MMk, Time for a substantially written chapter. Recap: Hugo made way to the village of the Karayans to be met with a feast in his honor. What the feast is about will be explained shortly… So to go in like the introduction….
MOVE OVER ROVER, LET JIMI TAKE OVER!
The fire blazed upward with the intensity of the blazes of Iksay. The feast was beginning with food all around. There were huge portions of roast pig lined up on the old, worn tables and vegetables of all kinds in ceramic bowls. Every mans cup never got to low on ale and every woman never had to sit out on a dance they wanted to dance in. Everyone was having a great time. Hugo found himself lost in the joy on the evening, forgetting that he really didn't know what it was for and how he was important to it.
He danced around merrily with Aila, her emerald eyes catching his as they danced feverishly around the fire. Sweat stuck to her face, making it glisten with the orange light of the fire. Hugo found himself intoxicated with her beauty and couldn't keep himself from trying to be close to her. They continued there dancing until the fire started to burn low, and the music to die out.
Hugo took a seat with Aila and Ace, who had found a young woman to rest his arm over. They began an idle conversation before their attentions were drawn to Hugo's mother and those beside her.
"Can I have everyone's attention. I think now is a great time to begin the evenings events. Hugo would you please come up here with me." Lucia called out. Hugo looked at the group, especially Aila for support. They seemed to tell him to join her, but with their eyes. Again momentarily lost in Aila's eyes, he was forced to snap out of it and run in front of the crowd.
"Tonight is a very special night! Over these past two years I have been raising my son, Hugo, to be the best chief that he can be when his time comes. I feel that his time has come tonight. So tonight I will pass on my position as chief of the Karaya Clan to my son Hugo." Lucia said to Hugo and the crowd. Hugo had a look of shock, awe and anticipation on his face. He knew that this day was coming but it came as a complete surprise to him that it would be this fateful evening.
"Hugo… You have always been a loyal, obedient and good son to me. In the times of the Second Fire Bringer Wars you showed all of us that you were courageous and a valiant leader and that whenever we needed you to rise up to a challenge, you did so with everyone's best interest in mind. Now if you would take these vows of our tribe, sacred to the chiefs of old age and sacred shall they be until the ends of time." Lucia looked maternally at her son. "Will younow and forever take every action necessary to insure the safety and prosperity of the tribe? Will all of your actions will be in the best interest of the tribe and serve them to the best of your ability. Will you serve them as an example at all times and will you defend them to my own death?" Lucia asked openly to her boy.
"Yes mother. I will do these above all else." Hugo said. The crowd began a loud cheer of Hugo's name, which echoed on the empty plain. He smiled broadly as they began to dance once again. "Wait just one second! We're forgetting a very important part of the ceremony. Before Hugo can truly become the chief he must first take upon himself the Rune of the Karayan People. Hugo please step forward."
Hugo stepped to where his mother had indicated. It was right next to the strange stone object he had seen earlier. It was like a stone block with half of a cylinder cut out of it. Lucia laid her hand face up in the hollow as Hugo walked up. She closed her eyes and her hand began to glow with a warm yellow color. From it rose the flashing at first but soon solid image of a rune. It was shaped like the Karayan crest and was different than any rune Hugo had ever seen. The True Fire Rune grew warm on his hand in the presence of the other rune.
It wasn't the same as when he was around Geddoe and Chris so it wasn't a True Rune but Hugo could tell that this rune was very unique. "Hugo put your hand through the apparition." Lucia said to him, eyes still closed. Hugo gave a quick nod and slowly stuck his left hand through. He felt the power of the rune minimize itself into his hand. The tattoo of the rune had a glowing yellow outline that slowly faded. Lucia looked tired after the ordeal but put on a smile for her son.
"Come here boy! As is tradition of the Grassland Tribes, I will stir some of the memories held in that rune and add some of mine from the Rune of the Lizard Clan." Dupa said to him. Hugo approached him and held out his left hand, like Dupa was gesturing to him. A deep red glow shot streams of light through Hugo's hand which shot Hugo's eyes wide open. He began to flash through the memories of the rune. He saw the memories of the first political meeting of the clans of the Grasslands. He saw a woman that looked to be from Alma Kinan, and a Duck with a beautiful tail; a great Lizard with fiery looking scales that shone in the light; a fattened man in a turban that looked to be from Safir; a man wearing a fur cloak and in clothes with Karayan print on them; and a man dressed in white and purple clothes probably from the Chisa Clan.
What surprised him the most was a man dressed in dark red pants with spiky black hair. He held a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. He was also riding a mantor.