uncommon for rival villages to come to him and ask for adjudication of their disputes. A man who loved to walk and climb alone, as much as he loved to hunt with the other men from the village. A quiet man who was fierce in battle yet bore no grudges and was slow to temper. He was Ilkand the loved.
Sedron had planned out the route the party would take, as master of the hunt he set the pace and chose to lead them north across the ridge and away from Five Glacier Valley. Over to the backside of the mountain and then northwards past the evergreen forests. The hilly region beyond the flatlands to the north should prove fertile this time of year, away from all the villages of man.
The untouched setting, beyond the flatlands, allowed animals to roam wild and free. Kills should be plentiful, but it was not without danger. His father always instructed his parties to cross the snowy expanse as fast as possible, only the biggest and toughest creatures would roam there but their maw could cut a man in two with ease. Sharp claws that could penetrate the skull, front to back, in a single swipe. Such creatures that stood tall as a church and could run as fast as any wolf, but their meat was poisonous and foul his father had warned. Sedron never figured out how his father could know that.
As a child Sedron heard stories from his grandfather of the equatorial flats far in the south. Vast icy deserts with untouched snow that was so soft and thick that no one dared cross them. No shelter or food, so it would be impossible to cross even if anyone dared. ‘Was there no rocks there grandfather?’ Sedron had asked. He never did get an answer to that. ‘Couldn’t it be crossed in a sledge?’ Sedron had asked another time, ‘no, too far.’
Before the hunters would cross the flats Sedron checked that all members still followed. Elsar, Cotyr, Alfron and his sons Fomel and Kebber. Sedron counted six; two more than he would have liked. The boys would be more of hindrance than a help. ‘It’s not an easy hunt, boys, perhaps it would be best to go back.’ Sedron had warned them but Alfron pleaded to let them come. They had to learn how to hunt one day.
Fomel wheezed with each gust of wind which further entrenched Sedron’s resentment as he heard his nephew struggle to match his pace. “Slow down Sedron,” Alfron had barked, at least twice now, but Sedron would not listen. Alfron had also complained of aching feet and muscle cramps, but Sedron ignored it. He was determined to hunt, and bringing home any sack of meat smaller than he was would be a failure. ‘The sleds must be piled high,’ he warned. No turning back until we have filled our sacks.
“My feet are aching. I must rest, Sedron,” Alfron shouted above the howls of the wind. One of his skis had become lodged into a mound of snow and threw his body to the floor. Even the wolves were tiring and the sky was now darkening. It was time to rest. Sedron accepted and came to sit beside Alfron.
“Are you injured?” he asked Alfron.
“I’m fine, just a little bruised but it’s nothing,” Alfron said.
“We should try making the crossing before nightfall.”
“We won’t make it. It’s too far.”
“I’m hungry,” Cotyr interrupted.
“It isn’t too far,” Sedron replied to Alfron, “we’ll make it. I’ve done this before.”
“I’ve done it before too and you know it’s too far,” Alfron said.
“Can we eat already?” Cotyr shouted. He stood above the two brothers still waiting for resolution.
“Hey! Did you just see that?” Elsar shouted. He was the last to join the commotion. Alfron’s sons had joined him on the snow but kept quiet while the adults bickered.
“Let’s make camp here, it would be better just to rest.” Alfron said.
“Here? You moron, we can’t just stop here. Where is here? Here is nowhere. There’s no shelter, no wood, no anything,” Sedron rebutted.
“We should move on then,” Cotyr agreed and pointed towards the far end of the flatlands.
“There!” Elsar shouted, “there it was again. Did you see that?”
“What are you talking about?” Sedron turned to see what Elsar was looking at. “I don’t see anything. Now let’s just get our stuff and get to the other side.”
“I saw it... it was like a star falling from the sky,” said Cotyr.
“Cotyr, you’re hungry. You don’t know what which way is up when you’re hungry,” Sedron shouted back.
“No, look, there. It happened again. Whatever it was, it fell again.” Elsar said.
“It was a falling star. I’ve seen it twice now.” Cotyr added.
“Gods have mercy,” Alfron said.
“I can assure you that the sky is not falling down.” Sedron said, he looked around for the mysterious falling stars. “It was a meteor. Nothing more. Now let’s get going before night falls.”
