FSE

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CHAPTER ONE

It was morning. Dawn spread her fingertips over the windswept plains. On a hill one could look out for miles and see nothing but flat grass with the occasional grazing animal to break up the monotony of the landscape. To the west were the almighty mountains, whose empire stretched from the bottom of the world to the top, and served as an impassable wall to any who dared trek beyond what the gods deemed their proper place. To the east was flatland that stretched on and on towards the horizon, only stopping, one might suppose, at the edge of the world. Rumors swirled what lay beyond that fabled line, but none save the occasional merchant had any idea.

On one particular hilltop sat a lonely figure, resting on a small boulder and staring down onto the village below. He was an avian sort of fellow, tall and slender, sporting bright red feathers with stripes of jet black on the fringes and rings of white around the eyes. He sat there in complete silence, gripping a long stick in one hand, with an expression of bitter contemplation worn onto his face.

He didn’t move. He hadn’t for hours and had no plans to do anything otherwise. The lad was technically out early during curfew to escape the drudgeries down below. He didn’t hate his home, but he had every intention of delaying any return there. Life down below was a miserable bore. On the cusp of manhood, he was stuck in that grueling limbo between the responsibilities of an adult and the treatment of a youth. He felt that things ought to be resolved one way or another and so far found no satisfying solution to his woes.

This bird was not just any poor sod scraping by on the steppe – he was the son of a well-respected notable among his people. Not the chieftain, granted, but still a prominent member of the village kelom and possessing a very valuable estate. An estate the avian himself hoped to inherit one day, but for now he was little more than a mere spectator, or worse…

A sudden rustling startled the bird awake. He jumped, pulling his stick close to his body and wielding it like a spear. Turning towards the noise, he spotted the grass behind him shaking wildly until a person jumped out in surprise.

“Isan! There you are!”, the figure cried out.

The bird took a moment to process what just happened. Then he realized who it was now standing before him.

“Riak? Is that you?”

Before Isan was a bright green lizard fellow, just as tall as the avian himself and almost as slim – at least from the waist-up.

“What on earth are you doing out here this early in the morning?” the lizard inquired.

Isan sat back down on the rock. “I could ask you the same question, you know” he deflected.

“Folks down below are looking for you – ‘specially your dad.”

Figures, the bird thought to himself. He slumped down in defeat and gave out a loud sigh of resignation. At the same time, he leaned onto his stick like a crutch to keep him upright. “I was hoping I could find some peace for myself before I had to go back there. It’s so damn dull!”

“You think being the heir to your father’s household is dull?” inquired the lizard.

“Only once you realize that such a title means nothing in practice!” complained Isan, “For years now it’s been the same routine of menial chores – work fit only for servants! – and every night since my birthday last year I’ve prayed that my father would finally see me as the man I’m going to be. I want to do more than just giving small orders and doing boring housework – I was born to do great and legendary things! How exactly is someone going to do that being a glorified manager?”

Riak moved closer and leaned down to better speak to his friend. “Have you brought this complaint to your father?” he asked.

“At least three times,” Isan responded, “And each time is the same reply ‘You’re too young to lead that kind of life, son! You think noble men just go out and play heroes all the time?’ and so on! It’s demeaning! I mean, am I asking too much? What am I supposed to do?”

The lizard listened to all of this intently. In his head he was smiling, for he had already crafted a surefire idea. When he was sure his friend was done speaking, he began interrogating the bird, hoping to show him through his guided reasoning the plan he had in mind.

“If your father won’t take your word on how grown you are, don’t you think your deeds, then, might make a better advocate on your behalf?”

“Of course they would!” complained Isan, “But that’s the thing! He won’t even give me opportunities to even do that!”

“Then suppose you look elsewhere for some?”

“Elsewhere? What could you possibly mean by ‘elsewhere’?”

Riak grinned and leaned closer into the bird’s face. “The kuri, naturally…” he replied.

Isan fell silent. The kuri? he thought, At this time of year? The season is at hand, I suppose… Yes, that’s possible! And yet, would such a plan be feasible…? The kuri was what everyone called the local band of warrior-nomads who roamed the countryside for some time before returning home. Made for sons of noblemen like Isan himself, they were usually used as a long-term rite of passage into manhood, where youths could roam about in search of plunder and renown. To even be a simple member would be proof enough of manhood, but what Riak was suggesting was an awfully brute-force path to show his worthiness to his father. One either completed their time successfully or died trying…

He stumbled to find the words to describe his thoughts on such an idea. “Join the kuri, early in the year it may be, but… No that’s unreasonable for someone like me, because-”

“Because what?” the lizard teased, “Because you’re too young? Perhaps too feeble and juvenile for such an undertaking?”

“That’s not it!” blurted the avian indignantly, “It’s because I’d need my father’s own permission to do that! And if he won’t even let me manage more than the most simple of assignments, there’s no way above or below that he’d let me join something as monumental as the kuri!”

“Who said you needed your father’s permission to join them?”

The avian was taken aback by this statement. “Who said…? Why, don’t the gods themselves demand it? Don’t they look down on filial defiance?”

“Aye, they do, but they also believe in parental responsibility. And they believe that no man should be denied his true destiny when the hour demands it.” Isan pondered those words in his head. “I… I- There’s still no way he’d accept that argument…”

“Then escalate it,” Riak explained, “Bring it before the elders, even the chieftain if you have to. If you feel the conviction deep down, then that is surely a sign of divine will. Let the world know that, and I’m certain the powers that be can overrule your own flesh and blood.”

