Rahan. Episode Thirty Eight. The Sign of Fear. by Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.
The son of the ferocious ages.

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Episode Thirty Eight.

The Sign of Fear.

The man who was armed with the solid stick could easily have broken the skull of the reptile that threatened him. But he remained motionless, as if petrified with fear.

But strike, brother!
What are you waiting for to break the neck of this snake!?

The passive attitude of the hunter amazed the son of Crao.

But it was then that he noticed, on the forehead of the unknown, the sign with which certain clans mark the fearful and the cowardly.

Rahan understands! He will kill it for you!!

Page Two:

The ivory cutlass flew to the reptile that was ready to uncoil.
The body was slender but Rahan's skill was such.

That the blade pierced it right through!
All you have to do is finish it! I hope you will have the courage.

The stranger decided to strike, breaking the snake's head.
Maha thanks you for coming to his aide!

As Rahan retrieved his weapon, the man was again seized with fear made a fleeing movement.
Do not be afraid, Maha!

Rahan never attacks "Those-who-walk-upright", when they are not quarreling with him!
And I do not think Maha would quarrel with him, would he?

Page Three:

Maha never fights, he never kills.
Maha was driven from his clan after being branded with the mark of infamy.

Ever since Maha has been afraid.
Fear of wild animals and darkness.
Fear of enemies and fire in the sky. Maha has always fled from danger!

The son of Crao felt more pity than contempt for this man who had thus confessed his weakness.
All "Those-who-walk-upright" have, at least once in their life, experienced fear.

But fear is something to fight!
Does Maha want to pass the night with Rahan?
Maha accepts. Especially since he knows.

That this forest haunted by the "Kayaks", formidable hunters who cut off the hands of all those who violate their territory!

Page Four:

The two men dozed off by the dying fire.
Rahan, as usual, had his knife within reach.

Before falling asleep, a curious idea occurred to him.
Maha thinks he is too scared!
He should get that idea out of his head!!

Maha discreetly observed Rahan, who had just fallen asleep.
He also observed the ivory knife.
With such a weapon, Would Maha perhaps be less afraid?

When the son of Crao awoke.
Maha had disappeared.
And his knife as well!
Maha has betrayed Raha's trust! But Rahan will find him!

Indeed, he quickly found the traces of the fugitive.
These followed a huge fault, as deep as it was steep.

Page Five:

And suddenly, he discovered the man, a few steps from a tree.
Maha was training to throw his knife.
He wants to imitate Rahan!

Amused, the son of Crao remained in ambush.
The clumsily projected knife struck the trunk indifferently.

And suddenly it was a tragedy!
The knife, missing the trunk, continued its flight and slid over the rock, and disappeared into the crack which seemed to be bottomless!

Rahan thought his heart stopped beating. Then anger made him spring from the thickets.
That knife has saved Rahan's life a hundred times over! It is his only treasure!!

Maha panicked and did not have time to flee. He was violently thrown to the ground.
Maha deserves to join the cutlass!

Page Six:

The man screamed in fright when the son of the fierce ages snatched him from the ground.
No, No! Have pity, he screamed!
And carried him to the crevasse.

Rahan, on the edge of the abyss, hesitated.
He always hesitated to take the life of "Those-who-walk-upright".
Rahan should, you!
He, He, He cannot!

He freed Maha, who was stupefied by this clemency.
Rahan has let you live, but you will help him find his knife!!

The idea he had had the day before came back to him.
You will drink the "Potion of Bravery" and you will no longer know fear!

The “Potion of Bravery”?
It is a secret revealed to me by Crao, my father.
Rahan was already breaking one of these "Fruits of wood" whose flavor he had once discovered.

Page Seven:

Then in the coconut, he crushed berries picked from surrounding shrubs.
This beverage chases away fear and restores courage!
Rahan has already drunk this potion of bravery?

He drinks it every day!
Leading by example, Rahan took a sip of the thick mixture.

