chapter 1- the quiet before the storm

Chapter1- The quiet before the storm

           

The sun started to rise out of the east. The morning dew was fresh on the flowers and grass. The forest was quiet and calm. The flaps of bird wings filled the air. The sound of Horses galloping at full speed broke the silence and echoed through the woods. A pack of thirty men rode behind the lead rider.

            They rode to the clearing of the forest on top of a hill. Down below them a few miles ahead laid a vast city. The lead rider let out a cry and put his spurs into his horse. The riders behind him followed suit galloping behind ever vigilantly. They were all wearing buffalo skin over their boiled leather armor. There was a chill in the air. That could be seen from the white air they let out with each breath.

            Horns blared from the watchtowers of the kingdom. The horses kicked up dust along the road creating a cloud like path behind them. Gaurds at the cities entrance assembled themselves to greet the riders. The flag of Thandor flew high above them in the morning air. The flag was separated into two stripes the bottom was an emerald green. Above it was a red stripe and in the middle of the two stripes was a six-pointed star.

            A smile broke out of the lead riders face as he saw the flag. He knew it all to well. The green represented the origin of aura each man was blessed with. The red was for the bloodshed that came with the blessing. The star in the center each point on it represented the six walks of life. He bore the same star on his shoulder that was covered by his coat.

            A rider behind him carried a different flag though that waved in the air behind them as they rode. The flag in his hand was black. The great dragon of fire and the dragon of wisdom locked their talons together and protected the sun. a symbol of their unit and standing.

            The French horn continued to be blown as the riders entered the city. Soldiers saluted the riders as they passed. The city was beginning to come to life as they rode in. little kids were fetching water or bringing it back home. Women and men walked around them getting ready to begin their day. They were heading to the market or getting supplies for breakfast. Many stopped and stared at the riders, some waved, and others flashed a smile.

            The riders continued on through out the city. The breeze was refreshing as the sun rose higher in the sky. The smell of bakers preparing their days supply filled theirs nose.  Each rider was ready for a hot meal and a hot bath.  The sound of celebration was in the air. Trumpetors blared their horns and drummers banged their drums announcing the arrival of the riders. The mountain echoed the praise and sounds of the welcoming city.

            They reached the corridor to the castle. Gaurds lined the rows to the entrance. The horsemen road through as the gaurds erupted with excitement around them. They clanked their swords to their chest in unison. The great doors of the castle opened. The king walked out with his elite gaurds. The court came to silence as he raised his hand. The riders got off their horses and removed their helmets each soldier walked forward with their helmets in hand. They bent down on one knee in front of the king. King Domori was a tall naidni. His skin was red and brown. His headdress bore the six-point star of Thismal. He had a long lock of hair running down his back. Over his right eye was a tattoo. Over his eyebrow was a line and at the end of each point of the line was a diagonal line that enclosed his eye in between.

            “One year ago we sent our finest soldiers to defeat the zarthan uprising. Now they have returned. Arise brave warriors and tell me of your victory. Tonight men we celebrate!” the king said as he walked over to the lead rider and touched his shoulder.

            The soldiers cheered banging their swords against their shields.

            “I am glad to see you my son. It has been to long. Where is your brother?” the king asked over the noise.

            “Is that really a question? Father he is with the troops. He will be along momentarily!” Prince Nu said with a chuckle.

            “Come go get washed up and prepare for the celebration. Your mother has been expecting you for some time” King Domori said

            Prince Nu listened and made his way into the castle, which stood firmly into the mountain. The columns were forged from crystals and stalagmite from the mountain. It glistened as the sun hit it. What wasn’t crystal was marble. There weren’t many places in the castle that didn’t shine. The chandelairs was made from gold finely crafted to accomodate the rest of the palace. Prince Nu made it to his room and looked around it like a stranger. He removed all his clothing except his under clothes and splashed his face with cold water. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled.

            Over his left eye was a brand of the fire symbol. He was happy to be back home again. Yet he missed being out on the field with his sword in hand. The past year had been his first real test as a warrior. He stopped the pillaging of the Zartans with minor casualties and no help from the clerics, all while managing to keep Gin’s head squarely on his body.

            The rush of the victory still flowed through him. He could hear the trumpets and mandolins blaring outside in the palace courtyard. He walked over to his window and took in the scenery of his King Domori. There was a buzz in the town as the citizens prepared for the festival. Prince Nu turned away from the window and dropped on his bed. He closed his eyes and slowly slipped into a slumber.

            An urgent knock abruptly woke him up. Before he could get out of bed, his door burst open. Prince Gin bound in with the biggest smile on his face. He grabbed Prince Nu and spun him around. Prince Nu pushed his little brother away and fixed himself. No one would be happier to be home then Prince Gin. Although he was a great fighter he was no warrior. He preferred to tend to plants and bury his face in books.

            “Brother are you going to sleep through the festival. There are women and drinks waiting to be devoured.” Prince Gin said with a great smile.

Prince Nu pushed Gin away and grabbed up some clothes and put them on. He put on a light white cotton shirt and some breeches. Then turned to Gin and grabbed him putting him in a headlock. Prince Nu pulled his younger brother out of his room. The two continued down the hall with Prince Gin still under Prince Nu’s armpits. The sun was beginning to set. The orange glow from it shined through the halls as they walked. Prince Gin fighting effortlessly to get free of his brothers grip.

Servants opened the doors for the two to enter the courtyard. The sounds of music and people exploded around them as the doors opened. King Domori gave Prince Nu a scornful look from across the courtyards, and he released his brother. Prince Gin quickly scurried away and fixed himself. The queen touched the king’s hand and they both looked at each other. Laughter and music filled the air. People rejoiced and danced there was a harmonious peace in the air.

The king summoned his servants to fill up his chalice. He grabbed a fork and tapped it three times. The music stopped as the king stood and raised his cup. All attention was on the king. The queen stood by his side smiling ear to ear.

“A toast for my sons and our troops who crushed the rebellion in the south and for the future king.” King Domori said

The crowd erupted and cups rose in the air. The musicians picked right back up where they left off. Prince Gin and Prince Nu danced in the center of the courtyard with girls. Laughter and merriment were in the air. The moon was in its fullest form lighting up the kingdom with its glow. Lightening bugs danced around the partygoers.

The crowd slowly started to shrink as the sun started to rise. Men slept on the banquet table with cups of ale still in hand. The musicians started to get shaky with their notes.

“That’s enough boys’” Prince Nu said walking past them. Two Naidni women held him up as he stumbled with them into the castle.

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            A hard knock on the door jumped Prince Gin out of his sleep. The sunshine in his room blinded him as he opened his eyes. He dove back under the covers; his head was pounding from the night before.

            “Will you be joining us for lunch young master?” his servant Lorenzo asked as he closed the door behind himself.

            “What time is it” Prince Gin asked jumping out of his covers. He walked to his sink.

“Half past lunch, I have been trying to wake you up since breakfast!” Lorenzo said grabbing clothes out of his closet. He laid them on the bed.

Prince Gin got dress and followed Lorenzo down the hall. The palace seemed to be in merriment. Maids buzzed around doing their daily chores with a smile on their face and pep in their step. Lorenzo opened the dining room doors and introduced Prince Gin.

“He made it” Prince Nu laughed and clapped.

“Prince Nu be nice. He had a long night last night.” Eleanor said

“You be too easy on the boy, when will you be more responsible like your brother. I wont be here forever you two will have the kingdom when I am gone.” kingdom said sternly.

“Yes I know father and I will try harder father” Prince Gin said sitting at the table.

They all sat in silence for a moment and began lunch. The queen broke the silence by praising her planning skills. She heckled the boys about the girls they were dancing with. Eleanor slid her hand over to Domori’s and caressed the top of it. He put his hand over her’s and tapped it gently with a smile.

“Mom, dad gross” Prince Gin said putting his utensils down.

King Domori smiled at Eleanor then gave Prince Gin a glare. He stood up and held his hand for his wife to rise. He bid the boys farewell and the two of them walked out the hall cuddled together. Prince Gin and Prince Nu both looked at each other and laughed.

“You know dad is right he won’t be around forever soon I’ll be king!” Prince Nu said “but let us look on the bright side. If you continue to be a failure, I’ll be around to clean up your mess.”

Prince Nu got up from the table but sat back down in laughter. He reminisced on the last five challenges of Litric he beat his brother at. He walked around the table still laughing and swung his arms over Prince Gins shoulder. He went to punch him in the chest. Prince Gin stopped him raising his aura up a bit. They both were glowing from their aura now. Prince Nu smiled as he glowed a fiery red while gin-looked uncomfortable with his blue aura. They both looked at each other as the table started to shake from the forces they were letting off.

