Birth of a Mortal God by Armand Viljoen Read Free Book Online Page A

pages, “Should you ever encounter an infant or female by chance, distance yourself from it immediately. The males enter a savage frenzy when outsiders come near their females or young.”
    Her heart drummed in her ears as an infant female moved from behind her mother’s leg and started towards her. She heard the beastmen speaking amongst themselves when the infant started prodding her leg. Despite her efforts, her knees began to quake when a large male, draped in a black bear pelt, started towards her. She closed her eyes and again begged Xenusê to intervene.
    “What are you doing?”
    She opened her eyes and saw Asteroth had returned with the unusual-looking beastman by his side. “I—”
    The infant ran over to the enormous crimson being, and he picked her up, placing her on his left shoulder. She whispered into his ear and he laughed. “She says you look funny with your pig skin, sunshine hair, and sky clothes.”
    Elizabeth smiled at the strangely childlike remark. “What’s her name?”
    “I’ani.”
    She searched her pockets and produced a piece of candy. “May I give her this?”
    He regarded it with suspicion. “Although we do eat some plants, we prefer meat. What you humans may consider a delicacy, could be poisonous to us.”
    Elizabeth returned the candy to her pocket before producing a small brown bundle. “What about this?”
    “And that is?”
    She unfolded the cloth. “It’s called latar. The Harasa desert men make it. It is essentially dried meat with spices. It stays edible for months, thus making it ideal for travelling.”
    Asteroth took the almost black piece of meat. “Interesting. I’ve never heard of the Harasa desert men.”
    “Not surprising; they’re from far east of here. I doubt any of them has ever travelled this far west.”
    When he was about to take a bite, the one draped in a black bear pelt said something that gave him pause, and a general conversation erupted among the surrounding beastmen.
    “Is something wrong?” she asked, startled by their strange behaviour.
    “It seems my tribe doesn’t want me to eat it for fear of it being poisoned.”
    For a moment, she forgot her situation, snatching the latar from his hand and taking an angry bite from it. “I’m a healer. I don’t go around poisoning people!”
    The unusual beastman said something in their strange guttural language, and the crowd burst into laughter.
    “What’s so funny?”
    “It is just that you act like one of our women when your food is insulted,” said Asteroth as he took a bite of the latar.
    She felt her mood lighten. “Aren’t you going to give some to Ani?”
    “I’ani, and I first have to ask her father’s permission,” he said before speaking with the large beastman wearing the black bear pelt. The answer seemed favourable as he handed the piece of latar to the girl, who greedily wolfed it down.
    “It seems you might just fit in here, Elizabeth vi Descrinal.”
    “I hope so.”
    He whispered something to I’ani before putting her down. “She’ll take you to where you will be sleeping for the time being.”
    “I hope you know what you are doing, brother,” said G’nar as he watched the little girl drag the human woman off to one of the few remaining tents.
    Asteroth smiled at his brother. “She might just prove invaluable. Send a group to collect the humans I slew. The horses ran off with the wagon, but I’m sure they couldn’t have made it too far. Also, the men in armour are not to be stripped and processed like the rest. They are all to be given a warrior’s funeral; they fought bravely and died with honour.”
    “Kar’ta,” said G’nar before he saw to it that his chieftain’s will be done.
    The guards escorted the man down the hall. They all knew who he was; he had practically become a legend in a fortnight. They always knew it was just a matter of time before the King would summon him. It had been surprisingly hard to deliver the royal summons, since everyone