LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC
THE RESCUE - SECTION 1
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| SVEIN All morning Teuquob’s weary feet had treaded relentlessly, ascending the scabrous, scraggy ground; despite her fortitude however, the treacherous topography coupled with the prevalent dangers from both weather and beasts had inevitably taken its toll on her. As the midday sun baked
its rays deep into the backs of the myriad creatures, Teuquob’s body now
succumbed to fevers born out of exhaustion and with everything beginning to
close in on her, in that half-crazed state, she was spirited into still deeper,
more ominous parts of the mountain. There her mettle was
further tested, with her trudging steps oftentimes halting in fright (her
already reluctant, uncooperative limbs suddenly gone rigid and inflexible)
perceiving movements in the undergrowth where there’d be no wind to stir them. Similarly, other times
unexpectedly finding herself immersed in total darkness where day would all at
once turn into night- sandwiched as she would be by the dense canopy of foliage
from above and thick vegetation below, that she would not dare advance at all.
But advance she did, chiefly out of sheer will and in part, her innate
stubbornness- no sooner the allusive access was glimpsed, or the otherwise
perceived danger had passed. ~ Presently she made her slow, laborious advance through the thicket, mastering the culminating highs and the lows, with the aid of a tall, substantial staff, one that she’d procured earlier from a fallen tree- after the dead leaves and small offshoots had been carefully cut away, transforming the sturdy part of the branch into a handy walking aid or if need be, an effective/defensive weapon. Now after a seemingly
endless day’s trek, again confronted with the scant daylight fast receding, a
resurgent dread once more seared her heart. Would her luck hold through yet another perilous night? On the verge of collapse, Teuquob despondently halted her weary steps and survival being paramount, again looked about her: First and foremost, she must have a safe refuge, in a somewhat plausible crevice- before the impending darkness. Having spotted such, she’d
veered to take a step forward, when suddenly an all-out mayhem erupted about
her, with all the birds prior perched in the trees happily chirping, suddenly
taking frenzied, chaotic flight; likewise, the panic-stricken monkeys and
variety of mammals, shrieking and screeching, scurried into any nick/ crevice
or clawed their way to safety of ever farther, ever higher elevation. Even the insects took cover while the ground
dwellers, creepy crawlers speedily buried their bodies deep in the earth,
disappearing completely out of sight. The vicinity that was
prior teeming with frantic life, as if at a tense standstill, holding its
breath and in dreaded anticipation, next, abruptly, all at once, went deathly
still. Barely a time for contemplation or for an apt response, her heart had
nevertheless jumped to her mouth, sighting as she did, a great big ferocious
jet-Black Panther that’d subsequently leaped out of the thick foliage into
midair and landed on a moss-covered rock at the small clearing that was at
negligible distance up ahead. Indefinable fear gripping her very being, rendered as she was in an incapacitated state and very much at his mercy- the panther nevertheless, in an unusual move had forgone the anticipated act and for a stretch pivoted/burned, his fervently menacing, mesmerizing pupils deep, dug in deep, into her flesh. Afterwards, eyes squinted, he curiously had moved his head askew, opened wide his enormous chasm of a maw to show his lethal fangs in an almost decipherable yawn or smile, almost lulling the would be victim, to a false sense of ease; consequently, when least expected, as if to deliberately toy with his intended pray, he then let out a most fiercest, soul-snatching roar, that sent icy-chills down Teuquob’s very soul. The ear-splitting boom having entirely paralyzed (curdled) the very blood coursing through her veins, at her wits end, she could do little else but to tragically gape at the protruding enormously sharp predatory fangs, that were clearly adept at tearing with ease any flesh, poised to devour her. I am finished! With terrified intake of breath, Teuquob had gasped, as her whole life flashed before her mind’s eye. For nothing, nothing short of a miracle could save me now! Mercifully however, she was spared from the impending gruesome fate: suffering an unspeakable torment of being consciously, violently torn asunder and eaten alive. For when the beast took an aggressive swipe in the air with his powerful paw, a sure warning before the lightening anticipated pounce- her courage then having entirely failed her, the tightness in her chest cavity suddenly becoming unbearably acute, her head swooning and her whole body going limp, the very next instant with everything going black, she’d then simply collapsed on the ground. A quirk of fate, as she
lay there unconscious on the cold, damp solid surface, she’d also remained
oblivious to what had truly transpired next. Fortunately for her,
shortly after the beast had leaped into the air (with determination of pouncing
on his pray), quite unexpectedly he was cut down, pierced by the throat and by
the chest, by the two consecutive arrows that had whistled through the air
finding their mark. As a result, the
feral beast landed in front, instead of on top of her. That same instant, from
the thick foliage had emerged a mighty hunter.
