Author´s note: A good story always takes time but fear not, cuz we will make it through in the end. Wagyl has many things to reveal and yes, Sal is going to "chill up" the place but let´s leave you in the fry. More interesting!
To avoid confusions, please read this chapter slowly and taking your time. The names of the spirit are put according to their function, their behaviour not the order. Enjoy!
Song belongs to Runrig.
6. Laelaps and Teumessian
While Cheshi is keeping an eye, Papyrus decides to get to know Wagyl a little better. He might not speak Egyptian but perhaps, there is another way to talk to him. Poly is playing with him in the garden, chasing the butterflies and the fish inside the pond. They really have made a bond in record time.
"Hi" The fisherman smiles. "Ah, I wanted to thank you for, well, this." Much to the boy´s surprised, Poly translates with even more ease than Cheshi as if that strange language is also his mother tongue. "Ahm. Where did you learn that?"
"Far away country. Upper Haven." Papyrus blinks. Did he say what he thinks he has heard? (Huhuhu, now that´s some clue!)
"By Horus. Say, Wagyl. Where did you get the tattoos?"
"Hm." The child whispers in Poly´s ear who smiles widely.
"Hakukawa´s temple. Grand Priest."
"Hakukawa... Wait. Isn´t that the River God?" His friends smile with a nod. Correct answer. "So, you used to live in a temple. How come you live with a tamer?"
"Wagyl sees world. Seeks for his friends."
"Friends?" Another nod. "I dunno you, but I think that those friends are not the usual thing."
"Papyrus wants to see Wagyl´s friends?"
"Yes, if you guys don´t mind of course." Poly grabs his hand and walks to his room where he keeps many of his scrolls with stories of the North. Why is he doing that?
"Wagyl´s friends." Points at a strange circle with a fox and a hound running around in an endless chase.
"Hu?"
"Hiya!" Sal walks in followed by Tiya. Poly and Wagyl greet him with a big hug. "Hey, is so good to see you two are doing great!"
"And you are?"
"Sal, Salvador. I travel along with Cheshi. And am old friend of these two." Say the young man. "You must be Papyrus, right?"
"Ah ha."
"Pleasure. Wow. Poly, you are my hero, have I told you that? You have the Tales of Fehu! You rule!"
"The what?"
"This scrolls. The Tales of Fehu are the myths of my country and others around the whole world. This one is great. Laelaps and Teumessian, the always perfect hunting dog against the always fleeing fox. Great story, really."
"I get it now. But why does Wagyl says this are his friends?"
"Well. I have no idea. But, let me think. Ow." Sal finds another scroll that looks much more interesting. Two strange looking snakes with a fox, a wolf and a strange looking dog and other animals in a river. "I explain this one. All right so, have you heard of the Two Brothers? Haku and Abra?" Papyrus nods. Ratopher who is listening from the door pays all his attention.
"The who?" Tiya has no idea.
"The two first gods, born from the silent Nothing. Hakukawa, the oldest, River God, Spirit of the Forest, king of gods among other one thousand titles and names, and his little brother Abradiçra, Rain god, King of Men, Master of Swords and Lord of the Forge along with another thousand titles. As you can see here they are in the Upper Haven, land above the clouds and pouring the rain to the Middle Kingdom, that is us, and they are two dragon snakes making a circle while biting each other´s tail. Haku in the upper side, is the River of the Sky, who carries souls and flows life and death all around the world, while Abra, below, pours rain down and sometimes souls that reincarnate. Is simple." Tiya and Papyrus have to admit that thanks to his explanation, it is.
"All right, but what about the other animals?"
"Let´s see. When the Two Brothers created the world, some spirit animals were born from their bodies and although this first creatures stayed in the Upper Haven, all the animals from our world come from them. Are you following?" They nod. "Good. The first to come out were the first stars from the burning sea that encircles the sacred land, then the fire melt the ice inside the Upper Haven and made out a river. Simple. The ice and the mist went then to the far side of the world." He goes pointing. "Two opposites that must always dwell together. From the star dust, came out the first spirits, that were Roshi and Hachi." Points at the cat and dog.
