Táltos of Godwhip

There is a place deep in the Karrabata mountain range, in the belly of the mountains. Among the snaking corridors of a multitude of cave systems, with the largest and most beautiful rooms, from the ceiling of which colorful phosphorescent crystals hang, or mosses grow, on the floor of which veins of springs run, their walls are painted with veins of salt, gold, silver, copper and bronze plates. Where the corridors are painted with pale blue, fire red, honey gold and snow white light.

This wonderful little jewelry box is the territory of the Zaukán tribe. Centuries ago, at the time of the founding of the tribe, there was hardly any light between the walls. The ancestor of the Zaukán tribe settled in the corridoors of stalactites and crystals, they were the first spiritual seers. At that time, the tribe occupied only two or three rooms in the belly of the mountains, and little more than a dozen corridors that connected them to each other and to the outside world. Today, however, their area already covers thirty rooms and they use so many tunnels that anyone who is not familiar with the place can easily get lost.

The center of the tribe's territory hidden under the mountains, the largest room covered with phosphorescent mosses, the walls of which, when visited at certain times of the year, are covered with iridescent crystals, is called Kristályvár by the hegiis living in Madüjawr. It was in this room, that the head of the Zaukán tribe, welcomed his son and his small group. There was silence in the room when the innocent name 'Chüvigh Rahul' left the mouth of the adventurous boy accompanied by a smile.

"He came from over the mountains, yes! Could you stop staring at him like he is a miracle bug?" Razvan moved imperceptibly closer to Rahul, who was now blinking with a frightened look next to him.

"Well, that's interesting." Poor Rahul's nerves almost snapped when he heard Etele's voice from behind him and the only thing that stopped him from jumping was that Razvan put his hand on his shoulder at the same moment when his ghost relative spoke.

"Forgive me." Razvan's mother suddenly smiled.

"It is rare that someone from beyond the Karrabata visits us." The tribal chief excused himself.

"Does sugar really grow on trees?" The little girl leaned forward with sparkling eyes, which only made Rahul feel strange. He didn't understand how an eye that saw nothing could shine.

"In the fields in the form of reeds or beets, I haven't seen it on trees yet." He turned his gaze away, even though he knew that those who were staring at him couldn't see.

"Oh..." The girl blinked and jumped up from her chair. "Shall we have a celebratory dinner now that brother's friends are here? Please dad, please!" She grabbed the clothes of the man sitting next to her and started pulling it.

"What do you think, son?" The chief ignored his daughter, but Rahul saw that the black-haired, smiling-faced Lolla was now grinning, like the little children at home, when they managed to persuade the village elders to have one more bedtime story. Rahul knew then that a celebratory dinner was on the menu tonight.

"We are all tired and I am sure they will be very hungry by the time the food is ready." Razvan let go of Rahul's shoulders and closed his eyes.

"Then it's decided. Son, take your friends to the guest caves so they can rest before eating. Little girl, go to the chefs and order your favorites." He ruffled her hair.

"Yes, sir!" The two Zaukán children answered at the same time, and then the girl ran out of the room in the direction from which the team came not long ago. Razvan stood up and it was enough for the Athamanas to jump to their feet, including Rahul. They said goodbye to the tribal chief and his wife, then followed their leader towards the right side of the room into another tunnel.

After a distance of two arrow shots, the corridor branched off in two directions. Razvan led the boys to the left side. They found themselves in front of a small corridor, which was dotted with many doors, behind the doors were simple accommodations. As they moved forward, Razvan told each member of the team in which room they could rest. Finally, only the boss and Rahul were left when they turned right at the end of the corridor into another tunnel.

"Will this be mine?" Rahul tilted his head to the side when they stopped in front of another door.

"No, this is mine." Razvan smiled and opened the dorr. "I said I'd give you something for your sleeping problem. Come." He gestured to Rahul to follow him into the room, which the chüvigh boy did, albeit slowly. The room was surprisingly simple, considering that the son of a chief lived in it.

In the room there was only a chest for clothes, a table with two chairs and a hole in the wall with furs on it that served as a bed. Razvan hurried over to the chest and began to rummage through it, then turned back to Rahul, who was still standing in the middle of the room, smiling.

"There it is. Here, I'll tell you in advance, it tastes horrible, but if you don't breathe, you won't notice it." He held out his hand, a small seven-petaled flower rested in his palm, which seemed to give off a purple light.

"What is this?" Rahul took the flower and turned it in front of his eyes.

"Potyókia." The leader of the Athamana put his hands on his hips.

"If I die, I will haunt you." Rahul took a deep breath, closed his eyes and threw the flower into his mouth.

"You would be the most vibrant spirit I have ever seen." The flower almost caught on Rahul's throat, and he burst into a fit of coughing in his surprise.

"Are you crazy?" He moaned with great difficulty.

"For you? A long time ago." The other chuckled, and Rahul just rolled his eyes.

"To hell with you." He folded his arms in front of him.

"Where?" Razvan's head tilted to the side, thanks to which it presented such a sight that Rahul had to swallow, his eyes hardly wanted to tear themselves away from the other's beautifully curved neck.

"Forget it. It's a silly thing." He took a big swallow, then turned away from the Tapló boss. "Now you could show me where my room will be."

"Follow me." Razvan stepped past him and headed back towards the part of the corridor where he had accommodated the team.

Meanwhile, in the lesser-known passages of the Karrabata, a rather grumpy chán man stood in the middle of a strange room. If one payed close attention to the walls, ona can see that they are not real. Only the images reflected on the crystals. This room is the room of desires, where people see what they want to see. Although at this moment the chán man was staring at the floor instead of the walls and massaging his forehead with his right hand.

"Damn hegins. Now I had to move my house because of them. I had plans though." He sighed, then the room shook around him, and he, not even bothering with the alternating crystals, laid down on a fur spread on the ground. "And here are those fools." He closed his eyes. "Anyway, later..." He promised himself before falling asleep.

The past few days had made him very tired, although he was an experienced and strong cultivator, 'suddenly moving' was not at the top of the chán Mo Ching's wish list. It takes a lot of energy to control the floating rocks. It took him three days or so to guide his floating home to a place where the Madüjawrians would not find him. And then he took to the caves of the mountains to catch up with the foolish group who have been chasing him for years.

"What the buddha?!" The man growled when he woke up to a high-pitched screeching sound. His eyes immediately looked for the source, but before he could find it, he was captured by the image that had just appeared on the crystal wall, causing him to quickly pick himself up from the ground and fish out an object that looked like a simple wooden board from a stick thrown against one of the walls of the room. He just had to hold his hand over it to make the wood light up and colored dots appear on it. "I knew they couldn't stand it." The man smiled as he looked at the crystal wall. "So you want to be my students?" One corner of his mouth lifted, creating a mocking smile on his face. "Then let me see what you can do!"