Rahan. Episode Four. The Magic Stone, By Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic

Rahan.

Show more

Episode Four.

The Magic Stone.

Rahan leapt once again at the big chameleon which had come to prowl around his camp and once more the strange animal escaped him and took refuge in a copse.
Rahan does not want to kill you! Oh!

As he had taken, a moment earlier, the brown color of the ground, the chameleon was now taking on the hue of the foliage under which he was crouching.
Never has a hunter from the blue mountain clan tracked such curious game.

Come!
Rahan wants to see "The Color-changing Beast" up close!
The animal could not this time avoid the quick movement of Rahan.

Page two:

Ra-ha-ha!
Whose joyful cry awakens echoes from the ponds.
How do you blend in with the rocks and bushes?

If Rahan had this power he would escape all his enemies!
Rahan amused, observed the beast which moved between his hands, the color of which she had taken.

The sun slowly descended on the ponds and the son of Crao felt happy.
Tomorrow, his raft will take him beyond these ponds, towards a new territory, towards the unknown.

Yes If Rahan had your power, he would fear nothing! Ra-ha!
A terrible bite in the back, suddenly tore from him a cry of pain.
He let the chameleon escape and, and jumped aside.
Argh!

He spun around and stood stunned.
There was nothing behind Him!
Rahan did not dream it!
Rahan has just been bitten by a beast!

Page three:

Or did a man throw a stone at Rahan?!
But there was no living animal nearby in the rocks.
Nothing suggested the presence of one of his fellows!

If a man spies on Rahan, Rahan will uncover him!
The son of Crao knew how to take advantage of Nature's lessons.

The beast that changes colors had given him an idea.
These leaves will conceal Rahan from his enemy!
Ha-Ha-Ha! Rahan also now knows how to conceal himself!

An instant later, branches slipped into his belt and others stretched in front of his chest gave him the appearance of a bush!

He returned to the rocks and remained on the lookout at the place where his invisible enemy had struck him.
Why does he not return? thought Rahan.

Page Four:

Rahan would have preferred combat to this waiting.
But the desire to try out his new cunning forced him into immobility and silence.

Ah!
This silence was suddenly broken by a crackling at his feet.
A flame rose along his legs, and flicked at his loincloth of dry leaves.

Only rushing to the nearby pond could save Rahan, who did not have time to free himself from his burning camouflage.

It was a strange human torch that disappeared into the green water.

Rahan is saved!

Rahan reacted with such promptness, that the burns were only superficial.
He freed himself of his “skin of leaves”.

Page Five:

And he came to the surface just as a big crocodile swam near to him.
Rahan prefers an enemy like you to the invisible enemy of the rocks!

For having faced such saurians many times, the son of Crao knew how to fight them.

He dived under its greyish belly, clung to a scaly leg and his ivory knife did the rest!

The dying monster was still whipping the water from its tail when Rahan regained his footing on the bank.
And now Rahan wants to know! Rahan must know!

Rahan wants to see whoever hit him!
Rahan wants to know how the leaves caught fire!
Knife in hand, he strode resolutely towards the rocks.

Page Six:

Come out of your hiding place and fight fairly!
Oh!
Although nothing had moved in the rocks, he had just felt a pain in his chest.

It was like a burning ember ejected from a fire that stuck to the skin.
But it was not an ember.
Rahan exclaimed in wonder.

It was a miniscule speck of light!
Rahan brought his fingers there and the pain moved to the top of his hand!
Now the burning became unbearable.

He threw himself aside and the stupefying phenomenon ceased!
It is that patch of sun that bit Rahan in the back!
It is her that set the foliage on fire!
It was then that he noticed the translucent stone behind which the sun blazed.

Page Seven:

He picked up a dry flame and offered it to the bite of the luminous point.
The patch of sun only shines two steps from the magic stone.

He screamed with joy when the leaf burst into flame between his fingers.
Ra-ha-ha!
“Those who walk upright” are ignorant of this way of making fire!