Prince Nu turned his grapple into a headlock. He laughed as he held gins head into his chest and walked out with him. Gin tried to fight but once again couldn’t get out of his lock.

“Brother come join me for my midday workout” Prince Nu said releasing him and laughing.

“I have other things to do then wrestle with you and your boyfriends” gin said teasingly as he caught his breath.

“Run along little brother go play with your flowers and crayons.” Prince Nu scoffed at him as he walked down the corridor.

Gin continued on straight and walked to the balcony. The sun warmed his red skin. He pulled his jet-black hair back as he fixed his clothes. He breathed in a deep lung full of fresh air. The balcony overlooked the castle garden. He marveled in the magnificence of his work. He managed the garden for as long as he could remember. His mother always joked he should of took the gift of earth.

Gin continued down toward the garden. He entered and the aroma overwhelmed him with pleasure. He walked down one of the isles and stepped over the rail. He walked over to a new path of flowers growing. Bending down over them gin focused his aura. He started glowing blue again and his hand waved over the flowers and water poured from it. It gently fell on the plants.

The water dripped off their budding red leaves. Prince Gin got up and stepped back he walked back to the path. Gin focused himself some more in the tranquility of the garden. He sat on the ground and began his meditation with his aura glowing stronger by the moment. The clouds around the garden started to come together and grow black. They crackled a little and a light shower sprinkled over the garden.

The water flowed around gin and not a drop touched him. He marveled at the fruits of his labor. He focused his energy and the rain stopped. He walked to the back of the garden straight to a bright purple plant. The hairs on the bud were a fire red. He pulled out a pipe from his jacket. Gin plucked a bud from the plant and kissed it. He walked over to a bench in the garden. He blew a breath of wind on the bench pushing all the water off of it. Leaving his seat nice and dry as he calmly sat down and marveled at his garden once more.

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Prince Nu made a circle in the sand where he stood. Twenty guards all armed with practice swords, stood around him preparing for their attack. His teacher Darus stood on the second tier of the yard and looked on. He motioned to the soldiers to attack. Nu dodged the first man and lashed him on his belly with the sword making him bend over in pain. Another soldier came in prepared to attack. Prince Nu blocked him and spun around to stop the one coming from behind him. After laying them two down a man with a bow staff stepped through the crowd.

The bow staff man wore an all black robe and moved as if he was one with the staff. The man swung it over his back and head showing his discipline with the weapon. He bowed to king Nu and jumped into attack. He lashed the bow staff on the ground and Nu barely missed it. The other soldiers jumped out of the way not wanting to feel the staff. The bow staff wielding man swatted at Prince Nu continuing to make him be defensive but not getting him out the circle.

Finally one of his attacks got Prince Nu to jump out and backed him into a wall while still dodging the strikes. Prince Nu realized he was in trouble so he bounced off the wall and swung at his enemy. The bow staff wielder blocked and started backing up. Darus signaled a soldier to jump in. as he did Prince Nu almost landed his strike on the bow staff wielder. The soldier swung Nu’s sword back allowing the bow staff wielder to regain his balance.

Prince Nu jumped back and glimpsed at all the soldiers around him. He centered himself and focused his self. He wiped the sweat off his brow gripped his sword and charged. He attacked the bow staff man, the swordsman tried to help again but Nu kicked him in the chest. He grabbed the soldier and used him as a shield to block the bow staff strike. Then shoved the wounded soldier into the surprised bow staff wielder and pulled his staff away from him.

Darus pounded his fist on the banister. All the soldiers in the yard focused on Prince Nu. They all gripped their swords. Prince Nu smirked and looked at darus. He started to swing the staff dancing his way to the center. He looked at the fear in the soldier’s eyes as he made his way. Each of them was unsure of themselves and ready to fall by his attack. It gave him a silent thrill and he knocked one after another of them down.

A soldier broke his concentration by attacking. Prince Nu struck him with the staff. One after the other they dropped. Prince Nu made his way towards the steps in the courtyard. He made a path of destruction headed to the bottom of the steps. He ran up the steps and the soldiers followed in rows of three. Halfway up he turned around and used the staff horizontally to knock them down. Nu ran back down after them and grabbed two swords off the fallen soldiers.

Soldiers stepped over their fellow brethren to chase him up the steps. Darus jumped on the ledge and jumped onto another ledge and started to climb. The soldiers swung and Prince Nu defended backpedaling to find an exit. He spun with his sword at the attacking soldiers buying him-self some room. He jumped on the ledge and cut the drapes hanging overhead. He threw it on the soldiers buying him some time to climb up.

As his hands gripped the top of the roof Darus stepped on his hand. King Nu yelled out but grabbed with his other hand. Darus tried to do it once more Prince Nu used his momentum and jumped up off his other hand. Darus jumped back and turned in surprise. Prince Nu swung his sword at him Darus dodged it and laughed as if a child swung it.

Prince Nu continued on the offensive. Darus casually dodged him. At his next swing Darus grabbed his arm and flipped his sword out his hand. He threw the sword up and it landed on the other end of the roof behind him. Prince Nu looked at the sword then at Darus smirking face. He focused himself and struck out at darus. Darus blocked and continued to back up. King Nu tried to kick him; Darus grabbed his foot and pulled him in for a punch.

Prince Nu hunched over from the powerful blow. Darus flicked him off him and attempted to jump back. Prince Nu grabbed his leg and pulled him back down. He dropped him and punched him in the ribs. Nu jumped for the sword and clutched it. Darus stood up and prepared for the attack he dodged and blocks it. The practice sword exploded with the impact to his arm.

Darus stood firm and punched the shocked Prince Nu in his chest again. The soldiers standing in the courtyard marveled at the fight they were watching. Darus raised his foot to stomp on Prince Nu who blocked both with his hands. He thought to himself for an old man Darus was strong. But then again he was an inimeg and that wolf blood was strong in his veins. Nu pushed his foot back up with all his might. Darus jumped back and Prince Nu stood up.

“So old man why don’t we finish this up like real men!” Prince Nu said as he brushed himself off.

Prince Nu did a back flip off the roof and landed in the courtyard. Two soldiers ran over and presented him with two swords. Darus landed and walked over to them. They each picked one and bowed to each other. The soldiers cleared away to give them room.

Prince Nu and darus focused their energy raising their aura’s up. Darus slammed his sword to the ground it came back up as a rock sword. The blade shined as if it was made of marble. He swung his sword straight at Prince Nu. A small boulder flew out the sword. Prince Nu sliced it and from that spark his sword started to burn. The sword looked no different except from the blue flames rising and swaying with the wind around it. Prince Nu created a circle around himself and the ground burned as the sword cut through it. With one hand he signaled for Darus to attack.

Darus lunged at him and the two exchanged blows. Darus pushed Prince Nu out his box and stepped in it. They battle for a few more moments trading blows. King Nu got frustrated that he was still in his circle. That gave darus the opportunity to strike his sword out his hand. The sword flew into the crowd of on looking soldiers and landed in the ground. Prince Nu looked at darus sword so close to his neck. He could smell the earth burning from all the strikes to his sword in his nose.

“Thinking will get you killed!” Darus said breaking the silence and pulled his sword back. “All of you should keep that in mind, now let us prepare for dinner!”

Prince Nu bowed with a troubled look on his face.

“What troubles you my pupil?” darus asked

“You could of cut off my head!” Prince Nu said

“Yes well I guess I could of if I wanted to. You have fought in many battles why does it trouble you now” Darus asked laughing

“I do not know. It just felt so real when I smelt your sword.” Prince Nu said

“You are a fine warrior. You must remain clear headed in battle. That temper of yours will be your downfall.” Darus said giving him a stern look.

Darus patted him on his back and made a left down the corridor. Prince Nu made a right and shook his head as if it would get the smell out his nose. He tried to get the thought out of his head. He walked into his room and peeled his clothes off. Nu was hot and sweaty. Yet his reflection in the mirror made him admire his chiseled physique. He walked in to his shower and turned it on. The water splashed him with cold water; he fixed it to how he liked it. Nu punched the wall leaving a dent in it. Pieces of the framing fell off as he pulled his hand back. Prince Nu leaned on the wall and under the shower letting the water run down his head.