“That’s mad!” Isan shot straight to his feet, and confronted Riak, “Making such a spectacle out in public is an insane idea, no matter the situation for anyone! My father would burn with shame and fury if I started airing personal grievances to his own colleagues…”

“Exactly!” replied the lizard, “Which is why he’ll let you go before it ever gets to that point. It’s one thing to cover your son, it’s another to hold him back from such a ‘community service’…”

Isan stepped back a pace from his friend. The way he puts it, the bird thought, I’m beginning to think that just might work… He collected himself and addressed the lizard straightforwardly. “What you’re proposing is bold, I won’t lie. And it just might work in the end…Fine, I’ll try it! But mark my words if it fails on me, you’ll feel my wrath soon enough!”

Riak grinned slyly. “It’ll be well deserved,” he joked.

And with that, the two set off down the hillside to their respectieve homes.

CHAPTER TWO

Isan entered his father’s house through one of the side doors, hoping not to catch anyone’s attention. He had luck sneaking out early in the morning to avoid the servants’ notice and hoped to do the same once again. By all luck he succeeded. No one said a word or shot a glance that made the boy think he’d been found out.

After what felt like an hour or two, the avian felt sure of himself and made his advance towards one of the innermost rooms of the manor. Looking to his left, then his right, he made sure no one was around when he flung the door open.

The room in question was none other than the family armory. Inside were displays of the finest weapons and armor his ancestors had forged, won, and treasured for generations. Rows of shields, swords, lances, bows, helmets, chest plates, and more - each decorated in fine metals and even jewels in some cases. In here Isan planned to make a statement – both to his father and to the kuri themselves: this bird was not to be taken lightly.

Granted, the young avian was not foolish enough to just run off with the family treasure like a thief – he would be tasteful enough to pick out merely those pieces that suited him best and go out openly and flaunt his intentions for the world to see. This would be the announcement of a boy becoming a man!

The bird scanned the rows of goodies, carefully selecting every piece to put on, until he had fully covered himself head to toe in armor and had two good weapons – a sword and a knife – in his hands. He then looked at himself in a nearby mirror, and took the time to marvel at himself and his sense of fashion…

“Fantasies gone to your head this time now, eh boy?”

Isan jumped, startled by the intrusion. He frantically turned around to see his worst fears realized. In front of him, standing in the doorway, was none other than his own father. Arms crossed and eyes narrowed in disapproval, the man appeared none too pleased at his son’s larping.

The young bird froze for a moment, forgetting how to speak, let alone respond. His senses slowly came back to him until at last he could remember how to speak. “I-I…Listen! I’m not trying to play or fantasize about anything!”

“Then what exactly do you think you’re doing?”

“Preparing myself.”

“Preparing yourself?” the man almost laughed at that, “For what? Did your friends convince you to do a dare now?”

“No, father, this is for myself. For months, almost years, you’ve insisted that I’m not man enough to be more than a sideshow in my own household. I know I’m not ready to be my own patriarch, but I’m more than ready to move on to the next stage of life!”

“And you think playing dress-up with fancy toys makes you a man?”

“Of course not, but neither does being a glorified overseer of clerks and chambermaids! I don’t intend to grow up being a manager – I intend to prove my manhood... on my own terms, if I have to!”

The father lowered his arms. “You don’t mean…”

“I intend to join the kuri!”

There was silence for a moment. Neither said a word as Isan’s declaration of intent hung in the air like a fog. The young bird for his part waited nervously for the impending dressing-down. The father just stood there, and to the son that was worse than if he had just started complaining. Then the man opened his mouth.

“So…it’s come to this already, it seems…”

Isan wasn’t sure how to respond to such a question. He decided in his head to lean on those precalculated responses he had cooked up on the way from the hillside.

“I know you think I’m still just a boy. True, in many ways I still am. But I won’t be one forever, and I’m fast on my way to that happening. When the time comes, I want to be ready – for anything and everything! And if you won’t give me that chance, then I have no choice but to make one for myself. I intend to make my will known to the outside world… to the chieftain and the council if I have to! And if you won’t still insist, then I’ll have no choice but to press my rights in public too…”

Another pause. Another moment of painful suspense. Isan tried to put his bravest face forward, but inside he was on the verge of panic. Would his father actually accept this bold statement? Would it really come down to a public fight? He held his breath as his father summoned up his own reply. Then the older man opened his mouth”

“Listen, my son,” he began somberly, “I know you don’t think well of me right now – nor have you for the past year. I could always tell by the look on your face, you know. You may find this hard to believe, but I remember being your age once. I felt the same way you did towards my own father, frustrated by my small place in the world and longing desperately to make it bigger and more spectacular.

“I, too, confronted my old man on this issue – hah, to think I’d one day be on the other side of that confrontation! It took quite the convincing, but in the end he let me join the kuri despite my own youth. I even took some of the armor that you’re wearing right now, as a matter of fact!”

He pointed to the chestplate Isan was wearing. The young bird stared down and blushed as the realization set in that the stodgy old man before him had once been like him too, doing the same things that he himself was now attempting to undertake.

“I went right up to the chieftain,” the father continued, “and made my intentions be known. I told him that my conviction was strong enough to be a sign of the gods’ will, and so he relented to my arguments. He directed me and some other boys about my age to go down south to the forest of Soura. It was in there that we underwent the sacred trial and became men…”

“Trials?” interrupted Isan.

“Of course,” replied the elder avian, “Everyone who seeks to join the kuri must prove himself first in those woods before he can be considered worthy to join the wild tribe. That has always been a prerequisite that can never be avoided…”

“And you succeeded, papa!” replied Isan again, “Can you tell me what’s in those woods? Is there anything I can do to prepare for the trials myself?”

The father’s face turned grim. “What lies in those woods is concealed by sacred oaths, my son. And what you must accomplish therein is also a secret, kept between you, your brothers, and your gods…”

“I see…” the younger avian replied meekly. His feathers stood on end seeing the old man like that. He hadn’t expected his words to incite such a reaction like that.

