Thou Shalt, Nay, I Will

Thou Shalt, Nay, I will
By
Hector Sleiger

There lived once a king of warriors in a vast desert and this king’s name was Nus. Strong and Proud was Nus and many battles did he win.
And so Nus lived his life, the life of warrior until one day he came unto a beautiful woman named Pacse and it was upon finding this woman that Nus did stop his fighting to settle down to protect a wife and father children.
Nine children did Pacse bear from the seed of Nus and proud and strong children did they become:
First born was a son Lotup and wise did Lotup become and many great deeds did he accomplish.
Second born was a son as well; Naurus and many great deeds did this warrior accomplish.
Third born was a beautiful daughter known as Penetun and many a great body came into her control.
Fourth came a great son, larger in stature then all the others and this son was known as Purjite and Purjite did emulate his father and Nus was proud.
Fifth born came another son known to all as Turnas and great was he to all whom he met.
The sixth child born unto Nus and Pacse became known Rams and was the greatest warrior of all the children brutal and cunning as he was.
The seventh child born was a beautiful woman who came to be known Raeth.
Born after Raeth was another daughter known as Nevus and great beauty did Nevus possess and a soul of love.
And the ninth and last child born unto this great family was known Cerumyr and great athleticism did he posses but his heart was that of a poets and so a warrior he was not.
And such was the family of Nus and Pacse and proud they were of their brood.
It was with Raeth though that Nus did develop a special bond for in a dream he was visited by the Great Spirit Glith and Glith spoke unto him saying thus:
A beautiful wife and family you do have Nus and deserved of this you are but I must bring poor news for of all your children only one shall become fertile. One child alone shall be able to further your line and this child shall be your seventh born, your daughter Raeth. For in her time shall she become a great mother and beareth a divine legacy unto your name. But first must you cast out from your house this daughter for she must find her path alone. This is the burden I give unto you.
And this dream came unto Nus while Raeth was still but a young girl and it was with great trouble that he went to Raeth on the next morning and spoke thus:
My daughter, out of all my children I love you the most and find in your eyes the light of mine own. From your birth I knew always that your destiny was to be something more and apart from your brothers and sisters. A hard road it is that dost lie ahead but this be a road that you must walk. So it is with heavy heart that I must send you from this house and into the vast desert.
Upon hearing these words Raeth laughed joyfully and smiled saying thus: but thou wilt be with me father, as always you are the light which bringeth unto me life.
And Nus replied: This you know to be true and I will be with you, but many trials shalt thou bear alone, it is my place only to watch, for I have fought my battles and it be now my time to rest, but know that I shall be with you always.”
Raeth unhappy to hear words such as these spoken from her father, and being at such a young and volatile age began to scream and yell.
And it was while amidst this fit that Glith brought into Raeth's heart a great understanding and the fire within her suddenly became likened to the rain and she was at once cool and happy.
Opening her eyes she found she was alone in the desert and now a grown woman, perfectly shaped and symmetrical.
No longer the young girl was she and she realized what a beautiful gift had been given unto her.
And Raeth began to walk a dancing walk and the cool rain was within her.
Many days did Raeth walk aimlessly and contentedly, knowing not where she was going and caring little, simply rejoicing in herself.
As it was one day Raeth came upon a small, solitary lizard freshly hatched from its shell.
“Hello lizard” she spoke “Where is thine mother and father and brothers and sisters?”
“I know not where my family hath gone” the lizard replied and Raeth could see kindness and good intention within this lizard’s eye.
“Well I shall take care of you and you shall become my son, many days have I walked alone and now I know that it is mine for me to raise you.”
“This I know also” the lizard replied a sharp smile fixing itself upon his scaly face.
And so the lizard began to walk with Raeth and she raised the lizard as if her own child and long they walked together.
.
As the lizard grew he began to grow wings and his tail grew upon it three great spikes, one that was the end of the tail and another double ended spike cutting a horizontal axis across the former, and the spikes were made of wood.
It was while this lizard grew that Raeth noticed a change of color in her hair; from deep blue unto a sweet mixture of blues and whites and greens and browns. At this change Raeth smiled as so did her growing companion.
And then it came one day that while walking the lizard laughed and said unto Raeth “Thank you sweet woman for the kindness you have shown, it is now that I am full grown and from lizard unto dragon have I become, and now I shall be known Thine Iron Gile”
Raeth became fearful at the tone of her dragon son’s voice as she saw her companion rise upon his powerful hind legs to a height much greater then her own and of sudden a scorching fire was breathed down upon her.
Raeth wailed in agony as the dragon laughed gleefully and then unto Raeth the beautiful rain became fire once more and then she was in darkness.
When Raeth awoke she found her sweet skin burned and saw that she was in a dark cave, the dragon staring down at her “why have you done this unto me? I raised you from babe and kept you warm when your mother and family had abandoned you. Why dost thou now turn against me?”
And the great dragon Iron Gile replied, “Never had I mother or father, born from you I was and from babe you nurtured me. I am lizard and dragon so do not wail and ask why for it is only right for me to abide by myself.”
And Raeth replied, “I understand you not and knoweth only that never could I bear such a vile child as you.”
Iron Gile only laughed a harsh wicked laugh which poured ice upon her burns and made her wail anew once more.
A broken being had this Mother destined for greatness now become.
And the dragon once ruled over now had ruler become and terrible pain did he inflict upon his mother Raeth. A slave he made out of her, feeding upon her little by little, day by day always with a great and hideous smile upon his scaly face.
And Raeth began slowly to turn to ash growing worse and worse, slowly dying while the dragon continued to feast upon her soul.

