[Mkguild] The Last Tale of Yajakali - Chapter L

[C. Matthias]

>Yay, another chapter!!  Now if I can just pick up
>my writing pace, I may finish this before another
>year passes!  I've been writing 'The Last Tale of
>Yajakali' since January of 2006 now (I had been
>plotting it for a lot longer, but we all know that!).
>
>
> >>>You've been writing this whole plot line for almost 10 years right?

That's almost true. I didn't have the Yajakali 
plot line worked out until about halfway through 
the first cycle, which was Spring of 98, so give me a few more months. ;-)

And of course, some of the other plotlines that 
have become wrapped up in it started later.  A 
lot of stuff got started with Liturgy of Blood 
that I hadn't really thought about 
before.  Without Liturgy of Blood, everything at 
Yesulam, the Magyars, Cenziga, Cheskych, the 
Vysehrad, and even Duke Thomas and Alberta, would never have happened.

>         Elvmere chittered angrily at himself,
>and then covered his muzzle with both
>paws.  Neither acolyte turned to see what had
>made the noise; they continued on down the hall
>and disappeared within a large doorway.
>
> >>>It occurs to me that Elvmere would make a very good thief!!

I'm sure he wouldn't approve of that line of work. ;-)

>         Clutching the stonework tight in his
>claws, Elvmere lowered his head and peered
>through the top of the doorway.  The worship area
>was large and strangely empty.  There were no
>pews inside, as he’d become used to seeing.  The
>floor stretched out empty, though the few who had
>come had brought small cushions on which to sit
>or kneel.
>
> >>>Interesting! Why the difference?

I thought it would be nifty.

>         He scanned both the entrance hall and
>the sanctuary, but no one watched the doors.  He
>lowered himself onto the door, and then scrambled
>down the relief work on the interior face.  He
>hoped that his act of necessity would not be
>interpreted disrespectfully by the gods.
>
> >>Who wouldn't be mad at someone crawling down their face!

Well, if they were cute enough, might be okay with it. ;-)

>         Abafouq busied himself with his things,
>going over and cleaning his many tools.  The
>Binoq remained eerily quiet as he worked, eyes
>intent, each motion precise, but almost
>mechanical.  He arrayed his climbing equipment
>first, equipment they had not needed in the last
>few months.  Once satisfied that each was in good
>working order, he placed them carefully back in
>his pack and then drew out his spare set of
>clothes, folded them and refolded them
>twice.  Finally he struck his tinder several
>times to make sure it worked.  He then repeated
>the entire process, proceeding more lugubriously each time.
>
> >>>Going a bit stir crazy are we?

Only a tiny bit!  I wanted to emphasize their 
forced inactivity.  A bit of 'Hurry up and Wait' if you will.

>         Guernef had warned him not to think too
>much like stone.  He had to confess, the
>Nauh-kaee had good reason to do so; Charles had
>met at least one mountain that had wanted nothing
>more than to capture him and force Charles to
>become a mineral deposit!  But the smaller stones
>he’d communed with had all been eager to share
>his company for a short time.  A part of him
>yearned to continue to speak with them.
>
> >>>Dangerous line of thought!

Yeah, you'd think he'd learn.

>         A whimsical smile crossed his lips, and
>his dark eyes met the human youth. “When they
>have completed this task, they are allowed to be
>apprenticed to a master.”
>
> >>>Wow! That is some stiff entrance exam!

*grins* You have to love the dedication people 
who can live thousands of years will give to a task.

>         Kurt stared at the Åelf in awe. “Do your tales last twenty
>years too?”
>
> >>>hehehehe

Glad you liked that one!

>         “Still, we must try,” Jessica pointed
>out.  The Binoq nodded, and drew back the
>blanket.  Beneath Tugal had been dressed in soft
>linen robes.  Bandages wound round her middle,
>and though they were not stained with blood, they
>held the foul odour of an open sore.
>
> >>>Nasty!

Indeed!