He had a youthful face and a good strong physique. Towering well over six feet in height, with a
glorious shoulder length golden hair that glistened even in scant sunlight,
keen blue-grey eyes, with a loaded quiver fastened over his shoulder,
outstretched bow with an arrow notched and at the ready, he resembled more a
legendary being, an immortal, than an ordinary hunter. A hero of a man no less,
for quite some time now he’d been in hot pursuit, stalking the cunningly
evasive, fiendish creature that had left in its wake a myriad, willfully
tormented, bloody devastation. Deviating from the norm,
this panther had on mass ravaged the inhabitants of the mountain, wantonly
killing and maiming as if simply for sport, oftentimes leaving the meat of his
objectives torn but uneaten. The Devil incarnate that had evaded capture and
given the hunter quite a chase, at present, despite his grave injuries still
going strong, temporarily forwent the ready prey before him and now squarely
faced his nemesis. Nevertheless, in an
unpredictable move he could still disappear in a flash as he’d done prior; or
he could launch forward. In ready anticipation, the hunter in a side glance (from the corner of his eye) briefly surveyed and assessed the immediate (nigh) perimeter. The ground elevated steeply to his proximate right which provided the beast ample means of escape; meanwhile to the left, well concealed by the thick foliage and tall shrubbery, the hunter recollected that at some point there would be a sheer drop that might serve him (the hunter) well. He grimaced, his pupils
meeting and pinning with mesmerizing intensity that of the angry beast’s;
meanwhile still poised to shoot, surreptitiously he edged his sure footing
towards the left, his agile steps halting only at the (periphery) fringe of the
dangerous precipice. His keen ears trailed the descent of the few purposefully
dislodged rocks (pebbles) that gave an accurate assessment of the depth of the
abysmal drop. Just then the panther had
let out an earsplitting growl and again, threateningly clawed the air as it
leapt; but once more his vicious intent was interrupted in midair, this time by
the hunter’s subsequent, third decisive potent shot. The arrow in lightning speed whistled through
the air and met its mark right through the lung grazing the heart of the beast.
This only, because of that precise instant while in mid-flight the panther in a
remarkable feat had wreathed (contorted) his torso and so escaped the inevitable.
The Demon manifest with an uncommonly wrathful ferocity anew nimbly sprung back
to his feet and with an unyielding zeal launched his subsequent, vehement
assault. Long at last however, he had met his match, for the hunter having as well anticipated this, at the crucial moment with an incredible agility shifted his stance, a simultaneous strike of his forearm and a strong grip- a skillful maneuver that transposed the enormous weight of the panther’s body off its objective- succeeded thence, in redirecting the momentum of the oncoming force and (instead) in one continuous motion catapulting the beast right over the hunter’s head and over the sheer drop (cliff) . The hunter possessing
nerves of steel in the aftermath simply shook his head, terribly disappointed
that it had ended so easily and predictably; with the challenge in the end not
meeting his higher expectations. Turning and aslant (sideways), he leaned over
slightly and looked over the edge; his eyes searching till he spotted the
panther’s carcass now only a speck, plastered down at the bottom of the dark
chasm. The beast had been a fine
specimen; pity he had to end this way! As the hunter with a grim
expression hung the bow over his right shoulder, his quiver lighter now with
lesser arrows, he quietly reflected on the side how he’d been perforce assigned
to this task of ridding the mountain of this terrible pest, the latent menace
that for some unknown reasons had suddenly gone berserk and begun wreaking
havoc on the overall population of the region. With many unexplained, bizarre
circumstances dogging this hunt, it had placed his life in jeopardy more times
than he cared to admit; still, the courageous, resourceful youth had
relentlessly pursued the highly volatile beast for many a day. Then on the
point of gaining a sought-after advantage, the trail had suddenly and
completely gone cold, same time he had been lured to the edge of this vast
forest by a rare pure white antelope, that had disappeared as mysteriously and
without a trace. Coincidentally or not, he’d again upon an odd, freakish factor
picked up the trail of the panther- discovering at first the almost invisible (slight)
then more distinct imprints- like bloodstained residue at first scattered about
at great distances on the ground as if in deliberate ploy to deceive, then came
the audacious indicator tracks that led to the final discovery of a gruesome
sight of heaped up and torn asunder carcasses.
