Escape From Manitou Island

TITLE: Escape From Manitou Island

GENRES: Fantasy, adventure, drama, mythology.

RATING: PG-13

SUMMARY: Long ago, Manitou Island, the creation of Gitchi Manitou, was destroyed by an evil manitou out of revenge. Now Megissogwun, long thought dead, has returned and taken away the daughter of Manabozho. His threat is clear: Find Kabeyun, the West Wind, his old enemy and father of Manabozho, and bring him forward to fight again...or else little Turtle's fate will be sealed. Unfortunately...no one knows exactly where Kabeyun is...and he has shown no interest whatsoever in assisting either the Island or his family. Still, Charmian is desperate to try. She and an assortment of new and old friends from the Island set out to seek the Four Winds, to try to get back Turtle, and to defeat the ominous Pearl Feather, before he can destroy Manitou Island yet again...but they're going to have to journey very far from the Island, just to try to save it...and no one quite knows what lies beyond the boundaries of the Sky Tree...

WRITING STATUS: In progress.

WRITING DATE: 2005-present.

LENGTH: 210+ chapters.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Fantasy violence, mild adult language, mild adult themes.

COPYRIGHT: This story and all characters, unless otherwise stated in the Disclaimers, are copyright © tehuti_88 and may not be used or distributed without permission. The reader is free to print out or download a copy of this story for offline reading as long as the author's copyright information remains upon it. Please do not distribute; if you wish to share this story, send a link to this page.

DISCLAIMERS: Ocryx and his "species" are © the Haunted Theatre of Mackinac Island. Certain characters such as Manabozho, Glooskap, and Wisakedjak are from Ojibwa, Micmac, and Cree mythology. Although aspects of this story are loosely based on Ojibwa, Micmac, Iroquois, Cree, and Lakota mythology and culture, artistic license has been taken as this is a FANTASY story. Please take note that this story was written between 2005-present and that my writing style and understanding of the mythology I created have changed vastly in the meantime.

ADDITIONAL INFO: NA

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Table Of Contents

Part 1: The Arrival
The chief of the Wendigo GeeBees has met his match!--but in whom...?

Part 2: The Return
Charmian leaves a strange sight at home, and finds another strange sight waiting...

Part 3: Fire Yellow & Snow White
Charmian "escapes" Chakenapok, but finds another mysterious watcher...

Part 4: Enemy's Plea
Augwak asking for Charmian's help?--something MUST be wrong...

Part 5: Confidence Man
Charmian finds town changed yet again, and not for the better...

Part 6: Town Criers
Charmian continues her adventure in town, then heads for the West Bluff...

Part 7: Gift Giving
A reunion leads to gift giving and a bit of strange information...

Part 8: All Talk, Little Action
Laughing Lynx tells a strange tale, and Charmian is called to the Sky Tree...

Part 9: Evasion
Why is everyone so secretive about the Underwater Lynxes...?

Part 10: The Third Degree
A stranger in red is discovered, and Niskigwun interrogates a nervous Augwak...

Part 11: Down Under
A visit with X'aaru and Khiieta leads to yet more troublesome news...

Part 12: Signs
Barrington discovers his whereabouts, and Chakenapok sends some strange information...

Part 13: Mad Dash
An enraged Charmian goes off in search of Barrington...

Part 14: The Anachronist
How do you convince someone he's two hundred years out of place...?

Part 15: Hard Proof
Barrington starts to learn the strange reality of where he is...

Part 16: By Lake & By Land
A stranded Nebanaubae imparts an ominous message, and an intruder returns...

Part 17: Face To Face
Charmian learns the mysterious manitou's purpose, and calls an urgent meeting...

Part 18: Or Else
The intruder interrupts the group's meeting, and an innocent victim is taken hostage...

Part 19: Answer Seeking
Charmian races to the Fairy Realm to learn the strange manitou's identity...

Part 20: Go East, Young Woman
On learning the dreadful truth about Megissogwun, Charmian heads east to find Glooskap...

Part 21: O-ho, To Marten We Go!
The odd duo Kwemoo and Maang lead Charmian and X'aaru to Marten's secret hideout...

Part 22: Passing The Buck
Glooskap advises Charmian to seek those who know Megissogwun best--the Four Winds...

Part 23: Stealing & Stalling
Barrington, seeking escape, instead makes a dreadful mistake...

Part 24: Underground Plots
Charmian and the others make desperate plans to escape the Island for the Fairy Realm...

Part 25: Taught, Be Teacher
Geezhigo-Quae has an unusual request to make of Charmian, concerning Winter Born...

Part 26: The Start Of The Journey
The journey begins to find Shawondassee, the South Wind...

Part 27: The Haunted Wood
Those certainly aren't ghosts haunting those woods!--so what are they...?

Part 28: Best Left Forgotten
It seems Manabozho's got a LOT of explaining to do...

