Only God May Pull the Tide

[HappyShackles 886]

In the years since I have returned, the translation of my ancestral land's literature has been laborious indeed. Yet here is my favorite among what I have completed, please enjoy the tale of Alexios the Pilgrim.

Only God May Pull the Tide

 

I. The Moon, God's Eye

 

1.1

In the Seas of Rhen, betwixt Nyseia and Roiye, there lived a man of GOD
He was strong, and a pilgrim, and his name was Alexios
In his youth, he had walked the land of Oren, and had learned the word of GOD
Alexios, ordained by GOD, who was born in Rhen, learned charity in Roiye

1.2

For when his ship struck stone, his body was floated ashore
He dreamt of night and death, yet light returned to him, and he knew life
And men of Roiye took him to their village, and gave him shelter, and nourishment
Alexios knew then that he had lived at GOD's behest, for his purpose was clear

To bring GOD to the Pagans of Rhen, who knew the Moon as their sovereign
For it was the Moon which pulled the tides, and so they lived at it's very whim
Though in Alexios' years, Roiye grew to know GOD among many of it's denizens
Yet then, there came on ships from the other isles, with words of plague

The Kataphros came, and the magi of the Void were exterminated
For Rhen knew magi well, as did Rhenyar, and even the Basileus bonded with the Void
But Balthazar, who was Basileus, and Master of the Seas, who spoke for the Moon
He declared the Magi plaguebringers, for many isles of Rhen had succumbed

And so Roiye itself screamed, and the Kataphros laughed behind their masks
For they knew not GOD, and took pleasure to kill both the innocent and the sinful
Alexios would not stand idly, so he gathered unto the beaches of Roiye a great congregation
And he spoke to them, and they praised GOD and forsook the Moon, and the morning came

1.3

The Priest of GOD lost in Rhen, so strange to him yet still his home, was distraught
For he and his flock had know passage, and they must leave, for the Kataphros may hunt them
As they had forsaken the Moon and the Basileus, and taken the word of Alexios as true
If the Kataphros were not the drive, the coming plague was, for some were stricken already

So the Flock was led by Niklas, and he knew the ways of war, for he was once a soldier
They struck the Kataphros, and took their wicked lives, and buried their masks in the sea
And Alexios led the Flock to a ship, and told them of a land called Oren, and more of GOD
So they left, seeking Oren upon the seas, by the direction of Alexios, who knew the stars well

But Niklas grew distraught, and thought to blame GOD for their misfortune
So he brought mutiny upon the ships, his called Prosefchi
And the ship was taken over, but then a storm was on the horizon
Before Alexios could be slain, the ship was thrown above the sea by the tide

And as the ship crushed back to the sea, for the swells were mountainous
It's hull was crushed, and it sank, though Alexios climbed atop the mast
And so Alexios did not sink, for a brother in their fleet of pilgrims saved him
This ship was Erastis Fengari, and those of it were of Alexios' flock

1.4

Yet this ship had resolved to go to Nyseia, to appeal the Basileus
And it did, and it's brother ships followed to the Capital
The Basileus was loathe to receive refugees, for the plague was a threat
Though in Nyseia the plague had not come to full force, and was largely safe

Yet, Balthazar was intrigued, for Alexios was wise, and kind, yet a heathen
Balthazar listened to Alexios, for he knew little of the land he knew as Oren
He resolved that Alexios would guide him and the Great Fleet to it
For Balthazar was intrigued by GOD, for it seemed the Moon forsook him

So the sails were raised, and Balthazar was brought to Oren by Alexios
And Balthazar crushed the tribesmen he encountered there, and united their Lords
He took the heed of Alexios, who brought him to the King of Oren
And he swore to the King, for he sought a place to settle his people

But the King taught Balthazar of GOD, and charged Alexios to teach him as well
And Balthazar accepted, for he knew the King would do war before landing a heathen
Not only this, for Balthazar had learned to love GOD a little, through Alexios' words
In the coming years he would learn to love GOD wholly and only, and so GOD loved him

~ By Gabrihel tau Vrachos, An Ancient Scribe

~ Modern Translation by Iosif tau Roiye, Bishop of Kaedrin

Edited September 23, 2015 by HappyShackles

[Daisy 9735]

Moved to The Great Library. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.

 

If you feel this is a mistake, please contact myself or any FM and we'll restore it.