Many years passed in this way until Raeth could remember no truth except for that of the dragon and her pain.
And then one morning there came into the cave a great serpent and the dragon boomed and thundered but the serpent easily avoided the dragon’s attacks parrying and slithering with great ease until finally the dragon became exhausted.
With heaving breath the dragon Iron Gile asked of the serpent, “What be your name foe indestructible?”
And the great serpent replied: My name beith Aphios and I have watched this child which you now torment since her birth, always have I been with her and it is now that I come unto you and command that she be set free.
The dragon upon hearing these words boomed with laughter, “Who are you to command such things worm! For I am the dragon Iron Guile and am greatest beyond all things and taketh orders I do not.”
The great serpent smiled calmly into the eyes of the monster and replied thus: Very well, I offer you then this proposition; for three days release your prisoner and allow her to walk the desert with me and upon her return shalt thou then have battle with her and should you destroy her then I shall giveth myself unto you.
The dragon smiled and looked at the pathetic form of Raeth lying in the corner and then at Aphios, and upon looking at the great serpent his mouth began to water and he replied thus, “Very well Aphios, for three days wilt thou walk with my Raeth and upon your return shalt Raeth and I do battle and after her defeat it shall be you whom I feast upon.”
And so the deal was set and Raeth being too weak to walk left the cave upon the great serpent Aphios’s back.

For three days did Raeth walk the desert with Aphios the serpent and in those three days did Raeth learn all wisdom and all knowledge and was healed.
Raeth understood that she loved the serpent and that this serpent loved her back and the cool rain returned into her soul.
It was before returning to the cave to do battle with the dragon Iron Gile that the serpent spoke unto Raeth saying thus: My child all that I know I have taught now to you, all wisdom and all knowledge now do they rest in your heart and so you shall defeat thine tormentor. But with this task I do charge you, that upon vanquishing thine enemy you must also vanquish me.
And Raeth became sad of heart and asked Aphios why she would desire death upon the death of the mighty dragon Iron Gile.
And Aphios replied, “This is how it must go, for although the dragon dost torture you he loves you as well as I. The dragon Iron Gile and I are of the same family and whenst thou doth vanquish him, then also must you destroyeth me. This I say only once.”
And so it was as the serpent and the beautiful women entered the cave of the dragon.