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King Domori and Lorax walked through the palace talking. The moon shined on the palace. There was a cooling wind blowing in the night air. They walked to the balcony of the palace. They over looked their vast kingdom. The lights in the kingdom gave it a vibrant look. King domori thought to himself about what it took to build his kingdom. How lorax and Darus had become his top generals. As he overlooked the city all these thoughts ran through his mind, as he considered the fates of all the people that would come under his decision.

“With this defeat to the rebels in the south we can now focus on the taruvians to the east.” Lorax said

“All this talk of war lorax after all these years we need peace.” King Domori said “we have had prosperity in the kingdom.”

“Yes my lord I understand I was simply advising on our window of opportunity to grab the Bengal Harbor.” Lorax said

“I will take it in to consideration” king Domori said

The two continued their walk and talk. The castle was quiet tonight. Their footsteps echoed down the corridor. A new pair of footsteps caught their attention. Darus reared the corner and the three greeted each other.

“Ahhh Darus how nice of you to stumble on us, come walk with us lorax was proposing a strategy to take the Bengal Harbor!” king Domori said as they continued to walk.

The three talked over the plan as the night air blew around them. They made their way to the war room of the palace. They entered the room and lorax struck a match to turn on the lights. The flame ran around the borders of the wall lighting it up. A map showing their world, as they knew it was designed into the table. The edging and outlines of the borders were in gold. Chairs lined all around the table. Small figurines were placed in specific points on the board.

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Boulders rained down from the air as if hail. Soldiers avoided them as best as they could as they fought for their lives. Soldiers watched as boulders smashed their brothers at war. One hesitates and drops his sword to mourn. The clashing of two swords in his face snapped him back to reality. Darus stands in front of him and throws the zartan’s sword back. He plunges his sword in to his chest and kicks him off.

“You can join him now or mourn him later.” Darus said pulling the solider up.

A huge dark shadow caught his eye, a boulder rotated above him. He covered himself and the soldier preparing for impact. A cloud of dust covered them. Darus got up coughing and fanning the dust away.

“Is it tea time already Darus?” lorax asked riding up on a black horse. He held his staff in his left hand and the reigns in his right.

Darus grabbed his sword off the floor and nodded at the soldier.

“Hey I am at 23 how much you got?” Darus asked as he slashed a zartan and sliced another.

“40” lorax answered laughing

“40?” Darus thought to himself as he dodged a blade and sliced another zartan.

Lorax jumped back in to the battlefield with his mighty steed. It was all black with a white diamond on its forehead.  A group of zartan’s jumped in front of him. His horse rose up in fear.

“Zarthas” lorax said pointing his staff to the ground. The roots in the grounds came up and grabbed the zartans. One root spun one launched him back into the fight. The other root slammed a zartan repeatedly into the ground. Another wrapped the zartan and squeezed him until he started to shake and his head dropped rendering him unconscious. Lorax watched with a fire in his eyes and a smile on his face.

He whipped his horse and continued through the battlefield. A giant zargo plowed through the soldiers. With one arm he swiped and threw five naidni in the air. Once again lorax pointed his hand to the ground. Roots came up and tried to restrain the surprised zargo. The zargo began to get pulled down but fought back. He pulled the roots out of the ground. New roots came up and pulled him harder down. They wrapped up his legs and the zargo fell down hard. All the zartan’s behind him got squashed. Lorax looked away at the sight and thought of the mangled bodies.

“O come on!” darus said looking at the sight.

He slammed his sword into the ground and brought it back up wider and thicker. The stone that came up gleamed in the midday sun. He went into a blitz plowing his sword through zartan after zartan. He fought through the crowd then realized he was encircled. He slammed his sword back into the ground it came back up as a spear.

Darus stabbed the first zartan in the chest that jumped at him. He slammed his sword with the zartan into the ones to his right knocking them over. He pulled the staff back and knocked the zartan behind in the nose. He spun and sliced him down his head. Darus slammed the staff in the ground giving a zartan a bicycle kick to get up. He continued to run in a circle running on the zartan’s chest knocking them down. He stood up straight and pulled the staff back up. Darus looked like a mad man as he threw his hair back and looked around covered in zartan blood.

“Come at me” darus shouted breaking his staff in half. He dropped both pieces down. The earth swallowed them and spit back up two stone swords. Darus grabbed the swords and twirled them together. A zartan ran up and he dodged his blow and cut his head off. He kicked his body without letting his head fall off his swords. The head slowly rolled off his sword and he kicked that to them.

One zartan caught it he looked at it and threw it behind him. He called out and beat his chest. He attacked darus as they exchanged blows the rest-closed in. suddenly a wind blew some away and roots sprung up. Darus continued mowing down the zartans.

The zartan’s turned and started to flee. Soldiers cheered and many still gave chase.

“Darus, darus” king Domori said clapping

“Yes my lord sorry I drifted off for a moment.” Darus said shaking his head

“Maybe we have strategized enough for the night.” King Domori said.

“Yes lets call it a night” lorax said eyeing Darus

King Domori walked to the door and put his hand by the fires that lit the room. All the fire quickly came into his hand. The room was dark as they left; lorax pulled the door closed behind them. Lorax and darus bowed to King domori and continued down the hall together. The king went his way towards his chambers.

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As king Domori walked down the corridor and reminisced on his younger days. The palace lit up from the moon in the sky. As king Domori crossed pass a pillar he turned back into a child. He looked around the palace as he strolled.

“Prince Domori, where have you been? I have been looking all over for you,” a much younger Lorenzo said catching up to the young prince.

Lorenzo grabbed Domori’s hand and turned him around. His face was covered in chocolate. Lorenzo grabbed out a napkin from his pocket. He wiped his face clean and fixed his hair. He stood and put his hand out for Domori to grab it. Young Domori grabbed his hand and followed behind him. They entered a hall inside the palace. Cleric’s formed in two vertical lines toward the stage where the king Gando sat.

Domori clutched Lorenzo’s and lightly as they walked. Lorenzo shook it gently and nodded at him. Lorenzo let go off his hand as his father summoned him forward. Domori slowly walked forward and knelt in front of Gando’s throne. Two clerics brought out a table with four viles and a cup. One vile was filled with dirt, another filled with a burning bush, and the next filled with water and the final was empty.

A cleric walked over and grabbed the cup off the board. He handed Domori the cup filled with the magic ore. Domori smelled the shiny black drink and made a face. He looked around him at the masked cleric, Lorenzo and finally at his father. He could hear his heart beating but still took the cup and drank it all. He went to put the cup down and the room started to spin and he slowly faded away.

Domori floated in a sky like world, which he knew to be the asterian plane. Suddenly he slowly started to fall uncontrollablly; he landed with a thud on sand. He looked around to see himself on a beach, slowly standing to his feet and brushing the sand off of himself. The water started to rise and in the distance he made out a turtle shell. A giant turtle slowly walked up to the shore. Domori stood still trembling with fear looking at the massive beast still unsure of what was happening.  The wind started to pick up forcing him to plant himself deeper in the sand. A tornado formed out in the ocean and also came forward to the island. The forces started to come to a calm settling all the trees on the island.

Domori marveled at the power of the tornado and it’s discipline. It stood in all its might next to the turtle not destroying a thing. The sky started to crackle and the volcano on the island began to erupt. A dragon erupted out of the magma and circled the island. The dragon’s scales were red as the magma it came from. It dove down straight for Domori with all his fangs out. Domori stood in fear until he met the dragon’s eyes as their eye’s connected a sudden calm came over him. The dragon circled him wrapping him around inside his body. As Domori stood inside the dragon’s spiral he felt its warmth and the power. 

The dragon flew next to the turtle. The ground around Domori started to swirl. He was slowly being sucked down into the sand. He tried to fight but the more he struggled the more he sank. He looked on in horror and wonder as a man started to rise up next to him. The man was made from sand he reached into the sand and pulled Domori up from the sand. Domori expected his hand to be soft but it was hard as rock. The tornado, the turtle and the dragon all turned white and stood in front of Domori in human form.

“Do you know who we are?” zarton asked.

Domori nodded and looked at the four warriors. He was told many tales of them growing up. He knew the day would come when he would meet them but still he was amazed to see these immortals in front of him.

“So you know what you must do then?” zarton asked

“I see great power in him” lordan said raising his hand

Domori started to levitate and his chest started to glow. He felt this warming sensation take over his body. His chest was glowing green and the four gods had smiles on their face.

“You child are blessed with an abnormal amount of aura you are truly thorgans kin, you will leave here with two gift’s rather than one” lordan said lowing him back down. The glow slowly started to fade away.

