For generation upon generation, Spirit Island had been a peaceful place. The Dahan, the indigenous people of the island, had named it for the spirits they lived in harmony with who helped them survive. Lightning's Swift Fury came with the rain that watered their crops and it had also brought them their first fire that they used to stay warm and cook food. They also relied on the Vital Strength of the Earth to grow their crops in and to find shelter in. They revered these spirits as gods and life was simple.
But in the last few months, things had changed. New people had arrived on the island in giant boats that carried dozens of people at a time. Early attempts to communicate with the newcomers had gone disastrously. They seemed eager to trade and barter, but when the Dahan wouldn't give away something they really wanted to keep, especially their land, they used their superior numbers and weapons to force them to give in. Things escalated today when three Dahan were killed over an argument over a killed deer. The Dahan, lacking the strength to defend themselves, returned to their homes and safe places. They turned their fear and anger into prayer and requests to the spirits. The spirits had always been there for them; would that be so now?
Yes, the spirits would come to their aid.
Out of nowhere, a lightning storm formed above the island. Invaders close to the fiercest part of storm moved to safety.
The land was always rich and beautiful, but it seemed like overnight that certain areas became even more fruitful and enticing and both invaders and Dahan alike moved towards these areas.
This was not enough to deter the invaders. More armed men arrived to the island, ready to take more.
The spirit of the earth continued to develop these new oases, using them to lull the invaders into a false sense of security.
These subtle attempts were not enough and the invaders continue to multiply like rabbits, spreading across the land, pushing the Dahan further and further into the hidden places.
The spirits and Dahan alike would need to become more extreme. Storms became raging, lightning strikes increased, and the people of the land were called to bloodshed.
Invaders were swept away and scared away, but it didn't seem to make a difference. New settlements were built, they began to ravage the earth in search of valuable resources. The beautiful land became blighted, injured, damaged.
But the Dahan did not give up. They used their intimated knowledge of the land, used their secret paths, to move around the island and ambush and trap the invaders. While cities grew in some areas, buildings and colonizers vanished in others.
The more the spirits used their powers in destructive and defensive ways, the stronger they became. Buildings and homes were uprooted and thrown into the sea and to the ground. Invaders were swept away or killed on the spot. As fear grew in their invaders they moved around the land, trying to find places to defense themselves. As hope grew in the Dahan they pursued the invaders around the land.
The invaders tried to hold onto their strongholds and towns, but many of the men were talking of leaving. Their commanders told them not to be so superstitious, but it was hard not to be when you'd seen friends and comrades torn apart by lightning.
The spirits did not let up. The relentlessly pursued and attack the invaders.
Before long the attacks of the spirits and the Dahan took their hold. Every building was destroyed. Not a stone was left standing upright.
The remaining invaders were terrified. They wasted no more time loading up the boats and heading back across the ocean towards home. They had been thoroughly defeated and none of those who made the trip to Spirit Island would return.
Spirit Island was saved, but it would take many years for the land to be restored. The Dahan would not allow themselves to become this complacent again. They were not naturally aggressive people, preferring peace and friendship, but they would take better care to protect their lands in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment