Chapter 2:  The Spurning of Boltumeth

Before Kilomond was cast from heaven, in the days in which Silnethren first wandered the earth and the sea was not yet broken by islands, the goddess Kalikel knew no rival on land, for her wild winds and rivers rushed to and fro wherever they so desired. Beautiful and fierce, she went from coast to coast, but never did she go into the sea. When her crashing streams reached the ocean, she always turned back. In those days, the sea had no salt in it but still Kalikel turned back, for she loved most the places where the water and land met and were vibrant. Many a wild creature ventured out into the ocean, traveling both Kali’s rivers and Boltulemth’s seas. Foremost and wisest among these creatures are the great turtles who wandered land, river, and sea.

In the evening of a fall day during these times Higaro, still a hatchling, the son of the turtle lord Edrodos, came to Kali as she rested calmly in the shade of a mighty waterfall, with the court of the river spirits arrayed about her. 

“Why do you not go into the seas, Lady Kalikel? Are you afraid of them?” innocently inquired the young turtle.

“No child,” responded Kalikel, “I am not afraid of them. They simply do not interest me. For my concern is where the waters and the earth touch each other, and what is bounded within the water. So, the shores are my domain, where I first met your father, and the rivers that flow through many lands, and the lakes deep and cold, and the swamps and marshes and bogs. So too are the forests and deserts and plains sustained by the water but not the seas, for there is no land among them and so nothing that merits my attention.” 

“I am afraid of the sea, mighty lady,” replied the bashful young hatchling, “its depths are dark and seem to go on forever and ever. I have never been out of sight of the shore. Though I would very much like to. My father says that I will, eventually, but I am still afraid.”

Heart filled with compassion, the mighty Kali rose from her repose in the great falls, and knelt beside the young turtle.

“Would you like me to accompany you on your first venture out into the sea? For what harm could befall you when you are with me? Though I rather travel the skies of my brother Silnethren when I cross the sea, for your sake I will venture into the oceans. Even the mightiest of rivers obeys my command. I will beat back the waves and clear our path! Come, let us make plans to visit the oceans together!”

“Lady Kalikel, I would be so pleased if you would join me! We could wander all the seas together and I will learn not to fear the ocean! We could spend years within the sea and be untouched!”

“Indeed child! Come, let us begin!”

So Kali and Higaro laid out their journey traveling first to the coast and then out into the mighty waves. Together they swam through the great oceans, yet unbroken by land, and unplowed by the sterns of ships. Not even the fiercest of storms stayed the intrepid pair, for no wave or wind could overcome Kali’s might. From azure tropics to the deep chill of the polls the pair wandered about the seas on still waters.

But their presence had not gone unnoticed. For Boltumeth, king of the seas, who dwells under the waves, took notice of these two strangers, and for some time followed the pair from deep beneath the waves. Higaro was nothing new to the mighty god of the deep. He had seen many turtles before and regularly consulted with their lord Edrodos. No, it was not the young turtle that drew his attention. It was Kalikel.

The Lord of the Depths had never before seen beauty like that of the river goddess. Her wild hair and eyes, the freedom with which she traveled the water, the strength with which she beat back the waves entranced Boltumeth and snared his heart. Though he shepherded throngs of fish great and small and never before longed for other company, in that moment, the lord of the ocean felt strangely alone.

Longing to make the river goddess his own, Boltumeth rose up to the surface and launched himself from the water! His great, finned form broke above the waves like a dolphin. His rounded body arched through the air, pale green skin glistening in the sun, and his black globe-like eyes turned to try and catch wild Kali’s.

Kali paid him no mind. She had seen the dolphins and the whales do such things. She could do them herself if she desired.

“What was that?” inquired Higaro, “We’ve not seen anything like that before.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing,” replied Kali, “Just another creature of the deep. Come we have more to see of the great seas, yes?”

“Hmmm… I suppose,” replied Higaro.

And the two set out again into the ocean.

Now Boltumeth was greatly confused. Why had the wild lady paid him no mind? Surely, she had seen him? Why had she not at the very least talked to him? Before even that, who was she? Why had he never seen here before? These and many other questions filled the mind of Boltumeth and so he sought council.

It so happened that the time of Edrodos’ yearly visit approached, and when he came to the appointed meeting place, Boltumeth was waiting for him.

“It is unlike you to arrive here before I. The fish of the sea place many demands on you, and I am curious as to what would drive you to ensure that they were all completed in a manner that would allow you to be early, my lord.”

“Mmmmmmmm Indeed!” rumbled the ocean lord, in a deep and jolly voice. “It is unusual for me to make such time and allowances, but I find myself needing your counsel. I saw a woman crossing the ocean the likes of which I had never seen before. No mere water spirit was she but a goddess! Her hair flowed down like a wild river and her eye seemed to pierce your very soul! She moved with grace and power, and wave and storm seemed but trifles before her! You must tell Edrodos, if you know! Who is she?”