Until this day, Rahan had only been able to create fire by striking two flints.
This discovery also upsets him.
Rahan will introduce the magic stone to his brothers!

But to make fire when he wants, Rahan must have the magic stone!
He patiently unseated the small block of shimmering quartz.

And repeated the experience.
Ra-ha-ha!
The fire catches when the sun crosses the stone, and it is directed like this!
At this distance!

Page Eight:

Enraptured, Rahan did not hear the grass fluttering behind him.
Vrang! Ah!

When he regained consciousness, his wrists were bound by vines.
He recognized his knife in the belt of one of the men who surrounded him.

That man brandished the transparent stone.
My brothers have reported to Tagar strange things!
They saw you start a fire with this!

And Tagar wants you to do this miracle again in front of him!
Rahan Cannot!
The stone is magic only under the sun!
And the sun has set!

Rahan Lies! Rahan wants to keep his secret!
But Tagar knows how to snatch it from him!
The clan leader yelled an order and the vines suddenly tightened.

Page Nine:

The men braced themselves and brutally spread the limbs of their captive.
Rahan has nothing to hide from those who walk upright!
He will reveal the secret of the magic stone to his brothers!
But he needs the sun!

You lie! Pull harder brothers!
Rahan flexed all his muscles to resist the merciless pull of his tormenters.

His strength was such that the men of Tagar gasped for breath,
Shuffled and made no headway, and even recoiled.

Enraged, Tagar brandished his club!
Rahan is strong but Tagar has burst heads stronger than yours!

He was a stupid brute. He was going to strike.
Stop!
How does Tagar want Rahan to tell him the secret? When he's dead?
Eh! Euh!

Page Ten:

Tagar lowered his club, his limited mind had not for a moment sketched the idea that the secret would escape him forever if he killed his captive!
He growled!
Tagar wait daylight!

But let Rahan not hope to escape in the Night!
Tagar himself watch Rahan!

Rahan was tied to a tree away from the cave where the clan lived.
The men took refuge there as soon as the darkness came.

But Tagar remained twenty paces from the captive, crouching in the half-light like a beast.
Rahan was right. If Tagar had silenced him, Tagar would never have known the secret of the magic stone.

But when Tagar knows the secret, he won't need Rahan anymore!
Then he can kill him!

Page Eleven:

Rahan was divining the secrets of this obtuse being.
Tagar is a savage, a beast!
Rahan can expect no mercy from him!

As soon as I reveal to him the secret of the magic stone, he will have me massacred by his clan!

Rahan might perhaps have been able to patiently loosen his bonds.
Tagar had foreseen this! He even planned for the event that he fell asleep.

A long vine bound the captive's ankle to the clan chief's wrist.
The slightest movement of one would alert the other!

And yet Rahan must flee before sunrise!
Ah! If Rahan still had his knife!

Page Twelve:

But the ivory knife was slipped into Tagar’s belt, and he, over there, contemplated the translucent stone.

The brute's face expressed such covetousness that an idea suddenly occurred to Rahan.
Approach Tagar, approach, said Rahan! Tagar was confused.

I have to trust you with something.
Tagar clutched his spear and was suspicious. He cautiously took a few steps.

What secret have you?
Things that I could not say in front of the clan Tagar.
The true secret of the magic stone.

I lied by saying we had to wait for the sun.
I was hoping to gain time and escape.
But Rahan understands that he is at the mercy of Tagar!

Page Thirteen:

If Tagar promises his life, Rahan will tell him how to use the magic stone even at night!
Tagar Promises!
The cruel gaze contradicted the words.

So lead me up there on that plateau.
Why up there?

Because you have to place the magic stone under the moonlight in a certain way.
Rahan’s ruse to be unbound and escape from the clan was crude.
But he knew what sort of savage he was addressing.

You must also promise to keep this secret and reveal it to no-one.
I promise!
The promise this time was sincere!

Rahan thought to himself that this brute wouldn't even give his brothers the benefit of the secret!
On the contrary, he would abuse it to dominate his clan!
Lead me!
Zlack!