"Hey, that is the cat that lives in the tower over the river."
"Good of you to know him. Roshi (Roku-shin) which means sixth spirit is the Master of the Sacred Brush, and Hachi, the eight spirit, is the dog who guards the Upper Haven. To tell the truth, Six is the number of Harmony, the number of Creation (The world was created in six days and the last one, God rest) and Eight is the Limitless number, of the two snakes. Interesting if you think it through. Ehm. All right, so dog and cat do not get along but their are even numbers, they are positive forces that is important because spirits are divided according to that."
"To their numbers? How come?"
"Because the first spirits were named with numbers in many cases." That makes sense now. "All right. So, the next one was the fox who came out of Haku´s nape and at first, he was silver coloured and helped building the world although it was quite a naughty one. He was named Birú, the second one. The dual spirit. Naughty and yet, wise. Then from Haku´s eyes came the wolf and the coyote, builders of the Middle Earth, our land to them. The wolf, Ichi, the Ace, the First one becomes it came out of the right eye, the esence of God, and the Coyote, Yonshi, the fourth, the one of periods, the one who holds, the Minstrel. And many others like the spider, the snake, the horse, etc. But one of the most important came out when Haku streched himself over the land after the big rain so that people knew that he was happy. That was the Rainbow snake, in other words, Wagyl." Sal smiles at the child. Tiya and Papyrus are speechless. Does that mean that he has something to do with this spirit?
"But the dog and the fox?"
"Ow, forgot that, sorry. When the world was created by the fox, the coyote and the wolf, the first one started some pranks that the gods did not like. So, Dosu, the dragon, the twelfth spirit, the one of the Cosmic Order send Hachi to catch Birú who started running like the wind and so started a never ending chase in which the dog represents the wind and the fox, a shooting star, always chasing one another."
"I think I understand. But if Wagyl has something to do with all this, why is he with a tamer?"
"Maybe he got lost. Is not so strange, Egil has said many times that he has been looking for Wagyl´s home for quite some time."
"By Bes, spirits do get lost?"
"Aye, madam. Spirits live between the different stratums of the world and watch over life and death. And sometimes, do get lost. When that happens, the other spirits send in the Dyr, strange looking creatures that can smell the track of spirits although they are quite unfriendly and ugly, if you pardon the expresion."
"So, maybe there is one of those whatever things looking for Wagyl." The child looks at Poly who is translating everything for him.
"Perhaps. The Dyr are the guardians of the World of the Spirits and always make sure that no spirit, or shin, goes stray."
"Well, we will shall see to it."
"Great and, speaking about important matters, I have came across this Amesh guy in the streets and he is up to no good that´s for sure." Says Salvador. Papyrus frowns.
"Always trying to get the throne. Why does he not give up, by Horus!"
"Weed hardly dies, honey. I am on my way to talk to Pharaoh. If that throne thief has heard about Wagyl, we best be careful."
"You got that." Nods Papyrus and they all walk to find Theti. "Come to think of it, why do you know so much about this?"
"When you live in a house like mine, filled with scrolls, minstrel songs and things like that, the unusual thing is to not know them."
"By Horus!" That sounds great.
"Book of golden stories
Days of open roads
Now the autumn leaves are fallin'
We'll meet on the edges
Memories , no regrets
Now the minstrel boy is callin'
Refrain
But as long as I can see the morning
In miracles, much more than I can say
It's enough to keep me still believing
In drifting hearts so far away
You took me through the pages
Good happiness is shared
Lost in the web of changes
This could be the last dance
Waltzing in the rain
'Till the Minstrel comes to save us
Refrain x2
Yes, as long as I can see the morning
And blossom comes to bud again in spring
It's enough to keep me still believing
Your memory is everything
Book of golden stories
Book of golden stories...
days of olden notes
Now the autumn leaves are fallin'
Book of golden stories..."
The whole Spirit story is mine, so please don´t use it without my permision.
Now, we now what is cooking, we can head towards action!
Next stop: Out of Heaven