“At any rate,” the old man continued, “that’s not what I’m concerned about when it comes to you. Let me tell you the most vivid memory I can recall about my own time in the kuri:

“In my second year with the wild tribe, all of us went down together into a distant land out wets called the Valley of Subar. One evening, we descended upon a village (whose name, alas, I cannot remember) and we went about ransacking the place. We took whatever we wanted and stabbed anyone who tried to stop us. Oh, what revelry we enjoyed in those days! Alas, the highs of such carnage came crashing down when a score of mounted knights arrived out of nowhere and confronted us all about our ‘mischief’.

“In the chaos, many of my brothers saw the threat early on and fled into the cover of darkness outside the village walls. Myself, drunk on the spirit of courage, remained one of the few who dared to resist those fearsome warriors. Naturally, it was a quick and one-sided affair. I was knocked clean off my feet by one charge alone.

“They seized me and rounded me up with my dearest friend, Ternor. You remember Ternor, don’t you?”

Isan paused for a moment to contemplate the question. “No, I don’t, papa…” he replied honestly.

“Of course you don’t. Because they killed him that very night,” replied the father, voice full of morbidity, “They made me watch as they sliced open his throat and spill his blood into the dirt. I had to see the life drain from his eyes before they let me go to ‘warn’ my brothers of what they did to us…”

And with that, the elder avian was done with his little story. An awkward silence hung in the air as Isan absorbed the shock of such a gloomy tale. Never before in his life could he have imagined this man engaged in the sort of adventures told in folk epics, except here having no happy ending to find comfort in this time.

“I don’t fear you dying,” the father resumed, “though that would indeed be a sorrowful day. No, I fear you losing yourself to the carnage and sacrifice that must necessarily come with the profession…”

The younger avian pondered those words in his mind. If what he’s saying is true, he thought, then I have to hand it to him – that’s a far more powerful deterrent than I thought he’d have in him to bring out… He looked away from his father towards the various armaments on the walls, then towards the sword in his hand. He could see his face in the blade’s reflection. Looking up to the ceiling, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, in and out, like he always did whenever he wanted to meditate on something.

A minute passed while he contemplated. Isan’s father simply watched on in silence, anticipating what the boy had to say. At last the young avian opened his eyes and returned his gaze to his father’s waiting visage.

“I understand now,” he began, “I understand that you know more than I do how much wider the world is, and how full it is of all kinds of things, but worst of all the dangers it poses to someone such as me. I know that you think I am young. I don’t deny that, and yet…

“You mentioned before a conviction so strong it felt like divine inspiration. I can’t pretend to know what it was, but I do know that I feel a strong sentiment of my own on what I must do in this life. I know I am destined for greatness, even if only among my people here. I also know that I must become a man one day, like you. I know you wish for the time to be right for me, but as I see it there can be no true way to know until you do it yourself.

“I am and will always be grateful to you for your words of wisdom. I am truly sorry for the suffering you had to endure back then, and I know you wouldn’t wish that kind of fate on your worst enemy, let alone your own son.

“Nevertheless, my mind is made up. I must become a man, and I must prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt to you, your peers, and mine, and the kuri is and will always be the most surefire way to go about it. Try and stop me if you must, but know that I will call the gods to my aide, and them willing they will let the whole world know who is in the right and who is in the wrong…”

Isan paused again. Now it was the son’s turn to wait for the father’s response...

The man took a deep breath. “So be it,” he calmly declared. “I’ve seen this kind of spirit before. I know what happens when one gets in the way of that kind of determination. I know the consequences of that kind of conflict, too. I just hope you’ll realize it too before it’s too late for you, so I concede. You can try the kuri if you want to. I just have two demands to ask of you…”

“Y-yes?” the shocked Isan asked, leaning in.

“First, that you only come back when you fulfill your time with that horde, and never attempt such daring things in my household again…”

“And?”

The elder avian gave out a small chuckle. “Second, that you let me pick out a real set of armor that suits you.”

CHAPTER THREE

Isan marched down the main street towards the Premier Temple by the center of the village, where the all public business took place. The bird had one last hurdle to overcome – one last man to either appease, persuade, or threaten: the chieftain himself. Isan knew that it was him and him alone who decided who was worthy to even be a candidate to join the ranks of the wild tribe, let alone endure the secret rites of initiation. To challenge one’s own father is a dauting task – to confront a powerful man who barely knows you is something else. Nevertheless, he was determined. He couldn’t turn back now, even if he wanted to. Success was too close at hand to give up…

At the front steps of the temple was the usual crowd of notables and supporters, of magnates and paupers, of onlookers and secret-takers. Isan ignored all of them as he moved around or through the mass of onlookers, each one surprised and curious at the sight of such a young man decked out in such regalia on such short notice. The more wizened of them knew exactly what that meant and simply nodded in approval if he passed them by.

Isan climbed up the steps and practically burst into the public courtyard. Scanning from left to right, he knew that his target was around somewhere. He would naturally be the most well-decorated man in the room.

In the corner of his eye, he spotted a small crowd on the other end of the open space. Just from the size alone the bird knew that it was the chieftain’s audience; no one else in the whole town could command such attention. He set off for it with all haste.

As he closed in, those loitering at the edge of the crowd turned to get a look at this unexpected intruder on their affairs. Most of the faces were blank and expressionless, but Isan could still feel the sting of judgement radiating from the group as a whole.

When the young avian arrived at his target, he found himself face to face with the many members of the audience facing his direction. And it was in that moment, as he squared up in size with the other grown men around him, that he began to realize the seriousness of his predicament.

He suddenly felt nervous and intimidated by what felt like imminent danger around him. Had at last his pride gotten the best of him? Had he gone too far in trying to force his way into affairs with men orders of magnitude more powerful that him? He stumbled trying to find the words to explain himself when a voice cut him off before he could even begin:

“What’s the matter with you all? Are you easily so distracted by the mere sight of a stranger?”

Isan could not see the man who spoke those words, but he instantly knew who it was. The men in front of the avian parted to the side, until he found himself in the direct sight of none other than the chieftain himself.

