The black steed neighed in recognition as it's current owner walked up to it and placed a firm strong hand on its nuzzle. Gallows looked about in the cool night air as Maya, Shadey, and Clive caught up, chestnut horse in tow. The pueblo village built near the cliff sides of the Zepet Mountains was as still as a peaceful lake. Not even a trail of smoke rose from a fire. There were no sounds of any kind. This is what gave Gallows an uneasy feeling.
Maya put her hands on her hips. "So this is the grand Baskar Colony…"
"Gallows?" Clive asked, feeling his friend's uneasiness.
"Something doesn't feel right. Even the dogs aren't making a sound…" Gallows' eyes darted back and forth, from one totem to another.
"Man, what be dese ugly towers?" Shadey asked as he gazed upon the feather capped poles.
"Who cares?! Honestly, I'm just looking for a bed and a good meal. Let's just go already!" Maya started walking into the colony.
Gallows sighed and walked between the two totems that created the Baskar gate. He paused for a minute and placed his tanned hand upon the red wood, reflecting on himself. It wasn't too long ago that he went through these gates searching for a certain scepter, and it wasn't too long before that when a certain Baskar left the gates forever.
Maya and Clive approached the ceremonial circle in the center of the village. Clive noticed that several ashes of various woods and clays were still resting upon the flat boulder. Maya sat herself down on the rock and looked at the many designs etched into the rock and stitched unto fabric. Shadey hopped off Maya's shoulder and started plodding around in the grass.
"It would seem we've arrived a little late in the hour…" Clive analyzed.
"What? Is everyone sleeping already?" Maya asked, confused.
Gallows walked in, approaching his fellow Drifters. A gust blew on his face. He pulled the white stripe out of his face and gazed through the wind. It seemed to coming from the altar cavern, buried deep within the mountainside. "That's strange."
"What's strange?" Clive asked in reply.
Gallows walked past his comrades and towards the rocky chamber. Quickly ducking in and dashing past the many carvings and ornamental designs scattered throughout the walls. The wind blew gently past him, leading him into the main shrine cavern. Sitting before him and anterior to the enormous mural carved on the rock face was Halle, the current chief of the Baskar nation. The old woman was sitting upon the stone floor, Indian style, in a circle of blue dust and rodent bones, humming a hymn to the guardian lords.
"Granny?" Gallows asked, suddenly finding himself overflowing with emotions.
Halle's old eyes opened. She grabbed her wooden stick and picked herself up. Clive and Maya were reaching the room. Halle turned around to face the much taller grandson of hers. "The West Wind lead you home, did it not?" A smile crept upon her wrinkled face. "My grandson?"
Gallows recalled his father's words in the frontier. Finding that he couldn't bare it anymore, Gallows rushed foreword and embraced his grandmother, almost tackling the woman to the ground. Halle was caught off guard and gave a surprised face. She then realized the situation and patted Gallows broad back with one hand.
"There there. You are welcome home now, my good for nothing grand son…" She said.
"Granny…" Gallows picked himself up and brushed his eyes with his wrist. "Granny, the dream-demon has been beaten. We stopped her dead in her tracks."
"Of course. You're tougher then leather! There's nothing you can't do when your protecting another, isn't that so?" Granny replied, being unusually soft.
"Granny… I have a message for you… from your son Pedro…" Gallows said carefully.
Halle's eyes became surprised once more. The old woman practically leaped off the ground. "What do you speak of?!"
"I met Dad out there on the frontier. He says he loves you and Shane and me… and he wants me to protect all of you…" Gallows stated.
Tears began to roll down Halles cheeks. "Why-Why didn't he come home?! What's wrong with him?!"
Gallows placed a hand on his grandmother's shoulder. "He's not ill Granny. He's not of this world anymore…"
And so, Gallows explained every detail of his trip after the demise of Beatrice up to where they entered the shrine chamber. Halle listened intently, letting every aspect sink in to her active mind. When the tale had finished Halle placed a hand to her chin.
"Shane no longer has dreams. He is cured, so they say, of his curse. That is how I could not keep track of you." Halle confessed.
"Shane… Granny, where is everybody?" Gallows asked.
"They are resting in their homes. Surly you know what tomorrow is?" Haile asked.
Gallows scratched the top of his head. "Uh… Saturday?"
Granny raised the stick and beat Gallows in the calf. "You idiot! I thought you knew at least this! Tomorrow is the Bison Hunt of Zephyr!"
"Bison Hunt of Zephyr?" Maya asked.
"It's the annual herding of the bison herds that come into the Great Plains to the north. It's a very ancient tradition in where a few chosen drive hundreds of bison over the cliffs right north of us. After that, the entire Baskar nation rejoices and we are stocked for nearly the whole year after." Granny explained.
"Yea, I knew that." Gallows nervously laughed.
