The Tribes of K'haren - Completed

Chapter 11.2

'I have come here today for a reason.' Raf'ney-krush spoke. The room was relatively quiet, nobody dared to speak louder than in a whisper. 'I had hoped to find the wizard here tonight for he might have helped us. But since he happens to be dead, I will require every other help I can get.'

Nobody moved or said anything.

He went on to say: 'I am here because the time of the prophecy has come. I am very much aware that you despise me and be assured, I do despise you, too. But this is of a higher importance. I have been contacted by a siren.' With this word, everybody's attention was glued to his lips. 'She has told me that these two idiots here are the Outcast. And don't even get started about it, I know it's hilarious...'

They did get started about it. They actually started yelling and shouting, the little winged man even dared to attack Kran but when the clear notes of the goat-man's flute once more filled the air, everybody calmed down. Even Nume felt the effect on her. She wondered whether there might be magic involved.

The goat-man was now standing in front of Raf'ney-krush, facing the crowd. He first played the main tune once, then he sang the first part of the prophecy. The Outcast will come, no more harm will be done, a war it might seem to be, a war it might turn out to be.

His voice permitted any interruption. Then he started playing the flute again. Profaen couldn't resist humming along, others joined soon after. When they arrived at the end of the song, the goat-man took both Nume's and Kran's hands and pushed them in front of the crown.

The Outcast has come,

no more harm will be done.

He concluded. Nume was pretty sure he'd changed something in the lyrics but she didn't feel like pointing it out. The silence that followed was very uncomfortable to her. But when she heard the goat-man speak once more, she felt something change inside her. As if his words made her feel stronger and capable of anything.

'We all know the prophecy. We have all been waiting for it. Now, my friends, let us not waste this chance just because the Outcast happens to be phraio!' a weak cheering could be heard. 'If the siren has indeed showed herself then the time has come and none of us have a choice. We all must obey the prophecy in our ancestor's honour. Now, I'm sure you all want proof, proof that these two here really are the Outcast, that this old dretho isn't making fools of us, don't you?' Many approving voices called out. The goat-man expectantly turned to Raf'ney-krush.

'Alright.' The half-dretho replied. 'Let's call a siren.'

Without another word, he stumped out of the tavern and walked a few steps away from it so all the curious spectators could follow him outside. The goat-man eagerly pushed Nume and Kran up front.

'Call her.' Raf'ney-krush demanded. It took a moment until Nume realised he was talking to her and Kran.

'I don't know how.' She felt the general disapproval from the crowd.

'But you've called her last time, too.' Raf'ney-krush whispered angrily.

'Yes, for hours and hours until she finally arrived!' Nume hissed back.

'Think.' Kran said. 'She's in your head, isn't she. She can read our thoughts. Maybe we just have to be loud enough...'

Nume tried, she really did. But she couldn't focus. The crowd was just so distractive and she could smell the goat-man's strange scent because he was standing so close to her. Her hands cramped and her fingernails painfully dug into the palms of her hands. With a silent swearing, she opened her fists again. Then anger started to fill her. Why did Sethara always let her down when she needed her? She felt Kran take her hands into his, looking at them worriedly.

'Don't hurt yourself...' he whispered like so many times before. Why did he have to care so much?

When Nume was just about to reply with a sharp comment, she heard the crowd's surprised 'Ooh'. Sethara had appeared, dramatically diving out of her pond as always.

'Now, really, Raf, you have to look after them more carefully. Every time I find you with them, they look even worse than before.' The siren's clear voice echoed. She didn't even notice the crown.

'There you go.' Raf'ney-krush said to the people standing just behind Nume and Kran. They had all backed away, all except for the goat-man. He was eyeing Sethara up, waiting for her to notice him. When she didn't, he lifted his flute to his lips and started playing the tune of the prophecy all over again.

Within the blink of an eye, the siren disappeared and reappeared just in front of him. 'You.' She spoke in a whisper.

'Hello...' he said. The music had stopped but was still stuck in Nume's head. Kran had meanwhile let go of her hands again and was watching about as curiously as everybody else.

Sethara raised her hands to the goat-man's face and gently stroked his small beard. The surprised expression had left her face and was replaced by something Nume couldn't quite grasp. It was something between infatuation, sadness, anger and disgust.

'How long has it been?' the siren asked.

'A century, at the least.'

'And you didn't call for me, not even once...' the disappointment lay heavily in her voice.

'You know that isn't true.' The goat-man said. His facial expression was hard and cold. He backed away and started playing the flute again, moving around the crowd in big circles, ignoring Sethara completely.

The movement and sound fascinated Nume, it was as though she was dreaming. She felt like she only had to wake up to regain control over herself, but she couldn't. Soon, the whole crowd started dancing and singing. Even Raf'ney-krush couldn't keep still any longer.

It was just then that a bloodcurdling scream made the world go silent. Sethara was standing in the middle of a huge circle formed by the crowd. She had been the source of the sound and was now stabbing everybody with glances of pure anger and hatred.

'Don't you dare play with them.' She said threateningly.

'I thought you'd given me this for a reason.' The goat-man replied, holding his flute up in the air.

'Oh, I have. For you to bring people together and make them do what must be done. Not for you to play with their minds.'

'Yes, right, that, of course, is your job...' he snapped.

Sethara didn't reply and he didn't add anything. Nume felt how her mind was fighting but she didn't know what exactly it was fighting against. Suddenly, she heard her own voice speak but it wasn't her forming the words. Somehow she just knew that it was Sethara using her voice.

'Spread the prophecy.' The words came out as a mere stutter. But with every single one of them, the voice grew stronger and more persuasive. 'All of you. Spread it far and wide. Tell everybody that the time has come. Tell them you've seen the Outcast and we all must prepare now. It is time.'

Nume just wished she knew what Sethara meant with those things she made her say. The last words Nume heard before Sethara disappeared were meant for her and her only.

Stick with the bard, he will help you.

// Okay, here we go again, let me know what you think about the chapter and don't forget to vote ;)