vorax's guts!" - the wanderer swears, - "I wasn't imagining things after all." This time the star shines for a bit longer. After this happens another time, the wanderer realizes this is the spirit's way of showing which direction should he set off to next. This fills him with confidence and he stays awake watching the meat with a relative peace of mind.
As morrow comes, and the belly finally filled, the journey again takes you into the unknown. This time, however, you feel complete calm in yourself. You feel older than your actual years, as you have experienced more in these last days than in your whole childhood. Is this what it means becoming an adult?
Long full moons come and go. You foraged, you hunted, and in one occasion, traded for your sustenance. You learned much during your journey. When to stop, listen; when to run, hide. Over time, they all came naturally. The star that guided you was always there in the night, but to you it was more of a reassurance than an actual guide. You knew your path well. It feels almost queer now that you were so lost before. The past seems like a dying dream and the future something to look forward to. The walking has strengthened your legs, the hunt your hearing and eyes, and the land your heat. There is such beauty in these untouched lands. Rivers, lakes, hills and forests, they give you a feeling of safety and familiarity. You are becoming more and more in touch with nature, it would seem. Was this the goal you had in mind? Would the geck be a feeling of acceptance? You feel like the three guides: old man, living bones and the bright star more as one entity than individual spirits. "They are all part of this land, as I am now." Bold words, but you believe them to be true.
One night, much like the rest, the star that was gleaming overhead suddenly started to fade. You felt puzzled, if perhaps that is a bad sign. The next day would bring revelation, however. As you walked following a river on the open plains, you came across an encampment with much people and animals inside. Nomads, most like. As you approached, two men in leather clothes came in your direction. You stopped and greeted them, and they did the same.
"Are you a trader looking to buy and sell?" one of the men asked. "I am a wanderer, following the land. I seek shelter for the night that comes." you answered and with one hand pointed at the clouds that were forming from the direction you came. The other man smiled and said "Then you are welcomed inside your camp. It's not common we find travelers so far north." You were curious "How far north is that?" he smiled even more, "As much as our Geck will allow us to go."
You held back your surprise as the men escort you into the camp. After formalities with the elder of the tribe, you are given food and milk and a place to sleep in the community tent. It was the biggest one, and could comfortably shelter many people. A small fire was burning in the center, made from animal dong and slender branches that provided a means to cook food. As soon as you had the chance, you asked one of the men that greeted you. "You talked about the Geck. Is it a person you know?" "Hardly. It is our totem, it guides us and protects us from harmful spirits. He has much power this far north, but he cannot reach the northern coast. None of us can. It is forbidden.""Why?" you ask. He explains "Many summers ago, in the Night before the Day, these plains belonged to the tall people. They never died, and feasted on disgraced exiles that were driven from their homes in the south. But the Geck drove them away into the northern sea, and there they remain forevermore." You feel like you are getting very close to the end of your journey.
In the morning, you thank your hosts for their hospitality, and explain that you aim to reach the northern sea. Their response is of concern, but they accept your decision. The elder even remarks that if that is your goal, you should not be afraid to seek it. Before you go, you take out your gleaming rock and give it as a gift to him. He thanks you, and tells you that they will bury it in the land, to be a permanent mark for weary travelers that they are welcomed in this land if they seek hospitality. And with that, you set out.
It took another few nights to reach the sea, the storm that loomed overhead since you left the camp finally started to release the raindrops. The wind picked up. Darkness soon came and in the distance great pillars of light strike the earth. As giant men of intense brightness and loud roar they appeared. As the tempest intensified, you removed all your clothes and stepped knee deep in the salty sea. The rain poured on you, as the wind blew over you. Bug waves crashed against your body, and at the peak force of the storm, you raised your hands and started singing a song of life from your home. You felt new, reborn. You have reached your goal. But it is just one of many. The journey will now start back south, but this time, it is you that will lead the spirits, as they were lost and had no one to guide them. They long their return back home.
[And so, the last round is at an end. The winner this time is Vorax, and he will receive his humble prize for helping me conclude this short story. If you haven't figured it out yet, even though it was noted in the very first post, this short story was partially inspired by that great Rouge like survival simulator, Unreal World. If you haven't yet, you should at least try the shareware version, if it doesn't completely suck you in, like it did me. Thank you for participating, and congrats to the winners!]
