Otheris and the Serpents of Qhudrus by Richard Shekari Page A

it.
    Otheris
screamed but didn’t let go of the witch.
    “Mark my words
son of Delial; I shall bring dusk on you gullible lad!” bragged the
witch.
    Otheris quickly
released his left grip and squeezed her neck harder with his right
hand.
    “ Shiek mukth
quevieth!” chanted the old witch as she shape shifted, and
began to shrink right before his very eyes.
    “You beldam!
You bit me!” He cried out. Otheris was astonished seeing that she
could shape shift into a smaller being.
    She again
locked her powerful teeth to his thenal and the excruciating pain
sent Otheris to his knees.
    “I rule this
filthy lands you and these wretched people call home and all of
Qhudrus as well, and there is nothing you can do about it boy!”
boasted the witch as she shrank small enough in order to escape his
grip. Otheris still refused to let her go, he wanted to make sure
her true identity was exposed to the villagers.
    The villagers
started to come out as they headed toward the old tree.
    “You fool!
Today you shall know why they call me the great witch of Moughdug!”
she maniacally bragged, opened her mouth wide once more and went
for his flesh.
    “To hell with
it!” Otheris said as he opened his mouth and swallowed her
head.
    “No!” shrieked
the old witch, but it was too late; Otheris had ran his teeth
through the tissues around the bones in her neck, he felt the sound
of her flesh ruptured as his incisors pieced through her bones
ripping her head off with one bite.
    Otheris fell to
the ground and spat the head out, he could not bear the unpleasant
taste of blood in his mouth and began to puke still holding to her
miniature body in his hand. Otheris then fell to the ground
panting, and as he lay facing the full moon, the villagers
arrived.
    “What now son
of Delial?” asked one of the villagers.
    Otheris lifted
his head to look at them, spat again then rested his head on the
ground.
    “Have you come
to parade your folly again Otheris!” said another who was holding a
torch.
    Otheris stood
up, “Here!” He suspired as he raised his right hand up for the
village folk to see what he held, Behold! The great witch of
Moughdug! I have caught her and brought her to you my brothers, to
see, and to know that I lied not to anyone!”
    The village
folk began to laugh at him, Otheris then threw the headless
miniature body of the witch at the one holding the torch.
    “You must be
mad!” said the one holding the torch as he jumped off. The village
folk gathered around to see it as Otheris stood up in search for
the head. Astounded by what their eyes beheld, they all left their
jaws open.
    “This can’t be
true!” said the one holding the torch, baffled as he lowered the
torch down to shine light on the body. Otheris found the head then
threw it near the miniature body, as it landed, the villagers moved
a few steps back quickly.
    “You have to
take this to the third palace! We have to alert the king! Otheris!
Otheris?” said one of the villagers who looked around but sighted
Otheris walking home, wiping his mouth with his garment.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Otheris
     
     
    “Otheris!
Otheris!” a woman voiced out, “wake up Otheris!”
    “Oh come on,
can’t a man just have a good rest in this house?” he grumbled.
    “Yes he can! Of
course he can…if he sleeps like normal people do and not go about
hunting crones and fays every night. Get up!” commanded the
woman.
    “Alright!
Alright! I am up already,” he said as he stretched, “what’s for
breakfast? I am hungry!”
    “Of course you
are! But first, the king has sent for you, the guards are outside!”
she said.
    “I have to eat
something! I don’t want to die of hunger, and I know you won’t be
happy if your precious Otheris dies either!” joked Otheris as he
yawned.
    “Well, I
promise you by the time you get back son I’d have your favourite
meal on the table! Now go before the villagers have another reason
to