From Half a Century Ago (1)
1011 Words
Fifty years ago, in a remote terra incognita somewhere in the United States of America...
Here resided a Native American tribe, that despite years of explorations, conquests, and wars, has never ever been discovered by the world outside its borders.
It is because of the tribe's strict isolationist policies that forbade any sort of outside travel or contact.
This policy was even enforced via a magic barrier that protected the parcel of land where the tribe marked as its ancestral territory.
The tribe, as anthropologists would later find out, was named Kipalwi.
In the tribe's native tongue, it means “the tribe of the orb”.
The “orb” was the tribe's most prized artifact, as it held powers beyond anyone's imagination, even to the tribe's own members.
It was said that the “orb” descended from the skies as the remains of the tribe's highest-ranking god, Istaniwinilka.
Istaniwinilka was the Kipalwi tribesmen's creator god; and his son, Istansupansawit, took over his responsibilities when the former decided that he lived a full thousand-year life and wished to retire. Right up to these modern times, Istansupansawit served as spiritual sustenance to the tribe.
With its immense powers, it was common sense that no one outside the tribe would learn of the “orb” and use it for personal gain; and thus the isolationist policy was enforced to the letter. Exceptions were not granted.
One day...
Two powerful warriors, who were named Gistatarind and Ustajikawalka, were summoned by the tribe elder, Tanusbulawat.
Tanusbulawat ordered the two to hunt for a ferocious beast that terrorized the actual settlement.
Apparently, the beast was native to the tribe's domain, but some mysterious force drove it to insanity, posing a threat to the Kipalwi.
The two agreed and immediately left for the spot where the beast was lurking.
In the domain's northwestern border, Gistatarind and Ustajikawalka successfully located the beast, which was a hybrid of a lion and a tiger.
The beast quickly showed its hostility by baring its sharp fangs and teeth to the warriors.
Gistatarind said, “That beast can never be placated. The aura I am sensing... it is otherworldly!”
Ustajikawalka asked him, “How can you say that? You have not even completed your training on sensing various types of auras yet. Who knows... that aura from the beast could mean that it is just desperation resulting from hunger.”
“No! I admit I have not completed my training yet, but from an ancient scroll I've read about auras, this beast's aura is indeed otherworldly! The text says that if a creature's aura does not match the established standards for our tribe, it is already tainted with otherworldly powers and must be stricken down immediately!”
“Well, you indeed have a point here. So it has been settled. Let us purge this beast and then pray for its soul once we have slew it and rid it of its threatening aura.”
“Agreed.”
Thus, with their drawing of their hand axes, they wasted no time in charging towards the beast with all their ferocity.
The beast knew the two were assaulting them, and thus it amplified its unusual bluish aura.
The aura knocked the two back.
Ustajikawalka commented, “You are indeed right! That aura is otherworldly! Thus, we cannot afford this outsider to taint our land!”
Gistatarind proclaimed, “We will purge the aura that possessed this poor beast and eliminate it forever!”
The two, after immediately getting from from the knockdown, continued their assault, making sure that the aura did not touch them.
Eventually, they were able to work out a pattern. Every minute, the beast's aura would weaken, only for it to be strengthened the next. The alternating cycle meant that the two could injure the beast during the weakened minutes, and could parry the beast's attack during the strengthened minutes.
With their coordination, the warriors eventually felled the beast, and the aura that possessed it left the beast's carcass. It then dissipated into thin air.
Gistatarind and Ustajikawalka unleashed their war cries of victory, which was mandatory among Kipalwi warriors when their enemies were defeated. They then offered their prayers for the repose of the felled beast's soul, knowing that it was merely a victim of the malicious aura.
Victorious, they returned to Tanusbulawat and reported about the mission.
The elder commended the two.
“Excellent work you two have done! I could even feel the malicious force disappearing from the beast you have slain. The Kipalwi domain is safe for now. However, we all must still be on guard, as I have received more reports of other beasts within our domain being possessed by the same malicious force. I have left the task to our other warriors. And as for you two, you definitely earn some rest. I will call upon you again when you are ready.”
The two warriors nodded, and then went back to their own residences.
As the days went by, there were more cases of beasts being possessed by the otherworldly aura such as the one Gistatarind and Ustajikawalka have slain. The other Kipalwi warriors were able to successfully put those beasts down; but the numbers of those aura-manipulated beasts multiplied, and that had the elder on edge.
One week later, Tanusbulawat summoned all the warriors to deliver his speech, which had a tinge of worry.
“To our proud warriors... let it be known that an unseen force is trying to eliminate us all by possessing the beasts within our hollowed domain. Thus, the time has come for us to resort to the following measure never before enacted in our tribe's lifetime: We will be holding a contest to determine which warrior will slay the greatest number of possessed beasts and survive. The winner of this contest will have my daughter's hand; because we expect some of us to fall doing this. The winner and my daughter will get to repopulate our race and maintain our standing as the only tribe in existence to preserve all our precepts since time immemorial. Do I make myself clear, proud warriors of the Kipalwi?”
The warriors who gathered all shouted with burning fervor, signifying that they were up to the elder's task.
“AIYEEEEE!!!”
“Anything to bring our honor back!”
“Uphold the sanctity of our land!”
“They may take our land, but they can never take our tribal identity!”
The hunt was then on.
- Writer
