An Awakening.

An Awakening.

 The raging and slowly spinning pillar roared as it commanded the space once again in front of the Hebrews. Long searing flames hissed and whipped as they burst from the sides, only to be free for a second before the superheated air currents pulled them back again.

 Dust clouds drawn by these vortexes, lifted from the desert floor and swirled around the red and blue flames as they fed ferociously from the column. A deafening roar emanated from the inferno as it drew the following host onward at a steady and resolute pace.

 The full moon rippled behind the heat haze. The warm air falling slowly among the host provided comfort as it wrapped itself around them. Only when the heat had dissipated fully, did it fall to the sparkling sand at their feet.

 Tired and gaunt faces lifted at intervals from the body of the host, illuminated by the flames, they drew strength and courage from the pillar. Proof their God was close and on their side.

 A lone horseman silhouetted against the night sky, rode at the front of the long column, his head drifting from side to side. He was searching for his outriders, who would let him know immediately of the slightest hint of danger.

 Watchful cavalry, armed with short compound bows for distance, and light lances for more intimate encounters, flanked the defeated and lumbering Hebrews as they made their laborious way through the moonlit desert.

 “Everything Aaron, all our hard work, gone!"

 Elisabed wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. Her left arm held her three months old baby boy to her breast as she spoke.

 Aaron sat on the floor of Shiphtan's cart with his hands hanging limply over his knees. His long hair hung down, hiding his face.

'It was Leathig. I'm certain of it. When he blocked me with his staff I could sense him, when the powers touched, I knew him, but changed. He felt wrong... I have to find out what has happened. Two years of hard work wiped out in one afternoon.

 He lifted his head. His eyes rested on his son, and wife. He had believed himself to be secure enough to marry and raise children. How naïve he was? How complacent. He thought the power he'd been given from God was unbeatable. Oh, how wrong he was?

 The memory of the mountain fortress exploding from within would stay with him forever. The drums with their incessant cacophony disoriented and frightened the defenders on the walls. The huge, hideous trolls, with their horrifying faces and lethal looking weapons terrified them. Worst of all; the demon wielding the staff from the massive wagon which I’m nearly certain was Leathig, had sent a thick white cloud towards his defending army.

When the cloud passed over the heads of the soldiers on the walls doing them no harm, he considered it a diversion for something much more terrible. The cloud had seeped silently into the fortress through every opening; it filled every corner of every room.

 Around twenty trolls carrying burning torches broke through the defences and followed the fog into the building. The fortress seemed to draw breath; every particle of the white gas was sucked inside. There was silence for a few seconds before the whole face of the mountain containing their home, exploded with a loud whoosh. The dust and debris from the detonation covered the scene with a new and darker cloud.

 Almost all the Hebrews had built up in two years came spinning out in bits and pieces. Furniture, stone walls, bedding, and the burning bodies of the young, the old, and the sick unable to take their place on the wall, were spat out in flames from their homes inside the mountain.  After nearly everything had been blown out, the face of the mountain collapsed inward, sealing and burying all that was left, Aaron shuddered.

 I have been given the power of God himself, and I still couldn’t prevent the demon from destroying our home and killing God knows how many. I have to learn how to use the staff more effectively. Just having the power is not enough. I have to think quickly. I have to know who and what I’m up against. This I now know is a much bigger task than I thought. I need information, I need better trained troops and I need to be more effective in battle. You may have won this fight demon, but the war has just begun.

 He drew his staff towards him and let out a long deep sigh as he stood. He swung the staff around his right shoulder and set it into the baldric on his back... He yawned and stretched.  His eyes rested on the column stretching back behind him.

 The long bobbing and weaving line of his people trudged wearily behind. He looked into the flame-lit eyes of these, his people.  People, with whom he shared ancestors, It was up to him to keep them safe, to find shelter and warmth for every single one of them. This long waving line of humanity, going away into the distant horizon was his, and only his, responsibility.

 We must learn from this defeat, we must. This is just a setback, we must fight back, if we don't, we might as well go back to Ramses and begin again to make bricks for the Egyptians.'

 His eyes were drawn to movement on the full moon shimmering high in the sky. Several flocks of large ibis in their long distance V shaped formation were silhouetted across the lunar surface. They were headed this way.

 The huge birds were migrating to the east coast. The rest of the universe, uncaring about any troubles he might have, was going about its own business. His troubles were hi…. Wait a minute, it was only the month of Tammuz, and birds don’t migrate until Heshvan. There’s something wrong here.

 He called to one of the cavalry; she turned her head and rode quickly to the side of the cart. She removed her helmet, and dropping her head in salute, she said,

 “Yes, your grace how may I help?"

 “Ride to the front of the column, to Joshua. Tell him we’re under attack from the air. A flock of birds or demons or God knows what, is attacking our rear. Do you have a horn?"

 She put her hand behind her and from a leather bag; she pulled a long thin bone horn. She put it to her lips. A low pitched note filled the air, the answering call came immediately.

 On hearing the warning the Hebrews halted. The young men and women on the outside of the column pulled long spears from the sides of the wagons and formed two lines. The front line took three steps forward and rammed the bases of their eighteen foot spears into the sand.

 They dropped to one knee and with stern expressions they presented the fire-hardened and sharpened spears forward. The rear line stood and pointed their poles above the heads of the front line. A bristling line of sharp and deadly points faced any attackers on both flanks of the column.

 Horns sounded above the dull thud of hooves. The neighing and complaining of horses as the cavalry formed ranks, and the Captains shouted orders amid the scurrying of women and children being helped as they climbing into the carts for safety, filled the air.

Aaron looked to the sky, the 'birds’ were closer now. Their bat-like leathery hooked wings folded slowly backwards and forwards as they captured the air to keep them airborne.

Their ugly horned troll heads, with dark menacing eyes and wide snarling and salivating mouths, were filled with double rows of sharp, rotting teeth.  

In their clawed hands were long, poison-tipped spears. Their thin naked and skeletal shoulders pushed hard to operate their large wings as they headed straight for the Hebrews.
Aaron, with staff in hand, jumped out of the cart. With a new awareness and with determination, he made his way towards the back of the column. The war was just beginning.

An excerpt from 'New Freedom' A working title.

© Weefatfella.