Edrodos, considered for a moment, looking up to the stars.

“There is only one who fits that description. You have seen Kalikel, the Wild Lady, She rules the rivers and forests and all the wild lands of the world, my lord. She is mighty and beautiful indeed, a good friend to me and my kind. It is strange that she has gone out to the sea. I do not think I know of her doing so before.” 

“Ahhh no matter! She has come here now, and I must meet her!”

And so Boltumeth left the presence of the turtle lord Edrodos, swiftly with great haste, setting out to find the wild lady.

Long did the ocean lord search for the Kalikel. Many days and many nights he swam his vast domain, seeking her out with no avail. With each passing hour the more desperate Boltumeth grew to find her, yet he could seem to trace her.

Frustrated to the point of anger struck the floor of the sea, loosing a mighty rock from where it rested in the sea floor.

“Ah ha!” the sea lord declared, triumphant. “That is how I shall find her! I will push up land from depths of the ocean, for she is concerned of where the water meets the sea! That is how I shall find her!”

Rising up to the surface of the ocean, Boltumeth gathered all the strength of his girthy frame, and dove. Faster he dove than any fish, or fowl had ever done before or has done since, he struck the floor of the sea, and up from the depths rose land covered in fire and rock. Hot it was, at first, but slowly it cooled.

Swimming away, that he might take in his great work, Boltumeth surveyed the island, and saw that it was barren.

“Hmmmm, this island lacks something in beauty, so when she comes, I will offer to her to build a kingdom together on this island and fill it with the life we see fit. Then she shall be mine forever and we will live in bliss!”

Now, when Boltumeth raised up the first island in the sea, Kalikel felt the great tremor caused by it, for she and her young turtle companion were not far from the southern sea where it was raised.

Sensing the tremor as well, Higaro turned to Kalikel.

“What was that?” asked the frighted young turtle.

Turning toward the origin of the noise, Kalikel’s eyes opened wide and she beheld a great wave coming towards them. Sweeping up Higaro in her mighty arms and summoning the wind, Kalikel took off across the surface of the sea seeking to outrun the great wave. But slowly, the wave grew up on them. Realizing that she would not be able to outrun the wave. Kali set down the prince and turned to face the wave. Squaring herself to the wave she leaped high into the air and plunged at the wave. Summoning the great west wind to her clenched fist, Kali struck the wave with all her might, cleaving it in two so that it passed around the young turtle in two diminished waves.

Returning to the surface ocean, Kali quickly swept over to prince Higaro.

“Are you alright, my Child!?” swirled Kali taking the turtle in her arms.

“I… I… Think I am, my lady…” replied the shaken turtle. “I think I am unharmed.”

“Come, we will away to the court of your father. Then I will return to uncover what happened here.”

Moving quickly, Kali, Higaro her arms, set out to the court of Edrodos.

“I will not stop till you are home little one,” spoke Kali, seeking to comfort the prince, “Then I shall return and see what has caused this threat.”

Kali traveled for four days and five nights before arriving once more on friendly shores. With her feet firmly planted on the beach, Kali and the turtle made for the river Illtellara, in whose mouth is Rosdoros, the first city of the great turtles.

When the pair arrived at the city in the delta, Kali went immediately to the throne room of Edrodos, Higaro trailing behind her.

“Edrodos! We have returned from our venture into the seas! Though it was not as uneventful as I would prefer,” spoke Kalikel in a firm tone. “Do you know who amongst the sea might raise up a tidal wave so swift and ferocious that I could not outrun it? For that is what we encountered on our journey. They threatened the life of your son and I have a score to settle.”

Edrodos, startled by Kali’s sudden appearance and sonorous declaration, resettled himself in his seat at the end of his hall.

“Well, I am glad that you have returned with him unharmed, though I would have preferred that I was aware of your journey before its outset,” replied the turtle lord, “Now, describe what occurred on this venture of yours.”

“I do not know the day nor  hour of its occurrence,” sighed the wild lady, “It… would have been nearly a week ago in the open ocean. I did not fear for we were on the surface of the waters, and there is no one on land or sea who could truly threaten me. But there in the middle of the sea, I began to hear a roar. It was a strange sound to hear in a body of still water. I turned in the direction from which the noise came and saw approaching us at great speed a wave the size I have never before seen. A true titan. I could withstand it but my heart turned to the young prince. I attempted to outrun it but when I looked back the giant was gaining on me. I do not know if it was because I carried the prince in my arms but I could not leave the wave behind. So, I turned, and struck the wave with my great might, and broke its wrath.”

“Now tell me…” spoke Kali, her visage darkening, “Who in the sea could do this?”