Maha, convinced, eagerly swallowed the rest of the drink.
From now on, you will be able to face the most fearsome of the "Doyaks"!

But why would Maha face a "Doyak"?
Because Rahan will tie vines to himself to descend into this fault.

And a "Doyak" might come up and cut through those vines.
But Maha will stay there to stop it, to allow Rahan to descend into the Chasm!

Page Eight:

No one has ever trusted Maha like this! You have already saved Maha's life.
Maha will protect yours!!

Soon after, Maha was admiring the skill with which the son of Crao tied together the long vines torn from the trees.
Rahan knows how to do everything!

No, he knows a lot of things, but he would like to know more!
He would like to have as many ideas in his head as there are leaves in these trees!

The vine was tied to a trunk and thrown into the void.

And the son of the fierce ages slid down the wall.
This one was so smooth that, if the vine were to give way, it would be impossible for him to get out of this abyss!

Rahan's life will hang on this line, brother!

Page Nine:

Rahan was playing a dangerous game.
He had invented this so-called secret "Potion of Bravery" to restore Maha's confidence.

But would not this one, at the slightest danger, be oppressed by his fear?
Would he not abandon the creeper he was keeping?

As he continued his descent a swarm of bats rose from the shadows and circled around him.

But the man who violated their lair worried these beasts, who disappeared without daring to attack him.

Sometimes, high above, Rahan glimpsed the bust of Maha who addressed him with signs of friendship.

He remains! He is not giving up on Rahan!

Page Ten:

Although very deep, this fault was wide enough for daylight to enter.

The descent was exhausting and the son of Crao sometimes clung to a knot in the vine to catch his breath.

Rahan may find his knife, but he will never have enough strength to come back up.

Screams suddenly rang out, dampened by the distance.
What is happening up there? The “Doyaks”?

Two "Doyaks" had just emerged from the bushes.
They laughed and pointed with contempt to the man with the forehead marked with the "sign of fear".
How dare a coward venture into Doyak territory!?
No doubt you have lost your way!

Page Eleven:

What are you doing near this vine?
Who were you waving at a moment ago?
The "Doyak" hunter approached, threateningly.

Your hands will adorn the entrance to my hut!!
Again, Maha experienced fear.
But he hesitated.
Should he flee, as he had always done?

Or should he face these savage "Hand Cutters" and keep the promise made to Rahan?

Who meanwhile approached the bottom and had a shudder of repugnance, as under him spread out a thick carpet of cobwebs.

These webs were intertwined, and overlapped in many layers that the dust of time had made opaque and disturbing.

Page Twelve:

However, at the edge of the rift, Maha felt overwhelmed by an unknown feeling.
Maha is not afraid of the "Dayaks!" Step back!! Step back!!

The two hunters rushed forward laughing.
And Maha did not have time to oppose one who cut the vine with an ax!

The son of fierce ages fell suddenly on the repulsive carpet, and burst it with his weight.
And his limbs were entangled in the threads.

He found himself under the webs that wove a gray sky above him.
Oh! The knife!

The ivory weapon, held up by a thick canvas, was there!
He only had to jump to grab it!

Page Thirteen:

The polished handle he gripped gave him a moment's confidence.
But the canvas roof began to vibrate.
And he understood that the mistress of this kingdom was about to arise.

And the giant tarantula did indeed appear, horribly hairy, and bigger than those sea turtles he had once encountered.

The son of fierce ages knew this monster was terribly venomous.
Rahan must not let him approach! He must flee!

He thought for a moment of throwing his knife.
But, if he did not reach a vital organ, he would be at the mercy of the monster.

Severing the threads that hindered his escape, he therefore rushed under the cobwebs, towards the glimpses of daylight.

Page Fourteen:

He finally saw the sky again, but the tarantula did not abandon its prey!
The melee would be fatal to Rahan!
He would be struck down by your venom!

Argh!
Suddenly a scream rang out and Rahan saw a man's body spinning in the air.
A long spear accompanied the hunter in his fall.

