Einmánuður 6th
The sound of wave clashing against the wooden hull of the longship echoes. The chatting from the crew members was all I could hear. The boss Sparky spoke of a land that a few call Valkaria, and wanted to see this land for himself. Sparky himself came from South Gondwana, as did Cherry, the solaris hound, while her Boyfriend Chippy came from the land of Vaconis.As for the three other people, I'm not sure, possibly from Northern Pangaea. Me on the otherhand came from Tralia, mainly the grasslands of tralia where the grass is green, and we fight against the rival Tralians cynoeas who dwell in such a land. On our way to this Valkaria, I started to feel sick. It started as a cold, a few sneezing and a cough, but it wasn't anything too dreadful. At least it what I thought at first.
I would spend time by myself, just staring out at sea. Every now and then, I would see a swimmer just swimming around the longship somewhere, the long beaks (itchyosaurus), there were the swimming longnecks (plesiosaurs) that nearly snapped at Sparky, who ended up hitting it with his Axe. While it did sustain damage, it retreated into the waters, only leaving a trail of blood in its departure from the longship.Near the dusk of the day, I began to experience headaches, slight headaches none of the less. I tried to sleep it off, only to hear hushed whispers in my sleep. I couldn't understand the voice or what it wanted from me. Hush and vague, I kept hearing these voices in my sleep. They cease the moment I wake from sleep, but I wish I hadn't, as my throat itches and is inflamed. My eyes itch and burn as if I lit them on fire. Yet I was the only one feeling like shit. I do not remember anything that could've gotten me sick. I don't remember eating spoiled foods or getting sick from family, then again, my mother passed from old age. That was only a few years ago.
Einmánuður 7th
We had arrive to Valkaria, even then I was getting worse. Chippy informed me of the arrival, but I couldn't get up. My stomach began to explode with pain as if someone had smashed it with a hammer. Sparky then told me to help set up the camp. Even in my state, I had no choice but to work, or I would lose my payment. As I help set up a tent with two other crewmates, I hear the voice again. I still couldn't understand it. I groan in pain as my stomach twists. The air smelled like rotting flesh, and the sand had a unsual greenish-yellow color, hence Sparky called it Green land.
Some of the feathered flyers had unusually large, thick, yellow boils and oozing sores all over their skins underneath the feathers. Not long after, Chippy and Cherry spoke about finding swift horn litter with boils and gave off the scent of rotting flesh and shit from the ass of a beast.
By Night, the voice returns, but now I can hear it clearly. I hear that soft yet bewildering voice. It spoke like a father softly singing a lullaby to his crying child. Sweet and calming, It It spoke of diseases so divine yet contagious, diseases I'd no idea existed. When I woke from my slumber, it ceased. The darkness still lingers, my throat ever burning like fire, my eyes ever itching with the intensity of small crawlers biting at my eyes, my legs shook, and my fever has gotten worse. Chills could be felt throughout my body.
That voice, I can still recall what it said, it told me of this land, what we called Greenlands was in truth the Blightlands. Later on throughout the day, Cherry and Chippy spoke of hooded and robe figures they saw from a distance, according to them, it just stood there, watching from afar. If people came here, were they always here, or did they come from afar?
Einmánuður 8th
I awoke from my sleep when I heard commotion from outside of my tent. I could barely stand due to my illness, but even then, I stood up to see what was going on as I saw the crew, including Chippy, Cherry, and Sparky, as they faced against these robe figures they spoke of from yesterday.
Just by looking at them, the voice started to speak to me. One of them, who took off his helmet, spoke in a language that was foreign to them, but due to the voice, I understood what he said. "Who are you?" and "What brings you here near the holy site of Ekron?" were the words spoken by the one who exposed his face to them. The Mastiff Spark explains that they were in search of Valkaria. I can see the fear Sparky secretly held. The scent of rot and decay can be smelled from afar.
The one who held his mask asked one last question, "Do you accept the Gift of Blight?"
None of them could answer; everyone stood silent. Sparky's mind was filled with anticipation and dread as the Blighted figure asked again, "Do you accept the Blight? If not, your meddling in Ekron's affairs will bring about unforeseen consequences. If not by the Blightfather's children, then by the air itself. All shall be blessed with the Gift of Blight or be riddled with plague unfathomable to your sanity. Know my warning, Cynoea, from the farlands."
As soon as he said this, Sparky and the crew got into defensive positions, ready for any attack that these figures might pull off, but they began to leave, understanding our intention without the exchanging of words. I'm confused, I know nothing of their spoken language yet I know what he said to them.
After that encounter, the voice began to warn me of a inpending attack and for me to be ready for it. I tried warning Sparky and the others, but they didn't listen to me. Either ignoring me or passing it off as me being delirious from my sickness. They wouldn't heed my warnings. I even explained to Sparky that I understood what the figure from earlier had said, as he only grew more tense. He ordered me to return to my tent before I get him sick, forcing me out of his tent. With no hope of getting him to understand the situation, I sought out these robe figures, even when the Sun was setting, and the moon started to appear. I walk weakly without anyone noticing. The air itself reeks of decay. The horrid scent filled my raspy lungs as I breathed it through my ever-burning throat.
I couldn't tell how long I had been walking. Darkness still looms over the greenlands until I sat a light. As I went towards this light and as I got close, I realized it was fire, in fact, a massive effigy lit ablaze. Various sandstone structures with fleshy material littering the place. Cages near the effigy were open. The air became unbearable only for some of those robe people to catch notice of me. Without hesitation, they pulled out their weapons. Although they're rusted, they're still usable.
