In the shrouded ancient history of humankind there once lived a mighty race of men in the valley of Ouros by the lake Ai surrounded by the mountains of the great serpent Kaa. These men lived in the mighty stone city of Og.
The city of Og had been fashioned by stone from the nearby mountains of the great serpent Kaa made into the homes, walls, wells, and most of the city of Og. The men of Og were known far and wide as proud warriors and experts with the spear and the ways of bronze.
Every ten years on the day of Suxor the youth of Og would do battle with the fish people of the lake Ai who would rise up and invade the town with their seaweed covered stone spears. It was there that the youth of Og would win honor and fame for themselves and the mightiest of warriors would have their pick of the fair Aurals, women specifically chosen and groomed to be the most desirable of wives.
Every ten years this ceremony would take place. The fathers having trained their sons in the ways of war would watch from the mighty stone walls of Og as they did battle on the beach. The battle would rage for three days and three nights each and every time the mighty youths of Og defeating the fish people of the great lake Ai. Though many of the youth would die they were buried as heroes and would bring great honor to their families.
Here we recount the story of the Year of Great Woe and the proud chieftain Gnai-Kroth and how the mighty youth of Og almost met their end. The proud chieftain of Og, Gnai-Kroth was proud of his fighting youth. They had been trained well. Each day after the hunting and other chores of the town were done the youth would gather for their instruction in warfare on the beach. The youth of Og had swelled the 120 strong, greater than any time in the long and storied history of the city of Og.
There with their fathers and the stern Commander Boroth they wielded their bronze spears and trained in the arts of war. Gnai-Kroth the great chieftain knew that the following year would be one of their greatest victories of the hated fish people of Ai, who rose from the lake every ten years. There the mighty youths would win fame and honor. Gnai-Kroth had been the greatest warrior of his group and had five wives, three from the Aurals who were the fairest women of Og, and 15 of his own grandsons were now with the mighty youth of Og.
Gnai-Kroth sat on his great stone throne while thinking of all these things when he was interrupted by a guard entering and kneeling before him.
“O might Gnai-Kroth slayer of the sea serpent of Ai, you have a messenger from a far away land who bears dire news”
“Send him in” replied Gnai-Kroth his curiosity peaked.
In walked a man clad in purple robes of the cities outside the mountain range of the serpent Kaa.
“You have traveled far stranger, please sit and tell me of your journey” said Gnai-Kroth.
“O mighty Gnai-Kroth” replied the man lying prostrate before the proud chieftain.
“I am afraid I bear horrible dire news of a vision I had. My name is Udman of the city Dar outside of the great mountain range of the serpent Kaa. I have traveled far to save the great and mighty people of Og from destruction.”
“What is this you speak of?” asked Gnai-Kroth
“I am a prophet in my city of Dar, chieftains and kings from many towns and cities have come to the walls of Dar to have me interpret their dreams and tell them of the visions that I have. It is because of this that I now stand before you Gnai-Kroth mighty chief of Og. For I have seen a vision of the great city of Og being ransacked and destroyed by the fearsome fish people of the lake called Ai!”
Gnai-Kroth sat back in his mighty throne and laughed.
“Friend, never have our youth been so strong or numerous. Next year we will soundly defeat the devils from the sea, surely your vision is mistaken” said the proud chieftain.
“I beg your forgiveness mighty chieftain of Og but my visions are never mistaken. Kings and chieftains come far and wide to hear what I have traveled far to tell you for I have heard great legends of the mighty youth of Og and the fairest Aurals and do no wish such a great city as Og to fall to the lowly fish people of the lake Ai”
“Hmmm, say what you say is true. What could we do to prevent such a fate?”
“Send me now and I can collect mighty men of Dar and neighboring cities who will wish to do battle with the awful fish people of the lake Ai. If I go now I will make it back with them before the fish people next attack.”
“And in return what would these mighty men want?”
With this Udman bowed low again “Just to share in the glory of the defeat of the dreaded fish people of Ai and share in the honor of the mighty youth of Og”
Gnai-Kroth stroked his long gray beard as he thought “I have no need of your mighty men of Dar or the other cities outside of the mountains of Kaa. My mighty youth are more than enough to slay the fish people of Ai as we have done for many moons and will do so for many more”
“As you wish Gnai-Kroth, great chieftain of Og” replied Udman bowing as he left the throne room.
