Drums and the Cliffs Chapter

Olverd lifted his head as they were dragged through the jungle leaves brushed against his face. The Ipama that held him wore some of the armor they tore from the corpses of the Cren Warriors that were killed. It was hard to tell if there was blood on the armor since they were blood red. Some of the blood had dried and would rust the metal over time. The Captain could tell the Ipama never cleaned anything they took from outsiders who landed on their territory. Olverd took his gaze from the Ipama’s loot and observing the jungles around them. Other small creatures were looking at them as they passed through the jungle.

Small monkeys chattered to themselves as they looked at the newcomers the Ipama were dragging with them to some place that Ilkabad knew existed on this island. Some of the monkeys jumped on the shoulders of the Ipama who just swatted them off. Other Ipama did not mind and allowed some of the monkeys to climb on for a ride. Olverd watched the monkeys follow them curious about the new people who had come to their island. One light brown one looked at Olverd with his small eyes and followed Olverd’s captors. It made its little monkey chatter as it kept up with him. Olverd looked at it in the eyes through his hair. He could not brush it aside due to his arms being tied behind his back. Other monkeys followed them but climbed even higher bored of the new comers and larger cousins.

The monkey he was looking at had something different about him than the rest besides his continuous curiosity over the Captain. Olverd noticed a stripe on the monkey’s shoulder, this made it easier to identify him from the rest of the monkeys who just had small spots in their fur. The striped monkey followed Olverd and looked ahead then looked at him as though he could see or hear something up ahead. As Olverd watched him not caring to see where the Ipama were taking them he saw this one was not popular amongst his own. Many of the other monkeys jumped on him shoving him off of branches and vines. Others threw things at him and even hit him. Olverd took notice and had pity on the striped monkey.

Olverd made it clear to the monkey that he felt sorry for him with his expression on his face. It seemed to have read his expression and jumped for him. Olverd’s new little friend landed on his shoulder. It climbed all over him sniffing the Captain and getting used to this new comer. The striped monkey reached around his shirt them slipped inside and held on. Olverd found this amusing and let him stay in his shirt. What else could the Captain do while being dragged and his arms tied behind his back? Olverd’s new friend went along for the journey through the jungle abandoning his own kind to the island of Kruskor. He looked down at the striped monkey who looked at him in return. Olverd smiled at him feeling relief from having a companion for his ship. 

“I will call you Oross.” He proclaimed to this monkey. Oross was excited about his new name and a new master. Oross made his monkey noises until something shut him up. Oross dove deeper into his shirt scared of something up ahead.

“What is wrong Oross-?” Olverd asked but the sounds up ahead answered.

Drums could be heard in the distance. The rhythm sounded like that of a ritual taking place or preparing for one. Everyone around Olverd raised their heads up at the sounds of the drums as the sounds started to become more definite to the ear. Their captives pulled them along taking them closer and closer to the noise of the drums. With each step taken forward the sounds grew louder. The rhythm of the drums became more defined. Olverd listened to the drums carefully even though he could hear slightly. He heard the drum beats grow louder and louder. To him the rhythm of the drums sounded menacing adding a disturbing feel to the jungles.

These jungles on the island of Kruskor already revealed the dangers to the sailors from Auxmire. His crew and those passengers were scared to the bone when the Ipama attacked their ship. When they lost the battle the women aboard were horror stricken to see men they knew piled up in pieces on the deck of the Lessiiv. Their nightmare worsened when the Ipama killed the Cren Order who believed the Cren had control over the Ipama. Now another Ipama tribe was taking its prize somewhere on the island where there were drums being played.

Olverd looked around him trying to find Ilkabad and Evnar. He even looked over his shoulder to see if they were behind him as the drums grew louder and louder. Their captors continued the trek through the jungle with their sacrifices. The Captain of the Lessiiv and his fellow captives listened to the sounds of the drums increase as they seemed to approach wherever the Ipama were taking them. It was difficult to tell if they were approaching the end of the jungle for it was thick with trees and brush. To Olverd it seemed impossible to forge a path through this brush. He looked up and saw more Ipama watching them and just listened to the drums of death grow louder as though they were there.

The Ipama marching up ahead disappeared into the brush again. This time there were shouts that emerged joining the loud drums. When he heard the shouts Olverd knew this would not be good for them. The shouts continued even as the captives were brought forth. Olverd’s captives hauled him out of the jungle to what appeared to be the end of the jungle. As he was pulled out of the jungle and sat down on his knees in front of a stone surface covered in lichen Olverd saw their fate. They were taken to the other side of the island where the cliffs were located. There was enough room on the cliffs to settle a village on top. The stone of the cliff stretched from the edges of the jungles to the sea.