Domori watched as his glow left him and the sensation with it. He held his stomach as if he could bring it back. As he looked up they were gone. As he looked around the beach started to shake. The sky started to break away and he started to fall back through the sand. Domori awoke from his trip. He looked around to see everyone still looking at him. He reached over to the table and grabbed the vile of fire.

Domori looked at the burning bush for a second then swallowed it. He felt the bush going down his throat he was expecting it to burn but it felt rather tasty. As it hit his stomach he burped and smoke rose out of his mouth and nose. He went to grab the next vile. Lorax stepped out of the line of clerics to stop him but the king motioned for him to stop. Domori hesitated but looked at his father, who beckoned him to continue.

Domori grabbed for the empty vile as he picked it up. The sky darkened and boomed. A great wind blew open the hall doors. The wind picked kingdom up and he twirled in the middle of the vertex. His eyes rolled back in his skull. The fire inside of him came out and swirled around with the wind. It looked like a hurricane made of fire. Everyone in the room looked at the marvel and power of this small child.

Domori lowered himself and walked over to his father’s throne. He knelt before him and as he did the sky cleared up and the door to the chambers slammed shut.

“Today my son has made me proud and we welcome a new warrior into our mitts” Gando said picking his son up from off his knee and hugged him.

The clerics removed the tray and the viles from in front of the throne. They filed out single file from the door to the right of the throne.  A younger Lorax watched domori as they marched away. He clutched his fist tightly as he watched the king praise the prince. He threw his greenion cloak over his shoulders and with a scowl walked away quietly behind the clerics

“Dear will you be coming to bed or will you continue to patrol the halls?” Eleanor asked teasingly to Domori  snapping him out his dream.

Eleanor started him a bit and she noticed. She caressed his face gently. The warmth of the moon wrapped around them. It was set over them as they were standing on the balcony. Domori looked into Eleanor’s twinkling eyes and smiled. The two kissed under the stars and walked off to their chambers.

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chapter 4- the war of Thisalbush

Chapter 4- The war of Thisalbush

           

Thisalbush was the land of the free it stood between the two factions. While the naidni tribes were in the west.The progressives stood to the east of Thisalbush. Just north of kalinga, they settled there for freedom and refuge from the kalingan society.  It was originally an exploration colony, which formed into a city. The kalingans saw the naidni as savages although trade was made between the two. An attack on either side from time to time was no surprise to either faction. The kalingans explorers brought many diseases with them that proved deathly to the naidni. Many of the tribesmen didn’t want them around or bring their sickness to there tribes. There was a very fragile peace between the factions. Some of the kalingans wanted furs and gold’s, While others just wanted medical and technological advances. Those in the group fought not for war, wealth or fear but for knowledge. The naidni had plants that couldn’t be found in barsland. That made peace a viable solution for the researchers in the colony. While the kalingans had weapons and machines that could innovate the empire with, it took many years of blood and tears before peace and harmony could reign in Thisalbush.

            However their freedom did come at a price. The Progressives paid high taxes to the Kalingan Empire for protection. The day came though when the money wasn’t sufficient. John the 23^rd was a conqueror and wanted the world. This lack of gold from the progressives gave him the perfect reason to take control. He was roofless to his enemies and built the Kalingan Empire by himself. He had tried to take the naidni tribes but always failed. Their pride and numbers overpowered the Kalingan will power many times. It was said in kalinga that you couldn’t kill a savage that didn’t care for his life. The naidni had showed many times over they would sacrifice themselves for their people to prosper. No matter how backed into a corner the naidni were. They always showed themselves to be true warriors.

            John the 23^rd was growing more obsessed year by year. He finally could take no more. The need to be on a battlefield consumed him. He wanted to take them by storm. John needed a massive army. Which he had acquired over the years of his reign. With all the countries surrounding him conquered. He yearned for a new challenge. His army would need to come from land, sea and air if he would take them.

            To have an edge on his competition he brought weapons from the Robandians. The smarter progressives john thought. While the progressives in Thisalbush needed protection and practiced peace, The Robandians worshipped their advances in weaponry and technology. They would make any weapon you wanted for the right price. Davey had just sent him a message by raven. He told him of a machine that could fly. If he spoke the truth the naidni would never stand a chance.

            Such an army would take him right to the doorsteps of foratu. The world would be his and his son’s for generations to come. John cared little for the territories that he conquered. Only that he owned them and ruled over an unstoppable legion. A legion that would make the naidni crumble at his feet. The resources they had so plenty would be at his disposal. Diamonds, precise jewels, gold and metal ores, There would be no equal to his might once he had it all.

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            The naidni at this time were lead by Thorgan. He was a strong head chief and on many occasions shown himself to be a worthy adversary. Thorgan used guerilla tactics to survive the attacks from john. Thorgan was gifted with one son thegan. Who was but five cycles at this time. For his sake and his people thorgan couldn’t let john take the naidni land.

            Thorgan saw how kalingans miss used the earth. They brought sickness and death with them as they expanded their domain. They held no regard for the earth’s cycle of life. They killed the buffalo that the naidni depended on just for sport rather then need. Wasted many of them and leaving them right where they killed them. Thorgan watched over the years as they killed each other for land, women and money. It confused him how they could want or claim to own something that was not theirs. The naidni had a different way of life; they had a duty to the earth that gave them so much.

            The naidni were a massive nation and had stopped john’s advances many times. Each victory for them though came with a price. They lost more men then they gained security. John just came back stronger and with more powerful weapons every time. Although the naidni had started to adapt their weapons to combat with the kalingans, their weapons were strong and dependable but still primitive compared the kalingans. They used sharpened stone, hardened wood, clubs forged from precise stones and a variety of poisons. Their metal making abilities were not as advanced as the kalingans or Robandians.

            The progressives shared many tips with them however. As the naidni improved their societal structure, they showed them new uses for a lot of their resources. Progressives however were pacifist and would not construct weapons. The weapons they did have were for defensive purposes like naidni attacks. The first few years were rough, their alliance with the naidni was the main reason many of them were not put to death by Kalingan officials.

            The practicing of sciences in kalinga were forbidden. Many people were put to death or banished within the court system. The laws bias lay upon the fickleness of the mob. Women were tired as witches, men as warlocks or demons. The smallest suspicion or a vindictive person could land you in jail or put on trial.

            The punishments ranged from a stoning to public executions. No matter the defense or explanation death usually came to the accused. These acts of injustice made the progressives rally together and seek their freedom. They grew tired of hiding their brilliance and meeting in the night. They had cures for ailments and wanted better for their fellow men. Yet not all them felt that way though. The garrison brothers were the perfect example.

Davey garrison led the progressives while his brother Darrell ruled Robandia. They were both geniuses from birth. They watched their father be pulled by horses in the public square for his passion. Their mother was drowned in judgment as a witch. These injustices to these young men caused a fire to burn inside them. They raised a rebellion against the Kalingan army. With their rebellion successful they marched out of kalinga and the persecution in kalinga.

            Sadly the victory and freedom did not settle the issue. The two brothers could not agree on where to go. Then the issue of dealing with the kalingans again came up. Davey wanted nothing to do with them or the violence they just escaped from. While Darrell wanted revenge and wealth. These decisions tore the group up internally. Many felt the way Davey did and went to Thisalbush. The others sided with Darrell. Darrell took to selling weapons to the kalingans to keep them off his back. He watched as they used his creations to destroy each other.

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            A raven flew into its cage in thorgan’s wigwam. He walked over and removed a note that was tied to his leg. The note came from a spy in kalinga. It said john the 23^rd was gathering his armies and preparing for an attack. Thorgan crumpled the letter and grabbed his headdress and placed it over his head before exiting the wigwam. He knew this day would come again. The world was too quiet to stay that way. Thorgan knew john wouldn’t stop till he had everything. Thorgan’s village was alive today. Woman washed clothes in bins outside their teepees. Children ran around without a care in the world. He signaled one of his guards to sound for the other chiefs to assemble. His wife lily flower stood up from talking with the other women.

“Is something wrong dear,” she asked with a concerned face.

“John will be attacking again soon. Do not alarm the people. My council and I will need to meet and discuss this issue.” Thorgan said

“I understand” lily flower said kissing him and walking back to the other women of the village.

            Thorgan continued through the village and looked at all the people depending on him, living carefree at the moment. Not knowing that the kalingans were coming. He couldn’t afford to cause a panic before he had a plan. Thorgan walked into another wigwam and sat at the head seat. Moments later his chiefs started to come in. each naidni’s chief facial tattoo’s were different. Every chief earned his position on the battlefield. Their design’s signified their tribe and the amount of men that fell to their hands.

