Rahan. Episode thirty one. The Savage Clan. by Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.

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Episode thirty one.

The Savage Clan.

Rahan should have waited for nightfall to venture on this shore!
A favorable current carried his raft out to sea, but the son of Crao knew that these hostile men, on their light boats, would soon catch up with him.

He had believed that his long trek on the "endless-river" would end on this land.
But fate had decided otherwise.

His approach had been greeted with menacing clamors.
Men had jumped into their boats to chase him.

Page Two:

His pursuers must have been unusually strong, for the spears they threw, despite the distance, fell around the raft.

One of them got stuck between his legs!
Rahan is defenseless! He will join the "territory of shadows"!

A shout of triumph rang out from the nearest boat.
The fire-haired enemy is hit!!

On his raft, there Rahan was teetering.
His hands clenched on a long spear stuck in his chest!!

He fell in the water and the shaft of the spear disappeared under the foam.
The shouts of joy redoubled.

Page Three:

But the son of Crao does not hear them.
The savage clan turned to the place where Rahan had just sunk.

Long after the high hills faded into the gray sky.
And the men returned to their territory.

A fire was lit on the shore around which the hunters let out loud laughs between cuts of wild cries.
No doubt they were celebrating Rahan's death!

In effect.
It is almost a pity that "The enemy" with "Fire-hair" is dead!
We could have submitted him to the three tests!

The wind from the sea carried these fatal words to the rocks that were whipped by the waves.

Page Four:

And even under the roots of the tall mangrove trees bathing the shore.
The son of Crao had allowed himself to sink, hoping by this ruse to deceive the savage clan.
They think they killed Rahan!

He had abandoned the spear he held wedged between his arm and his torso to deceive them.
And had swum to the reefs, glimpsed a moment earlier.

Snuggled up against the rocks, he had waited for night to arrive.
This clan is fearsome, but Rahan has no choice!
Without his raft he can no longer face the "Endless River!"
Rahan must set foot on this land!

At daybreak, Rahan will be far away.
He will have nothing more to fear from this clan!

He was emerging into a clearing when his throat knotted.
The moon lit up a terrifying spectacle.
This land is in the hands of demons!!

Page Five:

Here and there long stakes were driven into the ground.
Tied to these stakes, specters seemed to spring from the "Territory-of-shadows"

This is the fate that awaits Rahan if the shore clan captures him!

The son of Crao was about to flee the sinister clearing when a groan arose in the darkness.
Argh!

A moment later, he discovered an old man, crucified on the ground.
Do not let me suffer. Finish me! Finish me!

Finish you!?
Why would Rahan steal your life?
On the contrary, he will deliver you!
The ivory knife sprang from the lizard sheath.

Page Six:

I do not know from where.
You come, Rahan.
But I know you. Should not. Not defy mine.
The blade was already slicing through the vines binding the ankles.

Unbound, the old man collapsed at Rahan's feet.
For five days. And five nights I have waited for death!
I have lost. My last strength!

Rahan's legs will be yours!
Carrying the half-unconscious old man, the son of Crao plunged into the thickets.

Despite his burden, he walked for a very long time, until the first lights of dawn.
No one can surprise us on this height.

Rest, old man!
When Rahan finds something to eat, you can tell him about your misfortunes!

Page Seven:

Rahan searched in vain for a trail of game.
Only the birds seemed to populate this hill!

He skillfully made a bow using a flexible branch and a thin vine.

A few feathers discovered under a tree provided the quills for balancing the fine arrows.

The son of Crao was remarkably skillful.
A moment later he shot down his first bird in mid-flight.
The second was struck as it took flight.
Rahan hopes "The Men of the Shore" will not notice his fire.

Page Eight:

A little after.
In the past, all the men of the clan were good.
And generous as Rahan! But, our leader has joined the "Territory of Shadows"!

And was replaced by Gaya the cruel.
Gaya has imposed himself on the clan and made his savage law reign.
For he counts on strength alone!