Olverd was placed next to one of his crew members in a line. Each prisoner was lined up along the edge of the stone that went to the cliffs. Near the edges were the sources of the drums. Five or seven large drums were set in the center with more Ipama drumming smaller drums circling each drum. Around the circle of drums were scores of Ipama dancing in rhythm with the drum beats. At the cliffs were shamans spreading bowls of powdered blood over the edges chanting on and on. When the last prisoner was placed at the edge of the stone surface the Ipama placed their spears in the ground behind the prisoners. They built a fence of spears in front of the jungle behind the sacrifices they brought with them to the cliffs.

There seemed to be no stopping of the drums as the drummers beat their rhythms furiously as the dancers went on with another type of dance. This dance was not in a circle but had the dancers roam the interior of the cliff staying clear of the edges. As this dance went on the Ipama started moving the women to one side of the area away from the men. Each girl squirmed still trying to get free, but ended up succumbing to the Ipama when they forced themselves on them. The Ipama that were in charge approached the ones fucking the women and twisted the head of one of the assailants. Others backed off, but were eager to pounce on the women.

One of the shaman stopped spreading the red powder and left the cliff’s edge. He was dressed in a cloak thick with feathers. He raised his hand and the drumming stopped. The dancers also ceased and bowed before the Shaman. Olverd watched the shaman approach the line of captives who were to be the sacrifices. It went down the line from right to left looking down at each captive. The shaman stopped in front of a Cren warrior then pointed at him. “The first sacrifice.” Olverd heard Evnar mutter.

He turned to the Angoth with wide eyes realizing this was truly happening here on this very island. Olverd turned back to the shaman and the first sacrifice. The Cren Warrior looked up at the Shaman shaking a little. The servant of the Cren Order did not know what was in store for him, but the way the Shaman pointed at him frightened him enough. What happened next was anyone’s guess as the Shaman dipped his thumb in the bowl and smeared the red substance over the Cren Servant’s brow. Once the red substance was on the sacrifice the Shaman ordered two Ipama to seize the sacrifice. The Shaman turned to the drummers and dancers then nodded.

Each sacrifice and prisoner suffered the horrid beats of the drums once more. This time the dancers shook their bracelets and necklaces of bones with the drums. The chosen sacrifice was forced to his feet and dragged over to the edges of the cliffs. When the sacrifice saw where they were dragging him he struggled to get free. He even pushed back with his feet trying to get away from the edge of the cliff. His captors were too strong for him to resist. The drums continued to beat until the sacrifice was brought to the edge of the cliff. Everything fell silent leaving the air completely silent. No one could tell what the sacrifice could see, but most would guess he would see the reefs. He would see the rough waters around the reefs that stood higher than the cliffs.

Olverd watched the Ipama toss the first sacrifice over the cliff and into the waters below. All the Ipama cheered and shouted, some screamed with joy others jumped around. When their excitement died the drums started again until the Ipama Shaman chose a second sacrifice. The Shaman went down the line once or twice before he chose another Servant of the Cren Order that was next to Ilkabad. Each captive and sacrifice watched as the second sacrifice was tossed over the cliffs. The second sacrifice was grabbed by four Ipama. To Olverd it seemed like the Ipama wanted to make these sacrifices quick for some reason. Each captive watched the second victim scream as he was brought to the edge of the cliff. The four Ipama holding him did not hesitate and tossed him over. In moments the drums began again and the process presumed all over again.

“How long will this take Captian?” a crew member asked Olverd as the Captain looked on. The sailor kept staring at the Captain waiting for an answer from him. Olverd did not have the right answer for the crew member, nor did he know how long these sacrifices were. As the drums continued the third sacrifice was being chosen Olverd turned to the crew member.

“This could take all night or until all the captives are thrown over those cliffs. I do not know the true answers here. Don’t ask the Angoths either, they may not know for sure.” Olverd answered as best he could. He still felt as though he was lying to the crew member of his own ship.

Ipama drummers continued drumming and the dancers rattled their bone necklaces. The Shaman stood in front of the third victim of the cliffs. This time the Shaman slapped him across the face. Three Ipama went to another part of the cliff where the gorge began. Each one grabbed hold of something and pulled it up. The drums began again as the Ipama pulled up some chains that were hanging over the walls of the gorge. Attached to the chains was one of the skeletons they saw earlier. Whoever the skeleton was before it did not matter the third sacrifice was about to share the same fate. The Ipama unshackled the remains and tossed them over the cliff. Sacrifice three screamed as he was shackled at the wrists before being flung over the wall of the gorge. The drums beat furiously as the Ipama prepared to choose a fourth sacrifice. Olverd watched as the Ipama went through the process of sacrifice one more time.