Page Fourteen:

With a stroke of the spear, Tagar cut the bonds of the captive, then threw himself quickly back.
I know your strength Rahan! And I am weary!
You will stay far from me, at the end of this vine!

A moment later, curiously held on a leash by Tagar, Rahan hoisted himself up to the plateau overlooking the ponds. The first phase of his plan had succeeded.

Rahan has nothing more to fear from the clan!
The only danger now comes from Tagar!
How to get rid of this brute?

Tagar stayed behind, tugging sharply at the vine when a rock threatened to hide its captive from him.
Gently Rahan!
I do not want to lose sight of you!

The two men finally ascended to the rocky platform were they were bathed in the blue light of the moon.

Page Fifteen:

The time has come to reveal the secret of the magic stone Rahan!
The quartz faintly glimmered in Tagar’s hand.

Give!
Back! I will throw it to you.
As Rahan approached, the spear was readied.
Tagar was definitely on his guard.

Rahan caught the magic stone.
You will know its secret Tagar! Behold!

See Tagar! The magic stone captures the light of the moon as in a trap!
Rahan played the quartz in the light of the moon and the translucent stone lit up.

Tagar followed all the gestures of his captive who retreated, stooped and stood up.
The secret is to know the right distance, Tagar.

Page Sixteen:

And here is that distance!
On the rock a stone's throw from Rahan a small light had appeared shining like a star.

If the light of the sun replaced that of the moon, this star would be hot enough to start a fire!

You now know the secret of the magic stone, Tagar!
And I don't need you anymore!

You are going to die!
The brute brandished his spear and aimed it at his disarmed captive.
But Rahan had foreseen this reaction, and.

His Riposte:
Before the spear left Tagar's hand, the magic stone flew from his!
Ha!
Ra-ha-ha!

Page Seventeen:

Oh! Argh!
But Rahan had not foreseen that his enemy would stagger and suddenly fall into the void, dragging him.

He tried to cling to the ground, but it offered no grip and he was dragged to the edge of the platform.

He finally managed to land on a rocky outcrop.
Tagar, suspended from his leg, was screaming in terror!

The Knife!
What are you waiting for to cut the accursed vine?
Ah!
Each gesticulation of Tagar bought a cry of pain from Rahan.

And it was impossible for him, unsupported and hampered by his burden, to regain a footing on the platform.

Page Eighteen:

But the son of Crao had the gift of knowing how to be patient in all situations.
If Rahan cannot go up, he will go down!

Making sure that the vine would remain wedged by a projection of rock, he let himself fall into the void!
His body counterbalanced that of Tagar.

Who suddenly found himself at his height!
We have no choice, Tagar!
In a lightning motion, Rahan recovered his knife.

And sliced the vine that entrapped his ankle.

With equilibrium suddenly shattered, the two bodies fell towards the black waters of the pond.

Page Nineteen:

Vlouf.

Back on the surface Rahan saw the caimans and he also saw his raft on which he would be safe.
Ra-ha-ha!

Ha-ha-ha!
His cry of triumph elicited a great laugh when he saw Tagar gesticulating under the moon.

Still hanging from the vine stuck in the ledge, the clan chief howled in the night, calling his people for help.

Rahan did not even have to worry about the caimans, as they crowded under the ledge, watching for the food that would fall from the sky.

Page Twenty:

Was Tagar a victim of the saurians?
Rahan never knew. His raft glided through the swamp almost noiselessly.

His raft carried him to the other side of the great pond, towards unknown territories.
And Rahan thought.

Rahan discovered yesterday the "color-changing-beast" and the “stone-that-catches-and-traps-sunlight-to-make-fire”!

Rahan thought of the strangeness of nature, and also of those who walk upright.
He met a man as wild as a beast!
What will he discover today?

No one in these fierce times could answer this question.
On this new day that dawned, in a stammering world full of dangers and mysteries,
Anything could happen to Rahan son of Crao, anything!

Show less