Shadow Slave

Tatal eventually recovered from her wounds.

Her tribe had not been forced to abandon its land and scatter to the winds.

Instead, it absorbed the survivors of the Basilisk’s rampage and grew. Its reputation had soared, as well, since people of the surrounding lands — those lucky enough to have been spared the Devil’s wrath — eventually learned that it was Tatal, the shaman of the Shadow Tribe, who had slain the beast.

There were hard times, at first, because the hunters of the tribe had been decimated, and its chieftain had lost an arm. But the tribe survived and grew stronger for it. The Basilisk had given it great boons in death. Its hide, its bones, its fangs, its soul shards — all of it was used by the tribesmen to empower themselves.

Soon enough, the youths reached adulthood. Trained by Stone Hand, their former chieftain, they became skilled hunters and replaced those who had perished in the woods. The fields expanded. The craftsmen of the tribe developed their craft and reached new heights.

Tatal ruled wisely. She was both beloved and revered by her people, respected by the neighboring tribes... her name had even traveled to faraway lands, earning her a bit of renown and fame.

She still visited the shadow every year, bringing with her stories of her people. One time, not long after the Basilisk had been slain, she came to his cave in a mood that seemed both joyful and melancholic.

”My firstborn is getting married, Shadow.”

She smiled joyfully, tears glistening in her eyes.

”He is going to leave the tribe. His bride is from the Otter tribe... they live so far away. When will I see him again?”

Tatal lowered her head.

“I am so happy for him, but I am also so sad. Ah, Shadow... when did life become so complicated?”

Another year, when Tatal came to visit him, her expression was thoughtful.

”Do you know, Shadow? Guests came to the tribe this year. They are people who travel the land, doing nothing but exchanging things. They bartered numerous wondrous items, and they were also interested in purchasing a great deal of things from us... I never really thought about it, but many things we have or make here would seem wondrous to someone else.”

She chuckled.

“But they also brought stories. There was a war between the Wolf Tribe and the Elk Tribe, it seems. Seven tribes have come together to build a great temple, somewhere far away, in the lands our ancestors left. The Goddess of the Moon has given birth to a human child. One of the First Humans, a man named Kanakht, is said to have defied the will of the heavens. The world is so vast, Shadow... it makes me so curious. It makes me feel happy to be alive.”

Another year, Tatal came bearing gifts.

”Look, Shadow!”

The shadow looked, feeling perplexed.

”What is it?”

Tatal raised the item higher.

“It’s called a pillow! There are goose feathers inside. My youngest daughter made it — you are supposed to put your head on it when you sleep. She also did the embroidery!”

Nothing she said made the shadow feel less bewildered.

“I know what a pillow is. Why are you waving it around?”

Tatal blinked a couple of times.

“Well, I just thought... there’s nothing but cold stones in your cave. So, I brought you a pillow, for you to rest more comfortably...”

The shadow had to refuse her gift.

He did, however, express his gratitude. Even if he did not have a head to rest on a pillow, the gesture itself, no matter how misguided, was quite sweet.

...He did get the impression that Tatal just wanted to brag about her youngest daughter, though.

Tatal’s children grew up. After the firstborn, others had their weddings as well. Her husband retired from being the chieftain and dedicated himself to teaching the young members of the tribe. A new chieftain was selected to replace him, this one coming from a different family.

There were troubles and losses, too. Mystical beasts sometimes set their sights on the tribe’s people. Creatures of Corruption — those weak enough for the shadow to ignore — prowled in the darkness. The more Tatal’s tribe possessed, the more members of other tribes looked at it with envy.

She had to mediate conflicts at times. At times, she had to take up her bow and her spear, venturing into the forest to fight dangerous creatures. But no matter what happened, Tatal always managed to emerge victorious.

Her fame and reputation slowly grew.

Her power grew, as well.

This primal world was harsh and full of peril, so those who challenged it had no choice but to be tempered by its trials. And so, one day, before the shadow could even consider it, Tatal’s soul tore through the boundary of her mortal body, and she became Transcendent — the first Transcendent of her tribe, as well as of all the other tribes in this remote land.

Her Transcendent form was that of a great, magnificent fox.

When Tatal became a Transcendent, there was a great celebration among her people. Beings like her were not unheard of among humans — there had been a lot of them among the mythical First Humans, and there were some among the older tribes that populated distant realms. But in this land, she was the first.

The people who lived here had only ever heard about Transcendent humans in myths and legends. So, they were full of exhilaration and awe.

The shadow, naturally, had an entirely different perspective.

But, still...

He was happy, too.

Because Transcendent beings lived longer lives. That meant that Tatal would be by his side for a bit longer, too.

The tribe was almost unrecognizable by then. What had started as a small scattering of crude tents was now a thriving village with homes built from wood and clay. The tiny pieces of land the tribesmen farmed had turned into vast fields. There were pens for cattle, chickens, and geese.

The crude flint weapons the hunters had used were replaced with copper blades. Instead of hide and fur, they now wore garments made of fabric — some woven out of plants, some out of wool.

Even the wolf-dogs who had been companions of humans for the longest time seemed different, somehow.

The shadow sighed.

‘In the blink of an eye...’

All of this had happened in the blink of an eye.

He was almost worried to imagine what would happen if he closed his eyes and took a little nap.