            As they finally assembled Thorgan looked around the room at each of his generals. Fierce warriors sat at his table, each man willing to give his life to protect his tribe. Thorgan’s decision’s now not only affected his village, but the villages in which each of these generals represented. He informed them of the situation and watched their expressions.

“We await your orders Thorgan,” all the generals said in unison.

“We must prepare ourselves and stay vigilant. We must know what we are up against before we can make a move. Send the scouts out and keep them on guard. We will assemble the mass of our army in Thisalbush. There we will make our stand” Thorgan said

            All the chiefs sitting in the wigwam nodded their heads in agreement. Many times many of the naidni tribes didn’t agree. Yet in times like this it was understood no one tribe alone could withstand the forces of the kalingans. They knew the geography of Thisalbush would give them the best advantage. The kalingans pushed to the north once and destroyed the tribes there. They burned the villages, raped the women and took them plus the children for slaves. Thorgan led them to push the Kalingans back to the progressive’s colony. Many tribes still hadn’t recovered from their loses. The naidni numbers were few however their will was strong. They knew the land better then john could ever hope too.

The Kalingan army had a good navy but thanks to the progressives. The naidni were able to make boats that could counter attacks. The gift of sailing boats to them was to help improve their fishing expeditions. The gift turned to be a blessing when the Kalingan war ships came. The naidni were able to take control of a few and turn the tide on the fleet. They acquired them after the war and made a few themselves.

            Although the naidni battle ships were much smaller they had maneuverability in the water. They were much quicker and could easily dodge the cannon balls from Kalingan battleships. The naidni had been lucky in their battles. Thorgan knew that and he also knew john’s temper and arrogance would be his downfall. His might was strong but he underestimated the resilience of the naidni people. John saw them as a mosquito that he swatted and wouldn’t die.  John should have looked at them as the bears in the mountains strong and powerful.

            The chiefs stood up from their seats. They pounded their right arm on their chest. They slowly exited the wigwam and took to their horses. They galloped away heading to their respective tribes to prepare for battle. The naidni would have to muster up the manpower from all the tribes to stop the invading forces. The sound of the horses leaving echoed through the forest. The setting sun shined hard on their backs as they rode away.

            Thorgan walked back to his longhouse. Many of the villagers watched him with concern. They knew the chief met the other chiefs. What they met about they didn’t know but felt they did. The fear of the kalingans was always in the back of their minds, not one naidni had not felt a loss from the Kalingan legions. The night air was filled with curiosity and fear. Thorgan could feel the tension in the air and knew he would have to address it. He didn’t see the reason at the moment to ruin the night.

            He opened the flap of his longhouse and entered. Lily flower was lying on their cot. Thegan laid sleep in his baby cot. Lily flower sat up and greeted him as he removed his headdress. Thorgan laid down on his cot and breathed a sigh of relief as he relaxed. Lily flower rose up on her side and kissed him. Her smell filled his nose and her touch calmed him. She didn’t even get to question him before thegan started to wake up.

            Thegan rolled over and started rubbing his eyes.

“Is everything ok dad?” thegan asked

“Yes it is” Thorgan said

“You called the high council today. Are the kalingans back?”

“Maybe son”

“If they do can I come with you. I want to show them, im as strong as you”

“You will be a brave warrior in the future but now you are not ready”

“But…”

“That is enough. We will not speak of that again” Thorgan said raising his voice “now sleep”

“Ok” thegan said rolling back over

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            John the 23^rd road toward the city gates of robandia, a mote surrounded the city. On top of the city walls cannoniers stood over them vigilant. John and his escorts of royal guards continued to the beginning of the mote. The drawbridge slowly began to lower. It hit the ground with a thud and the men rode across. The guards within the city stood on guard and watched them. Not one guard budged an inch.

            The city was so quiet you could of heard a pin drop. Darrell stood from his balcony and watched his guest travel toward the castle. The shops in the city were closed. The town’s people looked at the king in fear from the shadows and through the cracks in their windows. John the 23^rd looked around the town with a sick smile on his face. The golden crown of olive branches he wore around his head glistened in the light.

            He trotted through the town like a conquering hero, John knew in his mind they despised and feared him. Darrell walked out his palace to greet his guest. John got off his horse and made his way up the steps toward Darrell. John’s golden armor gleamed in the light.

“Dominar I welcome you” Darrell said bowing

“Yes yes let us not waste precious time” john said

“As you wish right this way”

            Darrell lead them into the castle. The castle was even more quiet then the town. The sounds of their footsteps echoed off the walls. The servants that did pass stood to the side of the mob. They never looked up or even attempted to make eye contact. The group made their way to the back of the castle. Outside across from the tanks sat ten airplanes. They were standard made of wood and many types of metal. The group walked over and Darrell stood in front of his creations. The front propel made Darrell look small as he stood in front of it.

“So let me see it fly” john said

            Darrell clapped his hand and three servants ran over. The servant climbed up the side and sat in the one-man cockpit. There were just three gauges on the dashboard, a lever and a red button in the middle of the servant’s legs. The two other servants walked to the back of the plane and began to push it out its spot. Darrell and john stepped back to give them room.

            The servants finally pushed the airplane straight. They looked at Darrell who nodded his head and they began to push. The servant in the driver’s seat pulled a cord to his left and the engine began to rumble. The sound of the roaring engine made Darrell smile. John however was not he held his ears to muffle the sound. The servants kept pushing the plane down the field. A huge drop off was at the end, which turned into a launch pad for the plane.

            The servants let go of the plane since it was moving faster then they could run. The pilot maintained his course. He got to the drop-off and the plane disappeared. The plane picked up incredible speed as he rolled down the launch pad. As he came up the launch pad and left the ground. He came back into view of Darrell and john. Darrell cheered at the sight, while john kept his normal poker face on. The pilot flew around the castle with the engine roaring along the way.

“Now what weapons does your machine have?” john asked

“You can fill it with whatever you want, cannons, bombs, hot tar,” Darrell said while he motioned to the pilot.

            The pilot brought the plane back around and circled past the drop off. He pressed the red button and the bay doors opened under the plane. Bombs started to fall out. They fell out the sky and exploded upon impact blowing up pieces of the mountain below. The smoke and dust filled the air. The pilot started descending and prepared for a landing. He slowly touched the wheels on the ground but continued his speed. Two hooks lying on the ground hooked into a line that supported the wheels. The cords were pulled with the plane but slowed it down. The cords reached their limit and gave the plane a jerk before it came to a complete stop.

             The plane stopped within a foot of where the men where standing. The massive propeller was still blowing in the wind towards the men. John stood and watched the plane he never budged an inch. Even as he watched the plane come hurling at him. The pilot cut the plane off and the engine slowly died down along with the propeller. The servant got out and helped the other servants push the plane back in its spot.

“Perfect I shall take the whole fleet” john said

“Only nine are for sale”

“I want all of them”

“If you have people to fly them you can have nine”

“Very well then I shall take the nine and nine of your servants. I expect them ready when I want them” john said turning around and walking back toward the castle.

            One of his servants turned to Darrell and handed him two bags of gold. The servant then turned and hurried to catch up to his master. Darrell looked at the bag of money and just smiled.

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            Thorgan and his chiefs made their way to foratu. The mountains of draygor kept the area extremely hot. Every couple of cycles they would explode and fill the air with black ash. It stopped most things from growing. It increased the width of the lava lake slowly as well. The naidni traveler’s sweat poured down their faces and soaked their clothes.

            The zartanites were not friends of the naidni. Over the years the two factions warred frequently. The naidni were able to keep the zartanites back in foratu where they could handle the harsh climate. They wouldn’t help however without some thing in return. As brutish and small minded as they were. The zartanites could not be underestimated.

            Zartanites were descendents of Zartan the Dragon Slayer. Before the naidni could explore past Garroth. They had to get rid of the dragons that plagued them. For hundreds of cycles they fought, the dragons and it seemed to be a losing battle. For every fifty they killed draygor had a hundred more. He breed liters of dragons every year. When it began to seem as if the garrothians had finally lost Zartan was born.

            He was of thismal descent, the son of a brother of aura. Zartan did not want to sit at council with his father nor be a cleric. He wanted to kill dragons. Zartan took on the abilties of fire and earth. Growing up he choose not to play with the children but fight with the men. His aura grew stronger and his discipline became unmatched. Zartan was more skilled in a variety of weapons then many of his elders.