The weakest men are hunted from the clan!
Those who resist Gaya are, delivered to birds of prey, in this clearing.
Or in my case, you discovered me.

Why does the clan not give itself a better leader??
Everyone fears Gaya!
I am the last who dared to oppose this savage!

However.
Someone freed the old Thamouk, Gaya!
See the ties have been severed. I found them in the clearing!

Page Nine:

Whoever dares to act against my will, will know the worst death!
Gaya's cruel gaze wandered over the hills.
He suddenly stopped on the light smoke.

Which rose above the foliage.
Ha-ha-ha!
Thamouk betrays himself!
It can only be he who started this fire!

Those who bring back Thamouk will be entitled to two parts of meat!
A few men were already rushing through the jungle.

Shortly after, their cries and calls reached the son of Crao.
Gaya's hunters are looking for you, Thamouk!
Will you have the strength to run away?

The old man made an effort but fell back on the rock.
Alas no. I could not take ten steps!
So Rahan will track down these men!

Page Ten:

The son of Crao put out the fire under a few handfuls of earth.
And rushed in the direction from which the calls rose.

His plan was simple: prevent hunters from discovering old Thamouk by attracting their anger against him!

Ra-ha-ha!
He soon caught a glimpse of the wild men and he burst out of the jungle.
His cry of defiance thundered through the jungle.
The Fire-Haired Enemy!

To find in these hills they whom they had seen die in the waves amazed the hunters.
And Rahan took advantage of their hesitation.

He bounded into the thickets, in the direction quite opposite to where he had left Thamouk.
He heard the pack chasing him.

Page Eleven:

Old Thamouk is out of danger!
Rahan must now consider his own fate!

The brush had concealed a shallow ravine, into which he tumbled.
Argh!

His head hit a rock hard, but he still had time, before losing consciousness, to catch a glimpse of his pursuers which stood out against the sky.

Stand up fire hair! Upright!
Gaya does not like to wait!
When he came to, his wrists were firmly bound. His knife had been confiscated.

A moment later, they were dragging him into the jungle, towards the shore which he could see through the gaps in the foliage.

Page Twelve:

Recognizing the captive a little later, Gaya-the-cruel gave a shudder of fear.
Can you have the power to return from the "Territory-of-Shadows"!?

Then he sneered.
Know, "Fire-Hair" that we have the power to make you go back there!

A hunter gave the ivory knife to Gaya-the-chief.
Gaya has never seen a weapon so beautiful, so fine, so polished, and so sharp!
It will be a wonderful memory of "Fire-Hair"!

You freed Thamouk, did you not?
What happened to that old fool? Speak! Speak!
The tip of the knife weighed on Rahan's chest.

Gaya only respects force and violence!
Why does he not agree to a fair fight with Rahan!!
The men watched with astonishment this stranger who dared to defy their leader.

Page Thirteen:

I am asking you a question!
What are you waiting for to answer!!

As the pressure of the ivory blade grew stronger.
The son of Crao reacted, his linked fists suddenly rose and fell brutally on Gaya’s temple.

Who was bent in half. To be immediately straightened by a terrible knee!
Ra-ha-ha!

A murmur of admiration greeted this reaction, the clan visibly appreciated the courage of the captive.
Rahan will not be so fiery in a moment!

Drive Fire-Hair to the Ravine!!
In the eyes of Gaya-the-cruel could be seen the desire to kill.

Page Fourteen:

How brave you are before a hindered adversary!
The son of Crao, fierce, raised his bound hands.

The long vine hissed like a whip, lashing Gaya's shoulders, who screamed in rage as much as pain.

You defend yourself like a beast "Fire-Hair"! But your life belongs to Gaya!!
A reproachful cry arose when Gaya brandished the ivory knife.

It would not be fair to steal the prisoner's life like this!
He deserves to stand the test of the stump. But he does not deserve death!

Men, seizing the vine, dragged the captive towards the deep crevice.
"The Test of the Strain"??
What fate does the savage clan reserve for Rahan??

