Rahan. Episode Eighteen. The Demon Tree. by Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.

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Episode Eighteen.

The Demon Tree.

When the big green lizard heard the sound of the leaping man, it was too late.
Rahan's fingers had already closed on his tail.

Shortly after the son of Crao made a new sheath for his knife.
The lizard’s tail will grow back.

And Rahan's cutlass will be better protected in this sheath than before!
The sheath of thin skin quickly took shape.

Page Two:

Rahan was attaching it to his belt when.
What is it? Could a piece of sun have fallen in the valley!

Intrigued, the son of the fierce ages moved cautiously towards this shimmer that rose from the large flat rocks in the distance.

A moment later he was in the middle of these marble slabs, some of which were more polished than his ivory knife.
Oh!

After starting for a moment, Rahan burst out laughing.
It is the sun shining on rocks!
And that man, that is Rahan!

On the highly polished plaque stuck in the ground, the son of Crao saw himself as in a mirror.
Rahan is made thus?

Page Three:

He had certainly seen the reflection of his face before.
In the still waters of the pools and puddles of rain.

But it was the first time that he saw himself entirely, from head to toe!
Amused, he waved his arms, observing this image which repeated his gestures exactly.

When his trained hunter ear warned of possible danger.
Someone is approaching!
And Rahan prefers to surprise than to be surprised!

A large dead tree stood nearby.
He pulled himself up into the branches, unaware that the real danger lay above him!

He caught sight of the large live boa on the upper branch at the same time as he glimpsed the approaching man.
Don't move "Boak" don't move!
Rahan means you no harm!

Page Four:

But the reptile probably did not intend to share its refuge.
He slowly uncoiled his head, and pointed it at Rahan.

He could no longer back down on this branch which was in danger of breaking.
And no vine allowed him to escape the reptile.

The armed man had not seen or heard anything yet.
It is you who will help Rahan, "Boak"!

Diving on the snake, Rahan seized it behind the head.
You will serve as a vine!!

Suspended from the reptile, the son of Crao swung in the void towards the heart of the tree where the branches divided.

Page Five:

He let himself fall on this new refuge and suddenly thought he was sinking underground!
Bloum!

The dust and the fragments of worm-eaten wood accompanied his fall into the trunk.
Hollow all the way up!

The man arrived on the scene heard a dull noise from the heart of the tree.
But he only saw the reptile.

If the "Boak" attacks, Rahan will not be able to defend himself!
Rahan also saw this serpent, through the breach of the hollow trunk.

The trunk was too narrow to allow the son of Crao freedom of movement.
And the worm-eaten wood, crumbling under his knife, prevented any ascent!

Page Six:

"Those-who-walk-upright" must help each other!
This man will surely help Rahan out of this trap!

Holes in the bark let the daylight filter through.
Over here, brother, over here!
Oh! What are you doing?
What are you running for?

The terrified man, fled screaming, and answering his cries other men ran to him.
A demon threatens the horde!

He took the form of a tree!
The tree spoke to me!
It wanted me to go to it!!
Clasping their spears, the hunters approached the tree.

Inside which the boa had just slipped!
You will not suffocate Rahan without suffering, “Boak”!!
Ah!

Page Seven:

The son of Crao pushed the reptile's head away from his face but he could not free his weapon arm.
Rah-ha-ha!

Rahan's battle cry reached the hunters.
Strike! Strike! Kill the Demon!

Rahan heard a snap.
Schrach!
And saw the flint point of a spear, which had just passed through the bark of the trunk!

Bracing himself, he pressed the reptile's head on this unexpected weapon.
Tsit!
The embrace loosened.
The "Boak" was dead!

Ra-ha-ha!
The devil challenges us!
Kill, brothers kill!!
This clamor of victory that rose from the tree, unleashed the anger of the clan.

Page Eight:

The men threw their lances with such violence towards the trunk.
That the flint points perforated the bark from all sides.
Schtoum!
Schtoum!

And never had the life of Rahan, the prisoner of this strange trap, been so threatened!

The sharp spikes shoot out from everywhere.
Up to his chest, from his face, and above him.

They were fortunately stopped by the bark, but would not some burst through?

The situation of the son of Crao was distressing.
But he had, as always, an idea that could save him.
These spears will help Rahan ascend up there!

Page Nine:

A moment later, leaning on the spearheads that bristled inside the trunk, he rose out of the trap.

Zlang!

He soon freed himself from the trunk.
Around the tree the hunters screamed, and threw their last spears.
They can't do anything more against Rahan!
They have no more weapons!

A cry of terror greeted his fall from the branches.
The demon has taken on the form of a man!
Let us kill him brothers! Let us kill him!

But by the time the hunters pulled their spears from the bark, the son of Crao had already disappeared into the thickets!

Page Ten:

Shortly after, hidden near the waterfalls, he caught a glimpse of a sparkle on a mound.
Then another on a nearby mound.

They use the "Shining Stone" to send signals, thought Rahan.
They "Speak" with the light of the sun!!

In fact, the men of the clan were playing small slabs of polished marble under the sun.
One of them spotted Rahan near the falls and signaled his presence.

An instant later, the son of the fierce ages was himself surrounded.
Behind him, the falls.
In front of him, and to his sides, the menacing hunters.

Rahan will not fight without reasons with "Those-who-walk-Upright"!
Once again, Rahan wanted to avoid combat with the men, his brothers.

Page Eleven:

The water surged between his legs with such violence that at each step he risked being dragged into the cataract.

Stunned by so much audacity the hunters had regrouped.
The man, demon will not escape the clan!! Tuburk will kill him!