            On his sixteenth birthday Zartan finally got his chance. He rode to the outer rim of Garroth with his father to fight the beast. All his life he had waited, hoped and trained for this moment. Zartan had never seen a dragon before though. He saw pictures, watched shows and heard tales of the beast. Now he would finally come face to face with one.

            In zartans heart he believed fighting dragons was his destiny. Tales of warriors killing them, eating their hearts and getting their strength swirled in his head. He would kill them all and be the mightest warrior in the nation. Zartan’s thoughts made his blood boil, he was ready for battle now. His father and their brigade had been traveling for months. The anticipation was overwhelming him.

            Finally their treck came to an end. They reached garroth in the nic of time. Dragons were attacking and the city was burning. Zartan took no time to take in all he was seeing he rushed into action. Zartan jumped off his horse and raised his aura, with his fire abilityand sword in hand he rocketed off into the sky.  It gleamed in the moonlight as he picked his first target.

            The dragon was three times his size and it’s teeth gleamed in the night every time it opened it’s mouth. With its black scales it blended perfectly with the night sky. The dragon’s green eyes met zartans as they charged to each other. He could see the fire coming out of the dragon’s mouth, a fiery ball barreled toward him. Zartan dodged the ball but felt the true strength of the beast. The dragon’s wing slapped him across the sky. Zartan charged his aura up and regained his composure. All around him men battled dragons. Some were winning but more were crying in agony. Zartan charged at the dragon once more. With all his strength he swung his sword and cut off the dragon’s head.

            A rush filled his body and he watched the dragon fall into the forest below. Zartan turned around to find another dragon. A garrothian soldier to his left was in trouble with the dragon his was fighting. Zartan flew over and as the dragon went to lunge at the soldier. He cut its head off and a burst of fire exploded out of its mouth.  The explosion pushed Zartan and the soldier back in the air.

            A screech that sent chills down his spine made him turn around. The sound of thundering wings approaching got his full attention. Balls of magma came spewing down from above the battlefield. That’s when he saw him. Draygor the father of dragons had arrived. He was massive at least the size of five dragons put together. Draygors eyes glowed a crimson green in the night. The gigantic balls of fire he spit out illuminated the night with every puff.

            The garrothians soldiers on the ground launched spears and nets at the beast. The spears bounced off his hard scaly skin and the nets were not big enough to contain him. Their feeble attempts just seemed to annoy and enrage him more. Zartan floated in mid air just mesmerized by the beast. The sudden pulse of an aura snapped him back into reality. Though all the chaos zartan saw his fathers fiery blue aura zooming toward draygor. The dragon blew a mighty ball of magma toward him. Zartans father sliced through the ball and charged toward him. He sliced his side with his sword piercing the dragons scales. Draygor screeched out in pain and wiped his tail into zartans father and chomped him in half. Draygor gripped What was left of his lower body with his feet and threw it into the air. With a giant gulp he swallowed zartans father whole then let out a shreech of victory blowing flames of fire into the air.

            Zartan screamed in agony and charged up his aura. A rage was burning through him as he flew straight to draygor. The dragon was now flying back into the darkness and the other dragons were following him. Zartan did his best to catch up to his father’s killer. He sliced through dragon after dragon trying to reach draygor. A painful schreech from one of the dragon’s zartan killed made draygor turn around and face the dragon slayer. Draygor spiraled toward him and head butted Zartan. The impact of his skull connecting to zartans chest sent him crashing down into the forest below. Zartan cracked branch after branch before he finally crashed onto the forest floor. Before he passed out Zartan watched draygor spew fire balls in every direction then continue home with his flock.

            It took Zartan a few months to regain his strength. Draygor had broken a few of his ribs and open a nasty gash across his face. Once Zartan was good enough to stand on his own, He was faced with the task of returning home and attending to his grieving mother. With the burial ceremony for his father long gone, Zartan decided not to go back home. As he rested and was tended to the only thoughts that ran through his mind was avenging his fathers death. Months turned to years and zartan fought side by side with the garrothians. He slayed dragon after dragon and ate more hearts than any other soldier. Battle after battle he looked for draygor but never found him. Zartans impatience and anger built along with his skills year after year, Finally he could take it no more.

            Zartan gathered together some of the bravest warriors he could find. These men would help him finally reach his desire of killing draygor. Zartans plan was if draygor would not come to him. He would go to draygor. Zartan and his warriors would track them back to their nest and finally put an end to the dragon’s reign of terror on Garroth and avenge his father. After years of recruiting and preparing his men. Zartan left garroth and made his way to the dragon’s liar. After months of trekking through the uncharted jungle past Garroth. He finally found the dragon’s home. The set up their camp a few miles away from the base of the volcano the dragons called home.

            Years of murder turned to decades of genocide. Zartan and his army had almost completely destroyed all the dragons of the south. Now zartan had become older and more impatient, draygor had not re-appeared since that fateful night. Myths of his death from zartans fathers blow surfaced every few years. Zartan had turned dragon slaying into a sport. He erected colosieums for their fights. Even breed his own dragons, designed dragon callers, riding gear for mounting dragons, better weapondry for attacks while mounted all in hope of finding draygor. Although he was a kind and just ruler, his hunt for draygor drove him half mad. Zartan had explored everything south of the Naidni Empire, adding a new continent to the map and yet not one sign of the beast.

            His band of warriors had now turned into a thriving city. The people no longer cared about the “silly dragons”. They wanted beauracracy and justice. In his old age he reminisced on the golden years. Zartan knew everything you could possibly know about dragons.

            On his 60^th cycle Zartan once again recruited a band or warriors to explore once more. This time they would venture across the volcano and to the other side. He found the strongest earth, fire and air naidni that he could. Exploring caves that close to the volcano could reach temperatures well over two thousand degrees. Zartan had seen one to much naindni collapse under the pressure. It ook discipline and will to handle those conditions. Zartan knew the perils of this journey for he had tried it before. To fight a dragon on its own terf was no easy task. On his first exploration he found egg shells. Now zartan planned to go deeper and further into the mountain. He left his oldest son Zarfang the throne and set out.

            After months of exploration of the mountains, zartan found the nest, hundred of eggs in a small cavern. In his heart he knew the mother wouldn’t be far. Nesled in the very next cavern she laid. He raised his hand and signaled the troops to prepare themselves. Zartans warriors split up into two groups one went left the other right. Encircling the dragon the best they could. Halfway through one warrior kicked a rock and it falls waking the dragon. She raises up spewing balls of fire and screeching. Zartan pulls the earth around him and jumps down on the beast. The rope wraps around her neck and he mounts her as best as he could. The dragon kicked and screeched from the onslaught. Zartan had rode a lot of dragons in his life but she was the wildest he held on as best as he could.

            The top of the cavern crashed in and draygor flew in screeching. The mother dragon flew up towards him, as she did draygor blew a ball of fire towards her cutting zartans rope. He fell back towards the ground shattering his earth shield. Zartan stood back up and watched both the dragons fly up and circle the caverns opening. He powered up his aura and pulled another shield over himself. Zartan punched the earth and pulled a sword from it. he flew up to meet his advisary with his warriors right behind him. Other dragons swooped down to help draygor, the battle raged on with zartan getting the upper hand.

            Zartan dipped and dodged draygors fierce claws and bites. Draygor slammed him with his wing into the mountain. Zartan pushed himself out of the crater and charged the beast once more. He sliced him on the left side of his stomach, causing draygor to screech out furiously. Zartan saw this was his opportunity to finsh draygor. He pulled his entire aura he had together. The earth below him began to shake and the volcano rumbled as he charged up his aura. Meteor pieces began to fall out the sky from the gravitational pull zartan was making.

“Zartan you will destroy us all!” a soldier yelled seeing magma pour out of the volcano.

            Zartan was too overwhelmed with power to stop himself. The power of his full aura was too much for him to control. The volcano erupted and black ash filled the air. The female dragon dove down into the cavern, Most likely to rescue her eggs zartan thought. He put all his focus on draygor now since he was becoming harder to see with all the black ash and smoke in the air. Finally the two of them met eye to eye. Zartan and draygor stood less than fifty feet away from each other, just watching each other waiting to see who would make the first move. As zartan gripped his sword tighter in preparation for attack something caught his eye. A giant meteor flew down toward it. he dodged it and watched it collide into the volcano.

