A Voice Crying Out in the Wilderness

Unending BE - episode 2004

After a few days riding toward the sun, Jim and Deanna set eyes upon the eastern ruin.
"This almost looks like it was once a castle," Jim remarked.
"Legend says it once was," Deanna offered, "it was supposedly the castle of Count Cabron, a nobleman who ruled the entire region during, well, happier days."
Jim and Deanna rode further into the blasted land surrounding the rubble. Blackened earth and moss covered stones were much in evidence. A wolf howled off in the distance.
"How is there going to be anything here to help us?" Jim asked.
"Oh, you never know," a mysterious voice from out of nowhere said, "what you find depends on what you seek, or at least that's how the saying goes."
"Who's there?" Deanna shouted.
"Goodness, don't yell, I'm right here," said a much quieter, less mysterious voice. It belonged to an older gentleman who stepped out from behind a ruined capstone. He was dressed very smartly for one hiding in a ruin, sporting a blue tunic with hunter green doublet, well tanned leather boots and gauntlets, and a fur cape.
"Who are you?" Jim asked.
"Eh? Oh, well, my current name is Josiah," the gentleman offered.
"Current name?" Deanna asked. "Then, who were you before?"
"I don't know. I just know that I wasn't always Josiah."
"That sounds very odd," Jim commented. "Do you live here?"
"There's no here to be living in, is there?" Josiah chuckled. "But for all intents and purposes, since I can't leave, I guess I do."
"Can't leave?" Deanna asked. "Why?"
"Again, I don't know, but some force restrains me from leaving the boundary of this rubble."
"Have you heard the name Dekalamon?" Jim asked him. "Dekalamon? A demon from hell is that one. You'd do well to keep far away from him."
"How is it you know about Dekalamon, when you don't even know about yourself?" Deanna inquired.
"Everyone knows of Dekalamon. The grass, the trees, the birds overhead, the fox, they all speak of his evil, he has cursed the whole land with his presence."
"We are going to face him," Jim said, "do you know anything that might help us?"
"I know that if you go to face him, you will die."
"We are dying already," Deanna said. "Dekalamon has cursed my village, several days to the west..."
"...With a curse of unsexuality," Josiah finished.
"How do you know that?" Jim asked.
"The same thing happened in my time, long ago," Josiah answered.
"Your time? Come on Josiah, spill it. My village will die unless you tell us what you know!" Deanna nearly yelled.
"When Dekalamon cursed my lands long ago, he used the same curse. I've seen, firsthand, the course of the curse. You will not die. Your skin will become harder, your hair will become shorter, grayer, it will become impossible to tell the men from the women, but you will not die."
"We will!" Deanna did scream this time, causing both Josiah and Jim to jump back, startled. "The generation may live out its days in misery, but we as individuals will certainly be dead already."
"You...have answered well, child," Josiah said, his voice changing, becoming deeper, "you have much wisdom and great strength of character. Perhaps you will be able to defeat Dekalamon after all. I failed to protect my lands long ago, perhaps now, through you, I can succeed. Let us go, quickly."
"Incorrect analysis. Josiah can't leave here. But Count Cabron can go wherever he damn well pleases, and I defy Dekalamon to try and stop me."
"Count Cabron?" Deanna asked, her eyes widening.
"Yes, even now. Dekalamon's curse didn't work on me, and so we fought. I lost. This time, with your help, I will not lose."
"Well, we're glad to have you along, sir," Jim said, "but we're no closer to defeating Dekalamon, where should we go?"
"My rage tells me to press north, to Dekalamon's face. But wisdom says that aid, and perhaps confederates, can be found south, in the Empire."
"Well, noble knight," Deanna started, smiling at Jim, "where to?"

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Feldegast

Fri Jul 24 09:05:15 1998