Maha did not abandon me! He fights up there!
The "Doyak" had just crashed on the rocks.

And the son of Crao, rushing to his spear, was already facing the giant spider.

Rahan can now kill you without approaching you!
The hairy legs waved and the tarantula rushed towards the man!

Page Fifteen:

The tip of the spear disappeared entirely between the monster's two eyes.

But as the latter was still moving, Rahan struck again, even more violently.

Ra-ha-ha!
And the cry of victory of the son of the wild ages thundered in the fault, and rose towards the sky.

Rahan has found his knife. Rahan has triumphed over this horrible beast.
But Rahan is still a prisoner in this fissure!!

Climbing this polished granite wall was indeed unthinkable!
And the long creeper, whose fall had dislocated the tarantula's kingdom, was of no use to him!

Page Sixteen:

Only Maha can still save Rahan, by throwing him a new vine, thought Rahan!

But Maha may have fled! Or maybe he was killed by “Doyaks” like this!

Rahan was there in his thoughts when.
Courage, Rahan! You will soon be out!
Of this cursed fissure!!
Maha!

And no sooner had the echo carried away Maha's voice than a long vine whipped the wall of the vault and unrolled at his feet.

Thankyou Maha!
Thankyou Brother!

Yes, by betting on the confidence of the man struck with the mark of infamy, Rahan had played a risky game.

Page Seventeen:

But he was happy just to have taken the chance.
He started climbing.

The son of Crao was agile and his muscles strong.
But he knew he would have to make a tremendous effort to pull himself up more than a hundred meters!

A few bats returned, more menacing than before. And it was then that he felt himself hoisted up without making any effort!

What is going on up there thought Rahan?
Maha is not strong enough to lift Rahan up so!?

All he had to do now was use his legs to make the climb easier!
The edge of the fault was soon very close.

Page Eighteen:

When he approached the edge, the sight left him speechless.
Several "Doyak" hunters were hauling at the vine that passed around a tree.

A few steps away, Maha had knocked down and was threatening another "Doyak" with an ax.

Rahan was right!
The "Potion of Bravery” has made Maha a Brave Man!

Maha explained how, assailed by the chief and his "Doyaks", he had thrown one of them into the fault.
Argh!

And how he had succeeded in mastering the second!
Ouch!

When the clan that followed them arrived, this one was at my mercy!
In threatening their leader with death I forced the "Doyaks” to obey me!!

Page Nineteen:

They are the ones who tied the vines and pulled Rahan out of the abyss!
Maha’s eyes had a new look, a look from which fear had disappeared!

What are we going to do with these men, Rahan?
Let them return to their village!
But let them know from now on that the sign of fear means nothing!

Maha has just proved that this brand has no meaning!
This stupid rite only humiliates the one on whom it is inflicted!

Rahan and Maha kept the chief for a while longer until the Doyaks had gone very far into the forest, then they freed him.

Go! Go! And tell everywhere and to everyone that a man marked with the sign of fear has dictated his law to a clan of "Doyaks"!

Page Twenty:

The setting sun was still blazing above the mountains.
Maha will never have to be ashamed of that scar again!
But he will have to drink the potion of bravery every day!

Ha-ha-ha-ha, Rahan roared in laughter!
The potion does not exist!
It was just the juice of some wild berries!

Rahan imagined this ruse to give you confidence!
Or rather, for you to recover confidence in yourself!
The Ruse succeeded, because of great courage.
A courage that you found in yourself!

Join your clan and approach your brothers without shame!
Maha's gaze had become calm like that of a sage, clear like that of a hunter.

The sun was still shining on the scar, but Maha smiled proudly.
And the son of fierce ages felt very happy.
Because that was how Rahan liked to see his brothers.
"Those-who-walk-upright", smiling!

Index:
https://rumble.com/v3486cm-rahan-index-of-episodes-by-roger-lecureux..html

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