“We should see where they land. Maybe they bring gold?” Elsar asked.
Cotyr laughed. “Gods don’t have a use for gold.”
“There!” Elsar shouted. He pointed at the series of falling red stars falling. Everyone was watching Sedron who now stood at the edge of disbelief; his mouth agape. They had all seen the falling stars now.
“This is a bad omen, brother,” Alfron said.
The wolves seemed the most apprehensive, they whined and wagged their tails profusely. Another three stars fell, red pinpoints of light, bursting into life in an instant then disappearing just as quickly. All occurrences happened in the same region of sky. It had to be a meteor shower, Sedron told himself. The day was passing through the twilight into the night.
The stars no longer fell but the sky had darkened, the clouds were thicker, miasmic and grey. Sedron lead the team forward. ‘I must not show fear, they will not follow if I cannot lead. There is no need to fear, for death is not the end.’ He uttered breathlessly to himself.
“Look! More lights,” Cotyr shouted.
“They’re blue,” Elsar added, “and green.”
“They…” Alfron spoke up, “they’re just hanging.”
And then nothing.
The lights disappeared. Sedron and the hunting group were soon reminded how dark Cheam became in the middle of the flatlands. No campfires, no sun, no falling stars, almost no light at all.
Suddenly, a cloud of ice and snow exploded in the distance. A mist rose from the land and dominated their view of the hills. The situation had new meaning. Something, whatever it was, had hit the flatlands.
The cloud continued to puff outwards and finally washed over the weary travellers. Sedron pulled his cloak in tighter when the wind blew. His wolf barked in the air. Something was threatening it. What did it sense?
A further row of stars descended. As it did a further cloud of snow blew across the land. These gods fell and then stopped. Their lights had not extinguished, yet they no longer fell. A gust of wind brushed along the flatlands, the miasma of ice and snow cleared if only for a moment. Clarity was offered for a moment. All the lights had come to a rest.
The new constellations slept with cosy silence upon the powdered snow. Red, blue, and green; the fallen stars did not twinkle. What were they? Sedron asked himself. No tale or legend spoke of sleeping gods who came to lie in silence.
“The fury of Karthuz rages before us, he protects his kin who wish to sleep,” Alfron shouted to be hard upon the wind. Respite from the weather of Cheam had been only fleeting. “Behold Kathuz and his offspring.”
“Aye, behold Karthuz,” Cotyr added.
Sedron kept quiet. He offered no conclusion for he could not understand how the others knew this was Karthuz. They had to be gods, but why not Armenuz or Galon? Why Karthuz? It did not matter for now the men were at ease. Bad weather was forgotten, the gods have arrived. Will they listen to our prayers, provide us with food, and reveal their godly serenity to us? What fortune it would be for Sedon, son of Ilkand, the village chief, to bring gods back to the village. With such power would come great wealth. Our rivals will despair.
Sedron lead them forward; they would venture forth and meet their makers.
“What sort of creatures are they? Sedr
on asked. He lead the team ever closer. The silence was long broken. The gods did not sleep silently but emitted a deeply resonant hum. The creatures, gods if they were, looked strange. What should a supreme being look like? Not like this. These were not gods. Surely not.
Confidence dwindled, even in Alfron who was the first declare the lights as gods. It was Karthuz he said, he insisted. No fewer than ten creatures now stood as straight-legged silhouettes against the mountains. The jaws of the unexpected beasts fell upon the snow to reveal an eerie glow from inside their throats. As the team closed in Sedron could see that the creatures had large box-like bodies that were stuck atop four stiff legs. Were these the horses of the gods? Fashioned with lanterns that burn so bright that all can see them from far across the heavens.
Strange animals they must be if their natural resting position is to stand up straight with mouth ajar. Sedron soon noticed differences among them, some were slightly taller and longer, while others were fatter with shorter legs. Each of them were easily as tall as the village church, if not taller.
“Karthuz!” Alfron shouted.
“Quiet, you idiot,” Sedron yanked on his brother’s cloak. How did these foul beasts fall like stars? As the group drew nearer Sedron stepped more quietly. The creatures’ skin shimmered like polished metal: clean and smooth yet unyielding. The wind did not ruffle any hair or feathers.
“Look at their eyes,” Cotyr said. He stood just behind Sedron and pointed to