Their leader, bravely imitating Rahan, ventured into the rushing current.
Stop, "Man-demon"!
Tuburk challenges you!
Tuburk cha.

The son of Crao did not hear the howl, covered by the roar of the falls, but he saw the unbalanced man.

Slip into the torrent, disappear under the bubbling foaming waves, and reappear in a calmer area.
He does not know how to "crawl on water"!
Rahan must save him!

Page Twelve:

The bewildered hunters saw the man-demon plunge from the top of the falls.
Once again Tuburk had disappeared under the eddies.

He was semi-conscious when the son of Crao brought him to the surface.
The hunters lie in wait for Rahan, but the river is with Rahan!

Supporting Tuburk, the son of fierce ages was drifting with the current when.
Ohh!
Tuburk will kill you!

In a desperate gesture, the chief of the clan had snatched his knife from Rahan, and was looking to hit his rescuer!
To which he clung.

Argh!
You cannot do anything against Rahan!
You who cannot crawl on water!
Tuburk had to drop the ivory knife.

Page Thirteen:

And Rahan was faced with a cruel dilemma.
Abandon the man to recover his precious weapon, or abandon the knife.

Rahan wants you to live.
But he also wants his knife.
Vlang!

Closing the stunned Tuburk's nose and mouth, Rahan dragged him to the bottom of the river.
His cutlass was there, wedged between the pebbles.

In spite of coming to the surface with Tuburk, the clan howled relentlessly.
Shortly after, he was helping his adversary to pull himself up onto the bank.

Without you, Tuburk would have joined the territory of the shadows.
Why did you save him!?

Page Fourteen:

Because Tuburk showed his courage by following Rahan across the falls when he can't crawl on water! Rahan admires brave men!

You can go back to your people, Tuburk!
Mine will drive me away!
The law of the clan says that he who does not triumph over his adversary is unworthy of being chief!

At the instant when Tuburk speaks, he knows that his place is already taken by another!
Loork, maybe?
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

So why did Loork not go after Rahan, like you dared to do?
A pout of bitterness puckered Tuburk's lips.

Loork is a strong, very strong man.
But he does not have that loyalty and courage that make great hunters!
Perhaps he did not dare to confront: The demon man!

Page Fifteen:

Rahan is not a Demon!
He is a man like you!
And he will prove it to yours! Let us go Tuburk!

Night was falling when the two men arrived at the village of Tuburk.
Here and there torches were burning.
Tuburk is back!
Tuburk and the demon-man are here!!

I am not a demon!
Demons do not exist!
I am Rahan, the son of Crao!

And I am Loork, the new leader of this Clan!
And Loork will do what Turburk-the-weak could not!
The man had sprung from the darkness with his spear held high!

He rushed towards Rahan who, amazingly, remained motionless, firmly planted on his legs.
Had the son of Crao chosen to die?

Page Sixteen:

His spear pointed, Loork charged wildly and Rahan still didn't flinch!!

It was only when the flint point was about to penetrate his chest that his hands grabbed the spear, blocking the weapon, stopping the man in his tracks!

The arrest was so rough that the spear broke.
So unexpected that Loork rolled on the ground.

He only rose again under the grip of Rahan.
Loork charges more stupidly than the buffalo.

And his face is uglier than that of "Those-who-walk-in-the-trees"!!
See! See! See!
In front of the marble slab where Rahan had dragged him, Loork grimaced with rage.

Page Seventeen:

Tuburk dared to face Rahan despite not knowing how to "Crawl on water".
And Loork, he wanted to kill him without any risk!
Your clan will decide which is the bravest!

The hunters cheered Tuburk but still eyed Rahan suspiciously.
Was his last exploit not that of a "Man-Demon"?

Follow Rahan!
He will show you how you could have mistaken him for a demon!
The son of Crao led the hunters to the great dead tree.

Rahan wanted to avoid a "Boak".
He fell into the hollow trunk as he called for help, one of you thought the tree was talking!!

Because certain hunters guarded a skeptical pout, Rahan threw a vine at the tree.
Look, listen, and understand.

Page Eighteen:

A moment later he was sliding inside the trunk, screaming at the top of his voice.
Do you hear?!
Rahan is talking to you, not a demon!

He was at the bottom of the "trap" on the body of the "Boak", when suddenly a light shone on him!

A torch fell on him, instantly igniting the worm-eaten wood powder and the inside of the tree!

Those cowards want to burn Rahan!
The son of Crao heard the angry cries of the hunters.

But why did they not cut this vine?
He quickly climbed the vine as the flames crackled around him.

Page Nineteen:

He threw himself out of the burning stump and fell on a branch, expecting a volley of arrows and spears.

But nothing happened.
Over there, Tuburk was haranguing his hunters.
Loork's treachery proved he was not worthy of our clan!

Between the clan and the blazing tree a man was stretched out, three arrows stuck in his back.
Rahan recognized Loork!

Jump Rahan! Jump Brother!
We are happy to have been able to prevent this cruel deceiver from cutting the vine.

And Tuburk recounted how Loork had projected his torch into the trunk and how his people had prevented him from satisfying his cruel lust for vengeance.

Page Twenty:

The “Demon Tree” blazed all night long.
You should stay among us, our clan needs loyal hunters like you!

Rahan cannot choose a clan, or stay in a horde.
Because he loves all the clans, all the hordes!
So accept this offering!

The small marble slab glistened more than the still water of the ponds.
When he took the road to the mountain Rahan made the sun play there.

To respond to the sparkling that the clan emitted, saluting his departure.
Then he crossed a coast that no one had crossed before him.

What mysteries, what wonders of life, what men awaited him in this new territory?
In those fierce times, these were the only questions that Rahan, son of Crao, asked himself.

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