            As zartan looked back at draygor he was already right on top of him. Zartan did the one thing he could. He thrust his sword straight into draygors chest. Draygor screeched out and sunk his talons into zartans back. The two of them free fell straight into the mouth of the volcano. Zartan and draygor fell into the magma with meteors crashing all over as well. Zartan expected the magma to kill him, yet he sunk with draygor and began to change. The rocks he had around him for protection melded with draygors skin and the magma forged the bond together.

            Zartan felt stronger and taller, he freed himself from draygors death grasp and swam out the magma. As he pulled himself up out of the magma his warriors stood above him. Some of them had the transformation he had, their skin was stoney and burned red like his while others aura’s had increased tremendously. Zartan and his warriors prepared for the trek home. After months they returned to find the city half destroyed. The forest was gone and had turned into a savannah. All that was left of his family was his wife and youngest son. Many of the people seeing his state along with his warriors blamed him for the destruction and deaths of many while still fearing his new appearance. The citizens left were appalled by the sight of him. Many tried to leave and head back north. The lake of magma stopped most of them for decades until it finally receded.

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            Thorgan and his escort reached the final stretch to the gates of foratu. The main city stood at the end of a stone bridge. Below the bridge laid a lake of magma. The generals with thorgan looked down at the height they stood. One kicked a rock off the bridge. It dropped for a while and hit the magma. It burst into flames as the fiery rock sank into the magma. The chiefs looked at each other then to thorgan. Thorgan never looked down or kept his eyes off the city. The other chiefs hurried to catch up to him.

            They crossed the bridge and the two-Zartan guards who stood crossed their spears.

“What do you want Naidni” the zartanite to the left asked

“I wish to have council with schordin” Thorgan said

“Open the gate” the zartanite to the right yelled

            The two zartanites brought their spears back to their side. Thorgan and his escort continued along their way. They entered the city gates and looked at the castle. A naidni hadn’t entered the city since thorgan’s great grandfather was king. He drew the line that separated zartanites and naidni. It had been over 150 years since then. Schordin was the king now and was just as stubborn as any of the zartanite kings prior to him.

            For some reason zartanite’s aged much slower then the Naidni or Kalingans. Many thought it was since they birthed litters. The zartanites could build an army off one birth cycle. Each zartanite came out ready to fight just as aggressive as the older zartans. As thorgan walked through the town, they passed a blacksmithing shop every other shop. The zartanites were skilled in crafting metals. They used the lava to meld the strongest metals around.

            How they could survive in the extensive heat. Thorgan wondered as they reached the palace steps. The smell of the city was just as unbearable. Thorgan remembered the reason for his visit. He sucked up his discomfort and started up the steps. The men reached the top of the palace and before they could wipe the sweat off their foreheads, Castle guards rushed out and surrounded them. They escorted them to the throne room.

            Schordin sat on his throne with his full armor on. He drank from a goblet and the wine dropped out his mouth as he gobbled it down. His teeth were sharp and his eyes black. He sat hunched over and you could see his age through his wrinkled face. Schordin put his hand out for his cup to be refilled. A female zartanite came over and refilled it, she was just as ugly as schordin thorgan noticed. Schordin ignored the men standing in his throne room, ss he guzzled the cup down once more.

“What do you want naidni?” Schordin asked sounding annoyed

“We come in good will to ask for your help in stopping the kalingans”

“Why should we help you naidni” schordin asked with a snort

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend, will you allow them to walk to your gates”

“You dare compare mighty zartanites to you weak naidni?” Schordin asked angered. He crushed the chalice in his hand and threw it.

“No! By no means do I mean to offend”

“Get out! Get out of our land. We will not help you. Let the kalingans come”

The guards in the throne room drew their weapons

“We offer you water and lots of it” Thorgan said not backing down

“How much water” schordin said raising his hand to settle the guards

“We have 20 barrels now and we’ll send 200 monthly”

“Leave your water and leave now. I will send a raven with my decision”

“As you wish” thorgan said backing out the throne room with his escorts.

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The fog made it hard to see ahead of you. A naidni scout ship drifted in the water. The small dug out boat bobbed in the water. Of the three naidni on board two slept the other nodded in and out of boredom. Something in the distance caught his attention. He kicked the two other guys and jumped them up. The three of them stared into the darkness but could only see fog. A light started to shine in the distance and got brighter.

            One naidni grabbed the ores and started paddling with all his might. The other stood up and grabbed his horn. He blew in it to signal the other naidni of the danger. The light disappeared and a kalingan battleship appeared. A look of horror came over the three as the ship headed straight for them. The battle ship crashed into their small boat and did not even slow down. With the first casualities of war on the naidni side the war began.

            Horns began to blow all throughout the forest. Alerting all naidni warriors of the threat, Birds cawed and the forest went into a sudden frenzy. The fog started to clear and the flag started to come into view. The flag was all white with three black crosses on it. The boats pulled into the land and dropped their planks. Soldiers started to file out. Their chainmail clung and clanked as they organized into their flanks.

            Cannoniers rolled off other boats along with soilders. The tanks rolled over slowly. They filled the air with black smoke as their engines roared. Soldiers followed up behind them. The final and most extravagant boat plank dropped and john the 23^rd walked off, he took a deep breath and smiled sickly as he looked at his army organizing themselves. His royal guards stood behind him and moved down the planks as he did. The kalingans were known for their unity in the military.

Horns from the naidni snapped the kalingans to attention. Their forces started to come out the forest. They chanted along with the drums they brought. They’re chants and cries brought shivers down many of the kalingans soldier’s spines. The kalingans continued to chant and beat they’re own drums as they’re army assembled. They were much smaller in size then the kalingan force. Thorgan had hoped the zartonites would of came before the battle started. He could not worry about that now. He would make the best of what he had.

“Shut them up!” John the 23^rd said

One of his generals raised his hand and signaled to his cannoniers. The head cannonier dropped his hand and simultaneously they started firing the cannons. They bommed and filled the air with white smoke. The cannons exploded the ground. It didn’t stop the chants of the naidni. They started to laugh at the fail attempt to hit them. They were quickly shut up when the second wave of cannons got fired. A few naidni were hit and blown off the ground. Thorgan raised his hand for his archers to prepare themselves. The kalingan army started to march in line. The massive army looked in unison every step they took. The only sounds coming from them were orders yelled by their commanders. The noise from the tanks drowned out mostly everything as they spouted black smoke. Thorgan waited til they got close enough and dropped his hand. The archers sat in the trees and on the ground. They let their arrows fly. The arrows dropped and impaled many soldiers. The chainmail they wore protected most of them. The naidni charged in still chanting and screaming.

            The battle began and blood was being shed on both sides. Suddenly a boom exploded a tank flipping it over. The boom came from one of the naidni battle ships. The great flag of thandor flew in the wind. It gave the naidni on the ground more courage. John the 23^rd however was not amused. He signaled for his ships to take out the naidni fleet. The war waged on two fronts now and it seemed the kalingans would have the victory.

            As if to stop the smiling face of john the 23^rd, the zartanites began to launch boulders into the battlefield. The horns of the zartanite brigade made Thorgan turn around. He saw the army of Foratu running into the battlefield. They trampled kalingans as they clashed into the battle. The boulders kept flying and the cannons kept booming. The battlefield was covered in bodies and blood, the tanks rolled over dirt and bodies in its path and boomed it cargo out,

            The Porgean Sea was no different ships and men laid in the water. The sea turned red with blood and men washed up on the shores. The naidni had managed to take control of two more kalingan battleships. Although the kalingans fleet had destroyed most of theirs, Sharks started to swarm into the blood and fish invested water. Men thrown overboard were being attacked and drowned as the ships exchanged cannons.

            On the land Thismal wolves of war and zartan onita’s attacked kalingan soldiers. Onita’s were the rejects from zartanian birth litters. They were muscular white with piercing blue eyes and fangs. Some zartanites road their onitas charging into battle. It was the free onita’s that men feared, as a kalingan soldier sliced one three jumped on him. They devoured their prey and still hungered as they scattered back in to the battlefield. The kalingans brought their masiffs and there sygonian Shepards. The Shepards were similar to the naidni wolves but more muscular.

            Thismal dogs of war were decendents of the wolves. The thismalites met when they first settled in thismal. As they grew as a people the wolf pack grew with them. However sygonian Shepards were trained dog’s breed for one purpose. Destroy their target. Kalingans unleashed them on battlefields to cause chaos. The small tactile insertion offset the enemy. Giving kalingans the edge and allowing them to push forward.

