Mist upon the Marsh: The Story of Nessa and Cassie by Mae Ronan Read Free Book Online Page A

Voranu was called Arol. His mate was called Ferahla, and his sons were called Arod, Arog, Xersha and Kolag. The Low Prince, who held similar sway over the people, but bent ever to the will of Arol, was called Gormov. Gormov dwelt in the chamber off of the second tunnel, separated only slightly from those of highest rank who were under himself.
    This mount was the home of the Ziruk. Its name, in the manner of the residents of that part of the state, was Death Valley Peak, on account of the hazardous ravine which yawned beneath it. Yet the Ziruk, in the fashion of the tongue of the Endai (which still they used, as once they too were a part of that people) called it Curu-ga, or “Cave of the Mighty.” It should be noted, as well, that these beasts were known only as the Ziruk to their Endalin enemies. This word, in their tongue, means “foul” or “impure.” The inhabitants of Curu-ga called themselves the Voranu, or the “third race.” Third race, that was, of the wolves. Accordingly, they assigned the title of first race to the Endai, and that of second race to the Narken.
    The Voranan race was incredibly young. At the middle of the twentieth century, only the notion of it had yet to be formed. It began with a small group of Endai, who wished to model themselves after the Narken. The Narken were great, hideous beasts made in olden times from the bodies of human men, and the blood of wolves, by an evil sorceress who did the bidding of Satan. For many years they had only one form; but after the passing of centuries, they gained the ability to adopt a human shape, thence allowing them to come out of their constant hiding. The greater part of the Endai abhorred the Narken – but there were those who admired them, too. It was this handful of exceptions who took unto themselves the task of unlocking the secret of the Narken. They yearned for a power that far outstripped that of human beings; for, despite the fact that the Endalin people were strong and swift, they were entirely vulnerable to human weaponry. Many an Endalin lost his life to the poacher, or the wolf-hater. Their alternate shapes were rather larger, as has been said, than those of normal wolves; but not so much that the hunter noticed any strange discrepancy, after having shot them down. There is a tale concerning werewolves that bespeaks of a reversion to human form, after life has been sapped from the body. This is a false tale; and due to this fact, the secret of the Endai was ever kept, even with the capture of their bodies by ignorant humans.              
    For strength, the Voranu sacrificed beauty, and accepted the bodies of terrible and unspeakable monsters. They were nearly identical in appearance, it should be said, to the Narken; and were nearly as powerful. But we should note, now, that our purpose here is simply to recount the story of the Voranu – and so we leave the Narken behind. We will speak of them no more.
    The race of the Voranu began with the ideals and conjectures of a single house. With as much subtlety as could be managed, this house began taking the unsuspecting of their brethren, and caging them several at a time in their cellars. This house had become well-versed in science and its methods, in preparation for their work, and utilised this knowledge in the experiments which they henceforth performed upon their own brothers and sisters.
    Things went on in such a way for some years thereafter. Members of the Endai continued to disappear, much more quickly than was the pattern for accidents and human-related deaths, until the King of Mindren (who at that time was Molachi, the sire of Morachi) began to suspect some underhandedness on the part of his own people. The strange behaviour of the house of Ingen was soon noticed; and though the members of the house had recently taken upon themselves the feat of transporting their “specimens” (or so they called the Endalin people whom they tortured ceaselessly with cruel and