>         “I’m sorry we could do nothing,” Jessica
>said as she backed away from the lounge.  Abafouq
>and Kayla did as well, their faces betraying their disappointment.
>
> >>>You're going to leave me hanging like that? Wondering what happens to
>her?

Well, for this chapter at least. ;-)

>         Johann Tilly nodded to the Åelf and
>curled his fingers around the middle of his vest.
>“I command my crew, not control them.  But I will
>do what I can to keep them from whispering foolishness.”
>
> >>>That bodes poorly! Bound to be trouble!

Oh Metamorians on the High Seas?  How could there be trouble? ;-)

>         The tailor frowned and asked, “Tell me
>again the measurements about her waist?” The
>teenage boy repeated what he saw, and Tobias
>grunted, “At least that hasn’t changed.”
>
> >>>Did he just make a joke about the Dukes beloved?

Quite possibly. :-)

>         “Did the curse not heal you?” asked the
>strange creature who hunched near
>Falkirk.  Egland regarded the merchant’s son,
>truly noting him for the first time.  His face
>was narrow, bereft of ears, with small eyes, and
>a russet colour.  His hands curled forward, his
>long digging claws almost larger than the hands
>themselves.  A long tail winded behind him, the
>end curling back, along which rose a tough scaly
>hide.  He’d never seen anything else like him at
>Metamor, but he’d already forgotten what he’d
>said he was.
>
> >>>Is he an armadillo???

Nope, but good guess!  I have plans for 
Kendrick.  We'll see more of him later.

>         Kendrick made the sign of the yew with a
>precision surprising given his huge claws. “I
>heard that you were trying to start a capitular order here at Metamor.”
>
> >>>Capitular?

I may be misusing that word, but he'd like to 
start a religious order of knights.

>         “Very well!  I shall indulge you, my
>Yisaada!” Egland conceded.  While Albeta watched
>with delight, the elk proceeded to remove his
>clothes.  He suddenly hoped that Intoran did not
>return too quickly from his daily chores.
>
>
> >>>Oh? That last line is very interesting!

*chuckles*

>         In fact, the entire carriage had been
>stripped of the many symbols of the Ecclesia
>after they’d left Yesulam.  It had once belonged
>to the now dead Bishop Jothay, the very Bishop
>who had sent the Driheli to kill them.
>
> >>> So they are running around in a stolen vehicle! I hope they change
>the license plates too ;)

You're a few centuries too early for that. ;-)

>         Nemgas well remembered the day they
>learned the Driheli were chasing them.  They’d
>reached Barchumba on their way south, the great
>defile that afforded them entry to the upper
>reaches of the Vysehrad.  They ambushed a
>scouting party of two knights and their squires,
>one of whom would later become a Magyar and take
>the name Grastalko.  Into the Vysehrad they’d
>fled, all the way to the lost city Hanlo o
>Bavol-engro, known as Carethedor to its
>builders.  There, in the centre of the city, they
>found the grave of Pelain of the Suielman Empire;
>and he learned that Pelain had once climbed the
>terrible Cenziga, for he had also been cleft in twain, like Nemgas and
>Kashin.
>
>
> >>>Why the replay of past events? In case the readers had forgotten?

Well, none of those events happened in 'Last Tale 
of Yajakali'.  Plus, given that this is the start 
of a new book, I felt it prudent to remind the 
readers of all that's transpired to this point.

>         Kaspel snapped around, his face pale.
>“Ah!  Thank thee!” Kaspel took it and began to
>eat rapaciously.  Nemgas stared at the southern
>horizon, curious what the archer had seen, other
>than the gentle hills, he glimpsed nothing at
>all.  Nevertheless, he and the others hunkered
>closer to the fire to ward off a sudden chill wind.
>
> >>>How come I have a foreboding about him going into that city?

Because you're reading one of my stories. ;-)

>GREAT reading Matt!

Glad you enjoyed it!  Thank you for the reply! :-)

May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,

Charles Matthias