This man – an ursine, by species – stood broad-shouldered and confident, decked out from head to toe in ornate clothing of his own. A luxurious headdress adorned his head, and on his chest he wore a bronze breastplate gilded in solid gold. Hanging behind him was the cape which signaled supreme authority, and at his side was the legendary sword of Tubár, whose own fabled past could fill volumes of books.

This great and fearsome leader stared down at the avian fellow in front of him – quite literally, for he was at least a head taller than the intimidated lad. He could see a bead of sweat roll down the poor sod’s cheek as the bird anticipated some kind of reaction from his unannounced appearance. At first, the bear said nothing, letting his gaze send the message. Then he burst out in a fit of jolly laughter.

Everyone watched, confused by the reaction. “Well, well!” began the ursine lord, “If it isn’t the bird man’s son come to see me! I’ve been hearing from your father about you, lad. What about your complaints and your mischief. I figured I’d come across you sooner rather than later one of these days, but as a candidate for the kuri? Now that’s a bold move! Serves you get it from him, I suppose…”

All the men in the crowd started muttering to one another, confused as they were by their leader’s curious change of attitude.

“Oh, come on, you men! Don’t tell me you haven’t guessed this boy’s intentions by now. The only time someone like him goes out in public dressed like that is if he’s sure he’s ready to go out to join the wild tribe, or if he’s dead drunk on ale! And you look awfully sober to me, young fellow…”

Isan fought the impulse to blush right then and there. He knew a backhanded compliment when he saw one, let alone received one. Instead, he just stood there awkwardly, awaiting the next thing to come out of the chieftain’s mouth.

“Well?” the bear said, “You going to say something? You came all this far to declare yourself, no? Then spit it out already!”

Isan looked the chieftain directly in the eyes, then mustered up the courage to get something out of his mouth and address the crowd as a whole:

“O chieftain,” he began, standing up straight once more, letting unconscious inspiration guide his words, “I know… I am fully aware of the doubts that men such as yourself already harbor for me. I am painfully conscious of my age and stature compared to you and your colleagues…” Some chuckles from the crowd at that statement. “…but I am also aware of something deep inside me – some inner conviction that rests within my heart that tells me that I am destined to do more than that which an ordinary life provides. It is not mere ambition, nor is it impatience – it is a signal, a message from powers stronger than I that moves my very heart towards dreams of glory and renown.

“Some of you may ask ‘where is this boy’s father?’ Let me be the first to tell you that I have already confronted him, and have heard many of the same words most of you will try to throw at me as I contemplated my decisions. I confronted him, and he addressed me with all my limitations and all the weapons that experience and wisdom provides at his disposal against my convictions. Despite our disputes, I am nonetheless grateful to him for his efforts and his care for me. I do not wish to slander him, but to make him proud – proud in the way only a reckless son can: by becoming a man in glorious fashion.

“I know that the road before me will not be easy or safe. I know that I may suffer death or worse fates out there in the wider world. For that I am prepared to endure that for the sake of my stature. I promised him myself that I would either come back home a man or not return at all. I have staked everything on this experience. If that is too much for you, then so be it. Follow what you believe to be your conscience, but know, too, that others above have their own views on the world and who dwells within it, and they do not like to have their will denied!”

Isan finished his frenetic speech by taking heavier breaths than usual. He wasn’t even sure if what he had just said in the moment was lucid or coherent, he just knew that it came from something deep inside of him that fueled his passions like no other. Months, almost years of inarticulate emotion came spilling out of him, here at the most crucial moment of his life. Looking around, he could so no one’s face change expression just yet. Were they absorbing his words thoughtfully? Were they desperate for this insolent youth to be off already? The avian waited for the most important opinion of all to at last break the silence.

Looking at the chieftain, the bird braced for the worst – or at least what he could conjure as the worst in his mind. Then at last he spoke, addressing Isan directly:

“My my! I know that kind of speech when I see it! That was quite the raving you did there, lad! Not something your father or his tutors could teach you, eh? No, that right there could only come from the heart – from the gods, even! That’s inspired speech – if not, then me and my clan are liars!”

Isan felt a rush of elation come over him.

“As I see it,” the bear continued, “you may by on the young side, and it may be early in the year for initiation, but clearly this was the result of something bigger than you or I could control.

“Go south, my boy! Go south along the Rilika pathway until you reach the forest of Soura. Wait out by the Karrín river until sunset this evening. You’ll know what to do then.”

The avian froze there for a moment. He couldn’t believe that this was actually happening! He had actually convinced the very chieftain of his village of his desires, and now it was happening: He was on the road to becoming a man!

“Well don’t just stand there, be off before it’s too late!”

Isan shook himself out of his frozen state and bowed frenetically at the chieftain. “Oh thank you, my lord, thank you!” he cried, “May the gods bless you! I promise I will come back a legend!”

And with that, he turned and darted for the south end of town.

“I’m sure you will!” cried the chieftain as the young bird went on his way.

Isan reached the southernmost end of town before he found the sign pointing him to the Rilika path. It was about noon, but he in truth had no idea how long it would take to get there. He stared down the pathway as it twisted and turned down the hills across the steppe countryside.

Out of nowhere, a figure emerged and startled the poor bird.

“Riak!” screamed Isan, “You know I’ve got better things to do than indulge your nonsense!”

“Oh come on,” joked the lizard, “You say that like you’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Riak what could you possibly mean by that?”

“I know,” replied the lizard, leaning in, “That my little plan worked and you’re on your way to becoming a big boy now, isn’t that right?”

“I’m going to become a man,” asserted Isan indignantly.

“Right, right, big difference. Humblest apologies.”

“Is this your ways of saying goodbye to me?” asked the avian earnestly.

“Only for now, old friend,” Riak said, “At least for a year or so. I plan on joining them myself soon!”

