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Rahan.

Episode Twenty Seven.

The clan of the cursed lake.

With a simple tap on the handle, the son of Crao spun his ivory knife on a polished stone.
This was how he sometimes acted, when no precise goal guided his steps.

Catching the fire of the sun, the weapon made a few turns and stopped.
So Rahan will go that way!

In the distance, in the direction which chance had imposed on the blade, rose a volcano.
Rahan ran his fingers over the claws of his collar.

Page Two:

The vision of a volcano always reminded him of the terrifying night of his childhood, when all his family had been devoured by the torrent of fire.

That night when Crao-the-brave, dying, had bequeathed to him the necklace of courage and loyalty.

Rahan would have preferred that you guide him to another territory!
But he will not disobey you!

As the son of the fierce ages was accustomed to the noises and activities of the jungle, Rahan suddenly guessed a nearby presence.
His fingers gripped the precious knife.

When he realized that the danger was above him, in the foliage, it was too late.
A wide net fell on him!

Page Three:

For having already been captured in this way by a clan of fishermen, he knew how difficult it is to free oneself from this trap.

He saw everything at once: the creeper tied to the hunter's wrist and the long pointed harpoon that he brandished.

He relaxed with the power of a big beast, rolling on the ground in the net, unbalancing the man from his perch.

A moment later Rahan was slicing the net, and the hunter, stunned by his brutal fall, was lying, a calf impaled on his own harpoon!

Page Four:

The son of Crao could have abandoned his attacker.
The law of the fierce ages allowed it.
But he never felt hatred for "Those-who-walk-upright".

If Rahan extracts this weapon while he is knocked out, he will feel less pain!

He could not pull the harpoon without the curved spikes horribly aggravating the wound.
So he sliced the shaft of the weapon as close as possible to the calf.

When he tugged at the spike, the wood sliced into the flesh and the man, revived by the pain, howled!!
Argh!

He saw Rahan holding his knife in one hand, and the tip of the harpoon in the other.
Kill me! You have the right!
If Rahan wanted to kill you he would have left this in your leg!

Page Five:

What enemy are you then, not to take advantage of your victory?
I am Rahan, son of Crao.

The hunter tried to stand up but his injury prevented him from doing so.
Rahan will help you rejoin your clan!
But why did you want to capture him?

Karok would have been proud to bring you back to his clan.
The wizard always says that Karok does not know how to fish.
Karok would have proved him wrong!

Rahan learned that Karok was part of a clan of fishermen, who lived on a nearby lake.
When he had bandaged his wound with the help of leaves.

He cut two long bamboos.
We will be with your brothers before the sun goes down!
Why are you wasting your time with me?

Page Six:

Rahan cannot let you die in the jungle!
And then Rahan is curious about everything.
He wants to know about your strange village, which you say is built on water!

Remembering how the hunters of his horde brought back the most game, the son of Crao made a kind of travois, rudimentary but solid.

Shortly after, following Karok’s instructions, he dragged him into the jungle.
It was an exhausting hike.

And it was interrupted for a moment by the passage of a deep ravine.
You can skip it easily. But I cannot!
Leave me here Rahan!

No!
Rahan probably still has enough strength to get you to the other side!
It is impossible! No one could!

Page Seven:

The son of Crao pushed Karok to the edge of the Ravine.
The long bamboos of the Travois slid to the other side, but were still too short to lean on.

Rahan picked up his momentum and leapt across the chasm.
And now you have to trust Rahan!

He had to bend down to grab the ends of the bamboos.
His plan required uncommon strength.
Hold on tight Karok!

Because as soon as the body of the injured person no longer touched the hard rock, he would support all the weight!
Watch out Karok! Here we go!
Let us hope the bamboos will survive!

There was a sudden jolt and Rahan had to use all his strength not to be lifted from the ground.
Ra-ha-ha!

Page Eight:

The travois bent over the abyss, while the son of Crao pulled it to him.
But the bamboo held, and Karok held on!

A moment later.
Karok will never forget what you did for him!
He will ask the wizard of the clan to welcome you as a brother!

The sun was disappearing behind the volcano when the two men finally arrived in sight of the large lake. The sight of the huts erected over the water amazed Rahan.

Who had never seen a lakeside village before.
A very long bridge linked this village to the shore of the lake.
Fishermen rushed along there.
The men look agitated!

Some men had recognized Karok on the travois.
Questions flew, to which the wounded man answered.
Rahan was generous, he took care of me and brought me back here!

Page Nine:

Cranaa has seen Rahan.
He says that he is the one who provokes the new anger of the mountain of fire and forbids him to be in the village!

A pout of bitterness puckered Karok’s lips.
Cranaa is the clan's wizard.
I can do nothing against his orders Rahan!

Leaving the son of Crao on the shore, the fishermen were carrying their wounded companion along the deck.
A dull rumble shook the ground.

Flee Rahan. Flee!
The "Mountain of Fire" tells you that he is angry!
He will kill you tonight!

A new rumble arose that reminded Rahan of those of the Blue Mountain before it had spewed its fiery entrails on Crao's horde!

Page Ten:

That night Rahan had been able to protect himself under the rocks!
But where will he take refuge here??

The side of the volcano fell almost sheer to the shore which offered no shelter.
Rahan understands why the clan of Karok built their village on the water.

Over there, the fishermen have nothing to fear from torrents of fire!
Cries rose from the village as proof that there was a quarrel.

Karok demands that we welcome Rahan, and Cranaa the sorcerer opposes it!

Such was, indeed, the reason for the quarrel.
Why does Cranna want to abandon a generous hunter like Rahan to the wrath of the Mountain of Fire!? It is cowardice!

Page Eleven:

It is the presence of this enemy on our territory that irritates the "Mountain of Fire"!
Listen! Listen to it!!