Part 29: Water Battle
Manabozho does battle with a nasty Underwater Lynx, but Charmian smells something fishy...

Part 30: The Jig Is Up
Manabozho's plans fall apart, and an unlikely source offers some information...

Part 31: Unfair Fare
Barrington overhears something odd, and Charmian learns the steep price for assistance...

Part 32: Landfall
After a wet ride, the group sets up camp very far from home...VERY far...

Part 33: Good Manitou, Bad Manitou
Charmian and Winter Born share an odd dream, and some hostile manitous emerge...

Part 34: Thunder Down Under
Charmian and company struggle to flush out a recalcitrant Thunderbird...

Part 35: The Mighty Kenu
So this is what meeting a real live Thunderbird is like...

Part 36: Shawondassee's Mountain
Kenu proves useful, and the South Wind is located...

Part 37: Aunt Grandfather
Shawondassee clears up more than a few things about the Four Winds...

Part 38: Catfight!
What do you do when a Thunderbird and an Underwater Lynx meet? Run!!...

Part 39: Fireside Chats
Charmian and company get ready to pass the night around the fire...

Part 40: Dream Within A Dream
Charmian's talk with Tal Natha has a surprising--and rather unpleasant--ending...

Part 41: Telling Tales
Utter humiliation is the perfect way to pass a canoe trip!...

Part 42: Guns & Dozes
Black Elk Horn seeks vengeance, while Winter Born attracts some unwanted attention...

Part 43: The Underground Railroad
Charmian and Walks-On-The-Shore flee underground, with some unusual help...

Part 44: The Forsaken Path
The plan--to seek the missing Charmian, or to go on without her...?

Part 45: Unbearable
Things seem just as dangerous in the east as they are back home...

Part 46: Friend Among Strangers
Charmian sees a face she didn't ever expect to see again...

Part 47: Bad Vision
Charmian gets to know Singing Cedars a little more than she wanted...

Part 48: Oki's Advice
A friendly spirit offers some helpful advice--at least, Charmian thinks so...

Part 49: Squabbling Siblings
Singing Cedars becomes Charmian's reluctant guide, and she learns his issue with okis...

Part 50: Uneasy Truces
Chakenapok shares some troubling news, and Charmian ends up in hostile territory...

Part 51: Escort Service
Charmian's group receives an unusual escort to the mysterious wall of water...

Part 52: Beyond The Wall Of Water
Charmian finds out exactly what lies behind the waterfall...

Part 53: Fire Down Below
The strange presence behind the waterfall doesn't seem too welcoming to Charmian...

Part 54: The Not-So-Dead End
The East Wind can't help Charmian as she wishes, though he does prove to be useful...

Part 55: Easterly Advice
Wabun gives directions to the North Wind, but leaving in peace won't be easy...

Part 56: Tooth & Nail
The okis prove troublesome for Charmian, and perplexing for Singing Cedars...

Part 57: Dreamspinning For Beginners
Charmian learns a little more about the mysterious "Red Swan"...

Part 58: Reunion On The River
Charmian's reunion with her friends results in an unpleasant problem...

Part 59: Borrowed Medicine
Charmian gets an unexpected helping hand with her vision...

Part 60: When The Sky Was Opened...
Charmian describes a strange new ability, and Kenu introduces the mighty Nigankwam...

Part 61: Head In The Clouds
Animiki Land--and the Thunderbirds--aren't quite what Charmian expected...

Part 62: The Ire Of The Animiki
Nigankwam has more than a few strange revelations for Charmian...

Part 63: Back To Earth
Thomas receives a gift, and Charmian spots some mysterious watchers...

Part 64: Spy Vs. Spy
Chakenapok has some unsettling news, and the group goes looking for Weavers...

Part 65: A Voice From The Past
Chakenapok has a reunion with his dead brother Chibiabos...

Part 66: Going Under
Charmian and company seek the Weavers...

Part 67: Shake, Rattle, & Roll
Who knew that giant spiders like song and dance...?

Part 68: Singalong Charmian
An odd bargain convinces the Weavers to help the group to Gitchi-Gami...

Part 69: Interim/On Edge
Megissogwun sees something he shouldn't, and the Weaver tunnel proves troublesome...

Part 70: Tunnel Vision
A Lynx attack sends the group scrambling for safety--but where's Gitchi-Gami...?

Part 71: Bonshommes
Charmian and company get acquainted with some friendly voyageurs...

Part 72: Fairytales
A surprising disbelief in Manitou Island leads to a surprising outburst...

Part 73: Let's Make A Deal
Charmian's plans to meet the mysterious Mishosha are rudely interrupted...

Part 74: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Charmian has to dispose of a rather nasty mess...

Part 75: Acting Without Thinking
A Nebanaubae offers some strange information for a puzzling trade...

Part 76: Small Sacrifices
An ailing Augwak gets an unexpected helping hand...

Part 77: The Unasked-For Gift
A stranger gives Charmian a gift, but Moon Wolf is suspicious...