“Why not join me now while you have the chance?”

“Sorry, old sport, but if you had to go to the chieftain to qualify, then I’m definitely too young, ha ha!”

Isan looked down, downtrodden at the thought of leaving his friend alone for a whole year.

“Oh, don’t feel so down on yourself!” Riak jested, “I can take care of myself just fine, and you won’t be alone either. You’ll have whole new brothers to keep you company!”

Isan turned back to look at the road. “Then at least promise me you’ll think about me while I’m gone, and I’ll think of you?”

“Promise” Riak winked.

With that, the avian began his long trek south towards the forest. He would not see his best friend or anyone from his village again for years to come…

CHAPTER FOUR

The sun shone hot over the landscape, and there was nary a cloud in the sky to give respite from the heat. In defiant ignorance, Isan trekked on. Beads of sweat grew and trickled down his face as he walked down the road in his armor. I was now heavy and stifling, and only the bird's pride compelled him to keep it on. He had been walking for what felt like three hours. He could already see the great mass of trees that was the Forest of Soura out in the distance, and with that view he reckoned that he had about ten more miles to go until he got there. That calculation kept his spirits afloat in the meantime.

The landscape, which had originally given Isan inspiration at the start, had become familiar to the point of dull to his eyes. As a distraction, he fell to daydreaming about the possible adventures he would embark on when he succeeded at joining the kuri. He thought of the various tales the other boys would tell around the summer night fires - the famous legends of old. There was the wild and frenzied Raid on Mouraka, where one man made off with ten thousand horses taken from a wicked king and given to a people in rebellion. Then there was the Dual off the Cliffsides on Karu-Mahall, the climactic scene between the hero Sahir and the villainous wizard Huruu as the battled on the edge for control of the world. Perhaps Isan himself would add his name to that esteemed list of legends. "Isan the Warrior"... yes, now that's a title he could get behind.

As the young avian wandered down the road to his destiny, he was shaken out his daydreams and fantasies by a surprise that blindsided him. Before him now was not only his path, but another's. The two were converging onto the road ahead into one, and opposite him on the other path was a stranger - a stranger covered from head to toe in armor like himself.

The two paused, standing still, eyeing one another, no doubt with suspicion. At least Isan knew that's what he himself was doing. With no face to observe, he went on gut instinct. A man dressed like that plans to do one of two things, he thought, join the kuri, or robbery. He put his hand to his blade, anticipating the worst out of the stranger. This other man observed the avian and did the same. Isan's heart began to beat faster as he realized that he was on the verge of dueling with another man already. Not even an initiate, and the world was already testing him...

"State your name and your intentions!" the bird ordered. "Do that and I might let you go free..."

The stranger laughed in Isan's face. "What makes you think that you have authority over me?" he boasted.

Deep down, Isan knew the other man was right, but this was not the time to back down now...

"I'd say this does!" and he ripped out his sword for the stranger to see.

The man did not move from his spot.

"Listen here, you damned rogue!" he shouted, "I have better things to do with my time than deal with your hot-headedness! I've got places to be by sunset, so unless you wish to stay here as vulture-meat, you'll put your blade away and let me go on!"

Be somewhere by sunset? Isan thought. Could he mean...?

"Places by sunset? You mean the Forest of Soura?"

The stranger did not move or say anything for a moment.

"...P- perhaps," he replied. "What would you know about that place anyhow?"

"Because that's where I'm going too..."

The bird lowered his sword and began to laugh. Then the stranger started laughing too. Soon the two were laughing together, and Isan sheathed his sword and embraced the second man heartily.

"Why didn't you just say that you were going there to begin with?" Isan asked honestly.

"I wasn't sure what your plans were. Can't trust anybody beyond your hometown walls these days," the stranger shot back.

"Agreed...,” said Isan. "Tell you what, I'll take off my helmet, and you take off yours. Might as well since you're not planning to kill me, right?"

The two laughed again. "I don't," replied the stranger. "Let me see who you really are underneath!"

Isan complied and revealed his avian form to his new companion. The stranger did the same. Taking off his own helmet, the bird could see that underneath the armor was a wolf-fellow, roughly the same name as him. "Yamat's the name, by the way," the wolf declared, "and you?"

"Isan," replied the avian with pride. "I come from the greater village up north, where-"

"No need to tell me, I know exactly where you mean," interrupted the wolf. "I'm the son of my own village's chieftain. I've come down this road to prove myself worthy to be his successor one day..."

"You could say the same for me," returned Isan, even if what he said was only half the story.

"Let's walk together, new friend! I'm afraid we've burnt far too much valuable sunlight already. We should get a move on if we're to get there before it's too late."

"Agreed!" declared the avian. And with that, the two were back on the road in lockstep to their destinies...

Over the course of the day, similar encounters occurred. Sometimes it was them against one, sometimes it was them against many. In the end, they all came together for the sake of their common cause - that blessed wild tribe that each and every young man aspired to join. By the time they arrived at the forest proper, what had just been Isan alone had become a group of initiates two-dozen strong. The moment they arrived at their destination was a thrilling one. They were all one step closer to their dreams becoming reality.

There was just one problem, however: they were the only ones on the location. Even when they found and camped out at the Karrín river, there was no one else to guide them towards the next steps of their journey. Some like Isan were taught patience, and knew that with the sun still up, there was yet time for whoever would be their guide to come and gree them. Others weren't so sure, and let their anxieties rule over them.

The two camps were on the verge of butting heads when someone spotted a figure coming out over the horizon from the west. Seemingly coming directly out of the setting sun, this man approached the gaggle of boys craning to observe this mythical figure for themselves.

And yet in what felt like the blink of an eye, he was right there before them all, standing proudly on the riverbanks. This man was a lion, approximately six feet tall, covered from head to toe not in ornate armor but in the pelts of freshly slain wild animals. He did not make eye contact with any of the young lads looking up at him, instead staring directly beyond them into the distance.