"This year is very special. For your brother Shane is one of the chosen." Granny stated.
"What?! Shane? No way, he's too small for the bison herding! He'll get stomped and killed!" Gallows protested.
"You pea brain! You've been away for a long time. Shane has grown in your absence, physically and spiritually. This is the final test before he is to become a pillar." Granny was about to raise her walking stick again.
"How do you get over to the plains of the north? It seems like an unpassable mountain range to me." Clive asked.
"There are several passes that lead to the other side. You must follow Zephyr's winds, or you will be lost forever in the mountain…" Granny said.
"IN the mountain? Like underground?" Maya asked nervously.
Granny nodded. "It is the only way left to us, for the faithless have placed a blockade over the mountain passes above."
"The faithless?" Clive asked.
"You guys. Non-Baskars." Gallows simply answered. He turned to Halle. "Wait. What?"
Halle sighed. "There are caravans of covered wagons in the mountain passes. We have tried to pass, but the faithless aim their ARMs at us and declare the mountains theirs."
"That's not good." Clive said.
"Well, we can't let that go on! We've got to put a stop to that!" Gallows swore.
"Excuse me! We don't need to do anything! They're just using the mountain pass right? Then there's no problems?! Besides, don't we have to look for Asgard's clues?" Maya protested.
"There's no doubt that the wagons are after the bison herd. There's plenty of Gella to be made in that particular trade. However, Maya does have a point." Clive said.
"No further arguments! We will discuss this tomorrow… after we have a burial ceremony…" Halle interrupted.
"A burial? For who?" Gallows asked.
"…For my son…" Haile sighed.
** *
The next morning came in a solemn affair. The Drifter Party, after a long days ride, had awoken late to the matter. The air was still chilly as the sun rose over the Zepet Mountains in the east. The little village was still under the peak's shadow, draping all in a comfortable darkness. Gallows walked from his door and into the public forum to witness the sight of a ceremony. A bright blue fire was burning on the ceremonial boulder, larger than any bon fire he had seen before. The Baskar people thronged the stone in silence, dressed in their finest Baskar ceremonial robes. Halle was atop the boulder, guised in a heavily feathered cattle skull mask and many feathered ceremonial drapes. She recited several incantations in the Baskar tongue, fueling the ethereal fire. Drumbeats carried out slowly as a procession emerged from the shrine caverns. Leading the white clad Baskar was none other than Shane, dressed as a complete Pillar in bright blue and white with a large coyote skull draped around his neck. He stepped slowly, looking to the green grass as he carried an ornate vase, guised in the symbols of the guardians. Gallows stopped himself as he approached the edge of the crowd, listening to Granny's sad song of departure.
Maya and Clive stood near the door of the pueblo they had stayed in. Shadey flitted up to Maya's shoulder. "What's going on out there? I haven't seen so many feathers since the time I got lost in that Axe beak flock near Little Twista!"
"Yea Clive. What the heck is going on?" Maya asked, placing a hand on her hip and another on the doorframe.
"Isn't it obvious. It's a funeral." Clive answered.
"Then why are they all wearing white? Black's the color of a funeral, duh." Maya replied.
"Different cultures have different ideas." Clive answered. "Oh! I should be writing this down!" Clive pulled his trusty notebook out and began jotting.
"Heh. Wonder what demon funerals were like." Shadey thought.
"Most likely the same as our own. After all, the demons are a descendant race from us. As Elw funerals were probably just like Baskar, seeing how Baskar are a descendant culture from Elw." Clive analyzed.
"Well what are we doing out here? We should go out there and help." Maya started walking out the door towards the crowd of revered silence, followed by Shadey.
"Wait! Maya! Shadey! You don't know what you're doing!" Clive growled in disgust as he walked out there along, joining the two at the edge of the circle. The procession was nearing the boulder.
"What is she saying?" Maya asked, interested by the hymn that Halle was singing before the blaze.
"I don't know. I don't speak Baskar." Clive said.
"It's a burial song of our people." Gallows explained, appearing from almost nowhere. "It is to make sure that my father's spirit becomes one with Filgaia again."
"One with Filgaia?" Shadey asked.
"It is the belief of our people that all things are connected to Filgaia. We our born from the planet, and when we die, we return to the planet. The same goes for all things, trees and animals." Gallows said.
"Huh. That's a bit freaky." Maya responded.
"Maya!" Clive scolded.
"It is kind of hard to believe, isn't it?" Gallows rubbed the back of his neck.
"I don't know. Remember what they said at Yggdrassil. The Filgaia theory?" Clive reminded Gallows.
Maya sighed. "It doesn't matter where you are in the world or who you're with. Funerals will always be sad. I still remember the song they sung at Bill's supposed funeral…"
"Bill?" Gallows questioned.
