Day 13. Glacial Pathway II
A helicopter lands in a long forgotten settlement in Kamchatka. The city of Kovran hosts the indigineous people who have survived soviet atheist cleansing during the Cold War. They are the closest lead to the blue phoenix that Lara has. So she lands together with an interpreter, with her cold weather gear. The population surrounds the helicopter as it's a rather unusual sight for the people. Generally, it's a track vehicle connecting the city with the rest of the Krai.
This time, the gathering has the children hiding. The way Lara's geared has a soviet aura, especially now that Lara is starting to mature into some insensibility. She takes her hood off, letting her ponytail be seen, and then the sunglasses. There's some relief that the one who has appeared is a tourist. She has also brought along with her an interpreter, as her understanding of oral traditions is quite bad.
"I'd like to meet with a shaman," Lara says. She takes a hip flask, and sips it. She feels a rash through her throat and shouts. She isn't used to drinking, but this might be the fastest way to socialize. Then he stretches her hand, and a local sips it. "Sweeter than Vodka," the local says. "What is it?" Lara allows the local to have the flask. "Scotch," she answers. "They make it near my home. I have brought some boxes to share with everyone." The local presents himself as Kalym, and is an old hunter, with facial traits somewhere in between siberian and american natives.
And scotch ends up gaining Lara a meeting with the shaman, and she still can't stop looking with amazement. "What is it in my face?" asks the shaman. Lara bows in apology and the shaman somehow understands - there are many like him around the world. He knows, he feels them. "You shouldn't go this far for healing," the shaman says. "In fact, I'd like to see the Raven," she says. "The one who raised this land from the ocean." The shaman sips a bit of the Scotch that Lara has offered to the people. "The Raven isn't linked to you," the shaman says. "You must create a link with the raven first. Carve a pole with this knife and then come back."
Kalym takes Lara to sacred territory in dog skids. There are some huts built in height around the area, and a lot of poles with carved faces and figures, like the great raven, Kukth. "There might be bears or wolves," Kalym says. "But I cannot interrupt you during the ritual. You carve, and then make a pact with the carving. It'll guide you and protect you." And so, Lara opens a suitcase she brought with her. Kalym smiles. "A hunter, eh?" he asks. "Not as good as you, though," Lara jokes. "I bet you can aim drunk." Kalym laughs hard. He's tried it without success.
A knife and a tree. It could take hours, so Lara starts. She's crafted arrows and other stuff with her knife, but… carving that's a whole new experience. The roar of wildlife haunts Lara, but she's still far away from them, and near the protection of the spirits of the Itelmen. Yet a bad omen starts surrounding her. Eagles, crows, all flying around her, as if calling for her death. And then, a roar is heard quite near. She leaves the knife stuck in the pole, and prepares her bow. A grizzly has chosen Lara as its banquet, and it's up to her to stop it.
She has been in such a corner before, and this time it's no different. Bears are challenging nevertheless. Their agility is just mind boggling. Lara dodges it and counters with her own knife, as she doesn't want the knife given by the shaman to be tainted with blood. In a series of maneuvers, Lara manages to take the bear down to Kalym's surprise. He's never seen a woman fight that close to a bear. The birds come down, but to eat the bear, while Lara ends with her carving.
Back at the shaman's house, the rite begins. Candles have been lit, and Lara lies on the floor, looking at the roof, while smoke fills the room. The shaman sings, and carves a piece of wood to imitate the carving Lara has just made. And then Lara screams… "Kukth! He's been taken away by the ones with the mask of the beast! They are crossing an ice bridge! My eyes! Where are my eyes? Give them back to me!"
In exchange for her eyes, she gains vision of a blond, bearded, long-haired, robust man killing a blind shaman with a ritual knife. The knife's handle is white, and looks like a carved bone, the blade is grey and looks quite dull, though capable of conducting electricity. The shaman has a peculiar necklace, with a tiny, blue crystal giving him supernatural powers. Lara starts vomiting as she has the vision of the assassinated shaman coughing blood. Kalym rolls Lara to her side, so as to prevent her from suffocating. "End it now!" Kalym demands. Then, the candles are blown, and the smoke subsides.