For a moment, they all stood silent in awe at this figure. No one dared to approach, let alone confront, such a mysterious person. Then he spoke aloud, addressing them all:

"I am more than just a man," he began, "I am a son of the wild, of the god of these woods, of Soura himself... I was born here in these woods many years ago, as you all shall be, too, soon enough... However, before you may enter into the mysterious rights of this wild tribe, you must understand how it came to be, and why we are here today:

"Ages ago, in the beginning time of the world, Soura, the son of Sky and mortal woman fled his homeland beyond the horizon to escape the wrath of Cameel, the queen of the gods. He wandered the ends of the earth in search of refuge, but found none, for not a soul alive was willing to incur her vengeance as well.

"That changed, one day, when he came here, and saw that the forest with its ample foliage gave him that vaunted security, concealing him from even the prying eyes of the great and terrible goddess herself. And so he made the place his home, making good acquaintance with the many creatures who dwelt here before him.

“And for a time, Soura rested here in peaceful obscurity, but as you all should know, it is not right for a demigod to wallow in such a condition. He had to make a name for himself in the land, but with Cameel still nursing her grievances he could not afford to be seen again.

“He found his solution in a band of men fleeing a wicked king they had offended greatly. They, like he, sought refuge from the world in these woods. The two parties met face to face, and here they made a deal: the men would form a wild tribe in his honor, and he would give them his divine blessing.

“But not all who seek to join are worthy. As a stipulation, Soura enjoined on every aspiring youth this requirement: that before they can call themselves a brother of this kuri, they must first traverse this forest and confront the sacred beast within it. Only when one has done so, and returned from the woods outside with blood on their sword by tomorrow morning, can they be deemed worthy to enter the brotherhood…”

The lion finished his speech and remained motionless, letting the impact of his words seep into the youths around him. Isan watched all this, impressed by the display… yet he had one burning question inside him,

“But what does this beast look like? How do we know when we see it?” he blurted out loud.

At once everyone turned to look at the avian after he interrupted the moment. He blushed. He hadn’t felt this intimidated since his time with the chieftain’s court. The kuryan, too, turned to stare at Isan directly.

“Don’t worry…” he said, grinning with a devious smile, “You’ll know when you’ve found it, alright…”

The lion directed the youths to enter the forest one by one, letting ten or so minutes pass between each plunge into the trees. Isan, waffling between determination and uncertainty, was the last one remaining by the time it was his turn to go. He stood before the patch of trees where the rest had gone through. Despite that, it looked just as impenetrable as ever. He could feel the lion watching him.

“One more thing, lad,” the kuryan said. Isan turned his head to look at him. “Don’t count on others to help you out in there – they’re just as isolated from one another as you’ll be…”

“Thanks…?” was all the avian could muster. Then he looked back at the forest before him. He took a deep breath in, closed his eyes, and ran head-first into the thick of the foliage…

CHAPTER FIVE

Isan fell face-first into the ground. He rolled over to his side and saw that there were exposed roots that he evidently failed to see on his way in. Thank the gods no one was able to see that, he thought.

Picking himself up, he brushed the dirt off of his armor and tried to get a good look at his surroundings. All he could see, however, was thick darkness all around him. Moonlight was scarcely to be found anywhere. The avian fell dizzy from the near-blindness this caused him. It got so bad he had to kneel, and waited until his eyes could adjust to this new experience.

He forced himself to calm down by taking firm control of his. In, then out. In, then out. In, then out. He repeated this until he could at last see his arms and legs again and felt comfortable enough to stand up to try looking around once more. There was still the same jungle, but now he could dissect the veil of black and peer where gaps started to appear.

The bird took his first steps forward. Slowly, carefully, he confronted the forest in front of him and pushed back against the smothering foliage. Remembering that he had a sword at his side, he took the bold step of using it to hack away at the branches blocking his path.

Then he froze in hesitation. If a demigod lives here, then surely he would take offense at this, right? He thought to himself. Then another thought chimed in in response, If this Soura wants to raise a fuss over this, then let him make it known right now, or else shut it! Awfully dangerous to think, perhaps, but what is the life of one in the kuri if not one of danger and risks? With this in mind, he resumed his work, secretly praying in his heart that this would not be his undoing.

Once he got through the worst of the thicket, the rest of the forest inside was remarkably easier to traverse. The trees stood further and further apart from one another, and the vines and branches moved higher and higher from the ground. Here it was not hard to imagine a god living in this…

Speaking of which, where is he? He thought. Indeed, where was anyone, or anything? True, the lion had said that he would be on his own vis-à-vis the other recruits, but the more time he spent wandering these woods the more it dawned on Isan: there was no other life besides the trees all around. No one – no thing, for that matter – could be seen… or even be heard. He stifled a shudder as he realized that in the midst of this suffocating enclosure there was not a hint of wildlife to be found anywhere. No chirps, no cries, no howls… just dead silence punctured by the rustling of the leaves in the wind.

He moved on. He had to. The avian had no idea where he was going, but he knew that if he was to succeed, it could not be done standing still. And so he trudged on, practically wading through the brush and the vines, looking for any clue to grasp on to in search of this mystical “beast” he was to somehow find and slay…

The bird wandered for what felt like hours. In the darkness it was impossible to tell the time, or how long he had been roaming about. The inside world was one great black box which played by its own rules of time. Such was, perhaps, one of the perks of being the home of a demigod. But that was not what concerned Isan. No, the hours and the stillness was one thing; the sheer emptiness in the midst of it all was what maddened him. No sign of life, no sign of other recruits, no sign of progress towards… anything! Just circles in space and time.

This can’t last forever! Something must change… right?

Thoughts like these floated in his mind as he traversed through the woods. Perhaps some spirit was playing a trick on him? Oh, but how could he tell? Was Soura himself behind this? Was something else? Was he himself in the wrong?