Page Fifteen:

A moment later, the son of Crao understood what his ordeal would be.
If the members of "Fire-Hair" resist until dawn, he will not want to challenge Gaya anymore!
The vine binding his wrists had been tied to a tree. Men tied his ankles.

And tied this second vine to a heavy stump.

When the stump was pushed into the ravine, Rahan thought they were ripping off his arms and legs.
He stifled a howl of pain, once again earning the respect of his tormentors.

Clan custom once demanded that the brave opponent keep his weapon!

Gaya, with a bitter sigh slipped the knife into the lizard sheath.
You won't see the sun rise "Fire-Hair"!!

Page Sixteen:

Abandoning the captive, the clan returned to the shore.
Rahan tried to control the pains of his distended muscles, his stretched joints.

He had thought of his ivory knife.
But the stump was far too heavy for him to curl up and grab the weapon.

The sun was sinking into the ocean when Gaya appeared, a cruel smile on his lips.
I see that you bear "The ordeal-of-the-strain" better than others!

Unsheathing Rahan's knife, he half cut through the vine that held the victim to the tree.
You will crash into the bottom of the precipice, "Fire-Hair"!!

Do not do this Gaya!
Do not do this!
Mine will think that this vine did not resist the strain!! Here is your knife!
Still shaky, old Thamouk had just appeared!

Page Seventeen:

You will join Rahan in the chasm Thamouk!!
The son of Crao felt the fibers of the vine break one by one.
Crack! Crack!

And the line suddenly broke.
Dragged by the stump, Rahan slid on his back, towards the precipice.
Ha-ha-ha! Adieu "Fire-Hair" goodbye!

Oh!
Gaya will die with Rahan!
Rahan grabbed Gaya's ankle.

Screaming in terror, the leader also slipped into the abyss!
He desperately tried to cling to the ground, but in vain.

Argh! Argh!
Old Thamouk saw the two men disappear into the void.
A terrifying cry of pain immediately arose.

Page Eighteen:

Gaya had managed to grab a root but he was now bearing the full weight of the stump and Rahan.
Who had caught a glimpse of a rocky platform below.

Gaya has no choice: either he resists, or he lets go and dies with Rahan!
The son of Crao gave the heavy stump a pendulum swing.

Ra-ha-ha!
When it was above the platform, he released Gaya's ankles.

The fall was hard, but momentarily he was saved.
An instant later he broke free from his bonds.

Alerted by the cries, men of the wild clan had come running and Gaya, exhausted, begged them to come to his aid.

Page Nineteen:

But none of these men were obedient!
Gaya-the-cruel had wanted to kill the captive.
Gaya had not complied with the strain test.
Gaya had to die!

You have reigned over the clan by force for too long, Gaya!
It is right that this force abandons you!

A vine had been thrown to the son of Crao.
You have endured the ordeal with courage, "Hair of fire"!
You have nothing more to fear from us.

Flat against the steep wall, above the bottomless abyss, Gaya-the-cruel was still pleading.
But no one cared about his pleas.

Perhaps you can be more generous than him, Thamouk?
No Rahan! Our clan has suffered too much from the decisions of this savage!

Page Twenty:

Argh! Argh! Argh!
Darkness had long enveloped the hills when a long, mournful cry of dread rose from the ravine.
The last cry of the coward, Gaya-the-cruel!

We will appoint a new leader.
We will choose him, not for his strength, but for his loyalty and his wisdom!

And this shore, as before, will once again become welcoming to those who come from the "Desert-of-water"!
Old Thamouk's words went straight to Rahan's heart.

He was certain that this clan, blinded for a while by force, would become hospitable and fraternal again.
Crao always said that you should never despair of "Those-who-walk-upright"!
And Crao was right!
Thus thought Rahan, in this night of fierce ages, in these times when humanity was still seeking its way between evil and good.
Index:
https://rumble.com/v3486cm-rahan-index-of-episodes-by-roger-lecureux..html

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