The blade, the root, the mountain and the CEO

Preface

The blade, the root, the mountain and the CEO is a piece of Player Created Fiction written by Herko Kerghans as one of his many Caldari tales. Originally published in the EVE-online forums [1].

The blade, the root, the mountain and the CEO

A man climbed up a mountain, and then he climbed down. He returned to the same place, but returned a different man.

Raata folklore

-

“You cannot go alone CEO Ishanoya… I cannot allow it”

“Lai Dai pays you to give me orders Uootadan?”

There’s ice in her voice, cold and sharp. Enough to make a lesser corp’s CEO drop begging to his knees. Uootadan sighed and shaked his head, and for the first time in his career saw his employer’s back getting more than 10 steps away from him.

-

Alakoni finished the long climb up. Wind on the pine trees… She steeled; gripping the scabbard she approached to the wooden house.

The old man and the young boy were sitting by the low table. Now. It has to be now! Alakoni took her hand to the hilt. Now!! She noticed the third cup and doubted for an instant. A third cup? But for who…?

“Greetings, CEO Ishanoya”.

How…?

“Please CEO, honor us… join us”

The old man had his blind eyes turned to her. The young boy was looking at her. Both were smiling. Waiting.

Alakoni sat in front of the third cup, still clutching to the hilt.

The old man’s hands flow among the pots as he crumbles the leafs, as he pours the hot water. Mist rises from the cups.

All of a sudden she realizes that tea is served, and somehow she is the guest. The guest drinks first, that’s the tradition... The aroma: hak’len. Death in a hot cup…

Her hands trembled midway between the hilt and the table.

The old man smiles and takes his cup to his lips. With slow, fluid hands he drinks.

Alakoni takes a deep breath and steadies herself. Takes the cup. The fragance reminds her of…

Sip.

”I’m sorry dear Hoken, my love… all this time doing nothing but work, and now that you are so pale in your coffin how I wish I could trade all this years for a moment with you my love…”

Sip.

”Goodbye dad… I wish… I wish we had had more time for each other, more time for father and daughter, more time… but now you are gone dad, oh dad…”

Sip.

”WHY?? WHY!! Oh God, why… Don’t leave us mom!! Don’t leave us!! Be well again mom!! Oh God mom don’t die…

Crash.

The cup bounces against the table and smashes against the floor spilling the rest of the tea.

”What are you doing to me old man!!??”

“Sharing our traditions with a most powerful CEO…”

“I didn’t come here for traditions, crazy old fool… I came here to kill you. Kill you! You and the old ways!”

“A tree cannot kill his own roots…”

“NONSENSE!! Traditions are for fools… The Meeting was posponed, 5 votes against 3… but I cannot take the risk! It cannot happen again… It will NOT!! We will not go to war for a rock… We will not be ruled by traditions!!”

“A tree…”

“TRADITIONS ARE FOR FOOLS!!!”

“Even courtesy for an old blind?"

There’s snow in his voice. “Master Kierou would be disappointed…”

Slash.

And Master Kierou jumps forward, letting go his shortsword, helding the longsword with both hands cutting downwards straight to the head.

Slash.

”Pain. Blood. Oh the pain… Sorry Master… I’ve… I’ve failed you… I… I couldn’t... Argh, pain!… Master.. wh-why are you smiling?”

Slash.

Master Kierou smiles. ”Stand up my young Alakoni… Failed? You survived what cannot be stopped. Now follow your path. Raise to the top... but always remember your scars”

Hiss.

The blade comes out of the scabbard, and Alakoni jumps forward, helding the longsword with both hands cutting downwards straight to the head.

The old man and the young boy drink their tea.

The blade shivers.

I can’t…

The blade trembles.

I can't!

Master Hakkilen puts down his cup, over the table.

“I daresay that Master Kierou taught you better than to hold your sword with trembling hands…”

His eyes. They do not flinch.

“…or to sheate a clean blade… ”

His hands. They never shake.

“Farewell, CEO. We will meet again.”

-

CEO Ishanoya finished the long climb down.

Slash to the left shoulder, thrust to the right. Twice cutting deep, yet not to the bone.

Uootadan flinched less in pain than in surprise.

“With all due respect CEO, but why was that for?”

CEO Ishanoya cleaned her blade and sheated her sword. “Lai Dai pays you to question me Uootadan? Get into the car. Patch your bleeding. Back to HQ”