            When the two dogs met they showed each other their teeth. They charged at each other and started biting each other. The sygonian Shepard got the advantage and bit the wolf in the neck. The war dog squeeled and tried to scratch. The Shepard shook his head to finish it. His face covered in blood he licked his teeth and looked around. He spotted another wolf and their eyes met. Men ran between them still fighting. The war dog let out a howl and charged at the Shepard. The Shepard jumped at the dog. As he did another wolf appeared and knocked him to the ground. The two wolves attacked the Shepard one at his neck the other at his stomach.

            The roar of a new sound made John the 23^rd smile with pleasure. While it made Thorgan’s blood run cold. All the men on land and on sea stopped what they were doing and looked up. The planes came into view and circled the battlefield. They unleashed their cargo on everything. Bombs dropped from the sky blowing up things on the battlefield. John’s smile disappeared when he saw his army being decimated as well.

            The sky started to darken and the earth started to shake. Chunks of an asteroid started to fall out the sky. It smashed into the battlefield and released a green gas into the area. Bigger chunks started to fall. The sky turned to fire as smoke covered the earth. The soldiers on both factions sides started to retreat, as the battlefield was in chaos. The planes came down crashing. Men cried in pain as they ran around the battlefield on fire.

            The chunks continued to rain down. One landed on top of john. Another landed on top of thorgan and schordin. The smoke burned their lungs and the green illuminating of the black stones scared them. The asteroid started to mutate all that came in contact with it. The chunks rained down all over the world. The volcanoes in foratu exploded and the Algerian forest started to burn. The lakes and streams dried up in the forest. What was once flourishing land turned to a desert. The earth continued to shake.  The geysers in Sodom erupted and froze over turning it into frozen tundra.

“Get this off of me!” john the 23^rd yelled.

            He picked up the meteor by himself and threw it. john was now 20 ft tall and his muscles bulged. His face however was disfigured and he now only had one big tooth sticking out of his mouth. A big nose and his golden crown melted into his massive skull. His escorts backed up at the sight of him. They however became stronger as well they’re armor could hardly contain there new mass in muscle. Their swords on their sides seemed like toothpicks now. Other kalingan soldiers had the same muscular growth. However few turned into beast they became werewolves. They were at least 7ft tall half man and half dog. There hands now claws coming out of them.

Soldiers that were on fire were still on fire but no longer screaming. The fire was now one with there flesh. These mutations happened to the naidni as well. Those in trees became one with them. Later becoming known as synthesizers. The men on horses became one with them as well. They became centaur’s man on top horse on the bottom. Other men ran around crazed.

“The voices stop the voices!” One soldier yelled on his knees holding his head.

Some men were gifted with telepathy and other increased mental abilities. Some men started to fall through the floor. They controlled the earth and became one with it. As all these mutations were occurring the uncontrolled power strained the earth.

Thorgan and schordin standing next to each other got pinned under one of the crashing chunks. They looked at each other and for a moment in time they read each other’s minds. They teleported to the asterian plane and saw all the others with mental abilities.

“What is this place?” schordin asked looking over all the men going crazy.

“This must be where minds go” we must help” thorgan said

He made himself three times his normal size and towered over the minds.

“Listen return to your bodies and retreat to your lands!” thorgan thundered

            One after another they disappeared and thorgan returned to normal size and stood next to schordin.

“How did you do that!” schordin asked

“I don’t know, I just thought it, come we must get to safety”

            They returned to the battlefield. The asteroid was still on top of them. They both lifted the asteroids off of themselves with their minds.

The planes that crashed also started to mutate. The cords inside them started to expand and grab nearby soldiers. The tanks started to change too. The tanks exploded and the shrapnel that touched the soliders or naidni fused to them. They became cyborgs as the metal and cords intertwined within them. Darrell crawled out of the crash slowly. He looked around the battlefield and noticed the change in his eyesight. It had become cybernetic; his right hand was metal and his left normal. The wires and tank strapnel continued to change people in the same manner. Darrell looked at the sea and saw the ships burning. They were at least 200 yards from him. Yet he could zoom in and see them as if they were 10ft away.

 The thismal dogs of war, onita’s, the sygonian Shepards and the masiffs were affected as well. They grew bigger some elemental, metallic and more ferocious. The men on the on the sea were also changing. The seamen mixed with the fish around them. Many of the kalingans mixed with the sharks. Their arms stretched out and became fin like. They’re muscles bulged out as they’re faces tightened up and pulled back. They started to resemble the killer whales, hammerheads and great whites in the area. The naidni solders however grew fins out there back. Their spines curved in and started to enlarge. Their face and body turned blue and scaly. The back of their head was a rainbow. Their eyes grew big and darkened the color of midnight. One naidni however turned into pure water. He rose up out the water and pulled the water into a tsunami under his feet.

“Retreat!” thorgan and john yelled at the same time. They both stood on opposite sides of the battlefield. As they yelled the sky turned black once more and the earth below their feet trembled. Men ran into the forest and in to the remaining boats. An asteroid the size of the battlefield was hurtling down towards them. The soldier that stood on the water turned his attention to the asteroid. He focused his energy on it. Gallons of water pounded out of the tip of his fingers pointed to the asteroid breaking it a bit. The naidni soldier that turned to fire earlier, Lordan Engulfed in flames flew up to assist wild horse.

Zartan rose up a mound of land and stood next to the other two. He began hurling giant boulders at the spot the other two were aiming at. Kaway flew up toward them with wings as white as snow coming out his back. He pulled the clouds together and rained thunder and hail down on the asteroid. With the might of all four the asteroid started to crack. A bolt of lightening hit the asteroid and it split in half. It filled the area with the gas and started to crack apart. The asteroid broke into five points and hit the battlefield.

 The impact of the asteroids caused the earth to break apart. The ocean rumbled the waves crashed against land. The kalingan battleships in the bay were pushed into the sea. They rocked violently as they floated away leaving soldiers behind. The four elemental naidni spread out over the battlefield trying to save who they could. The earth started to break apart the fog got really thick and heavy around the battlefield. The left side and right side of thisalbush started to sink, while the heart of thisalbush started to drift away from the two collapsing sides.

The survivors watched from land, air and sea at the destruction that was taking place. Some stood on the shores of thismal with Thorgan and Schordin. Kalingan factions stood on what was left of the progessive city. The four elemental naidni slowly started to take the survivors to their respective sides. The heart of thisabush slowly disappeared in the sunset. The two factions stood on their sides watching as they drifted farther and farther apart.

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            As the months followed and turned into years there was much unrest in the world. As many people found the changes hard to get use too. Civil unrest broke out often especially in naidni tribes. Thorgan did his best to guide his people through the difficult times. He stressed the fact that abilities or lack there of didn’t make a person better or worse and managed to settle most disputes. Thegan his son watched and learned from his father’s actions.

            To keep the unity of the people he orchestrated Olympics be held to commemorate the asteroid. These test challenged those with powers and those without. They kept all the tribes happy and allowed joy to subdue many of the tensions that plagued the naidni. The four warriors who were gifted with becoming the essence of elements started to be looked at as gods. They assisted thorgan in preparing the Olympics.

            The Olympics were to cycle the empire held in each tribe, every citizen would be given a chance to show their skills. The Olympics also held fighting tournaments and exhibits. Warriors from all kingdoms came out to match their skills against others or just their level of discipline. At this time clerics became known as the law of the empire. They were excluded from participation in events but allowed to do exhibitions. They’re acts always marveled the crowd. The level of discipline the clerics held were unmatched by any in the lands.

            The clerics also played the vital role in the birthing of naidni children. For the mutation carried over into their offspring’s of the children. The amount of aura they were born with varied by child and once a naidni child was born. Their stomach glowed green like the asteroid, the brighter the light the stronger the child. As the children grew the gods and clerics helped them choose their path. For most the aura could only be focused on one element. There were exceptions with a few extra ordinary children who were gifted with a higher level of aura. These children could handle two or more abilities.

            Thorgan and other’s with mental abilities started to understand their limits. Laws were made to protect people from being used by mental mutants. Who could manipulate weak minded and untrained minds. They could Transmorph objects to a certain degree. They could change an object or control it for a certain amount of time and After the object would return to its normal state. It came to their attention that some mutants could increase another’s power or give power to someone without them.

            The mutation extended the life span of all that were affected by it. Although thorgan showed his age he was still strong as an ox. The abilities however didn’t make them immortal as many learned. Uncontrolled and reckless use of abilities leads to many deaths in young naidni. Another seven years passed and thorgan prepared himself for the dark days he tried to avoid.

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