"Pecos Bill, my father. He disappeared several years ago and they had a mock funeral and everything…" Maya told them.
"How did that song go Maya?" Shadey asked.
"~As I walked out on the
streets of Laredo,
As I walked out in Laredo one day,
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay.
"Oh, beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly,
Play the Dead March as you carry me along,
Take me to the green valley and lay the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong."
"I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy"
These words he did say as I boldly stepped by,
"Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story,
I was shot in the breast and I know I must die."
"Let sixteen gamblers come handle my coffin,
Let sixteen cowboys come sing me a song,
Take me to the graveyard and lay the sod o'er me
For I'm a poor cowboy and I know I've done wrong."
"My friends and relations, they live in the
Nation,
They know not where their boy has gone,
He first came to Texas and hired to a ranchman
Oh, I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong."
"Go write a letter to my gray-haired
mother,
And carry the same to my sister so dear,
But not a word of this shall you mention
When a crowd gathers round you my story to hear."
"Then beat your drum slowly and play your fife lowly,
Beat the Dead March as you carry me along,
We all love our cowboys so young and so handsome,
We all love our cowboys although they've done wrong."
"There is another more dear than a sister
She'll bitterly weep when she hears I am gone,
There is another who will win her affections,
For I'm a young cowboy and they say I've done wrong."
"Go gather around you a crowd of young cowboys,
And tell them the story of this, my sad fate;
Tell one and the other before they go further
To stop their wild roving before 'tis too late."
"Oh muffle your drums, then play your fifes
merrily
Play the Dead March as you go along
And fire your guns right over my coffin,
There goes an unfortunate boy to his home."
"It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing
Once in the saddle I used to go gay,
First down to the dram-house and then to the card house
Got shot in the breast, I am dying today."
"Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin,
Get six pretty maidens to carry my pall,
Put bunches of roses all over my coffin,
Put roses to deaden the clods as they fall."
"Then swing your rope slowly, and rattle your spurs
lowly,
And give a wild whoop as you carry me along,
And in the grave throw me and roll the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong."
"Go bring me a cup, a cup of cold water
To cool my parched lips," the cowboy said;
Before I turned, the spirit had left him
And gone to its Giver --- the cowboy was dead.
We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly,
And bitterly wept as we bore him along,
For we all loved our comrade, so brave, young and handsome,
We all loved our comrade although he'd done wrong.~"
"That was a pretty song Maya." Clive admitted, wiping his eye with his gloved hand.
"Yea, but ol' Bill isn't deserving of it. He didn't die and come back. If he's dead, he's somewhere out there in the Wasteland, his bones bleaching in the sun…" Maya fumed.
"You shouldn't say such things about your father…" Clive reassured.
Shane reached the blazing blue fire in which Halle was posterior to. Halle continued her dance as Shane, somewhat larger and more masculine then last time Gallows had seen him, approached the fire. The shadow of the Zepet Mountain scrawled back slowly, throwing sunlight into the pueblo village. Shane raised the pottery over his head and titled the pot so that a mysterious fog poured out and into the flame, causing the fire to turn into a shade of red.
"May the gentle tide of Shturdark quench your thirst on your path to Filgaia. May the range created through Grudiev ever be kind. May the winds of Fengalon always be at your back. May the flames of Moor Gault keep you warm on your journey. May Celesdue light your moonless nights and may Stare Roe show you the path through his white light. May Chapapanga allow you fortune on your path. May Dan Darium allow you passage to the planet and allow your path to finish. May Raftina protect your loved ones. May Justine give you courage to finish your trek home. May the coyote Luceid protect you on your pilgrimage. And may Zephyr's west winds keep you on course." With that, Shane finished emptying the pot and the fire had turned a brilliant red. And finally, with a great flash, the flame disappeared, leaving nothing but a circle of blue ash on the boulder.
Gallows wiped a tear from his eye. "It's finished."
Clive, Shadey, and Maya nodded in reply. Clive was the first to speak. "Gallows, do you think you can carry on?"
Gallows exhaled a long breath and crossed his arms in the chilled air. "…Yea. I can manage."
"So what now?" Maya asked.
"I would presume we search for Asgard's clues. The Riflemen are getting close to their goal. That would explain Scarecraft's appearance." Clive reasoned.
"No! What are you guys nuts?! We need to clear that mountain pass!" Gallows argued.
"It's an entire caravan! I don't think we could if we tried!" Maya argued as well.
"Besides, how lost can you get in these caves can you get?" Shadey said.
"Gallows, listen to reason…" Clive attempted to reason.
"No! You listen to me! The last thing I heard from my father was to protect my family! Now that they actually face immediate trouble, I need to help them! I promised, and I don't plan on letting my father down! Not now, not ever! So you guys can help or not, but I'm going up there!" Gallows then stormed off, walking off towards the shrine caverns.