The dragon Iron Gile had been waiting for their return and was poised on his back legs, three pronged tail swaying back and forth behind the great mass of his body.
A great laugh he exuded upon seeing the serpent enter but when his eyes fell upon Raeth now healed and once more beautiful, he became angered, “What is this magic you have done you vile serpent? How come this charred corpse to resemble a beautiful woman once more? I should have known your treachery”
“Treachery unto you it is,” Aphios replied “And such treachery is justice and virtue.”
“Foolish words spoken from a fools tongue you bring to me Aphios, but it matters little for still will I destroy this Raeth and then upon you shall be my feast!”
And then of a sudden the mighty three-pronged tail swung forth at Raeth but Raeth being now transformed into something greater then she was before easily dodged the strike.
And then the mighty flame of dragon’s breath fell upon her but once more she nimbly dodged the attack.
And then the dragon made to pounce upon her but stepping quietly back she dodged the third attack.
The dragon’s patience now exhausted he let out a terrible piercing scream meant to strike from Raeth her courage.
But upon hearing this horrid noise Raeth remained true and brave and from her own mouth was emitted a sound, a musical note more beautiful then any imagined.
And this note was great pain to the dragon and he fell upon his side and covered his ears and eyes until Raeth ceased.
Then once more did the dragon regain his anger but upon opening his eyes he saw not Raeth in front of him but a great lion with an eagle poised upon its back.
And before the dragon could make a move the lion did pounce upon his feet and the eagle did attack his eyes.
The dragon resisted but to no avail for the lion did destroy the legs upon which he stood and the eagle did peck out his eyes which he did use to see.
And then of a sudden the attack was withdrawn and the dragon Iron Gile lay a crumpled, thrashing form upon the floor of his cave.
And so it was that the dragon thrashed blindly about crying piteously all the while and then heard he the voice of Raeth within him. And this voice spoke thus:
Foolish dragon, for long hast thou tormented me but now is the time for your defeat, no longer shalt thou be poison and scorching fire unto me!
And with these words Raeth did once more let out the beautiful note, but this time the dragon felt it as if within his own head.
Terrible now was the pain this note brought upon the dragon Iron Gile and thrash and scream he did, flailing his tail in all directions and spitting fire accidentally upon himself causing only more piteous screaming.
And then it came that the dragon could no longer withstand his retribution and of sudden the three-pronged tail with which he enslaved Raeth came crashing down upon his own head.
And the piteous screams and thrashing and fire-breathing ceased for the dragon Iron Gile was dead.

And thus did Raeth destroy the dragon. Once more did her soul now become filled with laughter when
And then came Aphios into the cave and spoke softly unto Raeth saying thus:
Very well you have done for you have slayed thy tormenter and now cometh the time when thou must destroy me
But Raeth replied: I wish not to do this for thou art mine savior and have given unto me all knowledge and wisdom. It was you alone who bestowed upon me the power to slay this tormentor dragon and so why now must I destroy you?
And with these words did Raeth shed a tear which fell down upon the great serpent Aphios’ head and this tear was like hot acid to Aphios and began to burn through her skin.
And Raeth realizing her action screamed: What have I done unto you beautiful serpent.
And Aphios Replied: Cry not mine child for you have done all that I asked of you and now do I welcome mine end for it is as I said that I am of the same family of this dragon and though our hearts much different should I stay I would be unto you a great tormenter like this dragon. So now I return to that from which I was born, cry not and fear not.
And with these words did the great serpent Aphios pass from companionship with Raeth.

Raeth was now full of sadness and cold rain and so she walked forth from the cave in search of light.
It was at this time that Raeth did have a vision of her father and by his side stood the lion with the perched eagle upon its back.
In her father’s eyes was happiness and light and a great realization did now come upon Raeth and a soft wind entered her soul and the cool rain, a great lightness of heart did now encompass her.
And she did look around once more to realize that she had become a child and she understood that she was to be mother over herself.
A great sweet laughter did she let out and smiles did it bring upon the faces of her father, and the lion and the eagle.
And Raeth did now understand the lion and the eagle as she saw them fade into the image of her father until a bright amalgamation was all that was left.
A laughing child has this Raeth become and she began to dance beautiful circles across the desert.