I got a better look at these figures, they weren't Pangaeans nor Cynoeas. They're a people unknown to anyone. Their rotting flesh with oozes, sores and boils litter their bodies, Some when housed maggots on their sores and decaying patches of flesh.
"I remember you from earlier," I told them before asking about the Gift of Blight. They would lower their weapons and usher me to follow them. My heart beat rapidly as I shamble with them to one of these sandstone homes where fleshy, maggot riddle substains laid about. One of these people opens the door to call out for Festus before pushing me in. My mind races across my thoughts, I prepare myself for this Festus when I see a person whose skin is so green and necrotic that it looks like it came from another world. His chin is bloated and saggy as if it were filled with water. His feet and hands are purple and rotting, and lastly, two squirmers (Worms) like limbs protrude from his back.
"Who are you, Cynoea? And why do you come here?" He asks me with curiosity. I tell him that I came from the Far Lands and that my name was Alfie of Tralia.
"Never heard of this Tralia and know little of the Far lands. I bet many plagues and diseases exist there as they do throughout this land and the northlands. I came from the Northlands once, lived in the caves, I was a witch-doctor, I healed my people from physical aliments from broken bones to open gashes. It was only when we came to these lands that we accepted the Gift of Blight from the Blightfather. Our bodies and minds couldn't comprehend this land; many died when we built the first homes on these sands. It was our warlord who led the flock that laid the foundation of Ekron, the Maggot lord Tamurkhan, the rider Kayzk, and even myself were the ones who accepted the Gift of Blight after communion with the Blightfather. We ate from the Seed of Blight just to endure the pain and sickness that this land and perhaps the other lands of this forsaken world." He tells me his history and how Ekron came about. I asked if he had any herbs to cure my sickness, as he asked if I had heard voices before arriving here.
I nod as he replies that they too had all heard the voice before they ever arrive to the Blightlands and built Ekron, infact it was the voice that offered him and his people the Gift of Blight. Without hesitation, I offer myself to the Gift of Blight just to ease my illness, as Festus questions me if I truly want to accept the Gift. I said yes and spoke about wanting the Seed of Blight. He tells me to return to my camp, and if I were to return, He would have the seed ready for me. I thanked him as he reply "Don't just thank me, you'll thank the Blightfather when the time comes. Return to your kin, Alfie of Tralia."
Einmánuður 9th
Thanks to me, Spark and the others got sick. I noticed Chippy speaking about me getting worse; Cherry, the Solaris hound, has gotten sick. I am surprised it took this long for them to get sick. I have little time left before the people of Ekron come as a warning, I received it from the Blightfather, whom I can fully understand now.
Mid-day came when the Ekronian people attacked. I was spared from their wrath, but regardless, I was tied with the others as we marched to Ekron. It took a bit before we arrived in Ekron, They took me to Festus while the other were placed in those cages that stood near the effigy.
They took me to their "Hall" where Festus stood. In his hand was a blighted, rotting fruit of unknown origin. It pulsates like a heart, and the smell had been unbearable. "Do you truly accept the Gift of Blight, Alfie?" Festus questions me one last time. I said yes as he warned that once I bite down on this fruit, I would forfeit my old gods as I could never turn my back again on the Blightfather. I nod before taking the fruit, the felt was slimy and cold. I took one bite, with the taste being horrid as if I ate spoiled meat.
I wanted to throw up from the agonizing taste as I felt the piece sliding down my burning throat. I can feel the small white squirmers (Maggots) pouring on my hands from the fruit. "Rest now, Alfie, we'll see if you can handle the gift by tomorrow, rest now." He said as i fell to the floor, I felt chills, and lastly, my eyelids became heavy to the point of falling asleep.
In my Dream, I stood alone in a fleshy desert. In a wasteland of plague where rain fell from the sky, and large, strange, squirmer like beast emerge from the fleshly holes they dug from. Here stood an entity. Its face remains unknowable. Shrouded in darkness with a cloak of rotting flesh concealing its head. In his right greyish hand, he held a scythe.
"We now finally meet at last, Alfie of Tralia. As the gods fought themselves, I came from afar, exile from the void. I speak to you at last, Alfie, you're the first cynoea to receive the Gift of Blight by your own admission. In fact, I'm surprised by this decision of a cynoea forsaking his former god for a unknownable one such as myself. Where we stand now was once the river of souls that connected to the world tree before the Gods severed ties to this realm. Accept the Gift of Blight Alfie, Accept the gift of Nergal. Embrace Nergal as your new god." Spoke the entity. I could hear the unknown scream echoing, and in the sky, I began to see large buzzers unlike any other. Their bodies, rotting and oily. I told the entity that I accept the gift and even thank it for saving me from the pain.
"We'll see, come to the garden of contagion where the seeds of Blight are grown."
My eyes went dark for a moment before I regained my eyesight to see us in a forest-like place. Tall trees oozing out from the many boils that scatter across the lifeless trees, where I saw people hanging from the branches with ropes tied around their necks, and some other people were even eaten by the many sickly oily beings as Buzzers flew around them. Growing on the corpse of the dead are the seeds of Blight.
"It is from the River Styx that flow from the lower abyss to here to help with the growth of the Seeds of Blight that grow from the damned. With death comes rebirth Alfie. Plague is part of an eternal cycle that we all take part in. When you awake, you'll change from your former forsaken self.
As he said this, my vision went black before awakening from my slumber. He wasn't wrong. My body is littered with boils, patched with rotten flesh, and missing fur. even my stomach was torn open but at the same time, I no longer felt pain nor illness. I became part of the very illness that i was inflicted with all of my life. I now understand Nergal. I understand the Gift of Blight.