The growls were getting louder, and more frequent too.
When would the volcano spit its fire and incandescent rocks skyward?
In a moment perhaps!

The rapidly falling night gave an idea to the son of fierce ages.
The Lake Clan will not see Rahan approaching!

He was slipping into the black waters when a terrible tremor shook the cliff.

The sky immediately flared up.
Stones crackled on the surface, around him and he thought he was reliving the terrifying night of previous times.
That of the blue mountain, the one where all his brothers had joined the territory of the shadows!

Page Twelve:

Uninterrupted jets of fire sprung from the crater from which overflowed a thick mud, flaming more than the fires of the setting sun.
The torrent of lava was indeed breaking on the shore, towards the footbridge which linked the lakeside village to the mainland.

Cries of terror rose from the village towards which Rahan swam.
In a moment, the bridge will burn!
Why do they not destroy it?

Huddled between the piles the son of Crao could hear the stupid incantations of Cranaa, which implored the gods of the mountain.

That wizard better act!
It is not by whining like this that he will save his people!
No one heard Rahan hoist himself between the huts.

Page Thirteen:

Over there, the bridge was beginning to catch fire.
The lava spreading on the shore, flowed into the lake from which rose a barrier of vapor.

The gods do not hear our plea!
The lake clan must flee their village!

Rahan could not help intervening.
Why flee!
All you have to do is destroy a part of this bridge that leads the fire towards you!

The wizard glared at him with rage.
What are you doing among us, you who have angered the fiery mountain!?
Know this demon, brothers!!

The men overcame the son of fierce ages.
Tie him on to the board walk!
The spirits tell me his body will stop the fire!

Page Fourteen:

Rahan struggled vigorously, throwing two fishermen into the water.
Argh! Ah!
But others arose, which carried him away.

A moment later, he was firmly bound to the piles that supported the trunks, in the middle of the gangway.

On the side of the shore, this one was devoured by the flames which quickly approached the captive.

They had left Rahan his knife but, with his legs and arms spread, he could not draw the weapon.

He could hear the crackling of the fire, now very close.
He also heard the clamor of the fishermen who piled into their boats to evacuate the village.

Page Fifteen:

The high flames were only a few steps from the prisoner when.
Courage, Rahan!
I will not give up on you!!

Crawling on the bridge, Karok had just appeared.
His injury must still have been hurting him, for every movement wrung a moan from him.

Cranaa says and does anything to remain the wizard of the clan!
Karok had seized the ivory knife and cut the bonds.

Rahan thanks Karok!
Oh!
Attention!
Argh!

Disfigured by hate, Cranaa-the-sorcerer rushed onto the bridge.
Karok has come to the aid of the mountain of fire! Karok must die!

Page Sixteen:

The long harpoon he was brandishing was not released.
Karok, faster, had thrown the ivory knife.

Argh!
Cranaa spun around and disappeared under the waters where the reflections of the blaze danced.

The son of Crao plunged behind him to retrieve his weapon.
Under the effect of the spreading molten lava the waters had become lukewarm.

Rahan appeared a moment later on the surface.
Hurry Karok!
We can still save the village!

The two men busied themselves, one pulling the bindings, the other pushing back the trunks.
The gap thus made in the bridge would prevent the fire from progressing.

Page Seventeen:

Cries of joy rose from the boats.
The volcano finally died down and the fire that threatened the village was stopped by the hole in the bridge.

These cries greeted the son of Crao who, supporting Karok, returned to the huts.
This idea of destroying the footbridge had never occurred to us!

That is why our village has already been struck three times by fire!
Each time, we had to build it again.

But why not rebuild it somewhere else?
Why stay so close to the mountain of fire, at the mercy of his anger?
Because this part of the lake has by far the most fish!
And the shore is full of game.
When the mountain of fire does not ravage it!

Page Eighteen:

In the calm that had returned, the footbridge was completely consumed.
The son of fierce ages, pensive, observed the sky still heavy with reddish smoke.

Where would his destiny take him when he left these fishers?
He consulted the ivory knife once more.

As the weapon slowly turned, an idea suddenly crossed his mind.
The bridge!
Rahan knows how to make a bridge that will not be destroyed by the mountain of fire!

The clan can throw a new bridge that would spin like this cutlass!
Karok!
Karok was confused.

From dawn an intense activity reigned on the lake.
From a forest spared by the lava, the fishermen brought back huge bamboos.
Others were bringing huge stones from the shore.
Others carved thick pillars.

Page Nineteen:

Rahan went from one group to another, who on his advice, were erecting between the village and the shore, a strange building on stilts.

On this platform stones were aligned around the central pillar, which would serve as a pivot for the footbridge.

Setting it up was a tough job.
But the enthusiasm and ardor of the fishermen got the better of it!

Our bridge is finished, Karok!
It will be enough to pull on these vines so that it turns at will.
Like the knife!

Everyone held their breath when a group of men performed the maneuver for the first time.
Sliding on the stones, the catwalk pivoted gently on the platform.

Page Twenty:

A clamor thundered as it crossed the lake.
When the mountain of fire threatens your village, you will place it like this!

Rahan deserves to become our leader!
Why will you not stay with the lake clan?
Karok will also be a good Chief!

And Rahan wants to know how "Those-who-walk-upright" live beyond the great mountains.
Beyond the great rivers.

The son of Crao lived a few days in this lakeside village.
Then one morning.

Good bye Karok!
Goodbye Brothers!
Come back to us one day Rahan!

When he was on the hill, he gazed for a moment at the green lake where the sun shone.
As the fishermen moved merrily across the gangplank, he reached for his knife.
And he entrusted to the ivory weapon the task of guiding his steps.

Index of Rahan Episodes.