54 Beyond Mortal Eyes

"Boy, there is a monster in you. Deep down it wants out." Ugora commented after she made her judgment.

Xa'Gun looked to Jukzuk, who in turn looked to Gorzoc. Gorzoc shook his head to indicate he did not tell his mother any of what was told to him about Xa'Gun.

Xa'Gun turned back and asked, "Elder Ugora, What monster?"

"You don't know...? Xa'Gun... You are the monster. The damned humans have made you into a monster. One that is full of wrath, fury, and blood lust. Anger and frustration. These are the tools the damned humans forged and gave to you, and you ask what monster." Ugora shook her head.

"You will one day have to answer the question, Xa'Gun."

"What question, Elder, if I may ask." Xa'Gun pounded his chest to show respect.

Ugora nodded again, pleased with his actions, "You will have to answer the question of will you control yourself and be an orc among orcs... Or will you let yourself go, and become the thing that scares young orclings in the night?" Ugora tapped her chin.

After a period of silence for all that we're listening, "Well, you didn't come to hear an old orcess talk noise. Let's do this."

Ugora stood up with the assistance of her walking stick and pointed to her leather pack. Glasha took the hint and brought it to her grandmother.

She took out an amber-colored stone from the leather pack and affixed it to the top of her walking stick. After some guttural chant that Xa'Gun couldn't understand, the gemstone glowed with a shape yellow hue.

Ugora nodded, as she looked at the square plot of land. She hobbled around in a circle in the square dragging her walking stick the best she could behind her.

As she drug her staff through the cleared ground, the fresh dirt hardened and took on a stone appearance.

When she finished, the square contained a slab of stone in the shape of a circle. Xa'Gun watched it happen but didn't understand. He could only guess some magic formed the stone.

"That's right, boy. We are preparing a site for you to commune with the world's energy. I believe the damned humans call it Qi or some such nonsense. Though it's not bad to have a dedicated cultivation site, it's usually not necessary. Because of your age, it will be difficult for you to reach the elements." Ugora finished, as she pointed to the pitcher of blood by Mazoga.

Mazoga quickly brought the pitcher and went back to her place. In all her life, she or her sisters had never seen a ritual like this being performed. It was interesting, to say the least. This might have been because orcs start cultivating at a young age, and purer at that age, less taint from the outside world if asked specifically.

Ugora fished around in her leather pack and pulled out a stone mortar, pestle, and a whisk brush. Afterward, she reached into her robes and pulled out a small yellow stone, much like the one on her walking staff, but much much smaller, about the size of a fingernail.

"Pour some here, child." Ugora pointed to Mazoga, who poured some blood into the mortar.

Ugora held the stone to her lips, as she spoke more rites, as the stone glowed bright enough to cause the others in the area to cover their eyes. She simply dropped the glittering stone into the sanguine fluid below.

With a plop, the stone sunk to the bottom of the mortar. The deep red rex blood masked the light, as Ugora picked up the pestle. She ground the mixture with a vigor that did not match her age. Crouching sounds issued, until nothing could be heard, but the grinding of the pestle against the mortar.

"Pour a bit more blood, child."

Mazoga did as told, "That's enough, child. Thank you. Now take the blood and go trot over to your sister."

Nodding, Mazoga got out of her grandmother's way.

Ugora then got the whisk brush and dipped it into the blood mixture that now glittered with flakes that appeared to be gold.

She then got on her knees as she chanted in a language that was not orcish. Her guttural chanting caused the hair to stand on ends with the sisters, and a chill run down Jukzuk's back.

Gorzoc nodded, as he watched, though he wished he could help his mother... It was simply that he couldn't... He didn't have the gift of the spirits, so even if he did the same as his mother, his rites would fall on deaf ears.

Finishing up, Ugora crawled to her walking stick and used it to stand.

"It is finished. Do what you like with this... I'm going to go rest." Ugora hobbled back the way she came. Glasha picked up her leather pack and followed behind.

"Mother... What do Jukzuk and Xa'Gun owe for this rite?" Gorzoc called to his mother's back.

Ugora waved an empty hand, as she continued with her walking stick, "He must never raise a hand to the Bloodletter tribe without provocation... That is all. That will be best, my son."

Gorzoc grunted in acknowledgment but wondered in the back of his mind if that was payment enough.

"Better than all the gold, jewels, and treasure in this world..." Ugora muttered to herself far from the ears of her family, even Glasha by her side did not hear clearly.

"What was that, grandmother?" Glasha asked.

"Don't worry, child. Say, child. You like this boy, Xa'Gun?"

"Gr-grandmother?!"

"Please don't act shocked, do you take your granny for a fool. I was once young, too you know... I wasn't born old." Ugora popped Glasha on her behind with her empty cupped hand. It made a loud pop sound, but it didn't hurt Glasha in the least.

"Y-yes, grandmother."

"That's better... Don't set your heart on him, child. You should see what Morbash's son is worth. He would take your heart and protect it. That boy Xa'Gun... He would want to protect your heart, but wouldn't be able to..." Ugora mused.

"Zoughat is stronger than Xa'Gun, even in the future?" Glasha asked as Xa'Gun had killed in the arenas. As far as she knew, Zoughat hadn't lifted an axe since he was thirteen.

"No, no... That's not what I mean, child. Zoughat will not have enemies like Xa'Gun. Xa'Gun has enemies and will make more enemies. Enemies like that, you see... Enemies like that would see his life destroyed, right down to his wives and children. I see a long road of death, blood, and power for Xa'Gun. I do not wish to see you, or any of my grandchildren sad... And that boy... He will be one to make many sad, though it will not be his fault, but will be his price to pay." Ugora spoke until she was out of breath. She paused for a moment, to catch her breath.

"...What about the clan princesses...?" Glasha couldn't help but ask about her friends.

"The clan princesses already have a hard life... Funny enough, I don't see that boy making it harder." Ugora shrugged, "It's your choice to heed my words or to continue what you want to do. I'm just an old orcess now." Ugora started walking again, leaving Glasha with her leather pack in thought, as she watched her grandmother's back, before hurrying to catch up.

"Alright, boy. Have a seat right in the middle of this runic circle. Be careful to not disturb the runes in blood."

Xa'Gun lumbered to the center of the formation and sat.

"Good. Now we are finally ready." Gorzoc smiled at last.