And it was during the war against the waters that Helamakt did battle with the waves.
The waves were attempting to overcome the land, surging over Ernalda bearing their cargos
of monsters and sea life. Where barley field had been was now found merman's beard, where
fat cattle had grazed, fat fish floated. When Helamakt saw this he was moved to battle. He
leapt to the beach and roared a challenge to the waves. They heard his challenge and
answered it by surging eagerly forward. He slashed at the waves and laughed at them. But
wave piled on wave and the water got deeper and Helamakt found it harder to fight. Eight
mighty waves had rolled up to him and the water was already high enough so that only his
neck and shoulders were out of the water. But the ninth wave bore a mighty monster of the
deep and this Helamakt slew with his Slays Sevens Blow. He leapt onto the monster's back
and again was free to battle freely. But more waves came and started piling higher again
and after eight Helamakt found himself struggling again. But again the ninth wave bore a
mighty monster and after a brief struggle it too was slain and piled on top of the first
monster. And so it went. Nine times nine times nine waves came and each ninth wave bore a
mighty denizen of the deep. And each carcass was added to the pile. But finally the waves
wearied of the fight and their brutal losses and retreated leaving Helamakt unbloodied
atop a tall pile of the monsters of the deep. And Helamakt roared his defiance of the
waves and stomped his foot turning the monsters into stone. And you can still see the
bodies of the sea creatures in the stone at Whitewall. It is also said that if you listen
carefully in the caverns deep below Whitewall you can still hear the sea and see ghostly
fish. It is also rumoured that careless wanders, lacking wisdom and wards, who go too deep
within the mound may never return but fall prey instead to some phantom monster of the
deep.
This page last modified September 14, 2004
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