Zu’ji was not far from the deep Temple. It was a somewhat risky route, because her Jatal didn’t want to give her extra guards for leaving the group and she didn’t have that many followers yet. Above all, there were only a few battle-hardened ones, like Miraki or Zanu, but they were already on their way. So she was on her way through the thicket of the Diamond Jungle with her three servants and two warriors, where danger could lurk around every corner. Was it the wildlife or hostile trolls from other tribes? However, she firmly believed that Haruk’Zil had an eye on her. She had also used this to explain her deviation from the Riverfang group, that she wanted to make an offering to the all-seeing snake in the deep temple, which was true, but of course was also meant to conceal her true plans.

  “We’ll be there soon, honorable Zu’ji,” said one of the warriors. While he was with the small group, the second warrior peeked ahead

  “It’s about time,“ the older herbalist sighed. ‘I’ve rarely been on so much foot travel in many years.’

  ”Well, that’s true devotion to the all-seeing serpent.“

  ”Hm, hehe, that’s right,” Zu’ji chuckled as she finally saw the outline of an overgrown column. Due to the dense growth, she could hardly see the stone snake below, which had wrapped itself around the column and was sitting at the top with its mouth wide open. “Blessed be Haruk’Zil.” The other trolls repeated her words as well and together they finally felt laid stones under their feet again.

  Despite its importance, the deep temple was one of the smaller main temples of the all-seeing serpent. The jungle was everywhere, but the area, surrounded by decaying, medium-high walls, was reasonably easy to see. Apart from a few snake statues and images of Haruk’Zil as a troll, there was only the temple itself as a building. It was half open at the front, with a long corridor leading to the towering statue of the all-seeing snake, cast in pure gold. Its head was below the ceiling and it looked down on everyone, while at the same time keeping its eyes fixed on the path to the altar. After some coal bowls and torches had been lit by the newcomers, the statue appeared all the more powerful and fearsome. In particular, the snake’s eyes, which were nothing more than two huge, red jewels, sparkled with a menacing clarity. On the walls stood stone chests covered in cobwebs and dust, and in the corners were empty ritual basins that could be used for both purification and sacrifice under the all-seeing, protective eyes of Haruk’Zil.

  “Set up camp here and clean the altar room and prepare it properly,” Zu’ji instructed, looking past the large statue. ‘I’ll retire for a bit and pray.’ To the left and right of the statue were two passageways and even if the herbalist used the left one, it didn’t matter.

  Both paths were part of the same corridor and they merged at the back of the temple. There were mainly chambers where the bones of trolls lay that had been deemed worthy to rest next to their tiki. Only high priests of a tiki could decide who deserved such a rare and unique honor. The center of the rear part was formed by a chamber that was secured by a heavy stone door and was another, but much smaller prayer room. Despite its ancient construction, the stone door was secured by an ingenious mechanism and opened by itself after being operated. A pleasant, gentle splashing echoed from the masonry. It came from a fountain in the center of the chamber, which was decorated around the edge with tiny statues of well-known, former Haruk’Zil high priests. The room was not only used for the extremely personal and often elaborate rituals and prayers of a priest, but also as a meeting place for enemy tribal priests.

  After Zu’ji had closed the stone door again and locked it from the inside, Natural light fell through slits in the ceiling into the chamber, but she also lit some torches before she spread a prayer blanket at the well and lay down exhausted on it. Nevertheless, she folded her hands together in prayer over her stomach and she looked up at the winding ceiling, where paintings could be seen telling the story of Haruk’Zil as a troll and his ascent to the tiki. The longer she looked at the images, the more they seemed to move, until the priestess closed her eyelids and still saw the vivid paintings before her. Everything became more and more real to her, and what others would have interpreted as the dream of a tired sleep was a vision to her.

  When evening fell over the diamond jungle and the red sun fell over the roofs of the deep Temple under an almost cloudless sky, the raid, led by Tu’kesa, approached.

  The different tribes were clearly separated from each other, because none trusted any of the others. The adders had voluntarily gone to the front because there were more of them and they saw it as their right to lead this group anyway. The Riverfang were a bit behind them so that they could always keep an eye on them. However, the four trolls also had to pull the self-made wooden sled on which the drugged bloodtusk lay tied up.