Over and over the panic began to creep in – the fear that time was growing shorter by the minute. Surely something had to give. He’d either get over this wild hump or fail… and Isan really, really did not want to fail after coming this far. After how he treated his own father, and his own community… to come back anything less than a success would be…

A voice out of nowhere disrupted the veil of silence.

The avian jumped, startled to discover that he, in fact, was not the only one alive in this part of the woods. Then he gathered himself and craned his neck to try and work out the words. The voice was too faint to make out anything, but at least he could discern where it was in all likelihood coming from.

He cautiously worked his way forward towards the sound, careful to conceal his own steps as he traversed the brush. Curious as he was, he was not naïve enough to risk detection by… whatever it was out there. This could easily be the big break he needed… or a trap. Only one way to find out which one it would be.

The closer he got to the voice, the clearer he could hear its words. He realized that it was singing, and chanting in a rather soothing melody at that. Unconsciously he began swaying to the rhythm of the song, riding with every high note down to the nadirs of the bass-like tones. The words it sang were enchanting just on the surface alone. The chorus rang powerful and resonant, and the words would remain stuck in his mind for ages to come:

So comes the tide in / as moonlight grows thither.

Lapping the shoreline / and cause stone to wither.

Thus fall the proudlings / and obstinate few

Who think themselves endless / and misjudge the view!

Who shall the blame, then, / be cast upon justly?

Who has the body / whose form is so lusty?

Shall not the victim / be taken in violence?

Or shall declare-he / his true guilt with silence?

While he walked, he listened, but he did not understand…

Isan remained in this trance until at last a change of scenery startled him awake. Before he knew what was going on he was standing on the shores of what was in his eyes a small lake. He could see the forest hugging the edges of this body of water on all sides, but crucially the fabric of the canopy was torn open here, and he could at last look into the sky above. There were stars everywhere – stars and clusters he didn’t even know existed before. A black canvas smeared and speckled with lights as diverse as the mind could conceive. He could have stared at this view for hours in amazement, but he willed himself to remember where he was and turned his attention back to the lake.

This was no empty pool of water. In the middle was a large stone which sported a huge radius, but most curiously was flat on top. In the middle of this rocky platform was… a figure of some sort. It was hard to tell from the shoreline, but Isan squinted and reckoned that whatever was out there wasn’t a mere piece of the scenery.

Then it hit him: that thing out there was the one who had been singing the melody that had bewitched him. He also realized that it had stopped singing, too. It had apparently done so a while ago, and now all that remained was silence punctuated by the occasional lapping of the shoreline.

Isan grabbed for his sword, ready to pull it out right then and there. For all of his foolishness in getting caught in this mysterious creature’s sway, he was prepared to confront whatever was about to hit him next, even if he had no idea what that might be.

He could see the figure shifting. It was clear now that the thing had been sitting before and was simply moving into a new position. He swore that he could see its eyes glowing an ominous golden color. He tensed up, anticipating its next action.

“So at last you are come,” said the voice. “’Tis about time, too. I was dreadfully afraid you’d lose your mind wandering these woods all alone…”

This creature is mocking me! Thought the avian. “Whatever you are!” he shouted back in response, “Know that I’m not afraid of whatever tricks you have in store for me! I’ve come too far to fall prey to illusions and deceit! Confront me here and now in the open! I’m not afraid of going out one-on-one!”

“Who said anything about fighting, dear?” replied the voice.

“W-what? Do you not know where you are?”

“In the home of Soura, demigod of the Western Woods and keeper of the trees’ hidden secrets…”

Isan paused for a moment. Whatever this thing was, it was clearly supernatural after all. Maybe this was the fabled beast he had to slay? Maybe it was something worse…

“Do you want to know a secret yourself, O young one?” the figure continued.

“And what would that be?” retorted the avian.

“This place where you stand is the very spring from which the god drew his lips unto, and drank from to replenish his thirst after centuries of wandering the wide earth. This is no ordinary lake. Come over here and see for yourself.”

“Come over?” cried Isan, “How about you come over to me, and I’ll be the judge of the veracity of those words of yours?”

“I do not have time for insolence,” boomed the figure’s voice. For the first time since confronting his father, the bird felt a deep, genuine fear. “I will not indulge your paranoia. I say again: come!”

The power that resonated in that final word shook Isan to his core. It was as if the very command itself had come to life in the air and wormed his way into his brain. Weakly, against his own will it seemed, he put one foot into the water. Immediately he felt a soothing sensation shoot up his leg and spread throughout the rest of his body. He felt… calm. Calm in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time. He almost dropped his sword into the water, and had to steel himself to not get too drowsy from the sensation. The bird realized that he was unconsciously walking further into the water and was now wading through it directly towards the creature on the stone slab.

Isan’s higher conscience screamed for him to turn back, or at least to put up a defensive posture as he headed directly towards what was surely the greatest danger he had ever faced in his life. And yet that part of him was no longer in control of his body; his motor functions were entirely at the mercy of this strange person before him…

Before he could regain control over himself, the bird found himself climbing out of the surprisingly shallow lake onto the rock formation. Now he was standing before the reclining figure that had so much command over the spiritual forces of nature. He got a good look a the figure at last, and his jaw dropped to the floor.

In the middle of the rock was a woman. An avian woman, sporting red feathers with stripes of jet black on the fringes and rings of white around the eyes. It was a female version of himself!

And she was stark naked, showing off her body, leaving nothing to Isan’s imagination.

He struggled to say anything, or do anything, in response to this shocking sight. All he could muster were awkward stutters and blushed of embarrassment.

The woman laughed hard at him. “So, the aspiring warrior prepares himself for battle with feral beasts and fearsome men… brought to a standstill by a woman!”

If it were possible for Isan to blush harder, he would have found a way to do it.