Part 78: Gitchi-Gami
Lynxes await at Gitchi-Gami, but something else is coming too...

Part 79: Cloudburst
The Animiki surely have the Lynxes beaten, haven't they...?

Part 80: Parting Words
Kenu makes the most important decision of his young life...

Part 81: Mosquito Beach
A peaceful rest provides the means to explore an enigmatic new island...

Part 82: Like Talking To A Rock
Who knew talking to granite could prove so informative...?

Part 83: Bearwalking
Charmian and Winter Born are led to the lair of the mysterious Mishosha...

Part 84: Old Man Mishosha
Charmian and Winter Born face the mighty medicine man Mishosha on his home turf...

Part 85: Automatic Refund
Why would the Nebanaubae renege on a done deal...?

Part 86: Mixed Messages
Chakenapok has a strange message for Tal Natha, and the others make landfall...

Part 87: Back To The Pack
Charmian and company receive a rather sloppy but exuberant welcome...

Part 88: Shot Through The Heart
A burnt camp and a Mide lodge lead to more mystery...

Part 89: Lodge Learning
Cutfoot has information on Megissogwun and Geezhigo-Quae and--the Red Swan...?

Part 90: Lost Cause
Niskigwun desperately seeks to detain Megissogwun...

Part 91: Unease Grows
Could someone be keeping a secret about Megissogwun...?

Part 92: Random Act Of Kindness
Charmian receives both an awful realization and an unexpected gift...

Part 93: Tunnel To The Tree
Charmian's return to the Fairy Realm just adds to the confusion...

Part 94: Confessions
The Red Swan's story is strangely familiar to Geezhigo-Quae...

Part 95: Making It Personal
Geezhigo-Quae reveals a dreadful secret about her past...

Part 96: Breaking Camp
The group gets ready for a long trip north...

Part 97: Close Quarters
It's just one altercation after another for Charmian's group...!

Part 98: The Little Ice Age
This strange place doesn't look like Kabebonikka's mountain...

Part 99: The Bad Little Fish
A Nebanaubae has chilling news for Charmian...

Part 100: Equal Exchange
Charmian learns the high price of a tiny bargain...

Part 101: Cold Welcome
The Cree greeting isn't nearly as warm as Charmian hoped...

Part 102: Bay Tripping
Suspicion and paranoia run rampant in the camp of the Crees...

Part 103: Unsafe Passage
Is an offer of assistance up the mountain too good to be true...?

Part 104: An Ice Twist
Charmian learns more than one dark secret about her new acquaintances...

Part 105: Thinning Out
Mudroot chooses an odd party to head back up the mountain...

Part 106: And When They Were Up...
Augwak isn't the only hindrance the group finds on the mountain...

Part 107: Wendigo Woes
This Wendigo makes the GeeBees look like kittens!...

Part 108: Between The Peaks
When is a Wendigo not a Wendigo...?

Part 109: Run For The Hills
Will the frantic fleeing never end...?

Part 110: Taking A Tumble
Charmian bids No-Tongue a bitter farewell...

Part 111: Interim/Breaking & Entering
So, how do you break into a mountain...?

Part 112: The Wintermaker
The North Wind seems rather like a sociopath...

Part 113: Bitter Bargain
Kabebonikka offers a difficult deal, and ominous information...

Part 114: Kabebonikka's Hospitality
Winter Born and the Wintermaker debate...

Part 115: Over, Under, Around, Through
X'aaru, Winter Born, and Mishosha start off their separate ways...

Part 116: Dude, Where's My Camp?
Chakenapok and Charmian both wonder where on earth they are...

Part 117: Best-Laid Plans
Out of all the possible ways an escape plan can go wrong...!

Part 118: Aftermath Of Escape
Chakenapok shares his concerns with Nathalit...

Part 119: A Pain In The Head
Charmian faces a hearty welcome back, as well as some awkward questions...

Part 120: Gimme That Manitou!
Charmian's and Little Wind's faceoff reaches ludicrous dimensions...

Part 121: Covering The Dead
Just what will it take to appease Kenu's wrath...?

Part 122: Unfriendly Banter
Little Wind unwillingly offers up some unsettling information...

Part 123: The Right Of Revenge
Surprise reinforcements arrive from the west...

Part 124: Swapping Stories
Ishkode-Aanakwad offers a disturbing story about Geezhigo-Quae's past...

Part 125: Parting Ways
Morale is boosted and promises made as the group continues west...

Part 126: Change Of Direction
It's just one obstacle after another on the way west...

Part 127: Whiskey Jack
The great hero of the north seems a bit familiar...

Part 128: Opposites Attract, Likes Repel
It'll take some wrangling to get help from Wisakedjak...

Part 129: Decisions, Decisions
Little Wind has to decide where his loyalties lie--fast...!

Part 130: Tunnel Run
The group makes a desperate attempt to flee the flooding tunnel...

More to come...