Clive and Maya looked to each other in desperation. Clive sighed and started after his large friend. "Gallows! Wait, you don't want to do this alone!"
"Pfft! You guys can go do that. I'll stay right here and start the investigation without you!" Maya placed her hands on her hips.
"And when youse guys end up wit a thousand bullet holes in ya, don't blame us! We'll just manage right here in Baskar!" Shadey shouted as well.
"By ourselves in Baskar?…" Maya looked around at the Baskar people, who all seemed to have a distrusting look about them. "Uh… Shadey, you stay here and ask the people if they've seen anything weird. I'm gonna go look over there with those guys!"
Shadey saluted. "All right Boss! I'll get on it right away!" Shadey then flitted off to start his own investigation.
Maya then ran at top speed to catch up with Gallows and Clive. She halted herself right in front of them. "I'm coming to! There's something about these people I just don't like!"
"That's because you're a demon right?!" Gallows said sarcastically.
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, BAFFULO CHIP!?" Maya pushed herself in Gallow's face.
"IT MEANS WHAT I SAID IT MEANT, EVIL ONE!" Gallows shouted back.
Clive sighed. "When it comes to etiquette around other cultures, I'm the only one not offending somebody…"
"GALLOWS!" Shane shouted happily as eh emerged from the shrine cavern.
"Hey lil' bro!" Gallows hugged his brother in a bear's grasp and rubbed the top of his head. "Boy, Granny was right, you have gotten bigger!"
It was true. Shane had gained some height and muscle mass, however his hair was still exceptionally long. His face had matured and become robust, even sporting a little stubble. His eyes were still the same sparks they had been before, and the pillar robes he was ordained in completed the match. "It has been a while. You must tell me of your travels! I… I know longer have dreams of the future. They were all of the Dream-Demon's doing."
"Beatrice?" Maya asked.
"Beatrice had set up her plan long before anyone realizes, using Shane here as her tool in training for several years." Clive said, adjusting his glasses.
"I'd love to tell you about the grand old trip, but don't you have to prepare for the bison drive?" Gallows asked.
"Yes, there is still time. All I must o is don the skin of a coyote and hide until the time is right." Shane answered.
"I always wanted to do that. But I'm not pillar material." Gallows grinned.
"Say what? Coyote skins? How's that going to drive the bison over a cliff?" Maya asked confused.
Shane looked to Maya. "You're new. Say Gallows, where did the rest of your party go?"
Maya scowled as she felt she was being ignored. Gallows pointed to Maya. "Virginia and Jet had to tackle a different mission at the same time, so we split into groups. Frown face there is Maya and her cat is Shadey. He's drifting around here somewhere…"
"FROWN FACE?! WHY YOU! I HAVE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FACES THERE IS!" Maya punched Gallows to the ground with a well-aimed fist.
"We'd love to explain, but there are so many things we must do right now Shane. It is good to see you again, but the fate of Filgaia has once again been thrust into our hands…" Clive told him.
"We'll tell you everything when we get back. Right now we gotta tackle that wagon caravan up on the mountain pass!" Gallows said, lifting himself from the ground.
"You guys are really going to stop them?!" Shane exclaimed.
"It's my duty to protect the nation of Baskar. If these guys want bison, they're going to have to ask!" Gallows smiled.
"Well then, let's get a move on!" Maya pushed Gallows out of the way and started walking down into the cavern.
"Uh Maya… it's this way…" Gallows pointed his finger to the right.
** *
I'll Fly Away - Alison Krauss And Gillian Welch
~Some glad morning when this life is o'er,
I'll fly away;
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
Chorus
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
When the shadows of this life have gone,
I'll fly away;
Like a bird from prison bars has flown,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)
Chorus
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
Just a few more weary days and then,
I'll fly away;
To a land where joy shall never end,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)
Chorus
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).~
Shadey flew from one person to another. He flew the mid day away, speaking to everyone who was willing to talk. He stopped for twenty minutes or so to chase the chickens around, but then ended up himself being chased around by the colony's dog population. He mostly ended up with the shaking of heads and "Nothing peculiar." There was Herbert though, who Shadey could not stand, who would just talk and talk forever with no end. The sun rose through out the day, and Shadey found no answers. During the day, h was often seen in the village cornfield, chewing with the crows on corn on top of the scarecrow. The farmers would run after the winged feline, but Shadey always escaped. Shadey lost track of his duties several times. For instance he wandered down into one pueblos cellar and ended up drinking as much cider as his little belly could muster. The cat even attempted to get a card game going with a few normal cats who were longing about on the village spear racks. However, Shadey did come across something of interest. Laraina told Shadey something useful indeed. But now that Shadey had information, his Boss was no where to be found…