“That is strange,” replied Edrodos, rising from his seat, and turning away from the wild lady, “I have never seen anyone who I thought could match your might save other gods and I recently met with one who was seeking you out, though when we met, he bore you no ill intent. He seemed eager to meet you in fact. So, I doubt it was him though, in the ocean, I think he alone is capable of what you described. His name is Boltolomuth, lord of the ocean, and he is a friend to our kind. It is concerning that he has placed my son in dang…”

Before the lord of the ocean could finish his concern a swirling wind filled the hall and Kali was gone, leaving Edrodos and his son in the hall, not but a stiff breeze in her place.

Kali now retraced her steps. Where before it had taken four days and five nights to travel the distance from the sea to the hall of Edrodos burdened the young prince Higaro, she now made the journey to where she spit the tidal wave in three days.

When she reached the point of her mighty feat, like a great wolf in search of her prey, the wild lady scanned around the horizon.

And indeed, something strange stood on the horizon. A league or so in the distance stood an island that, Kali had no recollection of passing with the young prince. Fixing her gaze on the isle, Kali advanced, cautious as to the purpose the ocean lord had for the island.

Whilst she was still at some distance, Kali perceived with her eyes as sharp as an eagle, a lone figure sitting relaxed on the island, strangely with a downcast face despite his posture. Suddenly, when Kali was not a stone’s throw away from the shore, the features of the rotund and webbed figure, rose having caught sight of the approaching Kalikel.

“Ho there!” cried the stranger in a merry voice, “I am Boltolomuth, ruler of the ocean and who might you be stranger? For I recognized your young companion as one of the subjects of Edrodos, but I did not recognize you. Your beauty and strength! Power and grace! They were like none that I had ever seen before. But you seemed not to- ”

“What do you desire from me, ocean lord!?” introjected the wild lady with contempt as cold and sharp as mountain rapids. “Surely you did not place the life of my young companion in danger simply to draw my attention?”

“I fear that was my cause lady, though I did not mean to endanger the young one,” smiled Boltolmuth, “for you are as fair and mighty as none other I have seen. And as I was saying, you seemed to take no notice of my attempts to draw your attention.”

“I saw, but its witness left little impression.” growled Kali, in a half breath.

“I know, wild lady!” the startled ocean lord responded, “That is why I redoubled my efforts! And set about this mammoth work!”

The words had barely left his mouth, Kali’s wrath bubbled over. Thrusting both hands forward in front of her, a blast of air pushed Boltolometh across the shore of the island, voice bellowing in the wind.

“Do you even know my name?!?! You have not asked for it, yet you speak as though this island, this ‘mammoth work’ of yours should ingratiate me to your flattery. But all you have done is threaten the life of my friend! 

Sliding to a stop in the sand and with a voice that shook the foundations of the earth, the ocean lord boomed in return,

“I know who you are! And I know your name! You are Kalikel, the wild lady! Edrodos has told me that yours is the domain of all wild things! Of forests and grasslands, swamps and deserts, but most of all you love the rivers and the shore, streams and deltas, where water and land meet! This is what I know you love most!”

Pausing, and breathing deeply for a moment, then continuing in a quieter tone,

“This is why I made this,” gesturing to the island, “It is what you love! Land and water! It is a blank slate for us to explore together! We can build and change and make whole! See! This is what I offer you! Come and be my wife and you will rule not only this but many more such as this that I can create! Also, I will give you all the seas to rule with me!”

Calming in her wrath, though by no means sating it, Kali turned away from the ocean lord.

“You have misjudged me, Boltolomuth. You offer me land and power and the waters, as if I do not already have them. I do not desire more. Why should I? The rivers and the forests and the rushing wind are already mine.”

Once more facing the ocean lord, Kali continued,

“What would you have me say? You mean me no harm, but you would not speak to me to learn who I am. You have placed one whom I love in danger because of your desire for me and that I cannot accept. It is not the rivers, or lands, or winds themselves that I love, but the life and wild they sustain. Why should I come and build something new here when I have so much to sustain in my domain? I will not come and be with you. Goodbye.”

And Kali departed from the island, her smoldering anger fueling her great speed. No further word was Boltolomuth able to speak to her, for she had heard all that she was willing to hear from him. Heartbroken and grieving, Boltolomuth slunk back to the depths of the sea. There he wept for a great period of time, and his tears turned the sea salty as it is till this day. He still longs for Kali and from time to time he will raise an isle from the sea bed to lure her to him. But Kali pays them no mind.

From time to time a wild river spirit will go to the islands, swayed by the promise of making something new and being rulers themselves. Boltolomuth makes them queen of the seas for a time, but eventually his heart returns to Kali, and puts them away on whatever island first drew them to him. He sired many a child from these marriages and they are the wild sea spirits that drive the fiercest storms and strongest currents.

So, the sea became salty, and Kali spurned Boltolomuth.