Jagalish

          Jagalish, had just completed his third right of passage. During his trance he had received his course and direction to follow. He dared not follow the path that was set out for him. To do so would be the death of him. "Jagalish, the spirits have spoken, it is now time for you to decide. Will you accept the task? or accept banishment and a slow separation death? The spirits do not choose for you, it is a choice you must make. Not all die from the separation, some live". The Chief Shaman, Eystocwit, asked with a strangely compassionate voice.

          "Aye, twill be a hard thing, I have no love for the spiders, but the die has been cast at my feet, and I will do as the spirits bid." Jagalish replied.

          Jagalish thought back to his first encounter with the haunted spiders, back before he had the strength and wisdom to fight their compulsion web. He did not like being controlled, being turned to a puppet to dance to the tune of others. He learned and through his creative passionate side of nature, broke the web, and turned on his tormenter, so quickly she had no time to even blink her multifaceted rainbow obsidian eyes. Her head was blasted to pulp from Jagalish smite spell. He was so furious his spell had done ten times the normal damage it should have, he just wanted to teach the witch spider some manners, not to kill her outright.

          Now he would have to return and face the shame of losing control of his magic to the spider queen, Sinestra. He fingered the small gemstone set in his left ear, as long as it was there he would be able to ensure he never again lost control, and yet it's removal would allow him to access untold powers for short burst of time if ever needed.

          As he continued on his trek to the home of the haunted spiders, he recognized the twin stone pillars ahead. As the spirits had shown him in his trance, the lone fire beetle came through the the pillars. Jagalish awaited it approach. "Hold, Scout of Many Ways", he addressed the fire beetle. "We have need to speak to each other, on matters of import", Jagalish sat on the ground as the fire beetle continued to approach.

          "Who are you to interrupt my journey young shaman, and how did you know my name"? the fire beetle questioned.

          "I am Jagalish, of Mount Eire. Our spirits, informed me of your journey, of your name and of your message. They have another message to add to your original message. Will you hear me out, or will you die today? The choice is yours Scout of Many Ways"? Jagalish stared at the not so young fire beetle, as he mentally prepared the shield for the blast of heat he knew was coming.

          "I am Scout of Many Ways, my orders were clear, I was to deliver my message intact. I must allow nothing to move me from that path", as he was speaking Scout of Many Ways, was preparing his special blast of fire, like that of the Spiders Compulsion Web, only of fire. Scout of Many Ways, released his spell.

          Scout of Many Ways was shocked when his spell bounced back to him. "Now Scout of Many Ways, you will listen and you will add to your report, and message, and you will do so without remembering this conversation". With that Jagalish altered the Message and reports Scout of Many Ways was to deliver, as instructed by the Spirits.

          "Hello weary traveler, please join me at my camp." Jagalish called out to the slightly stumbling Scout of Many Ways. "You look as if you could use a rest, My name is Jagalish, and whom do I have the pleasure of addressing"? After a short rest and detecting no suspicions from Scout of Many Ways, they departed company, Jagalish on his way to the Haunted Spider territory, and the Scout of Many ways, to deliver his messages. Jagalish was pleased it had worked as well as the spirits had shown him.

          As he was thinking this thought, he caught out the corner of his eye, a Haunted Spider scout, crouched above where he had waited. the Spirits had not shown him this turn of events. As the spider descended to follow the fire beetle, Jagalish cloaked himself to follow the spider. The hunting spider became the hunted. As the spider hunched to cast a spell on the fire beetle Jagalish called to Fire Sky and struck the spider down with a bolt of lightning. The flash startled the fire beetle, Scout of Many Ways, as he saw the smoking remains of the spider, Jagalish could hear the soft prayer from the fire beetle as he turned and scurried along a little faster.

          Jagalish, turned to continue his own journey seeing that Scout of Many Ways was safely on his way once again. Jagalish had no love of the haunted spiders, being compelled by them was an affront to his senses. he continued to run the scene of the fire beetle meeting, and then of the spirits missing the interference of the spider folk. They either missed it, or did not show him this, why would they not show him, he pondered on his way to Queen Sinestra's home.

          One day out from the Haunted Spiders lair, Jagalish was overcome with a sudden vision, not one issued from his spirit guides, but another. An unknown spirit. It showed him a treachery from one of the Queen Sinestra's aides. He would try to poison her meal, and pass the blame on to the queen's sister Raelina. Why Jagalish wondered was a spider spirit showing him this vision.

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Thank you for looking over my entry into:
Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 6.
My sixth entry into the contest series, I have been having fun.
A little bit late almost, sorry for the last second entry.

^{Clicking the above cards will take you to the card story entries
Images from Steemmonsters game.}

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