Note: This short story features in the Felines Lair writings vault. It is a tale so old it is treated as a folk tale, even if it may in fact be a true story about an ages past culture.Treachery most foul had been done. From the watchpost the flames were clear. The Azuhal has attacked the Beregeft and slain them all, to the last cub. Fires burned also in the heart of the fifty strong Beregeft warriors at the watchpost. They had gone to help rescue the warleader-daughter of the Azuhal at her clans pleas and accepted their offer of leaving warriors in the Beregeft to protect them. The fourscore of warriors had been betrayed and lost many a fighter in the dark labyrinths where the daughter of the Azuhal was supposed to have been taken. Only now was it so clear - the Azuhal had betrayed their closest allies and had led their strongest warriors to a trap while they razed the village and removed every last drop of Beregeft blood from the face of the world.
It was only the leadership of the great warlord Tahiel that had saved the lives of the clans warriors in those darkened passageways. The fifty left now were in foul moods. Some wanted to charge in and slay the enemy, regardless of the severe numbers they lacked for such an offensive. Others wanted to walk away and forget they ever were of the Beregeft now that their clan was dead and they were all that remained. The atmosphere was dark and volatile and many a sword had flashed in that night but, for the words of Tahiel, none tasted blood.
Finally he spake. Legends say, he said, of the legendary book of Umea t\'Iha, ancient God of time. She entrusted to the Beregeft alone an ancient tome of power. Hidden deep in the Beregeft tower was a room that contained this artifact. If they could but find it, any one of them could use it to reverse the events and warn the clan not to trust the words of the Azuhal. All a warrior needed was one breath of life within earspeak of this magic book and all would be saved and the clan would be as if never lost.
The warriors listened with interest. Some said but what of the enemy? they have taken our city and their warlord sits in your very throne, surrounded by a thousand of his finest. The reply was simple. We will not fail. The clan shall not die so long as one of us has breath left.
And so it was done. The fifty descended upon the host like a fury not seen for ages before nor ages since. Their steel and spell were flung with the fury and pain of a thousand thousand betrayals and the enemy fell like autumn leaves. For every Beregeft that fell in the battle a score of Azuhal saw not dawn ever again. Like vengeful warrior poets they danced the dance of pain and sorrow and made the enemy feel the wrath of a betrayed, slain kin. But fall they did. But each that fell knew that others could go on, and carry the breath of the clan on and to victory.
In the inner chambers of the Beregeft six warriors made it to the hall where the terrified leader of the Azuhal was cowering from what surely were spirits and demons of his vanquished enemy. His thirty finest were arrayed around him and the six charged like creatures from the utter pits of hell. The battle was fierce but the Azuhal were no match for the warriors, each who had the burning strength of a hundred fallen kin in their veins. When the enemy leader fell at the hand of Tahiel only he and three other Beregeft stood. As the enemy broke down the barricaded entrance Tahiel commanded the three to go and use the book. He stood to face the enemy as they charged. No Azuhal shall pass here, he shouted, while blood is in my veins. His final battle commenced.
Fighting through the halls to the inner sanctum, the two remaining Beregeft, one carrying the third wounded reached the sacred door Tahiel spoke of. They laid their companion down, who started the incantations to open the door while the other two defended the narrow passage, one either side of the wounded and the door. With his last breath the wounded Beregeft completed the incantation and the two standing warriors rushed inside and secured the door. They then turned to see what the room contained.
The room was empty. And that is when they realised what Tahiel had done. He had not sent them to save their fallen kin. He had sent them to die with honour, as warriors, so that none may ever forget the name of the Beregeft. The two flung the door open and charged. For while they still had breath, the clan lived on.
And that is how the Beregeft passed from mere history, to legend.
[size=0]G.R.Fox 2003. All rights reserved
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