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Léda

Protected by the Red-Tailed Hawk

Former Weapons Mistress (Tasida Cild Archila)

Léda had just completed most of her secondary training as an Amazon warrior, when she decided to prove how good a fighter she was. So one night she took off into the woods when she heard there was a dangerous animal on the loose, apparently sent by the gods to destroy as many people as possible.

She tracked the animal for two days, when she finally found it, it was munching on its newest victim. The thing was huge, with large horns and claws. It seemed to have a thick leathery skin, with a thin layer of fur over it. It's tail had a sharp, and painful looking blade at the tip. Its eyes glowed, a dark evil red.

Quietly going from tree to tree, Léda positioned herself over the beast. She jumped down on its back and plunged her sword into it up to the hilt. It didn't do much because its hide was so thick.

Jumping off its back as it reared, Léda moved a bit to the side, trying to find a place where the skin looked thinner. Deciding that like most creatures, its neck would be most vulnerable, she drove her sword in deep. This time the creature didn't look too happy.

Pulling her sword out, she jumped up into a tree again, to see what happened next. After about 10 minutes of moaning and staggering around, the creature fell. Léda cheered for herself, and jumped to the ground again. She walked over, and sawed off one of the horns for a trophy. But as soon as she had finished securing it to her belt, something strange started to happen.

At first, she thought it was just shadows playing tricks on her eyes, but she soon realized that the creature really was turning to dust. Its eyes fell to the ground, now in the form of two rubies. After all that was left was the eyes, and the horn, which she had already cut off, she bent to pick those brilliant red jewels up. As she touched them, a light flashed all around her, momentarily blinding her. Then a voice spoke.

"You have proven yourself a true warrior, Léda. But you have a destroyed a creature that was protected by the gods. For this you will be given something which you can not change, and which can be considered a gift, as well as a curse. Be careful, and maybe one day this will be lifted." Léda stood there stunned for a moment after the light went away. She shook it off, thinking it was only her mind playing tricks on her. Picking up her stuff, she began the journey back to her tribe.

When she got back, she showed off her trophies with great pride, and then retired to her hut. Later as she sat fingering the fiery stones, she got an idea. First she took her staff, and carved a notch at one end, and placed one ruby in it after filling it with a sticky substance that had recently been invented. She then carved an intricate design around the jewel. When she finished, she was very please with her work, but still didn't know what to do with the other ruby. Finally, she thought of just the right thing when her hand touched the leather band around her head, which held her hair away from her face. She too it off, and attached the jewel to it in the center of where it would rest on her forehead. It was a good thing these rubies were lightweight. She replaced her headband and picked up her staff, and looked at herself in a polished brass plate. Smiling to herself, she finally went to sleep.

The next morning Léda felt odd, but could find nothing wrong with herself. Shrugging she went to her days duties, now proudly displaying her trophies. In her mind, she planned to carve the horn into a dagger handle latter on.

But at one point, a young Amazon dropped a heavy crossbow on Léda's foot. Anger mounted from no where and Léda accusingly pointed a finger at the girl. What happened next would haunt Léda for the rest of her life.

The energy moved so fast, and before anyone could blink, that poor young girl was dead. Léda had stood there unblinking for a moment, not believing what had just happened. But when the realization came through, she knew the words that had been spoken to her when she first picked up the rubies were real after all.

Léda left the tribe and lived alone for a number of years, until she learned how to control the power she now possessed. Finally, when she was sure she could never hurt anyone like that again, unless she truly willed it to happen, she looked for and found a new tribe. The one she was now in.

Tae'Nah athelfi arche: 17 November 1999

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