  “Haruk’Zil be praised, at last,” Miraki complained. She wasn’t pulling the sled. ‘This was more than exhausting.’

  While the other two Riverfang trolls, with the sled ropes taut over their shoulders, shot angry looks at the female, Zanu noted. ”Hear that female? She didn’t even have to haul the beast’s gigantic carcass and she’s finished.“ The trolls behind him nodded in agreement and grinned maliciously. ‘I say, guys get things done.’

  ”As long as you males know your place, that’s fine with me,” Miraki waved off, amused. ‘And now we’ll see how much of the adders’ courage remains.”

  Tu’kesa threw an unimpressed glance over her shoulder. “Four Riverfang, eight or a hundred,” she listed. “I don’t care. If Zu’ji doesn’t give me an answer, we’ll gut all of you as a sacrifice for Haruk’Zil.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Miraki said, since the balance of power was about to change. Of the 11 remaining poisonous snakes, only 5 were still with Tu’kesa. The others had stayed behind at the jungle camp, where they had hoarded as much of the prey as possible . They had sent out a troll and were waiting for reinforcements to pick it up, because other troll tribes had discovered the ambushed caravan and looted it as well.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  The braziers and torches of the open temple lit the building and part of the area in front of it. Banners with Haruk’Zil’s sign and elaborate tapestries with his image and other stories of his and his followers hung on the pillars and walls. Smaller idols made of stone and wood, along with dozens of candles, had been placed everywhere and were not among the loot of Zu’ji’s group. All the decorations had been stored in the stone chests and no troll in his right mind would have taken them.

  The two warriors from Zu’ji’s entourage were standing by the few steps of the temple when they saw the Venomsankes. “It’s about time.”

  While the Venomsankes remained alert and let the sledge pass, Miraki nodded. “Next time we can gladly swap.”

  “Sure. I wouldn’t want any dirty vipers as support,” the female guard said, pointing her spear at the unwelcome appendage. ”You’ll set up camp outside.”

  “You Riverfangs think you’re in charge here?” Tu’kesa asked with narrowed eyes. She looked around, and even the three servants of Zu’ji drew daggers, but the viper knew that they were no match for her and her warriors. ”It’s just luck for you that we all serve Haruk’Zil. Now bring us the herbalist and we’ll see if you leave this place in one piece.“

  ”Now, now,” a voice intervened in the hostile confrontation. Scarcely clothed but in all her ceremonial finery as a priestess of the all-seeing snake, Zu’Ji emerged from the back of the temple and took her place before the huge statue of her tiki. “We’ve come this far. You’re not going to start doubting Haruk’Zil’s promises now?”

  This questioning of Tu’kesa’s faith was more than enough to get the Venomsnake in line. ‘Never!’ she growled, her lips compressed. ”But you promised us answers, since this impure troll is supposedly something very special and the all-seeing snake desires him. Out of respect for Haruk’Zil, I agreed to this temporary alliance. Now it is your turn to make your and thus his words come true.“

  ”And I will now,” Zu’ji promised and she spread her arms. ”Bring the ancestor here, before the eyes of the all-seeing serpent.”

  “Ancestor?” Tu’kesa tilted her head. Her ignorance was the same as the rest of the trolls’, although the river trolls naturally pulled the sled up to the statue of their tiki. ‘What is that supposed to be?’

  The sled with the unconcious Bloodtusk was pulled up to the statue of the all-seeing serpent and Zu’ji inspected the prey down to the last hair. “This here is an Ancestor,” she revealed to all present. Carefully and possessively at the same time, she flexed the muscles in her neck and upper arm, only to return to his chest. ”Every troll in the world, whether jungle, desert, mountain or wherever, is descended from the ancestors.” She let the explanation sink in for a moment before continuing, reverently but deadpan. “Thus, the tiki themselves also, because in the time of the ancestors, there were no tiki.”

  The words of the herbalist found attentive ears among all the trolls in the temple. Everyone was so focused on the fascination that even the enmity faded and they all gathered close together around the sled.

