Return of the Burning Man

Chapter Eleven

Sothoo's ears were ringing as she pushed herself up onto her elbows, looking from side to side for the bird. She found it lying on the grass a dozen paces away, looking, for all the world, as if it was dead. Sothoo ran to it and picked it up. As soon as she lifted it the bird's eyes popped open, and it shook its head as if it were clearing its mind. Sothoo held out her arm and the bird perched on her wrist, it shook itself and turned to look at Sothoo. It spoke, now more clearly than before.

'Sothoo, do you know what has just happened?'

Sothoo knew that there had been a lightning strike but for what reason if there was a reason, she could not say.

'Tell me. I have no idea what has just happened.'

'The Gods have connected you to the world of magik. Through me, your familiar, and some other magikal items, you will become a shaman. You will be able to cast spells to kill or cure, protect or destroy. The Gods have given you an extraordinary power, Sothoo and I will help you understand it. For now, you need to know two things. Firstly, I made a conscious decision not to pass on to the otherworld but instead to live in a middle world halfway between the land of the living and the land of the dead. Because I did this I had to give up my living name so now I am known in the in-between world as Lolo. Secondly, you will have to fashion your magikal staff from three items, two that you own and one of mine to bind them together. The two items you own are your carved staff and the quartz crystal and my item is the leather lace that ties my hair. You will need to thread the lace through the crystal and then tie it to the staff using a knot that I will explain to you. Once you have done this you will be able to cast spells, some of great subtlety, others of awesome power. Now I suggest we head back to the cave.'

Lolo hopped from Sothoo's wrist up to her shoulder and she turned to leave.

'One thing before we go, Sothoo. The stone slab that has been blasted by lightning retains magikal power of its own. Find a piece, pocket-sized, it will be a most useful thing.'

Sothoo searched the grass until she found exactly the right piece. She showed it to Lolo and the bird nodded her agreement. She placed the fragment in the front pocket of her tunic and then set off on the single track back to the escarpment to tell the others what had happened to her and to find the items needed to create her magikal staff.

'I don't know how I'm going to explain this to the others. I wouldn't believe it if I were them. How shall I put it?'

Lolo turned to look at her and loudly qworked.

'We shall find a way.'

'We are not leaving it. The spear must be retrieved. You must wait for Raru'iti and the others to leave the cave unguarded and you must go and retrieve it. And you must do it sooner rather than later.'

Sekar'iti was firm on the matter, His son must go with Baran'iti and Toral'iti and fetch the spear from Raru'iti's cave. They cannot leave any evidence that links his son to the murder of Lolontoo. They will all wait until this has been achieved.

Toral'iti grabbed his spear and placed an arm around Serant'i.

'Come, boy. The sooner we do this business the sooner we will be away from here. Then you can put all this behind you.'

Serant'i winced at his uncle's words as he walked out of the cave and headed for the open area in front of the escarpment. The sun had risen but was firmly behind thick, grey clouds and a stiff wind drove a spitting rain to slick the grassland. They moved out towards the forest and then down towards the bottom of the escarpment, then they started to slowly move towards the cave where they believed the spear could be found.