Ballad of Athan'na'tos

The mother’s enlightenment sparked a fire in her sonWhile the mother was driven by her wisdom, preaching what was Just and RightThe son spread her words in zealotry, fueled by his perceived destinyMany welcomed Emjir’s teachings with open armsTheir bodies protected from diseaseTheir spirits consoled by honoring their ancestorsBut Athan'na'tos’ fire cast a long shadow
The first tribe to refuse him left their dead in heaps“Honor my father. Honor the dead” he would instruct“We will not” cried the first tribe “our time is precious, and they are gone”“Honor the dead, or join them” he would shout from atop his fearsome Dragonbird“The dead are deaf, why weep for them” they repliedSo the armies of the Athan'na'tos swept through their ranksDragonbirds raining death from aboveHomes destroyedLivestock slaughteredFamilies torn asunderAnd when the tribe lay before him broken and beatenAthan'na'tos’ approached their Niru'er, V'yari, and Kena“We surrender” cried the Niru'er“We honor your god” cried the V’yari“We submit to your rule” cried the Kena“I accept. Your people shall live” He would tell them“But you called the dead deaf”and with a smooth motion, he cut off their earsAnd so, Athan'na'tos’ daughters and wives rebuilt the broken peopleAnd none dared call the dead deaf
The second tribe to refuse him made trophies of their enemies“Honor my father. Honor the dead” he would instruct“We will not” cried the second tribe “we have triumphed over our enemies”“Honor the dead, or join them” he would shout from atop his fearsome dragonbird“We would look upon our prizes in glory” they repliedSo the armies of the Athan'na'tos swept through their ranksDragonbirds raining death from aboveHomes destroyedLivestock slaughteredFamilies torn asunderAnd when the tribe lay before him broken and beatenAthan'na'tos’ approached their Niru'er, V'yari, and Kena“We surrender” cried the Niru'er“We honor your god” cried the V’yari“We submit to your rule” cried the Kena“I accept. Your people shall live” He would tell them“But you look upon the desecrated dead as prizes”and with a smooth motion, he gouged out their eyesAnd so, Athan'na'tos’ daughters and wives rebuilt the broken peopleAnd none dared look upon their former mementos
The third tribe to refuse him consumed the flesh of their brethren and enemy alike“Honor my father. Honor the dead” he would instruct“We will not” cried the second tribe “we have the strength of all those we’ve eaten”“Honor the dead, or join them” he would shout from atop his fearsome dragonbird“We would feast upon your flesh instead” they repliedSo the armies of the Athan'na'tos swept through their ranksDragonbirds raining death from aboveHomes destroyedLivestock slaughteredFamilies torn asunderAnd when the tribe lay before him broken and beatenAthan'na'tos’ approached their Niru'er, V'yari, and Kena“We surrender” cried the Niru'er“We honor your god” cried the V’yari“We submit to your rule” cried the Kena“I accept. Your people shall live” He would tell them“But your ravenous appetites defile the dead”and with a smooth motion, he sliced out their tonguesAnd so, Athan'na'tos’ daughters and wives rebuilt the broken peopleAnd none dared even consume the flesh of beasts
A famous Ester song, detailing the life of the Evunasi Niru'er Athan'na'tos, as told by Queen Larka Lockwood of Norley.
Category:Tales
Category:Esterwyn
Category:Evunasi