  “And how did these ancestors survive without the guidance and grace of the tiki?” Zanu murmured thoughtfully. For a deeply religious troll like him, that was an impossibility.

  “That’s... lost in history,” Zu’ji admitted. Even the book she had didn’t have all the answers. “Maybe that’s why all the other troll races developed and the ancestors disappeared, precisely because they received neither guidance nor mercy.”

  “And yet you say that right now there is an ancestor in front of us.”

  “Now you surely understand why this troll is of such immense importance,” Zu’ji said with conviction. She didn’t stop running her hands over the body of Bluthauer and even reached between his legs. The fact that she caressed his best piece and the testicles was pure clarification. ”Ancestors are supposed to be extinct and yet here we have one in front of us. Haruk’Zil himself gave us this gift. Even the priests of the venomous snakes have seen signs, but without my knowledge, they didn’t know what to do with them.”

  It was true that the Haruk’Zil focused venomous snakes had also received signs and unclear visions during the trials. Only because of this had their priest and Tu’kesa, with a hard core of their most trusted warriors, agreed to this cooperation. “And what exactly does the all-seeing snake demand?” Tu’kesa asked stubbornly. She knew that if the adders and the river teeth worked together, it would be difficult to find tolerance among her own despite the will of a tiki. That’s why she needed a very good reason for all of this. ”And above all, what use is it to my tribe? We already recognize Haruk’Zil as our tiki above all others.”

  “Unfortunately, not for ours,” Zu’ji replied, letting go of Bluthauer. She circled him once more before standing at the head of the sled and speaking in the maturity of her voice, a calm but promising tone. ”But that will change and marks only the beginning of something so great that even I, as a loyal priestess, find it hard to grasp.”

  Miraki stepped to the foot of the sledge and obediently crouched down. “Then it must be huge. Please tell us!”

  “It’s true. The role of the venomous snakes ends with the capture of the ancestor, for the time being,” Zu’ji mentioned, glancing sideways at the helpers mentioned, who didn’t like what she was saying. ”But patience is essential, because Haruk’Zil still needs you, as well as all of us.”

  “So you’re demanding that we leave this ancestor in your hands?” Tu’kesa questioned. She put her hand on her hip, very close to her short sword. ”You yourself says that he is a true treasure, a sign of the Tiki itself, and we’re supposed to leave him to you?”

  “Yes, and you will understand why,” Zu’ji announced. Her eyes turned to the statue of her Tiki and she showed her back to the others. It wasn’t a gesture of disrespect but of absolute trust in her Tiki. ”Haruk’Zil gave me a vision. I saw the Diamond Jungle in all its glory and everything found itself in the protective coils of the all-seeing snake. Its gigantic body was everywhere: every river, every mountain, every troll village, regardless of tribe, was close to its dormant presence, and I followed its scales, from tail to head and the... which sat enthroned on a rock above the village of the River Teeth.”

  All eyes, yes even those of most of the venomous snakes, were completely taken up with the vision of their Tiki and that it could cut through the entire Diamond Jungle.

  Only Tu’kesa found cautious, critical words. “And ... that means what? Should the river teeth rule over us all?”

  “No,” Zu’ji insisted. Of course she would make sure that her tribe would end up at the top, but there was more to this vision and she looked back at everyone. “Everything has a beginning. The head above our village symbolizes that, of that I am absolutely certain. If I manage to replace Meneka as the Tiki of River Teeth with Haruk’Zil, the power of the all-seeing snake will gradually spread throughout the entire Diamond Jungle. Or... does anyone here doubt or not support the fact that our Tiki should be above all of them?”

  None of them, not even Tu’kesa, dared to give a look that was against the question. Instead, all the trolls went down on their knees one after the other and bowed their bodies in prayer before their Tiki.

  Only Zu’ji remained standing, bathing in the moment and a woolly shiver went through her body, which was surely a reward for her faith. She was on the right path and hinted at more to those present. “It has already begun. The trials were a seed planted for this vision and elsewhere, too, this seed will take root, just as the attainment of the ancestors. All this is linked and will lead us into a future that only a Tiki could create and see. Praise be Haruk’Zil!” Zu’ji exclaimed and was echoed by all.