The night the words of Udman tossed in Gnai-Kroth’s mind as he lay in bed with Girin his youngest and fairest of wives.
“What troubles you great chieftain” asked Girin gently lying her head against the chieftains chest.
“The words of a wise man of Dar a city beyond the mountains of Kaa”
“What did this man say that disturbs you so?”
“He said that the fish people of the lake Ai would overcome our mighty youth and ransack the city in the coming year”
“But this cannot be, for our youth are mightier and more numerous than ever before. Surely they will drive out the lowly fish people of the lake Ai and win great honor for themselves and our mighty city of Og”
“Indeed” replied Gnai-Kroth feeling a bit of relief.
In the months that followed Gnai-Kroth kept greater watch over the training of the mighty youth of Og. He would have Commander Boroth in his throne room every day with reports of the advancement of fighting skill of the youth and their plan for the battle with the lowly fish people of the lake Ai.
“You have no need to worry, O mighty chieftain. Our youth have never been so strong or so many. The vile fish people of the lake Ai will be driven back and defeated soundly”
Training continued as planned until the week before the time when the fish people would attack every ten years on the day of Suxor. A great feast was held to celebrate the progress of the mighty youth of Og. A time for them to drink, be merry, and be with their wives before the battle ahead. It was during this feast that the great chieftain Gnai-Kroth felt ill at ease.
Gnai-Kroth sat at his spot overlooking the great feast taking place. Many a wild boar and deer had been killed, old wine brought out, and delicious fruits from the hills brought down. The people of Og celebrated with the mighty youths. The youths who were the center of attention of the great feast that was held in the cities center.
Yet something did not seem right that night. Gnai-Kroth detected a weird and vague feeling of danger in the air. Girin reached out and touched his arm.
“What ails you mighty chieftain?”
Gnai-Kroth shook his head “There is something in the air that disturbs me”
“It is the words of that foolish man from the city Dar, look at the might of our youth, you have nothing to fear O mighty chieftain”.
But Gnai-Kroth could not shake the feeling. He stood up from his place at the head of the feast and excused himself. He walked out to the wall and saw the guards gathering there peering down into the lake below.
“What do you see?” asked Gnai-Kroth.
The guards leapt in surprise not expecting to see Gnai-Kroth or anyone for that matter away from the feast.
“Great cheiftain, you should be at the feast partaking in the merriment” said one of the guards.
“What is it you see?” repeated the chieftain.
“Nothing much O great one, we thought we saw a faint green light hovering over the lake but it seems to be gone now”
“A green light?”
“Yes sir, but it may have been the moon playing tricks on us”
Gnai-Kroth felt the dread in him grow “I am going down by the lake”
The guards looked at Gnai-Kroth wide eyed in fear “Let us go with you chieftain”.
Gnai-Kroth motioned for them to follow. Together they made their way down to the lake side. The moon shone high overhead illuminating the lake.
“It is still a week before they attack, they have never been early or late” said one of the guards.
Gnai-Kroth nodded and continued to stare at the lake. It seemed as if there was something moving below the lake surface. Gnai-Kroth could make out a faint green light.
“Go and ready the men” ordered Gnai-Kroth.
“For what sir?” asked one of the guards.
“For battle!” replied Gnai-Kroth.
A few of the guards sped away towards the city raising the alarm. Gnai-Kroth continued to stare at the faint green light the swirled below the surface of the lake Ai.
A drunken assembly of the mighty youth and others stood before the lake with their bronze spears at the ready. Yet the lake did not stir. After the moon had begun its descent Boroth turned to Gnai-Kroth.
“Great chieftain, are you sure that the lowly fish people of Ai intend to attack now? For they have never attacked except on the day of Suxor which is still a few days hence”
Gnai-Kroth shook his head. He had let the foolish words of a man he had never met before shake him.
“No, you are right Boroth. Send the men to bed, the feast will continue tomorrow”
The next night Gnai-Kroth sat with the mighty youth and drank and took part in the celebration. He became drunk with wine and soon was guided to his bed by his attendants and wife Girin. He lay down laughing in embrace with Girin and was soon fast asleep.