“Come now, drop your sword and your armor! Let me show you what a real man is supposed to do…”

Sheepishly he complied. His sword clanged as it fell to the ground. His armor rang with similar thuds as the boy sloughed off the rest of his gear. Now he was as naked as she was.

“Come closer” she ordered. The woman then reached up with one arm and brushed his cock with the tip of her feathers. Isan gave a shudder at the sudden jolt of pleasure. “Already so sensitive?” she teased. She opened her legs further, giving him an open view of her nethers. “Come over here, and complete your initiation once and for all!”

Isan fell to his knees and crawled over to the woman until he was practically on top of her. The tip of his penis was dangling in front of her wet lips. He could feel the heat radiating from down there, and it only made him more aroused. He looked up to the woman’s face; she was staring right back at him, with a greedy smile stretching from ear to ear.

“You know what to do…” she teased him.

And he proved her correct, right there on the spot.

He flexed his core and slid his dick right into her waiting pussy. He was confused at first, afraid that he was going too far or too fast. He could definitely feel her walls closing in around him, a soft band of flesh massaging and caressing him with every thrust in and out. He lost all sense of space and time and focused everything on the moment.

He could tell that this woman was getting into it too. In moments where he paused to breathe, she started thrusting her own hips back at him, eager to indulge the length of his cock as much as she could. The two of them were breathing hard, neither willing to give up the sensations they were feeling.

Isan lost track of how long he had been fucking her for. All he knew was that the more he thrusted hard, the more and more pleasure he felt. Again and again and again, until he started feeling something different – a new kind of pleasure, more powerful and overwhelming than anything else from before.

He picked of the pace, the woman’s moans likewise increasing in intensity, until at last his orgasm hit. He froze, letting the wave overtake him. He shot thick ropes of semen directly into the woman’s waiting insides. She too had climaxed, and was gripping him as hard as ever.

Once both were done, the two of them collapsed into one big sweaty pile of flesh on the rocky floor. They were breathing hard, and neither moved for what felt like another eternity under the pale moonlight.

Isan was the first to get up. He stood and observed his situation now that his foray into sex was over. He noticed that he was flaccid again, and despite the view of a naked woman whose pussy was oozing with his cum, he was still too deep in his post-orgasmic haze to feel aroused again. Looking at his dick he noticed that it was covered in her blood as well as his seed. Was this what they meant by returning with blood on my sword? The bird thought. That’s an odd metaphor indeed…

Then the woman sat up again. That devious grin was back on her face. She stared directly at her toy with a sinister affection. “Good job, new man…” she teased.

He looked back at her. “So is this it, then? Was this my trial complete?”

“Not quite…” she replied, “Not yet…”

Isan froze in fear again. Was there more left to do? Had… had he in fact failed? Was he supposed to have refused temptation? But his body refused to comply! Was that the purpose of this test…?

Before the bird could collect his thoughts, the woman had one last thing to say to him, “Your trial is almost complete, but you have one last thing to accomplish…” She raised her arm and pointed towards Isan’s equipment on the ground. “Pick up your sword, new man, and perform what must be done!”

He turned to look at the gear he had dropped. The sword in particular glistened with moonbeams. He paused, unsure in the moment what to do. With reluctance he turned back to see what the woman was doing. It was only when he looked into her eyes that he began to understand. Somehow, some way, she was communicating with him through that glance alone. Unconsciously, he picked up his blade and, in an act unthinkable even just moments ago, he handed it to her. With the sword in one hand, she carefully grabbed his flaccid penis with the other. Then she wiped the blood onto his blade, fulfilling his requirement once and for all. “Now your task is complete,” she said to Isan with confidence. “Go back now and be known as a man forever.”

Then she handed the sword back to him, which he accepted without a word. In silence he likewise shuffled away and put his gear back on. As he prepared to return to the outside, he looked at the sky once again in wonder. It was so full of stars…

CHAPTER SIX

It was morning. Dawn’s reach sprawled out over the horizon across the landscape, touching everything in sight. Her fingers struck the sleeping eyes of every member of the kuri resting at the forest’s edge, waiting for every worthy peer to come out of the forest victorious. The trial was nearing its end. Either every initiate who went in came out already or would be doomed to perdition in those haunted woods. This crop so far had turned out well – practically no losses compared to recent disasters. But there was still one left inside…

The lion, the kuryan and the ringleader of this whole exercise, was the first one to wake. He had always been a light sleeper, and cursed Dawn for her irritating ways (or at last as he saw them). He stood up, first observing the newbies sleeping on the ground, no doubt reveling in their success in their dreams. Then he turned back to the forest edge. The red-feathered bird still hadn’t come out yet. Time was running out – perhaps he would be the lone failure? Having a perfect crop of recruits wasn’t a common occurrence, but it was always a welcome one. Alas, perhaps it wasn’t meant to be? He did seem a rather young and naïve fellow…

Suddenly, he heard a rustling. It was coming from the very part of the edge he had been staring at the whole time. Yes, someone was coming out! Could it be…?

An arm shot out first – an arm covered in red feathers, with a black strip on the edge. In its hand was a sword… a sword smeared with blood.

Then came the rest of the man. Disheveled and disoriented, nonetheless Isan had come out of the woods. He had found his creature and “slayed” it.

The lion grinned as he watched the bird stumble out back into the wider world. He walked up to him and gave the surprised fellow a firm hug.

“So you had the guts after all!” he exclaimed heartly. The avian himself was too tired to give much of a response. “No worried, lad! Or should I say man now, ha ha!” He started to rouse the rest of the troop from their slumber.

“Rejoice, my brothers! He has come out alive after all!” Everyone who wasn’t too groggy to stand gave cheers and congratulations. Even in his fatigued state, Isan couldn’t help but swell with pride now. At last – at long last! – he had made it. He was officially and firmly a member of his beloved kuri…