Beinn 6.6
The journey into the Windy Territories of the North was as uneventful as it was boring, at least to Katashi. This is to say nothing of interest happened on the journey save he and Jaala began to move into a much less confrontational relationship. Jaala was more forthcoming with information and Katashi was content to follow the path that they were both now traveling.
One morning, a good two weeks later, after they had broke camp and had been walking for no more than an hour the trail came up to the ridge line. below them was a long narrow valley that stretched out for miles and miles. The valley floor was littered with wide open fields surrounded by tall growths of fir and pine. It was far enough down not to be able to make out any detail. Steep walls stretched up from the valley floor on each side of the long narrow valley. Katashi wasn’t sure but the walls looked porous, and his first thought was that there were hundreds of caves. He held his arm out stopping Jaala as he came up along side him. This in itself was not so unusual lately. Indeed, Katashi seemed to know where they were going better than Jaala did.
“Wait, friend.”
“This is beautiful isn’t it,” Jaala replied. “You are right, let us enjoy the view for a moment while we catch our breath.”
“Truth,” Katashi answered. “But that is not what I meant.”
Jaala looked at Katashi. Ever since the boy had put on Cuauhtemoc’s pin his abilities had begun to increase dramatically. It was all Jaala could do to keep the boy from running loose and causing more damage than even he could imagine. Still, with all this, Jaala was more than a little surprised when Katashi next spoke.
“This is the gate to Kaneonuskatew’s Empire. To cross without being invited will set us at odds with them, and likely result in our deaths. We must wait here until we are met. I strongly suggest you ready that which you think will persuade them.”
Jaala shook his head. The effect of the pin on the boy was stronger than he would have guessed. It clearly had led him here and the closer it came to this valley the stronger it’s influence had become. Only this boy, the one, could wear it and here on the edge of the empire that once had ruled the known world and not be taken over.
“I am ready my friend,” he replied.
That either one of them was ready was clearly questionable though because what happened next caused them both to stumble back in fright and fall to the ground.
The ground opened up in front of them and dark earth began to flow upward into the air. It rose ten feet and more into the air and began to fill into the shape of a very large man, nay not a man, even though the form was clearly humanoid. It took only seconds for the form to solidify and it was massive, truly frightening. Katashi’s thought was that neither one of them would stand a chance against such a fearsome creature.
“What in the name of the four Gods is that,” Katashi cried.
Not able to conceal his wonderment, for though he had experienced much in his life Jaala had never seen anything like this. “This is an elemental, an earth elemental to be exact. It is one of the lesser forms we will encounter in this valley.”
“Lesser forms? You mean there are more powerful creatures than this?”
Jaala was about to answer him and tell him about the air and the water elementals but their brief conversation came to an end when sound came from the elemental, though no mouth, indeed no face, was even present. Katashi thought it sounded more like rocks grinding together than speech but even so he had no trouble understanding what was said.
“What business does The One, and his companion have in the Empire of Kaneonuskatew.”
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