It was during the middle of the night that Gnai-Kroth woke up. He felt a chill in the air that had not been there before. He stood up and walked to the window in his room and looked out. There was a heavy fog draped over the city with an almost a greenish texture to it.
Gnai-Kroth walked out of his bedchamber and out on a terrace that overlooked the city. He thought he made out faint forms in the fog but could not be sure. Again he felt a sense of dread overwhelm him as he looked out on the fog drenched city.
He went to go back inside when he heard a sound the froze him where he stood. It was like a low far off hiss, a sound he remembered from his youth when he had fought against the lowly fish people of the lake Ai. It was the sound that the great serpent of the fish people made. A beast they dredged up from some nameless depth of the lake that would accompany them into battle.
But surely the night and fog were playing tricks on him. For it was still days until the day of Suxor. The day when the battle had taken place since the people of Og had started to war with the vile fish people of the lake Ai. But then he heard that hiss again, this time not as far off.
Gnai-Kroth slowly stumbled back inside and made his way down the stairs. There a sleepy guard stood watch staring into the fog. Gnai-Kroth reached out and grabbed the guard. Who jumped up dropping his spear of bronze.
“My chieftain, what is wrong?” asked the guard retrieving his spear his face red with embarrassment.
“Do you hear or see anything in the fog?” asked Gnai-Kroth.
The guard shook his head “Nothing O great chieftain”.
Gnai-Kroth looked out into the dense fog.
“I will return” said Gnai-Kroth walking out into the night air. The guard followed close behind him begging him to return to his bed but Gnai-Kroth ignored him determined to find out the source of the sounds he had heard. The chieftain made his way to the great stone wall that overlooked the lake Ai, home of the vile fish people.
Gnai-Kroth saw a faint green light emanating from the lake as he approached. He looked up along the wall but did not see any guards.
“Where are the guards?” he asked turning to his follower.
The guard shook his head “I do not…”
His voice was cut off by a undeniable loud hiss that came from the direction of the city center.
“Wake the city, we are under attack” said Gnai-Kroth.
The guard nodded and sped off raising the alarm. Gnai-Kroth sat in the sand not sure whether he was going mad or if there was something in the city. He looked over and gasped when he saw strange footprints in the sand leading up to the side of the city. He rushed up the walls and started when he saw the mangled forms of the guards who had been dispatched sometime during the night.
It was then he heard the cries go up from the city. Gnai-Kroth raced towards the city but knew it was too late. He passed ransacked house after ransacked house. The corpses of his people and mighty youth strew about the city.
The closer he drew to the city center the more his people had been able to fight back. Now mixed with the bodies of the mighty youth were the bodies of the vile fish people of the lake Ai. Gnai-Kroth picked up a bronze spear bloodied with the greenish blue blood of the lowly fish people and headed towards his stone palace.
When he reached it he shouted in horror. For the palace has been broken apart no doubt the work of the serpent of the fish people. He raced inside the see the bodies of his guards, sons, grandsons, and wives scattered about the floor. He saw the great serpent on the side of the main room dead, many a bronze spear sticking out of its hideous hide. In it’s mouth was the still and bloody form of Girin his most beloved wife.
He raced out of the palace and into the deeper recesses of the city. He could hear the faint cry of battle and raced towards it. He tripped and fell among the bodies littering the streets. It seemed his people had finally been able to make a stand and fight back. But how did it all happen so fast?
It was then that Gnai-Kroth crossed the house of the Aurals and saw the destruction within. All of the Aurals had been slain cut down in their prime. Gnashing his teeth and roaring with rage Gnai-Kroth rushed deeper into the fog.
He finally saw in the distance the squat forms of the fish people shuffling in the fog. Gnai-Kroth let out a mighty yell and charged towards them brandishing his spear of bronze.
The next morning Commander Boroth went through the city with the few remaining survivors. He worked with them to gather together the bodies of his people for burial and the fish people for burning. It was not far from the circle Boroth had established the night before that fended off the fish people and ultimately defeated them that he found the broken form of Gnai-Kroth a bloody spear in his hand.
That year an eternal watch was put on the accursed lake of Ai and the mighty youth of Og were trained to always watch its shores day and night lest there be a repeat of the Year of Great Woe and a snuffing out of the mighty youth of Og.