Eventually, by degrees he was led to this spot. Had all this been a
contrived, or a simple happenstance?
Suddenly recollecting the unconscious feminine form, he veered, and
negating his trepidation- for even from afar with his acute eyesight, he’d
noted her attire and footgear to be in remarkably preserved, rather in an
immaculate condition for one cast in this wilderness, therefore telling of
supernatural element- willed his limbs to make the swift advance towards her.
Standing over her petite form now, he paused, somewhat hesitant at how best to
handle her, his latent apprehension in part borne out of recollected facts from
various, ancient but timeless resources.
These books while elaborating on certain time-honored primordial
superstitions, antediluvian beliefs and ancestral practices of pre-settlers in
Wenjenkun, nevertheless had conveyed, seriously imparted dire warnings about
the myriad mountain spirits and fairy ghosts and goblins that oftentimes
assumed young maidens’ forms to entrap or entice unsuspecting men, for the
purposes of in the aftermath possessing the victim’s soul and devouring its
flesh. The unlikelihood of the
circumstance that he should come across an unarmed traveler, let alone an
unescorted maiden in these dangerous woods, for a spell hence, had made him
unduly anticipatory and given credence to these earlier beliefs. Fortunately, however,
despite his young and impressionable age, he was by far too practical in nature
and possessed an acute analytical mind, to (ascribe) give serious accredit to
such superstitious notions and myths for too long. His sensibilities swiftly returned to him, he
now laughed at his own silliness and shook his head as if to dissipate or purge
the remainder illogical notions and unfounded nonsense away. Then after a fleeting reticence, owing to his
bashful nature- he knelt beside her and gently turned her over. Whatever else
he might have expected, the anticipated outcome far surpassed it- when his eyes
beheld the undeniably the most exquisite, most enchanting and fairest maiden in
existence! As he let his stunned gaze
peruse her delicate, porcelain like facial features at this proximity, he found
himself strangely drawn to her, and the threads of affection tugged at his
heart. Fortuitously, perhaps by Heaven’s
favor, the panther had not gained the opportunity to mar such perfection! Smiling, he heaved a grateful sigh; then
modestly bypassing the neck area; he pressed his thumb on her delicate wrist
instead and sought the pulse. He was pleased to note that it was present,
however faint; next, he tried to revive her but without much success. One thing was for certain- because of her
prior vulnerability, albeit it was to a powerful entity, he could still, not in
good conscience, abandon her to her fate- what with the approaching nightfall
and to the prevalent dangers. No, he
must not forsake her to such unhappy fate; whatever the complications, outcome
or danger her presence entailed...his uncle’s rule of non-interference had to
be transcended in this case. Though, his uncle would be furious! He pondered a moment or
two longer on his next course of action; his mind inevitably turning to the
lengthy coverage of ground and the task he needed to effectuate before even
contemplating reaching home. Despite the use of a secret shortcut, the next leg
of the journey still would be extensive; she would certainly slow his progress.
Furthermore, with her now in his charge, he would have to modify his ways and
along the way find adequate shelters for her to in safety pass the nights. At least he could easily
address this aspect. He smiled, recollecting the number of abandoned caves that
in the past he’d incidentally discovered- that now lay all along the way.
Previously, he’d ignored or simply opted to not using these, for when on a hunt
he much preferred sleeping under the blanket of stars. Nevertheless, out of
regard for her welfare, he now considered alternate means and accommodations;
but he’d better hurry, if he wished to reach the nearest one in time! Obliged by the present
circumstance, as she remained unconscious and he needed a hand free - therefore
disregarding propriety- he gently lifted the girl in his arms and hauled her
over his left shoulder, then with bold speedy strides he began his steady ascent,
following the barely visible paths that snaked through the mountain. Arriving at the designated cave in scant
time, he first made sure that it was still void of any unwanted pests. Then
finding a quiet spot, he gently placed her still limp body on the prepared soft
surface and quickly busied himself with lighting fire and foraging for food. (END OF SECTION 1)
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